Need advice: Grand Cali 7 month window...

[MissMet]

I'm trying to book Grand Californian at the 7 month window and it is impossible! Is this normal for the Grand Californian? I have only been once, it was in February, and I didn't have any trouble booking it. Is May a tough time to get a reservation there? I waitlisted it but I'm trying to just get an idea of if I should just make peace with not staying there or hold out hope. What's been your experiences?

Thanks!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Is this normal for the Grand Californian?

Yes. It is the smallest DVC, and only DVC at Disneyland. VGC has 23 lock-off 2BRs, 23 dedicated 2BRs, and 2GV.

People who have bought VGC points (mostly resale) in the last 10 years use them only at VGC.

 

[Royal Consort]

VGC is exceptionally difficult to find availability at 7 months. Generally you need to own at VGC to stay there. Sometimes you get lucky but it's not going to be constant. I wouldn't pin your hopes on it, maybe look at some offsite hotels or Disney hotels on cash.

 

[MissMet]

Thank you! I never realized how luck I got when I first went 9 years ago and got my 1-bedroom villa!! I booked a refundable reservation at an offsite hotel just in case I see a miracle with the waitlist I can then cancel it. Now I at least know what to expect.

 

[Shelly S]

I have stayed at Grand Californian 6 times now and never had real problems booking at 7 months till this year. A 1BR has been easier in the past but for September I was only able to get 2 of our 9 nights since the 7month window opened in Feb. I could have had a third but it wouldn’t have been consecutive so I didn’t use the third night. That said I was able to piece together 9 nights for next April in a combination of studio and 1BR but it wasn’t easy as room availability disappeared right before 7 months. I plan to try again for later in 2023 but I’m not confident I will get more than a couple of nights.

 

[sndral]

I tried right at 7 months for a studio or 1 br. for my stay I just got back from (10/1-5) & waitlisted when I failed. Waitlist never filled. I’d periodically check & nothing ever opened up for part of the days either.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Renting out dedicated VGC reservations have become almost a full-time job for many non VGC owners who like to make maximum profits by booking it with SAP points. This is one of the reasons why VGC availability at 7 months have become more difficult over the years. It's not illegal and I'm not judging. It is what it is.

 

[DebbieB]

I’ve had some luck with studios, other times I had to upgrade to a 1 bedroom to get it. In 2018, I was able to string 3 nights in a studio by waitlisting one night at a time. I had a Paradise Pier cash reservation Sunday to Thursday. My flight home was Saturday morning, I planned to go to an airport hotel Friday night. I got the idea to waitlist a studio, about 2 months out. It came through. So I waitlisted Thursday, came through, then Wednesday. Stopped there, I was out of points. The harder part was reducing my PP cash reservation, they didn’t want to do it. They said ask at checkin. That worked.

I resolved the booking issues by buying a VGC resale in January 2020.

 

[ngl]

We have been to VGC for 3 stays over the past 4 years. One 4 years ago I was able to make 7 months without issue. One over a year ago, I made by checking daily and piecing days together. My husband & daughter decided to go to D23 this year (held in Sept) and I started looking at 7 months and nothing and assumed we would never get it w D23 but waitlisted and it came through about 2 months prior. Decided on a last minute trip this Dec to DL and put in waitlists but no real hopes of it coming through due to the time. I also feel like previous years you would see a day or two available when looking in a 3 month window but rarely seem to see it now and think the above poster is right re owners renting out reservations. Hoping when they open DVC at DL hotel it gets a bit better. Good luck and my advice is keep stalking!

 

[nasmith]

I'm headed to VGC for 4 nights in a couple weeks ( for a decade Birthday!)- I was able to book 3 nights at the 7-mo. point- and then a waitlist came thru for the 4th ( which honestly flabbergasted me- because that waitlist was for October31 (Halloween)).

So- it does happen - but not often - I looked on and off for quite some time - and really lucked out--- So don't give up hope!

 

[JELLYROLLS4LIFE]

Grand Cal is the white whale of DVC. Extremely difficult at the best of times then the resort was closed for 10 months and almost everyone there has a back-up of points. Our only luck with waitlist came through at about 30 days out. That is likely when a cancellation might occur when people decide not to go and see their points fall into holding, but even that was only a 3 night stay in a 1-bedroom.

 

[npatellye]

Just keep trying! I logged on yesterday evening and was able to book a 1 bedroom at VGC for 10 nights inside the 7 month mark. Granted, our trip is in the first half of May, which might have made it easier to get a 1 bedroom. I was shocked because I was concerned about not getting anything at all. Now I can cancel my DLH reservation.

 

[DisneyElite4]

I first tried for a one-bedroom villa at VGC in 2020. I was able to easily secure 5 consecutive nights in February right at the 7-month mark. I then moved it to March 2020 right at 7 months, then moved it to July right at 7 months. No problems any of these times. (It was obviously cancelled, and we never went.)

I was able to book 4 nights in a one-bedroom for this March right at the 7-month mark for 2023, but it wasn't as easy this time. I wanted five nights and could only get 4, and my preferred type of one-bedroom wasn't available. If you are wanting VGC and you don't own there, the one-bedroom villa is the easiest to snag, and I have had success booking it during a points-heavy time (late February, March and July).

 

[Claudia1]

I stalked it at 7 months a few weeks ago but I had a nine day window to book a 5 night stay. Got a 2BR on the 4th day by using a clock timer and open windows, just list getting a RotR boarding group. It was lightening in a bottle, tho, and I got lucky.

You can’t have the window open on the booking page before 8am. I had the availability pulled up but didn’t click on “book” until right at 8am. That worked for me. Every time I failed, the first requested day fell off when somebody’s else snagged it. I’m not sure if someone was walking it or just getting one day at a time. The best chance you have of getting it is during peak times when people don’t want use the extreme amount of points. But that is only a very slight edge.

 

[jshadd]

I've tracked DVC availability for the last four years. VGC is a hard reservation but there are a few things I've noticed.
https://www.dvcfieldguide.com/availability-tables

1. 1 Bedrooms have more availability than Studios
2. 2 Bedroom dedicated are much more available than lock-offs (The studio lack of vacancy blocks the reservation)
3. If you are booking at 7 months, set your alarm and book it as soon as the window opens. These rooms book up fast (same day) if they are available. At 5 months, there is rarely availability across the board.