Aulani- why not sold out?

[ArcticTeacher]

why has Aulani not sold all of their DVC points- is it not a desired location? I’ve been there 4 times and love it.

 

[Great3]

I think it not a matter of people don't love the Aulani resort, but rather for people, the expenses of getting to Hawaii is out of reach for many people financially.

I know that when I went to Hawaii for the first time, I thought it will just be a once in a lifetime experience (been there / done that kinda of thing), with no plans to ever return, because the cost was so expensive compare to other vacations in the 48 states.

Of course, 4 years later, I now been to Hawaii every year so far, but my vacation budget has grown to levels I originally never imagined ever spending.

Great3

 

[Aussie RJ]

As a timeshare option the Aulani is sitting on the wrong side of Oahu. The Japanese target market prefer to buy closer to Waikiki. The American market prefer to buy at WDW for the 11 month advantage. At least this is the general consensus straight from the guides at Aulani.

 

[OKW Lover]

DVC members since 1995 and we've been to Aulani 4 times now with #5 happening shortly. Even though I do have some Aulani points, the vast majority of my stays there use points from other resorts. So far I've not had a problem getting a room at the 7 month window, so buying specific Aulani points isn't really an issue. I suspect people buy points at WDW resorts (rather than Aulani) for the advantage of the 11 month window.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Disney has not done well with non-park locations. Aulani is in the wrong space, hit an exchange rate bad time and then there was the regulatory issues.

Aulani will sell out in 2025.

 

[MurphyL]

It makes no sense to buy direct from Disney now. They are asking $188/pt with a $20/pt discount with resale being around $100/pt. There is only 42 years left. There is a realestate transfer tax for sellers. There is also a hotel use tax. I thin the other posters are correct with why it didn’t do so well initially. It sounds like a good idea but when you get down to the details it’s expensive to get there and a long trip for most people. I have also looked at the available reservations within the 7 month window and it seems like their is plenty of availability.

I thought about buying resale because the cost per point per year is very good and using them at WDW within the 7 month window.

 

[Bing Showei]

Disney has not done well with non-park locations.

As a functional monopoly at WDW, they can charge what they want for “deluxe” accommodations. In a true open market, where people can pay as much for better accommodations, Disney prices just don’t fly.

Do you remember that scene in Christopher Reeve’s Superman where he steps inside a kryptonite chamber and loses all is super powers?

Disney is Superman in Orlando. Step outside that bubble and Disney becomes Clark Kent getting his *** handed to him by a trucker at a diner.

 

[DenLo]

All of these items keep the sales at Aulani slow:

• Many members don't want to buy Aulani because they live east of the Mississippi.
• Other members use the points they already own because it is easy to book at the 7 month mark.
• The dues at Aulani are expensive.
• The resort is crowded and packed during the popular periods when families travel.
• Then there are those that think Disney mean the parks and Aulani just doesn't have enough 24 hour entertainment for them.
• The Japanese market and economy is poor. It is still suffering due to the 2011 Tsunami and earthquakes.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Heresy ahead:

There are better resorts on Oahu, let alone in the islands.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Here's what I think the main issue is - they hardly market it. You're not going to sell when you don't mention it.

For the most part when people think Disney they think of the parks and not an offsite location. If VB and HHI were "marketed" like Aulani it's very obvious why they didn't do particularly well either.

Lots of timeshares sell in Hawaii - the expense to get there obviously didn't deter them from doing that. Other timeshares are in the same location as Aulani - didn't seem to deter them from selling them. We've been twice and will go back more times. The location doesn't bother us at all -distance there is relative and nothing is really very far at all.

Disney onsite timeshares sell well to those on vacation and they've probably always been very complacent about sales. The onsite practically sells itself on pixie dust. Offsite would take more because it doesn't have the pixie dust floating around it but they don't do anything extra - actually they seem to market it much less. With as little as they do about it I'd have to assume they don't particularly care or feel a need to sell it too fast.

 

[Aussie RJ]

I love the Aulani. Especially late September or early October when the crowds are down. Put that lazy river and double tube slide at any WDW resort and it would be the most popular DVC resort. It makes more sense for someone coming from Sydney to buy Aulani, but at 7 months I’ve never missed out. So why not put my hard earned to an 11 month wdw booking advantage?

 

[Frederic Civish]

As a timeshare option the Aulani is sitting on the wrong side of Oahu. The Japanese target market prefer to buy closer to Waikiki. The American market prefer to buy at WDW for the 11 month advantage. At least this is the general consensus straight from the guides at Aulani.

I agree. Just the wrong location, along with lots and lots of competition, much of it costing less, and nothing particularly 'Disney' about it. Disney is famous for Entertainment/Movies/Cartoons/TVs and for the Parks. Where is Hawaii in there? Being "Disney" doesn't make Aulani worth the extra cost and with Aulani being 'out of position,' they have some real problems.

Disney has not done well with non-park locations. Aulani is in the wrong space, hit an exchange rate bad time and then there was the regulatory issues.

Aulani will sell out in 2025.

See my comments above. Disney is NOT a resort in Hawaii. Disney is 'Disney,' and Aulani, Hawaii is NOT Disney. Also the fact that they simply did not realize how competitive the market is, and how much the Hawaiian rules and regulators would add to their costs.

As a functional monopoly at WDW, they can charge what they want for “deluxe” accommodations. In a true open market, where people can pay as much for better accommodations, Disney prices just don’t fly.

Do you remember that scene in Christopher Reeve’s Superman where he steps inside a kryptonite chamber and loses all is super powers?

Disney is Superman in Orlando. Step outside that bubble and Disney becomes Clark Kent getting his *** handed to him by a trucker at a diner.

You have put it perfectly.

All of these items keep the sales at Aulani slow:

• Many members don't want to buy Aulani because they live east of the Mississippi.
• Other members use the points they already own because it is easy to book at the 7 month mark.
• The dues at Aulani are expensive.
• The resort is crowded and packed during the popular periods when families travel.
• Then there are those that think Disney mean the parks and Aulani just doesn't have enough 24 hour entertainment for them.
• The Japanese market and economy is poor. It is still suffering due to the 2011 Tsunami and earthquakes.

Heresy ahead:

There are better resorts on Oahu, let alone in the islands.

Here's what I think the main issue is - they hardly market it. You're not going to sell when you don't mention it.

Disney onsite timeshares sell well to those on vacation and they've probably always been very complacent about sales. The onsite practically sells itself on pixie dust. Offsite would take more because it doesn't have the pixie dust floating around it but they don't do anything extra - actually they seem to market it much less. With as little as they do about it I'd have to assume they don't particularly care or feel a need to sell it too fast.

You have all hit on part of 'The Problem,' but the main thing to keep in mind is that Aulani is FULL of problems. Many of them. I really don't understand why some fool (more than one, certainly) greenlighted this. They all deserve to be fired. Some of them have been.

Aulani, a sad object lesson for Disney and DVC.

 

[OKW Lover]

the main thing to keep in mind is that Aulani is FULL of problems. Many of them.

Please elaborate

 

[sndral]

I’m west coast based, it’s about 5 hr.s to fly to Oahu or to Orlando. Plane fare is roughly the same. However, if I were in the market for a timeshare in Hawaii I’d be looking at Kauai or Maui, islands I prefer over Oahu. There are lots of options in Hawaii and no particular reason to limit yourself to the Disney brand.

 

[LAX]

It makes no sense to buy direct from Disney now. They are asking $188/pt with a $20/pt discount with resale being around $100/pt. There is only 42 years left. There is a realestate transfer tax for sellers. There is also a hotel use tax. I thin the other posters are correct with why it didn’t do so well initially. It sounds like a good idea but when you get down to the details it’s expensive to get there and a long trip for most people. I have also looked at the available reservations within the 7 month window and it seems like their is plenty of availability.

I thought about buying resale because the cost per point per year is very good and using them at WDW within the 7 month window.

Is it better for DVD to hold out for uneducated buyers at these (direct) prices or just go on a fire sale and unload these points? I get that DVD/Disney can still rent out the inventory of villas it "owns" for cash, but if cash demand is so high (enough to provide a steady stream of revenue), why not just "convert" them to hotel inventory and consider the resort sold?

LAX

 

[Matty B13]

Is it better for DVD to hold out for uneducated buyers at these (direct) prices or just go on a fire sale and unload these points? I get that DVD/Disney can still rent out the inventory of villas it "owns" for cash, but if cash demand is so high (enough to provide a steady stream of revenue), why not just "convert" them to hotel inventory and consider the resort sold?
LAX

Might not be legally able to do the conversion to hotel rooms. Also, how would they decide which studios, 1 bedrooms, 2 bedrooms, and other units to covert, I'm sure some owners would be very upset if their typical unit was in short supply due to the conversion.

 

[disneynutz]

Japan, Disney expected to sell more to the Japanese. They added Japanese speaking cast members at MS, Aulani and a sales office in Japan. Aulani had regulatory issues early on, the competition is tough, sewer issues, and it looks like Atlantis will be built next door blocking some of the views and adding guests to the lagoon swim area.

Bill

 

[ElizabethG]

There were some good deals on the cruise I took this past summer. They were marketing both Aulani and Copper Creek. We did add on at Copper Creek. We were in the minority on the cruise. Most people were buying Aulani because it was quite a bit cheaper. We were in the minority that bought at CCV. I'm so glad that I did. My reason was simply because I plan to be at WDW a lot more often than Hawaii.

 

[ScubaCat]

Fact is that, while nice enough, Disney resorts are hardly the greatest resorts available in this world. Their biggest selling point is accessing the already extremely popular theme parks. Without that perk, their perceived value drops significantly.

 

[ArcticTeacher]

Thank you for the replies- so many things I never realized. I have 2 Aulani contracts (160/ 50) and just put in for a resale of 115 more. I live in Alaska and I can take a direct flight on Alaska Airlines and 5.5 hours later- I'm on Oahu For me to get to Orlando, it's a 12 hour+ day of traveling.