Pros and Cons of Aulani Sub contracts for Sleep Around Points

[supersnoop]

Couldn’t disagree more! I think it’s a little harsh to refer to Aulani as not being a resort “people actually want.”

Whenever someone asks me about DVC, I lead with "it's a timeshare." That usually results in a a shocked and disgusted expression. Then I talk about why people think timeshares are bad; they're expensive and don't retain hardly any value, they're in places with expensive travel costs where people aren't likely to vacation on a regular annual schedule, and the alternative lodging costs are often less expensive than the annual maintenance fees. Why would anyone own a timeshare?

But then I talk about how Disney has solved these problems; a robust resale market, accessible transportation with annual appeal, and a protected ecosystem of resorts that keep hotel rates high to protect that value. That's all true of Florida resorts. It's not true in Hawaii. I can't come up with one good reason to buy a timeshare in Hawaii. Can you?

 

[TeamRiley]

People that primarily travel to WDW have a hard time getting to Aulani. Flying from the East Coast or even the Midwest to Oahu is a long flight, and a huge pain.

Being in the West makes Aulani a great deal. Easy to get to, easy to book.

I do not think Disney feels at all "saddled" with "failed" Aulani points. They don't even try to actively market it. If they were really interested in selling out, all they would have to do is actively market Aulani in Japan and Korea and every point would be sold in a single year.

Life is good at Aulani, and it will be good for a very long time.

 

[RoseGold]

I do not think Disney feels at all "saddled" with "failed" Aulani points. They don't even try to actively market it. If they were really interested in selling out, all they would have to do is actively market Aulani in Japan and Korea and every point would be sold in a single year.

That was the plan and it didn’t work. It’s probably one of the reasons Disney scrapped the other expansion plans.

 

[TeamRiley]

That was the plan and it didn’t work. It’s probably one of the reasons Disney scrapped the other expansion plans.

I think your assumptions are incorrect, but we all have our own ideas. If they were concerned about sales, you would see it being pushed more. Active aggressive sales are almost non-existent.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That was the plan and it didn’t work. It’s probably one of the reasons Disney scrapped the other expansion plans.

I'm not certain which expansion plans you are referring to as there have been many over the years that DVC has scrapped. Yes, there was the Tsunami that affected the initial marketing but DVC just doesn't sell the place even a decade later. So either they are the worst timeshare sales force of all time (and that might be) or they are fine that it hasn't sold out. The pity would be if they consider if failed in sales when they haven't even tried.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

"it's a timeshare." That usually results in a a shocked and disgusted expression.

 

[mustinjourney]

Right? Who would have thought a few years ago that some owners would not be able to trade into certain resorts?

or that all of the parks across the world would simultaneously be closed for several months -- and disneyland wouldn't be open for over a year???

 

[mustinjourney]

People that primarily travel to WDW have a hard time getting to Aulani. Flying from the East Coast or even the Midwest to Oahu is a long flight, and a huge pain.

Being in the West makes Aulani a great deal. Easy to get to, easy to book.

I do not think Disney feels at all "saddled" with "failed" Aulani points. They don't even try to actively market it. If they were really interested in selling out, all they would have to do is actively market Aulani in Japan and Korea and every point would be sold in a single year.

Life is good at Aulani, and it will be good for a very long time.

totally agree. i'm in Texas and the thought of doing the 8 hour flight to HI with two young kids is not super appetizing right now -- not to mention the flight costs are typically pretty high.

If we ever make it to Aulani, my plan is to hit up Disneyland for a couple nights on the front or back end (or maybe both). Flights are typically cheaper from Texas to LA and LA to HI than just booking direct from TX to HNL round trip.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

or that all of the parks across the world would simultaneously be closed for several months -- and disneyland wouldn't be open for over a year???

I shared here at the start of the pandemic, that one of the most incorrect statements I've made in my life was in mid-March of 2020 (right before we were supposed to leave for Disney) when I confidently told my wife that there was "NO WAY" Disney World would ever shut down the way sporting events were. I may NEVER live down how wrong I was about that one!!!!!

ETA: The bolded reminded me of this exchange...

 

[DonMacGregor]

totally agree. i'm in Texas and the thought of doing the 8 hour flight to HI with two young kids is not super appetizing right now -- not to mention the flight costs are typically pretty high.

If we ever make it to Aulani, my plan is to hit up Disneyland for a couple nights on the front or back end (or maybe both). Flights are typically cheaper from Texas to LA and LA to HI than just booking direct from TX to HNL round trip.

To get the full experience, fly into SNA or LAX on whatever airline gives you the best deal, but go with Hawaiian from LAX to HNL. You won't regret it. Best service to the islands I've ever been on (and as a So Cal native, Hawaii was our Florida growing up, so I've been there 3 dozen times easily and to every island but Molokai). As soon as you're on the plane, with the FA's in their leis, the Hawaiian music playing and the smell of fresh macadamia nut cookies wafting through the air...it's like you're already there. Like ME, only 2,500 miles at 30,000 feet...LOL

 

[RoseGold]

I'm not certain which expansion plans you are referring to as there have been many over the years that DVC has scrapped. Yes, there was the Tsunami that affected the initial marketing but DVC just doesn't sell the place even a decade later. So either they are the worst timeshare sales force of all time (and that might be) or they are fine that it hasn't sold out. The pity would be if they consider if failed in sales when they haven't even tried.

Disneu did try hard to sell aulani. It also had plans in Colorado and Times Square.

It’s obvious now that DVC considers the parks the main draw and is acting accordingly, to the point we casually talk about the beach resorts getting sold or taken out of the system. There has been no talk since Aulani about a non-park property, which I think says a lot. Maybe you have a different crystal ball?

I think a Times Square hotel would have been awesome, but not awesome enough to buy direct and it wouldn’t be the one I would buy.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Disneu did try hard to sell aulani. It also had plans in Colorado and Times Square.

It’s obvious now that DVC considers the parks the main draw and is acting accordingly, to the point we casually talk about the beach resorts getting sold or taken out of the system. There has been no talk since Aulani about a non-park property, which I think says a lot. Maybe you have a different crystal ball?

I think a Times Square hotel would have been awesome, but not awesome enough to buy direct.

I'm afraid I disagree with any assessment that Disney "tried hard" to sell Aulani. The majority of their sales comes from WDW and Aulani is a picture on the wall that if you don't ask about you really don't hear much if anything at all.

Plans in Colorado and Times Square? There were never any announcements of those. They sent out member surveys but they've done many of those over the years for many spots. They have had actual announced locations where they even had land purchaed that they cancelled but Aulani is not to blame for their off site woes. That goes back to VB and HHI and really is the fault of their sales.

 

[mustinjourney]

To get the full experience, fly into SNA or LAX on whatever airline gives you the best deal, but go with Hawaiian from LAX to HNL. You won't regret it. Best service to the islands I've ever been on (and as a So Cal native, Hawaii was our Florida growing up, so I've been there 3 dozen times easily and to every island but Molokai). As soon as you're on the plane, with the FA's in their leis, the Hawaiian music playing and the smell of fresh macadamia nut cookies wafting through the air...

I will try and remember this whenever we finally make it out there.