The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners & Lovers Group - 2.0

[HappyThoughtsTees]

The day has finally come that I regret not being a walker. Up early to get a studio for runDisney, and there is nothing available for 1/11. Not a single room.

 

[ehh]

The day has finally come that I regret not being a walker. Up early to get a studio for runDisney, and there is nothing available for 1/11. Not a single room.

I'm sorry you weren't able to grab anything. Definitely a perfect storm against your odds:

• Return of runDisney for the first time in a long time
• Extremely low inventory of VGC rooms due to how small it is
• First week of lowest points season (I'd bet at least some of the rooms are just basic vacationers, not runners)

I suspect this type of scenario will be an every-year problem with only a little bit of relief from VDH, or at least for as long as runDisney uses that weekend. You might need to consider walking because everyone else will be.

One of those 'the problem is also the solution' situations.

Unfortunately I don't think there's much of a chance of a 'follow the walkers' situation working here considering it's doubtful there's many walkers walking through a runDisney weekend.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I'm sorry you weren't able to grab anything. Definitely a perfect storm against your odds:

• Return of runDisney for the first time in a long time
• Extremely low inventory of VGC rooms due to how small it is
• First week of lowest points season (I'd bet at least some of the rooms are just basic vacationers, not runners)

I suspect this type of scenario will be an every-year problem with only a little bit of relief from VDH, or at least for as long as runDisney uses that weekend. You might need to consider walking because everyone else will be.

One of those 'the problem is also the solution' situations.

Unfortunately I don't think there's much of a chance of a 'follow the walkers' situation working here considering it's doubtful there's many walkers walking through a runDisney weekend.

I bet a lot of runDisney folks buy fixed weeks at VDH because of this scenario.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I bet a lot of runDisney folks buy fixed weeks at VDH because of this scenario.

I totally agree with you! I actually mentioned to DH the other day that I wonder if the return of RunDisney at DLR had something to do with the looming sale of VDH.

I managed to get a 1-bedroom for race weekend--and I have enough points at VGC for our usage--but I would consider buying a small contract at VDH to cover a fixed weekend for race weekends. My biggest issue would be making sure it moves along with the race if the race changes weekends.

@ehh, I would add that it's MLK weekend to the perfect storm as well.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I totally agree with you! I actually mentioned to DH the other day that I wonder if the return of RunDisney at DLR had something to do with the looming sale of VDH.

I managed to get a 1-bedroom for race weekend--and I have enough points at VGC for our usage--but I would consider buying a small contract at VDH to cover a fixed weekend for race weekends. My biggest issue would be making sure it moves along with the race if the race changes weekends.

@ehh, I would add that it's MLK weekend to the perfect storm as well.

Something like this: https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program/fin...ek-offers-unprecedented-flexibility-to-buyers

 

[ehh]

@ehh, I would add that it's MLK weekend to the perfect storm as well.

Ah yes!

Something like this: https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program/fin...ek-offers-unprecedented-flexibility-to-buyers

Was just going to post this too!

The flexibility offered for Guaranteed Events contracts sounds fantastic. When that came out I wished they would do other types of guaranteed week flexibility as Sun-Sun is never a trip we'd do (runDisney or not).

EDIT: like guaranteed land-and-sea pairings as our 'big' trip to WDW every year we do DVC + a cruise (or two). Sundays just don't work for that as sailings out of Port Canaveral leave Monday/Friday/Saturday.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

I feel like fixed weeks will be much less popular at Disneyland, because people go for shorter stays.

 

[mynameislogan]

The day has finally come that I regret not being a walker. Up early to get a studio for runDisney, and there is nothing available for 1/11. Not a single room.

Same. I’ve been up early so I can book right at 5am PST but nothing. I get the available dates but when I click book room, I get the dreaded “something went wrong” and when I try again, there’s no availability. It’s because the rundisney events are at DLR 1/12-1/14. I’m waitlisting but who knows if any of the dates will come through. It’s the same weekend as my annual family trip.

 

[justkeepswimmin]

Really regretting not walking a reservation for race weekend as my experience trying to book the last 2 days has been the same as everyone else. Through sheer luck, I was able to grab an accessible 2 bdrm yesterday morning after hanging out on the website a half an hour or past booking opening but I am really wanting a 1 bedroom save points .

I also have my eye on VDH for race weekend. What are the odds that could become a booking possibility for race weekend? We love the Disneyland Hotel and that feels like it will be a great place to stay with the expo being right there and the classic Disneyland theming that matches the feel of the race.

 

[mynameislogan]

Really regretting not walking a reservation for race weekend as my experience trying to book the last 2 days has been the same as everyone else. Through sheer luck, I was able to grab an accessible 2 bdrm yesterday morning after hanging out on the website a half an hour or past booking opening but I am really wanting a 1 bedroom save points .

I also have my eye on VDH for race weekend. What are the odds that could become a booking possibility for race weekend? We love the Disneyland Hotel and that feels like it will be a great place to stay with the expo being right there and the classic Disneyland theming that matches the feel of the race.

What is walking a reservation? I am thinking it means to book your reservation immediately before your desired dates open and then modify the dates you actually want to go became open for booking? Is it is more successful to modify an existing reservation vs booking a new one? If so, I will try that! I’ve always been successful getting the dates I want by booking immediately when the booking window opens except this time.

I, too, am considering adding VDH now. I wonder if they will offer the guaranteed week option for a shorter period. We are usually unable to stay longer than 4 nights and having that guaranteed option during our annual MLK weekend trip would be amazing. Nonetheless, I’ll likely add on there even without the guaranteed option for more flexibility and availability for stays at the DLR.

 

[AZMermaid]

I walked race weekend. It looks like the races were announced on January 3. I immediately booked a studio for Dec 3-Dec 7 (I think, something like that. I had 116 points to play with). Then on the 4th, I modified it to Dec 4-8. Walking works because you already have 12/4 in the first reservation. I did this every single day for over a month. After the holiday points went by, I switched it to a one bedroom. I did post in the race weekend thread when I switched to see if anyone wanted to coordinate to grab the studio, but there were no takers.

Studios were walked basically the entire time. You had to get in early- for sure by 12/15. The one bedrooms were available until right before- the first day I saw evidence of walking was 1/9. You can tell reservations are being walked because the current day will be fully booked but then the next day, it will be available but the new current day is booked.

I’ve never walked before, but I knew it was going to be necessary to get in this weekend.

 

[AZMermaid]

Same. I’ve been up early so I can book right at 5am PST but nothing. I get the available dates but when I click book room, I get the dreaded “something went wrong” and when I try again, there’s no availability. It’s because the rundisney events are at DLR 1/12-1/14. I’m waitlisting but who knows if any of the dates will come through. It’s the same weekend as my annual family trip.

The race is going to be really hard to get into. Watch on 2/14 and see if anything opens up as people may cancel or modify based on what they get into.

 

[mynameislogan]

I walked race weekend. It looks like the races were announced on January 3. I immediately booked a studio for Dec 3-Dec 7 (I think, something like that. I had 116 points to play with). Then on the 4th, I modified it to Dec 4-8. Walking works because you already have 12/4 in the first reservation. I did this every single day for over a month. After the holiday points went by, I switched it to a one bedroom. I did post in the race weekend thread when I switched to see if anyone wanted to coordinate to grab the studio, but there were no takers.

Studios were walked basically the entire time. You had to get in early- for sure by 12/15. The one bedrooms were available until right before- the first day I saw evidence of walking was 1/9. You can tell reservations are being walked because the current day will be fully booked but then the next day, it will be available but the new current day is booked.

I’ve never walked before, but I knew it was going to be necessary to get in this weekend.

Thank you so much for explaining the walking process! I’ll try that in the future!

 

[mynameislogan]

The race is going to be really hard to get into. Watch on 2/14 and see if anything opens up as people may cancel or modify based on what they get into.

You’re so smart! Taking notes from you. Lol! I’ll shall check in on the 14th.Thank you!

 

[AZMermaid]

Thank you so much for explaining the walking process! I’ll try that in the future!

It’s usually not necessary…. Especially for that long. But race weekends are a different animal. Good luck! Hopefully something opens!

 

[nalabear]

Double whammy as MLK weekend too which is a very popular weekend with low points and extended 3days.

 

[justkeepswimmin]

The one bedrooms were available until right before- the first day I saw evidence of walking was 1/9. You can tell reservations are being walked because the current day will be fully booked but then the next day, it will be available but the new current day is booked.

I’ve never walked before, but I knew it was going to be necessary to get in this weekend.

Yep, that was where I messed up. I checked early in the week and could tell studios were being walked but the 1 bedrooms looked okay. Lesson learned. I agree that it is going to be a struggle getting into the race at all so if I’m lucky enough to succeed there I’ll look for cancellations. I have a waitlist in but have always had more luck stalking the dvc website than waiting for those to get filled. The 2 bedroom I have isn’t really that bad point wise since it’s low season but we are planning an Aulani trip and I need all the points I can spare for that one.

Good luck to VGCers trying to register for the race on Tuesday!

 

[ClaraOswald]

Okay...so not sure if this is the right place to post. But we just stayed at the GC for the very first time (got home yesterday.) And now we are seriously considering researching DVC to see if it's even something we could afford or would be worthwhile to us.

I guess my first question is - how difficult is it to reserve a studio or 1-bedroom villa for specific dates? We typically travel for 6-7 nights per trip. Maybe every year or every other year. Our ideal times are February, June, and early December. But after just reading a little bit and seeing how few DVC villas there are at the Grand Californian....it makes me wonder if buying into DVC would even make sense for us at all or if it would be impossible to even find accommodations that we'd want.

Any thoughts on this or if anyone can point me in the right direction, let me know. I started researching on the official site and looking around here a bit and it's seriously a LOT of wade through and digest.

(Oh...also...I see that the yearly fee goes up each year. How much of an increase are we talking here? A few dollars? $50? A few hundred?)

 

[VegasDisneyMom]

Okay...so not sure if this is the right place to post. But we just stayed at the GC for the very first time (got home yesterday.) And now we are seriously considering researching DVC to see if it's even something we could afford or would be worthwhile to us.

I guess my first question is - how difficult is it to reserve a studio or 1-bedroom villa for specific dates? We typically travel for 6-7 nights per trip. Maybe every year or every other year. Our ideal times are February, June, and early December. But after just reading a little bit and seeing how few DVC villas there are at the Grand Californian....it makes me wonder if buying into DVC would even make sense for us at all or if it would be impossible to even find accommodations that we'd want.

Any thoughts on this or if anyone can point me in the right direction, let me know. I started researching on the official site and looking around here a bit and it's seriously a LOT of wade through and digest.

(Oh...also...I see that the yearly fee goes up each year. How much of an increase are we talking here? A few dollars? $50? A few hundred?)

I was in your same position. I was a yearly vacationer to Disneyland. Sometimes I would go twice a year. I stayed at the Grand Cal and spent a fortune but decided that is where I’m staying each time. Then on one of our visits we walked out of the Grand Cal into DCA and was stopped by a cast member at the DVC kiosk in front of GRR and found out that DVC was a thing. The cast member took me to a DVC presentation at DL where I learned more but I only wanted to stay at Grand Cal and they were pushing for Aulani so I didn’t purchase. Then years later I found out about the resale market and bought a resale VGC contract because I wanted 11 month advantage. The only time I travel is Jan, Feb, and June. I’ve had no problems booking what I want in those months at the 11 month mark. I know runDisney dates is booking up at 11 months. If staying at VGC is important, then you might want to own there.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I was in your same position. I was a yearly vacationer to Disneyland. Sometimes I would go twice a year. I stayed at the Grand Cal and spent a fortune but decided that is where I’m staying each time. Then on one of our visits we walked out of the Grand Cal into DCA and was stopped by a cast member at the DVC kiosk in front of GRR and found out that DVC was a thing. The cast member took me to a DVC presentation at DL where I learned more but I only wanted to stay at Grand Cal and they were pushing for Aulani so I didn’t purchase. Then years later I found out about the resale market and bought a resale VGC contract because I wanted 11 month advantage. The only time I travel is Jan, Feb, and June. I’ve had no problems booking what I want in those months at the 11 month mark. I know runDisney dates is booking up at 11 months. If staying at VGC is important, then you might want to own there.

Thanks, that helps a lot! Can I ask which room type you stay at when at VGC? I'll have to look into how resale works as opposed to buying direct. It seems like that is definitely a better deal but wouldn't even know what sites are good for that sort of thing. We don't plan to go back until June 2024, at the earliest so thankfully I have tons of time to do some research. If we do decide we can afford DVC, I think the Grand Californian is the only place we'd want as our "home" resort!