DVC Booking?

[TMJJS]

We are planning (& more importantly saving) for a high school graduation trip in 2019 to Aulani! I know it's a few years out, but my main question is can we get summer rooms at the 7 month booking window? Our home resort is Saratoga Springs. Obviously we want to use our points, but wondering if we can wait to the 7 month window or if we are better off renting off our points and using that money to rent points at the 11 month window from an owner?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

It will depend on when you want to go and how many points you want to spend. We are taking our second trip this summer and I have not had a hard time with either trip RIGHT at the 7 month mark. If you are looking at standard view vs ocean view then I would say rent your points to get into the 11 month window. Those lower point rooms both times we booked were gone before the 7 month mark when we were traveling. It might also depend on the size room you are wanting, I can only speak for a studio and a 1 bedroom. I was online right at 8am on the 7 month mark and had no problems booking my first 7 days, then called MS to extend. We will be there over the 4th of July holiday, availability was hard to find quickly after the 7 month window opened. Good luck, it is a beautiful resort!

 

[matheke]

We are going this July and was able to get an ocean view studio right at the 7 month mark. I think we had other choices but since this may be our only trip to Hawaii, I decided to spend the extra points on the view. DO NOT MESS AROUND, a week later there was nothing left to book for studios or 1 bedroom.

 

[Mokat76]

I used pts and got a one-BR ocean view at 7 months in early June for seven nights. It was the only one-BR available. My sis wanted a two-BR the same days and could not get seven nights in any category. She is moving between a 2BR to 1BR after four nights. We both reserved at the first available moment. It's brutal. Study the pattern. We had more success with a midweek start date than weekend. I'm told earlier summer is slightly easier than later. We were supposedly in the easier category.
Good luck.

 

[msaseifert]

We were able to snag a 2 bedroom ocean view sat thru sat in July on our 7 month window. I was pleasantly surprised! Good luck!

 

[ngl]

I agree with the other posters - find the exact 7 month mark on your calendar and book! You can always cancel up to 30 days without penalty. We find with some DVC locations it is better to book the maximum possible days you want and then adjust down rather than the other way due to availability. We are BLT owners and have stayed at every DVC property except VGC (2017!) and have always found availability, even during prime seasons, at the 7 month mark.

 

[JWigs]

We booked for labor Day and we were able to at the 7 mo mark without problem. The lower tier rooms were slightly sold out but we were ok with a slightly higher view for 10 more pts.

Sounds like a fun graduation trip!

 

[sleepymouse]

We are going in April and have 4 nights oceanview studio and 2 nights poolview studio. I booked only 4 months out (in December) and was thankful to still find studio availability. Not ideal to switch rooms but better than nothing.

 

[njmeisje]

We were able to get a 2BR OV at the 7 month mark for the week before July 4th and the week after --- but as others have said -- don't wait! And assume you will have to pay the points for OV. That is usually what's left. Which was FINE by me

 

[tink too]

I was wondering about availability also as we are considering visiting Hawaii next year, and would love to stay at Aulani while there. Thank you all for your advice.

 

[sgrap]

We got up at 4:45 a.m. Pacific Time to book our 2-bedroom at the 7-month mark. Only ocean view was left, and only a 2-bedroom lock-off, but we scooped it up in the first few seconds before they were gone (this was for early June). I couldn't believe how many were gone before the 7-month mark. It was stressful! We are celebrating a college graduation and my 50th. I would recommend stalking it a few days before your 7-month mark and grabbing one if you can, then cancelling the first nights you don't need. I wished I had done that when I had the chance and saved myself the middle of the night stress!

 

[Dazzled by Disney]

Do you think this would apply to the Grand Villas? I would love to save if we can. We are looking at June 2018. 9 nights