Talk me into not talking myself out of booking pool/garden view

[TagsMissy]

So I am about to book a trip for Sept of this year, we're doing a 1BR for 10 nights... I had decided on a 1BR but I keep on getting this nagging feeling because pool view vs island view for the 10 nights is 80 points differential and also means we need to borrow 20some-odd points from 2018.

For a stay that long we're definitely having resort only days and will probably have some meals in our villa with friends who will be in a studio for a handful of days while we're there and relax on our balcony with mugs of coffee in the morning.

We've always done island view studios. I want to splurge but part of me keeps in saying...80 more points, 80 more points... Do you think pool/garden is worth 80 more points for a 10 night stay or should I at that point say screw it and do ocean view for 100 more points? (For reference we own 160 blt and 100 aulani points).

There are currently standard view villas available as well which adds to my preponderance.

I've asked my husband and got his typical response he doesn't care what view or if we bank or borrow points. (he only ever cares at BWV lol)

 

[alohamom]

Honestly, the island views can be pretty nice. I am a very private person and I dont know how comfortable I would be to hang out on a balcony looking onto the pool area simply because everyone can see you any time you are out there, but that is my own issue LOL. I think for the extra 10 points I would go for the island view over standard view if you decide to not borrow the points.

 

[MightyDuck001]

I was doing either island view or ocean view (I never upgrade the view when I'm at the Boardwalk) so I'm staying ocean view all 16 days I'm in Hawaii. If I went more often or had been there before, I would probably be fine staying in a standard view room but if I'm flying all the way to Hawaii from the east coast, I'm going ocean view all the way.

 

[alldiz]

I voted for OV. I am splurging on an OV for our 1st trip this July. But we are flying from East Coast and not sure if and when we will get back.
Being that you own there.....the bigger question is. Are you quite happy with the Island View? Because you might just awaken the monster and buy more points to stay in OV all the time LOL.
Happy planning
Kerri

 

[ThistleMae]

I've found that we spend so little time the room it's really not worth doing any upgrades, and when we are at the resort we are in the pool, not the room. I'd bank the extra points but that's just me.

 

[kdonnel]

The highest floor you can get with a pool view is 5. Any higher and they become ocean view.

 

[OKW Lover]

I voted for ocean view, but disagree with the "you only live once" part implying that you'll only go to Aulani one time. We've been three times so far and plan on visiting again sometime this year.

 

[keaster]

I voted for ocean view, but disagree with the "you only live once" part implying that you'll only go to Aulani one time. We've been three times so far and plan on visiting again sometime this year.

I'm with you! We are taking our second trip next month and DH would like to go for his 50th birthday in January

 

[TagsMissy]

The highest floor you can get with a pool view is 5. Any higher and they become ocean view.

Yup, I am aware of that,... however if I am lucky to get a high floor pool view I also get a partial ocean view

 

[kdonnel]

Yup, I am aware of that,... however if I am lucky to get a high floor pool view I also get a partial ocean view

Can you? I didn't think you could see the ocean from the 5th floor pool view rooms.

I have booked this category for our trip in April. I was also torn and almost booked an island view. I am hoping to get the lobby level pool view. It will be nice to not have to use the elevators.

 

[TagsMissy]

Can you? I didn't think you could see the ocean from the 5th floor pool view rooms.

I have booked this category for our trip in April. I was also torn and almost booked an island view. I am hoping to get the lobby level pool view. It will be nice to not have to use the elevators.

I suggest looking at the photos on the pinned post reviews. There's some pretty good partial views

 

[blondietink]

We had an ocean view the first two visits to Aulani. First one was awesome. 2nd one was not so great and found out that most of the wing of the EWA building looking east over the lawn is island view, even up to the top floor. Much better views than what we had in our ocean view that time. So, in September we have booked an island view to see what we get. Have some points left over from out 9 days stay over what we would have spent on an ocean view for 7 days.

 

[Nikodemos]

I'm in the camp of "we're really not going to spend that much time in the room, and if so, we're not going to be looking out the window" so garden/island view has been fine with us. We're also from the left coast, so Aulani is not a once in a lifetime destination for us. Most of the time we're out by the pool looking at our DS or else sitting in the ocean view hot tub which is really nice. I'd save the points and spend an evening going to Ama Ama during sunset for the amazing views.

 

[DVCjj]

Having just returned from an OV studio on a high floor overlooking the ocean and pool at Aulani, I definitely voted for Ocean View. We were there for the 1st time and I'm not a fussy room view person at our many trips to WDW but my DD/SIL who went with us insisted on an Ocean View for us both.

It was absolutely wonderful. My DH, who normally could care less about a view, was literally hanging off the balcony railing constantly. He was a totally changed person.

Hearing that live Hawaiian music (wow.....just wow....) in the evening was unbelievable and still gives me chills.

OCEAN/POOL VIEW. So good.

 

[TagsMissy]

Oh Disney IT/ web team..... I was in the middle of booking and suddenly I got an error message that the services used to make the reservations are down. *hang head in desperation* LOL I'll try later....

 

[TagsMissy]

So I went with pool view, I still need wait to add 2 more nights over the next 2 days as I am using Aulani and BLT points for the res.... only sucky part is booking online failed 3x, I had to call. I was told yesterday they were failing online reservation issues, my call was the first she'd heard of today. I really hope Disney IT gets the booking fixed stat... really annoying.