Hot Off the Press....GCV Grand Event Incentives

[nunzia]

They had a drawing. The prizes were four framed pieces of artwork. Nothing I would consider a got to have or expensive. Each adult received a DVC Folio. Everyone also received a copy of the first D23 Magazine. There were small desserts after the presentation. There was a DJ and you could have your picture taken with Mickey and Minnie or with Snow White and Dopey. There was an interesting discussion with the gentleman who oversees the Disney Files magazine and the gentleman in charge of D23.

Interestingly, it seemed like most people in the room had been on a Disney cruise at least once. On the other hand only one person had been on an Adventure by Disney and she could not remember where she went!

We went to a similar event last May at the Paradise Pier Hotel and in my opinion the May event was much better than this event. It had better food and more of it. The prizes and free stuff were better. Our family agreed that the event last night was boring compared to the May event.

I would have liked to get a Grand Californian DVC pin. Unfortunately we did not see anything like that around.

I'm sorry..this is OT, but how can you 'forget' where you went on an ABD??
Was the artwork a rendering of VGC?

 

[JimC]

What makes you think that?

The incentives are far more aggressive then for any other new resort. And DVC was included in the recent RIF.

 

[heathpack]

I'm sorry..this is OT, but how can you 'forget' where you went on an ABD??
Was the artwork a rendering of VGC?

No artwork of VGC.

One was a framed print (reproduction, I assume) of the original Snow White movie poster.

One was an abstract print of Mickey Mouse's face. They said this is the artwork that hangs at BLT.

One was an animation cel from an upcoming animated movie, something about a Princess and a Frog. This was signed by the producer and was one of only a thousand in existance, according to the DVC emcee.

One was a framed montage of three of the pictures from the new VGC brochure. They are all 1950's era Disneyland photos.

All were about 8 x 12, framed to maybe 11 x 16 or thereabouts.

H

 

[JW9DVC]

For 160 points
$7.00 off per point ($1120)
1 Free week RCI
3 nights Grand California
$100 gift card


or

160 points with the -$5.00 per point and 160 developer points.

Im thinking the first option. Please let me know what you think. Thanks, Justin

 

[SoCalKDG]

Sounds like they are having great difficulty selling a small resort many of us thought would go quickly.

This was the first weekend that VGC was open to non-founding DVC members. Based on how many people were buying last night I'd say they will sell approx. 200,000 points this 4 day weekend event - approx 1300 additions at 150 points. Since I've read that there are only 1 million points, the place should be sold out in the next 3-6 months.

Additionally I felt the incentives aren't as good as the cruise incentive, which we chose last night for our 125 point addition. A cruise for 4 people is much better than three nights at the Grand Californian, at least for my family.

 

[bethy]

The first deal is way better provided you are OK with staying at the GCH rather than at SSR as your bonus. And of course the SSR stay would be a lot longer than 3 nights.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

For 160 points
$7.00 off per point ($1120)
1 Free week RCI
3 nights Grand California
$100 gift card


or

160 points with the -$5.00 per point and 160 developer points.

Im thinking the first option. Please let me know what you think. Thanks, Justin

Part of the equation is if you like or would use the incentives. From what I hear the RCI weeks that are available for this are limited (ie, you probably won't be going to Hawaii, or anything in the Caribbean or Mexico is for all-inclusive and you'll have to pay some large fees).

With the second option you could rent out the DP's and get another $8-10 per point. Or, you could use them to stay at PP or DLH standard room for 8 nights, or GCH standard room for 6 nights. And of course there are other room possibilities at all the DL hotels - these were just examples. Or an SSR studio could be had in value season for 12 nights or a 1 bedroom for 6 nights if you wanted to do a trip to WDW.

From what I've heard the RCI week would not be for me and the second deal would be better - for me. It may not be the same for you.

 

[kerickson]

It will be interesting to see the experience of all these new members/add ons given free RCI weeks. Sounds like you'll just have to put these special DPs into the RCI pot and hope you get a vacation you want. Sounds like if you don't get a match in 2 years, the points will expire... DVC could end up with a lot of bad RCI PR if the experience doesn't meet member expectations...

 

[aandjw]

For 160 points
$7.00 off per point ($1120)
1 Free week RCI
3 nights Grand California
$100 gift card


or

160 points with the -$5.00 per point and 160 developer points.

Im thinking the first option. Please let me know what you think. Thanks, Justin

I say #1....in fact, that is what I bought last night!

 

[kikiq]

For 160 points
$7.00 off per point ($1120)
1 Free week RCI
3 nights Grand California
$100 gift card
or
160 points with the -$5.00 per point and 160 developer points.
Im thinking the first option. Please let me know what you think. Thanks, Justin

IF you are living on the west coast, the first option might have more for you. When we had DPs, we had a year to use them. I think the current DP have time restrictions on them. If our finances allowed us to add on, we would take the first option...spend 3 nights at the GCH, have dinner at Napa Rose and book a RCI week in Colorado (whenever, we love it there).

 

[justkeepswimmin]

I say #1....in fact, that is what I bought last night!

So jealous! My dh and I considered driving out to California yesterday just to get the incentives above but when we thought it through (gas/ food / lodging costs for the trip) it did not make sense at this level. Believe me though, we were tempted!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It will be interesting to see the experience of all these new members/add ons given free RCI weeks. Sounds like you'll just have to put these special DPs into the RCI pot and hope you get a vacation you want. Sounds like if you don't get a match in 2 years, the points will expire... DVC could end up with a lot of bad RCI PR if the experience doesn't meet member expectations...

Agreed - they may definitely regret this promo. For the May event when they gave away II vacations they had specific ones that you could choose from. Of course Hawaii was taken quickly but there were still lots of good options and at least you knew right away if you wanted to go to that location or not.

 

[BeccaG]

The incentives are far more aggressive then for any other new resort. And DVC was included in the recent RIF.

OK, stupid question. . what's RIF. . .

 

[JimC]

OK, stupid question. . what's RIF. . .

Not stupid at all. It is short for reduction in force

 

[BeccaG]

Not stupid at all. It is short for reduction in force

Of course!. . I was scratching my brain for some disney related abbreviation and could not come up with one! Now I feel real silly

 

[nunzia]

This was the first weekend that VGC was open to non-founding DVC members. Based on how many people were buying last night I'd say they will sell approx. 200,000 points this 4 day weekend event - approx 1300 additions at 150 points. Since I've read that there are only 1 million points, the place should be sold out in the next 3-6 months.

Additionally I felt the incentives aren't as good as the cruise incentive, which we chose last night for our 125 point addition. A cruise for 4 people is much better than three nights at the Grand Californian, at least for my family.

and I chose the DP and used it for 3 nights concierge, which is similar to the 3 nights offered at the event, but I'm assuming has no choice of concierge. The gift card would be nice, and I really have no clue about RCI, so don't know about that. The extra 2 off per point would be pretty attractive to me. But..I am totally happy with my incentives and thrilled I got these points. I do think it will sell out quickly and be very hard if not impossible to book at 7 months and even some 11 month time frames. I don't think they'll be building another DLR DVC anytime soon, and think this will be a hot property in the resale market for many years to come.

 

[dcfromva]

This was the first weekend that VGC was open to non-founding DVC members. Based on how many people were buying last night I'd say they will sell approx. 200,000 points this 4 day weekend event - approx 1300 additions at 150 points. Since I've read that there are only 1 million points, the place should be sold out in the next 3-6 months.

Including the founding members sales, do you have any idea how many points have been sold total?

 

[wdw4life]

The incentives are far more aggressive then for any other new resort. And DVC was included in the recent RIF.

Actually, those incentives weren't just for GCV. They were also available for a purchase at BLT, AKV and SSR.

 

[Cherta]

and I chose the DP and used it for 3 nights concierge, which is similar to the 3 nights offered at the event, but I'm assuming has no choice of concierge. The gift card would be nice, and I really have no clue about RCI, so don't know about that. The extra 2 off per point would be pretty attractive to me. But..I am totally happy with my incentives and thrilled I got these points. I do think it will sell out quickly and be very hard if not impossible to book at 7 months and even some 11 month time frames. I don't think they'll be building another DLR DVC anytime soon, and think this will be a hot property in the resale market for many years to come.

Just confirming that the 3-day stays at the GC do not include the concierge rooms. I originally purcahsed 110 points through my Florida guide last Thursday (and used my DPs to book two nights at the GC-concierge level), but decided to cancel that contract and rewrite after the incentives were announced. Now I get a three night stay at the GC (Friday-Sunday over Labor Day weekend) AND fastpasses...

I know, it doesn't sound like a big deal, but I'll take what I can get!

 

[SoCalKDG]

Once someone has the fastpasses please share info on what rides they included. I go about 10 times a year to DLR so they weren't that important, but I'd like to see what they look like and what they covered.