A WWYD question about adding on....

[ThisIsJason]

I know this comes down to a personal choice and only my wife and I can decide on this, and it won't happen until sometime in June if not July anyway. I thought I would ask.

My wife is determined we will add on points at Aulani, we haven't been yet (going in May), but she knows we will. Her sister and husband bought and from the videos and pictures and the two of them talking, I know we will.

She wants to add on 150-160 points direct. I told her we should just add on another 150-160 points via a AKV resale and use them that way. We would only be going every 3 years anyway. Once we have kids, I don't know if we would be going to Hawaii even every 3 years (paying for flights is the big thing, plus my own kids on a plane that long ). I also think that buying the points at AKV would be better because if at some time we needed a two bedroom we could book it at 11 months and not have to wait until the 7. It would also work better because my wifes school is changing to a year round calendar and we will be able to go to WDW not only in May but in October or December before Christmas as well.

Again, I know this comes down to us, but which would you do? Thanks for letting me vent, I heard about this all day while talking down Christmas decorations.

 

[Dean]

I know this comes down to a personal choice and only my wife and I can decide on this, and it won't happen until sometime in June if not July anyway. I thought I would ask.

My wife is determined we will add on points at Aulani, we haven't been yet (going in May), but she knows we will. Her sister and husband bought and from the videos and pictures and the two of them talking, I know we will.

She wants to add on 150-160 points direct. I told her we should just add on another 150-160 points via a AKV resale and use them that way. We would only be going every 3 years anyway. Once we have kids, I don't know if we would be going to Hawaii even every 3 years (paying for flights is the big thing, plus my own kids on a plane that long ). I also think that buying the points at AKV would be better because if at some time we needed a two bedroom we could book it at 11 months and not have to wait until the 7. It would also work better because my wifes school is changing to a year round calendar and we will be able to go to WDW not only in May but in October or December before Christmas as well.

Again, I know this comes down to us, but which would you do? Thanks for letting me vent, I heard about this all day while talking down Christmas decorations.

I wouldn't buy direct for Aulani and it doesn't sound like it's a very good choice for your situation. Airlines just announced another price increase. It sounds like you're still new to DVC. I'd be inclined to make the trip and get a little more experience. If you decide to buy Aulani, look for a resale that has subsidized points.

 

[disneynutz]

Aulani is expensive to buy and use, okay if you are there all the time, not so much for occasional vacations. AKV is a large resort with plenty of availability at 7 months so buying there may also not be a good choice. You might want to buy the least expensive resort or buy a resort that you love that has limited availability where your 11 month booking will give you an advantage.

Bill

 

[AulaniNutz]

Aulani is my home resort, and in a small way I regret having bought there as there seems to be
plenty of availability all the time. Look right now and you'll see it's wide open available for a
one bedroom in April and May! I've been watching availability, and it seems to have lots
of availability. It isn't sold out yet, and I suspect that fact, as well as the long trek
for DVC owners from the East Coast will keep availability high for a while.

The good thing about it being my home resort right now is when
they re-adjusted the points for 2015 and made July & August peak point times,
they left only June as the only reasonable summer deal.
I was able to use home resort advantage for June booking as
I have a kid and have to work around school schedules.

In hindsight, as a west coast person, I should have bought VGC as home resort (should
have bought it direct when it was offered, argh!) so I'd have the ever so valuable home
advantage there, as well as lower dues, and just use Aulani.
Maybe when school schedules are no longer an issue, I'll flip my Aulani
and buy VGC. Aulani resale asking prices have been creeping up. Last year they were
~$100, I've seen some recently at $118 or so.

We do plan on going every other year for a while, and in off-season we can get
some great airfare deals from the west coast. But the home advantage seems to only
make sense for that June month. At least for now.

If for some reason you still remain set on Aulani, definitely wait for a subsidized dues
contract.

Aulani is very nice, I can't wait to go back, but I'd add on somewhere else....
I can't see the home resort advantage. Points are points.

 

[ziravan]

If you're adding on, and it sounds like you already own AKV (adding on allows you better advantage at 11 month window at AKV I think you said), then I'd consider buying elsewhere at WDW.

Aulani will be open for awhile because it's still for sale and selling slowly. I don't think the 11 month window goes as far there, and the same is true for AKV.

If it were me, I'd buy at a near MK or near Epcot resort. As DVC grows, those resorts will become very difficult to book at 7 months:

BCV, BWV, VGF, BLT, PBV

If you buy Poly, consider a fixed week.

If you buy a near resort week, you can take advantage of that 11 month window and those trips save you from using your AKV points, thereby allowing you to spend them in the higher point rooms.

For example, if you normally go to AKV annually now and buy a near resort, if you go there every other year and AKV every other year, you now have twice as many points for your AKV trips.