Aulani July 2023?

[KatieBee14]

Hi there! My family and I are hoping to take a trip to Aulani next summer and I had a question regarding booking via DVC points. I know it’s much more affordable to rent points and get a room that way, but we are significantly over the 7 month mark when the price per point drops. The flight for next summer is way cheaper than typical, so ideally we would lock that in sooner rather than later, but I’m concerned that we could book a flight and then not be able to get a room during the time we need. We would like to get the most affordable room possible. Does anyone have any experience with any of this? I’m new to the whole DVC point rental process but it seems like a good way to be able to afford Aulani a little more comfortably. Thank you so much!!

 

[Gruenilda]

Is there insurance you can take out on the flights? And isn’t there more hotels with the concierge service through DVC that you can use as a backup?

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

Hi there! My family and I are hoping to take a trip to Aulani next summer and I had a question regarding booking via DVC points. I know it’s much more affordable to rent points and get a room that way, but we are significantly over the 7 month mark when the price per point drops. The flight for next summer is way cheaper than typical, so ideally we would lock that in sooner rather than later, but I’m concerned that we could book a flight and then not be able to get a room during the time we need. We would like to get the most affordable room possible. Does anyone have any experience with any of this? I’m new to the whole DVC point rental process but it seems like a good way to be able to afford Aulani a little more comfortably. Thank you so much!!

Hawaiian Airlines' cancellation policy is burdensome compared to other airlines like Southwest. If you are considering Hawaiian Airlines, you want to be sure you're heading to Hawaii at some point between your purchase date and one year after the purchase date.

 

[KatieBee14]

Yeah, Hawaiian airlines would be our airline unfortunately. Do you know if it’s hard to book a DVC point standard room during the summer months? Is there a better time between end of June-August?

 

[KatieBee14]

Sorry, to be more clear I was thinking of using somewhere like David’s DVC rentals to book the Aulani room. We aren’t DVC members ourselves.

 

[catsrgr8]

We just booked points with Dave’s for next summer, June 2023. We wanted the cheapest room but ended up with a studio Oceanview as that was all that was available for the dates we wanted.
Is there a reason you don’t want to book the room now? You can book at 11 months out from Dave’s.

 

[KatieBee14]

Oh how exciting! I thought I had read that the price was much lower if you booked 7 months out, but maybe that’s not the case. Would you recommend booking through Dave’s?

 

[catsrgr8]

Someone else might be able to speak to this better than me as this was my first time booking DVC points but we found it very easy to book through them. Monday morning I requested the room and within a few hours they provided me with 5 options for room types, dates, cost etc. I was hoping to book the cheapest room type but ended up with the most expensive view for the studio. I know it is cheaper per point to book at 7 months but I would worry that availability would be more limited and you might end up booking a more expensive room (or no room at all) due to lack of availability.

 

[KatieBee14]

Did you get any type of trip insurance? I know you have to pay all of the room up front, if I’m remembering correctly. Was the room you booked the least expensive option available? I really appreciate your help!

 

[catsrgr8]

I did not get any trip insurance but I know my credit card provides some decent trip insurance.

Yes, I booked the least expensive room that was available for the dates I requested. I was actually VERY impressed by the options they provided when the room I requested was unavailable (I ranked the 3 cheapest rooms as my 1st, 2nd and 3rd preference). They sent an email with 5 options including the same dates with a better view, same dates with a larger room, different dates with room type I request (2 nights vs 3 nights) etc. The alternative dates were 1-2 days off from what I had requested so very close, they just didn’t work for my family.

Also I noticed that DVC rental store allows me to search inventory for dates/room types more easily but the cost/point is higher. However, you only pay 25% up front and they have a different cancellation policy. There were positives and negatives to each company.

 

[KatieBee14]

I’ll have to look into our credit card perks as well!

Those options sounds wonderful! They sound like a great place to work with in booking. If the accommodations they have to offer don’t work and aren’t what you’re looking for or arent in your budget, you aren’t out anything, right? They refund the deposit?

 

[varyth]

This recent thread discusses 2 bedrooms specifically, but might give an idea of Aulani availability at 7 months from other DVC owners: https://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-in-summer-at-7-months.3894114/

 

[catsrgr8]

I’ll have to look into our credit card perks as well!

Those options sounds wonderful! They sound like a great place to work with in booking. If the accommodations they have to offer don’t work and aren’t what you’re looking for or arent in your budget, you aren’t out anything, right? They refund the deposit?

Yes it was SO easy to work with them!

Yes, since they couldn’t meet the request that I had (the specific room/type) they offered me 5 alternatives or I could decline and get a full refund of my deposit. I’m assuming if they had the room you had requested then you don’t get your deposit back. You can see cost of each room type for your dates on their website before you put in a request.

 

[KatieBee14]

This recent thread discusses 2 bedrooms specifically, but might give an idea of Aulani availability at 7 months from other DVC owners: https://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-in-summer-at-7-months.3894114/

Thank you so much!!

 

[KatieBee14]

Yes it was SO easy to work with them!

Yes, since they couldn’t meet the request that I had (the specific room/type) they offered me 5 alternatives or I could decline and get a full refund of my deposit. I’m assuming if they had the room you had requested then you don’t get your deposit back. You can see cost of each room type for your dates on their website before you put in a request.

I think I’ve seen that parking is free because you are treated like a DVC member…do you know if that’s true? Are there any costs that aren’t paid for in advance through Dave’s?

 

[AZMermaid]

Yes parking is free even on rented points. Bit that is the only DVC member perk you’ll receive. You’ll need to pay a tax upon check out. Members pay this too. For a studio it’s ballpark $20 a night.