Although I would love to stay at Aulani so trying to justify the point usage.
Only the Hilton's are comparable on the DVC RCI list. There are limited options for Maui, Kauai and the Big Island that are reasonable but not really comparable though most are much easier to get with cheaper options. Assuming you wouldn't be able to book until 7 months out, what I'd suggest is to look at the lists and decide on resorts that'd be acceptable then put in for an exchange request. Anything under a year out is late, anything under 10 months out is very late. Put in the request then book Aulani directly if available. Tell them to cancel and take those points for the exchange if that's your choice. I'd also suggest you talk to several of the independent exchange companies to see what they can offer. These would include Dial an Exchange, HI Timeshare Exch, Trading Places Maui, Trading Places Intl, San Francisco Exch and Platinum Interchange. Donita's had joined with DAE but I saw something that suggested they had separated and were independent again. There was also one I saw recently that I didn't recognize called Crown Vacation Exchange. A couple allow request first and most have a low or no membership fee options. Getting together with an owner at some of the resorts or systems might also be a good option. Top thoughts include Marriott, Westin, Hilton, Wyndham, Diamond maybe and Shell (including Bluegreen). These options are not mutually exclusive and many can be worked on side by side.
There's something to be said for guaranteed choices, esp when you need airfare. Another consideration is whether you want/need 7 days or not. Realize you can't control the start day of a given exchange with certainty with RCI.RIGHT! That was my thinking too, why use more points.
When interisland was cheap ($20-40 pp) I'd advocate flying into Oahu due to the lower costs and more flights but at $75 and up pp, i'm starting to rethink that approach. You might look on TUG to try to find a Hilton owner who want's a private exchange. I'm sure there are Hilton specific email lists but I'm not aware of them. If you post on TUG you should be able to get additional advice on that option. Just be careful to word it generally. Or finding a Marriott owner next door to Aulani, if that interests you, email me directly and I can give you some additional options that might be helpful. Don't discount the other exchange companies, it's very possible you could get 2 for 1 with some of them or trade a smaller unit for a larger one. Personally, if you've got the points, I'd just go to Aulani but I do realize the difference is quite substantial.Thanks for your input and great advice Dean. I'm specifically thinking of Oahu but airfare is a consideration. I did check out the Hilton's listed on the RCI list and they look very nice with great reviews.
Thanks, let me emphasize that even if one plans to do an exchange, book directly when possible if that choice is acceptable, even if you have to book only part of the time to avoid borrowing points you might not need later. That's another reason to talk to the independent's, they may have something acceptable in hand and may be willing to take a lessor time or smaller unit in return.
The HGVC options, Marriott's and Westin's are it as for comparison in amenities and quality in HI. Getting one of the Hilton's on exchange is very difficult to almost impossible using DVC. The other 2 systems are II only.But some of those options to Aulani are amenity-rich properties in more accessible, popular locations than the somewhat backwater area Disney ended up in. Such as the two Hilton Grand Vacation Hawaiian Village properties in central Waikiki which can be pursued by DVC members via RCI exchanges.
One might have a chance for lower seasons but I think difficult is being generous for availability during higher seasons like Feb, March, Xmas or summer. A studio might be easier but I don't think the units a the Waikiki Hilton's have studios.I would say challenging, but not difficult to impossible. I know a DVC member (my aunt) who was able to get into the Hilton Grand Vacations Suites at Hilton Hawaiian Village. She probably succeeded because she included it as part of large, broad search going out a full two years with a wide range of possible check in dates (she got one in late March).
But back to the issue of difficult to impossible, that would presently seem to better describe getting anything at Aulani at 7 months.
But if you do an ongoing search it default's to the week with any start day. It's possible to narrow this but you have to pay attention. Also, most timeshare that are exchanging on the weeks side only start on certain days and it may not be the ones you chose. The weeks might ONLY start on Fri or Sat or Sun or some might start on any of the 3. Wed, Thu and Mon are less common. So if you only list Fri and the resort only has Sat starts, may as well not have a search because it will not match.
