Possible Aulani strategy.

[cruisehopeful]

Not in any type of hurry to buy and might not buy at all, but I'm in the thinking phase of buying Aulani I'm considering 100-200 points and while I already have plenty of points, I don't have the home court advantage.

I've been looking ahead at booking and usually at the time I would want to go, especially for an extended family trip, I would have to majorly play the slots and piecemeal a trip together. We just booked for this April, partially because there were no options or availability for the rest of the year (a part of that has to do with already scheduled trips). In order to book this April, I had to borrow half of my June 2026 points. We can't cancel and get our points back. The only room available for dates we could do was a one bedroom ocean view. That's fine, but it's also expensive point wise.

Looking ahead, it would be nice to have the 11 month booking window and to be able to book cheaper rooms sometimes to allow for a longer stay. We technically have enough points, but no Aulani points and that's the problem.

My second problem is my use year is June and we'd typically go there October - June, making me think about a second use year.

The current resale prices are fine. The only reason why I didn't buy it before was because of concerns about needing to fly and those costs. As far as travel that my husband and I like to do together, it's pretty much Hawaii and Alaska. We have talked about doing Hawaii and Alaska on alternating years as long as we can. Of course, I think we'd want to do a lot more Hawaii because when we used to go there, we always said we'd start going twice per year, but kids in activities, etc, never allowed us to do it.

I guess I'm kind of looking for thoughts about buying a 100-200 point resale and if it should be in a different use year. Or, am I better off just accepting sloppy seconds and using my VDH and VGC points.

EDIT TO ADD A NEW QUESTION: Is there any easy way to see if a contract is subsidized? I haven't found it without clicking through the listing. Even then, they don't always list the cost of MFs.

 

[juliebee]

I'd think VDH and VGC points are too precious to use at Aulani on a regular basis. It sounds like Aulani points might be a great decision, especially if you can get subsidized points. It's just gorgeous there and we like to go about every other year-- well, we'd like to go every year but settle for every other

 

[AstroBlasters]

Not in any type of hurry to buy and might not buy at all, but I'm in the thinking phase of buying Aulani I'm considering 100-200 points and while I already have plenty of points, I don't have the home court advantage.

I've been looking ahead at booking and usually at the time I would want to go, especially for an extended family trip, I would have to majorly play the slots and piecemeal a trip together. We just booked for this April, partially because there were no options or availability for the rest of the year (a part of that has to do with already scheduled trips). In order to book this April, I had to borrow half of my June 2026 points. We can't cancel and get our points back. The only room available for dates we could do was a one bedroom ocean view. That's fine, but it's also expensive point wise.

Looking ahead, it would be nice to have the 11 month booking window and to be able to book cheaper rooms sometimes to allow for a longer stay. We technically have enough points, but no Aulani points and that's the problem.

My second problem is my use year is June and we'd typically go there October - June, making me think about a second use year.

The current resale prices are fine. The only reason why I didn't buy it before was because of concerns about needing to fly and those costs. As far as travel that my husband and I like to do together, it's pretty much Hawaii and Alaska. We have talked about doing Hawaii and Alaska on alternating years as long as we can. Of course, I think we'd want to do a lot more Hawaii because when we used to go there, we always said we'd start going twice per year, but kids in activities, etc, never allowed us to do it.

I guess I'm kind of looking for thoughts about buying a 100-200 point resale and if it should be in a different use year. Or, am I better off just accepting sloppy seconds and using my VDH and VGC points.

Can you remind us of your current portfolio?

 

[J-Dog]

So, just for clarity, you go to HI and AK in alternating years in addition to using your VGC and VDH points? Or are you no longer using those points at those home resorts regularly?

 

[cruisehopeful]

Can you remind us of your current portfolio?

260 VGC 160 resale/100 direct
150 VDH Direct
75 Polynesian Direct

So, just for clarity, you go to HI and AK in alternating years in addition to using your VGC and VDH points? Or are you no longer using those points at those home resorts regularly?

Yes, correct. Hawaii and Alaska are different than our Disneyland trips.

 

[Amyunder]

Not in any type of hurry to buy and might not buy at all, but I'm in the thinking phase of buying Aulani I'm considering 100-200 points and while I already have plenty of points, I don't have the home court advantage.

I've been looking ahead at booking and usually at the time I would want to go, especially for an extended family trip, I would have to majorly play the slots and piecemeal a trip together. We just booked for this April, partially because there were no options or availability for the rest of the year (a part of that has to do with already scheduled trips). In order to book this April, I had to borrow half of my June 2026 points. We can't cancel and get our points back. The only room available for dates we could do was a one bedroom ocean view. That's fine, but it's also expensive point wise.

Looking ahead, it would be nice to have the 11 month booking window and to be able to book cheaper rooms sometimes to allow for a longer stay. We technically have enough points, but no Aulani points and that's the problem.

My second problem is my use year is June and we'd typically go there October - June, making me think about a second use year.

The current resale prices are fine. The only reason why I didn't buy it before was because of concerns about needing to fly and those costs. As far as travel that my husband and I like to do together, it's pretty much Hawaii and Alaska. We have talked about doing Hawaii and Alaska on alternating years as long as we can. Of course, I think we'd want to do a lot more Hawaii because when we used to go there, we always said we'd start going twice per year, but kids in activities, etc, never allowed us to do it.

I guess I'm kind of looking for thoughts about buying a 100-200 point resale and if it should be in a different use year. Or, am I better off just accepting sloppy seconds and using my VDH and VGC points.

We have 160 points which gets us about 6 nights standard in a 2 bedroom every year and it is a dream. The dues are high but if you can book standard rooms it is worth it.

 

[Amyunder]

We have 160 points which gets us about 6 nights standard in a 2 bedroom every year and it is a dream. The dues are high but if you can book standard rooms it is worth it.

We also have a separate use year for aulani (March). I honestly treat it as its own thing for just those trips we don't mix them with our other points. We could but we just don't so a different use year is fine.

 

[AstroBlasters]

260 VGC 160 resale/100 direct
150 VDH Direct
75 Polynesian Direct

Yes, correct. Hawaii and Alaska are different than our Disneyland trips.

All June?

 

[J-Dog]

That's tough, TBH. I woundn't want a June UY if I didn't go in the summer time.

Personally - in general - I would not want to have 2 different UYs. I know some people do it and manage it fine, but it just seems like more unnecessary work to me. BUT with AUL it might work, especially if you plan to only use them at AUL.

OTOH, if your travel dates are semi-flexible and you don't go in June anyway, it might be fairly frequently successful to just book at 7 months.

 

[cruisehopeful]

We also have a separate use year for aulani (March). I honestly treat it as its own thing for just those trips we don't mix them with our other points. We could but we just don't so a different use year is fine.

That's what I'm thinking. It would be its own thing. I am thinking about other timeshares, but we've become accustomed to Disney service. If we were going to buy a different timeshare, rent an AirBnb or stay at a hotel, those would all be separate from our current DVC membership. So, I don't think it will matter a heck of a lot of I have Aulani in a different membership.

All June?

Yes. Everything is June use year.

 

[AstroBlasters]

That's what I'm thinking. It would be its own thing. I am thinking about other timeshares, but we've become accustomed to Disney service. If we were going to buy a different timeshare, rent an AirBnb or stay at a hotel, those would all be separate from our current DVC membership. So, I don't think it will matter a heck of a lot of I have Aulani in a different membership.

Yes. Everything is June use year.

The biggest issue with a separate UY that I see is that Aulani is a point hog and you may want to use other points to combine for bigger rooms or better views.

When you start going to Hawaii there are relatives that will always want to go with you.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Personally - in general - I would not want to have 2 different UYs. I know some people do it and manage it fine, but it just seems like more unnecessary work to me. BUT with AUL it might work, especially if you plan to only use them at AUL.

I would plan on only using for Aulani, especially since they would be resale points. I wouldn't be able to use them at VDH. I live driving distance to VGC and VDH so I consider those my fail safe resorts. No matter what happens in the world or with mother nature, I know I can get to those 2 resorts.

OTOH, if your travel dates are semi-flexible and you don't go in June anyway, it might be fairly frequently successful to just book at 7 months.

We had to do Hawaii in the summer when our kids were in school. It's definitely my least favorite time to go Hawaii. That said, one of my daughters works in education and has the same breaks that she had when she was a kid. It's killing me. Haha. It's easier for her to join in June. So, I anticipate wanting to go in June once in a while, but not on the regular.

 

[cruisehopeful]

The biggest issue with a separate UY that I see is that Aulani is a point hog and you may want to use other points to combine for bigger rooms or better views.

When you start going to Hawaii there are relatives that will always want to go with you.

Haha, yes. I can see this happening on the regular. I already have friends giving me sad face when I said I just booked for April (too short of notice for them to come along). I haven't even told my kids, yet. I am thinking about letting them know the day before. "I'll be in Hawaii for a bit. Don't worry if I don't return texts right away."

I am already thinking about if I had a different use year and how I'd book it and then try to add extra days at 7 months. That sounds like a time suck. We could keep our June use year and just avoid Feb-May for the most part. Februray is actually a month that we have enjoyed going to Hawaii in the past, though.