More Info About Aulani Views and Taxes

[wdrl]

Dvcnews.com has a link to an allears.net article about an Aulani presentation at Disneyland earlier this month (see http://land.allears.net/blogs/lauragilbreath/2010/07/a_preview_of_the_aulani_disney.html).

At the presentation, Disney mentioned that except for the Grand Villas, the Ocean View villas will have only partial ocean views at Aulani. Perhaps Disney has made this announcement due to its experience at BLT. Several DVC members have complained that they received only partial views of the lake or MK at BLT and were unhappy with their rooms. I notice that Aulani's point chart has a disclaimer that states that villas in the Island View, Pool/Garden View, and Ocean View categories will have "at least a partial" view, thereby implying that full views are not guaranteed.

The allears.net article states that Hawaii's Transient Accommodations Tax will average $12-$18 a night. No further explanation was given about the tax. Frankly, I think the estimate of $12-$18 is very high except for Grand Villa, and most two-bedroom villas. I think that a nightly stay will have to require about 60 points to generate a $12/night tax. Since all studios and almost all one-bedrooms require less points, I believe their tax should be less than $12.

I also found it interesting that the allears.net article made no mention of the Guaranteed Week Option available at Aulani. Was it not mentioned at the presentation? I'm surprised that we don't see and hear more about the GW Option since it is suppose to account for up to 35% of Aulani's points.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I also found it interesting that the allears.net article made no mention of the Guaranteed Week Option available at Aulani. Was it not mentioned at the presentation? I'm surprised that we don't see and hear more about the GW Option since it is suppose to account for up to 35% of Aulani's points.

Isn't it that it could account for up to 35%? Maybe since it's an option and not something they have to sell that it's not being brought up more.

 

[wdrl]

Isn't it that it could account for up to 35%? Maybe since it's an option and not something they have to sell that it's not being brought up more.

You're right. The information that I've read about the GW implies that Disney would sell up to 35%. But whether its 35% or just 5%, Disney still needs to market the option. I've gone into both the member website and the public DVC website and I can't find any mention of the GW option. Granted, Disney's websites (especially DVC related ones) don't seem to be updated as quickly as I would expect. Personally, I have no interest in buying a GW at Aulani, but I am curious about the GW option, such as how popular it will be, how it will mesh with the conventional point system, whether it will become an option at all future DVC resorts, or even offered at existing resorts.

 

[tfc3rid]

Will say that if you look at the renderings you can see there are no full Ocean Views...

Was on the Disney Magic the last 2 weeks in the Blatic and the presentation on Aulani did not mention fixed weeks to the current DVC members... They did give some fantastic incentives but I am going to not do it... I'll Add On some more at SSR and hope for a 7 month window trip some time.

 

[abdmom]

I just purchased at Aulani last week. No mention was given about a guaranteed week program.

 

[the donut]

I went to the Disneyland presentation, and there was no mention of the fixed week option. I thought about bringing it up with one of the guides afterwards, but they were kind of aggressive, and I was avoiding them in the party. To be fair, I think they may have been kind of bored. There were maybe 30-40 people there in a room that could hold hundreds.

 

[lilpooh108]

Will say that if you look at the renderings you can see there are no full Ocean Views...

Was on the Disney Magic the last 2 weeks in the Blatic and the presentation on Aulani did not mention fixed weeks to the current DVC members... They did give some fantastic incentives but I am going to not do it... I'll Add On some more at SSR and hope for a 7 month window trip some time.

What were the incentives offered on the cruise for Aulani? Thanks!

 

[Dizny Dad]

Will say that if you look at the renderings you can see there are no full Ocean Views... . . . . . . .

We just returned from a Ko Olina vacation, staying at the Marriott Beach Club next door to Aulani. Here is a picture of the ocean side of the facility. The Grand Villas must be the high peaks on the top, but aren't the other windows one/two bedroom units looking toward the ocean, the same as theGrand Villas?

 

[wdrl]

We just returned from a Ko Olina vacation, staying at the Marriott Beach Club next door to Aulani. Here is a picture of the ocean side of the facility. The Grand Villas must be the high peaks on the top, but aren't the other windows one/two bedroom units looking toward the ocean, the same as theGrand Villas?

It certainly looks like the one/two bedroom villas at the ends of Aulani's "U" (as seen in your photo) would have unobstructed views of the ocean. I've looked at several construction photos of Aulani and I think there would be a number of villas with unobstructed ocean views. Thus, I was surprised when allears.net reported that all one/two bedroom villas had partial ocean views.

I wonder if Disney's comment was pertaining only to those villas being released as part of Phase 1. As you can see from the Aulani map, the villas seen in Dizny Dad's photo are part of Aulani's Phase 3. Additionally, I would not rule out the possibility that Disney has learned from its experience with BLT's views. Some people get very disappointed if their view is not 100%, and Disney is letting them know that all of Aulani's views may be partial views.

 

[Brian Noble]

Frankly, I think the estimate of $12-$18 is very high except for Grand Villa, and most two-bedroom villas.

It may depend on how the basis is calculated. For timeshare-only properties, it would be based on the annual fees owners pay. For mixed-use properties, it could also be based on cash rental rates in some way. Even so, it's a pretty modest sum in the grand scheme of things. But, it would be wise to under-promise and over-deliver, rather than the other way around.

But whether its 35% or just 5%, Disney still needs to market the option.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere (perhaps mere speculation) that the GW option is in place to serve a few specific weeks that are insanely popular on the islands with the Japanese market. Any active marketing might be focused on that segment, or it might just be one of those things that the Guide can pull out if someone is hesitant to buy because they can't guarantee "their week" with the home resort rule.

 

[dwelty]

I believe that the fixed week option was added because this is what the Japanese market is familiar and comfortable with. I do not see this as a new "trend" with DVC, but merely a way to market to a different culture.

 

[podsnel]

It certainly looks like the one/two bedroom villas at the ends of Aulani's "U" (as seen in your photo) would have unobstructed views of the ocean. I've looked at several construction photos of Aulani and I think there would be a number of villas with unobstructed ocean views. Thus, I was surprised when allears.net reported that all one/two bedroom villas had partial ocean views.

I wonder if Disney's comment was pertaining only to those villas being released as part of Phase 1. As you can see from the Aulani map, the villas seen in Dizny Dad's photo are part of Aulani's Phase 3. Additionally, I would not rule out the possibility that Disney has learned from its experience with BLT's views. Some people get very disappointed if their view is not 100%, and Disney is letting them know that all of Aulani's views may be partial views.

So then is the portion in red that is scheduled to open in the 2nd phase DVC? I guess I thought everything on the right was DVC and everything on the left was hotel. So DVC is on both sides?

 

[tfc3rid]

What were the incentives offered on the cruise for Aulani? Thanks!

$114 for 50 Point to 100 Points

Sliding Scale down to $100 per point for 260 or more.

 

[tfc3rid]

So then is the portion in red that is scheduled to open in the 2nd phase DVC? I guess I thought everything on the right was DVC and everything on the left was hotel. So DVC is on both sides?

No, DVC is on one side of the property... However, the phasing that has been handed out is for the resort as a whole...

DVC Rooms will open in phases like Animal Kingdom Villas (as was told to us by DVC folks on the Magic last week)... The full DVC room availability will not be until early in 2013...

 

[wdrl]

So then is the portion in red that is scheduled to open in the 2nd phase DVC? I guess I thought everything on the right was DVC and everything on the left was hotel. So DVC is on both sides?

No, DVC is on one side of the property... However, the phasing that has been handed out is for the resort as a whole...

Several months ago I heard that the DVC villas would be on the right side of the map and the hotel was on the left side. But recently, I heard that the DVC would have villas on both sides. The map in my earlier post is suppose the show the locations of the DVC Villas and it clearly marks in red the left wing as being part of Phase 2. The hotel portion of Aulani is above Phase 2 on the left side, and the convention center is next to DVC's Phase 1, which is outlined in yellow.

 

[wdrl]

I vaguely recall reading somewhere (perhaps mere speculation) that the GW option is in place to serve a few specific weeks that are insanely popular on the islands with the Japanese market. Any active marketing might be focused on that segment, or it might just be one of those things that the Guide can pull out if someone is hesitant to buy because they can't guarantee "their week" with the home resort rule.

I'm just confused as to why Disney is not more proactive in displaying all of the available options to their potential customers. There may be customers attending these Aulani presentations who actually prefer a fixed week timeshare compared to a points system. Its like Chevrolet having a small hybrid vehicle with excellent gas milage, but then not advertising it and not putting it on the show room floor because it has always sold just big SUVs and pickup trucks. How does a customer know what you have if you don't show it to them?

Aulani is a big resort (third biggest of the 11 DVC resorts) and Disney will have about 11.6 million points to sell. People are speculating how well Aulani will sell and what may happen to the DVC program if it doesn't sell. I agree with something that tjkraz said on another thread: We want Aulani to be a success because it might open the doors to DVC resorts in other non-park locations, as well as help fund other DVC expansions at DisneyWorld and Disneyland. If the Guaranteed Week Option could help attract new DVC members, then Disney should be using it.

 

[Granny]

Additionally, I would not rule out the possibility that Disney has learned from its experience with BLT's views. Some people get very disappointed if their view is not 100%, and Disney is letting them know that all of Aulani's views may be partial views.

I believe you are correct. I think Disney is trying to set expectations to avoid check-in nightmares. They will be able to say that all their sales information indicated that there is no guarantee of unobstructed ocean views.

Want to guess what the #1 request will be for Aulani Ocean View reservations?

 

[chrisanjohn]

We just toured the models at Aulani and there will be dvc villas on both sides of the resort. The Grand Villas will be located at the ocean end of both buildings providing an ocean view, I believe there will be 21 GVs total. The model is beautifully decorated and includes a well designed twin size murphy bed under the flat screen tv console in addition to the fold out sofa in the living room. The kitchen includes all the amenities of dvc units with the addition of a rice cooker, which is popular on the islands. Looks like another incredible Disney plan and we're definitely tempted to buy in!

 

[DenLo]

We just toured the models at Aulani and there will be dvc villas on both sides of the resort. The Grand Villas will be located at the ocean end of both buildings providing an ocean view, I believe there will be 21 GVs total. The model is beautifully decorated and includes a well designed twin size murphy bed under the flat screen tv console in addition to the fold out sofa in the living room. The kitchen includes all the amenities of dvc units with the addition of a rice cooker, which is popular on the islands. Looks like another incredible Disney plan and we're definitely tempted to buy in!

Wow you're the first to actually see the models at the Aulani resort. I saw on another thread that you were actually on Oahu and a CM was manning a kiosk/umbrella off the beach. Did you happen to notice if the kitchen had a wok or steamer? If the DVC is really trying to attract the Japanese market, I would think these items would help just like the rice cooker.

Did you take any photos? Could you post them?

 

[chrisanjohn]

Sadly we are leaving the island this morning, but it's nice to know that we'll have a great Disney resort to come back to. The rice cooker is more of a Hawaiian amenity, my daughter that lives on Oahu says that everyone uses them on a regular basis. I don't think there will be any other additional kitchen appliances than what we normally see at DVC units.

We do have some photos that I'll try to post when we return. As is typical for us our camera disc filled on our visit, but I think we have shots of the cool murphy twin bed in the living room.