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

[nalababybear]

I am guessing the average VGC owner isn’t making most of their income from a salary.

I believe most DVC goers aren't uber wealthy; otherwise they'd own a beach/resort condo outright and visit that way and still make a healthy portion of their income via working a job somewhere.

 

[ClaraOswald]

In a prior post, sorry for leaving it out!

It's 337pts/member at Grand Cali

Here's all the sold out resorts (as of Aug 2023), in descending order:

• Grand Californian: 337pts/member
• Bay Lake: 316pts/member
• Vero Beach: 294pts/member
• Beach Club: 289pts/member
• Old Key West: 285pts/member
• Animal Kingdom: 281pts/member
• Saratoga Springs: 279pts/member
• Hilton Head: 275pts/member
• Copper Creek: 271pts/member
• BoardWalk: 261pts/member
• Polynesian: 222pts/member

The following resorts were not sold out as of Aug 2023 and it's harder to gauge with available data:

• Aulani
• Grand Floridian
• Riviera
• Disneyland Hotel
• Fort Wilderness

Any data on Boulder Ridge?

Wow !!! So I actually own on the low side owning 178 points. Do you think people normally use all those points for grand Cali in one trip a year ? Or Break the points for multiple trips.

We are new owners and have 160 VGC. We only plan to take 1 trip per UY with a chance of banking a year here or there. (We also have 200 points at BRV.)

 

[ClaraOswald]

I'm currently sitting in the car as we drive through Utah headed home. Left VGC this morning. Now we are trying to decide if we want to go back in June 2025 or wait until December 2025. Right now...leaning toward December to hopefully avoid refurbishment noise as well as the heat.

 

[nalababybear]

I'm currently sitting in the car as we drive through Utah headed home. Left VGC this morning. Now we are trying to decide if we want to go back in June 2025 or wait until December 2025. Right now...leaning toward December to hopefully avoid refurbishment noise as well as the heat.

How was it? Hopefully worth the wait!

 

[AstroBlasters]

I'm currently sitting in the car as we drive through Utah headed home. Left VGC this morning. Now we are trying to decide if we want to go back in June 2025 or wait until December 2025. Right now...leaning toward December to hopefully avoid refurbishment noise as well as the heat.

A bit hot for you this year?

 

[ehh]

Any data on Boulder Ridge?

I was afraid I forgot one resort but couldn't find it. Updated the post so it has the full list.

Boulder Ridge: 260pts/member, lowest of all the resorts that have typical 1BR/2BR options.

 

[ajiuo]

I only have 100 vgc points and 55 vdh points. I use my Disneyland Dvc points for 2-3 stays 3-4 times a year. Sometimes I will waitlist a night with my wdw points to add an extra day to a trip, and I have had about 50-50 odds if it will come through.

I also have 100 VGC points. I like to do 5 nights once a year in the spring… I’ll add a 6th night if I can get an extra night at the 7 month window and use one time use points. Doing shorter stays would not make sense for me because I don’t want to buy multiple plane tickets.

I also have 185 points at AKV. I go out there for holloween and stay between 9-12 nights…

So for me it’s two trips a year one to DLR and one to WDW

 

[KPeterso]

I also have 100 VGC points. I like to do 5 nights once a year in the spring… I’ll add a 6th night if I can get an extra night at the 7 month window and use one time use points. Doing shorter stays would not make sense for me because I don’t want to buy multiple plane tickets.

I also have 185 points at AKV. I go out there for holloween and stay between 9-12 nights…

So for me it’s two trips a year one to DLR and one to WDW

I live local to Disneyland so doing short trips is a nice break from the everyday. No plane tickets and we have magic keys, so no park tickets. I typically go for 2-3 night in July for Disneyland's birthday at VGC, 2-3 nights at VGC in Nov/Dec for holidays. My VDH points I did May of this year and think a May the Fourth visit may be the typical use of those points. For my WDW, I do a week in a studio in March and then 11-13 nights in a 1 bedroom in September. I have 495 points for WDW between SSR and AKV.

 

[TheSnowWhite_]

I live local to Disneyland so doing short trips is a nice break from the everyday. No plane tickets and we have magic keys, so no park tickets. I typically go for 2-3 night in July for Disneyland's birthday at VGC, 2-3 nights at VGC in Nov/Dec for holidays. My VDH points I did May of this year and think a May the Fourth visit may be the typical use of those points. For my WDW, I do a week in a studio in March and then 11-13 nights in a 1 bedroom in September. I have 495 points for WDW between SSR and AKV.

Do you own VGC or you have been successful getting VGC at 7 months

 

[KPeterso]

Do you own VGC or you have been successful getting VGC at 7 months

I own 100 points at VGC and 55 at VDH. I like knowing I can book a couple staycations each year. And I do book those 11 months out typically.

 

[TheSnowWhite_]

I own 100 points at VGC and 55 at VDH. I like knowing I can book a couple staycations each year. And I do book those 11 months out typically.

Were those points direct or resale ? I’m trying to gauge how much resale points are going for besides what’s listed

 

[KPeterso]

Were those points direct or resale ? I’m trying to gauge how much resale points are going for besides what’s listed

My VGC points. 50 were direct in like 2009 or 2010 at I believe $112 a point. The other 50 were resale in 2017 at $152 a point. Even though my cost basis is low, those are precious points that are only ever used at VGC. So my resale points do not fit in the price today. I would not sell them below $265 (list at $275), but they are not and never will be for sale.

 

[lilsonicfan]

I booked a stay in January 2025 - "walked" it a bit even (I know walking at 7 months is unreliable and not really real) - only to have my 11yo say that maybe he doesn't want to go to Disneyland again. Is this even my child??

 

[CWTC]

We walked three VGC reservations before we bought points at VGC. All 3 of those trips were low seasons and all 1 bedroom = each for a week at a time. Granted, my walk could have been broken but we got those rooms using WDW points. I must say the 1st time I booked a VGC at 11 months was wonderful.

 

[Jperiod]

We bought 240 resale in 2017 at $135. I knew we needed to buy before galaxy's edge opened. I've thought about selling since covid. we're less than thrilled with the direction disney has taken the last 4 years but DH isn't ready to say goodbye. We've just cut down our trips and rent out the rest. I've paid for half our purchase price through renting out the extras. We're fine using our points at other resorts too. I've never understood that logic. I could never stomach the current resale prices for VGC though. I'd take my chances booking at 7 months and wait-listing.

 

[ClaraOswald]

How was it? Hopefully worth the wait!

We had a great time!

A bit hot for you this year?

A bit hot for me every summer (and spring...and fall.) Wasn't the worst heat we've experienced at Disneyland though, so that's good. I just find that when it's hot, I don't stop to take in the atmosphere of the park as much. It's more about just getting to where we need to go.

 

[nalababybear]

We had a great time!

A bit hot for me every summer (and spring...and fall.) Wasn't the worst heat we've experienced at Disneyland though, so that's good. I just find that when it's hot, I don't stop to take in the atmosphere of the park as much. It's more about just getting to where we need to go.

Glad you finally made it! Next visit can sit back and enjoy the pools and REALLY COMFY loungers.

Book that Memorial weekend stay now! Weekend just opened up.

We're 'locales' from San Diego so most of our trips are 1-2nighters clustered Jan-May, D23/OBB/Veteran's.

We've bought up a bit of VGC though in anticipation of the next generation coming up that we'd be spending a bit more time and point eating stays and renting them out for the near term.

Agreed; $275 is pricey, but that's the going rate for the near future. Perhaps a drag may occur with resale VDH if those go for really low like <$130. Haven't seen that yet and probably will happen 3-4 years before sellout and before DisneyForward phase 1 opens.

 

[AstroBlasters]

We had a great time!

A bit hot for me every summer (and spring...and fall.) Wasn't the worst heat we've experienced at Disneyland though, so that's good. I just find that when it's hot, I don't stop to take in the atmosphere of the park as much. It's more about just getting to where we need to go.

How did you feel about the room?

 

[ClaraOswald]

Our son didn't want to swim at all so we didn't end up using the pools this time around. We're thinking the next time we go in the summer, we'll book an extra day in the middle that's just for non-park stuff like swimming, Downtown Disney shopping, relaxing, and doing laundry.

How did you feel about the room?

I liked it! I mean, the sofa bed mattress was awful but our son was fine to sleep on it. I thought it had a nice amount of space for us so if we alternate between studio and 1-bedroom (when points allow), we'll be perfectly happy, I think. Obviously the furniture and whatnot was looking a bit rough but stuff like that doesn't bother us. I though the room felt cozy. I hope they keep a similar style and color palette. Some extra lighting would be good though.

I also hope they keep a proper mini-fridge and not a beverage cooler like in the hotel rooms. I also hope they keep bath tubs instead of walk-in showers. Though a removable shower head would be good. (Just for my son's sake.)

Unfortunately, I didn't my request for NON-park side. So the room was noisier than I would have liked at various times of the day (parade, band, WOC.) We were in room 4510. DCA closed at 10 every night and no events over there so it was quiet when I slept, thankfully.

Overall, it was a very nice stay and we're definitely happy we purchased DVC!

 

[AstroBlasters]

Our son didn't want to swim at all so we didn't end up using the pools this time around. We're thinking the next time we go in the summer, we'll book an extra day in the middle that's just for non-park stuff like swimming, Downtown Disney shopping, relaxing, and doing laundry.


I liked it! I mean, the sofa bed mattress was awful but our son was fine to sleep on it. I thought it had a nice amount of space for us so if we alternate between studio and 1-bedroom (when points allow), we'll be perfectly happy, I think. Obviously the furniture and whatnot was looking a bit rough but stuff like that doesn't bother us. I though the room felt cozy. I hope they keep a similar style and color palette. Some extra lighting would be good though.

I also hope they keep a proper mini-fridge and not a beverage cooler like in the hotel rooms. I also hope they keep bath tubs instead of walk-in showers. Though a removable shower head would be good. (Just for my son's sake.)

Unfortunately, I didn't my request for NON-park side. So the room was noisier than I would have liked at various times of the day (parade, band, WOC.) We were in room 4510. DCA closed at 10 every night and no events over there so it was quiet when I slept, thankfully.

Overall, it was a very nice stay and we're definitely happy we purchased DVC!

How were the views?