Disney Announce DVC at Grand Floridian

[WRWDisney]

At today's DVC Board Meeting today at the Contemporary Resort, it was officially announced that DVC would be coming to the Grand Floridian. No details were announced, but a celebratory cookie was passed out:
http://p.twimg.com/AgK4eU2CEAADBrQ.jpg:large

[WRWDisney]

Disney will build ~147 DVC villas at Grand Floridian. Expected to open in late 2014.

[WRWDisney]

Orlando Sentinel article on the project: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-grand-floridian-time-shares-20111208,0,4886413.story

[SBETigg]

I'm very excited about this. It's what I feel is my home resort, so I can't wait to make it officially my home resort.

[DizneyRox]

WOW! SSR still hasn't sold out? And BLT was supposed to sell out last year sometime accoring to reports. Yet they continue to dilute the offerings with more and more inventory and raise the prices?

Can someone explain this to me?

[Ian]

And wait until you see these prices! It'll start at $150 per point, you watch.

Fine by me, though. Just another quality destination at which to use our points. :thumbsup:

[faline]

I wonder how many points it will use to stay there?

[DizneyRox]

I wonder how many points it will use to stay there?
You ain't seen nothin' yet!

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

Wow. I know the points for GF will be high, but, I am now likely to stay there.

The GF always seemed so unattainable for us if paying OOP. But, at least now, there is definate probability of us staying there one of these vacations.

Wow.:thumbsup:

[Ian]

147 villas ... how does that compare to the other DVC resorts? The number of the available rooms really dictates what the point costs will be.

So I found these numbers to compare against:

OKW - 531 Units

Vero Beach - 172 Units

Hilton Head - 102 Units

BWV - 383 Units

VWL - 136 Units

BCV - 208 Units

SSR - 828 Units

AKV - 458 Units

BLT - ??? (couldn't find those numbers)

So based on what I see here, looks like you can expect the point costs to be comparable to what you'd pay at VWL.

[seanyred]

147 villas ... how does that compare to the other DVC resorts? The number of the available rooms really dictates what the point costs will be.

So I found these numbers to compare against:

OKW - 531 Units

Vero Beach - 172 Units

Hilton Head - 102 Units

BWV - 383 Units

VWL - 136 Units

BCV - 208 Units

SSR - 828 Units

AKV - 458 Units

BLT - ??? (couldn't find those numbers)

So based on what I see here, looks like you can expect the point costs to be comparable to what you'd pay at VWL.

I agree. I bet the standard view rooms at GF will use almost as near as many points as a MK View at BLT. The only thing I never get is SSR has the most units but it uses more points than OKW, AKL and BWV.

Either I may never stay at GF (I don't really like the resort) but I do hope that this is successful so they add on at the Poly as well.

[MyDisneyworld]

Either I may never stay at GF (I don't really like the resort) but I do hope that this is successful so they add on at the Poly as well.

I also hope they add on at the Poly as I love that resort but. Please please please build it.

[laprana]

Yay! :joy: I'm glad they finally made the rumors that have been floating around official! We will definitely try to stay there once it is opened. But, what I'm really hoping for is that the GFV are a big enough success to convince the DVC big wigs that they need DVC at the Poly! That would be a dream come true for me and my family! :cloud9:

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

Yes - lets bring new villas to the Poly...

that would be the hottest "ticket" around! Talk about sweating bullets at the 7month window trying to get in there if you don't own.

[Carol]

From my DVC newsletter:

Villas in the works for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney Vacation Club is developing an estimated 147 villas as part of the previously announced expansion of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Estimated to open in late 2013 near Disney's Wedding Pavilion, the resort's slated to become the 12th Disney Vacation Club property.

"We continually look for ways to expand Disney Vacation Club by creating resort experiences that our Members will love," said Claire Bilby, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Vacation Club. "With the continued popularity of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, we are thrilled to offer our Members and Guests a new resort option along the monorail beam with easy access to the Magic Kingdom Park, as well as a variety of shopping, dining and recreation experiences."

[Ian]

I agree. I bet the standard view rooms at GF will use almost as near as many points as a MK View at BLT. The only thing I never get is SSR has the most units but it uses more points than OKW, AKL and BWV.I think SSR's issue is that the number of owners isn't what it needs to be. Remember, number of rooms is one factor but the number of owners is another, I believe.


I also hope they add on at the Poly as I love that resort but. Please please please build it.I would stake pretty much anything I own on the fact that the Poly will be next.

[mook3y]

I also hope they add on at the Poly as I love that resort but. Please please please build it.

rumor mill when I heard about the GFV also said that the Poly will be next DVC. this was about 5 weeks ago I heard about it.

[Horizon93]

Glad to the addition of the GFV. I do agree that the point chart will likely be high compared to other resorts. With those few villas and the premium resort, they can demand a higher point price. I think i will likely stick with AKV and BWV.

[Janmac]

BLT - ??? (couldn't find those numbers)



According to DVC News, BLT has 148 dedicated two bedrooms and 133 lock-off two bedrooms and 14 three bedrooms. 295 approx.

Is the addition of a small number (relatively speaking) of villas at GF, and possibly the Poly, an attempt to maintain regular room inventory for cash paying guests?

Or is it more a matter of available resort land and keeping the villa market from oversaturating further?

And if villas are introduced at the Poly, where are possible locations? One would assume the same situation as at VWL and BLT, where the regular resort food service venues serve the Villas as well.

Jan

[DizneyRox]

They could just take over a few of the existing buildings. This would solve a few problems. Disney is having trouble filling existing rooms, so taking them out of general circulation woud help, and now that tere are less rooms, they can charge more for those that are left. This was done at AKL to an extent.

Gets guests paying for maintenance costs too...

I'm not sure there's places for more buildings. I guess the could shoehorn more in, but I'm not betting on that.

[SBETigg]

They could just take over a few of the existing buildings. This would solve a few problems. Disney is having trouble filling existing rooms, so taking them out of general circulation woud help, and now that tere are less rooms, they can charge more for those that are left. This was done at AKL to an extent.

Gets guests paying for maintenance costs too...

I'm not sure there's places for more buildings. I guess the could shoehorn more in, but I'm not betting on that.

I don't think Disney has had problems filling the Poly. It's usually pretty well booked. I think they would have to build on.

[diz_girl]

I thought too that they were able to fill the Poly just fine.

However, if they were to take over existing buildings, they could only do that to Tokelau (my favorite) Tahiti or Rapa Nui. They were built later than the rest of the resort and those rooms can be modified. The rest of the resort has modular pre-fab rooms like the CR (excl BLT) and those rooms can't be easily modified, if at all.

But if they build, then where? The only vacant land is a tiny bit near Luau Cove or a lot more land on the other side of the TTC, which is kind of too far. Everything else is parking lots, unless they take the one over by Rapa Nui.

So, what to do, what to do.

[MinnieMommie]

Very nice addition to the DVC network for members to choose from. Like many others, we have been watching for the addition of the Poly as well. We will continue to watch in hopeful anticipation. :mickey:

[Donald A]

Very nice addition to the DVC network for members to choose from. Like many others, we have been watching for the addition of the Poly as well. We will continue to watch in hopeful anticipation. :mickey:

I saw yesterday, riding the monorail, where I believe they are building the GF Villas. (Between the existing structure and wedding chapel). There is actually not much land there. With Poly, I just can't see where they could build it. I don't know why they would take an exisiting section unless they built it straight up. I think that would take away some of the charm of the Poly though.

[MinnieMommie]

I saw yesterday, riding the monorail, where I believe they are building the GF Villas. (Between the existing structure and wedding chapel). There is actually not much land there. With Poly, I just can't see where they could build it. I don't know why they would take an exisiting section unless they built it straight up. I think that would take away some of the charm of the Poly though.

Yes I saw where they are building too. I hear what you are saying about maintaining the charm of the Poly. I am thinking that maybe when they remodel they will turn an existing structure into a DVC. who knows... :mickey:

[Ian]

With Poly, I just can't see where they could build it. I don't know why they would take an exisiting section unless they built it straight up. I think that would take away some of the charm of the Poly though.I think they can do it ... they will have to build something a bit taller than the two story longhouses they have now, but with a bit of finesse I think they can easily incorporate something like that while still holding the resort to theme.

[Melanie]

There is actually not much land there.

Agreed, and I mentioned this very thing on our latest podcast. But after my fellow podcasters directed me to the plans/concept art, I can envision what's going in and think it will look good.