Disneyland - Why so many points?

[DIS-NH]

I'm looking at a trip to DLR in the summer of 09. Six (6) nights in a 2 br at
the DLH will cost me more than 440 points !!!!!

This is compared to 6 nights at the Animal Kingdon Villas - Concneirge Level which will only use approx 260 points this Nov......

DLR should be more accessible for DVC owners !!!

Thoughts?

 

[alldiz]

Ouch....that sounds like cruise prices.
Kerri

 

[Chuck S]

Remember that AKV Concierge is member owned, Disneyland Hotels are not part of the DVC system, they are owned by Disney, just like the regular WDW resorts.

 

[ZekeKelso]

Pretty much anything outside the DVC resorts is ridiculously point-pricey. A single room at the Poly or GF could be over 400 points for those dates. DRL is actually one of the more reasonably priced alternate point-uses.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm looking at the Disney Collection charts, I don't see a 2 bedroom at the DLH or points for 2009. I've also been looking for a rack rate on a 2 bedroom, can't find anything. Usually suites in a non-DVC hotel are very expensive (For example, at AKL a 2bedroom suite (not DVC) is $1,370 a night. I'm sure it's more elaborate than a DVC 2 bedroom).

DVC Villas are being built at the Grand Californian, so that is how DVC is making DL more accessible for members.

 

[DIS-NH]

The suite points are not listed on the normal point charts. I called reservations and got them.

In August, the points are as follows.

1BR
Sun-Thurs 46 per night
Fris-Sat 75 per night

2BR
Sun-Thurs 59 per night
Fri-Sat 95 per night

As for the cost if I were to pay, I could only find a rate on the 1BR. It's approx $650.00 per night.

 

[biolabetty]

When we bought our DVC at Disneyland in February, we were told that the Disneyland resort point totals were expected to go down once the Grand Californian villas opened. I know that for 2 nights, I spent about the same as I would for 1 week at WDW, looking for the points to change soon!

 

[doconeill]

The suite points are not listed on the normal point charts. I called reservations and got them.

In August, the points are as follows.

1BR
Sun-Thurs 46 per night
Fris-Sat 75 per night

2BR
Sun-Thurs 59 per night
Fri-Sat 95 per night

As for the cost if I were to pay, I could only find a rate on the 1BR. It's approx $650.00 per night.

I don't know if these suites are concierge level, but the points are actually LESS than concierge level rooms at any of the available Deluxe resorts in the Disney Collection. AND for those, you'd pay the extra $95 charge to get them (which doesn't currently apply to Disneyland resorts). AND, those are still only studio rooms.

DVC members need to keep in mind that using points at non-DVC resorts is expensive in general.

 

[doconeill]

When we bought our DVC at Disneyland in February, we were told that the Disneyland resort point totals were expected to go down once the Grand Californian villas opened. I know that for 2 nights, I spent about the same as I would for 1 week at WDW, looking for the points to change soon!

I don't know why the points would go down at all. I'd actually expect them to go UP somewhat.

When GCV opens, the points costs FOR THOSE ROOMS should be cheaper than any of the Collection options, but they would not go down across the board.

But I also expect that competition for those rooms is going to be tough...

 

[CarolAnnC]

When the DVC resort opens at the Grand Californian, I would expect that the regular hotel rooms at that resort will no longer be available on points at all. That has been the case at WL, BCV and BWV where the accompanying resorts are not available on points when there is a DVC resort attached.

 

[biolabetty]

I'm obviously still trying to get a handle on all of this DVC stuff. It was my understanding that points don't go up, but they could go down. Our guide at DL said they would go down, but they don't know everything. I sure wouldn't want to see them go higher, they are already pretty bad now. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part.

 

[doconeill]

The limits on points going up or down only happen at the DVC resorts - which the Disneyland Hotel is not one of them.

Point costs within a DVC resort can go up or down - but the total number of points in the resort cannot change. So if they raise the point cost of a particular category for a particular season by X points, then X points have to be lowered in another category (simplified).

Points costs at non-DVC destinations, like the Disney Collection (which is a limited set of non-DVC Disney resorts) are negotiated I believe every year, and could go up or down, but seem to be mostly up. They represent the equivalent number of points in room(s) that are turned over to the CRO office for cash reservations in order to make up the cost that DVC essentially paid cash for to get you your non-DVC room.

It should be made clear to all potential DVC buyers that using points at non-DVC resorts, while being an option, is not a cost-effective use of points. Yet we see a lot of people coming to the boards saying they only want to use points at the Poly, or the GF, etc. and then are upset at the cost.

Points costs at the DL resorts have actually seemed pretty low in comparison to the non-DVC resorts at WDW, probably because of the lack of a DVC resort at DL, but that is changing.

And I forgot about the fact that the Grand Californian will likely be removed from the Disney Collection once the DVC portion is complete. That could actually have two effects - raise the points cost at the other resorts (since there is now DVC accomodations locally), and reduce the number of rooms available at DL on points to DVC members overall.

 

[DIS-NH]

The point usage I referenced was NOT for concierge level. The CM at reservations advised that they do not offer concierge level on DVC points. She went on to tell me that based on availability, I could upgrade when I check in....for a fee.

FYI....the fee is $100 - $150 per day to upgrade from a standard 2 BR suite (DLH) to Concierge level.


I fully accept that staying at the GF or Poly in WDW is not an effiecient way to use my DVC points.....But at the moment (until Fall 09 when the GCA Villas are complete) there is no other way to visit DLR using points. My only thought is that it should be less points.

 

[DVC Mater]

I'm looking at the Disney Collection charts, I don't see a 2 bedroom at the DLH or points for 2009. I've also been looking for a rack rate on a 2 bedroom, can't find anything. Usually suites in a non-DVC hotel are very expensive (For example, at AKL a 2bedroom suite (not DVC) is $1,370 a night. I'm sure it's more elaborate than a DVC 2 bedroom).

DVC Villas are being built at the Grand Californian, so that is how DVC is making DL more accessible for members.

although we have not stayed in a DVC suite yet, we stayed in a 1bd suite at GC last Feb and I would say that suites in a non DVC are not more elaborate. It only had a mini bar and mini fridge, but the DVC's have full kitchens, whirlpool tubs, washer/dryer etc. FYI concerige was $150 extra a night.

 

[funatdisney]

She went on to tell me that based on availability, I could upgrade when I check in....for a fee.

It must be pointed out...if there is AVAILABILITY... Usually there ia no availability.It has been my experience that the GCH sells out pretty quickly.

 

[funatdisney]

although we have not stayed in a DVC suite yet, we stayed in a 1bd suite at GC last Feb and I would say that suites in a non DVC are not more elaborate. It only had a mini bar and mini fridge, but the DVC's have full kitchens, whirlpool tubs, washer/dryer etc. FYI concerige was $150 extra a night.

I have stayed at a 2brm suite and they are nice. Not much bigger than some of the DVC 2brm rooms. The rooms we have had in the past had a Bose radio and plasma TVs. That is why we want to buy at GCV when they start selling. The addition of the kitchen makes the accommodations very appealing. We could live without the plasma TV and the Bose radio. I rather have the kitchen.

We do have reservations at the GCH using our points in Oct. We didn't want a suite. This time we booked two standard rooms for our stay. We are not going to stay in the rooms much this time. The kids (10 and 12) can have one room and DH and I the other. I wonder if the point requirements were less than a suite?

 

[KevGuy]

I'd check out the points to see if two regular rooms would be cheaper than a 2 bedroom suite at a non-DVC hotel. Regardless is isn't gonna be cheap. Maybe you should wait until after the villas are available at GCH and just try a 7 month ressie there, it would probably be a heck of a lot cheaper and maybe do an II 2 bedroom trade somewhere else next year.

 

[biolabetty]

I'm a bit confused. Was the extra fee for concierge only for suites? I know my points chart for the Disneyland Resort includes a level of concierge using points, but that wasn't for suites.

 

[biolabetty]

I'm a bit confused. Was the extra fee for concierge only for suites? I know my points chart for the Disneyland Resort includes a level of concierge using points, but that wasn't for suites.

Never mind, I called my guide and got a clarification.

 

[funatdisney]

I'd check out the points to see if two regular rooms would be cheaper than a 2 bedroom suite at a non-DVC hotel. Regardless is isn't gonna be cheap. Maybe you should wait until after the villas are available at GCH and just try a 7 month ressie there, it would probably be a heck of a lot cheaper and maybe do an II 2 bedroom trade somewhere else next year.

We are planning to go the Mickey's Halloween Treat (hopefully it will be scheduled during our stay-it has in the past). We like how close GCH is to this event and the parks. We just can't get to WDW every year and so the use of the points are the best use for what we want. Do plan on buying at GCV when they start selling and (hopefully) will get the right UY for our travel patterns. My kids have a week off in Oct., so we always stay at GCH in Oct. Next year will be a different story.