Just bought Aulani!!

[Greysword]

IF this is true about the fixed weeks, I really don't see how it negatively impacts members. The fixed week villas would have to be a separate block of rooms. There will still be a representative number of points rooms to points owners...

Tim,

Are you the author of this report: "DVC entering fixed-week marketplace"?

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/hawaii--ko-olina-resorts-175/1289-dvc-entering-fixed-week-marketplace

hehehe

 

[madcoco]

Congratulations on your purchase! DD is a CM and just returned from a VGC stay and D23 Event at the Studios. Her friend that now works in the Archives filled her head with visions of owning at Aulani LOL. She now got us all excited about attending the Aulani Event on the 18th here. At this point I don't see us owning there but you never know. The voodoo and pressure those timeshare people put on you by locking you in a room and feeding you free drinks and cookies may actually work. j/k Congrats again to new and soon to be founding members!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Who's to say they are only going to sell 35% at "Fixed Week"?

I thought I read that earlier in this thread... Who knows??

MG

 

[CrazyDuck]

I thought I read that earlier in this thread... Who knows??

MG

Yea. it is... I was not reading good! It won't make much a difference anyways... Aulani is huge... 65% of a lot is still a lot!

 

["Got Disney"]

All we can do is wait and see. Based upon the current direction of the DVC as I see it, you can bet that any changes to the existing system will benefit Disney and not the DVC Members.

DVCNews.com, a most trusted and up to date source of DVC information is reporting that 35% of the rooms won't even be available to members using points, and to me that is just wrong.

Bill

Is this the DVC rooms or the rooms in general...i mean did they not say that their were DVC rooms and rooms that were not DVC rooms that would be used for non-DVC members? I thought that around 35% of all the rooms were not going to be used by DVC members....something like that....at least that is how I always thought they said it was going to be.

This way folks that want to stay there also can. However will they be in a separate area or all mixed in...or will the non DVC members also be staying in the DVC rooms...

 

[Nikisha421]

Here goes my silly question:

Why do you think Disney is charging more for the fixed week option???

Why would it be impt to charge those ppl more money???

 

[Sammie]

Here goes my silly question:

Why do you think Disney is charging more for the fixed week option???

Why would it be impt to charge those ppl more money???

I think we have to consider that the marketing for Aulani is going to be more global than WDW, therefore vacation trends might be such that having a fixed week is important to those buying.

35% of the DVC portion is not in my opinion so much as to shut out anyone calling at 11 months to get a particular week.

As to charging more, Disney is always going to take advantage of any opportunity to make more money.

 

[hakepb]

Well it's all very interesting with the fixed week thing. If 35% of the resort is reserved for fixed weeks that could be counted multiple ways. ie 35% of all weeks meaning they could sell all Christmas week and new years as fixed and not be close to 35% or for any given week sell 35% of the villas as fixed. However I can't imagine them charging a premium for a random fixed week in September, who would pay a premium for that? Which makes me think it's the first way. ...

I think the maintenance few percent DVC owns
is spread out over the year rather than an exact few percent each week, so you may be very correct about answer 1

It is very odd about the fixed week premium, because the flexibility has generally been a premium selling point. However I'm sure jim hates hearing from current big point owners that have difficulty booking their trips, and I think there may be several current owners willing to pay an additional premium to get a certain fixed week.

Thinking more. It would be easier to declare a unit fixed or points. Of course it all comes down to the contract points owners sign

 

[wdrl]

My wife and I talked to our Guide earlier today and got some information about Aulani:

Aulani is selling at $114 a point and will probably stay at that level through October 31, 2010. The current incentives are

50 Points -- $6, Net cost $108/point
100 Points -- $8, Net cost $106/point
125 Points -- $10, Net Cost $104/point
250 Points -- $12, Net Cost $102/point

Starting in November 2010, Aulani's price will go up.

The Fixed Week option:
Up to 35% of Aulani will sold as Fixed Week Villas. For any given Use Week, no more than 35% of Aulani's accommodations will be part of the Fixed Week inventory. Conversely, this means that for each Use Week at least 65% will be available for DVC members to book using points. Thus, during Christmas, Spring Break, Ground Hog Day, etc, there will be about 300 of Aulani's 460 villas available for booking with points by DVC members. Furthermore, the 35%/65% split will also cover accommodation types. Thus, about 7 of Aulani's 21 Grand Villas might end up in the Fixed Week inventory, leaving about 14 Grand Villas in the Points inventory.

Fixed Week owners will not be able to book at other DVC resorts. Their ownership interest at Aulani cannot be used to obtain reservations at the other 10 resorts in the DVC Vacation Plan. (I didn't ask whether a fixed week owner could trade out their week via RCI).

The Fixed Week price is 10% higher than the points price.

Fixed Week owners have the option of converting their ownership interest to points. If such a conversion is done, the fixed week owner receives the number of points their week is worth, not the dollar value of their original purchase. Thus, the fixed week owner effectively loses the 10% premium they paid for their real estate interest.

The Fixed Week option is being offered because some Japanese buyers prefer the certainty of owning a fixed week rather than the uncertainty that can occur with flexible point systems.


Personally, I don't see the Fixed Week Option as a problem. Aulani will still have about 300 villas in its DVC points inventory once it is sold out. That is more villas than BLT, one of my home resorts, that has only 291 villas available for DVC members. Since the 65/35 split between Points and Fixed Week accommodations hold true for each week and accommodation type, I stand the same chance at getting a reservation at Aulani with points as I do at any other DVC resort.

I definitely will not buy a fixed week at Aulani. One big reason we like DVC is the option of trying different DVC resorts at different times of the year. But if the Fixed Week Option works for someone else, then I say "Good for them!"

I have but one complaint about Aulani. As some of you know, I love tracking DVC sales via deeds recorded and filed at the Orange County Comptroller. Unfortunately, Hawaii's Bureau of Conveyences, which records Hawaiian timeshare deeds, is nowhere near as user friendly as the good ol' OCC. I'll be able to see Aulani deeds as they are recorded, but I won't be able to collect data by UY, Unit, points sold, fixed weeks sold, etc.

By the way, based on information released by dvcnews.com and the Aulani Point chart that was released last week, I estimate that Aulani will bring about 11,600,000 points into the DVC system. This includes the 35% that may be allotted to the Fixed Week inventory.

 

[2disneydads]

After playing telephone with our guide since yesterday afternoon, I finally caught up with him. He seemed to indicate that you needed to buy the 250 points for the founding member froufrou, but he was not clear. It did take 250 points to get the big discount, so we cancelled a pending add-on at BLT and went for the 250 points at Aulani. All contracts will be processed starting on Thursday, as someone else has noted. All that people are doing now is getting in the queue to have their proposals processed on Thursday. Our guide was pretty certain that for summer months one will need to be an owner using the 11-month window to get in. So we'll see. We wanted enough for a 2-bedroom ocean view every 3 years. We probably could do a less than full week every 2 years. It will be interesting to see how things go. Guess we'll be headed back to Hawaii summer 2012.

 

[rparmfamily]

Congrats to those who have bought in, and if you haven't been to O'ahu in a few years I think you'll be surprised at the growth that side of the island has, and the added shopping and resturants,etc.

 

[Inkmahm]

Our guide was pretty certain that for summer months one will need to be an owner using the 11-month window to get in.

Really? Summer will be high season for Hawaii? That seems odd to me. I'd go to Hawaii in winter so Jan/Feb/March. Summer would be the least likely time of year for me to go to Hawaii.

 

[2disneydads]

July and August are extremely busy in Hawaii - early to mid August especially so because it is a popular time for Japanese visitors to come to Hawaii. I have learned this through frustrating experience trying to get into the Hilton Grand Vacations Club on Oahu in August during the regular club period (the equivalent of the DVC's 7-month window). We did not want to get shut out at Aulani, too.

 

[tjkraz]

Well it's all very interesting with the fixed week thing. If 35% of the resort is reserved for fixed weeks that could be counted multiple ways. ie 35% of all weeks meaning they could sell all Christmas week and new years as fixed and not be close to 35% or for any given week sell 35% of the villas as fixed. However I can't imagine them charging a premium for a random fixed week in September, who would pay a premium for that? Which makes me think it's the first way. ...

They aren't picking and choosing weeks. 35% of the villas will be sold in 52 separate weekly increments.

DVCNews.com, a most trusted and up to date source of DVC information is reporting that 35% of the rooms won't even be available to members using points, and to me that is just wrong.

But Bill, if that 35% were part of the DVC points system there would be more points owners at Aulani. Many of those owners would be booking their home resort 11 months out, thus blocking non-owners. And some would even be using points at non-Home resorts (BLT, BWV, BCV, HHI, Vero, etc.)

Instead of viewing Aulani as a 460-villa complex, it's probably better viewed as the 300 units which are joining the DVC points system. 300 units is still a significant size--larger than all of the Bay Lake Tower.

Buyers now have multiple options available. Perhaps fixed-week timeshares are more important to international customers, who will be very important to Aulani's success.

I think it also reduces the possibility of members buying Aulani just to get "in the system" and using those points toward theme park resorts. That was always a concern with locations like Vero and HHI. Now we know that more than 1/3 of owners at Aulani will be prohibited from using points for other resorts.

I'm quite sure Disney is doing this because they feel it will help the bottom line. But isn't that their job--to give the customer what they want?

Personally I WANT Aulani to be successful because that can only lead to a Washington DC resort, a Lake Tahoe resort and many other options for members.

Tim,

Are you the author of this report: "DVC entering fixed-week marketplace"?

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/hawaii--ko-olina-resorts-175/1289-dvc-entering-fixed-week-marketplace

hehehe

Yes.

After reading the great info here I did get independent confirmation of the pertinent details from two separate sources. Later this evening I also received verification through official DVC channels.

I'm sure details will continue to emerge in the coming days but the weeks system is a reality at Aulani.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Well, Disney has already told us when they think they are going to be busiest, based upon the points chart that has been published.

Premiere Season (most points) is last two weeks in April, first week in May, Thanksgiving week and Christmas week.

Magic Season (second highest point total) is essentially the end of June, all of July, and all of August. If travel to Oahu was dead in that time of year, then it wouldn't be Magic Season.

Disney is predicting the slow season will essentially be January, February, and all of September (when we'll be going).

 

[BeccaG]

They aren't picking and choosing weeks. 35% of the villas will be sold in 52 separate weekly increments.
....

Instead of viewing Aulani as a 460-villa complex, it's probably better viewed as the 300 units which are joining the DVC points system. 300 units is still a significant size--larger than all of the Bay Lake Tower.

Glad to hear and good point! I'm also glad to hear the fixed week ownerships ate fixed toAulani and can certainly understand how that might appeal to some but it's certainly not for us. I too would like Aulani to succeed so we can see other off site properties.

 

[wdrl]

They aren't picking and choosing weeks. 35% of the villas will be sold in 52 separate weekly increments.

Minor point: I was told that DVD can sell no more than 50 of 52 weeks as fixed week increments at Aulani. I don't know what two weeks DVD will not market. I'm guessing this limitation is similar to the fact that DVD cannot sell more than 98% of the points at DVC resorts.

 

[DenLo]

This almost sounds like how Starwood (Sheraton) does their point system. I think those with a week at a specific reosrt are assigned a point value, which they can trade in their week for the points to use at other resorts. This would make it complicated, for sure.

I'm curious to see how this will play out mechanically (fees to trade, values, avaialability, restrictions, etc)

I hope they don't think this is a good idea for WDW.

Our guide told under no certain terms that those who buy fixed weeks at Aulani will not be able to trade their week out and exchange it for a reservation at another DVC property. Maybe the DVC had to make this restriction as these owners will not have a Use Year. The fixed week people can totally convert their fixed week contract into a points contract but they have to purchase the points at the market price. So if their original purchase was $17,500 plus 10 percent, the $17,500 would be used to buy points and they would lose the 10%. And they would no longer have a fixed week membership, but would select a use year when they buy points.

Well it's all very interesting with the fixed week thing. If 35% of the resort is reserved for fixed weeks that could be counted multiple ways. ie 35% of all weeks meaning they could sell all Christmas week and new years as fixed and not be close to 35% or for any given week sell 35% of the villas as fixed. However I can't imagine them charging a premium for a random fixed week in September, who would pay a premium for that? Which makes me think it's the first way. ...

Our guide was very positive that only 35% of each villa type and view would be sold as a fixed week. So that in any given week only 35 percent of all guests would be fixed week DVC members.

Here goes my silly question:

Why do you think Disney is charging more for the fixed week option???

Why would it be impt to charge those ppl more money???

I think that Disney can charge the 10% more because the market demand will handle it. Disney researched and found that the Japanese people prefer a more structured timeshare with a fixed week. With this change (adding fixed weeks versus points) in the DVC setup, there will be expenses involved for the DVD. Also there might need to be Japanese speaking CMs or even a specialized MS center for these fixed week people, maybe some additions to the kitchens for Japanese cooking (small appliances or pans, i.e. rice cooker, wok, steamer, chop sticks, rice bowls and paddles etc. Perhaps even a better vent hood.) And there could be additions to the spa to make the Japanese guests more comfortable. All these things cost money and Disney needs to recoup any costs as well as make a profit. BTW all of the cost stuff is just me thinking why the DVD would charge extra. The bottom line is that Disney will charge the extra 10% because people will pay for it. It comes down to location, location, location. And Hawaii is a very expensive location.

When our guide gave us an example on the cost of buying a fixed week he didn't even apply the incentive discounts. I don't know if that means that fixed week people don't get the incentives or if it was just quick figuring on the part of our guide. We were not really interested in fixed week so I didn't question it. I just noticed after the phone call that the figures he gave us did not include any discounts.

 

[DenLo]

Congratulations or should I say Ho'omaika'i, to SoCalDCLfan, ChiSoxKeith, and 2disneydads for their Founding Member purchases at Aulani.

Are any or all of you going to add Aulani to your signature soon? Here's the link to the Tag Fairy's cute little signature boxes. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1861494&highlight=blt+pig

 

[Mr_Potts]

Regarding the fixed weeks, I wonder if Disney will offer to rent that week for the owner if the owner can't use it? After all, the fixed week owners don't have the option to bank or borrow that the rest of us have. This was the case with a fixed week we owned in Mexico once upon a time. If so, that could justify the 10% premium.

I know that right now there is 10% premium for the fixed week, but I wonder if we will see a big sale on unpopular fixed weeks at some point.

This is so exciting!