How many booking Aulani @ 7 months booked airfare FIRST?

[Anal Annie]

Trying to figure out my strategy for Aulani next summer. My gut tells me to wait until our 7 mo. window in January - get the ressie FIRST then worry about the air...but airfare is so crazy high these days. The 331 air schedule window for when we want to go will hit in early Sept. IF you saw a good deal would you book it 4 months before you could book Aulani or would you wait?? How has this worked out so far for those who have already done it and gambled on getting the ressie? Who out there HAS NOT been able to get a ressie at Aulani at 7 months??

 

[Pakey]

There have been several posts on here from people who found no availability at 7 months for the 2012 summer months. I would not book airfare unless I was willing to stay in a cash hotel if I couldn't get Aulani on points.

 

[Anal Annie]

There have been several posts on here from people who found no availability at 7 months for the 2012 summer months. I would not book airfare unless I was willing to stay in a cash hotel if I couldn't get Aulani on points.

And this is why I decided to make this a poll...I want to see if I can figure out just how many people weren't able to get ressies. Guess I should've also asked them to reply with what type of villa they were unable to get (studio, 1 bed, 2 bed or GV, although isn't there only 1 GV open so far?). We just want a studio...anything other than OV as those don't seem worth the points as far as I can tell being reported. We have some AMEX reward points that I was hoping to transfer to Starwood points so we could book a hotel on Maui too. If we can't get into Aulani on points then we'd likely just book an Outrigger property in Waikiki OR just skip Oahu. But kinda the whole point of going to Oahu was to stay at Aulani too. I sure hope I get some responses from peeps who've actually booked Aulani and not just the wannabes like me!!

 

[marx]

There have been several posts on here from people who found no availability at 7 months for the 2012 summer months. I would not book airfare unless I was willing to stay in a cash hotel if I couldn't get Aulani on points.

I booked my air 11 months in advance (though the air was free with miles) and Aulani at 7 months. I did notice that if I paid with cash, air was cheapest at the 11 month mark. This was for a vacation for the two weeks after Easter 2012. Aulani was available at 7 months. But, I did have a backup reservation in Waikiki just in case Aulani fell through. I had no intention of changing the air dates as I made it on weekend non-stops to Honolulu. And while traveling with air miles is no problem 11 months in advance (even Easter weekend), by 10 months choices are very limited.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'll be watching this poll too. I can't book my 7 month ressies until July, but no way am I gambling on 4 round trip airfares until I know I've got the reservation.

 

[ewebet]

We are going to Aulani in 3 weeks and I booked the reservation 7 months out but waited to book the airfare until I had the reservation. Our original plan was to stay at Aulani for 1 week and make a short 3 day trip to Maui prior to Aulani but we decided to book the entire stay at Aulani. My suggestion to you is to go on the Disney booking section on the member site and start to put in dates 7 months from now just to see what is available. You will be able to get a good idea what might be available at your 7 month window. I booked 7 days at the 7 month mark but did not book the additional 3 nights for another 2 months. We are staying in a studio for the first 5 nights and a 1 bedroom for the second five nights! I can't wait!
I look forward to hearing what you decide to do!

 

[disneydawn6]

We are going in June. I booked a 2 bedroom at 7 months for 9 nights and then booked my flight then canceled two of the days. I had a lock off. Later found out my daughter was pregnant and would be 8 months along and could not come with us with her family. We were able to cancel the studio portion and just keep the one bedroom.... We still going and hoping the baby doesn't come early

 

[Anal Annie]

Well, I am taking it as a good sign that the poll is up to 21 votes and so far nobody's claimed to have been shut out, losing their airfare. But I suppose I knew the answer would be to wait to buy air until we have the ressie. I hope I can "be strong" when the time comes!!

 

[dvc_john]

I waited until I got the Aulani reservation at 7 months, then booked the airfare.

However, if I were using frequent flyer miles, I would go ahead and book the air as soon as possible, and then gamble on getting Aulani.

btw, I booked a 1br at 7 months, and all 4 views were available for my whole stay. (But my stay is off-season September).

 

[mdsd8700]

We booked a one bedroom pool view for June exactly at 7 months on the dot. I have also read of the others for June who had difficulty getting what they wanted, we were lucky I guess as there was no problem at all.

I had a number in my mind that would be be the most I wanted to pay for airfare but after we booked Aulani all the airefare was quite high and over what I wanted to pay so I waited a bit. In January, so 5 months before our trip I found what I thought was an acceptable airefare and it was less that I had budgeted. So I purchased it. A week later it went down again and I could have saved nearly $500. However airfare is always a gamble and I purchased with what I was comfortable with so I am okay with what I paid. However after that time period in January the prices only went up and when I checked last week the same flight was over $2,1000 per person!

Good Luck !!

 

[dsneygirl]

We just booked our airfare in early April. About 8 weeks out. We had been watching it for 2 months and it was all up and down $20 here, $30 there so we finally bit the bullet.

 

[Rob S.]

Airfares are very volitile and are not necessarily the cheapest when they are first released. I went to Aulani in January 2012. I started looking at airfares in February 2011. From February through May 2012 it was right around $1000 per person roundtrip from Chicago. I bought airline tickets in June (after I had my Aulani confirmation). In July, the price dropped to about $750 . I don't know why but I always check fares after I purchase them. I either feel real good that I got a deal or I hate myself for overpaying.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Airfares are very volitile and are not necessarily the cheapest when they are first released. I went to Aulani in January 2012. I started looking at airfares in February 2011. From February through May 2012 it was right around $1000 per person roundtrip from Chicago. I bought airline tickets in June (after I had my Aulani confirmation). In July, the price dropped to about $750 . I don't know why but I always check fares after I purchase them. I either feel real good that I got a deal or I hate myself for overpaying.

DH doesn't look once he's booked and he's encouraged me to do as he does.

 

[Ggatorgirl]

I booked the air 331 days out because we were using miles...for 3 tickets it was worth it to get the 'super saver' least miles needed awards.

I booked Aulani 7 months to the day out and got exactly the room/view we wanted.

I would have waitlisted if need be, and Plan B was to use hotel points to cover any missing days.

 

[cj9200]

Going at the end of June. Booked at 7 months (to the day) and got everything I wanted. We also wanted to do a layover for a few days at DL. Had to then wait until I booked days at the Grand California. Got the flights later only after everything was arranged. A direct flight from Miami was around $1,000. With the layover in LA it was about $1,200. Not cheap but this is a once in a lifetime trip. Plus it was paid for 6 months ago.

 

[Anal Annie]

We wiped out our credit card miles going to Europe last summer (so thankful we HAD them tho) and had previously wiped out all of our Amex Reward points back in 2006 on our last trip to Hawaii. Now I'm scrambling around trying to figure out the best use for the Amex points we have accrued since 2006 (only about 73,000). Last time we transferred them to Delta Skymiles and had enough to cover all of our flights. But this time we only have enough to cover 1 flight. While that's nice considering direct non-stop flights between DC and HNL are for the most part around $1,000 Delta is more expensive than everyone else...so we'd pay more for the other 2 tix. I think our best move will be to transfer the points to Starwood (owns Sheratons & Westins) and / or Hawaiian Airlines and use them to pay for our room on Maui and / or our inter-island flights. Starwood (currently) has a deal where you book 5 nights & the 5th one is free so our points would stretch further considering those nights would probably cost in the neighborhood of $350-400ish / night if we were paying cash.

We had wanted to add a stop in CA for a couple of nights at DL but that really does complicate the planning and it would add a fair chunk to the airfare so we'll have to see how the prices are when the time comes. Stopping in LA will not only cost more for the air but there's also the variable of can we get a studio at VGC or not and then there's the additional cost of purchasing DL park tix. It may just not be as cost effective as if we just plan on spending 10 nights in Hawaii (5 on Oahu and 5 on Maui) for probably $1,000 less.

 

[bmalonef45]

We went in March and flew on United points. We had to be creative with our flights but we all 4 flew for 80.00 out of pocket.

I probably could have been less creative if I would have booked flights earlier but I just didn't want to risk it. We got what we wanted at the 7 mo window and it was AWESOME! Now that the resort will be fully open I think that there would even be more availability.

However you get there just get there because its really nice!

 

[Anal Annie]

We went in March and flew on United points. We had to be creative with our flights but we all 4 flew for 80.00 out of pocket.

I probably could have been less creative if I would have booked flights earlier but I just didn't want to risk it. We got what we wanted at the 7 mo window and it was AWESOME! Now that the resort will be fully open I think that there would even be more availability.

However you get there just get there because its really nice!

I believe that the 3rd and final phase does not open until 2014. I might be wrong on that but I don't think it will be open in time to increase our odds for 2013.

 

[dbs1228]

Airfares are very volitile and are not necessarily the cheapest when they are first released. I went to Aulani in January 2012. I started looking at airfares in February 2011. From February through May 2012 it was right around $1000 per person roundtrip from Chicago. I bought airline tickets in June (after I had my Aulani confirmation). In July, the price dropped to about $750 . I don't know why but I always check fares after I purchase them. I either feel real good that I got a deal or I hate myself for overpaying.

All airlines have different rules and change fees, and I encourage everyone to know them when they book. SW and Jet Blue will let you redo your fare if it drops and you get a airline credit for future travel (good for 1 year) and that credit does not have to be used by the original passenger. Other airlines I have encountered charge a 50.00 - 150.00 change fee which in the above case would have been worth having the tickets reissued with the fee and still get a refund. Not saying this was the case but a call to the airlines never hurts.

 

[Starr W.]

All airlines have different rules and change fees, and I encourage everyone to know them when they book. SW and Jet Blue will let you redo your fare if it drops and you get a airline credit for future travel (good for 1 year) and that credit does not have to be used by the original passenger. Other airlines I have encountered charge a 50.00 - 150.00 change fee which in the above case would have been worth having the tickets reissued with the fee and still get a refund. Not saying this was the case but a call to the airlines never hurts.

Use Yapta, it will track prices and let you know if you get a credit, so you don't have to check yourself.

I have flights to Denver being tracked, but I think I must have gotten a good deal for this summer(296 rt). Booked that due to my daily Kayak update back in Jan/Feb.