You can use your points to rent rooms from GCH

[letitsnow]

I just looked to see the points to get a room at Disneyland Hotel and saw that there is a section for the Grand California Hotel. I had never seen that before! I guess this is a perk you get to keep when you own prior to 3/20???

 

[DenLo]

The Villas at Grand California is a DVC resort. So you will still be eligible to make reservations at that resort at the 7 month mark with points from any other DVC resort. There's only 46 2BRs and 2 GVs, so it is not the easiest resort to get a reservation at the 7 month mark.

 

[letitsnow]

I'm not talking about Villas. I'm talking about the hotel rooms!' I know try discontinued it when the villas were built and bow it's back on 2011 point chart!

 

[DenLo]

Sorry I misunderstood.

Edit: I just checked my 2011 point chart for the Disney Collection and it only lists the DLH and Paradise Pier as the hotels available for points. The only place Grand Californian shows up is under the Villas at Grand California.

Edit#2: I just went into the MS website and it does show up under the Disney Collection. Although it's not in the Vacation Planner they just sent out in January.

I heard rumors that they might make more rooms because of construction at the DLH, so maybe that's why you can book at the regular hotel portion of GCH. Hopefully someone will call MS and confirm.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[M4travels]

This will be interesting....am booked at Paradise Pier in a few weeks because we couldn't get into the villas. Even though it's just across the street we would prefer the GC. Will have to call MS in the morning to see if this was an error or new availability!

Good catch, letitsnow.

 

[friends with mickey]

The new points chart for Disney collection does show Grand California hotel for points. It does not mention a $95 charge for booking anymore and it also says the points must have been purchased from Disney to book the Disney collection. I checked the other points charts also. The Paris and Hong Kong charts do mention the $95 booking fee and that the points must have been purchased from Disney. The Florida resort/hotels does not mention that points must have been purchased from Disney but does show the $95 booking fee. It appears that these points charts are being updated to reflect the changes effective on March 21 on resale contracts. Very interesting stuff. I guess we just should keep checking the points charts for new information to be informed.

 

[tidefan]

The new points chart for Disney collection does show Grand California hotel for points. It does not mention a $95 charge for booking anymore and it also says the points must have been purchased from Disney to book the Disney collection. I checked the other points charts also. The Paris and Hong Kong charts do mention the $95 booking fee and that the points must have been purchased from Disney. The Florida resort/hotels does not mention that points must have been purchased from Disney but does show the $95 booking fee. It appears that these points charts are being updated to reflect the changes effective on March 21 on resale contracts. Very interesting stuff. I guess we just should keep checking the points charts for new information to be informed.

I may be wrong, but I don't think that the Disney Collection hotels at Disneyland (GC, DLH, PP) have ever been subject to the $95 fee...

 

[CarolAnnC]

I may be wrong, but I don't think that the Disney Collection hotels at Disneyland (GC, DLH, PP) have ever been subject to the $95 fee...

You are correct! No transfer fee to book at Disneyland Resort..

 

[DebbieB]

The points are really high. 37 for a standard view in super value season vs 17 points for a studio in adventure season.

Interesting thing about GCV. Someone posted back when the budgets came out that both the villas and hotel rooms in the new section are owned by DVD and included in the dues budget. I assume that DVD has not declared the hotel rooms into DVC and they are paying for the dues on those rooms. They could declare those rooms and open up more points sales for VGC, creating something similiar to the inn rooms at VB.

 

[suzy021372]

When the Villas opened last year the opportunity to get the Grand Californian on points was supposed to go away. I wonder if they brought back the option due to high demand. Afterall, the villas only have 48 units. I look forward to hearing more about this. If demand is the reason, it would seem likely for DVC to add more units in California (4th tower?)

 

[nunzia]

When the Villas opened last year the opportunity to get the Grand Californian on points was supposed to go away. I wonder if they brought back the option due to high demand. Afterall, the villas only have 48 units. I look forward to hearing more about this. If demand is the reason, it would seem likely for DVC to add more units in California (4th tower?)

When I saw that note about a 4th tower at DLH that was the first thing that crossed my mind.
I just went and checked and they didn't make that info super easy to find...the GC isn't listed at DLR until you check the points charts page, and wow those are super high points...

 

[M4travels]

When I saw that note about a 4th tower at DLH that was the first thing that crossed my mind.
I just went and checked and they didn't make that info super easy to find...the GC isn't listed at DLR until you check the points charts page, and wow those are super high points...

The points for the GC hotel rooms were always quite high but many, including myself, were fine with them as last minute availablity (usually Wednesday for a Saturday night stay for us) was really quite easy. Also, never having the $95 fee worked for us too!

 

[DenLo]

This will be interesting....am booked at Paradise Pier in a few weeks because we couldn't get into the villas. Even though it's just across the street we would prefer the GC. Will have to call MS in the morning to see if this was an error or new availability!

Good catch, letitsnow.

Do let us know what MS says. TIA.

 

[M4travels]

Do let us know what MS says. TIA.

On the phone with MS....

I had a very surprised CM when I asked about this possibility. At first she said that once a DVC opens connected to a hotel that the availability for the hotel rooms on points is no longer available, which I think we all know/knew. As I continued to press the fact that these point charts were now up on the site and if it was possible that a change occured due to upcoming resale purchase changes, she stated that she was unaware of any change to the Disney Collection rooms at DLR.

She then went to the member site, saw the point chart (I don't think she really believed me at first, but oh well....) and I was then on hold for about 8 minutes or so. She did come back with a "that was definitely a mistake for that to be up there" and stated that it would be coming down from the site, explaining once again that once a DVC is connected to a hotel, etc...

So, not sure how soon it will come down from the site but we are still at Paradise Pier and life is still good.

Saludos a todos!
Miguelito

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Disney IT has a habit of releasing things early on the website but I'd say the option for GC is coming back based on it even if they aren't doing it quite yet. It's probably planned for after March 20th.

 

[nunzia]

Wow...I tell you..Disney's IT is always wacky..we shall see then.