# Aulani room categories



## GregT (Oct 4, 2011)

All,

Does anyone have any idea how many of Aulani's rooms are in within the different room categories?

More specifically, what percentage of rooms are Island View/Poolside Garden View/Ocean View?

I'm trying to figure out the importance of (someday) buying at Aulani, versus buying a SSR or VGC and then counting on the mini-system to trade you in at 7 months.   I love mini-systems and Disney appears to have one of the more stable and versatile systems.

Separately, any opinions on why Bay Lake/VGC/SSR have the lower MFs?  Are they still in retail sales and therefore are subsidized by Disney?

Thanks kindly -- I've gotten multiple separate reports now from owners that Aulani is a special property -- and I'm looking forward to visiting in 2013.

Best,

Greg


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## presley (Oct 4, 2011)

GregT said:


> Separately, any opinions on why Bay Lake/VGC/SSR have the lower MFs?  Are they still in retail sales and therefore are subsidized by Disney?



A DVC salesman told me that BLT had lower MFs because it only needed to be hosed down vs. the expenses of AKL - the animal upkeep and plants.  At that time, he never told me that SSR was for sale.  

I was just at VGC and was also thinking that the MFs are very low for such a masterpiece.  Perhaps, since they already had the whole place built/functioning as a hotel and they only needed to add on a wing?  They really only have a small section that are DVC.


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## slum808 (Oct 4, 2011)

*Okay here's the financal numbers first.*

Aulani Direct Expires 2062 retail
2 Bed Ocean View Choice season 490/week or Magic Season 553/week
553 @$102/point = $56,406     553point @ $5.73/point = $3169 mf

Old Key West Expires 2042 resale
List for $55/point Has been sold as low as $40/point
553 @ $45/Point = $24,885   553 @ $4.99/point = $2760 mf

Saratoga Springs Resort Expires 2054 resale
List for $65 has been sold for $50/point
553 @ $55/ Point = $30,415  553 @ 4.51 = $2494


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## slum808 (Oct 4, 2011)

*MF Vary by resort*

MF vary by resort for a variety of reasons. BLT and VGC have very high point per room values so the total number of points for the resort is high. This spreads the MF across more points therefore lower mf/point. Its good if your using BLT/VGC points to stay at a low point value resort like OKW, but then again the points cost you way more. BLT direct is now $150 no discount. VGC is sold out but you can go waitlist for $130. Resale cost about $90-$95 for BLT I got my VGC for $85. SSR I'm not as sure about, Its the largest resort, so I guess again you have a high point total to work with. Small resorts like BCV and BWV still have to pay for all the common areas, pools and check in staff. You could say the same thing for VGC, but there isn't really much for ammenities there, small pools, no community hall. There was some concern from DVC owners that the same type of "Mistakes" were made at BLT and VGC since it was built under the same managment, you know the ones that just got fired. Only time will tell.


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## slum808 (Oct 4, 2011)

*# of room types*

Greg,
DVC News has all the rooms broken out by Phase or Building. I know you like Ocean View and that makes up about 40% of the resort. 

http://dvcnews.com/forum/showthread.php?6530-Aulani-Rooms-and-Views-Phase-1-amp-2-UPDATED


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## heathpack (Oct 4, 2011)

DVC dues are low for new resorts still in sales.  I own at VGC and I don't expect it to stay a low dues resort.  Eventually I expect it to become one of the pricier dues due to greater operating costs in California vs Orlando.  The most expensive resorts will inevitably be in places with greater wear & tear (beach resorts), a higher cost of living (California & Oahu), high on-going costs (Animal Kingdom) and aging resorts (OKW).  Just my opinion, but I expect the high MF resorts to settle out to be: Aulani, VGC, HHI, Vero, AKL and maybe BLT b/c of shoddy construction/cheap furnishing (or so I hear).

H


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## marmite (Oct 5, 2011)

I'm going to watch and see how easy it is for me to book Aulani with my points from DVC's Beach Club Villas.  If the 7 month window is good enough to get a reservation off-peak, I would consider picking up a cheap contract at an old resort and try to squeak it past ROFR.  I will need more points with what is needed for an Aulani ocean view booking.

Once you step outside of the home resort booking advantage, they are all equal as far as getting a reservation at Aulani.

Cheers.


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## frank808 (Oct 5, 2011)

Seems like the standard views are the hardest to get.  It is also the cheapest.  My experience has been standard and ocean view has been hard to get.  While island and pool view has been readily available.  Acording to the chart standard and pool views should be the hardest to get and might not be available at the 7 month mark like standard view at BLT.  Once the resort builds out, I think ocean view would be easily available at 7 months.


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## slum808 (Oct 5, 2011)

I thinl if you booked early when only phase I was open, ocean view was hard to get, but phase II has a lot of ocean view rooms as will phase III. The difficultlty comes in knowing exactly what is declared into DVC inventory. Even though phase II is built, we don't know what rooms cam be booked with DVC points.


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## Gracey (Oct 18, 2011)

Just booked at Aulani for this May   Had no problem getting a 2 bedroom, standard view at the 7 month mark and I didn't call until later in the day.


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## dvc_john (Oct 18, 2011)

I'm hoping to go in September/October 2012. Already have reservations for Villas at Grand Californian Anaheim,  HGVC Lagoon Tower Waikiki, Marriott Kauai Lagoons, and Hyatt Maui, and hoping to finish up at Aulani booking at 7 months. Having trouble deciding between island view and ocean view, and between studio and 1-br.


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