Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier

[Chause]

My family is looking to get into a DVC property, but we live on the west coast. We primarily visit Disneyland (at least once a year), which creates a bit of a problem when selecting a home resort as the selections are slim. We are going to of course be keeping an eye out on VGC resales, but that's tough. And it seems from what i have read, if its not your home resort getting into VGC at the 7 month mark takes an act of god. My main question is, has anyone here ever picked a home resort they don't really intend to use, just to be able to book at Paradise Pier or the Disneyland Hotel? How are peoples success rates with getting into either of those properties in general? The fact that they are not a "Home Resort" for anyone makes me think it may not be that difficult. Well keep an eye out on resale for VGC of course, but does anyone think this is a fools errand? Thanks!

 

[NewbieMom]

I'm pretty new to DVC, but it is my understanding that VGC is the only DL property you can use your points at. We were also looking at getting a VGC contract (we're in Northern CA), but due to slim availability, we've decided to purchase AKV. However we fully intend to use it there. Any availability we happen to get at VGC would just be a bonus.

 

[Chause]

I thought the same thing, but after taking with my guide it appears they are now letting people book at those two resorts with their points. They even have point charts on their website. She was trying to sell this to me as a viable option, but I’m just not sure...

 

[NewbieMom]

Ah, I believe this is the Disney Collection which you only have access to when buying direct, not resale.

 

[Bing Showei]

Your guide is correct. If you buy direct, DVD will let you buy a ham sandwich with your points. But they’ll charge you about 50 points per ham sandwich.

Many argue that using points for anything outside of the DVC system is an inefficient use of points that would negate any savings you could get buying into DVC. Factor in that you’re buying direct at the most expensive property and the ham sandwich dollar cost goes up significantly.

Your guide selling up that you can use your direct VGC points outside of the DVC system is an indication you should find a new guide. But if you’re looking to buy resale, you will only be able to use your points on DVC and RCI. Or you can rent out your resale points and use the cash to pay $5 for a ham sandwich.

 

[Chause]

With prices that are generally between $400-$500 per night for the Disneyland Hotel rooms off the rack, that’s one expensive ham sandwich. But I see what you are saying and thought the same thing.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It should also be mentioned that any Disney Collection property can have point charts change year to year, or leave the program entirely.

 

[ScubaCat]

There will almost certainly be another DVC property available in a few years when the new hotel is built. I'm sure it'll be outrageously expensive, but it's an option.

For DL, I always just stay off site. They're so close to the entrance and the DL hotels are just obscenely overpriced. Save DVC for WDW where it's a significant advantage staying on property and in the bubble.

 

[zavandor]

Looking at the points chart is important in this case.

I've taken some random dates: 4 nights at Paradise Pier not theme park view, from July 27th to 31st, so 2 week ends nights (43 points each) and two week nights (35 points each).
Total point cost is: 156.
In order to be able to book this stay you have to buy direct. Your guide probably tried to sell you CCV for this. 156 points * $182 - $750 purchase credit = $27,642

Maintenance fees on those points are 7.2625pp. So on the 156 points it's $1,132.95

But we have to add to this the opportunity cost of putting $27k on DVC instead on investing them somehow. Let's be VERY conservative and let's say you could invest them for a 3% return per year. The opportunity cost on $27,642 is $829.26.
(note: if locking 27k on DVC you are then forced to finance another purchase like a car, then your opportunity cost skyrockets).

To book on points you have to add $95 fee.

Total cost for your stay at Paradise Pier on points is: $2,157.21

Booking for cash on the Disney website the same nights would be, including tax: $1,834.56
This is the worst possible price, I didn't find any offer for those nights, keep checking and it could be lower.

So you would actually spend more than booking cash and you would have less flexibility with cancellation policy and $27K held in DVC that you cannot use otherwise.

As another comparison, the same nights at the Grand Californian (a huge upgrade from Paradise Pier), would be 116 points, or $1856 if renting through David's.

All comes down to what the guide meant with "viable". Sure it is possible to book Paradise Pier using DVC points, but it is not convenient from any angle you look at it.

 

[Best Aunt]

Just making sure that you have actually stayed at Paradise Pier and Disneyland hotel. I stayed at Paradise Pier once and did not like it. The hotel smelled musty, the food options were not great if you did not want a table service meal, the gift shop was tiny. I walked back alone in the dark from one of the parks and I was not comfortable doing it. Very dark, not well lit, not well marked. If I ever go back, I will try a different hotel. I certainly would not buy DVC points with the intention of using them there.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

@zavandor one note is that there is no $95 fee to exchange into DL resorts.

My family is looking to get into a DVC property, but we live on the west coast. We primarily visit Disneyland (at least once a year), which creates a bit of a problem when selecting a home resort as the selections are slim. We are going to of course be keeping an eye out on VGC resales, but that's tough. And it seems from what i have read, if its not your home resort getting into VGC at the 7 month mark takes an act of god. My main question is, has anyone here ever picked a home resort they don't really intend to use, just to be able to book at Paradise Pier or the Disneyland Hotel? How are peoples success rates with getting into either of those properties in general? The fact that they are not a "Home Resort" for anyone makes me think it may not be that difficult. Well keep an eye out on resale for VGC of course, but does anyone think this is a fools errand? Thanks!

I have done it but it's been years and when I did I had paid far less for my points and the points to exchange in were less. There wasn't always availability for the days I inquired about but it was possible to find days.

I would never buy DVC to consistently use to do this. Without doing the numbers it likely would be better to buy a much less expensive WDW resort resale and rent out the points to either pay for cash stays or try and rent points to book during the home resort booking at VGC. Or stay offsite.

For full info you can also use direct points to stay in the hotel part of GC.

 

[zavandor]

@zavandor one note is that there is no $95 fee to exchange into DL resorts.

Thanks for the correction. I never used my points outside DVC resorts, and probably I never will, so I'm not aware of all the in and outs.

Just making sure that you have actually stayed at Paradise Pier and Disneyland hotel. I stayed at Paradise Pier once and did not like it. The hotel smelled musty, the food options were not great if you did not want a table service meal, the gift shop was tiny. I walked back alone in the dark from one of the parks and I was not comfortable doing it. Very dark, not well lit, not well marked. If I ever go back, I will try a different hotel. I certainly would not buy DVC points with the intention of using them there.

About paradise pier, I've read a review on Disney Tourist Blog that destroyed it as value for money goes:
http://www.disneytouristblog.com/paradise-pier-hotel-review/

BTW it also depends on which kind of rooms the OP is looking for. 1 Bedrooms are a bit easier to get, outside peak periods. I got a studio at 7 months twice, so it's not impossible either. But I would not buy a WDW resort to always stay at the VGC, unless I'm very flexible with my travel dates and happy to plan a trip when I get a room and not the other way around.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There will almost certainly be another DVC property available in a few years when the new hotel is built.

I wouldn't depend on that. Anaheim's Disneyland Resort area plan has some strict rules on timeshare units within the zoning area. The new hotel will not have any timeshare units; with the tax credit being used it won't happen. (Incompatible, and also Anaheim wouldn't approve the permits for vacation ownership within a project approved under that credit.)

To convert any other resort's units to timeshare, there is an upper limit of 150 total units in the Resort area, and they have to pass a number of requirements, including not reducing the number of hotel units available. A Conditional Use Permit is also required, so it's not something Disney could do on the down-low and surprise anyone with later. Anaheim's rules are pretty intense, and they're not necessarily friendly to Disney development at this time. Even if they were able to add the 70 units, this wouldn't do much to address demand, and would sell out in 2 weeks.

Based on my reading of the zoning plan and some of the associated statutes, Disney could build a new timeshare over in the Anaheim Garden Walk area, which has a different cap on units although similar rules on getting the development or conversion approved, and probably get that approved, but there's a strong question of if they would want to.

 

[DennieC]

You can easily use your points to book at all three Disneyland Resorts with no $95 dollar fee as long as you are a direct member. However, this use of points is very expensive. I did it one year as we wanted a quick Christmas trip to stay at the Grand. We own there, but it was a last, spur of the moment trip. If I were to book a studio at Christmas for two nights it would have cost me a total of 74 points. The similar hotel room with a decent view at the Grand cost double that. So you can stay at all three hotels, but the point cost is not worth it. As others have said, it makes more sense to rent out your points and pay cash for the hotel reservation. I found that out the hard way. But hey, wifey was very happy to be at the Grand for Christmas. It is an amazing resort and we were so lucky to buy into it when we did.

 

[hamilkm]

I used my points for this last year. It was a very poor value but under the circumstances it was a good decision. We had a week booked at CC in Disney world during Irma last year. I already had the week off work, so there was no changing our vacation dates. We swapped to using our points at Paradise Pier and went to DL. We got 4 nights after using extra points from our next year when we had a week at CC. It is a bad value for DVC points, but we were thankful for the option even though we will likely never use it again!

 

[bumbershoot]

Just making sure that you have actually stayed at Paradise Pier and Disneyland hotel. I stayed at Paradise Pier once and did not like it. The hotel smelled musty, the food options were not great if you did not want a table service meal, the gift shop was tiny. I walked back alone in the dark from one of the parks and I was not comfortable doing it. Very dark, not well lit, not well marked. If I ever go back, I will try a different hotel. I certainly would not buy DVC points with the intention of using them there.

Are you sure you stayed at PPH?

I’m highly smell-sensitive and the only smell I notice there is the pumped-in coppertone smell as you come in the doors near the arcade.

Well, and the water used outside to water plants. Anaheim, like Orlando, water smells disgusting.

Where were you coming from? The path from the park was either through the Grand l, cross the sidewalk, and get to the front doors, OR through DTD, turn left at Disneyland hotel, and point yourself at PPH.


Pph is my fave hotel in Anaheim now that Anabella is gone (and that was a motel). I’m actually thinking of using points there soon myself. It’s not why we bought (we stay offsite most of the time in Anaheim), but since we did buy direct it’s a nice perk occasionally.

 

[ScubaCat]

I wouldn't depend on that

I'll bet you a rum dole whip there's a new DVC coming next to DL....

 

[Best Aunt]

Are you sure you stayed at PPH?

I’m highly smell-sensitive and the only smell I notice there is the pumped-in coppertone smell as you come in the doors near the arcade.

Well, and the water used outside to water plants. Anaheim, like Orlando, water smells disgusting.

Where were you coming from? The path from the park was either through the Grand l, cross the sidewalk, and get to the front doors, OR through DTD, turn left at Disneyland hotel, and point yourself at PPH.


Pph is my fave hotel in Anaheim now that Anabella is gone (and that was a motel). I’m actually thinking of using points there soon myself. It’s not why we bought (we stay offsite most of the time in Anaheim), but since we did buy direct it’s a nice perk occasionally.

Ha, ha, yup! The Paradise Pier room was very musty. I was coming from DTD (to get back to the hotel). I think maybe California Adventure had closed earlier that night. I had never been there before, I was by myself, it was dark, and I was not a happy camper.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'll bet you a rum dole whip there's a new DVC coming next to DL....

It won't be in the new build, and without a change in zoning it will be small. In either case it will be a public process, and the points will sell through to existing owners in pre-sales without any public roll out. Under current rules, they top out at another 75 units.

 

[DebbieB]

I’ve stayed many times at PPH and liked it. I am on waitlist for VGC for October but have PPH reserved on cash. We always cut through Grand California when returning from the parks (you can no longer cut through going to the parks).