The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners Group

[kerickson]

I wouldn't be surprised if you used points for the regular hotels that you get charged for valet--what I'm objecting to is that we are DVC members staying at a DVC resort and still getting charged--unlike Florida where it is free--in fact, you don't have to be staying at the resort in Florida to get free valet. I've gone to have dinner at the Boardwalk and gotten free valet just by showing my DVC card.

Hi Toocherie
I'm also disappointed that DVC is excluding VGC from free Valet.

Does anyone know who pays for the Valet cost at WDW? Is it factored into our dues somehow? Or do you think the Hotels are giving this to DVC for free?

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

I am hoping that the CM/valet person was mistaken! How could the only West Coast DVC be the only DVC not to offer free valet parking? Has anyone heard anything official? I hope we get it. My frugal DW makes me self park and I was looking forward to free valet parking.

 

[toocherie]

I am hoping that the CM/valet person was mistaken! How could the only West Coast DVC be the only DVC not to offer free valet parking? Has anyone heard anything official? I hope we get it. My frugal DW makes me self park and I was looking forward to free valet parking.

I know Grandpa--I feel the same way! I was really looking forward to that perk!

My guide hasn't responded yet but I know he was working the D23 convention all weekend and today and tomorrow are his days off. I think I'm going to email Member Satisfaction and ask too.

 

[DVCGeek]

I'm less concerned about valet @ VGC, but I was hoping members (staying in a villas on points, yada yada) would be able to self-park in the underground facility. I think I saw somewhere that it was to be 200 spaces, 100 of them valet. Anyone heard anything about it recently?

 

[kerickson]

I'm less concerned about valet @ VGC, but I was hoping members (staying in a villas on points, yada yada) would be able to self-park in the underground facility. I think I saw somewhere that it was to be 200 spaces, 100 of them valet. Anyone heard anything about it recently?

I'd be fine with that too, that way we wouldn't have to walk all the way to the front entrance to get our car.
I think I thought it was official because other DVCs mention it as a perk on the DVC member site, but it's not listed for VGC. But, could be that they won't have all the info until opening day.

 

[Fellowship9798]

Well, I'm not a VGC owner (yet) but I'm very excited to have just booked a 3 night stay in a 1 BR Sept. 30 - Oct. 3. My family will be staying 3 nights at the Desert Inn & Suites on Harbor Blvd, then moving to VGC. How will I ever go back to the Harbor Blvd motels again?

 

[kerickson]

Actually, Valet Parking isn't listed as a perk for BLT on the member site either. Does anyone know if members are getting free valet at BLT? Maybe there is hope?!

 

[tjkraz]

Perks have always varied from WDW to DL so it wouldn't surprise me if this one was different, too. Our AP discount is $100 at WDW and $20 at Disneyland. Dining discounts are MUCH better at Disneyland (10% off pretty much everywhere, both inside and outside parks.)

DL doesn't have the DDP folks are used to...they don't have 180 day ADRs...and so on.

At the same time, I don't believe GC CMs have gone through any real DVC training yet. So I'd take comments with a grain of salt.

They are working very hard to finish the new resort wing. I tried to get an official ( ) look around the new wing this past weekend and couldn't because there is no certificate of occupancy yet. Cast Member previews are scheduled for the 17th. One contact suggested that opening day guests might have to get used to the smell of fresh paint because it will still be drying when they arrive.

 

[M4travels]

I know Grandpa--I feel the same way! I was really looking forward to that perk!

My guide hasn't responded yet but I know he was working the D23 convention all weekend and today and tomorrow are his days off. I think I'm going to email Member Satisfaction and ask too.

Rather than wait for a response from an e-mail I called MS and asked the question. The CM quickly replied that she was pretty sure that valet parking would be complimentary but she did ask me to wait on hold while she checked further into it. She came back a short time later and said that VGC is the exception to the rule and valet parking will not be complimentary.

We're fortunate that when we go down for a day valet parking is complimentary if we choose to use it, but we, too, were looking forward to those extended stays and not worrying about an additional charge at the end....

Overall, life is still good.

 

[toocherie]

They are working very hard to finish the new resort wing. I tried to get an official ( ) look around the new wing this past weekend and couldn't because there is no certificate of occupancy yet. Cast Member previews are scheduled for the 17th. One contact suggested that opening day guests might have to get used to the smell of fresh paint because it will still be drying when they arrive.

Tim: the CMs have had training--even the bell person told me he had already undergone several hours of training on DVC and how different it was and how the system worked. So did the valet. While I was checking in the person who is doing the grand opening event management was next to me getting permission to go in from the DVC "coordinator"=--unfortunately I forgot to take pics but acccording to the bell person the DVC units are "done"--it looked like some of the new hotel rooms weren't from my room--some don't even have the patio door installed (just plastic). Most of the landscaping is done but there were areas that weren't done. The pools look done.

I know that some CMs will be staying prior to the 23rd to make sure things work properly. And it will really suck if they don't get a C of O to "open" on time!

 

[tjkraz]

Tim: the CMs have had training--even the bell person told me he had already undergone several hours of training on DVC and how different it was and how the system worked. So did the valet. While I was checking in the person who is doing the grand opening event management was next to me getting permission to go in from the DVC "coordinator"

If that's the case, then it sounds like we won't be getting free valet...

=--unfortunately I forgot to take pics but acccording to the bell person the DVC units are "done"--

Not all of them are done. I did a little exploring this weekend and some villas were still in a state of disarray. There was also one room in particular that was still getting a great deal of attention. For the 5-7 minutes I was in the area, a circular saw was frequently heard behind the closed door.

 

[toocherie]

Not all of them are done. I did a little exploring this weekend and some villas were still in a state of disarray. There was also one room in particular that was still getting a great deal of attention. For the 5-7 minutes I was in the area, a circular saw was frequently heard behind the closed door.

Rut roh.

 

[BTMRR]

Here a is clip of the new pool area and hotel/DVC expansion. Video shot on Sep. 11, 2009 on the last day of my trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biyG2eC3Now

Construction walls were just removed overnight. Cabanas will be installed shortly in the little out cove to the right of the new oval pool. In video eight lounge chairs are in position of this out cove area where the 4 cabanas will be installed. According to one of the life guards, the cabanas may be reserved in advance. The price was not know by the cast member, but will vary by day/time of year. The cabanas will have a host/hostess assigned. Note the hotel bar (Hearthstone Lounge) is immediately adjacent to the cabana area. The first part of the building coming into view in the video is the DVC wing with one of the two Grand Villas (2 story windows) in the wing. The other Grand Villa is on the opposite side with a lagoon view of DCA.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

Ok, I stayed at GCH this weekend and asked a valet about if we will get free valet parking like at the other DVC resorts and he said NO. Because it would have cost more for the points if we got free valet. I don't know why, but this is really bothering me--it was one of the DVC perks that I was looking forward to! (Otherwise valet is $17 a day.) I've called my guide but does anyone else have info about this. I think it's terrible if they start differentiating on perks like this--there are other DVCs attached to hotels and they get free valet.

I do remember my guide (soon-to-be former guide, that is) telling me that self parking underground is complimentary for DVC members but that there would be a charge for valet parking.

 

[dwelty]

I do remember my guide (soon-to-be former guide, that is) telling me that self parking underground is complimentary for DVC members but that there would be a charge for valet parking.

If this is the case I don't really care about missing out on free Valet. The parking for regular guests is across the street. Being under the new wing is far better.

 

[funatdisney]

Here a is clip of the new pool area and hotel/DVC expansion. Video shot on Sep. 11, 2009 on the last day of my trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biyG2eC3Now

Construction walls were just removed overnight. Cabanas will be installed shortly in the little out cove to the right of the new oval pool. In video eight lounge chairs are in position of this out cove area where the 4 cabanas will be installed. According to one of the life guards, the cabanas may be reserved in advance. The price was not know by the cast member, but will vary by day/time of year. The cabanas will have a host/hostess assigned. Note the hotel bar (Hearthstone Lounge) is immediately adjacent to the cabana area. The first part of the building coming into view in the video is the DVC wing with one of the two Grand Villas (2 story windows) in the wing. The other Grand Villa is on the opposite side with a lagoon view of DCA.

Thanks BTMRR for the video. How exciting-everything is coming together. It should be nice to have one of those cabanas.

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

If this is the case I don't really care about missing out on free Valet. The parking for regular guests is across the street. Being under the new wing is far better.

ITA. I just don't like having to self park across the street. It delays the magic. I hope we can use the new underground parking. I still haven't received an official verification of our being able to do so.

 

[toocherie]

Here's the reply I received from Member Services:

Thank you for contacting Member Services.

The Valet was correct. Members will not be receiving complimentary valet parking at Disney Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. This is currently a benefit offered by the Disney Vacation Club Resorts themselves which offer this service. The Grand Californian has chosen not to offer this benefit to Members for a variety of reasons, including space limitations.



Next question will be about the underground parking.

 

[ACDSNY]

Next question will be about the underground parking.

Thanks for checking on this. It would be nice if they'd at least give us self parking underground.

 

[dcfromva]

Thanks for checking on this. It would be nice if they'd at least give us self parking underground.

...Only 7 more sleeps 'til I find out the answer to this question! (I can't wait!)

For what it's worth, my guide did say we would have the underground parking. (I hope she was right. )