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There are other changes as well.
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It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
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I am in the very beginning stages of planning a big California trip for next summer. I hope to get into the VGC at 7 months but I need a little advice. There will be 5 in our traveling party -4 adults and 1 teen and I'm looking at a 4 night stay during the week, no weekend nights. We would need either 2 studios or one 2 BR villa (preferably a dedicated 2 BR but I can live with a lock-off).
My question is, if I first try for the 2 studios at 7 months and can't get them, will I risk missing my window to get a 2 BR? Is it that competitive? Do I even have a shot at 2 studios? Can I specifically book a dedicated 2 BR and are these easier or harder to get than a lock-off?
I know that the VCG has very low inventory and I really want to stay there. I would love to save the points and book 2 studios but if I try to book that and fail and then miss my chance at at 2 BR, I'll be unhappy. WWYD? Any advice appreciated.
edited to add that I have some flexibility in my dates -July-August.
We took a trip this past January to Disney Land and stayed at the Grand Californian on points. It was amazing. We ended up in a 2 bedroom dedicated with a beautiful theme park view.
When our 7 month window opened this was what was available when we booked. We stayed a Thursday through Tuesday. There were only studios and dedicated 2 bedrooms available. We were looking for a 1 bedroom but decided to bite the bullet on the points and get the bigger place. We then invited my parents and 2 single brothers to join our family of 5 (ds 6, dd 4, ds 9 months).
This is what was available when we looked but of course every date is different. Good luck! You will love the Grand Californian.
It may be difficult to book anything in the summer unless you own there and book at the 11 month window. You can get lucky, and even if nothing is available right away, you can waitlist it, and see if it comes through.
One thing to look at. The DVC website now has an availability tool where you can check for a resort ahead of time. Right now, the VGC show good availability for every room type for the entire month of June, and most of July. That will no doubt change when the 7 month window opens, so make sure you call exactly at 9am eastern on that day.
We stayed there in May of 2012, and had wonderful theme park views! Good luck!
We have stayed at the VGC for the past two years. Both of the trips were in May, so my experience may differ from yours... There was good availability when we booked right at the 7-month mark, which quickly disappeared. From my searches during the year, I would say that 2BRs are fairly plentiful, and studios are the most difficult to book (no surprise there!).
I see what you mean that it may be a bit of a gamble to go for two studios, but if it were me I think I would try for it. I doubt the dedicated 2BRs will go as fast as all that.
Good luck!
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"Esprits et fantômes sur vos fièrs destriers, Escortez dans la nuit la belle fiancée." -- Madame Leota in Phantom Manor, DL Paris
We took a trip this past January to Disney Land and stayed at the Grand Californian on points. It was amazing. We ended up in a 2 bedroom dedicated with a beautiful theme park view.
When our 7 month window opened this was what was available when we booked. We stayed a Thursday through Tuesday. There were only studios and dedicated 2 bedrooms available. We were looking for a 1 bedroom but decided to bite the bullet on the points and get the bigger place. We then invited my parents and 2 single brothers to join our family of 5 (ds 6, dd 4, ds 9 months).
This is what was available when we looked but of course every date is different. Good luck! You will love the Grand Californian.
Sounds like you had an amazing room! HOw neat that you got to invite family. We will likely be staying with my cousin for part of the CA trip and I thought if we did get a 2 BR, I could invite her and her kids to join us for a night or two (this would likely be just a gesture -I don't know that she would take me up on it but it would be nice to offer).
Quote:
Originally Posted by themorg
It may be difficult to book anything in the summer unless you own there and book at the 11 month window. You can get lucky, and even if nothing is available right away, you can waitlist it, and see if it comes through.
One thing to look at. The DVC website now has an availability tool where you can check for a resort ahead of time. Right now, the VGC show good availability for every room type for the entire month of June, and most of July. That will no doubt change when the 7 month window opens, so make sure you call exactly at 9am eastern on that day.
We stayed there in May of 2012, and had wonderful theme park views! Good luck!
I am worried about summer availability at 7 months. Good to know about the tool on the DVC site. I haven't checked that out yet but it sounds like something I should be using before my 7 months to decide on what strategy might be best. Thanks for that!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad
We have stayed at the VGC for the past two years. Both of the trips were in May, so my experience may differ from yours... There was good availability when we booked right at the 7-month mark, which quickly disappeared. From my searches during the year, I would say that 2BRs are fairly plentiful, and studios are the most difficult to book (no surprise there!).
I see what you mean that it may be a bit of a gamble to go for two studios, but if it were me I think I would try for it. I doubt the dedicated 2BRs will go as fast as all that.
Good luck!
I was sort of hoping to hear that the 2 BRs might stick around long enough to at least try for the 2 studios and have the dedicated 2 BR as a back up plan. The fact that this trip is in the summer worries me a bit.
I keep going back and forth on what I want to do but thanks for the opinions (and the tip about the availability tool!) The biggest pro to the 2 studios is the point savings, but the extra space, kitchen, living room etc. of the 2 BR sure is appealing. But do we really need it? Decisions, decisions.....
We own points at Grand Californian so very little experience booking at 7 months (added a Saturday night once.)
Of the 48 villas only 23 are lock off Two Bedrooms, meaning there are a maximum of 23 Studios. I can only assume that it would be very difficult to book two Studios at 7 months.
Also, next July is the 60th anniversary of Disneyland and August is the D23 Expo. Expect crowds (and demand) to spike. Honestly I'll be surprised if any Studios slip through to 7 months during most of the summer. Even 1B and 2B villas may be fully booked by owners at 7 months on some dates.
We own points at Grand Californian so very little experience booking at 7 months (added a Saturday night once.)
Of the 48 villas only 23 are lock off Two Bedrooms, meaning there are a maximum of 23 Studios. I can only assume that it would be very difficult to book two Studios at 7 months.
Also, next July is the 60th anniversary of Disneyland and August is the D23 Expo. Expect crowds (and demand) to spike. Honestly I'll be surprised if any Studios slip through to 7 months during most of the summer. Even 1B and 2B villas may be fully booked by owners at 7 months on some dates.
So if only 23 are lock off 2 BRs, does that mean that 25 are dedicated 2 BRs? That surprised me a little.
I knew about the 60th anniversary but I missed the D23 Expo in August. I guess that next summer might not have been the best time to plan a CA trip......then again, it might be pretty cool to be at the DLR for 60th Anniversary. Thanks for the info.
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23 Lockoff Two Bedrooms
23 Dedicated Two Bedrooms
2 Grand Villas
Most of the DVC resorts constructed in the last 10 years have had a 50/50 split between lockoffs and dedicated.
Thank you. Tim.! This is exactly the kind of info I need to make my decision. Between this and the new availability tool, I should have a pretty good idea what I should try for at 7 months.
I tried to book a villa at the second of our 7 mos availability for Nov/ Dec Sun-Thur and there wasn't a single night available. I had to use 2x as many points to get a regular room. Looking forward to it!
I tried to book a villa at the second of our 7 mos availability for Nov/ Dec Sun-Thur and there wasn't a single night available. I had to use 2x as many points to get a regular room. Looking forward to it!
Out of curiosity, what size villa were you trying for? Or would you have taken any and there were none at all?
Sorry I miss typed. we were looking for just a Studio since it is just my son and I going. We would have taken a 1 bedroom villa. There was literally nothing and when talking to the DVC rep and getting advice on here was basically told that they never come through on waitlist. We are literally using 2x the points to stay in a "standard view" room.
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I doubt the dedicated 2BRs will go as fast as all that.
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