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

[ajiuo]

This is a horrible idea! I don't want to have to walk into DTD to get my $.25 drawstring backpack. Right now the walk of disappointment back to the room is short and forgettable. It would be more like a long stroll of disappointment if it were in DTD.

I think that’s just right across the lobby right past the doors that go towards DTD. I don’t think it’s in DTD

 

[Mathmagicland]

I spoke to the reps in their usual office space today, about the new window in the lobby. BtW it is real stained glass and gorgeous in person. Better in the morning/day when the light comes through as it is not backlit at night.

Anyway, no plans to put a desk there or to move out of their existing space by the gym. It is more to increase the visibility of D-V-C at the resort, be a photo op, they plan to add a magic band interaction like they have added at the new Big Al statue at their kiosk next to Grizzly River Run where you use the V-GC park entrance, maybe a couple of other things still in the works.

 

[ajiuo]

I spoke to the reps in their usual office space today, about the new window in the lobby. BtW it is real stained glass and gorgeous in person. Better in the morning/day when the light comes through as it is not backlit at night.

Anyway, no plans to put a desk there or to move out of their existing space by the gym. It is more to increase the visibility of D-V-C at the resort, be a photo op, they plan to add a magic band interaction like they have added at the new Big Al statue at their kiosk next to Grizzly River Run where you use the V-GC park entrance, maybe a couple of other things still in the works.

I wish they would add MagicBand support for room cards, that way you could unlock doors and make charges like at WDW.

 

[vicarrieous]

Just booked a January 2025 trip and staying in a 1 Bedroom Villa. I am anxious to hear when they will start the refurbishment. In the past if they have to move people, do you think they will move them to the hotel side or to another resort or both?

 

[Dobermanns]

Stopped by the DVC office on Mon to ask about the refurb schedule. The CMs in the office didn’t know, and sent us to see a DVC specialist at the hotel front desk. Of course, the specialist didn’t know either. Went to the back to speak with management and came back to tell us it would be sometime in 2025.

 

[vicarrieous]

Stopped by the DVC office on Mon to ask about the refurb schedule. The CMs in the office didn’t know, and sent us to see a DVC specialist at the hotel front desk. Of course, the specialist didn’t know either. Went to the back to speak with management and came back to tell us it would be sometime in 2025.

Not surprising, but I wish there would be a leak on expected timelines. Maybe they don't even have one.

 

[ajiuo]

On one side. I think there are still a lot of unsold points at VDH and the grand cal is usually at or close to capacity… so moving people to VDH would be an obvious choice… but.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who would pull an absolute conniption fit if I got moved to VDH and had to pay the extra hotel tax… so unless they’re going to waive that fee for people who they unwillingly move, my guess is that they will just put you up in a hotel room at the grand Cal… although I guess they could move people to hotel rooms at Disneyland hotel, and even Pixar place

I don’t think they can move anybody from VGC to VDH without causing a lot of problems for themselves…. Because of the tax.

 

[AstroBlasters]

On one side. I think there are still a lot of unsold points at VDH and the grand cal is usually at or close to capacity… so moving people to VDH would be an obvious choice… but.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who would pull an absolute conniption fit if I got moved to VDH and had to pay the extra hotel tax… so unless they’re going to waive that fee for people who they unwillingly move, my guess is that they will just put you up in a hotel room at the grand Cal… although I guess they could move people to hotel rooms at Disneyland hotel, and even Pixar place

I don’t think they can move anybody from VGC to VDH without causing a lot of problems for themselves…. Because of the tax.

Would we have to pay the tax if staying on VGC points….. I would think the bigger issue would be the people who have Villas booked…. since VDH has a notable lack of them…..

 

[Dobermanns]

Not surprising, but I wish there would be a leak on expected timelines. Maybe they don't even have one.

That was the feeling I got. Sigh….

Just banked the rest of my 2024 VGC points. With the exception of OBB, Xmas and DL half marathon stays already booked, the next time I book VGC will be for Xmas 2025.
Next summer and fall will be VDH.

 

[ajiuo]

Would we have to pay the tax if staying on VGC points….. I would think the bigger issue would be the people who have Villas booked…. since VDH has a notable lack of them…..

Yeah. VGC has a $0.51 per point tax built in to the dues… VDH has a $2.87 per point tax (2025) that is not built in to the dues… so you pay it when you stay there regardless of what points.

So if you stay at VDH on VGC points you would basically be paying both taxes. If you stay at VGC on VDH points… you pay no tax… but the VDH dues are higher then the VGC dues even without the tax added in.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Yeah. VGC has a $0.51 per point tax built in to the dues… VDH has a $2.87 per point tax (2025) that is not built in to the dues… so you pay it when you stay there regardless of what points.

So if you stay at VDH on VGC points you would basically be paying both taxes. If you stay at VGC on VDH points… you pay no tax… but the VDH dues are higher then the VGC dues even without the tax added in.

I get that. But if you book VGC with your points and they move you to a different accommodation that is subject to TOT (hotel room at GC,PP,DLH or timeshare at VDH) then I’ve never heard of someone being charged a tax upon checkout.

Same thing with WDW. There is TOT on the hotel side, but I have never read that a DVC family staying on points had to pay a tax if they were moved to the hotel side.

 

[Nonsuch]

Just booked a January 2025 trip and staying in a 1 Bedroom Villa. I am anxious to hear when they will start the refurbishment. In the past if they have to move people, do you think they will move them to the hotel side or to another resort or both?

There were no posts (in this thread, that I recall) about guests being moved from VGC to GCH during the prior refurbishment.
I expect the next refurbishment will again cause minimal disruption.

 

[ajiuo]

There were no posts (in this thread, that I recall) about guests being moved from VGC to GCH during the prior refurbishment.
I expect the next refurbishment will again cause minimal disruption.

VGC has never had a full referb. They had a soft goods 7 or so years ago… this one might be a bit more disruptive. If they plan things correctly they won’t have to move many people because they will just make the rooms unavailable… if they don’t plan well people could end up getting moved..

I definitely wonder how it’ll end up working out. At Walt Disney World it’s easy to move people to a different resort…. At Disneyland the only other option is the Disneyland hotel…. And that one requires a transient tax that people booking at the grand Californian didn’t sign up for. I kind of wonder if they will move people over there and expect them to pay the extra taxes or if they will somehow wave it…. Although I don’t know how because it’s a tax. Will Disney pay that tax? Also with Disneyland‘s Limited availability, even the Disneyland hotel might not have as much flexibility in terms of moving people there.

I wonder if it will be a situation where they have to renovate less rooms at a time and it takes longer for the whole project.

For Studios, they could easily offer a hotel room… but it’s not that straightforward for anything one bedroom and above.

I’ve been offered a hotel room as an alternative to a studio at Walt Disney World. It was really no big deal and they even offered to bring up a microwave and any other DVC amenities I might need

 

[CarolynFH]

For Studios, they could easily offer a hotel room… but it’s not that straightforward for anything one bedroom and above.

Yes, it’s complicated! When the BWV refurb was (apparently unexpectedly) delayed and they had to move people, someone was moved from a BWV 1BR to a regular (not club level) hotel room at YC. They reported having to make multiple phone calls and send multiple emails before they were finally given something like $50 per night room credit, to cover the breakfasts they planned to cook in the 1BR, and they were NOT refunded any points for the move from a 1BR to what was essentially less than a studio (no kitchenette) on the grounds that if they had booked the YC room with DVC points it would have cost more points than the 1BR did. I still feel it was unfair.

 

[AstroBlasters]

VGC has never had a full referb. They had a soft goods 7 or so years ago… this one might be a bit more disruptive. If they plan things correctly they won’t have to move many people because they will just make the rooms unavailable… if they don’t plan well people could end up getting moved..

I definitely wonder how it’ll end up working out. At Walt Disney World it’s easy to move people to a different resort…. At Disneyland the only other option is the Disneyland hotel…. And that one requires a transient tax that people booking at the grand Californian didn’t sign up for. I kind of wonder if they will move people over there and expect them to pay the extra taxes or if they will somehow wave it…. Although I don’t know how because it’s a tax. Will Disney pay that tax? Also with Disneyland‘s Limited availability, even the Disneyland hotel might not have as much flexibility in terms of moving people there.

I wonder if it will be a situation where they have to renovate less rooms at a time and it takes longer for the whole project.

For Studios, they could easily offer a hotel room… but it’s not that straightforward for anything one bedroom and above.

I’ve been offered a hotel room as an alternative to a studio at Walt Disney World. It was really no big deal and they even offered to bring up a microwave and any other DVC amenities I might need

So you just answered your own questions.

Hotels are subject to the Transient Tax. Did you pay the tax you were moved from to the DVC side to the hotel side at WDW?

Second, since hotels are an option that means that all of the available rooms at Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place are also options if needed.

 

[nalababybear]

So you just answered your own questions.

Hotels are subject to the Transient Tax. Did you pay the tax you were moved from to the DVC side to the hotel side at WDW?

Second, since hotels are an option that means that all of the available rooms at Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place are also options if needed.

If you get walked, tot is covered by dvc.

 

[vicarrieous]

Yes, it’s complicated! When the BWV refurb was (apparently unexpectedly) delayed and they had to move people, someone was moved from a BWV 1BR to a regular (not club level) hotel room at YC. They reported having to make multiple phone calls and send multiple emails before they were finally given something like $50 per night room credit, to cover the breakfasts they planned to cook in the 1BR, and they were NOT refunded any points for the move from a 1BR to what was essentially less than a studio (no kitchenette) on the grounds that if they had booked the YC room with DVC points it would have cost more points than the 1BR did. I still feel it was unfair.

That would really suck! If I were in a 1 bedroom and moved to a hotel room and no points returned, I would be really disappointed as I borrowed a chunk to stay in a 1 bedroom as that is what was available.

 

[vicarrieous]

Another question, I just watched a video tour of the wheelchair accessible studio at VGC. I noticed it doesn't have a pull out sofa but instead a fold down sofa to twin like in the hotel side rooms. I am assuming there must be another bed surface then to sleep 4. Is the chair in there a twin sleeper chair?

 

[sparkhill]

Maybe I am giving Disney too much credit, but I seriously doubt anyone will have reservations moved. VGC is small and it would be easy to work only on one of the six, or even half of a floor. The poolside rooms were closed for a long time a few years back and it was not disruptive to existing reservations — there were just fewer reservations available due to the construction.

 

[vicarrieous]

Maybe I am giving Disney too much credit, but I seriously doubt anyone will have reservations moved. VGC is small and it would be easy to work only on one of the six, or even half of a floor. The poolside rooms were closed for a long time a few years back and it was not disruptive to existing reservations — there were just fewer reservations available due to the construction.

Makes sense. I figured with a full refurb it might get quite noisy on adjoining floors, but it is much smaller.