Aulani This December?

[JM23457]

Does anyone else plan to go this December? There is a great discount right available for fall stays, and I'd really like for us to make the trip. Thoughts? What are the odds that Aulani will be operational by mid-December?

 

[frank808]

Will be at Aulani over Christmas week. Hope it is open by then.

 

[Bubbenstein]

We have the first week of December booked. I'm definitely a bit nervous with the news of the required testing and if Aulani will even be open.

 

[DRussell83]

We are scheduled thanksgiving week re scheduled from Memorial Day - definitely getting nervous especially with the testing requirements as it seems pretty hard to get a test here unless symptoms are present (Orange county, ca) along with that worried that if we can’t go - where we even be able to use our dvc points with the whole 50% rule... so yea.

 

[JM23457]

Yeah, I didn't find out until today that Hawaii's governor walked back the opening of the 72 hour testing to avoid quarantine compromise. That ended my plans to go, as they're obviously not serious about opening to tourism yet. That had seemed like such a solid plan, but they're apparently not quite willing to stick with it. That scared me into waiting until next summer. We've opted for Vero Beach instead.

 

[Noah_t]

I am so disheartened that we have to cancel our backup November trip again that originally I was going to go next spring break but now I am thinking maybe just go Summer 2021.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We are also looking at December (first week)... not only this discount, but the the flights are decent priced... However nervous coming from Canada, will we have still to quarantine coming back? Will the test still be required (likely)... all these questions.... We are strongly considering though as everything has flexible cancellations at this point.

 

[Disney_Fan_01]

We cancelled our Memorial Day trip earlier in March and rescheduled for dec over Christmas and New Years (Aulani/Maui). I rented points from an Aulani owner to cover the busy nights as the availability would not be there at 7 months out, which I was right. The bad part is now I will be stuck with 3 nights worth of points that I will not be able to refund; however, I am directly working with the owner and he had committed to helping me move the dates if needed. Flights and Maui accommodation can be moved m, so we are just playing the waiting game and will decide by Oct. not looking good at this point, but not much will change if we had to reschedule again to next May. So, waiting is the best thing we can do. In hindsight, I should not have rescheduled for this year, but no one saw this lingering back in March.

 

[JM23457]

In hindsight, I should not have rescheduled for this year, but no one saw this lingering back in March.

Really. Remember when everything was closing "for a few weeks"?

 

[marvfool1]

We were scheduled to go June 2020, We rescheduled for Christmas week. I called yesterday and cancelled Christmas week and rebooked for June 2021. Sadly we have too many ill informed citizens that are still calling this virus a hoax, not wearing masks in public and appear to have zero interest in public safety. It’s summer and cases are spiking in my home state. In my opinion, these factors are going to make at best for a difficult flu season here in the U.S.

On a separate note for DVC members, the cast member I spoke with yesterday was kind enough to return my borrowed 2021 UY points to complete our June 2021 reservation. Aulani is our home resort and in typical Aulani fashion all the standard view categories and hotel rooms were already booked solid for mid June 2021.

Good luck to all and stay safe.

 

[JM23457]

in typical Aulani fashion all the standard view categories and hotel rooms were already booked solid for mid June 2021.

I just checked the Aulani website for June 12th - 18th and the only unavailable categories are some 2 & 3 bedroom villas. Every more basic category is available.

 

[marvfool1]

I just checked the Aulani website for June 12th - 18th and the only unavailable categories are some 2 & 3 bedroom villas. Every more basic category is available.

I believe u missed the first part of the statement:

"On a separate note for DVC members"

It's DVC availability not direct reservations with Aulani.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Standard View and Hotel Units are such small categories it is no shocker that they are gone 10 months out.

 

[JM23457]

I believe u missed the first part of the statement:

"On a separate note for DVC members"

It's DVC availability not direct reservations with Aulani.

You said "and hotel rooms", so for that you seemed to be referring to general availability.

 

[frank808]

Aulani has a hotel room category to book with DVC points. It is because DVC took a standard view grand villa and two 2br units to put in Ulu cafe. They had to provide something back to the timeshare side to offset the points lost.

Marv was not referring to the hotel side of Aulani room availability.

 

[JM23457]

Aulani has a hotel room category to book with DVC points. It is because DVC took a standard view grand villa and two 2br units to put in Ulu cafe. They had to provide something back to the timeshare side to offset the points lost.

Marv was not referring to the hotel side of Aulani room availability.

I get that now. I just felt the need to explain my thinking after he bit my head off.

 

[marshac]

Will be at Aulani over Christmas week. Hope it is open by then.

Us too, hope it’s open! With travel being pushed back to Sept 1, I wouldn’t be half surprised if that gets pushed back further yet again, especially given the difficulty in obtaining timely COVID testing. LabCorp is returning us results in 8-10 days, unacceptably long, especially for people needing to travel to States such as AK for fishing work, etc.

 

[corgi_monster]

Us too, hope it’s open! With travel being pushed back to Sept 1, I wouldn’t be half surprised if that gets pushed back further yet again, especially given the difficulty in obtaining timely COVID testing. LabCorp is returning us results in 8-10 days, unacceptably long, especially for people needing to travel to States such as AK for fishing work, etc.

Ugh, I feel like Hawaii is in such limbo right now and wouldn't count on the Sept. 1 testing exemption at this point. The teachers are making a strong push to delay the start of school. The government doesn't want to open up tourism and school at the same time. A recent scientific poll showed that 80% of residents are weary about opening up tourism. Health officials are saying we aren't ready. There just always seems to be more and more reasons to delay.

I have a number of friends and family members who work in big hotels - Hyatt, Marriott run hotels, and yes, Aulani. They vary in position from front line workers to upper management. No one has been called back to work in preparation for a September 1 opening yet.

 

[JM23457]

Ugh, I feel like Hawaii is in such limbo right now and wouldn't count on the Sept. 1 testing exemption at this point. The teachers are making a strong push to delay the start of school. The government doesn't want to open up tourism and school at the same time. A recent scientific poll showed that 80% of residents are weary about opening up tourism. Health officials are saying we aren't ready. There just always seems to be more and more reasons to delay.

I have a number of friends and family members who work in big hotels - Hyatt, Marriott run hotels, and yes, Aulani. They vary in position from front line workers to upper management. No one has been called back to work in preparation for a September 1 opening yet.

Hopefully by next summer, this will change. I can't imagine Hawaii's tourism sector basically closed for over a year. What that would do to the economy...

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hopefully by next summer, this will change. I can't imagine Hawaii's tourism sector basically closed for over a year. What that would do to the economy...

It's a balance. Widespread COVID-19 wouldn't do wonders for the economy either there.