Best Chances to book Aulani?

[DisJules423]

Hi All!

So my family has settled on a Nov 2022 trip to Aulani/Maui. However, I have been reading posts/hearing in podcasts that due to pent up demand, booking Aulani has been super competitive. We already have an Airbnb booked for Maui, and some excursions. We are really concerned when the time comes, 7 months out, that we won't be able to book Aulani and will kind of be screwed.

Has anyone recently booked Aulani 7 months out and been successful? What was the selection of rooms like?

I am almost wondering if the better strategy is to rent our DVC points (524 avail with SSR), then use the cash to rent Aulani at the 11 month window. Does anyone who recently booked Aulani (especially for the Nov timeframe), know if renting is the better way to go rather than relying on the 7 month window? Thanks so much!!

 

[drusba]

First, regardless of pent-up demand, even in normal times, you can have difficulty getting anything at Aulani at 7-months out for the Sat to Sat of Thanksgiving week (the third highest demand time of the year at Aulani; the first two are Christmas week and June 7 through July 6). So if that is the time you are considering, you should assume that getting a room at 7-months out will probably be difficult and plan accordingly.

As to other times in Nov, in normal times, standard view and hotel rooms are genenerally difficult to get at 7-months out,. Ocean view rooms have usually been open, Pool/garden views have also usually been open but some risk otherwise at times. Island garden view is more of a risk but still decent chances at times. Note the same pattern for Nov held true for this year, during the pandemic time, at 7 months out from the upcoming Nov.

 

[DisJules423]

Thanks! We are planning for Nov 13th week, so the week before Thanksgiving. I think we have the points to cover ocean view 2bd so that’s what we will be going for and it sounds like it’s easier than other options.

 

[drusba]

Thanks! We are planning for Nov 13th week, so the week before Thanksgiving. I think we have the points to cover ocean view 2bd so that’s what we will be going for and it sounds like it’s easier than other options.

It may depend on what you mean by the week before Thanksgiving. Nov 13 will a Sunday, and if your intent is to include the night of Sat, Nov 19 (the Sat before Thanksgiving) or possibly even Fri the 18th, the issue might be somewhat dicey.

 

[CaoilinnsMom]

Book an AirBnB that can be canceled as a back up and try to book and waitlist until the last day you can cancel. You might get lucky