Booking strategies for VGC & Aulani

[Anal Annie]

OK, so a lot of you here know that we had booked a big trip for last summer to VGC and Aulani but had to cancel 8 days out due to a medical emergency with our DS. We're in the process of trying to RE-plan the trip for NEXT summer. We are "down" 100 points from what we had to work with last year so need to book more conservatively AND while we have a fair amount of airfare $ credits coming to us, airfare has gone up a lot and we still have to re-purchase some of our flights that didn't carry-over until next summer. I am trying to be frugal and am watching airfare like a hawk. I see some good fares for our return flight on Alaska Air (which we need to use) but I am afraid to purchase now without having secured our DVC ressies yet. In fact the fares are SOOO good that FIRST CLASS right now is almost affordable. I can't book DVC yet so am putting my anal retentive nature thru its paces right now. I am assuming the rates will go up before I can book but am thinking the DAYS they fluctuate up & down will stay the same.

I figure we will have to cut back from 4 n to 3 n at VGC and they have to be sometime from Sun-Thur nights bcuz of the points. If we start our trip on a Sun., spend 3 n at VCG, 7 n at Aulani and 3 n on Maui the final return date would be on a Sat - which makes the return airfare something like $270 more per person than 2 days later on a Monday. SOOO if we delay the start of the trip by 2 days and leave home on a Tues. the airfare from DC to LA goes down by $30 pp and the return air is $270 less. Problem that I am worried about is that we would then leave VGC on a Fri. to head to Aulani. My concern then is that I've read several times here that Aulani gets really crowded on the weekends with locals or HI residents. I thought our chances of getting in might be better if we started the 7 nights at Aulani on a weekday rather than a weekend. Does anybody have any experience or thoughts about WHEN is the best time to try to START a ressie at Aulani? Am I over-thinking this?

My other thing that I am trying to figure out (and which I need to do SOON) is Maui. We are using Starwood points for those nights. Last year when I went to book the Sheraton on Maui was already unavailable to book with points but we were able to book 3 n. at the Westin Ocean Resort Villas. Well, just a few weeks after we booked last year Starwood changed the booking requirements (on points) on a lot of their resorts and they raised the minimum required there so much that we can't even book ONE night now! The only Maui property we have enough points for now is 2 nights at the Sheraton (we would then pay cash for the 3rd night). I don't want to wait so long this time to book the Sheraton since I know from last year that it will probably book up again. I want to go ahead & book a few days there (then will cancel off 1 or 2 when we have firm dates. But I don't really want to book a whole WEEK there and have to pay a big deposit on the cash nights. (If you follow all that.) I am just trying to figure out some good plausible dates for this trip that I can't actually book yet and I'm worried about trying to start our dates at Aulani on a weekend.

It's gonna drive me NUTS to watch this airfare increase while I wait for our booking window to open (that's what it did last year too). But what do you think about the strategy for Aulani? Do you think we should plan to bite the bullet on the airfare and go back to our orig. plan of leaving home on the weekend and returning on the weekend so I can go ahead & book the Sheraton with our points??

I know, this whole post is a rambling mess - I am just so busy right now I can't think straight let alone think this through&. Looking for some other thoughts about the whole thing. Right now the only dates to fly that work out to be approx. the same amount as our flights LAST year would be to leave home on Tues and return on Mon. If we do Sun to Sat it would cost us about $300 more - and that's at TODAY's airfare prices.

 

[Spokavegas]

Man.....just saw your post and was going to post something similar! Is it really hard to get into Aulani at the 7 mo mark? I just didn't think it would be since I book cash paying clients in villas all the time, but have done very little research on the DVC side for our trip next August. VGC is SO HARD to get into!! I can't imagine it would be too busy at Aulani in AUGUST when it's warm everywhere else. Going to cheer on our Washington Husky football team against U of Hawaii! WOOF!

 

[Anal Annie]

Man.....just saw your post and was going to post something similar! Is it really hard to get into Aulani at the 7 mo mark? I just didn't think it would be since I book cash paying clients in villas all the time, but have done very little research on the DVC side for our trip next August. VGC is SO HARD to get into!! I can't imagine it would be too busy at Aulani in AUGUST when it's warm everywhere else. Going to cheer on our Washington Husky football team against U of Hawaii! WOOF!

I think your dates may be slightly easier to book&simply because a lot of schools will be back in session by then. June, July & early-mid August are a little harder because kids are still out for the summer. Anybody with school age children will likely go over the summer (our DS goes back to school the last week of August so we want to be back sometime that week before). We considered (for like 2 minutes) trying to go over spring break / Easter. I was surprised that it was wide open when we looked. But I think a lot of people decided against it like WE did because it would have to be a quick week in & out. No extra time for island hopping etc. It's a long way to go and the flights are so much it's a shame to only plan for 1 week. Esp. if coming from the east coast. By waiting for the summer we have time for island hopping.

 

[cmstpierre]

Aulani was busier with locals and also CMs off duty and their guests on the weekends when I visited recently but I didn't get the impression that they booked 7 months in advance so I wouldn't worry about a Friday arrival. Just my 2 cents.

 

[disneymath]

I think your dates may be slightly easier to book&simply because a lot of schools will be back in session by then. June, July & early-mid August are a little harder because kids are still out for the summer. Anybody with school age children will likely go over the summer (our DS goes back to school the last week of August so we want to be back sometime that week before). We considered (for like 2 minutes) trying to go over spring break / Easter. I was surprised that it was wide open when we looked. But I think a lot of people decided against it like WE did because it would have to be a quick week in & out. No extra time for island hopping etc. It's a long way to go and the flights are so much it's a shame to only plan for 1 week. Esp. if coming from the east coast. By waiting for the summer we have time for island hopping.

Your situation sounds similar to ours - right down to quickly rejecting a March Break trip from the east coast (well Canada, but same idea). We will likely be trying for August dates too ... We would need a 2bdr, and prefer dedicated, so hopefully we won't be competing against each other!

 

[ACDSNY]

I hope you're successful as I remember your cancellation, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. We were able to get our 4 nights at Aulani this June at the 7 month window. Best bet is trying on-line.

 

[Anal Annie]

Your situation sounds similar to ours - right down to quickly rejecting a March Break trip from the east coast (well Canada, but same idea). We will likely be trying for August dates too ... We would need a 2bdr, and prefer dedicated, so hopefully we won't be competing against each other!

No, we won't be competing against each other - we just want a studio (IV 1st choice; PV 2nd choice and OV 3rd choice simply bcuz of not wanting to borrow any more points than we have to).

I hope you're successful as I remember your cancellation, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. We were able to get our 4 nights at Aulani this June at the 7 month window. Best bet is trying on-line.

Thank you - I know about the online booking. Last year when I booked we were OK booking an OV bcuz we had enough points. I was online refreshing the screen over & over by 7:30 that morning. As soon as the clock hit 8:00 I grabbed the OV studio. On that morning some of the lower views already had spotty availability - OV was the only one that had the full 7 days open! Once I grabbed it & finished my ressie I went back & did a search for it again & it came back with 2 days unavailable!! So I know I snagged the last one with the full 7 days that we wanted and this is why I am nervous about "getting in" again for this year.

 

[Cinderpamela]

Pixie Dust for your bookings LeeAnne!!!
After what you went through last summer you sure deserve it!!

I know what you are going through with the airfare thing! The only way I would jump on the airfare is if you think you can/are willing to stay at/book another hotel if some of the dates don't totally match up.

 

[jerseygal]

Based upon my very difficult experience coordinating airline with Aulani availability at 7 mos, I would WAIT! That is AWFUL having to cancel a big trip like Aulani...HOPE THAT THIS YEAR IS AWESOME! Your story is EXACTLY the reason I purchase trip insurance through Travelex for points and then I book separate insurance for my airline, trip interruption, trip delay, etc through Travelguard(who I really LOVE)! We have elderly parents and one NEVER KNOWS or for heaven sake, we could have a "medical emergency" like you apparently experienced right in our own family of 4!

VERY VERY DIFFICULT coordinating booking Aulani and "reasonable" airfaire out to Honolulu! I went through "booking nightmares" but I am thrilled to report that I was able to snag probably the lowest "SUMMER" airfare on United now nonstop from Newark to Honolulu, $756 ROUNDTRIP PER PERSON ! Trust me, wasn't easy...In order to get that airfaire, I had to "jump" booking category to poolview, but I was willing to swallow the extra points for that airfaire for the 4 of us! MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, MY WAITLIST CAME THROUGH AND I AM NOW BOOKED AT A LOWER CATEGORY, ISLAND VIEW, AND SAVED 20 POINTS FOR THE WEEK!!! My husband and I are going to use the 20 points for a fun getaway for the 2 of us, first two weeks Dec.2014 for our first "nonsummer" WDW 4 night vaca to see the WDW holiday decorations! Youngest DS will be tucked away at college..What better way to enjoy our "empty nest"!!!!!!!!

BEST OF LUCK BOOKING AIRLINE AND AULANI! HOPE IT COMES TRUE FOR YOU!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I REALLY want you to have the best trip ever, especially after having to cancel last minute last summer, so I hope you won't mind me chiming in here.

We live in AZ and have stayed at GCH a few times and LOVE IT. I mean, it may possibly be my favorite property of all time. We haven't stayed in VGC just in regular rooms. You will love it! Is reserving space here going to be a problem for you? I thought it was pretty difficult. Anyway, I'm gently suggesting you try to spend more than three nights because the way I'm looking at it that will only give you two full days at DL/DCA and I think you may want more time than that. I know you may be short on points, but what about using your SPG points here instead of on Maui (more on this later) and then move to VGC?

Now on to Aulani. I totally hear what you are saying about arriving on a weekend and your points may be valid about extra crowding, etc. You may want that on your first couple of days while you are getting the feel of Aulani. It's such a long trip there, that we found it took us a bit to get the lay of the land. I'm guessing you will want to shop for some groceries, etc. You could use the weekend days when you arrive to get it all together then be able to relax and fully enjoy Aulani.

Here is what I can say about island hopping. We stayed at Aulani then moved to Kauai. For only three nights, I would suggest rethinking this and here is why. Our experience is it is an all day thing. You lose that whole day. You wake up, pack and have to load up everything and get to the hotel. Wait around there for your flight. Take the flight -- even though it is a short one, you've still been getting ready for the flight all day so far by packing and driving and waiting, kwim? Once you land on the new island, you either get your car or transfer to the new resort. Then there's checking in and getting situated in the new room. By then it is late afternoon or evening. You will only have two full days then it will be time to pack up again and start on your way home. Again, you will be losing a whole day. We have decided as a family that we will think long and hard about transferring to another island if it is only for a short visit. It's a lot of work and a lost day of precious vacation time.

I know you are traveling a long way and saying to yourself "who knows when we will get back to Hawaii, we better go to Maui while we have the chance". I agree with all of that, but my experience is that you may wish you would be going to only two places instead of three.

As much as we love Kauai, we spent all of our time on Oahu last summer since we didn't want to island as we did the previous summer. We absolutely loved it! LOVED exploring the North Shore and other parts of Oahu. There are some lovely beaches and beautiful scenery all around the island.

Finally, my last piece of advice would be to book the flights that works best for you in terms of days, times of flights, etc. even if they cost a bit more. We did some funky routing through LAX last year on the way home. In the end, I'm not sure the lower cost was worth it to us.

Good luck. I know there are lots of variables in planning such a big trip, especially when some pieces are out of your control like booking DVC, etc. I'm super excited for you because I know you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE the VGC and Aulani. They are so amazing. Once again, if you love the parks, I would try to spend more time there. So much different than DW and two days just isn't enough for us, even though we've been there many times.

Something else just came to mind, what about doing Aulani first then VGC on the way back?

Keep us posted! Please post for me or PM me anytime if you'd like more info on our specific experiences. I'd be happy to share.

 

[Anal Annie]

I REALLY want you to have the best trip ever, especially after having to cancel last minute last summer, so I hope you won't mind me chiming in here.

We live in AZ and have stayed at GCH a few times and LOVE IT. I mean, it may possibly be my favorite property of all time. We haven't stayed in VGC just in regular rooms. You will love it! Is reserving space here going to be a problem for you? I thought it was pretty difficult. Anyway, I'm gently suggesting you try to spend more than three nights because the way I'm looking at it that will only give you two full days at DL/DCA and I think you may want more time than that. I know you may be short on points, but what about using your SPG points here instead of on Maui (more on this later) and then move to VGC?

Now on to Aulani. I totally hear what you are saying about arriving on a weekend and your points may be valid about extra crowding, etc. You may want that on your first couple of days while you are getting the feel of Aulani. It's such a long trip there, that we found it took us a bit to get the lay of the land. I'm guessing you will want to shop for some groceries, etc. You could use the weekend days when you arrive to get it all together then be able to relax and fully enjoy Aulani.

Here is what I can say about island hopping. We stayed at Aulani then moved to Kauai. For only three nights, I would suggest rethinking this and here is why. Our experience is it is an all day thing. You lose that whole day. You wake up, pack and have to load up everything and get to the hotel. Wait around there for your flight. Take the flight -- even though it is a short one, you've still been getting ready for the flight all day so far by packing and driving and waiting, kwim? Once you land on the new island, you either get your car or transfer to the new resort. Then there's checking in and getting situated in the new room. By then it is late afternoon or evening. You will only have two full days then it will be time to pack up again and start on your way home. Again, you will be losing a whole day. We have decided as a family that we will think long and hard about transferring to another island if it is only for a short visit. It's a lot of work and a lost day of precious vacation time.

I know you are traveling a long way and saying to yourself "who knows when we will get back to Hawaii, we better go to Maui while we have the chance". I agree with all of that, but my experience is that you may wish you would be going to only two places instead of three.

As much as we love Kauai, we spent all of our time on Oahu last summer since we didn't want to island as we did the previous summer. We absolutely loved it! LOVED exploring the North Shore and other parts of Oahu. There are some lovely beaches and beautiful scenery all around the island.

Finally, my last piece of advice would be to book the flights that works best for you in terms of days, times of flights, etc. even if they cost a bit more. We did some funky routing through LAX last year on the way home. In the end, I'm not sure the lower cost was worth it to us.

Good luck. I know there are lots of variables in planning such a big trip, especially when some pieces are out of your control like booking DVC, etc. I'm super excited for you because I know you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE the VGC and Aulani. They are so amazing. Once again, if you love the parks, I would try to spend more time there. So much different than DW and two days just isn't enough for us, even though we've been there many times.

Something else just came to mind, what about doing Aulani first then VGC on the way back?

Keep us posted! Please post for me or PM me anytime if you'd like more info on our specific experiences. I'd be happy to share.

Thanks for the advice - we're not newbies to Hawaii tho so we know that island hopping basically "eats" an entire day even tho the flight itself is only about 45 minutes. This will be my 5th trip and I've always done AT LEAST 2 islands. It is much to far to go and to expensive to get there to NOT island hop. But funds (or lack of) will not let us hit Maui for more than 3 nights. Maui is our fav. island so we HAVE to go for at least a couple of days. Of course we'd LIKE to have more time there but it's just not possible this time - we lost too much money on last years trip so I have to plan on tighter budget this time around. We will fly over from Oahu fairly early (between 9 and 10 AM) and book a late night flight home so that we can have that first afternoon and that last day there.

I am VERY picky about my flights to / from Hawaii - esp. coming from the east coast. I don't want more than 1 stop. My total duration time goal is less than 13 hours total each way. We have to use Alaska Air as that's who we booked last summer so that's where the bulk of our $ credits are. We are actually doing Maui last because their flight times back to DC absolutely SUCK from HNL but are pretty good from OGG (Kahalui). We can do 1 stop (Seattle) and be back to DC in about 12 1/2 hours. All of their flights from HNL are at least 17 hours and most of them leave in the morning or mid-day. A lot of their schedules are actually 23 - 24 hrs.!! Ummmm….NOT. I want that last day to be spent THERE!! We always do the red-eye home. So while it may not be the perfect plan it's what we have to work with. We have $2,100 sitting there with Alaska Air so that's what we have to use.

We would love to spend 4 nights at VGC like we had planned last year but last year we had 100 more points to work with and the longer we stay there the more we'll spend on park tix etc. VGC is a point hog. No other way to put it. Plus this year we will likely fly on weekdays rather than weekends to get better pricing - so then we start looking at using up more vacation days since we lose a day on the return. I think 13 nights / 14 days is still a pretty good trip - but as far as time off work it will be even more if we fly weekdays.

You're right - it IS a lot to plan out & think through. We managed to get "in" both places last year so I just have to hope it will work out again this year. I just hate gambling. I think the SPG points go further on Maui as the rooms there are so expensive. If we had to pay $419 / n. for 3 n. on Maui out-of-pocket we wouldn't be able to go at all. At least with planning to use pts. at DL if we can't get into VGC we CAN book at Paradise Pier or something. Not what we WANT to do. PP is OK (we stayed there the only other time we went to DL in 2005) but we'd prefer VGC. I keep looking at the VGC availability - right now I can only look starting on July 21st - it is not avail. on THAT day but the next 6 are open. So hopefully SOMETHING will work out. Crossing my fingers there's not a run on August!!

 

[lovetotraveltx]

Would it give you an extra day or more points for Aulani if you did paradise pier instead of vgc? We just stayed there for the 2nd time in 2012. We found the CM's so much more friendly and helpful! We also had a great view of the California adventure and could see the whole show from our room.

You also can use points for a hotel room at vgc if you can't get a villa. The have such few villas!

Also, I'm with you on the island hopping!

It's 8:00am eastern to book dvc online, correct?

 

[Anal Annie]

Would it give you an extra day or more points for Aulani if you did paradise pier instead of vgc? We just stayed there for the 2nd time in 2012. We found the CM's so much more friendly and helpful! We also had a great view of the California adventure and could see the whole show from our room.

You also can use points for a hotel room at vgc if you can't get a villa. The have such few villas!

Also, I'm with you on the island hopping!

It's 8:00am eastern to book dvc online, correct?

NO - Paradise Pier is in the Disney Collection or whatever they call that so it would actually use MORE points than a studio and I think then those points would be stuck with limited usage later - I said Paradise Pier because out of the 3 hotels on site at DL it uses the FEWEST points….and I think we'd have to pay that $95 fee or something. It's just another option to consider if we HAVE to and CAN'T get a studio at VGC.