Length of Stay at VGC

[BeccaG]

Many people have said that people vacation differently at DL than WDW. So I was curious how long people were booking stays for at our first west coast DVC. Tell us how long you are staying and what your plans are for food while there. I.E. will you use the kitchen? how so? eat in the parks? off property?

 

[Chuck S]

We have friends that live in Fallbrook, so we'd probably only spend 2 or 3 nights at VGC, then the rest of a trip with them.

 

[bwvBound]

We don't have anything booked (yet) for VGC -- but here is what I can tell you using my reservation history for 2 other nearby timeshare properties and one DVC reservation to GCH:

• My reservation history shows 11 completed reservations since March 2005 and one scheduled for Sept '09 for the D23 Expo.
• Seven of these reservations were single night; two are 2-night; three are 3-night.
• All are weekend stays.
• Meals? We hit our favorites either in the parks or Downtown Disney: Brennan's Jazz Kitchen for dinner, Wine Country Trattoria for lunch and either Rainforest Cafe or the Jazz Cafe for breakfast. While we generally cook during our timeshare stays -- not in Anaheim! Our Anaheim food prep seems to be limited to popcorn, coffee and tea.

We don't own VGC ... but do hope to snag a "last minute" reservation from time to time as we do with our other two properties. (We're flexible ... go/nogo is a pretty quick decision.)

Many people have said that people vacation differently at DL than WDW. So I was curious how long people were booking stays for at our first west coast DVC. Tell us how long you are staying and what your plans are for food while there.

 

[Inkmahm]

I didn't buy DVC but we are using points to stay there this month at the GCH. We are staying 4 nights and plan 3 full days in the parks plus a 4th morning to do the Segway tour at CA (no admission ticket needed for that tour) before we drive to San Diego that afternoon.

I've already made ADRs for our trip. We are eating at Blue Bayou for lunch, Steakhouse 55 for dinner, Storytellers Cafe for dinner and Napa Rose for dinner. One lunch will be covered by the Walk in Walt's steps tour. The third lunch I have open but think maybe Wine Country Trattoria. It's my DH's birthday so he'll get to pick that day!

 

[wideeyedwonder]

Many people have said that people vacation differently at DL than WDW. So I was curious how long people were booking stays for at our first west coast DVC. Tell us how long you are staying and what your plans are for food while there.

We've got 3 nights booked for late September 2009 (coming up!), and another 3 nights booked for late January/eraly February 2010...both with another family, in a 2-bedroom "lockoff".

In past years, we've stayed at the hotels (GCH and DLH), and we've spent 3 nights and 4 full days at the resort...the perfect amount of time for us, especially as we go twice a year (we have annual passes to DLR, and live about 3 hours north).

Food wise, except for one meal at Goofy's Kitchen (at DLH), we will probably be having all breakfasts in the suite. Lunch will probably be in the parks, and dinner will be a mix of in the parks (or DD) and in the suite (frozen lasagna, spaghetti, or something else simple to make).

 

[DVC Mike]

Since I'll go to DLR just once every other year, I'll do at least 5 nights to make the trip worth the travel time out west.

I probably won't use the kitchen. While we always dine onsite at WDW, I see us dining more offsite at DLR, with the exception of Napa Rose.

 

[rentayenta]

I wouldn't spend less than 5 nights. Our tentative plan for GCV is looking like June 2012 if I can wait that long.

~We will use the kitchen but only for cereal, bagels, coffee....
~Most meals will be in the parks and DTD; Uva Bar, Napa Rose, French Market, Blue Bayou, Rocket Redd's Pizza, and Carnation Cafe for breakfast.
~We will journey a few miles up the road for In n Out. Usually when we go to So Cal we do 5 days at Disneyland and then a few days by the beach where the amazing places to eat are too numerous to mention.

Disneyland is no where near the all encompassing trip that WDW is. That's not bad or good, just different.

 

[barngro]

We have 5 nights booked in a 2 bedroom this Dec. 21-26. We love Christmas at DL and are already planning to decorate the room with our homemade decorations. How awesome it will be to come back to the villas and have hot cocoa and homemade cookies!

 

[rentayenta]

We have 5 nights booked in a 2 bedroom this Dec. 21-26. We love Christmas at DL and are already planning to decorate the room with our homemade decorations. How awesome it will be to come back to the villas and have hot cocoa and homemade cookies!

We did Disneyland Dec 19-27 in 2005 and it was amazingly magical. I hid the kids' gifts, gave them to the bell desk upon arrival, and had them delivered on Christmas Eve after the kids fell asleep. We also ordered a tree from Vacation Planning. It was spendy but so worth it!

 

[preedymtnwest]

Being a westcoaster (since 1971) I've been to DL at least twice as many times as WDW, and I agree with rentayenta, it's not good or bad, just different.

We took our first DVC WDW trip w/DSis and family Feb09 but only had a week and were stuffing a 3-night DCL at the end, so we went commando and didn't get to do as much as we'd like (of course, my family had just been there for 12 nights in Dec07, so we didn't feel like we needed to do everything).

Now that we bought VGC (SO excited to have a west coast home!), we're going in Feb10 again, for a week. We know we don't NEED 7 nights there since it's smaller and much more compact, but we did a 7-night for the 50th in 2005 at GCH (also w/DSis and family) and we're looking forward to taking it easy and enjoying some time in a GV the first three nights.

Blue Bayou and Napa Rose are our must-dos (Napa Rose preferably without the kids); the rest will fall into place. My guess is we'll do most b'fasts and some lunches/snacks in the villas, then definitely eat dinner out. I don't usually look forward to cooking, but might enjoy it a little more in a really nice, new kitchen!

After this first time blowout, the beauty of being on the west coast is that I envision us going down for a long weekend at least once a year (as often as I can get my DH to agree to go); if we're going on a more regular basis, we won't usually stay as long. If I spend 8-12 hours getting to FL, I want to make it worth my time and want to stay at least a week if not more.

That's my $.02. See you there!!!

 

[Longhairbear]

We have booked 2 nites in Oct, and 2 nites in Nov.
Breakfast, and maybe dinner in room in Oct.
Nov. we are cooking a full turkey dinner in room, so it will be all meals in room during that stay.

 

[DisneyDreamers2007]

Every year we do a couple of nights out at Huntington Beach and then catch up with family to join them for 3 nights at DL. I think we may extend the DL nights a little when we have children of our own and/or buy into GVC.

My husband is working 3 weeks down there so I will join him for the last weekend and we will spend 3 nights at DL in the (company-paid) Anaheim Hilton in early September. And then we have a 2 night reservation (in conjunction with Huntington Beach for 3 nights) at the end of September for a birthday trip staying at GCV, using our BWV points.

We always eat at the Pacific Wharf Cafe (yummy bread bowl soups), ESPN Zone (the best cookie sundae is found there!), Rancho del Zocalo, Cocina Cucamunga, and like to get an Aloha Float near the Tiki Room. We don't plan out as much at DL since ADRs aren't necessary like they are at WDW and the casual dining is pretty good, we just go for what we feel like and where we are when it's time to eat. Now that we will be staying at GCV, I will plan on eating breakfast in the room and most likely continue to eat the other meals in the park or DTD (that may change when we have children too).

 

[Mr_Potts]

Right now we have ressies for a 4 night stay over Columbus Day weekend and then for a 2 night stay next July 3rd and 4th (on the July trip we are using VGC as a place to rest before jumping over to Marriott Beach Club in Ko Olina for six nights). We never use the kitchen for more than breakfast and snacks. I love all the restaurants at DL, especially the emphasis on and knowledge about wine! We once stayed at the Disneyland Hotel for nine nights and used it as a jumping off point for day trips to Laguna Beach, San Diego, Santa Monica and Los Angeles. I hope to do that again soon. Like many others I am thrilled to have a home on the West Coast now! And although I never like to leave WDW property, when I am at DL I don't mind getting out and traveling in So. Cal. It's still a nice feeling to come back to the mouse every night!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

We are using a friend's gift of points for a 7-night GCV 2 bedroom Villa.

I have a medical condition which now saps my energy. We are using the extra days so I can slow down the pace and rest each day.

We LOVE the Grand Cali - our favorite Disney hotel hands down. We also enjoy the convenience of a compact Disney vacation where everything is a quick walk away.

 

[Mattsmommy]

We are going in October for 8 nights. This is our first time going to California and we just want to take it easy and relax

 

[DopeyDave]

Don't own at VGC, but in the past have usually spent 3-4 nights at DL in conjunction with 3-4 nights in Palm Springs. Unless I was there for the now defunct Disneyana Conventions, then it was a week.

Last time we were there, we took a day to drive up to Hollywood... toured the Kodak Theater, had lunch at the Disney Soda Fountain, and took in a movie at the El Capitan next door. It was a nice diversion to the parks, yet still "Disney"!

 

[BeccaG]

I guess I should have asked if this was significantly different than how you vacation at WDW. . So. . .is it?

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I woudl have voted for between 2-3 nights if that was an option, but I rounded up becuase our current vacations plans for DL between now and the end of the year are 4 nights (following the D2 Studio Tour), 5 nights (D23 convention) and 3 nights (CP).

Only the last stay will be at the VGC and even that won't be the case if out WL for the first nigth doesn't come thru. Of the other nights, it is likely that 7out of 9 will be free at a Starwood hotel, so even if VGC was open, we probably woudl not use points to stay there. It's hard to beat free!

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

Our usual pattern for DLR has been two 3 night stays in Oct and Dec and a 4 night stay during Springbreak all at the GCH on points. But our usual travel pattern has been altered due to the cruise incentive and our trip to WDW this past June. So for our next DL will be 5 nights at the GCV for Spring Break. We will eat breakfast and Lunch in the Villas and Dine at storytellers, naparose, blue bayou etc....

We have stayed 7 nights each time we flew to FL (just because it is so far and expensive to fly). I think the biggest difference for us at DL is the relaxed pace we go at. I always feel like I don't have enough time to do everything at WDW.

 

[bwvBound]

I guess I should have asked if this was significantly different than how you vacation at WDW. . So. . .is it?

Sure, WDW trips are longer but more relaxing; DL visits are shorter, more intense with more emphasis on dining. WDW is to relax, DL is to escape/reset.

                [b]WDW Travel                   DL Travel
                ------------------           ---------------[/b]
[b]# nights?[/b]       7-12 nights                  1-3 nights
[b]Frequency?[/b]      1 or 2 visits/year.          2 to 4 visits/year.
[b]Planned?[/b]        12-7 months                  1 month to 1 day 
                  prior to travel.             prior to travel.
[b]Need Onsite?[/b]    Most trips we "need"         Doesn't matter.  Off-site
                 onsite.                       is still a short walk to Parks.
[b]Dining?[/b]         A few signature meals;       Mostly "eat out" at Disney
                 some cooking in room.         and nearby restaurants.
[b]Car?[/b]            No car; Magical Exp.         Have car to drive up; park
                 for most trips.               once and forget it.
[b]Parks?[/b]          Sometimes; no more           Sometimes and if yes -- we go
                 commando.                     commando.
[b]Purpose?[/b]        Conference or special        Getaway/escape.
                 season/event.
[b]People?[/b]         Will travel as couple        Usually just "couple."
                 for conference or            
                 as family/group
                 for seasons/events.
[b]Unit size?[/b]      1BR minimum!!!               Studio would be ok; 
                                              usually book 1BR.