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

[ajiuo]

Thanks Everyone! Just so that I'm clear, ehh are you saying that typically the vast majority of VGC inventory sells out 11 months to the day in the booking window? If that's the case, wow!! Does anyone expect that the new Disneyland DVC will have any effect (positive/negative) on the VGC availability/resale? Thoughts on waiting for news on the Disney DVC (since I'm assuming all of the Grand DVC for Nov/Dec 2023 is already gone, which means I'm really looking at Jan 2024 to try to book for Dec 2024.

Here is current availability. In addition to this there is the last day of august.

 

[ajiuo]

I don’t think Disneyland hotel will have a long term effect on grand Californian. Resale member will not be able to book at the Disneyland hotel for one. The grand Californian is also a nicer hotel and more conveniently located. Most people who own at grand cal don’t use those points anywhere else. That’s why it’s so hard for 7 monthers to get in….. now when it first opens I think some direct grand cal members will probably book there for a couple years to try it out… but they will ultimately probably go back to grand cal… specially after the rooms get the referb.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Well I mean just to be sure we always book our December trip right at the 11 month mark but... here's example availability right now for VGC studio - Even Christmas is still available and it's a few days past 11 month:

 

[ehh]

Thanks Everyone! Just so that I'm clear, ehh are you saying that typically the vast majority of VGC inventory sells out 11 months to the day in the booking window? If that's the case, wow!! Does anyone expect that the new Disneyland DVC will have any effect (positive/negative) on the VGC availability/resale? Thoughts on waiting for news on the Disney DVC (since I'm assuming all of the Grand DVC for Nov/Dec 2023 is already gone, which means I'm really looking at Jan 2024 to try to book for Dec 2024.

Most of the year booking for VGC is pretty casual. I can book days, sometimes even weeks, later than the 11 month mark for the times we visit. Early/mid-December is the exception to that casualness. It's not impossible to get a room, but you do need to be right on time for some days, or consider walking.

11month VGC availability won't be impacted by VDH. VGC owners are still primarily going to use VGC points at VGC. The first ~year of VDH might be an exception as some might give VDH a try with their VGC points, but that should only free up some rooms at 7 months, not 11.

Resale prices at VGC have already taken a hit because of VDH looming, but I'm not clear how much more they will--some amount of VDH is already priced into VGC resale.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

ajiuo beat me to the punch - tee hee with availability calendar You rock.​

 

[NVDISFamily]

Any other advice or wisdom would be very much appreciated!!
Jeff

Hello and welcome. So happy to see another prospective VGC owner asking questions. VGC is how we got our start into DVC as it was our dream resort. Others have already given you quite a bit of wisdom but I wanted to throw out a wild card here and also an observation that you might find as you start to consider this journey.

Go for 200+ points instead. If you want a no hassle 5 night stay each year, going for a 1BR vs a studio is easy. You'll be able to get your room and have no problems (or a lot less of them). Plus then you'll have an extra sleeping space (looking forward to the murphy bed queen in the living room after the 2024/2025 remodel) and VGC has a huge perk of having 2 bathrooms in the 1BRs. The kitchen and full size fridge is nice too...

Yes at today's resale price of 225 a point it's an extra 22K+, but you'll "own" that suite for 38 ish years and if you compare the rack rates of a regular hotel room at VGC to the suites at 1800+ dollars a night and take it forward 15+ years, you will save even more and get more "value". Just with a lot more cost up front.

Edit - Forgot to recommend you consider a June UY. It seems to be the most popular so a lot more supply on the market and would still be fine for your trips as the banking deadline is in late January (I think).

 

[pineapplepalms]

So, a few questions. Am I going to have to do a mad scramble each year to try to book a five night stay (during the 20 point period) during the holidays even though I'm going to have the VGC as my home resort (and paying the premium for the VGC points)?

If that's the case, although it might not be a deal breaker, it would be a major negative for me. I wouldn't mind booking 11 months out, but I sure would be upset if at 8:03 am every available date was booked, and either I didn't go, or ended up paying for a regular hotel room.

The other question is about the use year. If, as I said, I want to always to in mid-November to mid-December, should I be looking at any particular use year (e.g. Sep, Dec, etc.)

Any other advice or wisdom would be very much appreciated!!
Jeff

I book VGC often but it isn’t one of our home resorts. Studios do go the quickest, but for most of the year it’s not too bad at 11 months. It does get harder to book for the holidays, but I think you should be okay as long as you’re on top of booking at 11 months particularly if you’re looking for studios. There is a bit more flexibility if booking the 1BR or 2BR villas. In my experience at 7 months, I’ve had the best luck with 2BR availability, probably because the point requirement is so high. GVs have an even higher point requirement but there are only 2 of them, so they go quickly. I’ve also had to be flexible sometimes and start our stay on a Monday if I didn’t get it for Saturday or Sunday, but this is at 7 months and not 11. We just stayed there recently for a week during Thanksgiving and a week after Christmas.

If you love it and want to stay there in a studio, I’d recommend buying. For UY I’d say an October UY is ideal if you plan to travel often in Nov/Dec.

 

[ehh]

To echo what @NVDISFamily said, 1BR are much easier to book than studios. All of the early/mid-December booking difficulty I've cited is about studios.

If doubling your points is possible, it'll solve your booking concern and upgrade your experience. I'll say that as studio people (who stay in DVC studios ~30 nights a year and in 1BR or GV/Cabin/Bungalow-class 2-3 nights per year), the jump from studio to 1BR at VGC is among the most tempting to make permanent.

 

[NVDISFamily]

@JeffCD

For fun I ran some numbers based on my suggestion of considering a 1BR (200ish points) vs a studio and comparison to rack rates.

Cost of 200 points and dues (including increases) over 15 years - 77K

Cost of regular hotel room @ 800 a night for 5 nights (including rack rate increases of 5%) - 86K. Now you can also consider discounting this rate if you could get 25% off for a pass, Disney Visa, etc. I'm not sure if you could get this during the holiday season, but just something to consider. Plus you are not as locked in.

On the flip side, if let's say at then end of your 15 years you want to sell, VGC will still have some life in it. I won't assume to know what it would be worth at that time, but it would be safe to say not zero. So if you sale it, you recover at least some of your buy in...

Don't push yourself if it's a stretch, just something to consider.

 

[franandaj]

Go for 200+ points instead. If you want a no hassle 5 night stay each year, going for a 1BR vs a studio is easy. You'll be able to get your room and have no problems (or a lot less of them). Plus then you'll have an extra sleeping space (looking forward to the murphy bed queen in the living room after the 2024/2025 remodel) and VGC has a huge perk of having 2 bathrooms in the 1BRs. The kitchen and full size fridge is nice too...

From someone who pretty much only stays in one bedrooms (and there are only two of us), I would agree with this logic. At the Grand we often have a friend or two come and crash on the couch. The extra bathroom helps with that. Plus you get the jacuzzi tub and separate walkin shower. Availability is so much better than studios and they are so nice to come home to.

Plus having the full fridge and kitchen is nice. I've really only cooked for real at the Grand a couple times, but we live local and stay there only a couple nights each time to maximize our in park time without having to drive home. IF you're staying for the week, it might not be bad to have some easy meals to heat up. When we go to Florida, we cook breakfast in the room quite a few times, and usually make dinner on arrival night. Not sure what your situation is, but the one bedroom makes everything nicer. Plus both people get a nightstand!

 

[AZMermaid]

And the king size bed!!

 

[vacay77]

I haven't had any issues booking at the 11 month mark but I wanted to book a stay for after Christmas, and I suspect people are walking their reservations because for once, I couldn't get the dates I wanted. So I'm foregoing Christmas-time this year, and going to stick with Halloween-time. No studios are available after Christmas. There are 1 bedrooms available but those are a lot of points.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Totally! Having a friend(s) join you and have their own space (and full bathroom) when it's bedtime is pretty amazing. 1 bedrooms for the win at VGC, Kidani and BLT. In theory, the new VDH tower has the 2 bathrooms for 1 bedroom and 3 bathrooms for 2 bedroom like those other properties - I hope that's the case. I must also say that we got DRENCHED the last time we were at DLR and I've become accustomed to having a washer/dryer but of course Studios don't have those so off to the laundry room we went. Which isn't terrible but it's so much nicer when you can just throw a load in when needed and hang in your room. If it's just you/spouse then a 1 bedroom is pretty expensive for points but... still love it when we can afford the points.

 

[AZMermaid]

I haven't had any issues booking at the 11 month mark but I wanted to book a stay for after Christmas, and I suspect people are walking their reservations because for once, I couldn't get the dates I wanted. So I'm foregoing Christmas-time this year, and going to stick with Halloween-time. No studios are available after Christmas. There are 1 bedrooms available but those are a lot of points.

I suspect people are walking towards race MLK weekend.

 

[vacay77]

I suspect people are walking towards race MLK weekend.

I didn't even think about that, but you could be right!

 

[vacay77]

I suspect people are walking towards race MLK weekend.

I had another thought - do you think those dates that I'm looking for would then become available? I'll keep checking, there might still be hope, lol.

 

[ehh]

I haven't had any issues booking at the 11 month mark but I wanted to book a stay for after Christmas, and I suspect people are walking their reservations because for once, I couldn't get the dates I wanted. So I'm foregoing Christmas-time this year, and going to stick with Halloween-time. No studios are available after Christmas. There are 1 bedrooms available but those are a lot of points.

If you're willing to follow the walkers (picking up what they drop), I bet you'd have strong chance of booking the stay you want post-Christmas.

 

[AZMermaid]

I had another thought - do you think those dates that I'm looking for would then become available? I'll keep checking, there might still be hope, lol.

I’d think so. Right now the 29 isn’t available but the weekish beforehand is. That’s usually a sign of walking. NYE might be the end game for some people… but I think it’s the race.

 

[vacay77]

If you're willing to follow the walkers (picking up what they drop), I bet you'd have strong chance of booking the stay you want post-Christmas.

I’d think so. Right now the 29 isn’t available but the weekish beforehand is. That’s usually a sign of walking. NYE might be the end game for some people… but I think it’s the race.

I‘m going to give it a try .

 

[AZMermaid]

I‘m going to give it a try .

MS can merge it all together as long as the booking category is the same. Let us know if you get it!