East Coast DVC members buying GCV?

[DVC Mike]

OK, I've posted this on another forum but I'm going to post it here as well to get additional input.

I know there are a lot of folks near the West Coast who are excited about the Grand Californian Villas at the Disneyland Resort in California.

I'm interested in finding out what folks on the East Coast think in terms of adding-on points at GCV in DLR.

I have been planning on adding on some points at the GCV. My idea was to buy enough points to go there every 3 years.

However, now I’m having second thoughts (wow, I’ve never had second thoughts about adding on before – this is a first).

Compared to my regular visits to WDW, this would probably be a much costlier vacation.

• Instead of just driving less than 500 miles down to WDW, I’ll need to purchase airfare. With the cost of oil on an upward spiral, and with airline service getting worse every day, I’m not excited about flying to the west coast.
• While I have my own car at WDW, I’ll need to get a rental car for DLR (mostly because I don’t want to be “stuck” at DLR, although it’s a nice place to be stuck at).
• I’ll still keep buying my WDW AP, but now I’ll need to also buy theme parks tickets for DLR.
• I won’t be able to use my Disney Dining Experience (DDE) card at DLR, and will only be able to take advantage of the limited discounts available to DVC members. There are also far fewer TS restaurants at DLR than WDW.
• While Disneyland Park is nice, I’m not that thrilled about the current DCA. Yes, Disney announced makeover plans for DCA, but I wonder if they will be downsized or if Disney will execute on them or drop the ball?

Those are the negatives. The positives are that I grew up around Disneyland and have been there dozens of times before I moved away in the late 1990’s (before it became DLR). Thus, I have an emotional attachment to the park. Plus, as a native Californian, it would be nice to “go back home”. Finally, the weather at DLR is much better than WDW, IMO.

What do you think? I’m also going to add-on at the future KTR @ CR when it is available. Should I just skip GCV and buy more KTR? WDW vacations are just so convenient. Should I just rely upon the 7-mo window?

What do other folks on the East Coast think? What are your plans regarding GCV?

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I think the negatives outweigh the positive. Certainly for me. Fortunately, my job doesn't require me to fly because I don't think I could keep my sanity. I don't even like going near an airport. I would say skip GVC.

I think you need to add some VB to your point portfolio.

 

[Quiksilvr]

I voted no on the poll.

I've only been to Disneyland once (and that was as an adult) so I don't have the emotional attachment to it that someone like DVCMike has. As it is, if I want to go to WDW, I already have to buy air tickets since I have no desire to drive from DC to Orlando. The difference is that plane tickets to Orlando tend to be cheaper and the flight obviously a lot shorter than if I were going to Anaheim.

WDW is more of a destination to me and there's a lot more "Disney" to do there than in Anaheim. I have family in California and I love O.C., but I just don't see it being worth laying out the initial purchase and then dues for a place that I'd visit infrequently.

Recently, my wife and I have briefly discussed KTR, and an add-on there might be in our future (or an add-on at BWV). We'd rather be in WDW. We're East Coasters at heart.

I will say that I agree with DVCMike's assessment of the weather... CA beats FL any day of the year.

 

[ZekeKelso]

For lots of reasons, buying GCV points makes no sense for me. And yet I've got an irrational yearning to buy some. There's a good chance I'll do a small add-on if the price and rules make sense*. I figure the points will mostly get used as "7-month" points, but if I ever want to go, I'll have the option.

* The one things I "worry" about is whether future DVC's at DLR will be in the same pool (i.e. if those folks will have an 11-month window at the CG). If so, the points lose their exclusivity in my eye, and I won't be interested. It'll be nice if Disney clarifies this ahead of time.

 

[Jaaron2]

I voted no interest (for many of the reasons you point out DVC Mike).

Also there is just so much more to do at Disney World (IMO) and it is so much closer.

 

[jarestel]

I'm a "no" as well. I enjoy an occasional trip to California to revisit DL, but it just wouldn't happen often enough to require add-on points. If we lived closer to LA, I would likely give it some serious consideration though.

 

[LocustPoint]

I'm a "no" as well. I enjoy an occasional trip to California to revisit DL, but it just wouldn't happen often enough to require add-on points. If we lived closer to LA, I would likely give it some serious consideration though.

My reasons for voting no as well.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I think the negatives outweigh the positive. Certainly for me. Fortunately, my job doesn't require me to fly because I don't think I could keep my sanity. I don't even like going near an airport. I would say skip GVC.

I think you need to add some VB to your point portfolio.

Mike, skip GCV. From all of my inquiries, there's not a whole lot of difference between FL. MK and CA MK. Calif. Adventure still needs some help. I would expand your pt. portfolio as Disdaydreamer suggests......get some VB points. Now that will be an entirely different vacation for you!! Oh, I have absolutely no interest in buying GCV.

 

[PIERCEDRN]

I too will not buy and will take my chances with the 7 month window. I most likely will try to book the first morning when GCV comes available to non-owners and be willing to accept whatever is available, most likely with less than 7 months notice. After this first chance, I think it will be very difficult to use the 7 month window again. Getting one of the 50 rooms (max 100 units)will be like trying to score Hannah Montana tickets.
I will be calling from 4 phones simultaneously!
BOB

 

[tjkraz]

DVC has openly admitted that its current membership is heavily weighted with folks east of the Mississippi. So it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the poll shows a low percentage of add-ons.

But that doesn't mean it won't be an immensely popular product. In many ways, it's a brand new market for DVC.

I probably won't add on at the GC, but I'd say the odds are a little better than 50/50 that we will eventually add at a Disneyland resort. After all, there's no chance of GC being the only one. We're spending a week at the Grand Californian later this summer, so that trip will certainly play a role in our decision.

If the dues are much higher than a Florida property, it will tip the scales against an add-on. But if the dues are comparable to the Florida resorts, I don't see any harm in adding a few points. I could always use the points in Florida if finances conspire against making a cross-country trip.

On the other hand, with GC being only 50 units, it could easily be the fastest-appreciating resort DVC has ever sold. Might be worth a small add-on just for speculative purposes.

 

[cybertea201]

My wife and I LOVE California. I would consider buying into it. Its 26 minutes away from newport beach. Go to the parks 2 or 3 days out of the week and spend the rest on the beachs of california! TOTALLY AWESOME DUDE!!

I don't even have SSR yet!


AND if they build that Maglev train from Disney to Vegas
WOW!!!
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2008-02-25-vegas-disneyland-train_N.htm

 

[DoOverDreams]

We stayed at the Grand Californian a couple of weeks ago and really loved the look a feel of the hotel. Our room overlooked the area where they are building the villas. I really really like the location. And the drawings we where shown look stunning.

We're going back for another trip in September. By then the mockup should be done and open. We'll definitely go look at it then. However, the concerns mentioned here do give me pause. Now, if I could take my WDW AP and use it at DL too, then we might be talking business!

 

[DVC Mike]

Hmm. I'll guess I'll wait for the point cost, point charts and annual dues information to be released and make a decision then.

 

[wildernessDad]

I voted no. If I decide to visit DLR on the rare occasion, I will use my other points.

 

[JimMIA]

I guess I just miss the whole point of Disneyland. Other than the historical aspect of being the start of it all, I'm really underwhelmed with Disneyland and even moreso by that part of Southern California. We love California, and visit every 2-3 years, but Orange County is never on our list.

Disneyland itself is a mere shadow of WDW, and probably not even the top attraction in So California. Sure the Grand Californian is beautiful, but look where it is!

I can understand why many West Coasters would be interested -- same driveable vacation that many of us enjoy at WDW. But I'm hard pressed to come up with an excuse to buy GCV living on the East Coast.

This same rationale holds true for us with Hawaii. We love Hawaii...but not THAT part of Hawaii.

For either venue, if I were going to buy a timeshare, I'd buy something other than DVC.

 

[DVC Mike]

Disneyland itself is a mere shadow of WDW, and probably not even the top attraction in So California.

Disneyland Park ranks #2 (right behind the MK) in the ranking of U.S. theme park attendance. 14.87 million people visited Disneyland Park in 2007, and 5.68 million visited DCA in 2007. Disneyland Park, while smaller in size than the MK, actually has more rides. Obviously, it can't offer what all of WDW can offer.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

Hmm. I'll guess I'll wait for the point cost, point charts and annual dues information to be released and make a decision then.

That's what I'm going to do too. I would love to add on 50-60 points to go every 3 years but I'm going to wait before I make a decision. A few months ago, I was more excited about adding on but now I'm not so sure. And the cost of airfare is a consideration but only a small one if I'm only going to go out there every 3 yrs or so.

With only 50 units, it will be nearly impossible to get rooms at GCV unless you own there. We stayed at the DLH in 2003 and wandered over to the GCH and we were floored by how beautiful it is. Plus, the access to the parks is incredible. My DW is less than enthused about the idea but she is willling to listen to the idea. When I talked about being able to use our GCV points to combine a trip to GCV for a couple of nights followed by a stay at the Hawaii DVC using our AKV points, she was more receptive to the idea.

 

[DVC Mike]

We stayed at the DLH in 2003 and wandered over to the GCH and we were floored by how beautiful it is. Plus, the access to the parks is incredible.

GCV will be the only DVC resort where you have a 5-minute or less walk to two theme parks and DTD! You never have to wait for a bus -- you can walk everywhere because everything is clustered together.

 

[KevGuy]

I'll take my chances at the 7 month mark if I want to go there....

 

[ACDSNY]

GCV will be the only DVC resort where you have a 5-minute or less walk to two theme parks and DTD! You never have to wait for a bus -- you can walk everywhere because everything is clustered together.

That's the best part especially if you have young children with you! Second it's much cheaper to go to DL than WDW since you don't need to stay 5 - 7 days.

Being on the west coast we felt the same way about WDW. For us the min. stay is 7 nights and flights are long and expensive.

I love how the poll is going...more points for us west coasters!