Planning first Aulani Trip next year, need some advice

[ONealFamily]

Hello,

I am a new registered user here but have been reading the threads for months. My wife and I just purchased into DVC at Aulani and wanted a bit of advice from those who have gone before. We are planning on going in February 2013. Since we are members and can book at 11 months so I don't anticipate many issues when I book next month.

At the time of the trip our daughter will be 9 and our son will be a little over 2 and half years old. In addition we are brining my wife's sister along (she's a grown up but probably wouldn't get to do something like this if not given the opportunity.)

We are planning on getting a 2 bedroom for the 5 of us and wanted to know the best tower to stay in and the best view to get.

Right now, it looks like the point break down for Feb is as follows.

Standard - 343 Points
Island Gardens - 357 Points
Poolside Gardens - 420 Points
Ocean View - 441 Points

With our points, we could get any of the views, but are hoping to save a few points to stay at the VGC in Sept or so, so don't want to blow the whole chihuahua.

Right now, I am looking at the Island Gardens view but was hoping someone may have a bit more info on it. I haven't really been able to track down any pictures of someone who has had that view. Also is there a major difference between the towers so I know when I make my room request?

Also, if anyone has travelled there with young ones, did they have fun? Unfortunately on this trip my son will be too young for Auntie's but we are hoping to find some fun activities for him.

Thanks!

Scott

 

[ONealFamily]

...and silence.

 

[boiseflyfisher]

We stayed in Island Garden View and Standard view. This is a preference question. We didn't spend much time in our rooms, so the view wasn't important for us. For our family, at Aulani, I would go with the cheapest view I could get because we don't really care. I know that other owners prefer a pool view or ocean view. It is a matter of what you like.

If you want to save points for another trip, got with Standard or Island.

 

[ONealFamily]

Thanks for the heads up. Preference is what I typically hear from everyone and we are pretty easy. Just curious if Island or Standard was better in one tower rather than the other. I don't think we will spring for the pool or ocean view.

Having a little one that may need to go down mid day for a nap now and again may mean that we may be spending a little extra time in room this trip is another concern. It would be nice to look out and see something at least mildly different that what I look at here in Northern California would be nice.

 

[ONealFamily]

Quick question though, what exactly were you looking at from your standard view room and what were you looking at from your island garden view room?

 

[kerickson]

We've booked Aulani for a trip this June. From what I've read, Ocean View can mean partial ocean view (I think the number of 100% ocean view villas is limited because the resort is not complete yet.
Most posters state that you aren't in your rooms that often to make the extra points worth it, but if you have the points to spare, or you specifically bought points to garantee the ocean view, then I'm sure it will be worth while.

We opted for Island View as I didn't have the points for Ocean view and I thought the Pool view could be noisy (not sure if that's the case, just has been my experience at other resorts).

I submitted a post asking about room requests/towers. Feedback was that all rooms seem very close to the pool and beach due to the resort layout. I'll probably put in for a top floor as I think that will be the best chance for a better view, but high floors always make me nervous with little kids (we'll have 2 5yr olds and 2 8yr olds on this trip). I'm not going to fret too much about it, if I want a better view I'll just walk outside

 

[ONealFamily]

We've booked Aulani for a trip this June. From what I've read, Ocean View can mean partial ocean view (I think the number of 100% ocean view villas is limited because the resort is not complete yet.
Most posters state that you aren't in your rooms that often to make the extra points worth it, but if you have the points to spare, or you specifically bought points to garantee the ocean view, then I'm sure it will be worth while.

We opted for Island View as I didn't have the points for Ocean view and I thought the Pool view could be noisy (not sure if that's the case, just has been my experience at other resorts).

I submitted a post asking about room requests/towers. Feedback was that all rooms seem very close to the pool and beach due to the resort layout. I'll probably put in for a top floor as I think that will be the best chance for a better view, but high floors always make me nervous with little kids (we'll have 2 5yr olds and 2 8yr olds on this trip). I'm not going to fret too much about it, if I want a better view I'll just walk outside

Yeah I have a few concerns about childproofing the balcony. We are planning on Disney Cruise in 2014 and that will be an issue then as well.

 

[boiseflyfisher]

Quick question though, what exactly were you looking at from your standard view room and what were you looking at from your island garden view room?

Our Island Garden room was on the 4th floor looking toward the direction of the Marriott. We were room 413. If I looked straight down, I could look right into the spa's outside area and if I looked left I could see the quiet pool. I actually liked our Standard view better. We were in the other tower, looking out toward the golf course and mountains, but we were higher up, so that had more to do with seeming like a better view. I believe we were room 655, but don't quote me on that.

For us, I was happy with whatever view we got, so we didn't make any requests. We were just happy to get into our rooms with having to switch.

 

[wdrl]

I'm not sure if the following information is of any interest to you, but here are the floor locations of the different view categories by building at Aulani:

Ewa Building (Phase 1, closest to lobby):

Standard View: Floors 4-7

Island View: Floors 5-16

Pool View: Floors 3-4

Ocean View: Floors 6-16


Waianae Building, EXCLUDING Grand Villas (Phase 2, left side of resort when looking from the ocean):

Standard View: None

Island View: Floors 1-7

Pool View: Floors 1-5

Ocean View: Floors 6-16


Currently, all of Aulani's Grand Villas are located on the end cap of the Waianae Building facing the ocean. The 1st floor Grand Villa is classified as Standard View. All the other Grand Villas (Floors 2-11) are classified as Ocean View. There are no Grand Villas in the Ewa Building.

Aulani's Phase 3 is scheduled to open "Winter 2013." I haven't heard a firm date for when that phase might open. Phase 2 opened on November 15, 2011, a few weeks ahead of schedule, so perhaps Phase 3 will open early as well. Phase 3 is the largest of Aulani's three Phases: It will have 140 lock off two bedrooms, 114 dedicated two bedrooms, and 10 Grand Villas. By comparison, Phases 1 and 2 have a total of 106 lock off two bedrooms, 79 dedicated two bedrooms, and 11 Grand Villas.

 

[ONealFamily]

I'm not sure if the following information is of any interest to you, but here are the floor locations of the different view categories by building at Aulani:

Ewa Building (Phase 1, closest to lobby):

Standard View: Floors 4-7

Island View: Floors 5-16

Pool View: Floors 3-4

Ocean View: Floors 6-16


Waianae Building, EXCLUDING Grand Villas (Phase 2, left side of resort when looking from the ocean):

Standard View: None

Island View: Floors 1-7

Pool View: Floors 1-5

Ocean View: Floors 6-16


Currently, all of Aulani's Grand Villas are located on the end cap of the Waianae Building facing the ocean. The 1st floor Grand Villa is classified as Standard View. All the other Grand Villas (Floors 2-11) are classified as Ocean View. There are no Grand Villas in the Ewa Building.

Aulani's Phase 3 is scheduled to open "Winter 2013." I haven't heard a firm date for when that phase might open. Phase 2 opened on November 15, 2011, a few weeks ahead of schedule, so perhaps Phase 3 will open early as well. Phase 3 is the largest of Aulani's three Phases: It will have 140 lock off two bedrooms, 114 dedicated two bedrooms, and 10 Grand Villas. By comparison, Phases 1 and 2 have a total of 106 lock off two bedrooms, 79 dedicated two bedrooms, and 11 Grand Villas.

That's super helpful. Thanks!

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Not to hijack the thread- but can anyone point me to the maps of the 2 bedroom lockoff vs. 2 bedroom dedicated? Are there currently both lockoffs and dedicateds available, or will that be only in Phase 3?

Thanks!

 

[wdrl]

Not to hijack the thread- but can anyone point me to the maps of the 2 bedroom lockoff vs. 2 bedroom dedicated? Are there currently both lockoffs and dedicateds available, or will that be only in Phase 3?

Thanks!

There are both lock off two-bedrooms and dedicated two-bedrooms available for Members to book using points.

I don't have a map of the lock off and dedicated villas at Aulani. However, if you look at the thread below, it might help you get an idea of where the different accommodations are located in the Ewa and Waianae Buildings.

All the even-numbered Vacation Homes face in toward Aulani's pool area. All of the odd-numbered Vacation Homes face outward toward the island. The exception is the Grand Villas which are numbered 101, 201, etc.; they directly face the ocean.

More information is available at http://dvcnews.com/forum/showthread.php?6530-Aulani-Rooms-and-Views-Phase-1-amp-2-UPDATED

 

[mkunichi]

Some thoughts:
1. How many DVC vacations are you thinking of taking in the next few years? If you're going to mix it up and not go all-DVC, you might think about splurging on the ocean view and borrowing points if you have to for the trip later in the year. If you find yourself chronically short of points, BUY MORE POINTS.
2. Are you "sit on the balcony" type people? Even if not, since you have a full kitchen the idea of breakfast on the balcony with the ocean view is irresistible to me.
3. (only I would do something like this so don't admit you did this to your wife unless she is understanding) Check the moonrise/moonset calendar to figure out what the moon phase is and whether the moon will be setting in the west in the evening or wee hours. If so, this will give your room a "moonset over the ocean" view which might be worth splurging on.

Of course, you have many years of trips to Aulani ahead of you so you don't have to see it all on your first one!

Note: Read some more threads tonight and found the "side ocean view" room thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2866534

 

[PetePanMan]

We were short on points and opted for standard view. In our case, we loved it. 4th floor overlooking a pretty courtyard with waterfall etc. by their convention center. If we had the points, I would go pool view. We know others who got ocean view that looks out at Marriott next door and their receiving area etc.

 

[ONealFamily]

We were short on points and opted for standard view. In our case, we loved it. 4th floor overlooking a pretty courtyard with waterfall etc. by their convention center. If we had the points, I would go pool view. We know others who got ocean view that looks out at Marriott next door and their receiving area etc.

Thanks, that's what we're thinking. My wife just convinced me to move up to a 2 bedroom instead of the 1 bedroom so that her sister can have a separate bathroom. Heh. It's really too bad we just can't add on another bathroom.

 

[ONealFamily]

Some thoughts:
1. How many DVC vacations are you thinking of taking in the next few years? If you're going to mix it up and not go all-DVC, you might think about splurging on the ocean view and borrowing points if you have to for the trip later in the year. If you find yourself chronically short of points, BUY MORE POINTS.
2. Are you "sit on the balcony" type people? Even if not, since you have a full kitchen the idea of breakfast on the balcony with the ocean view is irresistible to me.
3. (only I would do something like this so don't admit you did this to your wife unless she is understanding) Check the moonrise/moonset calendar to figure out what the moon phase is and whether the moon will be setting in the west in the evening or wee hours. If so, this will give your room a "moonset over the ocean" view which might be worth splurging on.

Of course, you have many years of trips to Aulani ahead of you so you don't have to see it all on your first one!

Note: Read some more threads tonight and found the "side ocean view" room thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2866534

1. We plan on all of our vacations being DVC for the next few years. We are sort of lucky in that, because we are new owners, we are getting the points from last August and we have already banked them to next year so we will be starting next year with 440 points.

2. We are sit on the balcony type people. However, with a 2.5 year old, not sure how much time we will get to enjoy on the balcony this trip. He will get bored on the balcony, and can't leave him in the room by himself due to lack of baby proofing.

3. I am a planner so that sounds like me. I am the one who will do all the research to ensure that we can make the most of whatever we decide to do.

I think that because we are getting a 2 bedroom now, Ocean view is out of the picture for this trip so we will go with Standard or Island Gardens. We will have enough points for our Grand Californian trip sometime late next year (will depend on availability of getting a 1 bedroom for consecutive nights. Good thing my daughter is homeschooled. We can take her on vacation whenever we want) and then we will be able to take our WDW/Disney Cruise Trip in 2014.

Fun times lie ahead for our family.