Aulani Seven Months out booking

[slh1977]

I'm at the beginnning stages of purchasing DVC at Bay Lake Tower as my home resort, but also want to go to Aulani in a few years. What are the best times to book if you can only have the option of 7 months? I assume summer and holidays book at 11 months.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I got 6 nights in a 2 bedroom, ocean view which is what I wanted for September this year. I booked at 7 months. I had been concerned because DCL's Hawaiian cruise gets to Honolulu 3 days before our ship gets in, but it worked out! I added the 6th night at 6 months.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We have 360 points at aulani but slways want to stay 10 nights in a one bedroom and use points from another contract. So we always book 7months out for may for ocean view and have always gotten. Next year we want to take family in June after grandson graduates from 8th grade and will get a one bedroom and two studios for the family. I'm hoping we can do it 7 months out.

 

[mrsR123]

The low point-cost dates of mid-June can be tough, but if you're flexible you can get something that works. I tried for as early as June 18th at seven months out, but even trying daily st the crack of opening, it took until a check-in date of 6/26 to get a booking.

I wouldn't let it weigh too heavily in the decision making for a BLT contract regardless.

 

[bekkio]

We managed to get the dates we wanted (August) at 7 months out, but we had to go with a lock-off, rather than dedicated 2BR, and only were able to book ocean view, It came out to be quite a few more points than we planned, but we had enough to borrow.

 

[Glent59]

We are going late September... fewest points needed at that time of the year, and at our 7 month window, we had our choice of almost every option ( i think the three bedroom standard view villa was the only thing not available....)

 

[Amw1064]

For our trip this past June, I booked last November at the 7 month mark. We stayed in a studio.

 

[pmaurer74]

Do you think it will get tougher to book at 7 months since they are still selling Aulani? I am hoping to go in about 5 years but have to go in the summer.

 

[rkwier]

We were able to get a one-bedroom in May at 7 months. It is just DH and I, but the one-bedroom was so worth it since we were able to cook our own meals. There is a Target, Safeway, Walmart, etc. about two miles away. Since they are where the residents shop, the prices are "regular people" prices instead of "tourist people" prices. As with other Disney resorts, the cost of food is high on-site. Unlike WDW, the options are limited on-site and no dining plan is available if that is something that your family utilizes.

Do you think it will get tougher to book at 7 months since they are still selling Aulani? I am hoping to go in about 5 years but have to go in the summer.

I do not think that this is affecting the ease or difficulty in getting reservations. I think that the resort will continue being sold for a while. The maintenance fees are very high and unless you plan to go there frequently, it may not make sense for your family to have that as your home resort.

 

[southerngirl528]

It will be a very long time before Aulani is sold out. And for folks on the mainland that purchase, many want to use their points at a mainland DVC resort unless they're Hawaii freaks. (like ME!!)

 

[pmaurer74]

We were able to get a one-bedroom in May at 7 months. It is just DH and I, but the one-bedroom was so worth it since we were able to cook our own meals. There is a Target, Safeway, Walmart, etc. about two miles away. Since they are where the residents shop, the prices are "regular people" prices instead of "tourist people" prices. As with other Disney resorts, the cost of food is high on-site. Unlike WDW, the options are limited on-site and no dining plan is available if that is something that your family utilizes.



I do not think that this is affecting the ease or difficulty in getting reservations. I think that the resort will continue being sold for a while. The maintenance fees are very high and unless you plan to go there frequently, it may not make sense for your family to have that as your home resort.

what I meant is use my current points at another resort to book Aulani at the 7 month window in 5 years..... not buy there.

 

[southerngirl528]

Yep, we got that pmaurer74. When your 5 years rolls around, come on back here and see what's cookin' with Aulani. As a longtime DVC member I would call at the 7 month window (exactly!) and see. If they don't have it, get on a W/L right away. Aulani is awesome!!

 

[rkwier]

what I meant is use my current points at another resort to book Aulani at the 7 month window in 5 years..... not buy there.

Yes, I see. Our home resort is BLT, so we used our points from there to stay at Aulani. We had no trouble booking at 7 months. I just trying to address the impact of it continuing to be sold on the ability to book at 7 months, and why I feel like the resort will likely continue to be sold for some time, using "your" in just a general sense. I should have phrased it better. At any rate, I think that you should have pretty good luck booking there with points from elsewhere at 7 months. That being said, I booked the first day of the 7 month window, just to be safe.

 

[pmaurer74]

Yep, we got that pmaurer74. When your 5 years rolls around, come on back here and see what's cookin' with Aulani. As a longtime DVC member I would call at the 7 month window (exactly!) and see. If they don't have it, get on a W/L right away. Aulani is awesome!!

I cannot wait to go. I love Hawaii but I want to wait until my kids are old enough to not annoy me for that long flight all the way across the country!

 

[drusba]

Other than holiday times, Aulani has often been available between January and May, and, except for holiday times and the middle weeks of Oct, between September and Decembe at 7 months out, with ocean view usually available if others are filled and standard view seldom available. However, changes could occur at Aulani beginning as early as next year because DVD did some serious point shifting raising points needed for a number of times of year while lowering them for others beginning 2016, e.g., half of summer is becoming premier season rather than magic. Also, until you get close to sell out, you cannot assume exisiting reservation patterns have a likelihood to continue when the resort does sell out.

 

[marvfool1]

My home resort is Aulani and I can tell you that as of right now all of the standard views between 6/21-6/27 are all booked up. you should be ok with booking 7 months out for island/pool and or ocean views. good luck

 

[DisMom829]

So from following this thread, I'm getting nervous. We are planning on Aulani for Thanksgiving week next year. There are only 4 of us, so a studio would be ample. But I'm getting scared that nothing will be available. We are using our 2015 points and borrowing some of our 2016 points for our stay this November. I've been looking for points to transfer into our account to book for Aulani at 7 months out. So I guess I really need to start looking harder and try to get points with a Dec UY and book in the 11 mos window?