Grand Californian Direct

[lyric_rains]

Has anyone ever heard of Disney selling Grand Cal direct in the last year? I wonder if when the new tower points are being sold, they might have a hidden stock of direct points for GC, for those buyers who aren't moved by the new tower's vibe.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Alas so many people on the waiting list for direct points they won’t add new people to the waiting list currently.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They close about 5 transactions direct per year, based mostly on foreclosures.

 

[npatellye]

Someone posted a week or two ago about there being direct VGC points available. I just need to go back and find who it was. I think it was @NVDISFamily but I may be wrong.

Edit: it was here-
https://www.disboards.com/threads/r...uctions-formatting-tool.3888303/post-64265363

 

[NVDISFamily]

Someone posted a week or two ago about there being direct VGC points available. I just need to go back and find who it was. I think it was @NVDISFamily but I may be wrong.

Edit: it was here-
https://www.disboards.com/threads/r...uctions-formatting-tool.3888303/post-64265363

Yea they called and offered me up to 300+ direct points. @MrsNVDISFamily said we should either wait for VDH or buy more resale VGC when we are ready for that purchase. I was still tempted to buy 50 points.....

I'm guessing they aren't having enough luck selling them at 310 a point? I do think having a good relationship with a direct guide will help.

 

[RoseGold]

I don't see the point of this, even if they had the points to sell direct. They're too expensive to use anywhere but VGC, even bought resale.

 

[lyric_rains]

I don't see the point of this, even if they had the points. They're too expensive to use anywhere but VGC, even bought resale.

My thought on this was that since resale pricing was the same as direct, it’s a good place to become a blue card member. Especially, if you live in CA.

 

[lyric_rains]

Yea they called and offered me up to 300+ direct points. @MrsNVDISFamily said we should either wait for VDH or buy more resale VGC when we are ready for that purchase. I was still tempted to buy 50 points.....

I'm guessing they aren't having enough luck selling them at 310 a point? I do think having a good relationship with a direct guide will help.

How much lower than $310 pp is your guess for initial pp costs for VDH?

 

[TeamRiley]

Once you stay at VGC, you realize that they are totally worth it. That is why resale is so high. It is awesome.

 

[RoseGold]

How much lower than $310 pp is your guess for initial pp costs for VDH?

It doesn't matter if they're free. You won't be able to use them at VGC. That's why people pay so much for VGC points.

 

[lyric_rains]

It doesn't matter if they're free. You won't be able to use them at VGC. That's why people pay so much for VGC points.

Good point.

 

[NVDISFamily]

How much lower than $310 pp is your guess for initial pp costs for VDH?

My current crystal ball says.......

300 points - mid/high 180s
200 points - mid/high 190s

Educated guess based on current offers on VGF2 and Riviera. If it doesn't have resale restrictions, if the point chart is amazing (and a bunch of other reasons), and who knows about the economy in a few months.... will all have an impact on my guestimate.

If it's even close to 220 a point or some other crazy amount.... no thanks. I'd rather just pay a bit more and get VGC resale. I'll ninja a room at VDH with my Riviera/CCV points sometime in the future to check it out regardless.

Once you stay at VGC, you realize that they are totally worth it. That is why resale is so high. It is awesome.

Yep yep. VGC is our baby in Cali. But I will admit I do want to check out VDH. I need to experience that balcony in the Grand Villa at least once

 

[NVDISFamily]

My thought on this was that since resale pricing was the same as direct, it’s a good place to become a blue card member. Especially, if you live in CA.

If a reasonable path to blue card happiness is your goal, VDH is likely the safer bet.

The one wildcard would be if you split up the purchase into 3x50 point contracts at VGC. First, you might only be able to do this if you already are a member as they won't let you boot up a new membership without a first buy in of 150 (I've heard conflicting stories about this on the boards but that's why I was told by my guide - some seemed able to argue the point and get a new membership with multiple small contracts).

50 point VGC contracts are rare and go for almost the same as direct on the resale market. I would not be shocked if they are worth 450 a point in 10 years.......

 

[Royal Consort]

I need to experience that balcony in the Grand Villa at least once

In my best David Attenborough voice:

"...and here you can see one of the rarest of creatures: a balcony at the Villas at Disneyland Hotel. The balcony is listed as an endangered species with so few remaining in the wild"

 

[OlieIPA]

Yea they called and offered me up to 300+ direct points. @MrsNVDISFamily said we should either wait for VDH or buy more resale VGC when we are ready for that purchase. I was still tempted to buy 50 points.....

I'm guessing they aren't having enough luck selling them at 310 a point? I do think having a good relationship with a direct guide will help.

They called me the other day with an offer for direct points at VGC. I was pretty sure I was going to buy at the new tower, but after staying at the Disneyland Hotel recently, I pursued the VGC contract. My concerns with new DLT is how crowded the resort will be (i.e., pool area), lack of balconies and on-site restaurants. Don't get me wrong, Trader Sam's is my all time favorite and I love the history of the hotel, but VGC just offers more in my opinion at this time. In short though, VGC direct points are out there. If you want a really small contract, then this may be a good opportunity over resale as the cost per point is likely small. I think the last 50 point resale contract I saw for VGC list for about $300/point.

Final thought: I pondered whether they would ever convert more hotel rooms at VGC (i.e., VGF) and if there would be opportunity to buy direct later on. With that said, the hotel side seems to sell out all the time, so I doubt it. Thoughts?

 

[Royal Consort]

They called me the other day with an offer for direct points at VGC. I was pretty sure I was going to buy at the new tower, but after staying at the Disneyland Hotel recently, I pursued the VGC contract. My concerns with new DLT is how crowded the resort will be (i.e., pool area), lack of balconies and on-site restaurants. Don't get me wrong, Trader Sam's is my all time favorite and I love the history of the hotel, but VGC just offers more in my opinion at this time. In short though, VGC direct points are out there. If you want a really small contract, then this may be a good opportunity over resale as the cost per point is likely small. I think the last 50 point resale contract I saw for VGC list for about $300/point.

Final thought: I pondered whether they would ever convert more hotel rooms at VGC (i.e., VGF) and if there would be opportunity to buy direct later on. With that said, the hotel side seems to sell out all the time, so I doubt it. Thoughts?

I hear you. I chose VGC resale over waiting for VDH for your exact reasons and I'm thrilled with the purchase.

As for extending VGC: The consensus seems to be that California timeshare law is different to Florida and a hotel wing cannot simply be converted into a timeshare.

 

[CarolMN]

Pool hopping was never an issue for VGC as the only DVC property. Wonder if pool hopping will be allowed once the new tower is open.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Pool hopping was never an issue for VGC as the only DVC property. Wonder if pool hopping will be allowed once the new tower is open.

I will say that the last set of pictures I took of the construction of the DVC tower I did inside the pool area which my grand Cal room key gave me access.

 

[CapnNemo]

Grand Cal DVC members have always been able to go use the Disneyland Hotel Pools. And Paradise Pier for that matter.

 

[Sunnyore]

They called me the other day with an offer for direct points at VGC. I was pretty sure I was going to buy at the new tower, but after staying at the Disneyland Hotel recently, I pursued the VGC contract. My concerns with new DLT is how crowded the resort will be (i.e., pool area), lack of balconies and on-site restaurants. Don't get me wrong, Trader Sam's is my all time favorite and I love the history of the hotel, but VGC just offers more in my opinion at this time. In short though, VGC direct points are out there. If you want a really small contract, then this may be a good opportunity over resale as the cost per point is likely small. I think the last 50 point resale contract I saw for VGC list for about $300/point.

Final thought: I pondered whether they would ever convert more hotel rooms at VGC (i.e., VGF) and if there would be opportunity to buy direct later on. With that said, the hotel side seems to sell out all the time, so I doubt it. Thoughts?

I am sooooo tempted! When I stopped by the other week and asked, the guide you could tell was struggling to word things correctly. Basically said if I want VGC I have to be ready to buy. I just wish I knew what the point chart for VDH would look like and how hard it would be to book at 7 months seeing that while still considered small, a lot bigger than VGC. 50 points can barely cover 2 nights a year for a studio and that’s not even in high season. Decisions decisions..