How important is the view?

[BayGirl22]

Apparently I'm in the minority on this thread, but I love Poolside Garden view. I request the ground floor so we have a patio that goes out to the pool area. No need to deal with the elevators, and I like to sneak out the patio in the morning to get coffee and work by the adult pool. (The sliders don't lock from outside so this only works when others are still in the room.) To me its the most convenient option.

Our next trip is split between and Ocean View and Poolside Garden Viewbecause that's what is available last minute. I don't think we're in the room enough to really enjoy the Ocean view, and I think being that high up that we can't take the stairs will be annoying - but we'll see how we feel.

Not sure how old your kids are but I'd go with the 2bdr if I didn't want to save the extra points for something else.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Apparently I'm in the minority on this thread, but I love Poolside Garden view. I request the ground floor so we have a patio that goes out to the pool area. No need to deal with the elevators, and I like to sneak out the patio in the morning to get coffee and work by the adult pool. (The sliders don't lock from outside so this only works when others are still in the room.) To me its the most convenient option.

Our next trip is split between and Ocean View and Poolside Garden Viewbecause that's what is available last minute. I don't think we're in the room enough to really enjoy the Ocean view, and I think being that high up that we can't take the stairs will be annoying - but we'll see how we feel.

Not sure how old your kids are but I'd go with the 2bdr if I didn't want to save the extra points for something else.

Now this I will have to try when my kids become teenagers. I’ve wasted lots of time waiting for those elevators. And I also love walking around the grounds before sunrise. So quiet and peaceful while the CMs are preparing for another day.

 

[BayGirl22]

Now this I will have to try when my kids become teenagers. I’ve wasted lots of time waiting for those elevators. And I also love walking around the grounds before sunrise. So quiet and peaceful while the CMs are preparing for another day.

I agree! I love the mornings at Aulani! Coffee on the adult pool deck overlooking the ocean while they play the morning music. I did morning yoga on the beach once too, so peaceful.

 

[sanibel93]

Got a pool Gardens View 2 bedroom in January 2022(Frist time) . Would like to put in a request for the EWA tower( I heard you might be able to hear the Luau sometimes at night if in the room). When I go to my reservation and look at what I could request I only get near lobby. Do I need to call? I know I might not get my request, but want to try.

 

[Buson808]

View is only important to you! Only you can answer. For me I dont care as I live 15 mins from Aulani and I used to work in Koolina.
But when Im at the grand californian high floor and view of pixar pier is super important to my family as we hang out on the balcony. Park view is much more inportant than a view of the ocean. If that makes sense?

 

[Buson808]

Also got a pool view room for this weekend. Just because that was the only rooms available on dvc. View of the mountains would have been fine for my family. Whatevers cheapest on dvc points.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Apparently I'm in the minority on this thread, but I love Poolside Garden view. I request the ground floor so we have a patio that goes out to the pool area. No need to deal with the elevators, and I like to sneak out the patio in the morning to get coffee and work by the adult pool. (The sliders don't lock from outside so this only works when others are still in the room.) To me its the most convenient option.

Our next trip is split between and Ocean View and Poolside Garden Viewbecause that's what is available last minute. I don't think we're in the room enough to really enjoy the Ocean view, and I think being that high up that we can't take the stairs will be annoying - but we'll see how we feel.

Not sure how old your kids are but I'd go with the 2bdr if I didn't want to save the extra points for something else.

That's a big "if" though, right? If you don't get that ground floor, you're out of luck.

 

[newdeal]

I don't fly a quarter the way around the world to look at a parking garage. Being DVC I prefer island garden view and then requesting a room that I know I can see the ocean from the balcony in order to save points. If I can't get that (as they book up faster than ocean view) I book ocean view even though its more points. We are in the room more than you would think since with east coast jet lag we generally are up around 3am with not much to do.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

View is only important to you! Only you can answer. For me I dont care as I live 15 mins from Aulani and I used to work in Koolina.
But when Im at the grand californian high floor and view of pixar pier is super important to my family as we hang out on the balcony. Park view is much more inportant than a view of the ocean. If that makes sense?

How do you make room request at the Grand cal? I would love to get that high floor theme park view one day. Aloha.

 

[nkereina]

I agree with some PPs that it depends on what is important to you.

A lot of people like to enjoy coffee, wine, or even meals out on their balcony so view is important. Ko Olina/Aulani is also a dead zone after about 8pm, so I can see the appeal of retreating to your room at night to relax on the balcony after kids or traveling companions are asleep. A nice view certainly enhances that.

If you don't see yourself doing those things, a nice view is less important IMO. We had an island view on our honeymoon but we were rarely in the room and I don't think we sat on the balcony at all. The only con for us was that we were on floor 5 overlooking the courtyard of the conference center, and it allowed little natural light into the room. In that case, space would be more important to me and I'd opt for the 2BR.

 

[Buson808]

How do you make room request at the Grand cal? I would love to get that high floor theme park view one day. Aloha.

you have to call guest servicesand put in your special request. You can even request a specific room#. I got pixar pier views 5 years in a row. Trees has grown overr the years.[AT

 

[BayGirl22]

That's a big "if" though, right? If you don't get that ground floor, you're out of luck.

I'm one for one, and I don't think it's frequently requested. However, I'd still rather be on a low floor where I can take the stairs rather than waiting for elevators.

 

[ScottJayhawk]

My 2 cents and we just booked with this in mind and choose an extra day over the view. I’ve never been but from research and experience and many other hotels through the years “view” is a crapshoot, good and bad. I’ve seen photos of so called better views that were garbage and lesser level views that were amazing. There’s a great ocean view steps away for everyone. And I’m normally in favor of spending a bit more for the view but not this time, not when it got me an extra day.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

My 2 cents and we just booked with this in mind and choose an extra day over the view. I’ve never been but from research and experience and many other hotels through the years “view” is a crapshoot, good and bad. I’ve seen photos of so called better views that were garbage and lesser level views that were amazing. There’s a great ocean view steps away for everyone. And I’m normally in favor of spending a bit more for the view but not this time, not when it got me an extra day.

Absolutely. If budget is a limiting factor in the length of the trip, always take more nights over a view. I'd only pay for a view if something else (school, time off work) is already putting a time limit on how long you can stay.

 

[Twohsieh]

Honest question. When at WDW we dont worry about the view. Hoping to go to Hawaii next march. Looking at points, for the cost of a 1bdrm ocean, I can almost get a 2 bdrm. We are staying for 1 week. Just the 4 of us. Stretch out in a 2 bdrm or up the view of a 1 bdrm. Also if pool or island view, the higher up you would see part of the water as well would you not?
Thanks

We have stayed at Aulani numerous times in different size rooms with various views depending on the availability and the number of guests we have with us.
You are correct that the higher floor IV rooms will be able to view part of the ocean, so if the increase in points is obtainable, go for the bigger room without spending it on the OV.
We have a family of five, but we usually stay in the 1 BR IV or PV.
We've stayed in a standard view once due to lack of available rooms but we didn't care for the room as it looked out into the parking garage. We didn't feel the Hawaiian vibe with this view.
Although we are not in our rooms most of the time, we love seeing the ocean/pool area, as well as hearing the music when we are in our room.

 

[Paul Stupin]

We love waking up and seeing the ocean, watching the sunset (if we’re in the Ewa Tower), having coffee on the balcony, watching the stars over the ocean, etc. For us, Hawaii is all about the beaches and ocean, and we want to see it from our room.

 

[Karin1984]

Depends on the kind of person you are:
1. Open the curtains in the morning, go 'hey look, the ocean, neat'. And then leave the room till late night... might skip the more expensive view.
2. Spend a lot of time in the room, having coffee on the balcony, letting the hours pass, enjoying the surroundings... get the best view.

 

[Buson808]

Here now and I enjoyed my beer watching the pools….4th floor.

 

[longboard55]

The view is important but we had a great view from a backside room

 

[Paul Stupin]

The view is important but we had a great view from a backside room

Good point! If you don’t mind a mountain view, you can save points. But I’d google exactly what the view looks like before booking. The mountains on the Aulani side of the island aren’t particularly green or lush.