Originally Posted By Darkbeer Disneyland Resort Press Release DISNEYLAND RESORT EXPANDING DISNEY’S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA First West Coast Disney vacation villas planned ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept 18, 2007 – Responding to a growing demand for guest accommodations in Anaheim, the Disneyland Resort today celebrated an expansion of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa that will increase accommodations by more than 30 percent and will include the first Disney Vacation Club villas in Anaheim. This expansion, scheduled for completion in late 2009, will involve 300 union construction jobs and result in 100 new hotel jobs. It underscores Disney’s long-term commitment to growing and investing in Anaheim. The expansion also marks the latest in a series of major additions to the Resort that include the newly launched Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s California Adventure. “This expansion underscores our commitment to growing and investing in both the Disneyland Resort and the Anaheim Resort Area,†said Ed Grier, president of the Disneyland Resort. “These new hotel rooms and villas will give more people the opportunity to enjoy the immersive vacation experience Disney is known for. We know that our guests value being able to stay in the middle of the magic with our world-class theme parks, shopping and dining just steps away.†The 2.5-acre expansion on the hotel’s south side will add more than 200 new hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas. Those vacation villas, to include kitchens, living and dining areas and other home-like amenities, will mark the West Coast debut of Disney Vacation Club, Disney’s innovative vacation-ownership program. “For more than 50 years, the Disneyland Resort has been investing in our community and they have helped us build a world class resort destination in which all of Anaheim can be proud,†Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle said. “Thanks to Disneyland and the Anaheim Resort Area, Anaheim boasts one of the fastest growing markets in the country for hotel occupancy.†Other elements planned for the project include a rooftop deck for viewing fireworks, a new swimming pool and about 300 underground parking spaces. Peter Dominick of 4240, architect for Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as well as Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is designing the ambitious expansion. It will reflect the same California Arts & Crafts architecture of the existing hotel, which immerses guests in a turn-of-the-20th-century California experience. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa currently features 745 guest rooms, including 44 suites. Upon completion of the expansion project, the hotel will feature 945 guest rooms, including 44 guest suites, and 50 Disney Vacation Club two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is an architectural and artistic celebration of California’s renowned Arts & Crafts style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of three hotels at the Disneyland Resort (others include Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel), Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is home to the nationally renowned and award-winning Napa Rose restaurant, where Wine Country cuisine tempts taste buds and expert sommeliers help guests make selections from one of the world’s finest collections of California wines. The nearby Storytellers Café lets kids and adults alike enjoy a dining experience that only Disney can do, complete with an array of popular Disney characters. These dining experiences, coupled with a luxury spa, onsite shopping and other amenities, helped the hotel earn the No. 3 spot on Travel & Leisure Family magazine’s list of the top family-friendly resort destinations. Disney Vacation Club The development of 50 two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa represents the first dedicated Disney Vacation Club accommodations on the West Coast. Disney Vacation Club is a vacation-ownership program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on vacations for decades to come. By purchasing a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club resort, families enjoy flexible vacations at Disney destinations worldwide as well as more than 500 other popular Member Getaways vacation locations around the globe. Disney Vacation Club, currently celebrating its milestone 15th anniversary, has grown to serve more than 350,000 individual members from more than 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states. “We are excited to bring our hugely popular Disney Vacation Club to the West Coast for the first time,†said Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club. “Our member community has more than doubled since 2003, which illustrates families’ deep desires to enjoy quality vacations for years to come. Like most Disney fans, our members have great affection for the original Disney vacation destination, and we’re thrilled that this expansion project will allow our members to call the Disneyland Resort ‘home’ for the first time.†The expansion project marks the latest growth for Disney Vacation Club, which recently opened the first phases of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The new Disney Vacation Club resort, located at the popular Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, is scheduled to open in phases through early 2009. Construction is already underway on the new Kidani Village building and amenities, with completion scheduled for late 2009. About the Disneyland Resort: Located on approximately 500 acres in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort includes the Disneyland® and Disney’s California Adventure® Parks, three hotels with a total of 2,224 rooms and the 310,000 square foot retail, restaurant and entertainment Downtown Disney® District. With 20,000 employees, the Disneyland Resort is Orange County’s largest single-site employer and a $3.6 billion annual contributor to the local economy. In January 2004, the Resort welcomed its 500 millionth guest since opening on July 17, 1955. About Disney Vacation Club: The Disney Vacation Club family of resorts also includes five other Walt Disney World properties as well as resorts in Vero Beach, Fla., and Hilton Head Island, S.C. Disney Vacation Club has sold out of inventory at its first six resorts, and sales remain ahead of schedule at its seventh property, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, which opened in May 2004 near the Downtown Disney area at the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as at the aforementioned Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer SO we have about 200 regular rooms to be added, and the 50 DVC units. I like how the press release was written, looks like this is one of the first salvo's in the Resort Zoning political battle.
Originally Posted By figment1986 those 50 DVC-type rooms will be sold out real fast, I hope they don't add anyone for Grand Californian and just let others use their points to stay there... At least they are also adding 200 rooms, it will help when they do the tower upgrades with the Disneyland Hotel.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer ^But they make Disney a lot of money, how many different DVC stands are at the DLR now. 3 at Disneyland 2 at DCA 2 in Downtown Disney And one in each hotel For a total of 10 sales booths. And let alone is there the down payment and then the monthly payment, which is like a mortgage and will cost about twice as much as the actual price after you add in the interest. Then add the annual fees and upkeep costs. I would just rather get a regular hotel room at a time and location of my choosing, and if I want to go somewhere else, it is a lot easier than trading points and getting limited choices. But some people love it.....
Originally Posted By jmuboy I own a DVC and love it. I rent out points in years I did not travel to WDW or DL and dont feel "trapped" at all in owning this vaction time share.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo DVC is not a rip off if you want to stay in suites, or need more than one room for your family. It is a bargain if these are your needs. We did not buy DVC because we go to DLP more often than WDW or DL, but we did buy into Marriott instead. We worked out we will break even in about 7 years, and our dues are $1200 a year. However, so far, we have stayed in Paris in a 5* 2 bedroom house with 3 bathrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen and laundry room, on a golf course, in the DLP complex (for non members the accommodation would have been $2500 for the week). Next year we are spending a week at Newport Beach in similar accommodations on the beach. The price for rental for a week would have also been $2500. The deal lets us stay at 49 Marriott Vacation Club locales around the globe, swap in to other Interval INternational memberships, or swap for Marriott Points to use in their hotels, Cunard or Carnival Cruises, Orient Express Vacations or Ritz Carlton hotels. When we vacation (at least once a year) in a minimum of 4 or 5 star accommodations in the past, it has cost us far more. For our family, vacation membership made sense. We debated between DVC and MVCI, but Marriott won because of where we travel to more often (Europe). But I felt both were comperable. Remember folks, the 1, 2, and 3 bedroom DVC units are huge suites, not hotel rooms. If you look at the price of a suite vs DVC unit at the Grand Californian, AKL, WL, Beach Club etc., DVC is a bargain in comparison.
Originally Posted By 8 ilovemickey 8 davewasbaloo...Don't get me started on Marriot! Ahhhhhh! My parents bought it but they are so frustrated they make me do it all. I could go on for hours! Anyways...do you think the addition of these rooms will bring the price temporarily down or will they have no trouble filling them up???
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Really? We have found MVCI to be excellent so far, but I suppose we are fairly new members.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Really? We have found MVCI to be excellent so far, but I suppose we are fairly new members.
Originally Posted By jonvn Timeshares in general are a ripoff, DVC in particular, since the timeshare goes back to Disney after a certain length of time is doubly so. Folks, if you care at all about your finances do not ever buy: 1) A condo 2) A timeshare Friendly word of advice.
Originally Posted By 8 ilovemickey 8 Actually it wasn't so much a poor investment as just a hassle to organize it all. My dad's a CPA so he doesn't make to many bad investments. Haha. davewasbaloo...I think our problem is that our home resort is the most popular one by far...Maui. And due to school we are currently limited to summers. So I think as we get older it will prove to be slightly easier.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Aha, I totally understand...the Hawaiian resorts are a whole load of craziness.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct << 1) A condo >> Please explain. Isn't buying a condo as your primary home as good as any other real estate purchase?
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << Isn't buying a condo as your primary home as good as any other real estate purchase? >> Historically, no. Developers tend to overbuild condo units and when real estate busts take place, condo prices fall the fastest because there is a huge amount of oversupply. If you compare the number of condos on the market to single family homes right now, the figures for condos is downright scary. Additionally, it is incredibly difficult for condo associations to maintain building standards and upkeep. Condo owners detest high condo fees and the associations usually struggle to make ends meet after a development has reached the 10-year point. Look around at the older condo communities and you will see a lot of age and neglect for the most part. It's hard to maintain property values if condo residents aren't willing to fork out the dough to maintain their communities.
Originally Posted By jonvn No, because 1) They do not appreciate as quickly 2) They are more difficult to sell 3) In a real estate downturn, they are the first to lose their value and the last to regain it. Further, they become almost impossible to sell for not a loss in a market downturn when house prices drop. 4) Association fees never stop, and your house can be foreclosed upon if you do not pay the fees. 5) The value of your property rises and falls on the back of the homeowners association, its ability to maintain the property, and its financial strength. I know a lot of people bought condos and buy them. It's just not a good idea.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy If you are going to invest in a condo, I recommend that you do a good profile of the community. Condo communities that are filled with retirees are usually the best. Old people who don't work are really good at being "condo police" and running off the people in the neighborhood who tend to drag down property values. Additionally, the market for old people looking to downsize is increasing. I stay away from the trendy condo developments in the suburbs that appeal to young professionals or just those without the wherewithal to buy a single family home -- they are the quickest to deteriorate and have very poor resale value in a downturn.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Thank you jonvn and sport goofy - that was great insight. I have a house. << 2) A timeshare >> You are keeping me grounded on my potential DVC purchase. I keep wanting to buy a DVC eventhough I can't see how it's a good deal. Buying a DVC seems more of an emotional purchase. Like buying a car. A real *sporty* car. It makes no financial sense but it satisfies an emotional need. I think if I bought in the begining when Disney through in the ANNUAL PASSES each year, it may have been a better deal. This website does a cost analysis <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com/dvc.html" target="_blank">http://www.mousesavers.com/dvc .html</a> (download spreadsheets and all). Do they do a good job with the numbers? Mousesavers says it takes 20 yrs to break even and don't ever *EVER* enter into a DVC purchase if you have to finance - always pay the buy in up front or don't consider it at all.
