VDH Opening

[Sandisw]

Thank you for this clarification! Is there somewhere we can see when the percentage of declared units changes?

It usually will be posted when someone finds it. I know that DVC News does the monthly sales reports for direct sales and it will always be there.

 

[Chili327]

Yes, if the declared units are occupied by owners, there won't be any availability at 7 month.

Yes. The only rooms that can be booked are rooms declared into the condo association.

So, right now, for VDH, there are 61 rooms declared. That is all that will be eligible for points based booking until new units are declared.

And they declare when they need more points to sell. Now, with BPK, they actually declared all before it even opened but it may have had to do with the fact it was an existing resort.

Well that sucks. So even though DVC isn't taking up the rooms, DVC members may not be able to book.
Doesn't that seem like a knife in the back for members.!? lol

 

[Sandisw]

Well that sucks. So even though DVC isn't taking up the rooms, DVC members may not be able to book.
Doesn't that seem like a knife in the back for members.!? lol

Not really because they are not DVC rooms until they are part of the condo association. Basically they are simply Disney owned rooms.

Of course, if they are not declared, then the expenses for those rooms are fully on Disney. That is why I think they are not that worried that sales at RIV are where they are…those are really popular for cash guests.

Same with AUL….they make money on the rooms so it is win win.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Well that sucks. So even though DVC isn't taking up the rooms, DVC members may not be able to book.
Doesn't that seem like a knife in the back for members.!? lol

Not really because they are not DVC rooms until they are part of the condo association. Basically they are simply Disney owned rooms.

Of course, if they are not declared, then the expenses for those rooms are fully on Disney. That is why I think they are not that worried that sales at RIV are where they are…those are really popular for cash guests.

Same with AUL….they make money on the rooms so it is win win.

I am not at all surprised by this. Disney would rather sell these rooms as cash than to make it available for members to book at 7 months. Disney is probably banking on the cash booking demand at VDH, which wasn't the case at BPK. Also, having wide 7-month availability will probably be bad for sales. I mean, why buy it, if you can use your direct points to book at 7 months? This was a no brainer for Disney. But this also reinforces my belief in the fallacy of Disney's direct marketing strategy. The somewhat mirage of buy direct so you can book at all future resorts!

 

[Sandisw]

I am not at all surprised by this. Disney would rather sell these rooms as cash than to make it available for members to book at 7 months. Disney is probably banking on the cash booking demand at VDH, which wasn't the case at BPK. Also, having wide 7-month availability will probably be bad for sales. I mean, why buy it, if you can use your direct points to book at 7 months? This was a no brainer for Disney. But this also reinforces my belief in the fallacy of Disney's direct marketing strategy. The somewhat mirage of buy direct so you can book at all future resorts!

They don’t declare them too soon because they balance it against the sales…if things sell fast, they will declare the rooms to match.

So, its not that they don’t want to sell them, but rather if sales are not lighting the world on fire, in some cases, it is okay because of the demand for cash.

Not sure how the 7 month booking window matters with sales because once all units are declared and points sold, it’s going to be what it is going to be.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

They don’t declare them too soon because they balance it against the sales…if things sell fast, they will declare the rooms to match.

So, its not that they don’t want to sell them, but rather if sales are not lighting the world on fire, in some cases, it is okay because of the demand for cash.

Not sure how the 7 month booking window matters with sales because once all units are declared and points sold, it’s going to be what it is going to be.

Then why did they declare all 200 rooms at BPK way ahead of the rate of sales? 7 month availability HAS to impact sales, especially at VDH where the dues are so high. Most WDW people will probably not want to commit in to buying VDH if they can easily book at 7 months using their WDW points.

 

[Sandisw]

Then why did they declare all 200 rooms at BPK way ahead of the rate of sales? 7 month availability HAS to impact sales, especially at VDH where the dues are so high. Most WDW people will probably not want to commit in to buying VDH if they can easily book at 7 months using their WDW points.

That was the first time they did that and it was odd. All I can think of is that sales were so brisk in March and April that they decided to declare the second 101 rooms right before opening in June as they thought that would continue…it did not.

They also only made BPK two units, so they could not declare less than 101 at a time…which is how it started.

Plus, since those were an add on to an existing and open resort, it may be seen as different. Plus, once declared, DVD doesn’t pay operating costs on points they own that are part of it…I wonder if that also played a role because some costs were already determined.

That is why having rooms to points sold is balanced in that way. As I said, until the declare, they can offset the costs of those rooms by renting them via cash..they can’t don’t that once rooms are part of DVC.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

That was the first time they did that and it was odd. All I can think of is that sales were so brisk in March and April that they decided to declare the second 101 rooms right before opening in June as they thought that would continue…it did not.

They also only made BPK two units, so they could not declare less than 101 at a time…which is how it started.

Plus, since those were an add on to an existing and open resort, it may be seen as different. Plus, once declared, DVD doesn’t pay operating costs on points they own that are part of it…I wonder if that also played a role because some costs were already determined.

That is why having rooms to points sold is balanced in that way. As I said, until the declare, they can offset the costs of those rooms by renting them via cash..they can’t don’t that once rooms are part of DVC.

makes sense. I still like my conspiracy theory better

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

The Monorail station is inside the yellow rectangle in each photo.

View attachment 759544
Then. Everything inside the red outline was demolished to build Downtown Disney, and to create the Grand Californian parking lot. The rest of DTD and GCH and DCA was built on the former Disneyland parking lot.

View attachment 759540
Now

Thanks so much for posting these pictures. They are helping me correct my memory, LOL. I stayed at the DL Hotel a number of times from the early 70s (when I was 5) to the 90s before swiping to the Grand when it opened. I always though the monorail went right into the lobby of the hotel, but it shows that memories aren't always correct, LOL. I watched the great youtube video by defunctland on the early years of the Disneyland hotel and it was wonderful. I believe my mom went to Disneyland the first year it opened and stayed at the hotel right after it opened. She was a young teen and loved watching the video with all the old pictures/clips. fun!

 

[Heroes_or_Villains]

Wow - I just saw a VGC resale contract on dvcresalemarket for 125 points August use year for $320/pp. Saw it pop up only a few minutes ago and the status has already changed to offer accepted! Yowza!

 

[Chili327]

Wow - I just saw a VGC resale contract on dvcresalemarket for 125 points August use year for $320/pp. Saw it pop up only a few minutes ago and the status has already changed to offer accepted! Yowza!

Can't be real, why would anyone pay $320.!? lol

 

[Heroes_or_Villains]

Can't be real, why would anyone pay $320.!? lol

The details said they would only consider full priced offer so I think someone actually paid that amount. I get that the math on VDH doesn't work for some people as compared to VGC, but at $320/pp, it's definitely going to narrow the differential over time.

 

[Chili327]

The details said they would only consider full priced offer so I think someone actually paid that amount. I get that the math on VDH doesn't work for some people as compared to VGC, but at $320/pp, it's definitely going to narrow the differential over time.

That math doesn't work for ANYONE. lol
Why would anyone pay $90pp more for resale restrictions.?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks so much for posting these pictures. They are helping me correct my memory, LOL. I stayed at the DL Hotel a number of times from the early 70s (when I was 5) to the 90s before swiping to the Grand when it opened. I always though the monorail went right into the lobby of the hotel, but it shows that memories aren't always correct, LOL. I watched the great youtube video by defunctland on the early years of the Disneyland hotel and it was wonderful. I believe my mom went to Disneyland the first year it opened and stayed at the hotel right after it opened. She was a young teen and loved watching the video with all the old pictures/clips. fun!

lol - you aren't the only one to have that "memory". I too would have sworn the monorail went to one of the towers vs the outer buildings of the DLH grounds.

 

[Heroes_or_Villains]

That math doesn't work for ANYONE. lol
Why would anyone pay $90pp more for resale restrictions.?

No clue. All I can say is I'm thankful I bought my resale contract last year b/c at $320/pp I'm definitely priced out!

 

[tfc3rid]

Had an interesting conversation with my wife about maybe going for 150 with the discounts and magical beginnings. Hmmm. We'll see.

 

[limace]

That math doesn't work for ANYONE. lol
Why would anyone pay $90pp more for resale restrictions.?

I wouldn’t do it, but probably because they want to stay at VGC. I don’t use my resale points I own there to stay anywhere else-and they were purchased before restrictions so everything is open-and I know lots of other folks are the same.

 

[DonMacGregor]

lol - you aren't the only one to have that "memory". I too would have sworn the monorail went to one of the towers vs the outer buildings of the DLH grounds.

Well, in 1961 when they expanded the Monorail beam to the hotel, it DID go to what was then the front of the hotel on West Street. That beam extension coincided with the construction of the first half of the original Sierra Tower (now Adventure). Back then, the new tower was basically at the back of the property. When they added the two additional towers and the marina, the original hotel, while still closer to Disneyland (or at least the DL parking lot) became more of the "outer buildings", especially when the hotel main lobby mover to the Marina (Fantasy) Tower and the main entrance to the hotel moved over onto what is now called Magic Way.

Fun fact: if you didn't want to take the Monorail into Tomorrowland, you could also take the "Hotel Tram" that ran from the hotel entrance on West Street to a stop right in front of the DL Main Entrance. It actually had to cross the city street going to and from the hotel.

 

[AC168]

If my kids were older, I’d put up my VGC for $400 per point.

 

[Chili327]

No clue. All I can say is I'm thankful I bought my resale contract last year b/c at $320/pp I'm definitely priced out!

I wouldn’t do it, but probably because they want to stay at VGC. I don’t use my resale points I own there to stay anywhere else-and they were purchased before restrictions so everything is open-and I know lots of other folks are the same.

My bad, i was thinking there was a VDH contract showing somewhere, sorry, i knew i had to be missing something. lol