Aulani June 2019 (7mo booking strategy question)

[GizmoDogg]

Hello all,

Here's yet another booking question for a summer 2019 booking at Aulani (yes, I've gone through and read the other similar posts, and I'm STILL nervous about trying to secure a summer vacation for my family). Seems I'm not alone with this dilemma. I'm coming to you for thoughts on how I can increase my chances of getting my preferred dates.

My facts:

• Me, wife, & daughter (8yo at time of trip).
• I have 50 DVC Points (June UY). Bank & borrow, I'll have 150 pts starting in June.
• Home Resort is Polynesian

Vacation plans:

• 6 Nights Pool View or Ocean View Studio (PV preferred, as my wife doesn't want to pay for OTU points).
• School ends 6/18, so our preferred check in date is 6/19.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: Flexible to 6/17, and miss the last 2 days of school.
• Later than 6/19 check-in, and we'll start dipping into Premier Season dates.

Booking Strategy:
My 7 month booking window starts in November (right?). Nov 17 falls on a Saturday, so I can wake up early that morning and try to book in my pajamas (5am Pacific Time), rather than do it on a workday.
Say that I get my 6 night Pool View Studio on my first attempt (the stars are aligned!) I will probably not touch the reservation anymore and plan for my daughter to miss a couple of days of school.

But once I secure a reservation, if I want to push back my check-in to, say, 6/19, and move the points from 6/17-18 to the back-end of my reservation? And I can do this by contacting MS? And when could I do this, on 11/19, or can I call immediately on 11/17?

Also, if I had to get 6 night Ocean View and had to buy OTU (wait... can I even purchase OTU while booking online?), by trying to change my check-in date later, would it jeopardize my OTU purchase?

I probably have a gazillion more questions, but I'll leave it with these few for now.

Thanks!

 

[Frederic Civish]

But once I secure a reservation, if I want to push back my check-in to, say, 6/19, and move the points from 6/17-18 to the back-end of my reservation? And I can do this by contacting MS? And when could I do this, on 11/19, or can I call immediately on 11/17?

Also, if I had to get 6 night Ocean View and had to buy OTU (wait... can I even purchase OTU while booking online?), by trying to change my check-in date later, would it jeopardize my OTU purchase?

Yes, you can go online to make your reservation. I do recommend you get up at 4:30 AM. Have your website up and signed in by 4:50 AM. Open several browser windows, or even two different browsers, and start trying it every minute or so. Then, right at 5 AM, search again. If it shows up, try to move as quickly as possible through the 'availability screen' to the 'booking screen' and start booking it. I have done this, and been successful with some VERY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN reservations.

Once you have the reservation, if you want to push back the dates, yes, you can just call Member Services, but they probably won't let you push it to June 19th, until November 19th. I have never had trouble shifting a date, as long as the new days were available. I HAVE always found it is easier to cut back on a trip, trimming dates from the end, than to try to add them later, but it can be done either way, depending on circumstances and availability. You can also probably do it online.

As for One Time Use Points, unless things have changed, my understanding is that they can ONLY be purchased by telephone from a Member Services agent, at the time of booking. They can't add them later. Not sure of any work-arounds that might be available for this. But one thing that MIGHT be possible to do is to go at another time, and find a reservation SOMEWHERE that you can book, that takes 24 or more points. Make sure it is in the same Use Year as your current Aulani reservation. Then call Member Services and have them book it, and purchase the points. Then later, cancel that reservation, then call Member Services again, and ask them if they can shift the One Time Use points that are sitting in your account, onto the current reservation. Just a suggestion. Never tried it. Maybe others can ship in.

 

[Frederic Civish]

Maybe, on that initial morning, you could book online. Then call back Member Services an hour or so later, and, if there is STILL availability, have them rebook it and make you an entirely new reservation, and purchase the One Time Use points at that time.

Also, if you are short points, then make the initial reservation for as long as you can, using the points you have. Then call Member Services an hour later and have THEM add a day or two on the end. They should be able to do this, even though those days are deeper into the booking window limit, and maybe they can sell you the one time use points to pay for that booking.

 

[drusba]

Be aware that you have a serious risk of not getting any studio. June 8 to July 6 is Aulani's highest DVC demand time of the year next to Christmas week, the result of school closings, the low points until near end of June, and then the holiday. For that time, it can be difficult to get a room, any kind and any view, at 7 months out. If you need that time, you may need to be prepared to wait list. Before 8 a.m. eastern on Nov 18 last year, the Sat that will be the 17th this year, all studios in the resort were already filled for June 18, hotel and standard view studios were gone for almost all of the days the rest of the month, island garden studios were filled through June 23, pool view studios through June 22 and also June 24 and 25, and ocean view studios through June 20.

From July 6 to July 31 (high point season time but something to possibly consider), ocean view studios are usually open at 7 months out, and pool view and island garden view are closer to 50/50 but what often happens is that pool view will be open for several days while IG is filled for the same days and vice versa, usually giving you a chance to get one of those.

Also be aware that you can now modify reservations on line (started just a couple days ago). You cannot get One Time use points online, at least not yet, but, for example, if you are able to book June 17 through 23, you can go online Nov 19 and change it to June 19 to 25 if the nights of 24 and 25 are still open and you can now do that online without losing the first reservation until the modification is completed and the modified reservation will use the points in the initial reservation.

 

[GizmoDogg]

Be aware that you have a serious risk of not getting any studio. June 8 to July 6 is Aulani's highest DVC demand time of the year...

Hi drusba,

I really appreciate your reply. I've read your extensive report and it is why I posted this, hoping there may be some sort of strategy to booking during high demand dates.

But your reply has confirmed my suspicions. It really will be extremely difficult. I'm now looking into other dates during the summer where I might have a fighting chance!

Thanks!

 

[FireflyTrance]

I tried to get Aulani in late June at 7 months. There was only scattered availability. I honestly think getting 6 nights in a studio at that time is unlikely. A one bedroom is more likely (but of course it's more points.) We ended up just paying for a regular hotel room, which was really expensive.

 

[jbh275]

I would get on the trade boards and see if you can trade someone 50 or 75 or 100 of your poly pts. for Aulani. You can 3 way call member services and then you know for sure you're not getting scammed. I trade my VGC points all the time for WDW pts.