Just bought Aulani!!

[BeccaG]

So funny how your own bias mars your perception! We are a young family with no set travel pattern, and I can't imagine ever having one. So when I first read of the fixed week option my first thought was, "why would anyone pay _ extra_ for that!?" However after reading your all's reply I see why some folks would like it but it's definitely not for me. I guess my thought would be if I wanted to own there I would be a more hesitant purchaser but we aren't going to be looking at buying for a while.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Well, for those buyers who want a fixed week at Aulani , then its the "right" option for them. Until we read Aulani's Declaration of Condominium, we won't know exactly how DVD will administer the fixed week portion of Aulani's membership base. As with many things, the devil is in the details. I could see the fixed week option being available for only certain weeks of the use year, or that the fixed week option will only absorb a portion of the points in a given use year. It will be interesting to watch this topic unfold.

I still can't think of anything Lewis has done right. Fixed weeks don't work for me, and they further will reduce my availability.
Others may find something good about Lewis, but as I said- "I" can't think of anything good.

MG

 

[Brancaneve]

Congrats OP on your exciting purchase. Now you know......this purchase forces you to give us all a detailed trip report!

 

[tjkraz]

- Offering a fixed week option for 10% increase in price (this is new to DVC - I passed on this)

This just doesn't seem quite right.

Wouldn't the price vary depending upon the week purchased? A developer isn't going to sell Week 52 for the same price as Week 9.

As for the impact on availability, even if DVC is selling weeks wouldn't they have to set aside a separate block of rooms for weeks vs. points? In other words, I can't believe that they would be able to sell 481 units worth of ownership for high-demand Week 52, thus blocking all points owners from accessing those dates. There would have to be some separation of the two.

I have already seen quite a bit of literature on Aulani, and spoken to some execs, and there has been no mention of a weeks option.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Just got off the phone with my guide.......

(oops, I forgot to ask about the fixed week concept, but I wasn't interested in that).

160 points to be a founding member.

on 160 points, there is a $10 per point discount.

So at $114 per point base price, our 160 point contract is $104.

Gotta call the wife and let her know and call the guide back and place the order.

Dues are $4.53 pp.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

This just doesn't seem quite right.

Wouldn't the price vary depending upon the week purchased? A developer isn't going to sell Week 52 for the same price as Week 9.

As for the impact on availability, even if DVC is selling weeks wouldn't they have to set aside a separate block of rooms for weeks vs. points? In other words, I can't believe that they would be able to sell 481 units worth of ownership for high-demand Week 52, thus blocking all points owners from accessing those dates. There would have to be some separation of the two.

I have already seen quite a bit of literature on Aulani, and spoken to some execs, and there has been no mention of a weeks option.

It doesn't seem right to me either, but not because of a price difference in weeks. I think the difference in points to reserve the particular week would account for the pricing difference.

I am sure the OP is giving it to us as told by their guide, but I find it odd that so far they are the only one to purchase or hear about the fixed week deal.

MG

 

[arthur06]

so.... Would the fixed week option be immune from any future point re-allocations???

If you bought a fixed week and it was 200 points... and in 5 years there is a point re-allocation that makes the same time 203 points or 198 points, do you get an additional bill or credit?

 

[deebits]

Same here. I really hate the idea of a fixed week option. I would not buy at a resort where my flexible points weren't worth as much based on someone else having first chance at time I may want based on them paying 10% more. Easter and Christmas will be hard enough to get at 7 months and will be close to impossible if there are fixed weeks involved, IMHO.

I bet this is another of those changes that DVC says the members have been asking for.

But really only Christmas will be hard to get because Easter is usually never the same week.

 

[bwvBound]

But really only Christmas will be hard to get because Easter is usually never the same week.

Perhaps they are selling these as 'Event Weeks' which allow the week to slide a bit. Not so much fixed to a specific numerical reference to calendar -- but always including a key event such as Easter, Mardi Gras, Jazz Festival, Tree Lighting ... or whatever event is appropriate to the locale.

 

[yensid9111]

I wonder if they are going to sell Hawaii 3 different ways--Hotel rooms for cash; DVC Villas for points and another group of DVC Villas for fixed weeks. I for one, do not like the idea of fixed weeks. That was one of the main reasons we bought in was the flexibility. I'm anxious to find out exactly how this is going to work--I want to understand fully before we make the decision to buy or not to buy.

 

[SoCalDCLfan]

I am sure the OP is giving it to us as told by their guide, but I find it odd that so far they are the only one to purchase or hear about the fixed week deal.

MG

I shared what my guide told me. Don't know why I'm the only one to report a purchase so far, but I assure you they took my money!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I shared what my guide told me. Don't know why I'm the only one to report a purchase so far, but I assure you they took my money!

On another board it was reported that 35% of the allocation will be for fixed weeks.

It seems like this would be hard to integrate in and like was said - a 10% premium for any week of the year doesn't seem to make sense.

 

[SoCalDCLfan]

Just got off the phone with my guide.......

(oops, I forgot to ask about the fixed week concept, but I wasn't interested in that).

160 points to be a founding member.

on 160 points, there is a $10 per point discount.

So at $114 per point base price, our 160 point contract is $104.

Gotta call the wife and let her know and call the guide back and place the order.

Dues are $4.53 pp.

Congratulations!!!!

 

[DenLo]

On another board it was reported that 35% of the allocation will be for fixed weeks.

It seems like this would be hard to integrate in and like was said - a 10% premium for any week of the year doesn't seem to make sense.

I think it's pretty simple. If you choose a specific week it is in a season with points attached to that season, villa size and view. Therefore the points would be based on the combination of these figures plus 10 percent.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Just got off the phone with my guide.......

(oops, I forgot to ask about the fixed week concept, but I wasn't interested in that).

160 points to be a founding member.

on 160 points, there is a $10 per point discount.

So at $114 per point base price, our 160 point contract is $104.

Gotta call the wife and let her know and call the guide back and place the order.

Dues are $4.53 pp.

Okay, now I'm confused. Is it 160 points to be a founder or 250 points (as was posted by OP) to be a founder? This is a make or break for us. Not only can we not afford 250 points, but we also don't need that many. Why are different guides presenting different choices?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Okay, now I'm confused. Is it 160 points to be a founder or 250 points (as was posted by OP) to be a founder? This is a make or break for us. Not only can we not afford 250 points, but we also don't need that many. Why are different guides presenting different choices?

I did not interpret the OP to be saying that it took 250 points to be a founding member. Just that it was the amount of points they wanted to purchase.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think it's pretty simple. If you choose a specific week it is in a season with points attached to that season, villa size and view. Therefore the points would be based on the combination of these figures plus 10 percent.

Ok - makes sense. Wonder how that works for a floating holiday season though with a fixed week? Just based on what the points would be the first year you buy your week?

 

[DenLo]

Okay, now I'm confused. Is it 160 points to be a founder or 250 points (as was posted by OP) to be a founder? This is a make or break for us. Not only can we not afford 250 points, but we also don't need that many. Why are different guides presenting different choices?

The OP came back later in the thread and said she qualified as a founder by buying 250 points, not that 250 was the requirement to become a founder. She meant that she needed 250 points to stay in her desired 1BR pool view every other year.

Found the post, #31

Originally Posted by LouisianaDisneyFan
We were tempted by the possibility of being founders, but now that Disney bumped the minimum up to 250, that's no longer attractive to us.
SoCalDCLfan posted: I'm not sure that this is the case. The 250 point level gave us the $12 discount. The guide did not mention an entry point level for founding member status probably since we'd met it. a previous thread mentioned 160. I'd check into this further
__________________
Me , DH , DS , DD , DD

 

[wdrl]

I did not interpret the OP to be saying that it took 250 points to be a founding member. Just that it was the amount of points they wanted to purchase.

Aulani "facts" are flying fast and furious, and they are changing just as fast and as furiously. Dvcnews.com is reporting on the number of villas in each booking category (Standard, Island View, Pool View, Ocean View), but the total number of villas doesn't add up to the 481 villa total that I thought Alulani had. Several posters have said that Aulani's MFs will be $4.31/point; but now I'm seeing others saying the MFs will be $4.53.

By this time tomorrow we'll probably be reading a whole new set of "facts" about Aulani. Gosh, if this isn't exciting, I don't know what is!!!

 

["Got Disney"]

yes, just like other timeshares where you get a certain week every year. I was surprised by that.

I'm actually very concerned about this. This is potentially a huge hidden change. If enough members purchase this option, other resort owners may never have the chance to book peak weeks like Christmas, etc. I'm interested to hear others thoughts...

Congrats

I dont like that idea either....but as long as it is only an option not set in stone in order to purchase....than guess those that want that can have it if they like it that way.

We were thinking about buying into Hawaii also and have planned on it for awhile....we want to get another 200 points to add to our 400 but everything is soooo expensive in Hawaii that we worry about how much the dues will increase over the years.....

Guess I'll watch and see....by the way do they show how many points each room is????