Using points at Paradise Pier/Disneyland Hotel/Grand Californian

[Maddysdaddy]

Hi all. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with trying to use their points at one of the above, and being told that there is no availability.

My situation is this. We made a recent decision to go to Disneyland in November to take part in the 60th celebration, and of course, reservations at VGC are long since gone, and I'm not holding my breath for a waitlist, since the week we are going has both Veterans Day and the marathon in it.

Much as I hate to 'spend' the additional points to stay at one of the hotels, it's still better than paying cash out of pocket, especially since the Canadian dollar has tanked in 2015 (1 $USD = $1.33-1.35CDN).
The problem I'm facing is that Member Services won't give me an idea about whether there is lots/some/very little availability at these hotels, so I'm now in the position of:

(a) having to book now to guarantee a room, and risk having my points go into holding if I have to cancel for some reason, knowing that because of other life commitments, I won't be able to use the points before the end of my use year next July; or,
(b) waiting until closer to November to book, thereby mitigating some of the risk of having to cancel, but increasing the risk of not being able to get in anywhere.

Is there an option (c) that I'm not considering? Renting my points (AKV) and putting those monies towards a cash reservation, is still going to leave me out of pocket, since the hotels (with exchange rates and taxes) are still going to be $4-600 night (or to put it another way, the points are better used to rent the room than rented out at $10-12 a point - or at least come close to being a wash).

All comments and advice are greatly appreciated.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have but it was very close to the date of the trip. Otherwise I've used points 2 times I believe (prior to VGC opening) and was able to book first approx 3 weeks ahead of time and approx 1 months ahead the second time. That does not mean that it would necessarily happen this year - the 60th is a big thing and keeping DL busy as I understand it.

Not quite the same but how about staying at one of the neighboring hotels? A couple are closer than DLH and that would give you greater flexibility without the large cash outlay for the DL hotels. Or if it turns out that you can't get in to the hotels when you are ready one of the offsite locations could be an option.

 

[rcchello]

The points become reservation points and can not be used for a DVC room if you cancel. You can only use them for non DVC things like another hotel or DCL.

 

[my2boys2disney]

I'm super new to the DVC thing, but why can't you book for November now at one of these hotels? I just booked for October last week.

 

[DebbieB]

It's been awhile but I didn't have a problem booking Paradise Pier on points last minute.

I'm not sure if reservation points go into holding. They are already out of the DVC system.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'm super new to the DVC thing, but why can't you book for November now at one of these hotels? I just booked for October last week.

The hotels are outside of the DVC resorts and if you book one the points become reservation points. If the OP were to cancel they could not be used for a DVC resort reservation and would need to be used by the end of their UY at some other location that used reservation points or they would expire.

However afaik there is no such thing as a holding point on reservation points. They do have a different cancellation schedule and I think the cancellation is either 3 or 5 days in advance or you would completely lose the points.

 

[Longhairbear]

I use the availability tool on the DVC member site to find the nights, and rooms I want. Then I request a reservation. We rarely find a villa available, but it does happen. So, we usually stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Last trip a few weeks ago we were upgraded to the Grand California.

 

[jerseygal]

I'm super new to the DVC thing, but why can't you book for November now at one of these hotels? I just booked for October last week.

I called MS to inquire about the point charts for the DL hotels for 16. I was told that they are awaiting the information from the DL hotels and that they should be made available very soon. I was also told that there is a 5 day cancellation policy which means that if you cancel within the 5 days, you forfeit all points.
Yes, as soon as the reservation is made they become "reservation points" and they cannot be converted back to vacation club points if you have to cancel or change your mind. I have never done this so I wanted to understand the restrictions if we decide to make a reservation for DL.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[Kathymford]

I've done this a few times, especially for race weekends. It's a great option as long as you KNOW you're going to keep it. I wish there was a way to check availability online though. I just hate calling ...

 

[Mazz519]

Booked all three hotels on pts, only Paradise Pier was available 4 weeks out from my check in. The other two DLH and GCV was booked 5 months out. Had no availability at DLH or GCV 4 weeks out... Finally was able to get into a 1BR vill at GCV this past June.... always waited to late.... Gd luck

 

[Longhairbear]

Fab Disney Babe over on Mice Chat is saying Paradise Pier is coming down to be replaced by a full blown DVC heavily themed resort.

 

[bumbershoot]

Fab Disney Babe over on Mice Chat is saying Paradise Pier is coming down to be replaced by a full blown DVC heavily themed resort.

That makes me want to throw up.


OP, you could stay at one of MANY very good offsite places. I'm typing from the Hilton Anaheim, which is quite a nice hotel with very comfy beds.

We'll be staying at Anabella motel in January for the Star Wars Half weekend.

 

[Longhairbear]

That makes me want to throw up.


OP, you could stay at one of MANY very good offsite places. I'm typing from the Hilton Anaheim, which is quite a nice hotel with very comfy beds.

We'll be staying at Anabella motel in January for the Star Wars Half weekend.

We don't go to FLA anymore, so we need to use our points in CA., and don't mind a bit. We have stayed offsite, and as we only live a 2 hour drive, we don't need to stay overnight. It relaxing for us to bring a cooler of groceries when we can get a villa, and that is why I am loving the rumor of a new DVC at Disneyland. We actually hate the daily housekeeping intrusions, and rather have a DVC villa. We are watching our waistlines, and love to cook, so cooking in our villa, and not eating at the resort, and theme park venues keeps us in check. I see no reason to pay cash at an offsite motel when my DVC membership supplies any of the hotels, or villas when we can book them for the sum of our yearly maintenance fees.
However, other also reliable sources are saying that DVC will not be expanding at Disneyland anytime soon, although I wish otherwise.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That makes me want to throw up.


OP, you could stay at one of MANY very good offsite places. I'm typing from the Hilton Anaheim, which is quite a nice hotel with very comfy beds.

We'll be staying at Anabella motel in January for the Star Wars Half weekend.

DVC owners in CA could really benefit from a second location and if Disney did not build a new tower at DLH the PP does make a fair amount of sense. It was not built by Disney and mostly has the location and room size going for it. I find it fine due to both of those but I'd be hard pressed to be convinced of any other reason that it has to stay. I think Disney may have an interest in adding some elements that make DL more of a destination like WDW is vs the larger concentration if it being a day park. PP is their one resort that is somewhat lacking in that feel vs the other two.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Just put in my monthly call to Member Services (30 minute wait - 4 minute call).

No, they can't tell me where I am on the waitlist (I know they can't, but figure it's always worth asking in case they make an unannounced change to procedure) and yes, there is still availability at the hotels, but no, they can't tell me if there is one room available for DVC booking or fifty (and I get that even if there are fifty, someone could book them all as soon as I hang up the phone, but I'd worry less than if there are only a few left).

Feels like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. If I wait too long to see if the waitlist comes through, I risk not getting a room at the hotels, but if I commit to a hotel room now, I'll be left with reservation points that I won't be able to use if life throws me a curveball in the next 3 months and we have to cancel our trip. Ugh... And yes, I do appreciate that this situation meets the exact definition of a first-world problem (and even more narrowly, a middle-class first-world problem).