Disneyland?

[hypnotiq]

Are there any timeshares that are relatively nearby Disneyland? If so, which ones?

I was starting to wonder if a TS in the area would be a good idea. I go to Disneyland 2-3x a year, every year. However, most of my trips aren't week long trips. They are typically 3ish days long. Is there a system (points?) that would work with this sort of usage?

Or should I just stick to getting hotels?

Thanks,
Nico

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yes, you can buy Disney points and stay right at the Disney's Grand Californian. It's not cheap to stay there, even with your points, but it's Disney.

Shell Points has Peacock Suites, and you can get a few nights there very cheaply. Buying the points on eBay is the best way to get the points. You would be surprised to know that some sellers are giving away usage for this year for free with a $1.00 bid.

WorldMark has a nice resort near Disneyland, and it's a nightly-stay kind of place, but I have no idea whether it's easy to get nights or not. Maybe the WorldMark owners will chime in.

Also, Dolphin's Cove is very nearby, and it's a nice place but mostly only stays by the week. There is some availability through Wyndham Points, but I don't see much there myself, and we go fairly often to Disneyland. The Wyndham availability never seems to work for us.

 

[hypnotiq]

My daughter isn't quite 2 yet, so I'm sure when she's old enough we'll do the Disney hotel experience once a year but I dont want to drop big $$$ everytime I go there, so the DVC stuff probably isn't the best solution for me. I'll check out the peacock suites one some more.

Thanks,
Nico

 

[presley]

WorldMark points will get you a stay in both Dolphin's Cove and Anaheim WM.

 

[jdunn1]

Worldmark's flagship resort is the Anaheim resort, but it takes a lot of points to stay there. You can do short stays but World Mark has this annoying housekeeping token system. Basically, any stay, no matter how long or short requires one housekeeping token. You get one token for every 10k points you own, basically. If you own less than 10k points, you still get a housekeeping token. If you stay several short stays, you will need to buy more housekeeping tokens from Worldmark and they aren't cheap, something like $80 or so for a two bedroom. I'm off a little on the exact price but it's near $80.

If you are thinking about Worldmark (and their resort is AWESOME!), go to www.wmowners.com and look at pictures and then join the forumn (it's free) and ask questions. You can even post a rental request there and someone will get you into that timeshare.

The DVC resort is best, by a loooong shot. But, it's really hard to get into, even for owners. I think you basically need to plan your stays 11 months or exactly 7 months out. Probably not a lot of opportunities to get last minute reservations at that resort and it is EXPENSIVE! But, so nice. The furniture in the DVC rooms is elegant and so is the resort, very upscale. I think the Worldmark is similar and certainely the presidential units are as elegant as anything comes.

 

[Passepartout]

I am at Peacock Suites as I type this. It's basically a remodeled hotel. There are 1 and 2 BR units. Check reviews.

Jim

 

[Rumpled]

The Shell Peacock Suites is below the other SVC locations we've been to.
It is just a motel, but it does have location going for it.

 

[DeniseM]

I like Dolphin's cove - it's about 1/2 mi. from Disney, next to Denny's for a big breakfast before you hit the park, and right on the ART route. It is a repurposed apartment facility, so the units are large and comfy, and it has a large pool.

 

[hypnotiq]

Someone mentioned that they thought Dolphin Cove was only by the week, so that doesn't really work for me. My stays are typically 'long weekends'.

-Nico

 

[DeniseM]

Someone mentioned that they thought Dolphin Cove was only by the week, so that doesn't really work for me. My stays are typically 'long weekends'.

-Nico

Dolphin's Cove is a Worldmark property. With Worldmark points, you can reserve any length of stay available. I am staying 4 nights in June that I rented from a Wyndham points owner.

 

[Elan]

I like Dolphin's cove - it's about 1/2 mi. from Disney, next to Denny's for a big breakfast before you hit the park, and right on the ART route. It is a repurposed apartment facility, so the units are large and comfy, and it has a large pool.

I second Dolphin's Cove. Nothing special, but clean, roomy and convenient to DL.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Someone mentioned that they thought Dolphin Cove was only by the week, so that doesn't really work for me. My stays are typically 'long weekends'.

-Nico

I was thinking of exchanges. That's my primary way of getting Dolphin's Cove, because Wyndham has very little inventory. Sounds like WorldMark would be a good fit for you.

I like Peacock suites enough to stay there again. It's okay, and Shell owners booking with points get daily housekeeping.

 

[KevJan]

I am a Dolphin's Cove owner and we get "bonus time" which offers nightly stays which is what we usually do and use our "week" as an exchange or rent it out.

 

[slum808]

Booking with WorldMark

Dolphin's Cove is a Worldmark property. With Worldmark points, you can reserve any length of stay available. I am staying 4 nights in June that I rented from a Wyndham points owner.

This isn't totally right. Anaheim and Dolfins Cove are red season all year round. With WorldMark points, you must book 7 days during red season if you're booking greater than 90 days out. If the place is mostly booked and there happends to only be less than 7 days available you can book what is available, but you must book all that is available. Inside of 90 days you can book any amount of days.

There are some work arounds to these requirements of course. Not all 7 days need to be at one particular destination. So you could if you wanted to book 3 nights in a 2 bedroom at dolfins cove, and book 4 nights in a studio somewhere in white or blue (cheaper) season. The down side is your wasting some points and a housekeeping token. But at least you get the room you want.

 

[DeniseM]

I am not the owner, so I don't know how she did it, but I do have the confirmation for 4 nights in hand.

 

[JulieAB]

Also, Dolphin's Cove is very nearby, and it's a nice place but mostly only stays by the week.

I am a Dolphin's Cove owner and we get "bonus time" which offers nightly stays which is what we usually do and use our "week" as an exchange or rent it out.

I own a 2 bedroom 1 bath, non-summer floating, deeded week at Dolphin's Cove, no worldmark or wyndham points. I got it cheaply off ebay a couple years ago and it's been great. It is part of a mini system called Preferred Status Exchange. This allows you to "roll" your unused week to the next year or split your week in half (3 and 4 day stays) for $35. Actually, if you roll your week by 3/31 each year, I think it's free. You can upgrade your unit for a nightly fee (like to a 3 bedroom, even if you just own a 1 bedroom). There are about 8-10 other resorts in the system, including Avila Beach and Laguna Beach resorts, which you can exchange your week for $59. There is also owner bonus time which you can book about 21 days in advance (I think?) and the rates are very reasonable compared to hotel suites. You can book bonus time at the other PSE resorts as well. If I remember, a 2 bedroom was $89 or $99 a night? There are several floor plans and maint fee costs -- 3 different 1 bedrooms, 2 different 2 bedrooms, and a 3 bedroom. Even though I own the cheaper 2 bedroom with one bath, as a owner, they give me preference and have always booked me in a 2 bath unit. If you book christmas or new years weeks (very easy at 6-12 months out), they receive a good amount of TPUs in RCI.

We go to Disneyland every year and decided to buy a week there since maint fees are about what we were spending on a smaller hotel. We've been thrilled with our purchase! BTW, free wi-fi and free parking! We ride the ART or walk the 20 minutes.

I am at Peacock Suites as I type this. It's basically a remodeled hotel. There are 1 and 2 BR units. Check reviews.
Jim

We stayed there once in a 2 bedroom and agree about the remodeled hotel. No kitchen, which can be annoying. We liked the continental breakfast though. The room layouts are awkward and the high parking and internet fees killed it for us. We liked Dolphin's Cove much better.