Pros and Cons of Aulani Sub contracts for Sleep Around Points

[Brian Noble]

Yeah, I remember the Associate member thing---that was the first shot at David's if I recall.

 

[Sandisw]

Yeah, I remember the Associate member thing---that was the first shot at David's if I recall.

It was and it was really the first time DVD/DVC gave owners something that gave insight into where they sat the line between renting within the rules and renting to a degree that you could be seen as doing it for a commercial enterprise, purpose and practice.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Yeah, I remember the Associate member thing---that was the first shot at David's if I recall.

What was this? This is before my time.

 

[Brian Noble]

Way back in the day, the way David's worked was: you gave him/one of his agents Associate Membership privileges on your account. That allowed them to make reservations directly, so you didn't have to deal with rentals directly at all. DVC eventually limited the number of accounts on which any one person could be an Associate Member to put a stop to that particular strategy.

 

[atthebeachclub]

That would definitely have been an easier business model for David’s.

 

[AwfulWaffle]

We bought Aulani sub for the booking priority for a trip every three years and a 25% dip in annual dues. Right now it is the lowest dues but the same can be said about vero sub 20 years ago. It’s a coastal resort the dues will keep going up and eventually surpass even that of animal kingdom. For us it’s no biggie because those points and our grand cal points are to go big once every three years and are only used out there. But I wouldn’t buy it for sap because its sap lifecycle will likely be less than a decade of use. It’s more about cheaper Aulani trips for the duration.

 

[emchen]

But I wouldn’t buy it for sap because its sap lifecycle will likely be less than a decade of use. It’s more about cheaper Aulani trips for the duration.

I haven’t heard this take before but I can see your point.

Its a coastal resort - true.

Its dues will keep going up and up - true of all DVCs (but I get your point…at a faster rate than non-coastals).

I wonder if its massive size, and the lack of frequent destructive (or even disruptive) storms will help mitigate the rate of dues increases so that its “SAP Lifecycle” will be longer than your estimation? I am not an architect or builder, but even I can see by its layout to be designed to resist weather damage.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Cons for me for Aulani as SAP is that you can't reallocate coasts without cancelling at 7 months, to my understanding. Note I've only tried this with my WDW points and haven't had the opportunity to test this with my VDH points yet, but I assume the same holds true (I also assume west coast points can reallocate at 7 months at any west coast resort without cancellation, hopefully).

 

[AstroBlasters]

Cons for me for Aulani as SAP is that you can't reallocate coasts without cancelling at 7 months, to my understanding. Note I've only tried this with my WDW points and haven't had the opportunity to test this with my VDH points yet, but I assume the same holds true (I also assume west coast points can reallocate at 7 months at any west coast resort without cancellation, hopefully).

The cons for me is that I wouldn’t be using them at Aulani…..

 

[VGCgroupie]

I haven’t heard this take before but I can see your point.

Its a coastal resort - true.

Its dues will keep going up and up - true of all DVCs (but I get your point…at a faster rate than non-coastals).

I wonder if its massive size, and the lack of frequent destructive (or even disruptive) storms will help mitigate the rate of dues increases so that its “SAP Lifecycle” will be longer than your estimation? I am not an architect or builder, but even I can see by its layout to be designed to resist weather damage.

I did thread on the potential for Aulani dues to skyrocket like VB/HHI. After many responses I came to the conclusion that while it was possible it was not likely to happen. Much like the various Tsunami warnings they have had on Oahu, the threat is there but due to location it is not as likely to have devastation like from some hurricanes.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/thoughts-on-aul-dues-will-they-increase-like-vb-hhi.3949917/

 

[AwfulWaffle]

I did thread on the potential for Aulani dues to skyrocket like VB/HHI. After many responses I came to the conclusion that while it was possible it was not likely to happen. Much like the various Tsunami warnings they have had on Oahu, the threat is there but due to location it is not as likely to have devastation like from some hurricanes.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/thoughts-on-aul-dues-will-they-increase-like-vb-hhi.3949917/

I was stationed on Oahu for three years and saw only one Tsunami the entire time I was stationed there. While dues may go up a bit over time due to natural disasters I would be more concerned that those dues were to go up due to the operational overhead. In three years of living there I constantly saw the price of everything sky high and while I never earned a paycheck via the civilian market I have to assume their wages are higher then that of DW and those wages would be my long term concern. Also like others mentioned, not only would I not have a guaranteed 11 month booking of something to fall back on I would now be burning my Aulani points and not be at Aulani
Granted I’m not a DVC guru so I just stick with my past experiences with Oahu and just stick with cheap SSR for our SAP but I do see the appeal and argument of Aulani sub as SAP.

 

[PolyRob]

Cons for me for Aulani as SAP is that you can't reallocate coasts without cancelling at 7 months, to my understanding. Note I've only tried this with my WDW points and haven't had the opportunity to test this with my VDH points yet, but I assume the same holds true (I also assume west coast points can reallocate at 7 months at any west coast resort without cancellation, hopefully).

I think this is more reservation specific than contract specific, right? I have a VGC stay booked with VGF points. If I go to modify it only VGC and VDH come up as searchable options. No Aulani, WDW, VB, or HHI.

 

[atthebeachclub]

I think this is more reservation specific than contract specific, right? I have a VGC stay booked with VGF points. If I go to modify it only VGC and VDH come up as searchable options. No Aulani, WDW, VB, or HHI.

Yes, but since you'd probably book Aulani at 11 months, the change at 7 months would be an issue. I'm surprised a VGC reservation doesn't allow you to pull up Aulani! I didn't realize that was a thing! Member Services made it sound like a coast to coast issue, with west coast vs east coast being your options. I assume it's so you don't accidentally modify to a hotel on the wrong side of the US for where you plan to be.

 

[airjay75]

Out of total curiosity, I just went and booked one night at AUL in April 2026. Then, after booking, I went in to modify and the only resort I could select for modifications was AUL. So, maybe it is we've basically got 3 booking clusters - AUL, VDH/VGC, and everything else.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Well, that throws a bit of a wrench in my 7 month Aulani planning! lol. I'm sure we'll get there eventually but I hate giving up a great alternative backup option to do so.

 

[intamin]

Cons for me for Aulani as SAP is that you can't reallocate coasts without cancelling at 7 months, to my understanding. Note I've only tried this with my WDW points and haven't had the opportunity to test this with my VDH points yet, but I assume the same holds true (I also assume west coast points can reallocate at 7 months at any west coast resort without cancellation, hopefully).

Eh I personally don't see it as a con.. it's a pretty big switch to go from coast to coast, if I'm planning to go to AUL, I'm going to AUL. If I'm going to WDW, I'm going to WDW. I don't think I've ever been like meh you know what I booked Aulani but I wanna modify those points to go to WDW now LOL.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Sure, but what if somehow it's all booked up? lol. I am a worst case scenario planner.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Eh I personally don't see it as a con.. it's a pretty big switch to go from coast to coast, if I'm planning to go to AUL, I'm going to AUL. If I'm going to WDW, I'm going to WDW. I don't think I've ever been like meh you know what I booked Aulani but I wanna modify those points to go to WDW now LOL.

Yeah I wouldnt switch Aul like I would DLR or WDW. If I book Aulani Im going to Aulani or going nowhere, but I travel to Aulani when I wouldnt travel any other place, August.

 

[PolyRob]

Eh I personally don't see it as a con.. it's a pretty big switch to go from coast to coast, if I'm planning to go to AUL, I'm going to AUL. If I'm going to WDW, I'm going to WDW. I don't think I've ever been like meh you know what I booked Aulani but I wanna modify those points to go to WDW now LOL.

This is why Aulani wouldn't work as SAP for me personally. It's harder for me to get to Hawaii and I wouldn't book Aulani in the 11-month window and decide to swap out to WDW four months later. It's one or the other.

 

[VGCgroupie]

This is why Aulani wouldn't work as SAP for me personally. It's harder for me to get to Hawaii and I wouldn't book Aulani in the 11-month window and decide to swap out to WDW four months later. It's one or the other.

I have used my Aulani sub for so much sap. It works perfect for me. That may change if availability changes in the future but now I just book things with my points 7 months or less.