Villas at Disney's Grand Californian - Room Views

[bigAWL]

Thanks for the contributions. I've made some more updates to the front page, and added links to some maps and layouts as requested.

 

[LoveKermit]

Do people really request room numbers at VGC? That is frowned upon at WDW because if it's not available, you take potluck.

So, how do you regulars at VGC make requests? Do you ask for upper floors, lower number or as x504 (for example)? I am just curious.

Also, are summer 7 month reservations pretty much a no-go and should I not get my hopes up? Then, as a follow-up is the hotel an option with points? Just trying to clarify.

Thanks!

 

[lowe@massed.net]

Do people really request room numbers at VGC? That is frowned upon at WDW because if it's not available, you take potluck.

So, how do you regulars at VGC make requests? Do you ask for upper floors, lower number or as x504 (for example)? I am just curious.

Also, are summer 7 month reservations pretty much a no-go and should I not get my hopes up? Then, as a follow-up is the hotel an option with points? Just trying to clarify.

Thanks!

Hi Kermit,
After reading this board, I did request specific room numbers, but also prefaced that by saying I'd like an upper floor with a DCA view. I also noted that I understood that there was no guarantee my requests would be met. I was thrilled to get one of the rooms I had requested. I made our reservations for late June at the 7-month mark and all nights were available except the first one. I wait-listed that night and it came through not too long after. It turned out that the reservation formerly wait-listed night was never combined with the original reservation and the studio they had assigned us for the rest of our stay was not available for the first night. The cast member told us that we could either stay in the first floor studio they had us in for the first night or move to an unspecified 5th floor studio after the first night. When she said 5th floor, I suspected that there was a pretty good chance that we might get the room I had requested, so we opted to move after the first night - and I'm so glad we did! The first floor studio was in a corner facing the pool, but with thick vegetation in front of it, so there was no view at all. When we walked into studio 5504, I almost cried, the view was so beautiful! So I definitely think it's worthwhile to request specific rooms at VGC!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Breyean]

We made our reservations on line about 2 months ago for this past week. We just got back! A studio popped up as available on line - I was checking every day - and we got lucky.

Now, this was 2 months ago.

I called MS right after and read my list of rooms in order of preference, and also asked for a high floor.

We got 5510. Not bad. No WOC view, but the park view was nice. Especially having booked it only a couple of months ago - we were happy to even get a room at all.

 

[las3888]

We were able to book a 1BR at the 7 month window for late July into August. In fact, there were still rooms available a few days after the 7 day mark but it did book up probably within a week or so of that.

Two years ago we booked for June in a 2BR and we were able to get it. I doubt we booked at the 7 month mark for that trip.

Hope that helps...

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Just booked VGC for spring break, so excited!!! Our first family trip to DL (actually, first California trip since the kids were born). We are in a 2 bedroom, and would really like a good Paradise Pier/WOC view (I think, from looking at pictures, they might be the same??). Some comments on the pics led me to believe otherwise, so didn't want to assume... if you had that request, what is the order of the rooms you would request for a dedicated 2 bedroom for WOC? Thanks so much!!

 

[las3888]

We had a beautiful view of the WOC which is indeed the same as a Paradise Pier view. Here's what we requested:

"highest floor possible with view of WOC/Paradise Pier"

We waited quite a while at check-in--note, rooms seem to really not be available until AT LEAST 4pm. However, the room and view were definitely worth the wait.

Good luck!

 

[tchrrx]

Where did you make your request? Do I need to call DVC services, GC direct, or is there an email address that I can use? Thank you!

 

[las3888]

I just called DVC member services. I probably called a month or so out. Good luck!

 

[hjgaus]

We had a beautiful view of the WOC which is indeed the same as a Paradise Pier view. Here's what we requested:

"highest floor possible with view of WOC/Paradise Pier"

We waited quite a while at check-in--note, rooms seem to really not be available until AT LEAST 4pm. However, the room and view were definitely worth the wait.
Good luck!

That line " Not available til AT LEAST 4pm..." just KILLS us sometimes when we checkin early like 6:30am for Early Entry!! Although it definitely is worth the wait! I'm possibly thinking to just wait at home til they text me!! LOL

 

[amyrquirk]

This is a very helpful thread!

I have searched for information on rooms with bunk beds. Do any of the DVC Villas have them? We have a 2br reserved for February.

Also, is the 2BR Villa #6500 available for a general 2br reservation or is that a Presidential Suite?

Thanks!

 

[franandaj]

This is a very helpful thread!

I have searched for information on rooms with bunk beds. Do any of the DVC Villas have them? We have a 2br reserved for February.

Also, is the 2BR Villa #6500 available for a general 2br reservation or is that a Presidential Suite?

Thanks!

None of the DVC rooms have bunkbeds in them. You can not guarantee what Villa you will receive room 6500 is one of 23 2 bedroom units, you have a one in 23 chance of getting that Villa.

 

[hjgaus]

This is a very helpful thread!

I have searched for information on rooms with bunk beds. Do any of the DVC Villas have them? We have a 2br reserved for February.

Also, is the 2BR Villa #6500 available for a general 2br reservation or is that a Presidential Suite?

Thanks!

You need to check out the last page of this thread
The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners & Lovers Group - 2.0
to see how your room view requests can be made. It is by no means an absolute guarantee BUT definitely worth a shot! I will be trying this with my next 3 short trips for next year! Already stated in the request - higher park view floors but NOW I have added actual room numbers to the request. We usually check in the hour before early entry but this time I also CHECK the room # BEFORE I sign & if it is not what I want I have them attempt to change before I will AGREE to sign.

 

[DebbieB]

View from room 3516:

 

[bigAWL]

View from room 3516:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...GTFq4ZtAe3nwQ/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=0/rx=550/ry=400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a...GTFq4ZtAe3nwQ/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=0/rx=550/ry=400/

Thanks. I've added a link to this on the main list.

 

[PoohsFan1]

Wow, I just stumbled upon this thread and saw all the wonderful room views for VGC. We will be heading to DLR for the first time in June and are staying at VGC in hopefully a 1-bedroom, but if we can't get that, then we will try for a studio. There will be 4 of us (me, DH, DD12, and DD9 at time of trip) and we are uber excited about our stay. I want to thank bigAWL for making and maintaining this thread because I am getting a lot of info out of it and I love looking at all of the room views. Of course, I would love to have a view with PP, but we will take whatever we get .

 

[sweethannah]

Amazing thread ty

 

[boiseflyfisher]

Wow, I just stumbled upon this thread and saw all the wonderful room views for VGC. We will be heading to DLR for the first time in June and are staying at VGC in hopefully a 1-bedroom, but if we can't get that, then we will try for a studio. There will be 4 of us (me, DH, DD12, and DD9 at time of trip) and we are uber excited about our stay. I want to thank bigAWL for making and maintaining this thread because I am getting a lot of info out of it and I love looking at all of the room views. Of course, I would love to have a view with PP, but we will take whatever we get .

Do you already have your reservation? If not, you need to start looking for an existing reservation for rent. As of this moment(could change over time), there is only 1 night in a 1 bedroom available the entire month of June. There is no studio availability the entire month.

 

[ValpoCory]

Hi bigAWL, great thread. Here are two pictures of the view from Room 3504.

 

[Cinderpamela]

We stayed in #6502 in November of 2012.... I know you have pics from this room already but these are without all the construction, so I thought they would be helpful for those folks looking for a more current view: