Aulani, best resort for sleep around points?

[swaysui]

Am I wrong to conclude that Aulani resale maybe the best resort for sleep around points? Cost is reasonable, long contract, unlikely to get taken by ROFR. I guess the only draw back is that the dues are a little higher. I'd be using it 95-99% at WDW. Am I missing something?

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Am I wrong to conclude that Aulani resale maybe the best resort for sleep around points? Cost is reasonable, long contract, unlikely to get taken by ROFR. I guess the only draw back is that the dues are a little higher. I'd be using it 95-99% at WDW. Am I missing something?

The main concern with having a non-WDW home resort is that you don't have home resort priority booking at any WDW resort. You'll always need to wait until the 7 month mark to have something, and that can be a gamble, especially at certain times of the year. With multiple resorts going offline in 2042, the availability will likely become tighter, especially with a resale contract - you won't be able to book at Riviera and other new resorts.

 

[swaysui]

The main concern with having a non-WDW home resort is that you don't have home resort priority booking at any WDW resort. You'll always need to wait until the 7 month mark to have something, and that can be a gamble, especially at certain times of the year. With multiple resorts going offline in 2042, the availability will likely become tighter, especially with a resale contract - you won't be able to book at Riviera and other new resorts.

Good point about 2042.

 

[Sandisw]

I don’t think I would get it for SAP, unless it’s not going to be a huge contract and you are not traveling during the busy fall times.

We bought SSR for ours as we figure being onsite was what we wanted so at least we are always booked.

 

[swaysui]

I don’t think I would get it for SAP, unless it’s not going to be a huge contract and you are not traveling during the busy fall times.

We bought SSR for ours as we figure being onsite was what we wanted so at least we are always booked.

I mean I do like fall travel but I also would like 1bdrooms. Do you ever book SSR within the 8 to 11 month period?

 

[Sandisw]

I mean I do like fall travel but I also would like 1bdrooms. Do you ever book SSR within the 8 to 11 month period?

I do. I book the RIV nights first, then follow up with SSR. At 7 months I try to swap things around to use as many SSR points as possible each year.

But, all my trips are booked at 11 months to ensure I have the rooms onsite.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

My math has SSR, Aulani, Vero, and HHI grouped close together for sleep around points. The low initial buy ins offset the dues if you do something productive with the difference in cost (I assumed a 5% annual ROI on the money). Length of contract, 11 month window, availability of correct use year/number of points, etc. could push you one way or the other but the financials had them level.

We are under contract on a SSR resale though because our goal is to use these points primarily at WDW. The 11 month window being at WDW tipped us that direction.

 

[DVChris]

Although I would advise against buying Aulani for SAP, if you move forward with it and are interested in resale, then I suggest finding a subsidized contract. Harder to find but they are out there!

 

[RoseGold]

I seriously considered an Aulani contract, but passed because of Hawaii's treatment of timeshares, which I consider hostile to owners. I wouldn't buy any timeshare outside of Florida. Maybe your crystal ball is different than mine. If I were considering buying a timeshare in Hawaii, I would look into Hawaii's probate and its historic treatment of timeshares.

Aulani's dues are fine right now, but even a small change flips the math. Dues include taxes and maintenance. DVC's beach properties haven't done great on the latter, and who knows what the local governments will do with the former.

 

[davidl81]

The main concern with having a non-WDW home resort is that you don't have home resort priority booking at any WDW resort. You'll always need to wait until the 7 month mark to have something, and that can be a gamble, especially at certain times of the year. With multiple resorts going offline in 2042, the availability will likely become tighter, especially with a resale contract - you won't be able to book at Riviera and other new resorts.

We bought 300 direct AUL points last month at their discounted price of $133 a point for SAP. Being Direct took care of the RIV and newer resort issue, and the 133 was basically on par with current resale contracts. I guess the 7 month could be a concern, but I have never once seen DVC fully booked at 7 months. SSR and AKV always have had something.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I seriously considered an Aulani contract, but passed because of Hawaii's treatment of timeshares, which I consider hostile to owners. I wouldn't buy any timeshare outside of Florida. Maybe your crystal ball is different than mine. If I were considering buying a timeshare in Hawaii, I would look into Hawaii's probate and its historic treatment of timeshares.

I think this is a very important consideration. Both Claifornia and Hawaii have far different treatment than Florida. This is one of the reasons Disney rarely ROFR VGC.

Hawaii is doing more to manage transient lodging and tourism, and it will definitely impact the large timeshares.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I did exactly as @Sandisw and bought SSR for SAP so that I would always have an onsite resort stay. I have bought some BWV points for the 11 month advantage, but I use my SSR points to get into other resorts at 7 months.

 

[davidl81]

I did exactly as @Sandisw and bought SSR for SAP so that I would always have an onsite resort stay. I have bought some BWV points for the 11 month advantage, but I use my SSR points to get into other resorts at 7 months.

I think resale SSR is best for SAP, but you can make a case for direct AUL if they are still running the incentives they were running last month on bigger purchases. If the direct benefits don’t mean much to you then SSR Resale is still the better choice.

 

[jkips]

I seriously considered an Aulani contract, but passed because of Hawaii's treatment of timeshares, which I consider hostile to owners. I wouldn't buy any timeshare outside of Florida. Maybe your crystal ball is different than mine. If I were considering buying a timeshare in Hawaii, I would look into Hawaii's probate and its historic treatment of timeshares.

Aulani's dues are fine right now, but even a small change flips the math. Dues include taxes and maintenance. DVC's beach properties haven't done great on the latter, and who knows what the local governments will do with the former.

What has Hawaii done that make you think they are hostile to timeshare owners?

 

[macman123]

I got 305 points under the incentives at $133pp. They were added to my account today.

I usually would stay in 1BR so not fighting for studios. It just means having more points you can get something a bit bigger.....

18 months ago I wasn't a DVC member. Now look at the addiction......

 

[DonMacGregor]

I did exactly as @Sandisw and bought SSR for SAP so that I would always have an onsite resort stay. I have bought some BWV points for the 11 month advantage, but I use my SSR points to get into other resorts at 7 months.

We started with 150 SSR points direct for Blue Card and SAP. 2057 resort plus the ability to book at RR and DLT made buying direct make a bit more sense. We also have 100 BRV resale points as WL is our preferred resort, but we don't like being in the main lodge so we passed on CCV (although the expiration date DOES make a strong argument for the value of points there). The upcoming refurb makes the 2042 expiration date on BRV more palatable.

 

[La2kw]

The main concern with having a non-WDW home resort is that you don't have home resort priority booking at any WDW resort. You'll always need to wait until the 7 month mark to have something, and that can be a gamble, especially at certain times of the year. With multiple resorts going offline in 2042, the availability will likely become tighter, especially with a resale contract - you won't be able to book at Riviera and other new resorts.

Been a DVC owner for 20+ years and have never booked anything until 7 months out. We’ve stayed at every DVC resort there is. Some of them took a little work to piece together our stay, but that’s part of the fun. We don’t travel in the Fall though since we are both teachers. we have traveled during the various school breaks though.

 

[DVChris]

18 months ago I wasn't a DVC member. Now look at the addiction......

Wow!!! My jaw dropped when I read your post! #goals

 

[davidl81]

Been a DVC owner for 20+ years and have never booked anything until 7 months out. We’ve stayed at every DVC resort there is. Some of them took a little work to piece together our stay, but that’s part of the fun. We don’t travel in the Fall though since we are both teachers. we have traveled during the various school breaks though.

My hot take is the scare of nothing being available at 7 months is vastly overrated on this board. Sure I can't get a AKV Club level room or a value room, but at 7 months I always have options to book basically whatever I want as long as you are ever so slightly flexible (ie maybe I can't get beach club studio for FW at 7 months, but I'll take BWV).

The 11 month advantage to me is if I love a specific resort/room type and I want to book it every year. I personally enjoy just looking at what I can book when 7 months hits (and let's be honest if I book right at 7 months it's a miracle) and picking from there.

 

[DonMacGregor]

My hot take is the scare of nothing being available at 7 months is vastly overrated on this board. Sure I can't get a AKV Club level room or a value room, but at 7 months I always have options to book basically whatever I want as long as you are ever so slightly flexible (ie maybe I can't get beach club studio for FW at 7 months, but I'll take BWV).

It's the same with the "To be on the safe side, you should set a reminder and always start walking your reservation at 10 months at your home resort" crowd.