The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners & Lovers Group - 3.0

[KAT4DISNEY]

This thread is so depressing. My wife and I bought into VGC earlier this year and felt like we had great timing getting in just as the refurb was getting started. And now this. We had planned to stay on a 2BD with some family we'll be visiting while in Southern California, but now I'm almost embarrassed to have them come and see the rooms, especially since they have an idea how much money we spent to secure our annual points. Feeling pretty foolish now. Hopeful that the experience of it, while not fully to expectations, won't detract dramatically from our overall visit next spring.

I've owned there since the beginning and stays now are just as good as they were back then. Better actually because the prices at the DL hotels has gone bonkers. Love VGC and would pick it over any other place at or near DL as well as to bring friends and family to. Last visit was pre-refurb and had no complaints.
Have a great time!

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I've owned there since the beginning and stays now are just as good as they were back then. Better actually because the prices at the DL hotels has gone bonkers. Love VGC and would pick it over any other place at or near DL as well as to bring friends and family to. Last visit was pre-refurb and had no complaints.
Have a great time!

My feelings exactly! (except I do have a soft spot for DL Hotel given its history and occasionally do a cash stay there, but VGC/the Grand Cal are on a different league)

 

[ajiuo]

Now Im all fired up so @ajiuo what is Dierksons email, Im ready to give him (his secretary) my 2 cents.

william.c.diercksen@disney.com

 

[epski]

It’s the Disneyland HOTEL vs the Grand Californian RESORT.

I mean, yes. I know??

 

[epski]

I've owned there since the beginning and stays now are just as good as they were back then. Better actually because the prices at the DL hotels has gone bonkers. Love VGC and would pick it over any other place at or near DL as well as to bring friends and family to. Last visit was pre-refurb and had no complaints.
Have a great time!

Nice to hear something positive!

 

[Girlstar30]

Just got back from a wonderful and relaxing stay, our first DVC stay as Members

The Good:

Pool Chairs so plush and plentiful. It was a beautiful and sunny day and there were plenty available before 1pm. I was impressed with the attentiveness of the cast members at the pool who helped us locate seating next to each other in the area we preferred.

Room service for breakfast was delicious! The Mickey waffles weren't hard like in the parks. They sure are not stingy with portions at the restaurants! Everything was huge! Loved the cookie butter creme brulee at Hearthstone and those chicken wings at the pool grill.

Nice DVC merchandise! Got my first Disney Vacation Club jacket that I'm proudly sporting I wish they would ask for proof of membership to purchase to feel a little more exclusive

We loved sitting on the balcony and hearing the sound of crickets (are they fake?) The 70th anniversary Joffrey's coffee was a nice touch and we loved the Bambi watercolor murphy bed!

The entrance to DCA by the dvc villas! Did not know this existed! Game changer!

The walk wasn't bad at all to the main building!

They accept Chase Disney Visa discount as well as DVC discount, both are 10%

The water slide was great fun and faster than it looks! My niece has a BLAST on the kiddie slide! I thought the pool was interesting it kind of pulls you like a lazy river

Most comfortable DVC bed ever, like sleeping on a cloud

The Bad:

I don't know how to describe it, but it seemed like the floor was sinking in in some places??? Some of the wood was softer than the rest maybe someone could give insight.

I didnt like the chairs on the balcony, if you sit down then you can't see over the railing. Taller chairs would be nice or less thick railing?

I don't really think it's fair that you use the same amount of points as someone who scores a theme park view. We didn't get one and were discussing how we would rather spend more points for the view as this was a totally different experience than when we stayed at the hotel side and paid for a theme park view and fell in love.

The rooms seemed a bit dark again comparing to the hotel side which has a "cheerier" theme and chip and dale.

Service was ridiculously slow at the restaurants.

Why did they get rid of the grass at that courtyard where people get married?? I hope they do something besides dirt and gravel!

Parking across the street kind of disappointed us until we realized it wasn't that far.

All in all: It was a wonderful weekend and we can't wait to return, but we will keep the trips short as we'd rather save our points to see our animals at the AKV

 

[VGCgroupie]

Just got back from a wonderful and relaxing stay, our first DVC stay as Members

The Good:

Pool Chairs so plush and plentiful. It was a beautiful and sunny day and there were plenty available before 1pm. I was impressed with the attentiveness of the cast members at the pool who helped us locate seating next to each other in the area we preferred.

Room service for breakfast was delicious! The Mickey waffles weren't hard like in the parks. They sure are not stringy with portions at the restaurants! Everything was huge! Loved the cookie butter creme brulee at Hearthstone and those chicken wings at the pool grill.

Nice DVC merchandise! Got my first Disney Vacation Club jacket that I'm proudly sporting I wish they would ask for proof of membership to purchase to feel a little more exclusive

We loved sitting on the balcony and hearing the sound of crickets (are they fake?) The 70th anniversary Joffrey's coffee was a nice touch and we loved the Bambi watercolor murphy bed!

The entrance to DCA by the dvc villas! Did not know this existed! Game changer!

The walk wasn't bad at all to the main building!

They accept Chase Disney Visa discount as well as DVC discount, both are 10%

The water slide was great fun and faster than it looks! My niece has a BLAST on the kiddie slide! I thought the pool was interesting it kind of pulls you like a lazy river


The Bad:

I don't know how to describe it, but it seemed like the floor was sinking in in some places??? Some of the wood was softer than the rest maybe someone could give insight.

I didnt like the chairs on the balcony, if you sit down then you can't see over the railing. Taller chairs would be nice or less thick railing?

I don't really think it's fair that you use the same amount of points as someone who scores a theme park view. We didn't get one and were discussing how we would rather spend more points for the view as this was a totally different experience than when we stayed at the hotel side and paid for a theme park view and fell in love.

The rooms seemed a bit dark again comparing to the hotel side which has a "cheerier" theme and chip and dale.

Service was ridiculously slow at the restaurants.

Why did they get rid of the grass at that courtyard where people get married?? I hope they do something besides dirt and gravel!

Parking across the street kind of disappointed us until we realized it wasn't that far.

All in all: It was a wonderful weekend and we can't wait to return, but we will keep the trips short as we'd rather save our points to see our animals at the AKV

aww so happy your 1st DVC stay was at my beloved VGC! We adore the pool and loungers.

Curious... did you take a shower??? Tell me I am overreacting about the non updated shower situation.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Curious... did you take a shower???

Umm, let's hope the answer is yes...

ETA: just realized "a bath" could be an acceptable alternative, lol

 

[Girlstar30]

aww so happy your 1st DVC stay was at my beloved VGC! We adore the pool and loungers.

Curious... did you take a shower??? Tell me I am overreacting about the non updated shower situation.

Yes we took showers, honestly the shower didn't bother me at all, I didn't notice anything, is something wrong? Loved the Disney shampoo haha I just asked my wife if she noticed anything and she said they didn't have lotion but she was surprised and happy they had moisturizer lol

 

[Girlstar30]

Umm, let's hope the answer is yes...

ETA: just realized "a bath" could be an acceptable alternative, lol

We were in the pool all day so a resounding yes

 

[VGCgroupie]

Umm, let's hope the answer is yes...

ETA: just realized "a bath" could be an acceptable alternative, lol

I will shamefully admit getting back from OBB really late and not showering.. getting up in the am and saying eh screw it Im getting in the pool anyway before my flight.

 

[Girlstar30]

I will shamefully admit getting back from OBB really late and not showering.. getting up in the am and saying eh screw it Im getting in the pool anyway before my flight.

We won't tell

 

[VGCgroupie]

Yes we took showers, honestly the shower didn't bother me at all, I didn't notice anything, is something wrong? Loved the Disney shampoo haha I just asked my wife if she noticed anything and she said they didn't have lotion but she was surprised and happy they had moisturizer lol

They updated the rooms but didnt do anything to the showers, leaving old shower heads old grout and caulking like 16 years old. Maybe you didnt notice anything since you used the AKV showers and are comparing to those.... Im joking!! Kind of.

 

[Girlstar30]

They updated the rooms but didnt do anything to the showers, leaving old shower heads old grout and caulking like 16 years old. Maybe you didnt notice anything since you used the AKV showers and are comparing to those.... Im joking!! Kind of.

ok I loved my animal kingdom showers for real, so I am the wrong person to ask!!! If I knew to look i would have studied it more haha the only thing I thought was weird was the floor seemed to be sinking in one area lol now that I think about it i probably should have brought that up to the cast members

 

[Girlstar30]

I forgot to mention i loved the cold cucumber and lemon water out at the pools, I felt fancy like i was at the spa , and the strawberry basil mocktail was enjoyed by all!

 

[tjkraz]

So we pay triple dues to get the same refurb all other properties get? They knew that VGC was small when they created it and the budget has been setting aside money for the refurb. Someone isn't handling the money in a smart way if they couldn't figure out that they should have bundled the hotel refurb with the DVC refurb to save on costs, like evidently the FL properties do. If people dont speak up they will continue to do things half way.

It's a little silly to imply that Disney doesn't know how to minimize costs on a large scale refurbishment project.

*IF* this is a $$ issue, the problem almost certainly lies in inflation. Owners have been setting aside funds for capital refurbishments since literally 2009. The cost of the refurb is projected years in advance, with the goal being to have enough money to complete the work when the project is due. But over the past 3-4 years, construction costs are an item that has increased in cost much, much faster than anticipated. And things may be even worse in California than other parts of the country due to wildfires and other similar events.

All of the money set aside for refurbishments will be used for refurbishments. And I'm sure Disney will take reasonable steps to minimize the expense. (Though it's worth noting that going with the lowest bidder often doesn't work in your favor.)

At the end of the day, getting worked up over a couple photos posted online is probably not the best way to judge the current condition. Especially when we now have recent guests claiming thy had no issues.

It’s the Disneyland HOTEL vs the Grand Californian RESORT.

It's Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

 

[VGCgroupie]

It's a little silly to imply that Disney doesn't know how to minimize costs on a large scale refurbishment project.

*IF* this is a $$ issue, the problem almost certainly lies in inflation. Owners have been setting aside funds for capital refurbishments since literally 2009. The cost of the refurb is projected years in advance, with the goal being to have enough money to complete the work when the project is due. But over the past 3-4 years, construction costs are an item that has increased in cost much, much faster than anticipated. And things may be even worse in California than other parts of the country due to wildfires and other similar events.

All of the money set aside for refurbishments will be used for refurbishments. And I'm sure Disney will take reasonable steps to minimize the expense. (Though it's worth noting that going with the lowest bidder often doesn't work in your favor.)

At the end of the day, getting worked up over a couple photos posted online is probably not the best way to judge the current condition. Especially when we now have recent guests claiming thy had no issues.


It's Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Once again inflation is everywhere not just in CA. So why are FL properties not getting the short end of the stick like VGC is? Someone managing FL is clearly doing a better job so no not silly. I wont roll over like a submissive dog and accept all these excuses that are being thrown out there as to why they didnt touch the bathroom in a hard goods refurb in CA but they did in FL and they also did on the hotel side.

 

[tjkraz]

Once again inflation is everywhere not just in CA. So why are FL properties not getting the short end of the stick like VGC is? Someone managing FL is clearly doing a better job so no not silly. I wont roll over like a submissive dog and accept all these excuses that are being thrown out there as to why they didnt touch the bathroom in a hard goods refurb in CA but they did in FL and they also did on the hotel side.

Respectfully, it feels like there's some perspective missing. It's not like every prior DVC refurbishment was an elaborate ground-up re-build, and VGC is somehow the exception.

There have been other major refurbs that did not include changes to the bathrooms. There have been projects where kitchen cabinets were refaced and furniture reused. There have been projects criticized for a lack of custom artwork and the elimination of features like writing desks, side tables and kitchen dining space. Aulani didn't get the pull down Murphy beds. Bay Lake Tower had its twin sleeper chairs replaced with something different. There have been projects delayed by several years beyond the normal timeframe. AKV Jambo house opened more than 2 years before VGC and is still awaiting its first full refurbishment. Boulder Ridge was delayed by a couple of years.

Every project is different. Every region has its own unique challenges with respect to cost of labor and materials. Every resort has its own budget and clearly there are cases where compromises have to be made when the plan is finalized.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Respectfully, it feels like there's some perspective missing. It's not like every prior DVC refurbishment was an elaborate ground-up re-build, and VGC is somehow the exception.

There have been other major refurbs that did not include changes to the bathrooms. There have been projects where kitchen cabinets were refaced and furniture reused. There have been projects criticized for a lack of custom artwork and the elimination of features like writing desks, side tables and kitchen dining space. Aulani didn't get the pull down Murphy beds. Bay Lake Tower had its twin sleeper chairs replaced with something different. There have been projects delayed by several years beyond the normal timeframe. AKV Jambo house opened more than 2 years before VGC and is still awaiting its first full refurbishment. Boulder Ridge was delayed by a couple of years.

Every project is different. Every region has its own unique challenges with respect to cost of labor and materials. Every resort has its own budget and clearly there are cases where compromises have to be made when the plan is finalized.

I never said VCG needed an elaborate ground up refurbishment. I never commented on cabinets. I am 1000% okay with keeping the real wood cabinets, Im fine with keeping stone counters because they are actually clean and sanitary... the showers are not. I am also not commenting on what was refurbed years ago, I am referring to recent refurbs that have been completed. Regardless of what you'd like me compromise on, the shower is not somewhere I am willing to compromise on.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Respectfully, it feels like there's some perspective missing. It's not like every prior DVC refurbishment was an elaborate ground-up re-build, and VGC is somehow the exception.

There have been other major refurbs that did not include changes to the bathrooms. There have been projects where kitchen cabinets were refaced and furniture reused. There have been projects criticized for a lack of custom artwork and the elimination of features like writing desks, side tables and kitchen dining space. Aulani didn't get the pull down Murphy beds. Bay Lake Tower had its twin sleeper chairs replaced with something different. There have been projects delayed by several years beyond the normal timeframe. AKV Jambo house opened more than 2 years before VGC and is still awaiting its first full refurbishment. Boulder Ridge was delayed by a couple of years.

Every project is different. Every region has its own unique challenges with respect to cost of labor and materials. Every resort has its own budget and clearly there are cases where compromises have to be made when the plan is finalized.

I understand what you are saying, but it is inexcusable to not order new shower heads when they could have got them at a bulk price with the same materials they used for the Bay Lake Tower refurb (picture attached).

Especially when they are selling these direct for $330 per point…. and they are still selling them! I bought 97 direct last year.

This was poor financial management and they obviously blew the budget on a stupid external refurbishment that no one cares about whatsoever.

This is on top of bad workmanship on the VDH tower.