advice on buying aulani or resale Grand Cal

[rmasu]

Hi my first post, I was hoping to get some good advice on this board.

We live in Hawaii and have two young children 4 and 8.
We toured the Aulani and like it...they are currently offering 101.00 a point for a 220 point contract 22000.00

A resale from timeshare store will be about 95.00 a point for the Grand Californian.

The difference in money saved on the resale is not important to us.

Our dilemma is which one to buy.
My argument to myself is if our home resort is Aulani we can go for short 2-3 days through out the year for mini vacations. And be able to plan 11 months in advance.
But what we really want to do is use the points to stay in the GC villas at the park.
Does the 7 month window hamper our chances of getting a room at the GC, and if we can't get the room we want wouldn't it be better to buy through disney so we can use points to get a regular disney hotel room?
My fear is I dont want to buy from the Aulani and not ever get to the GC when we want.
Am I missing something in the resale....I feel 101 a point is pretty good, but the 7month window scares me.

For what its worth we also own a week at the Koolina Mariiott VC next door.
The cruise lines and other disney dream vacation dont appeal to us either.

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

 

[spleen]

Howzit, fellow Hawaii resident! I think (and I think most people here will agree) that if you really want to stay at VGC, it makes more sense to purchase at VGC to get the 11 month booking window. VGC is a much smaller property than Aulani and will likely be much harder to get (71 max units vs. 481+).

If you plan ahead enough, I suspect the VGC resale will work better for you in the long run. However, if you feel as though you might decide to go to Disneyland on a spur of the moment and you'd like the option of being able to use points to book at one of the Disneyland resort hotels, then you might want to consider purchasing VGC through DVC directly ... even though it's sold out, you can be placed on a waiting list for available points. It will be probably be pretty pricey ($120/point) but it would give you the option for using the points for Disney hotel rooms.

Personally, I'd go for the VGC resale and plan on booking in advance. If I decided to go spur of the moment, I'd book a hotel room, pay in cash, and either rent out the points or bank them for the next trip. And as long as you book at the opening of the 7 month booking window, you'd still be likely to be able to book Aulani for those mini-getaways.

JMHO

 

[dbs1228]

Could you buy smaller contracts at each resort with same UY? That way you would have the best of both worlds and can combine your points for a booking at the 7 month window, yet have the 11 month priority at each resort. If you do not plan on staying at VCG every year you could get a smaller contract there and bank and/or borrow points for stays every 2 years. Good luck!

 

[TisBit]

Could you buy smaller contracts at each resort with same UY? That way you would have the best of both worlds and can combine your points for a booking at the 7 month window, yet have the 11 month priority at each resort. If you do not plan on staying at VCG every year you could get a smaller contract there and bank and/or borrow points for stays every 2 years. Good luck!

I agree with this...if you plan on using both resorts, splitting points is the best option. Use the bank/borrow to get enough for your trip to Cali, but still have points in Hawaii for your mini stays.

I suspect that Hawaii will not be too difficult to book in the long term (right at 7 months). Many people within DVC will want to go out there to try it, but the airfare will prevent many of the East Coast and UK DVC'ers (the majority) from taking regular trips out there.

 

[dcfromva]

I would buy at VGC because it is smaller and you will have to buy airfare over. If you own at Aulani, what would you do if your dates are not available at VGC at 7 months? The WL often works, but there is no predicitability as to when your room would become available. Could you wait to get your airfare until 31 days prior to your trip?
On the other hand, you are in a prime position to snag a reservation at Aulani for a last minute get away or an odd 2 or 3 days. I suspect folks coming from the mainland are not going to stay on the waitlist up until 31 days out.

 

[jelwallace]

Buy at the Grand Californian. It is so small compared to Aulani. I have a feeling that you will almost always be able to book at Aulani at the 7 month mark but the Grand Californian will be hit or miss. Having the 11 month booking at the Grand Californian will be the greater advantage.

 

[Nonsuch]

...But what we really want to do is use the points to stay in the GC villas at the park.
Does the 7 month window hamper our chances of getting a room at the GC, and if we can't get the room we want wouldn't it be better to buy through disney so we can use points to get a regular disney hotel room?
My fear is I dont want to buy from the Aulani and not ever get to the GC when we want...

I am an VGC owner, and recommend you spend a few hours reading these 2 long threads:
The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners Group
The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners & Lovers Group - 2.0

I have been able to book VGC 1-bedroom villas on short notice (inside 2 months) during the slow seasons (Feb-March), but my schedule was very flexible.
If you ever expect to visit during a high demand period (i.e. Christmas-New Years) or need a specific date, the 11-month window will likely be needed.
VGC only has 48 Villas, while Aulani has 460 villas

 

[rmasu]

thank you all for the great suggestions.

I think we are swaying towards the resale VGC. Because of my work and kids schedule we need to plan over sea vacations in advance. I could (and have in the past) driven to work from the Koolina. Not much of a vacation for me but the kids and wife like it.

Thank you!

 

[rmasu]

Thank you especially for spleen for answering my message. I think you (get it) the most being on island and knowing the plus and minus of traveling across the pacific vs driving for 40 mins to koolina.
Thank you,

I think we will purchase the resale VGC. Last question, what price point should we look at. 95 seems reasonable to me.

Mahalo

 

[Presley]

Thank you especially for spleen for answering my message. I think you (get it) the most being on island and knowing the plus and minus of traveling across the pacific vs driving for 40 mins to koolina.
Thank you,

I think we will purchase the resale VGC. Last question, what price point should we look at. 95 seems reasonable to me.

Mahalo

If you are looking at as large of a contract as your first post, you will be able to get VGC on resale for less than that. I think $87./pp is the lowest I have seen.

I think you made a great decision. I am in California and thought about adding on 100 points at Ko Olino, but since VCG is so hard to book at, decided I will keep a look out for a resale that fits my needs. VGC is gorgeous.

 

[rmasu]

Thanks Prestly,
I agree, we,ve stayed at the Grand Californian in the studios and loved it, Im sure the added room would be great for the family. My only fear was not getting the reservation when we wanted, but as a home resort it increases the chances I guess. We'll see what happens at the Aulani, if we can't get it we can always use the Mariott which is pretty darn nice.
We offered 92 a point. HOpefully it goes through,

Thanks!

 

[spleen]

Good luck with the resale! I've been in your same position and trying to decide what property to buy - we ended up purchasing a SSR contract because the price was just too cheap for the points involved but if it wasn't for that consideration, we would have totally bought into VGC ourselves. Who knows, we may do an add on at VGC ourselves in the future, lol. And we also figured that if we had an excess of points (haha), that we could always use them up at Aulani ourselves with our own 40 minute drive. My wife and I work in Leeward anyways so it'd be convenient to get to work.

VGC (and the Grand Californian) is gorgeous - I don't think that you'll regret your decision!

 

[disneydenisel]

To the OP, congrats on putting an offer in on a VGC resale! You really can't go wrong and since you have already stayed there, you know how much you love it!

I wanted to buy VGC points when they were originally offered, but the timing wasn't right so we passed. Then we had a fabulous trip to WDW, I was having a Mickey euphoria episode, I rented points to see VGC this year, and said, oh what the heck, and bought a contract. It took forever to close but now I have two home resorts show up online and I am all giddy with joy .

Let us know how your purchase goes . Buying is actually easy. It's fighting addonitis that is hard!

 

[nunzia]

Congrats and best of luck!

 

[rmasu]

Thanks again for the advice from everyone!
We pulled the trigger this AM and bought from Robert from Timeshare Store.
175 point contract at 92 a point. Seemed like a reasonable offer to me.
Signed and faxed paper work. NOw just waiting!

 

[TravelingJen24]

I would also buy at the Grand. The GCV is very small and hard to secure a room, especially if you want a grand villa. I have been trying to get a three day weeked in the fall and it is non-existent.

 

[spleen]

hope all goes well during closing!

 

[frank808]

Congrats to a fellow local dweller. I am also looking to add on at VGC. Taking my first visit to VGC via points in a few weeks. I should have bought last year when it was only $95 a point but didn't have the money then. Now a year and half later its a better situation and now am looking to add on. I am pretty sure you made the right decision. Aloha!

 

[taaren]

If you are looking at as large of a contract as your first post, you will be able to get VGC on resale for less than that. I think $87./pp is the lowest I have seen.

Another Hawaii DIS'ser here - its so nice that Aulani and VGC means there's more islanders on this board ...
Just wanted to note that we got our VGC add-on at $82/pt, passed ROFR no problem and a month later saw one on the ROFR thread for $80/pt. However since we bought at $96 direct in '09, I think anything under $100 for VGC is well worthwhile. Still contemplating adding on later and it doesn't look like we'd be able to get a deal that great again the way prices at our home are holding up ...
Congrats, rmasu! You're going to love staying at the Grand!

 

[slowly]

Brah, take it from a GVC owner who only bought because of Aulani coming up. We bought in 2008 for the sole reason of knowing we can book a last minute weekend at Aulani. So true about GVC having only 48 Villas! I tried booking 5 months ahead and had to piece meal rooms between Disney Hotels and GVC. I have some frustrating stories.

This October we are using our points to stay at GVC and the Disney cruise using all points! I booked it in February and no problems. A friend of ours who is also booked for the same trip tried to add a few more days to the GVC reservation but was not able to. Again, since there are only 48 Villas the 7 month window for non-homeowners is very tough.

The good thing about having the 11 month window is you can book and cancel if you decide you don't need it. Lastly, the cruise is a great place to buy DVC. They offer prices which so far can't be beat from other Disney offerings. Our price was in the 80's.