The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners & Lovers Group - 2.0

[NVDISFamily]

Hi VGC Family!

I got a call late last night from my guide saying that he saw 300+ points available for VGC available for purchase direct. I was really tempted to snag a "snack size" 50 point contract but we decided to hold off and keep saving our pennies to see what happens at VDH. If you need a few extra points and want to consider getting them direct, might be worth calling your guide. I know they are expensive, but if you want to add on 50 or 25 points, those size contracts almost never hit the resale market and they usually go for a huge premium narrowing the gap between resale and direct quite a bit.

 

[Claudia1]

I just got the golden ticket… 2 br at our 7 month window! I tried 3 days in a row to get it and finally snagged it for the end of March. We have owned at BWV since 1997 and but haven’t been to DL since 2000.

Let the learning curve begin!

 

[MonaMN]

I just got the golden ticket… 2 br at our 7 month window! I tried 3 days in a row to get it and finally snagged it for the end of March. We have owned at BWV since 1997 and but haven’t been to DL since 2000.

Let the learning curve begin!

We haven’t been to DLR in ten years either… definitely a learning curve. Congrats on grabbing a room!

 

[Shivanair]

Hi VGC Family!

I got a call late last night from my guide saying that he saw 300+ points available for VGC available for purchase direct. I was really tempted to snag a "snack size" 50 point contract but we decided to hold off and keep saving our pennies to see what happens at VDH. If you need a few extra points and want to consider getting them direct, might be worth calling your guide. I know they are expensive, but if you want to add on 50 or 25 points, those size contracts almost never hit the resale market and they usually go for a huge premium narrowing the gap between resale and direct quite a bit.

Do you know which UY these points were?

 

[NVDISFamily]

Do you know which UY these points were?

I think they are allowed to change them but he said they could match our June YU.

 

[NVDISFamily]

Interesting -

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...r-lounge-coming-to-disneyland-resort-in-2023/

Hopefully more member perks coming to Disneyland Resort in the future.

 

[KPeterso]

Interesting -

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...r-lounge-coming-to-disneyland-resort-in-2023/

Hopefully more member perks coming to Disneyland Resort in the future.

Oh how exciting! I look forward to visiting it a lot!

 

[SeaDis]

Interesting -

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...r-lounge-coming-to-disneyland-resort-in-2023/

Hopefully more member perks coming to Disneyland Resort in the future.

Very interesting and just thinking out loud here...

This is obviously built primarily as incentive to buy new DLV points. I wonder if that gives some insight on when point sales will begin; middle to 2nd half of 2023? The lounge could even be included in the tour.

Since VGC has been in sold out/waitlist status for so long (above points excepted), there could be a decent percentage of resale owners now (not eligible for lounge). And there are so few villas at VGC to begin with. I guess a few owners could be visiting the park while not staying in a Villa.

Anyway just thinking, this lounge could be lightly attended for a while.

 

[NVDISFamily]

Very interesting and just thinking out loud here...

This is obviously built primarily as incentive to buy new DLV points. I wonder if that gives some insight on when point sales will begin; middle to 2nd half of 2023? The lounge could even be included in the tour.

Since VGC has been in sold out/waitlist status for so long (above points excepted), there could be a decent percentage of resale owners now (not eligible for lounge). And there are so few villas at VGC to begin with. I guess a few owners could be visiting the park while not staying in a Villa.

Anyway just thinking, this lounge could be lightly attended for a while.

Yea I wonder how busy it would be at first. I'd recommend that DVC have a policy that only restricts access to non-direct members when lounge capacity hits a specific % (perhaps 50% or more) so there is some activity in there and it also makes it a fun way to get them interested in direct perks. I do feel that VDH is going to sell well so it might not be too long before there are more people in there. My wife is very excited about this (she loved resting in the one in EPCOT on our trip). I'm looking forward to meeting more members on the West Coast.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Very interesting and just thinking out loud here...

This is obviously built primarily as incentive to buy new DLV points. I wonder if that gives some insight on when point sales will begin; middle to 2nd half of 2023? The lounge could even be included in the tour.

Since VGC has been in sold out/waitlist status for so long (above points excepted), there could be a decent percentage of resale owners now (not eligible for lounge). And there are so few villas at VGC to begin with. I guess a few owners could be visiting the park while not staying in a Villa.

Anyway just thinking, this lounge could be lightly attended for a while.

The Magic Key Lounge is moderately busy and you can typically get in without much more than a 15 to 20 minute wait. And that's for table service. And there are a crap-ton of Key holders. I'm hoping the DVC lounge will also be lightly attended so I can pop in there whenever I'm in the parks.

 

[KPeterso]

Very interesting and just thinking out loud here...

This is obviously built primarily as incentive to buy new DLV points. I wonder if that gives some insight on when point sales will begin; middle to 2nd half of 2023? The lounge could even be included in the tour.

Since VGC has been in sold out/waitlist status for so long (above points excepted), there could be a decent percentage of resale owners now (not eligible for lounge). And there are so few villas at VGC to begin with. I guess a few owners could be visiting the park while not staying in a Villa.

Anyway just thinking, this lounge could be lightly attended for a while.

There are also quite a few locals who are DVC members (whether at VGC or another resort) who will be able to access the resort. I am a local and most visits to DL are as a local magic key holder. But I will still be able to visit the lounge with my DVC membership ID. You don't have to be staying onsite to do so. I have stopped in the Epcot one quite a few times when I was staying at Pop.

 

[VegasDisneyMom]

I’m resale so I won’t be in the lounge. Disney didn’t have VGC direct when I went on the sales tour so I opted for resale because that’s where I wanted to be. I will be buying direct at VDH, but not enough to make me a golden member I’m already having a tough time getting my husband onboard for 75 points at VDH. Any suggestion on how to get him on board for 150??

 

[NVDISFamily]

I’m resale so I won’t be in the lounge. Disney didn’t have VGC direct when I went on the sales tour so I opted for resale because that’s where I wanted to be. I will be buying direct at VDH, but not enough to make me a golden member I’m already having a tough time getting my husband onboard for 75 points at VDH. Any suggestion on how to get him on board for 150??

If the deals hit as I would expect then there are usually really good breakpoints on the discount to members at the 200 and 300 dollar price points.

See my post here (I post two current deal charts from VGF and Riviera as my basis on what I think 300 points will go for) - https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...-see-post-1-for-updates.3807808/post-64260554

As for how I would “justify” getting more and going to 150 (or even better 200 to 300 - yes I’m being bad), well here are a few thoughts. If you had more points would it give you more options to go places you want to go? Although we fell in love with Riviera and CCV during our WDW trip, our original goal for buying some cheaper direct points was to give us the ability to have some non VGC points to use at Aulani. As a fellow resident of the 9th island, is that a place you would want to go? I know for sure we do and we will try and get in there at least every 2 to 3 years.

I also think they are going to do a lot more events at Disneyland Resort for members with benefits in the coming years so the desire to own enough points for benefits might go up quite a bit. And the most important reason to buy a lot of points…. They are fun!

 

[VegasDisneyMom]

If the deals hit as I would expect then there are usually really good breakpoints on the discount to members at the 200 and 300 dollar price points.

See my post here (I post two current deal charts from VGF and Riviera as my basis on what I think 300 points will go for) - https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...-see-post-1-for-updates.3807808/post-64260554

As for how I would “justify” getting more and going to 150 (or even better 200 to 300 - yes I’m being bad), well here are a few thoughts. If you had more points would it give you more options to go places you want to go? Although we fell in love with Riviera and CCV during our WDW trip, our original goal for buying some cheaper direct points was to give us the ability to have some non VGC points to use at Aulani. As a fellow resident of the 9th island, is that a place you would want to go? I know for sure we do and we will try and get in there at least every 2 to 3 years.

I also think they are going to do a lot more events at Disneyland Resort for members with benefits in the coming years so the desire to own enough points for benefits might go up quite a bit. And the most important reason to buy a lot of points…. They are fun!

We’re only interested in Disneyland and plan on going a couple times (or more) a year. We like the convenience of Disneyland over Disney World… and it’s so much closer to Nevada Yes, points are fun…. Too fun

 

[DonMacGregor]

There are also quite a few locals who are DVC members (whether at VGC or another resort) who will be able to access the resort. I am a local and most visits to DL are as a local magic key holder. But I will still be able to visit the lounge with my DVC membership ID. You don't have to be staying onsite to do so. I have stopped in the Epcot one quite a few times when I was staying at Pop.

This right here. I expect I'll be a regular in the lounge and I only stay at GCH or DLH once in a blue moon (20 minutes from home). I DO stay at DLH once a year for a conference I attend (why not, I can expense it!).

 

[elenex]

This right here. I expect I'll be a regular in the lounge and I only stay at GCH or DLH once in a blue moon (20 minutes from home). I DO stay at DLH once a year for a conference I attend (why not, I can expense it!).

Hopefully. Correct me if I'm wrong but i believe you need to be staying on property for TotW? As this is going to be in the park, I'd think it'll go the way of the epcot lounge and be open to all blue card DVC members including those not staying on property. Either way, very excited this is happening. Next up, moonlight magic!

 

[DonMacGregor]

Hopefully. Correct me if I'm wrong but i believe you need to be staying on property for TotW? As this is going to be in the park, I'd think it'll go the way of the epcot lounge and be open to all blue card DVC members including those not staying on property. Either way, very excited this is happening. Next up, moonlight magic!

I can’t see access being any different than the Epcot lounge. That’s why as a local I fully expect to be taking advantage of the lounge on a regular basis even though I maybe stay at the DLR hotels once a year as a staycation, and when I do it’s not DVC.

And yes, you do need to be staying on property to access TOTWL (membership reservation using points or cash).

 

[NVDISFamily]

Hello Team VGC!

Question about doing a split stay. We are going for a week in Spring 2023 for our welcome home trip and also to take Grandma/Great Grandma to the park for the first time in 30 ish years.... Right now I have a 2BR booked for 7 nights and I was considering lowering that to 5 nights and jumping to a 3BR GV for those last two nights.

The reason is we would like to consider inviting out some family and friends who have not seen Great Grandma in quite a while to visit with us at the resort that last Saturday of our trip. We were also thinking of stealing a page from Alice in Wonderland and doing a Very Merry Un-Birthday celebration for my son. His b-day is just a few days after x-mas and during the break so being able to plan a big b-day party for him for the family never really works out. It would be fun to celebrate and have fun with his aunts/uncles/cousins and more around.

If this plan works out, we would likely be jumping from the 2BR to the 3BR one of the days of our trip. I'm guessing we could take our bags to bell services to hold them until the 3BR room is open? Likely make it a pool or Downtown Disney day. Would they hold a cooler full of our food for us too?

Any major downsides to doing this other than being without a room for a few hours on one of the days?

 

[upritbass]

1: Make up your mind soon. The 7-month window is into April already and even the 3BR villas are taken almost immediately
2: Why “take our bags to bell services”? Big waste of time. Call bell services to pick up the bags in your room.

 

[elenex]

Hello Team VGC!

Question about doing a split stay. We are going for a week in Spring 2023 for our welcome home trip and also to take Grandma/Great Grandma to the park for the first time in 30 ish years.... Right now I have a 2BR booked for 7 nights and I was considering lowering that to 5 nights and jumping to a 3BR GV for those last two nights.

The reason is we would like to consider inviting out some family and friends who have not seen Great Grandma in quite a while to visit with us at the resort that last Saturday of our trip. We were also thinking of stealing a page from Alice in Wonderland and doing a Very Merry Un-Birthday celebration for my son. His b-day is just a few days after x-mas and during the break so being able to plan a big b-day party for him for the family never really works out. It would be fun to celebrate and have fun with his aunts/uncles/cousins and more around.

If this plan works out, we would likely be jumping from the 2BR to the 3BR one of the days of our trip. I'm guessing we could take our bags to bell services to hold them until the 3BR room is open? Likely make it a pool or Downtown Disney day. Would they hold a cooler full of our food for us too?

Any major downsides to doing this other than being without a room for a few hours on one of the days?

I've done split stays at VGC recently. As the above poster said, a call to bell services can get them to come pick up your bags and bring them to storage and yes, they can refrigerate items.

What I'd also recommend is linking you reservations either via MS or at the front desk on check-in. I usually then stop by the front desk the evening before the switch (after crowds have died out) to make sure they know we are switching rooms the next day. They usually will try to prioritize housekeeping for guests who are doing split stays. I never had to wait until check-in time, and there was an instance of the room being ready before 11am for a quick move. That being said, things may be different for the GV since there's only one in the category you book.

Overall, it's definitely noticeable and I prefer not to do it, but it doesn't ruin the trip by any means. The one perk when doing it at the end of the trip is you can start packing for home on that 2br checkout day and not do a full unpack into the GV. That'll buy you some extra time spent in the GV on checkout day.

Good luck!