Poly Preferred + Aulani Pool Garden, or Poly Standard + Aulani Ocean View?

[Road_Dog]

So funny enough, zero 2-bedrooms had space for the 5-nights we wanted in May (22nd-27th). Which is odd because there is a ton of availability one week prior in pretty much all categories besides Standard. There is one particular Saturday (at the 7 months + 1 day mark, the 23rd) that is booked up, seemingly blocking me from getting a 5-night reservation in any category. I’m assuming this is people walking at the 7-month mark?

I’m aware of the pool refurbishment in early May 2026 so the dates I’m eyeing up are beyond that. It’s weird to me that most of May is still available except for the one darn Saturday I need to make my trip a complete 5-day. It gives me a false sense of hope that I could just wait for whomever is walking to get done and get my desired dates down the line, as I can’t find any sort of event on May 23rd that would be causing every 2-bedroom to be booked beside the fact that it’s a Saturday and school is probably done for families.

I ended up booking a Pool Garden 5-night trip 4-days sooner than I wanted 5/18 to 5/23 (meaning I’d have to adjust our flights). I’d ideally like to keep our flights so I ended up waitlisting for both a pool garden and an island garden (both dedicated) during the 5-days that I originally wanted.

However, the more I read into waitlist strategies, it almost seems like I should be booking a 1-night stay every morning for the next 5 days and waitlisting anything that isn’t available, as I can then piecemeal my bookings together. I understand why this makes sense to do, but it seems like a gamble to cancel a 5-day booking I already have to only maybe get a chance at the dates I want. Any advice would be appreciated.

I actually see Standard availability (1-night) on 5/22 right now, 5/23 is booked, but 5/24-5/27 are open. I could even extend our vacation by one day and do 6-nights if I could somehow land Standard availability. Is there a strategy involved with booking the 1-night now, and trying to grab individual days every morning for the next 5 days? Lol. If you can tell, this is my first time dealing with a 7-month availability window.

 

[drusba]

See the maps of Aulani rooms on this page: https://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-villas-views-revised-07-22-2017.2907389/ As you will see, all the pool view rooms are directly below ocean view rooms. The ocean view rooms on the 6th floor have essentially the same view of the pools and ocean as the pool view rooms on the 5th floor.

Some above have mentioned having fantastic views from an ocean view room. If you have high floor and are in the sections that are closer to the ocean that may be true, but if you have an ocean view room nearer the lobby area, it is a an OK ocean view but the ocean is actually quite a distance away. In other words do not assume that if you get an ocean view room you will necessarily have a fantastic view, and be aware the view could be no better than a 5th floor pool view room if you get a lower floor, ocean view room on the pool side of the building.

If you stick with pool view, you should probably request 5th floor. If you choose ocean view make sure you request high floor.

 

[Road_Dog]

See the maps of Aulani rooms on this page: https://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-villas-views-revised-07-22-2017.2907389/ As you will see, all the pool view rooms are directly below ocean view rooms. The ocean view rooms on the 6th floor have essentially the same view of the pools and ocean as the pool view rooms on the 5th floor.

Some above have mentioned having fantastic views from an ocean view room. If you have high floor and are in the sections that are closer to the ocean that may be true, but if you have an ocean view room nearer the lobby area, it is a an OK ocean view but the ocean is actually quite a distance away. In other words do not assume that if you get an ocean view room you will necessarily have a fantastic view, and be aware the view could be no better than a 5th floor pool view room if you get a lower floor, ocean view room on the pool side of the building.

If you stick with pool view, you should probably request 5th floor. If you choose ocean view make sure you request high floor.

Thanks. My plan was to choose between 5th floor or 1st floor (for a request). 5th floor for the exact reasons your mentioned. And 1st floor so we can walk from our room out to the pool area (easier access).