When is having Aulani points a definite must?

[luv2sleep]

I am new to this forum. I am on the waitlist for VGC points and am definitely buying them when they come up. I know I want to go to Hawaii at least every 1-2 years and would like to visit Aulani a few times. I can't say I'd go every year or for sure even every 2-3 years because I like the other island too. I have considered Aulani points to have for when I do want to go and am wondering if I will be able to get a booking for a 1 week's stay at the 7 month mark in early April and in the summer. The reason I'm not as interested in purchasing Aulani points is due to the high MF for Hawaii. Seems like a lot of $$ to pay unless you are definitely going to use it every year. I'm just not sure if I would.

From what I understand hanging points at your home resort for stats during Christmas/New Year's is definitely a must. What about the other busier times of the year when school is typically out like summer and spring break?

So my questions are:

Is it a must to have Aulani points to be able to book at the 11 month window to stay there during Spring Break and Summer every 2-3 years?

Or will my VGC points be enough so that I can book at the 7 month mark in a studio or 1-bedroom during this time period every 2-3 years?

In what situations would Aulani points be a must and in what situations would non-Aulani points be sufficient in terms of time of year and size of villa?

What's the minimum usage that would justify those higher MFs? I've looked at Hawaii timeshares before and have heard for Hawaii to be worth it I should be going every year. Think that's true?

Thanks for any information you can provide.

 

[Missyrose]

I have no expertise when it comes to Aulani, but since you know (for sure) you want to buy VGC, why not see if you're able to get what you want at Aulani at the seven-month window using those points?

If you find yourself being shut out and needing that 11-month window, then I would buy a very small contract. By small, I would only buy enough points to make your Aulani trip every three years (using banking and borrowing). If after a few more Aulani trips, you find you want to go more often, you can buy more points. It's much easier to add points than to subtract.

As far as the MFs, only you can decide if they're too much for you. Just know that they will continue to go up and probably pretty steeply because of how expensive everything in Hawaii is. There is an added bonus to waiting to buy Aulani points for a few years, you get to see where the MFs go before buying in.

Hope this helps! Good luck

 

[luv2sleep]

I have no expertise when it comes to Aulani, but since you know (for sure) you want to buy VGC, why not see if you're able to get what you want at Aulani at the seven-month window using those points?

If you find yourself being shut out and needing that 11-month window, then I would buy a very small contract. By small, I would only buy enough points to make your Aulani trip every three years (using banking and borrowing). If after a few more Aulani trips, you find you want to go more often, you can buy more points. It's much easier to add points than to subtract.

As far as the MFs, only you can decide if they're too much for you. Just know that they will continue to go up and probably pretty steeply because of how expensive everything in Hawaii is. There is an added bonus to waiting to buy Aulani points for a few years, you get to see where the MFs go before buying in.

Hope this helps! Good luck

Thank you! Such great advice! I will do just as you suggested. I will start by trying to book at the 7 month window and see how it goes from there. I also forgot that I could buy a small contract after becoming an owner. Thanks again!

 

[disneynutz]

Aulani will not have full availability for years, DVD only adds just what it needs to sell and by all accounts, sales are slower than forecasted.

Bill

 

[luv2sleep]

Aulani will not have full availability for years, DVD only adds just what it needs to sell and by all accounts, sales are slower than forecasted.

Bill

Forgive me if this seems like a silly question...but does this mean that it will get easier to book in the 7 month window in a few years?

 

[disneynutz]

Forgive me if this seems like a silly question...but does this mean that it will get easier to book in the 7 month window in a few years?

Disney declares inventory into the association as they need for sales. Members can only use their points for declared inventory, Disney rents out the rest.

As more inventory is declared then availability should improve.

Bill

 

[G'sMaman]

Have you thought about getting 100 points at Aulani and 100 at VGC? With the current special at Aulani, it's effectively $112.50 per point. That way with banking and borrowing you would have enough for either a studio or 1 bedroom at each resort. I know that this summer getting rooms at the 7 month mark at Aulani was very challenging, but that could be an anomaly. Late April is also difficult because there is a long Japanese holiday that time of the year. That's why it also takes more points that time of the year. We went right after Easter this year, and had some difficulty booking rooms and ended up doing a split stay. Our wait list never went through. However, we didn't book right at 7 months so that might have changed things.

 

[luv2sleep]

Disney declares inventory into the association as they need for sales. Members can only use their points for declared inventory, Disney rents out the rest.

As more inventory is declared then availability should improve.

Bill

So I guess more DVC inventory means an easier chance of securing a reservation at 7 months?

 

[luv2sleep]

Have you thought about getting 100 points at Aulani and 100 at VGC? With the current special at Aulani, it's effectively $112.50 per point. That way with banking and borrowing you would have enough for either a studio or 1 bedroom at each resort. I know that this summer getting rooms at the 7 month mark at Aulani was very challenging, but that could be an anomaly. Late April is also difficult because there is a long Japanese holiday that time of the year. That's why it also takes more points that time of the year. We went right after Easter this year, and had some difficulty booking rooms and ended up doing a split stay. Our wait list never went through. However, we didn't book right at 7 months so that might have changed things.

Yes, I've thought about it....a lot. Howver, I decided that I would rather have more VGC points so that I can book Christmas and New Year's stays at the 11 month mark. I can still have a nice vacation at a wonderful resort without having to pay holiday airfare. It takes a lot of points at that time of year even for a studio.

The effective price per point right now at Aulani is enticing but those MFs aren't. I will try to book at 7 months and see how it goes. I am thinking about going next summer to experience it. Who knows? I might be so enamored that I will be willing to pay those MFs over the long haul.

 

[Dean]

Disney declares inventory into the association as they need for sales. Members can only use their points for declared inventory, Disney rents out the rest.

As more inventory is declared then availability should improve.

Bill

Bill, I don't think that's the case. While in the early phases there is always more declared inventory than members to reserve it so availability is better overall. It may be that demand for the higher times is worse because of demand and limited supply though.

Xmas, NY's, Feb and March and mid summer will be the most difficult. Jan, May and the fall will be the easiest times by far. As long as one isn't set on a given view or week, getting in most years shouldn't be too difficult at 7 months out.

 

[DenLo]

Bill, I don't think that's the case. While in the early phases there is always more declared inventory than members to reserve it so availability is better overall. It may be that demand for the higher times is worse because of demand and limited supply though.

Xmas, NY's, Feb and March and mid summer will be the most difficult. Jan, May and the fall will be the easiest times by far. As long as one isn't set on a given view or week, getting in most years shouldn't be too difficult at 7 months out.

I think that Golden week (April 29 through May 5th) and Christmas through NYE will the hardest times to book at Aulani. And possibly Easter week. And then the first three weeks of June because that is the Choice season and point cost is less than the rest of the summer, and since many schools are out, so members are trying to book when point cost is low. Many members complained about not being able to get a reservation for those weeks in June 201 at the 7 month mark here on the DISboards.

 

[wdrl]

So I guess more DVC inventory means an easier chance of securing a reservation at 7 months?

If there is an easier chance, then its almost negligible. Let me use AKV as an example of how the declaration of additional Units affect availability.

On April 19, 2012, DVD officially declared the equivalent of 12 move two-bedroom Vacation Homes, or 195,480 points, for the DVC membership. So the good news is that beginning April 19, 2012, there are at least 12 more two-bedroom Vacation Homes for members to book than before that date.

However, as disneynutz points out, a declaration is made by DVD because it is selling more points. In March and April 2012, DVD recorded 263,096 in new AKV point sales. So there are more AKV owners competing for those newly declared Vacation Homes.

Another thing to consider: The 12 newly declared Vacation Homes cannot be booked by members using points until the date of the Declaration, April 19, 2012. However, DVD may have known months ago it was going to make this declaration on April 19, 2012. Thus, it could have let AKV owners book this additional space as early as 11 months ago.

In Aulani's case, I don't know how much of the resort has actually been declared for the DVC membership. Based on recorded deeds through January 2012, I know at least 15.22% of AKV has been declared.

 

[Dean]

I think that Golden week (April 29 through May 5th) and Christmas through NYE will the hardest times to book at Aulani. And possibly Easter week. And then the first three weeks of June because that is the Choice season and point cost is less than the rest of the summer, and since many schools are out, so members are trying to book when point cost is low. Many members complained about not being able to get a reservation for those weeks in June 201 at the 7 month mark here on the DISboards.

From a pure demand standpoint, the usual highest demand times for Oahu timeshares would put week 7 (President's week) and weeks 24-31 (mid June to early Aug) as the very highest demand weeks. Of those, weeks 7, 24 & 31 are a little less so than the others. Just under that in demand is week , 51 (Xmas) 52 (NY), weeks 5-12 (Feb to later Mar) and the shoulder weeks in the summer. All of May, including the week that's premier, is relatively lower demand. It's difficult to predict what the variations in the points table will do to actual demand for the resort but almost always, demand for the area overshadow's the points table variations unless there are conglomeration of factors (early Dec at WDW). There's also not a lot of variation in the number of points required top to bottom and probably not enough to actually drive the demand. I think you'll see a much larger variation in demand by unit type than based on the points table.

HI has a biphasic demand pattern, you get the cold weather group for Xmas to Easter and the family group Xmas to NY, spring break and summer.

 

[luv2sleep]

From a pure demand standpoint, the usual highest demand times for Oahu timeshares would put week 7 (President's week) and weeks 24-31 (mid June to early Aug) as the very highest demand weeks. Of those, weeks 7, 24 & 31 are a little less so than the others. Just under that in demand is week , 51 (Xmas) 52 (NY), weeks 5-12 (Feb to later Mar) and the shoulder weeks in the summer. All of May, including the week that's premier, is relatively lower demand. It's difficult to predict what the variations in the points table will do to actual demand for the resort but almost always, demand for the area overshadow's the points table variations unless there are conglomeration of factors (early Dec at WDW). There's also not a lot of variation in the number of points required top to bottom and probably not enough to actually drive the demand. I think you'll see a much larger variation in demand by unit type than based on the points table.

HI has a biphasic demand pattern, you get the cold weather group for Xmas to Easter and the family group Xmas to NY, spring break and summer.

That completely clears that up. Thank you! I'm in the 'family' travel group. Looks like I'm going to have to try to pick an off season week as a back up for a 7 month mark booking attempt.

 

[dvc_john]

It would be interesting to know (I don't know if it's possible to find out) which weeks have the highest number of fixed weeks sold. (In case anyone is not aware, they are selling some fixed weeks at Aulani for a premium price.)

 

[Dean]

It would be interesting to know (I don't know if it's possible to find out) which weeks have the highest number of fixed weeks sold. (In case anyone is not aware, they are selling some fixed weeks at Aulani for a premium price.)

It would only make sense to buy a fixed week for the highest demand weeks and for specific views. Even then for those that planned to use it most years and not the points. Fixed weeks are full weeks but I haven't heard how they're framing them. For example, did DVD control the start day of the weeks involved, surely they must have.

 

[Dean]

That completely clears that up. Thank you! I'm in the 'family' travel group. Looks like I'm going to have to try to pick an off season week as a back up for a 7 month mark booking attempt.

Assuming one is looking for lower demand but tied to school calendars, the week before Xmas, first full week of June and last 2 weeks of August are often the best compromise. Obviously school calendar's are not all the same so it does depend on specifics. As I've said before, I don't think HI will be that difficult if one is willing to take any view and plan at 7 months out.

 

[wdrl]

It would only make sense to buy a fixed week for the highest demand weeks and for specific views. Even then for those that planned to use it most years and not the points. Fixed weeks are full weeks but I haven't heard how they're framing them. For example, did DVD control the start day of the weeks involved, surely they must have.

Aulani fixed weeks, also called the Guaranteed Week Option, run from Sunday to Sunday. Week #1 starts with the first Sunday of the calendar year. The description and definitions of the fixed weeks are contained in Aulani's Master Declaration.

 

[dvc_john]

It would only make sense to buy a fixed week for the highest demand weeks and for specific views.

That's why I made the statement. If we knew how many fixed weeks were sold, and what weeks they were, it would give some insight into what might be the high demand times. I would guess Christmas/New Years and Golden week might be high on the list.

 

[Dean]

Aulani fixed weeks, also called the Guaranteed Week Option, run from Sunday to Sunday. Week #1 starts with the first Sunday of the calendar year. The description and definitions of the fixed weeks are contained in Aulani's Master Declaration.

Sunday to Sunday is interesting. Seems a strange choice given the specifics. Saturday is a much more common day if only one start day is involved but Fri and Sun do occur. Starting with the first start day of the calendar year is the usual for the standard Timeshare calendar. When the week marches through and would start on the second Sunday, they throw in an extra week usually called week 53 and rarely, 00.