Aulani Availability this summer

[Mike]

I was using the online reservation tool on the DVC website and according to their inventory, there are no rooms available at Aulani in July. Is this accurate? Does it have to do with the rate at which points are being sold and the rooms being declared into inventory?

I guess I was just shocked to see no availability at all. Any insight would be appreciated. I have never used the wait list before but I guess there is a first for everything .....

 

[jel0511]

Yeah, this summer at Aulani has been very tight in terms of availability. I booked our July stay at exactly the 7 month mark and still didn't get what I wanted. We are booked in a 2br lock off ocean view and I wanted a dedicated unit, which I'm wait listed for. Haven't seen anything on that yet, and have been on the wait list for over 2 months. The issue with the Aulani waitllist is that if they declare more inventory, if most of it is in the fixed week portion of their inventory, that won't help those of us on the wait list, as the fixed week owners and points owners form separate pools of availability I've been told. The only way a fixed week becomes available to those who books on points is that the owner has to opt out of their fixed week and convert it to points, then that unit is available to book on points for the rest of DVC (of course subject to the 11/7 booking rules). I'm hopeful my wait list will come through, if not, as least we do have a two bedroom.....

 

[disneynutz]

Units are only declared as sales are made. Aulani had some problems and still to this date is not registered for sale in several States so sales are probably behind Disney's projections.

Lack of DVC inventory is also good for sales. People like yourself find out that nothings available so they buy there to make sure that they can book at 11 months.

Bill

 

[wdrl]

The issue with the Aulani waitllist is that if they declare more inventory, if most of it is in the fixed week portion of their inventory, that won't help those of us on the wait list, as the fixed week owners and points owners form separate pools of availability I've been told. The only way a fixed week becomes available to those who books on points is that the owner has to opt out of their fixed week and convert it to points, then that unit is available to book on points for the rest of DVC (of course subject to the 11/7 booking rules).

Aulani's Guaranteed Week Option (also known as Fixed Week inventory) is allotted differently than you described. As each Unit is declared for the DVC inventory, up to but not exceeding 35% of the Unit's allotted points may be set aside for the Guaranteed Week Option. At least 65%, if not more, of a Unit's allotted points can be used by DVC members using points to secure a reservation.

Thus, when DVD declares an additional Unit for the DVC inventory, at least 65% of the underlying accommodation will automatically become available for points-based reservations. DVD cannot make a declaration increasing the Guaranteed Week Option inventory without increasing the points-based inventory at the same time.

Although some of Aulani's Vacation Homes might not be available for June and July, it appears there is sufficient inventory for mid-September. Our 7-month window opens on 2/15/2012 for our 9/15/2012 trip to Aulani. I've been checking the Online Reservation system almost daily to see if studios are available for near that time. So far, the System is showing studios are available for Ocean, Pool, and Island Views.

 

[jel0511]

Thanks for the clarification.