Aulani reservations at 7 months

[Psymonds]

pie in the sky thinking here but...

Does anyone know what the aulani reservations look like at 7 months?

Looking at resale and the aulani availability is more expensive than some of the other resorts, as is the maintenance.

There doesn't seem to be as defined a peak season at aulani so I was wondering if we bought at maybe our second choice resort (which we might stay at every 3rd visit) would we be able to get Aulani reservations relatively frequently?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you budget for Ocean View and avoid holidays, potentially. The more flexible you can be on dates the better.

If you expect to book the Hotel Rooms or Standard Views, probably not. Having the points for more than a studio also helps.

 

[Psymonds]

If you budget for Ocean View and avoid holidays, potentially. The more flexible you can be on dates the better.

If you expect to book the Hotel Rooms or Standard Views, probably not. Having the points for more than a studio also helps.

Thanks, good reference point...

 

[Psymonds]

Thanks, good reference point...

looking at it, if we had to budget for ocean, this would make the cost savings buying elsewhere moot

 

[_auroraborealis_]

looking at it, if we had to budget for ocean, this would make the cost savings buying elsewhere moot

The cheaper views go first, as do the smaller units. A Hotel or an SV studio is not going to regularly available at 7 months (or at all, in the case of hotel room).

 

[CarolMN]

This is from drusba's 7 month booking summary for DVC resorts:


Aulani:

Aulani had a major point shift effective 2016, e,g, late June through mid-Aug went from being magic season to premiere season. That resulted in a shift in demand and this relies on data since the change. The high demand times are June after first week to about July 7, mid-August through Labor day, time around Thanksgiving, and Christmas week, with June to early July and Christmas week being the worst. The standard GV, hotel rooms and standard view rooms are usually gone much of the year before 7 months out for 2 to 6 days of the week although 1BRs and, on a rarer occasion, studios and dedicated 2BRs can sometime be found for a week outside of the high demand times, and you should always check to see if you can get lucky. As for rooms other than hotels rooms and standard view:

From Jan 2 to end of May: all are usually open at 7 months out except island garden and pool view can be missing some days in very early in Jan, and island garden, pool view, and even ocean view studios (and 2BR lock-offs) can be missing a few days during the Easter weeks and a day or two during Memorial Day weekend. Island garden view studios have also disappeared for a stray day or two in March.

June to July 7: during first week of June most things are open if booking very early in June but as you approach June 8, you can start to see many things gone for a day or two. Then starting about 7 months out from June 8, a few days a week are gone in everything except possibly ocean view 1BRs and 2BRs and by 7 months out form June 15, much is gone multiple days of the week and that continues through about July 6; an ocean view 1 BR or 2BR might be open but even those were missing two to three days a week in 2016.

July 8 to end July: usually open except you can get two to three days a week closed out in an island garden or pool view studio and a dedicated 2B, but usually not both island garden view and pool view are gone at the same time.

August: demand starts to increase in early Aug with both island garden and pool view studios, 1BRs, and dedicated 2BRs missing two to three days. Starting by mid-Aug, all rooms other than ocean view can be missing three to five days a week and ocean except for GVs can be missing one or two.

September: all open, including for Labor Day weekend.

October and November: island garden and pool view studios and 2BRs (including dedicated) can be missing some days from early Oct through Columbus Day weekend and days around Thanksgiving; otherwise island garden, pool, and ocean view have been open in Oct and Nov

December to early Jan: open until about Dec 22. From Dec 22 to early Jan, most things gone by 7 months out including ocean view for multiple nights.

 

[Psymonds]

This is from drusba's 7 month booking summary for DVC resorts:


Aulani:

Aulani had a major point shift effective 2016, e,g, late June through mid-Aug went from being magic season to premiere season. That resulted in a shift in demand and this relies on data since the change. The high demand times are June after first week to about July 7...

June to July 7: during first week of June most things are open if booking very early in June but as you approach June 8, you can start to see many things gone for a day or two. Then starting about 7 months out from June 8, a few days a week are gone in everything except possibly ocean view 1BRs and 2BRs and by 7 months out form June 15, much is gone multiple days of the week and that continues through about July 6; an ocean view 1 BR or 2BR might be open but even those were missing two to three days a week in 2016.


October and November: island garden and pool view studios and 2BRs (including dedicated) can be missing some days from early Oct through Columbus Day weekend and days around Thanksgiving; otherwise island garden, pool, and ocean view have been open in Oct and Nov

so the times we would normally be looking to book, even though not peak, would likely be unavailable at 7 mo because they're cheaper. we were likely looking at 1BR but we're probably a few years from buying. on our post trip withdrawal now.