The Official VILLAS at DISNEYLAND HOTEL (Discovery Tower) Owners and Fans Info Thread

[ClaraOswald]

Man, why is my guide not on top of this, lol. I have been asking for years but I never hear from her about VGC points. I'd like some direct points!

My guide is such a dud. I finally just told him to stop "looking." In reality, he was checking once a week (or so he said) so the odds of one popping up at that exact time were minimal. And the last conversation I had with him, he was kind of rude about us buying resale.

I assume they work on commission, so if we ever did decide to buy direct (even though it wouldn't be a lot)...I think I'd find a different guide to get a commission off of our purchase.

 

[Bucketfoot]

So, that’s at least 280ish points during a low point season?

Our upcoming stay is 422 points (2-bedroom). But other than last year where we visited WDW twice (due to our daughter getting married at Animal Kingdom) we tend to alternate years between DLR and WDW.

I doubt we'll do it, but we've contemplated doing an extended WDW stay next year and working remotely part of the time.

 

[RickNJane]

I’m trying to imagine the points for 8 nights in a 1bd at VGC or VDH…. because I definitely could not be in a studio for that long…:

Bank And/Or Borrow!

 

[RickNJane]

Our upcoming stay is 422 points (2-bedroom). But other than last year where we visited WDW twice (due to our daughter getting married at Animal Kingdom) we tend to alternate years between DLR and WDW.

I doubt we'll do it, but we've contemplated doing an extended WDW stay next year and working remotely part of the time.

Before we added on we would go to WDW ever other year. With kids, and their activities, not to mention the expense, it made sense only to do a big family trip ever other year and do local vacations in the "off" years. Now we do split stays at our WDW home resorts and will alternate between VGC and VDH for a couple of trips a year.

 

[Psymonds]

interesting points mismatch Jan 1- 5 or so, VGC is almost double VDH for that stretch for similar (2Br) rooms. wonder if that changes on future points charts for VDH.

DW was asking is we could waitlist VGC for our reservation just after new years and... no.

 

[AstroBlasters]

interesting points mismatch Jan 1- 5 or so, VGC is almost double VDH for that stretch for similar (2Br) rooms. wonder if that changes on future points charts for VDH.

DW was asking is we could waitlist VGC for our reservation just after new years and... no.

It also seems to be a time period that people are heavily walking.

 

[AstroBlasters]

@ehh how much of the resort has been declared? Are we still at about 1/3?

 

[ehh]

@ehh how much of the resort has been declared? Are we still at about 1/3?

Sold: between 25-30%
Declared: unsure, buying paperwork from OCRecorder is a very analog process with no online payment option
In inventory at 11m+7d: between 45-50%*.

* I have some anecdata that there's some funny business here, where they will clawback unbooked inventory after a few weeks. Technically this is part of the SOP for cash rental process, but what makes it suspicious is that I don't think the declaration paperwork filed (that I, admtitedly, have not seen) corroborates with the 45-50% inventory posting + sales rate.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Sold: between 25-30%
Declared: unsure, buying paperwork from OCRecorder is a very analog process with no online payment option
In inventory at 11m+7d: between 45-50%*.

* I have some anecdata that there's some funny business here, where they will clawback unbooked inventory after a few weeks. Technically this is part of the SOP for cash rental process, but what makes it suspicious is that I don't think the declaration paperwork filed (that I, admtitedly, have not seen) corroborates with the 45-50% inventory posting + sales rate.

I did notice a while back that villas were available in DVC inventory (possibly because of a cancelation) and then were pulled from inventory and were available as cash rooms.

Either way, they need to put more villas into DVC inventory given the lopsided distribution.

 

[Psymonds]

It also seems to be a time period that people are heavily walking.

I'm just curious why it's so many more points per night for one resort over the other, it seems like the walking would affect both. not important because they can't change point charts now, but seemed odd.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I'm just curious why it's so many more points per night for one resort over the other, it seems like the walking would affect both. not important because they can't change point charts now, but seemed odd.

There are more seasons at VDH than VGC. Sometimes VDH is slightly lower, but ends up being more when factoring in the $3pp TOT.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I saw on the interwebs that Palm Breeze Bar may have a secret menu. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[AstroBlasters]

I saw on the interwebs that Palm Breeze Bar may have a secret menu. Does anyone know for sure?

They have made a friend and me a rum sampler when it wasn’t busy…. does that count?

 

[VGCgroupie]

They have made a friend and me a rum sampler when it wasn’t busy…. does that count?

It does for me, but this time Im trying keep the kid happy by letting him swim when we also need to use that time to eat.

 

[upritbass]

I saw on the interwebs that Palm Breeze Bar may have a secret menu. Does anyone know for sure?

They do for us because of multiple food allergies. The head chef does whatever is needed. For example, I wanted the Virgin Fifty-Five-Fifty, but I'm allergic to peach so he substituted strawberry. Yum!!! Also, for the Artisan Personal Pizza they don't mention anywhere that they can make a gluten-free crust.

 

[VGCgroupie]

They do for us because of multiple food allergies. The head chef does whatever is needed. For example, I wanted the Virgin Fifty-Five-Fifty, but I'm allergic to peach so he substituted strawberry. Yum!!! Also, for the Artisan Personal Pizza they don't mention anywhere that they can make a gluten-free crust.
View attachment 944346

Amazing. Allergy friendly is exactly what I am looking for. Thank you!

 

[upritbass]

Amazing. Allergy friendly is exactly what I am looking for. Thank you!

Pretty much all of Disney is allergy friendly. You just need to let the server know that you have food allergies and they will bring the chef out to discuss your needs. Even the fast-food places. For instance, when we were at at Zocalo in Frontierland the chef came out, we talked, she said, "OK, I'll make such-and-such. Go wait over there and I'll bring it out to you."

 

[VGCgroupie]

Pretty much all of Disney is allergy friendly. You just need to let the server know that you have food allergies and they will bring the chef out to discuss your needs. Even the fast-food places. For instance, when we were at at Zocalo in Frontierland the chef came out, we talked, she said, "OK, I'll make such-and-such. Go wait over there and I'll bring it out to you."

We never really have any issues, but makes pre planning a bit hard.

 

[ajiuo]

I never thought I would, but I ended up making VDH my third home resort. AKV & VGC being my first two. I was originally going to buy a 50 resale contract for VGC to have more points there… but buying VDH direct was both cheaper and easier… and I also like the flexibility that it gives me. I’ve already stayed there twice and really kind of like the hotel. I mainly wanted the points to stay a couple of nights in the fall… and I could potentially get three nights by booking a duo studio at the 11 month mark… and I figure if I want to I can always waitlist the grand cal.. and if I don’t get it, I still have a nice room… a little variety can be good. And I think it will be cool to own at the original Disney hotel.

I still don’t like the transient tax… but for a couple of nights in a smaller room, it’s not too bad… I’m definitely glad that my bigger contract is for a VGC.

I definitely like the Disneyland DVC tower better than the new Polynesian tower. The Duo studios at VDH are way better than the ones at the Polynesian… and better than the tower Studios at the Riviera.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I never thought I would, but I ended up making VDH my third home resort. AKV & VGC being my first two. I was originally going to buy a 50 resale contract for VGC to have more points there… but buying VDH direct was both cheaper and easier… and I also like the flexibility that it gives me. I’ve already stayed there twice and really kind of like the hotel. I mainly wanted the points to stay a couple of nights in the fall… and I could potentially get three nights by booking a duo studio at the 11 month mark… and I figure if I want to I can always waitlist the grand cal.. and if I don’t get it, I still have a nice room… a little variety can be good. And I think it will be cool to own at the original Disney hotel.

I still don’t like the transient tax… but for a couple of nights in a smaller room, it’s not too bad… I’m definitely glad that my bigger contract is for a VGC.

I definitely like the Disneyland DVC tower better than the new Polynesian tower. The Duo studios at VDH are way better than the ones at the Polynesian… and better than the tower Studios at the Riviera.

There are a lot of crossover VGC/VDH owners. Congratulations and Welcome Home.