Hi folks, long time lurker, first time poster
We live in the San Francisco Bay Area and make it down to Disneyland about twice a year. Last summer we made our first trip to WDW in 20+ years and it was nothing like we remembered, especially with our young kids in tow this time. Finally, we go to Hawaii every year to visit family for an extended stay.
We've gotten a taste of DVC living with short stays using rental points at Aulani and AKL. We loved it each time, and have become interested in buying a small amount of points for short "splurge" stays during our regular visits to DLR and Hawaii. Now for both destinations we always have cheap/free lodging available for the bulk of our stays - either Priceline for Disneyland or family in Hawaii. We're interested in just a couple nights a year at Aulani and/or Grand Californian to enjoy a little luxury; a vacation within our regular vacations.
So that said, a 50-60 point resale purchase seems to make sense for us. we don't go to WDW enough to rationalize a "normal" DVC purchase of 160 points. I understand that by buying "cheaper" points via resale for a different DVC resort than the ones I'm actually interested in only gives me 7 months advance reservations. And I know that the earlier we can book the better chance of getting the dates we want. But am I wrong to assume that trying to book a two-, *maybe* three-night stay tops, at either resort (or any, for that matter) should not be as difficult to reserve compared to booking a week or so at a time? Obviously, time of year will matter, but just in general. And then since I'd be buying at a DVC resort that I'm probably never planning to stay at anyways, I should just buy the least inexpensive resort then right?
Both times we rented points for 1-2 night stays we were pleased to have a reservation booked for us within a day of placing the request. This is what informs my logic but please let me know if I'm misguided. I've seen posts stating the the GC books up early, but again wouldn't I have an easier time if looking just for a couple nights at a time, and therefore more flexibility? What are your experiences with Aulani in this respect?
Any and all opinions and/or advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
We live in the San Francisco Bay Area and make it down to Disneyland about twice a year. Last summer we made our first trip to WDW in 20+ years and it was nothing like we remembered, especially with our young kids in tow this time. Finally, we go to Hawaii every year to visit family for an extended stay.
We've gotten a taste of DVC living with short stays using rental points at Aulani and AKL. We loved it each time, and have become interested in buying a small amount of points for short "splurge" stays during our regular visits to DLR and Hawaii. Now for both destinations we always have cheap/free lodging available for the bulk of our stays - either Priceline for Disneyland or family in Hawaii. We're interested in just a couple nights a year at Aulani and/or Grand Californian to enjoy a little luxury; a vacation within our regular vacations.
So that said, a 50-60 point resale purchase seems to make sense for us. we don't go to WDW enough to rationalize a "normal" DVC purchase of 160 points. I understand that by buying "cheaper" points via resale for a different DVC resort than the ones I'm actually interested in only gives me 7 months advance reservations. And I know that the earlier we can book the better chance of getting the dates we want. But am I wrong to assume that trying to book a two-, *maybe* three-night stay tops, at either resort (or any, for that matter) should not be as difficult to reserve compared to booking a week or so at a time? Obviously, time of year will matter, but just in general. And then since I'd be buying at a DVC resort that I'm probably never planning to stay at anyways, I should just buy the least inexpensive resort then right?
Both times we rented points for 1-2 night stays we were pleased to have a reservation booked for us within a day of placing the request. This is what informs my logic but please let me know if I'm misguided. I've seen posts stating the the GC books up early, but again wouldn't I have an easier time if looking just for a couple nights at a time, and therefore more flexibility? What are your experiences with Aulani in this respect?
Any and all opinions and/or advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!