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

Update - I called to make some room requests and asked about the new DVC desk and the protocol. She asked around and returned to tell me:

1) Yes it's new, in early Feb. 2019.
2) They are striving to have it be a dedicated DVC desk, but don't have full staffing for it yet. For example, it was not open today during our phone call. But they "are in the midst of a big influx of staffing at the moment. So hopefully soon."

3) On next visit, look for a greeter directing people to lineup for check-in and inquire if the new desk is open/available. If so, they may direct you to it.

Also of interest: She said the long check-in line is often many people checking "out". So their big push is to inform people at check-in that they should put credit card and email on file for express check-out. But, people still just want to verify everything before they leave.

I can't imagine waiting in that line to check out! Unless there was an issue, of course. Never had an issue. :)
 
Also of interest: She said the long check-in line is often many people checking "out". So their big push is to inform people at check-in that they should put credit card and email on file for express check-out. But, people still just want to verify everything before they leave.

I can't imagine waiting in that line to check out! Unless there was an issue, of course. Never had an issue. :)

Well, it was 5 pm at night we waited in the long line. Couldn't be check out! :sad2:
 
Well, it was 5 pm at night we waited in the long line. Couldn't be check out! :sad2:

Yes totally agree. To clarify she meant 11:00 to noon time. I told her I saw a long line at noon and all afternoon. You have people arriving on the morning flights checking in early, combined with lots of people "checking out". I agree the 3:00+ crowd would be check-ins. Especially approaching a weekend or maybe if you have a big rush for a convention.
 
Just a shot in the dark but I was hoping to rent some points for a studio at the Grand on October 1st through the 10th this year.
 


We were there last week and the regular self-parking lot was without construction equipment and had plenty of open parking spaces.

You probably already know so this is for others who discover the thread.... you can pull into the hotel and to the left of the temporary valet, park in the “20 minute parking” to unload and grab your room key. To get to the parking lot, take the small service road back to the entrance and drive straight across to the parking lot through the stop light. If you ever take the VGC exit and turn right on Disneyland Dr, you will be sorry because there is not place to turn back around.

Thanks for this info! We'll need it in May for our 1st trip to Disneyland!
 
Just a shot in the dark but I was hoping to rent some points for a studio at the Grand on October 1st through the 10th this year.
No availability at all for any of those dates for any size room. You probably already know but you have to book those before at least 7 months and chances are better closer to 11 months out.
 
Question on the layout /location of the Villas within the overall hotel.

It looks like the DVC rooms are in the same buildings, same floors as hotel rooms but in their own space/wing on each floor. Is that correct?

I had thought the entire building from the pool area down to the Redwood Creek to the end of Goofy 's Sky School was all Villas . Like an upside down 'T'.....

Looking at some older posts with great maps, exterior views and trying to figure it out...any help is appreciated!
 


Question on the layout /location of the Villas within the overall hotel.

It looks like the DVC rooms are in the same buildings, same floors as hotel rooms but in their own space/wing on each floor. Is that correct?

I had thought the entire building from the pool area down to the Redwood Creek to the end of Goofy 's Sky School was all Villas . Like an upside down 'T'.....

Looking at some older posts with great maps, exterior views and trying to figure it out...any help is appreciated!
The villas are all in the one short wing that runs the direction towards Redwood Creek. There are a few hotel rooms in that wing also. The wing that connects that to the hotel is all hotel rooms. On higher floors you can walk inside from the villas to the lobby area.
 
...Looking at some older posts with great maps, exterior views and trying to figure it out...any help is appreciated!
The area in the RED rectangle was added during the DVC expansion, ~200 hotel rooms along with VGC.
The villas marked in GREEN, but there are a few regular hotel rooms mixed in.
Floor by floor detailed map of VGC is linked in my signature :goodvibes
gch_dvc_overview.jpg
 
Ah, thank you! I had thought the whole expansion/red box was DVC.

There are ALOT less rooms here that I had previously thought....feeling very grateful
to have week in December booked already.

Nonsuch -- great maps, the exterior ones are the pics that got me thinking!
 
We are so thrilled to have just secured a VCG studio reservation for 1/2-1/5! I've been digging through this thread, but there's so much info, I have a couple of outstanding questions that I'm hoping for help with.

First, regarding requesting a room with a view, I did find this, but it's from back in 2016:

The DVC owner must contact DVC Member Services with requests. You rental service might be able to forward your request to the owner, who would then make the request.

Just wondering if anyone can confirm if this is still the case?

Second, I know the studios are 4-person occupancy, and come with a queen-size bed and queen size sofabed - is there any opportunity to bring a rollaway bed in? If not, it just means I'm sleeping with the 6yo and my husband is sleeping with the 10yo, because the kids CANNOT share a bed! :rotfl2:
 
We are so thrilled to have just secured a VCG studio reservation for 1/2-1/5! I've been digging through this thread, but there's so much info, I have a couple of outstanding questions that I'm hoping for help with.

First, regarding requesting a room with a view, I did find this, but it's from back in 2016:



Just wondering if anyone can confirm if this is still the case?

Second, I know the studios are 4-person occupancy, and come with a queen-size bed and queen size sofabed - is there any opportunity to bring a rollaway bed in? If not, it just means I'm sleeping with the 6yo and my husband is sleeping with the 10yo, because the kids CANNOT share a bed! :rotfl2:

There would be no room for a roll away in the studio. An option you might consider is bringing a small air mattress along.

Request process is still the same.
 
Thanks very much for the prompt reply! We do, in fact, have a small air mattress, and will be driving down, so that's a great idea!

Would it be appropriate for me to ask that the request be forwarded to the rental owner now, or should I wait until it's closer to the time of the reservation?
 
Thanks very much for the prompt reply! We do, in fact, have a small air mattress, and will be driving down, so that's a great idea!

Would it be appropriate for me to ask that the request be forwarded to the rental owner now, or should I wait until it's closer to the time of the reservation?

I'd go ahead and do it now. It can be added at anytime so probably better to get it in. Keep in mind that VGC is really a very small DVC resort and certain rooms are favorites for requests. We rarely get our first request there but of course you should still try! It can happen but wanted to make certain you knew it's far from a given as they have limited number of rooms to work with.
 
Question on getting to PPH and getting confused by reading other info on what 'cutting thru' means...

If we are going from Villas to PPH for Donald's Breakfast, looking at the maps, we can walk out the main
entrance of hotel where the cars pull up, walk to the main street, cross the street, and PPH is right there.
Would then do the opposite on the way back.

But reading that in order to get back from PPH you cannot 'cut thru' the hotel main entrance and have to
walk down to DLH and enter via DTD by Earl of Sandwich. Is that correct?
 
Question on getting to PPH and getting confused by reading other info on what 'cutting thru' means...

If we are going from Villas to PPH for Donald's Breakfast, looking at the maps, we can walk out the main
entrance of hotel where the cars pull up, walk to the main street, cross the street, and PPH is right there.
Would then do the opposite on the way back.

But reading that in order to get back from PPH you cannot 'cut thru' the hotel main entrance and have to
walk down to DLH and enter via DTD by Earl of Sandwich. Is that correct?

That's correct on how to get there. You can just reverse that route if you are staying at GCH or VGC. They will allow guests staying there thru. If not a guest then you would need to go around thru DTD.
 
But reading that in order to get back from PPH you cannot 'cut thru' the hotel main entrance and have to
walk down to DLH and enter via DTD by Earl of Sandwich. Is that correct?
Only if you are not staying at GCH or the Villas. There is a reader on the gate (next to the guard shack) that will open with your room key for GCH/Villas.
 
I have seen conflicting information regarding parking, but I suspect if I'm going to get the right answer anywhere, it will be here! - as a guest staying on rented DVC points, will I be charged a parking fee?
 
I have seen conflicting information regarding parking, but I suspect if I'm going to get the right answer anywhere, it will be here! - as a guest staying on rented DVC points, will I be charged a parking fee?

No, you should not be charged.
 

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