VGC - Cost/Benefit - All Opinions Welcome!

[VGCgroupie]

Never would I ever stay on Harbor/Katella when I could stay at VGC.

Its is worth so much more than a $2500 upgrade, you are getting a steal of a deal imo.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Never would I ever stay on Harbor/Katella when I could stay at VGC.

Its is worth so much more than a $2500 upgrade, you are getting a steal of a deal imo.

I should add I am slightly biased because also ...

Never would I ever stay even at VDH if I could stay at VGC.

 

[NVDISFamily]

As someone who just moved around RVA and VDH points to add a few more nights to a VGC GV stay it's not always about value. A stay at VGC is always magical and you also have to feel lucky to stay at some rooms with features they cant get on the cash side. Yea it's not always about the value. There is some magic in just how special the location/resort is.

 

[pks_domer]

East coasters, took the kids to DL last August and stayed at VGC. The kids were 6 and 3. Sounds like you have kids too, but not sure how old.
A few things for us, in no particular order... ease of access, both for EE and getting back/forth with kids during the day. Just so quick and easy to get back for whatever reason-- rest, pool, weather, forgot something. I don't like breaking the bubble either. It's a Peter Dominick resort, but I think somehow even more majestic than Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge. We also got super-lucky with the room request for our studio, and had a view of the World of Color from our balcony.
We're planning a trip back in November 2026. My wife wants to stay off property. I'm fighting that tooth and nail.

 

[BlueGreen5]

Never would I ever stay on Harbor/Katella when I could stay at VGC.

Its is worth so much more than a $2500 upgrade, you are getting a steal of a deal imo.

I suppose that explains your username!

 

[gsdweller]

I would never swap and stay off property. Being able to be so close is a huge benefit. Besides the entire Disney experience , there are a few logistics issues that can't be beat. We use the full kitchen and the in room washer/ dryer almost every day. The washer/ dryer means we can pack much less stuff. We cook at least one meal a day in the room. Mostly to save time, but it does save money as well.
If you are in a 1 or 2 bedroom, you would be bonkers to switch.

 

[BlueGreen5]

I would never swap and stay off property. Being able to be so close is a huge benefit. Besides the entire Disney experience , there are a few logistics issues that can't be beat. We use the full kitchen and the in room washer/ dryer almost every day. The washer/ dryer means we can pack much less stuff. We cook at least one meal a day in the room. Mostly to save time, but it does save money as well.
If you are in a 1 or 2 bedroom, you would be bonkers to switch.

Thanks -- another vote for keeping!

I suppose my question assumed that those amenities would be available wherever we selected off property (we've found a few at the price point I mentioned). Perhaps not an in-room W/D, but in-building at least. Several of the places offer rooms with full-size refrigerators and stoves.

The W/D availability is the biggest perk of DVC, IMO. They really undersell it too -- you don't know how nice it is to throw sweaty, gross park clothes in the laundry at the end of the day until you've done it! Even nicer when it's in your own room and you can use it on your own schedule. And then going home with a suitcase full of clean clothes instead of toxic nastiness... *chef's kiss*

 

[kboo]

.can you tell where I'm from?!

yes, probably where I'm from (or near)

Curious -- what time of day was this and how long ago? I assume not at park open. I think I've been told to expect it to take 30-45 minutes to get from my room through the gates at park open.

At park open - there are more people at the California Adventure entrance from VGC (walk through hotel lobby) than the Pixar Pier entrance (which is easily accessible to VGC), but there are also more scanners and more lines for security and bag check. Also, at the "main" DCA entrance, there is a place for all the people to go, so they start letting people in to the park and then hold them at a rope inside DCA for "rope drop."

This last time, we were very close to the stairwell that put you out on the path at the pixar pier entrance. That stairwell is exit only, but the door to reenter near the elevators is very close. Our first AM we tried to "rope drop" 7:30 am EE, so we had had breakfast and were downstairs and waiting in line by 7:15. The line didn't start moving until 7:30, then stopped again, and I think they had some staffing issues because a few CMs walked up the line and started scanning us in. There is only 1 gate for security and no space to hold anyone at rope because it's so wide open there, and so they definitely don't start letting anyone in until actual rope drop time.

We were in the park around 7:45 walked through a very peaceful pixar pier area and walked on to Incredicoaster at 8am. The other entrance has more scan points, more security, and then they hold you at a rope in the park, so if you could get through security and be in the park before 7:30 you have a huge advantage if you want to go to the rides on that side of the park.

Last trip we tried it both ways, and:

1. If you want to RD Avengers campus and be well positioned for Radiator Springs Racers, then do EE/RD from the main entrance in the lobby, and be in line 1/2 an hour (or more) before park open.
2. If you want a peaceful walk and few crowds, or you're doing EE to get in line for RSR which doesn't open until 8am anyway, go to Pixar Pier entrance. We were there over Xmas week so we rode some things at/near Incredicoaster, could have ridden it multiple times. Then bought an ILL for RSR, then rode it in the singles line without much wait, and used LLMP for Avengers Campus.

The Pixar Pier entrance only works as an entrance until noon, and as an exit until 9pm ish (not all night). If you're not rope dropping, that entrance in the AM is super fast.

 

[Brian Noble]

it feels like we are really spending about $2,500 to "upgrade" to VGC for a few nights.

That is exactly what you are doing.

Is it worth it in your mind?

Only you can answer this.

DVC is a niche product---even at WDW. There are dozens of lovely timeshare properties in Orlando. A few of them are closer to the parks than some of the DVC resorts. But the DVC resorts add some intangibles to the overall vacation experience. Some people value those intangibles highly. Other people don't.

At DLR, DVC is a niche within a niche, because the location advantage is not nearly as material.

Asking other DIS DVCers if you should stay at VGC instead of the HoJo (or whatever the current Harbor/Katella darling is) is like going to a NASCAR discussion board and asking if you should spend the weekend watching people drive fast and turn left.

 

[Genie+]

I think the fairest way to make this comparison is with an available offsite that’s acceptable to you. Look at all those costs, compare that total to price VGC would rent out.

Say you have 3 nights 1BR at VGC that you could rent out $1200/nt vs the $400 stay offsite. But what else is involved?

First you must consider why you bought DVC. There is a cost to the time you spent learning and deciding, and putting out that money. Plus the time spent looking/booking the new accommodation and renting out your DVC. On top of all that… is the difference in experience.

Which kind of winds back to why you bought DVC in the first place. Did you want to make your trips more special? That is hard to quantify.

I suffer from visualizing the price difference. We have an upcoming trip I could’ve cleared $1500 by changing our onsite room. For 2ppl x 5nts, $150 per person per day. I could’ve easily rented out our VGF for $2500 and booked POP for $1k. It’s a nice option to keep in mind for when we or our adult kids are short on cash flow.

But that’s not the main point - our VGF is $300/nt. That is why we bought. My total buy-in was $4pp and dues under $8pp. The room is 18pts/nt. That’s $216 before any TVM applied.

We are getting THAT experience at a cost we could afford, and why we spent the time and money getting into DVC. Sure I’d have a fun time at POP but it would be quite a different experience. And that’s why we bought DVC - because I’m going from Pop to VGF for ~$100/nt.

 

[BlueGreen5]

Asking other DIS DVCers if you should stay at VGC instead of the HoJo (or whatever the current Harbor/Katella darling is) is like going to a NASCAR discussion board and asking if you should spend the weekend watching people drive fast and turn left.

I don't know that this is an appropriate analogy or true. I'm not asking people whether I should stay at VGC (if I should "spend the weekend watching people drive fast and turn left"). I'm asking whether VGC is really worth the lost opportunity to stay there, which I have quantified at $2,500. To make your analogy more appropriate, it would be like asking NASCAR fans whether I should attend a popular race or sell my very valuable tickets to that race and take a cheap vacation to the beach with my new found cash. NASCAR fans are (probably - I don't know any) perfectly capable of distinguishing between their passion and the value of a dollar and offering thoughts -- some of which won't come to the same conclusion, but all of which will probably offer points worth considering. Similarly, while I know I am going to get some biased opinions on here, I do think many board users are perfectly capable of sorting through their biases and analyzing cost/benefit. Many have done so above and have offered valuable ways of thinking through this.

 

[Brian Noble]

Goodness. I appear to have stuck a nerve. Apparently, not all opinions are welcome.

More seriously: If you ask that question here--with DVC owners and fans--you're going to get one set of answers. If you ask that question in the DLR board--with a whole range of Disneyland fans--you're going to get a different set of answers.

And, for the record, if I had points to spend, I'd spend 'em. That's what they are for. But that doesn't mean its a good value, and only you can decide which path makes sense for your situation.

 

[BlueGreen5]

We are getting THAT experience at a cost we could afford, and why we spent the time and money getting into DVC. Sure I’d have a fun time at POP but it would be quite a different experience. And that’s why we bought DVC - because I’m going from Pop to VGF for ~$100/nt.

Love thinking about it this way! Taking the DVC membership risk rewards us by allowing us to go from Habor/Katella to VGC for somewhere around $150/nt (VERY approximate -- my brain's not interested in mathing today). When you look at it that way, of course it's a no brainer, even if VGC were more like a Holiday Inn that was located in that spot (which OBVIOUSLY it's not).

 

[BlueGreen5]

Goodness. I appear to have stuck a nerve. Apparently, not all opinions are welcome.

More seriously: If you ask that question here--with DVC owners and fans--you're going to get one set of answers. If you ask that question in the DLR board--with a whole range of Disneyland fans--you're going to get a different set of answers.

And, for the record, if I had points to spend, I'd spend 'em. That's what they are for. But that doesn't mean its a good value, and only you can decide which path makes sense for your situation.

No, no nerve struck, all is good! My response probably came off wrong -- the risk of online communication.

You make a good point. I asked DVC members because I didn't want to have to explain the economics of DVC to non-members. But, I probably should ask the folks who regularly stay at your proverbial HoJo to get a full picture. Many of them would probably tell me I'm crazy for ever considering spending one additional dollar on a "just a place to sleep and shower."

 

[Brian Noble]

See, and that's the thing! It doesn't matter what someone else thinks. What matters is what you think.

Now, if you need someone to give you the nudge to do it, I am happy to supply the nudge. If you need someone to give you the nudge not to, I can do that too!

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

Technically if you rent out your points to someone else you would need to pay taxes on the profits, so actual savings is something less than $2500. In case you want a reason to be swayed towards keeping VGC, lol

 

[BlueGreen5]

Technically if you rent out your points to someone else you would need to pay taxes on the profits, so actual savings is something less than $2500. In case you want a reason to be swayed towards keeping VGC, lol

Nahhhh. I don't feel like paying those.

 

[Anthony1971]

The best I can say:
We have owned DVC for over 20 years. At this point and well before we are going to stay at whatever da,, resort we feel like staying out no matter the points so long as we have enough and I could borrow but never have.... so we have enough.
DVC is no longer a debate over ? (insert anything). Stay where you want and enjoy your (somewhat) prepaid room as after all that is what DVC is and nothing more.

 

[Shellyred8]

I assume not at park open. I think I've been told to expect it to take 30-45 minutes to get from my room through the gates at park open.

A few years ago when we stayed at VGC we tried using this entrance at park open and the line was really long. It was faster for us to walk to the main entrance and go in that way.