How do people do it? - Aulani 3 Bedroom STANDARD

[that1jeff]

Hi All,

Curious about the 3 Bedroom Grand Villas STANDARD at Aulani. Seems like any availability calendar I look at is just a plain "NO WAY" throughout the entire year. I totally understand with only 2x units the chances are slim to none obviously. So how the heck do people actually land a booking there? Is it just pure luck? Fixed weeks maybe? Just curious.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I will follow along to see what suggestions people give. But I was curious what the view would be since I didnt even realize there was a standard grand villa. So i looked it up, at least 1 person here has booked it! Haha! https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...dated-03-21-2017.3570961/page-2#post-57979612

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Short answer is they don't.

Only one 3BR Standard has been declared to the association. Important to remember that only about 50% of Aulani's DVC is in the association at all.

 

[drusba]

I guess the question to ask, before the OP's question is answered, is whether there is any DVC member that has actually ever been able to book an Aulani standard grand villa in about the last three years. Back in the teens, there were some times that the GV was shown as open for an arrival date shortly before 8 a.m. at 11-months out, which then filled right at 8 a.m. In about the last two to three years, if you go online before 8 a.m. eastern at 11-months out from any given start date of the year, you will find that the rooms are already filled for that start date, plus already filled for the next six nights. That is true year round, e.g., today July 24, the standard GV is shown as already fully booked from June 24 through the night of June, 30 2025. Tomorrow, July 25 it will show it is fully booked from June 25 through July 1, 2025 and thus no one can get a July 25 start date.

That will continue for every start date of the year. In other words, it appears it is impossible for any DVC member to go online at exactly 8 a.m. at 11-months out from any given start date and book the room, even if that DVC member is the only person trying to book the room at exactly 11-months out, since there is no start date at exactly 11-months out that is ever shown as being open.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I will follow along to see what suggestions people give. But I was curious what the view would be since I didnt even realize there was a standard grand villa. So i looked it up, at least 1 person here has booked it! Haha! https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...dated-03-21-2017.3570961/page-2#post-57979612

Wanted to note since I pulled this from the Aulani Forum here that it very well be a hotel booking not a DVC booking

 

[_auroraborealis_]

In which case, it's entirely possible neither SV Grand Villa is in the association.

Aulani has a lot of villa inventory that is cash-only.

 

[that1jeff]

Ah, ok. That makes sense. Thanks!

 

[DaveNan]

In which case, it's entirely possible neither SV Grand Villa is in the association.

Aulani has a lot of villa inventory that is cash-only.

If this is the case, it is shady business practice to show the SVGV in marketing material and on the points chart, for this long. I agree with drusba, I have looked at availability many times before 8am es/dt and the SVGV has never even shown availability on the 7th night. This is impossible given the booking rules, unless no rooms are in the inventory. No member or even Disney, since they are supposed to follow the same rules, can book a room at 11 months plus 8 days.

 

[intamin]

In which case, it's entirely possible neither SV Grand Villa is in the association.

Aulani has a lot of villa inventory that is cash-only.

As far as I'm aware it's not yet part of the association and I think they may use it as office space. There's no way for it to be CONSISTENTLY booked the full 7 days out unless it's not in the system. It's not like anybody has enough points to book the SV GV in perpetuity. At least once every 30 days it would have to become available which I don't think we've ever seen.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If this is the case, it is shady business practice to show the SVGV in marketing material and on the points chart, for this long. I agree with drusba, I have looked at availability many times before 8am es/dt and the SVGV has never even shown availability on the 7th night. This is impossible given the booking rules, unless no rooms are in the inventory. No member or even Disney, since they are supposed to follow the same rules, can book a room at 11 months plus 8 days.

They show all of the units in points charts and materials even if not declared. Everything is defined at inception.

 

[drusba]

They show all of the units in points charts and materials even if not declared. Everything is defined at inception.

The problem I am having with the conclusion that the standard view GVs at Aulani are not yet part of DVC is the fact that when I checked availability of rooms on the DVC reservation system at 11-months out pre-Pandemic and going back as far 2012, there were times the standard view GV at Aulani was, in fact, shown as available to reserve at 11-months out. It tended to reserve fairly quickly thereafter, but I assume that meant members were getting the reservation.

It is since the time reservations began post-pandemic that the reservation system has continuously shown that the standard view GV is never available for any date at 11-months out and as also filled for the next six nights after any such date. I guess it is possible DVD has removed it from the DVC system, but that could not legally be done if, pre-pandemic, any ownership interests (points) in those standard view GVs were sold to members.

 

[tidefan]

Wasn't the location of Ulu Cafe originally a SV Grand Villa and was taken out of service to convert to Ulu and then a number of hotel rooms brought in to the Condo Association to compensate?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Wasn't the location of Ulu Cafe originally a SV Grand Villa and was taken out of service to convert to Ulu and then a number of hotel rooms brought in to the Condo Association to compensate?

That would have been a pretty sweet location for a SV GV….

 

[DanCali]

Hi All,

Curious about the 3 Bedroom Grand Villas STANDARD at Aulani. Seems like any availability calendar I look at is just a plain "NO WAY" throughout the entire year. I totally understand with only 2x units the chances are slim to none obviously. So how the heck do people actually land a booking there? Is it just pure luck? Fixed weeks maybe? Just curious.

It's not available at 11 months...

https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...6/1720281953525/DVC+Availabilty+Tables_41.pdf

 

[nlenguyen]

I felt like one of the standard GV is one that they use for tours is it not? I believe there were only 2 SV GV.

 

[DanCali]

I felt like one of the standard GV is one that they use for tours is it not? I believe there were only 2 SV GV.

This is the view from the GV we toured. I don't remember the exact floor number, but looks like a pretty fabulous ocean view...

They're pushing these 3BR tours pretty hard and it seems to be in an effort to get people to add-on. Ocean view from that part of the building is a much better selling point.

 

[AstroBlasters]

This is the view from the GV we toured. I don't remember the exact floor number, but looks like a pretty fabulous ocean view...

They're pushing these 3BR tours pretty hard and it seems to be in an effort to get people to add-on. Ocean view from that part of the building is a much better selling point.

View attachment 885806

Ocean Front > Ocean View

 

[DanCali]

Ocean Front > Ocean View

Sure - from there you can definitely call it oceanfront. But the points chart doesn't have an "oceanfront" category, even for the 3BR Grand Villas.

The view I posted from the villa we toured seems almost identical to yours, no.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Sure - from there you can definitely call it oceanfront. But the points chart doesn't have an "oceanfront" category, even for the 3BR Grand Villas.

The view I posted from the villa we toured seems almost identical to yours, no.

I think the tour is on a lower floor villa, but essentially the same. I’d take any room and wouldn’t grumble too much, but I would like to stay in the Ewa Tower GV to see if I can see more of the sunset instead of the 4 Seasons.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Ocean Front > Ocean View

Shots of feet for free, are you crazy??