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

[tx911]

I can’t speak for @KAT4DISNEY but I assume (highlighting the me in the old saying lol) it is because of not getting a keurig that @Liquidice mentioned along with other appliances being replaced in a soft goods refurb.

Kat was stating they aren’t typically replaced during soft goods but that it really shouldn’t matter as it was supposed to be a hard goods refurb and therefore been replaced.

At least that is the way I was reading it.
Hopefully I didn’t make myself look to much like Eeyore

Toss in a new shower head and a Keurig and I'm good.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Looking at the refurbished studio videos , is it just bad camera white balance or did they make a bad choice in color for the flooring? It looks like they should have used the Boulder Ridge flooring that blends better with the darker mission furniture.

In our studio, it was an odd color choice, a little more of a cool/pale tone than I would have picked given all the other wood in the room...it wasn’t awful but definitely not what I would have picked…I still prefer it to the carpet if only because it seems lighter.

 

[Liquidice]

Even when you push and try and escalate to get the answers, they refuse to a) put anything in writing and b) won't tell you why verbally telling you that you've come to the end of the line with the enquiry.

If they refuse to provide answers at the Annual Meeting, I think we could get a lawyer to write a letter to DVC asking that they provide the details and if the details are not satisfactory, legal action would be next.

 

[AstroBlasters]

If they refuse to provide answers at the Annual Meeting, I think we could get a lawyer to write a letter to DVC asking that they provide the details and if the details are not satisfactory, legal action would be next.

Hopefully they will be transparent about their thinking & decision making at the meeting.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Let me know if you want to try my guide. She got me points about a month ago. I gave her info to another Disboarder and she got them points in just a couple weeks or less. When a guide tells you there aren't any points, what they are really saying is, "I don't want to search for you every day."

My Guide was able to get us direct points as well. Would be happy to pass info along.

Late the the party. But can I have their contact info at well? My guide says looks but clearly she doesn't

 

[cruisehopeful]

Late the the party. But can I have their contact info at well? My guide says looks but clearly she doesn't

Yes I will DM you right now.

Edit to add: It seemed like a year ago, most people thought it was completely nuts to buy VGC direct for $310./point. Now, it seems like everyone wants to buy it for $330./point. I wonder what changed. Is it after we've all stayed at VDH?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Yes I will DM you right now.

Edit to add: It seemed like a year ago, most people thought it was completely nuts to buy VGC direct for $310./point. Now, it seems like everyone wants to buy it for $330./point. I wonder what changed. Is it after we've all stayed at VDH?

I think that some of it is because the inventory of VGC has shrunk and DVC is ROFRing VGC resale pretty aggressively.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Yes I will DM you right now.

Edit to add: It seemed like a year ago, most people thought it was completely nuts to buy VGC direct for $310./point. Now, it seems like everyone wants to buy it for $330./point. I wonder what changed. Is it after we've all stayed at VDH?

People thought it was nuts but still did it.

I think its crazy town to pay $330 but I did it

 

[Mouseforward]

People thought it was nuts but still did it.

I think its crazy town to pay $330 but I did it

You’re smart, low maintenance fees, and no TOT beats trusting California not to raise taxes.

Points get paid off - dues and taxes are forever.

 

[VGCgroupie]

You’re smart, low maintenance fees, and no TOT beats trusting California not to raise taxes.

Points get paid off - dues and taxes are forever.

1/2 way smart since I also own VDH with its ugly TOT

 

[Mouseforward]

1/2 way smart since I also own VDH with its ugly TOT

Yeah, it’s almost like DVC board said “ hey guys we got away with restricting Riviera, and giving it a very high point chart for the location— do you think on this latest resort we could pass off the TOT as well?”

 

[AstroBlasters]

You’re smart, low maintenance fees, and no TOT beats trusting California not to raise taxes.

Points get paid off - dues and taxes are forever.

The maintenance fees are likely going to have to increase based on DVC’s inability to replace basics during the most recent refurb….

 

[AstroBlasters]

Yeah, it’s almost like DVC board said “ hey guys we got away with restricting Riviera, and giving it a very high point chart for the location— do you think on this latest resort we could pass off the TOT as well?”

No, it was a requirement to get it done by the city of Anaheim

 

[Mouseforward]

No, it was a requirement to get it done by the city of Anaheim

I thought they just paid the TOT out of dues for grand Californian , but they got a favorable fixed rate.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I thought they just paid the TOT out of dues for grand Californian , but they got a favorable fixed rate.

It was so low at VGC that they could roll it into the dues.

At VDH it is high enough that it needed to be line item’d. It also makes it better for owners who rent or let others use their points (including DVC).

 

[upritbass]

No, it was a requirement to get it done by the city of Anaheim

At VDH it is high enough that it needed to be line item’d.

Yes, the TOT is an Anaheim requirement. It is also an Anaheim requirement that the TOT is a separate line item.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

And there was plenty of money in the Capital Reserved fund, more on average per vacation unit than other resorts that recently had a hard goods refurbishment. So ok, maybe we didn't have enough money for a full bathroom remodel, but a $200 Keurig Duo coffee pot? Don't tell me that the Mr. Coffee pots are all still working, so they decided to keep it. I don't even drink coffee but I just find it all baffling.

Has there been a post where someone learned what remains in the Capital Reserve fund? And one that worked out what the numbers would be for a full refurb?

You said you're willing to give DVC a pass. Would you give them a pass with the refurb as it is if you found out that DVC had dumped $7M of our Capital Reserve funds into a slush fund with the hotel side and hotel management picked what to spend the money on and they only spent $2M on the Villas side? I am not saying that is what happened - but I'd really like to know what really happened here with the money set aside for the refurb.
Of course not but I don't believe that has happened. I do repeat that anyone who thinks funds are being channeled away should definitely contact DVC and ask to inspect the books. Last I heard that does need to be done in person at the DVC headquarters so not the easiest however perhaps the process has changed from that report many years ago.

See above.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

AFTER 14 YEARS IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HARD GOODS REFURBISHMENT

Even that isn't set in stone, It used to be no refurbishments at all for approximately that time, not even soft goods. DVC rooms were getting pretty long in the tooth and other brands began stepping up the process causing Disney to rather reluctantly IMO to step up their game.

I'm repeating myself here but the extraordinary, unexpected construction inflation costs changes things. Capital reserves are accumulated over time. There shouldn't be any borrowing for things like this so to me it was being a proper fiduciary agent. If there is proof that a tremendous amount of funds were available but not spent then that's different but I haven't seen those numbers.

Have you stayed there yet since the refurb? I have not but will be there in a month. I've never ever been one to advocate for replacement just because however so I don't get the feeling I'll look at the same way as you may.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Then why are they talking about soft good refurbs? It is absolute BS to move the goal posts about this refurb.

Because the person I quoted was stating to DVC that all those items were replaced in soft good refurbs. I quoted that part.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Even that isn't set in stone, It used to be no refurbishments at all for approximately that time, not even soft goods. DVC rooms were getting pretty long in the tooth and other brands began stepping up the process causing Disney to rather reluctantly IMO to step up their game.

I'm repeating myself here but the extraordinary, unexpected construction inflation costs changes things. Capital reserves are accumulated over time. There shouldn't be any borrowing for things like this so to me it was being a proper fiduciary agent. If there is proof that a tremendous amount of funds were available but not spent then that's different but I haven't seen those numbers.

Have you stayed there yet since the refurb? I have not but will be there in a month. I've never ever been one to advocate for replacement just because however so I don't get the feeling I'll look at the same way as you may.

So it's only a CA problem I guess. CCV soft refurb is blowing VGC hard good refurb out of the water. BLT refurb was amazing. Im willing to bet AKV refurb will also be good. Again you can be okay with it but we don't all have to roll over and accept it just because VGC desirable, small and in CA. Nonsense.