Nice spreadsheet, but did anyone pay $230 a point for VDH? We paid quite a bit less. All of our prerelease calculations were based on a guess of incentives around $220 a point, but with actual incentives we paid much lower than that.For anyone interested, here is a spreadsheet that makes VDH make A LOT of good financial sense.. even compared to Good Neighbor hotels.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...7AyzRfatAzyLzfDSTLIk/htmlview?urp=gmail_link#
I'd guess a lot of people will get less than 150 points, so they will pay $230, but that just means you got an even better deal then they will.
We're west coasters, annual pass holders, not local, we have our next three trips planned. With kids and school schedules its a must. We typically go 3-4 X a year in 1 or 2 bedroom suites. Longer trips of 5-7 days and shorter trips of 3-4 days. Spontaneity isn't as easy as it used to be with hotel reservations (if staying on site), park reservations, and dining reservations. It can still be done, just not as easily as it used to be. Yes you can do the two parks in 2-3 days in a wham bang fashion, but that's not for us. Longer stays, mid day naps or pool, lots to time to shop, dine, and other experiences, and not feeling exhausted when we return home.
I can't imagine that kind of planning and coordination! God bless lol! With kids and also no longer local I just plan the one trip and the rest as we go, but I have no problem staying off site and I prefer DLH which was cash anyways.
We do the same types of longer trips and I plan all our vacations similarly. Doesn't really feel like more work for DLR trips vs. other trips. Then again, I am a planner and enjoy the planning process.
There actually is a difference and you or anyone can and probably should start a VDH owners thread now if one is wanted. You're owners and an owners thread will provide a better platform if this thread that now has a lot to do with purchasing, since speculation is over, is causing distress. Purchasing can include comparisons or even comments on why someone has decided not to purchase. It doesn't always matter which side you land on as both can require and even deserve validation on why or why not don't you think? And yes a part of that decision on why not to buy might be that VGC is preferred. Once you've decided to purchase then a VDH owners thread could be more hip hip hooray for owners.
Is that considering $22 off with magical beginnings or have you already factored in annual dues for the 2023 points that were sold?
Cheers to another Disneyland RunDisney fan. I bought VGC in 2009 and started Disney races in 2017, too (Star Wars Light Side). I'm so glad the races are back! We have 320 points and VGC, but I would have considered VDH if they'd done a RunDisney guaranteed week like they did for races in WDW with Boulder Creek. More points AND guaranteed bib? Win win! I would still stop and think if they do that. I did manage to get a reservation for the return of the races next year, but it was nail biting. Hoping they add Tink back at some point!I'm just beating a dead horse really but I've been an owner since 2015 and a dedicated rundisney person since 2007.... to have the Disneyland race finally return AND to potentially stay at my DVC home for a Disneyland race instead of the Marriott or Wyndham in ANaheim... I feel like I died and have gone to heaven. I'm not releasing my room at the Anaheim Inn until I get a reservation (I'm super nervous about the 16th) but it's going to be the best feeling when I do
That's me. I joined DIs around the same time, and I do seem to remember some skepticism with the resort. It was in the middle of a lot of financial turmoil and the resort sold much slower than was anticipated.
We are also west coasters (nor cal) and go multiple times a year for 3-5 days. DVC has forced us to plan a year out, but I'm so used to it now, it's all good. The one change I really hate is the need to plan everything else. I long for the good 'ole days when no one did restaurant reservations.
Totally agree with this, and I remember some of that. I wish I could find my spreadsheet from the time, but it was an easy decision for us, and I remember people (can't remember whether on Dis) being skeptical, but at the time we were paying around $1000 a night for two standard rooms in the Grand CA hotel 3-4 times a year. We always did 2 rooms (son is special needs and needed his own room) and travel around holidays so for us we broke even in a few years. It was no brainer and I remember feeling defensive about it. Now I look brilliant, LOL. Who would have thought?
That's true, my apologies! A bit presumptuous of me to think there are people buying less than 150 points.
It's a lot of planning, but it goes pretty smoothly when it happens.
Yep, we only needed 50 points for up to 5 days in a duo. This gave us enough breathing room to get a VGC 1 BR in December and still get in 3 trips per year.
So much this.
We were able to book a 1BR Villa at GCV last summer. Honestly, we weren't that impressed. I'm starting to wonder if we're the only people who prefer the Disneyland Hotel to the Grand Californian. We thought the layout at the Grand Californian was odd and the pool was so crowded. We ended up using it much less than we planned to because we could never find a seat.We did. We're East Coasters and wanted enough points to take a long trip every 3 years and decided to go with 80 points. We probably could have gotten away with less, but figured we'll use any extra points at WDW. Could we stay somewhere offsite for less? Sure, but we like being in the bubble. (And we do consider VDH to be in the bubble.)
We prefer the DLH too. We’ve stayed at both. The DVC rooms at GCV are looking dated and worn (although they’re due for a much needed refresh in 2024). The cash rooms are nice, but we found them just nice hotel nice, without the many Disney touches DLH has. The GCV Lobby is amazing, and the food options, and entrance to the park have DLH beat. The DLH Lobby in the fantasy tower is like stepping back in time, in a good, Nostalgic way! I think DLH wins on pool, kid friendliness, and rooms with that Disney touch…oh and trader sams!So much this.
That's a huge bonus by itself.!!
Trader Sam's so good! But you can't beat a GCH theme park room. They are the best rooms in both DL and WDW (fight me!).
So much this.
My next trip to Disneyland is 401 days away. 
And we will be in the parks for 5 days.
