Points to be used for Rooms at GCH!

[mickeymark34]

I just read in Disney Files that later this Spring, DVC owners will be allowed to use points to get regular rooms at the GCH. I am so excited!

 

[bwvBound]

I just read in Disney Files that later this Spring, DVC owners will be allowed to use points to get regular rooms at the GCH. I am so excited!

I'm not going to get excited until I see the point chart. The one released last year was considerably more expensive compared to booking GCH prior to the Villas.

EDITED TO ADD Comparison:
1) Prior to the GCV, I booked a 3 night stay over the Memorial Day Weekend for 108 points. We had a Downtown Disney view for Fri night, Sat night and Sun night with Mon departure. There were no additional fees as DLR hotel properties did not carry the $95 reservation fee used at WDW.

2) That same stay booked using the briefly-circulated 2011 Point Charts would run 171 points.

Ouch!

 

[bwvBound]

I just read in Disney Files ...

BTW, where does one find the link to Disney Files on the Member website? I know they were there once-upon-a-time ... ?


EDITED TO ADD:
Found it ... on the "News" Landing Page -- but the page hasn't been updated yet to reflect Winter 2011.
http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/member/justForMembers/memberNewsletter?id=NewsLandingPage

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Will resale owners be allowed to do this or would it be considered part of the Disney Collection?

 

[bwvBound]

Will resale owners be allowed to do this or would it be considered part of the Disney Collection?

The chart released briefly in 2011 was very clear that booking was offered only to those who purchased direct (including grandfathered accounts).

Edited to add copy/paste of wording from 2011 chart:

• Real estate interests must be purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. in order to have access to the Disney Collection through Membership.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm not going to get excited until I see the point chart. The one released last year was considerably more expensive compared to booking GCH prior to the Villas.

EDITED TO ADD Comparison:
1) Prior to the GCV, I booked a 3 night stay over the Memorial Day Weekend for 108 points. We had a Downtown Disney view for Fri night, Sat night and Sun night with Mon departure. There were no additional fees as DLR hotel properties did not carry the $95 reservation fee used at WDW.

2) That same stay booked using the briefly-circulated 2011 Point Charts would run 171 points.

Ouch!

I was excited too when I heard it but 3 nights for 171 points is crazy, 57 points a night. I just got a studio in September for 17 points a night.

DVC announced this at the annual meeting in December, they announced it again in Disney Files but no points chart. Why announce it without a points chart? I could understand "upcoming news" at the annual meeting but why put it out again with no chart. It's like they are waiting to drop the other shoe.

 

[Shellandscott]

I was thinking it would be in the same ball park as Grand Floridian. Since they also have different view levels and club level at Grand California. Can't wait to see the chart as I am wait listed for a night at the villas, if I can book a regular room at GC it would make things easier.

 

[supersuperwendy]

What would be the booking window? 11 months in advance?

Trying to plan a trip to CA for 2014. Not sure what the best idea is. Book GCH, DLH, or PPH at 11 months out...but then they remain reservations points correct should we cancel? or.... hope for the best and try for VGC at 7 months?

 

[Breyean]

What would be the booking window? 11 months in advance?

Trying to plan a trip to CA for 2014. Not sure what the best idea is. Book GCH, DLH, or PPH at 11 months out...but then they remain reservations points correct should we cancel? or.... hope for the best and try for VGC at 7 months?

It depends on what time of year. If it's during the 1/2 marathons, for example, VCG will be long gone by the 7 month mark.

But there's no reason to book the hotels at 11 months. Especially since you seem flexible about staying at any of them. I booked PP for last Oct for Halloween and made the reservation about 4 months out. MS did suggest that was as long as I should wait to be safe. Since, as you mention, once you use points for a hotel, they remain as reservation points and can't be used again for DVC, so you'd want to avoid that if you can.

VGC can be done at 7 months. Depends on room type and time of year.

 

[supersuperwendy]

We are planning thanksgiving 2014. Two of our kids have birthdays that week and it would be such a treat to surprise them with California! We would need a two bedroom villa or two hotel rooms. What are my odds do you think? We can arrive as early as the friday before thanksgiving and stay until the Sunday after.

 

[Breyean]

We are planning thanksgiving 2014. Two of our kids have birthdays that week and it would be such a treat to surprise them with California! We would need a two bedroom villa or two hotel rooms. What are my odds do you think? We can arrive as early as the friday before thanksgiving and stay until the Sunday after.

I would think that's a tough week. I just checked for this year's Thanksgiving week, albeit it's still 8 months out. Every room type is still available, including the 2 bedroom you would need.

I guess that's good for you - at least owners haven't completely booked up the place at the 11 month mark, and with a month to go until you hit 7 months (at least this year) you still have availability.

You might want to keep as an option 2 studios instead of 2 hotel rooms. Although studios book up rather quickly and you might have a better shot at the 2 bedroom, if you have to, and they are available, they will be fewer points than hotel rooms.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Thanks! Two studios would be perfect too! Hopefully it all works out....can't wait to see the 2014 points

 

[nyck]

I stayed at Grand hotel several years ago on points before they built a DVC there and it took a lot if points. It was similar to Grand Floridan I remember.

Also remember this is a hotel, so you will be converting your "vacation" points to "reservation" points. Which means if a villa comes open and you have already booked a grand hotel room on points you can not convert those points back to use of the villas. I would book that only as a last resort

 

[minniecarousel]

I was so excited when I heard this news too. But I'll wait to be super excited once I see the points chart.

 

[Halle]

We stayed at the GCH 2 weeks before GCV opened. We booked it because we wanted to use points to stay there before we no longer could, doing the happy dance now because we loved it.

 

[bwvBound]

Point charts have been posted! (Thanks to DVCNews.com for mentioning these!)

 

[DebbieB]

Starting at 39 points for super value season for standard view, 43 value, 50 regular, 57 peak. More than double a studio.

 

[bwvBound]

Will resale owners be allowed to do this or would it be considered part of the Disney Collection?

The new point chart answers the question in this way:

• Some Disney Vacation Club Members will not have access to the Disney Collection through Membership.

 

[bwvBound]

Another comparison ... just returned from a marvelous stay in a 1BR unit at GCV. The stay was a pricey use of points: Fri/Sat nights in Magic season. The two nights ran a total of 152 points. (We lucked out BIG TIME with a perfect view of World of Color! It was worth every point!)

If we had booked this same stay on points at the GC Hotel ... the hotel unit would have run 182 points. Eeek!