Oooh - the Grand Californian is a fabulous resort, and yes, Disneyland is a fabulous park too. Definitely check out the VGC Owner's & Lovers thread, and spend some time on the Disneyland boards as well. There are lots of threads with photos and descriptions to be found throughout.
Do know that VGC is absolutely the smallest DVC resort coming in with only 48 rooms total, 2 of which are GV's. There are 23 dedicated 2 br's and 23 lock-off's. So far I've noticed quite a few people indicating success with the 7 month window, but a lot of us out there believe that it will get harder and harder once the construction/renovations currently happening throughout Disney California Adventure park are completed. World of Color opened last summer and takes over the Paradise Pier lagoon each night, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Under Sea Adventure opens in May of this year, Goofy's Sky School opens later this year, and the all-new land, CARSLAND, with Radiator Springs Racers (kind of like Test Track but with 2 tracks racing each other instead of just the one track of TT) is slated to open in 2012, along with an entirely new park entrance and Buena Vista Street with the new Red Car Trolley (making it look like Hollywood in the 1920's when Walt first arrived in So. Cal) will debut in 2012 as well.
One of the very cool things about the Grand Californian, is that it is the only resort, DVC or otherwise, with an entrance directly INTO a theme park. It literally is considered part of the DCA park, and many of the DVC rooms have balconies looking directly over and in to the Paradise Pier section of DCA. The entrance is private, good only for guests of any of the 3 DL resort hotels - Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel and of course, the Grand Californian. And that entrance is literally just steps away from Soaring (Over California) and Grizzly River Run (much like Kali River Rapids, though longer and a bit better). It's also a short walk from the new Little Mermaid attraction, and all of Paradise Pier, including Toy Story Midway Mania.
If you haven't been before - it's definitely worth a trip IMO. The entire DL Resort area could easily fit inside AK and it's parking lot - so just know in advance that it will be very, very different from anything you've experienced at WDW...yet very similar and familiar in many ways too. Disneyland of course is also the original Disney theme park, and without it there would be no WDW. It's the only park that Walt every actually stepped foot in. Sure he ultimately picked the WDW property and walked it, but he died long before any construction in Florida ever began. He not only walked through DL, but ate and slept there too and his apartment on Main Street is still there, above the Fire Station. IMO it's definitely a must-do at least once in life for any Disney fan.
Many of the attractions are similar, since many at WDW were put in the MK because of DL - but over time, many at DLR have been added based on their success in WDW too. However there do remain a number of unique attractions that you will only find at DL, including the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Alice in Wonderland, Storybookland Canal Boats, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin, Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Indiana Jones & the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, The Enchanted Tiki Room (the ORIGINAL version, not that "Under New Management" version at the MK), and the Sailing Ship Columbia. There are some unique attractions at DCA as well, including the Golden Zephyr, California Screamin', Silly Symphony Swings, and the soon to be Little Mermaid attraction (MK's version isn't slated to open until 2012 or 13), Flik's Fun Fair and it's kid-sized attractions and of course the upcoming Carsland and it's numerous attractions.
Staying at the VGC is also a good way to explore some of the "other" attractions around So. Cal. There are great beaches just 15-20 minutes away, Knott's Berry Farm is only about 10 minutes away, Universal Studios is about 45 minutes north, Sea World and the world famous San Diego Zoo are just an hour and half or so south, and many, many other So. Cal destinations. There's a LOT to see and experience in So. Cal, and many of the schools in the area don't let out until around the 2nd week of June - however, several of the school districts have gone to "year round" school - with numerous "tracks" - so there's no real consistency to it anymore as there was when I grew up in So. Cal.
Have fun exploring it as an option!
I have checked out the DL board here on Dis. I will keep exploring. 
I have only traveled to VGC once in February of 2010 and for the most part was successful at the 7 month window....Oooh - the Grand Californian is a fabulous resort, and yes, Disneyland is a fabulous park too. Definitely check out the VGC Owner's & Lovers thread, and spend some time on the Disneyland boards as well. There are lots of threads with photos and descriptions to be found throughout.
Do know that VGC is absolutely the smallest DVC resort coming in with only 48 rooms total, 2 of which are GV's. There are 23 dedicated 2 br's and 23 lock-off's. So far I've noticed quite a few people indicating success with the 7 month window, but a lot of us out there believe that it will get harder and harder once the construction/renovations currently happening throughout Disney California Adventure park are completed. World of Color opened last summer and takes over the Paradise Pier lagoon each night, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Under Sea Adventure opens in May of this year, Goofy's Sky School opens later this year, and the all-new land, CARSLAND, with Radiator Springs Racers (kind of like Test Track but with 2 tracks racing each other instead of just the one track of TT) is slated to open in 2012, along with an entirely new park entrance and Buena Vista Street with the new Red Car Trolley (making it look like Hollywood in the 1920's when Walt first arrived in So. Cal) will debut in 2012 as well.
One of the very cool things about the Grand Californian, is that it is the only resort, DVC or otherwise, with an entrance directly INTO a theme park. It literally is considered part of the DCA park, and many of the DVC rooms have balconies looking directly over and in to the Paradise Pier section of DCA. The entrance is private, good only for guests of any of the 3 DL resort hotels - Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel and of course, the Grand Californian. And that entrance is literally just steps away from Soaring (Over California) and Grizzly River Run (much like Kali River Rapids, though longer and a bit better). It's also a short walk from the new Little Mermaid attraction, and all of Paradise Pier, including Toy Story Midway Mania.
If you haven't been before - it's definitely worth a trip IMO. The entire DL Resort area could easily fit inside AK and it's parking lot - so just know in advance that it will be very, very different from anything you've experienced at WDW...yet very similar and familiar in many ways too. Disneyland of course is also the original Disney theme park, and without it there would be no WDW. It's the only park that Walt every actually stepped foot in. Sure he ultimately picked the WDW property and walked it, but he died long before any construction in Florida ever began. He not only walked through DL, but ate and slept there too and his apartment on Main Street is still there, above the Fire Station. IMO it's definitely a must-do at least once in life for any Disney fan.
Many of the attractions are similar, since many at WDW were put in the MK because of DL - but over time, many at DLR have been added based on their success in WDW too. However there do remain a number of unique attractions that you will only find at DL, including the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Alice in Wonderland, Storybookland Canal Boats, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin, Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Indiana Jones & the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, The Enchanted Tiki Room (the ORIGINAL version, not that "Under New Management" version at the MK), and the Sailing Ship Columbia. There are some unique attractions at DCA as well, including the Golden Zephyr, California Screamin', Silly Symphony Swings, and the soon to be Little Mermaid attraction (MK's version isn't slated to open until 2012 or 13), Flik's Fun Fair and it's kid-sized attractions and of course the upcoming Carsland and it's numerous attractions.
Staying at the VGC is also a good way to explore some of the "other" attractions around So. Cal. There are great beaches just 15-20 minutes away, Knott's Berry Farm is only about 10 minutes away, Universal Studios is about 45 minutes north, Sea World and the world famous San Diego Zoo are just an hour and half or so south, and many, many other So. Cal destinations. There's a LOT to see and experience in So. Cal, and many of the schools in the area don't let out until around the 2nd week of June - however, several of the school districts have gone to "year round" school - with numerous "tracks" - so there's no real consistency to it anymore as there was when I grew up in So. Cal.
Have fun exploring it as an option!
We spent 3 nights at Paradise Pier back in 2005 (waaay before VGC). Hoping to get into VGC in Aug. 2012 on our way back from Hawaii for 2 or 3 nights on points. IF we can't get into VGC on points then we'll likely just do the PP again (will have to check out just how many points they want & then decide if a cash pkg deal would be better since we'll need park tix too).
BTW when does the new Cars Land open?!
