Considering buying Disney's Aulani

[smmatrix]

I've been a member here for several months and I know better than buying at developer prices, but I am wondering is there ever a good reason to buy from the developer?

I am here at Disney's Aulani and this is an amazing resort. It's over-the-top impressive, exceeds all expectations, fantastic in every way. I don't want to leave and will surely want to come here every year for eternity. I also see a Aulani is rated #2 best resorts on TUG... and for good reason!

I am tempted to attend a timeshare presentation though the reward is only $50.

I am a Worldmark owner and vacation 8 to 10 weeks per year. I love my Worldmark but they are merely homes away from home. Aulani is a whole different breed whereas I can be here easily for a week without wanting to leave the property. My two 3-year-old twins, boy and girl, love it here. So many things to do. Good reasons to buy?

 

[DeniseM]

It is going to be super expensive - FAR MORE THAN WORLDMARK.

If you go to the presentation - don't buy - go home and think about it and investigate buying Disney points on the resale market.

You don't want to buy in this state of mind.

AND - if you have to finance it - that's a deal killer - just rent.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I own 90 DVC points ... brought in the days before there became a class distinction between resale and developer brought. Your kids are young and are just getting to the age where the fairies, pirates and pixie dust will rule their lives. Many adults love the Disney magic, too.

Figure out where and HOW you can use your DVC points, the location of your Home Resort (AKV for me), and a reasonable buying plan (like in steps).

With my 90 points, I can bank a year, 2nd year book a reservation by borrowing year 3's points ... giving me a bigger unit or MORE days at WDW using my 270 points. Or go every other year on 135 points.

Research and learn as much as you can before attending a presentation ... although DVC presentations tend to be much lower 'sales' pitch than your typical TS held hostage events.

 

[dansyr2514]

I have researched and stayed Dvc many times being a disney fan. I think if you can find an aulani resale that would be great. Direct from disney is about $170 a pt now.
They have cut down on a lot of the benefits of Dvc if you buy resale however unless you need discounted annual passes , want to attend Dvc events , or plan on using points for cruises, resale would be the way to go .
I've heard Dvc sales presentations are very low pressure so it probably wouldn't hurt to go to one .
One thing to consider is Dvc holds p it's value better than most other time shares.
Right now Dvc is a little out of our price range especially since we can rent or exchange fairly inexpensively. However if in the future we have a little extra to spend I would definitely buy in .

Remember if you go resale you can buy a lower price contract but still use at Aulani.

 

[smmatrix]

Thanks for the good advice. I would definitely prefer to buy at Aulani as you have a longer booking window. Availability on the resale market seems to be slim pickings. And advice on where to get a good deal?

 

[dansyr2514]

I keep looking at Dvcbyresale. However I think there are a few reputable resellers. They do have an aulani listing right now.

 

[Cropman]

I have had good experiences with The Timeshare Store. They do a lot of DVC resales. http://www.dvc-resales.com/ Good luck!!

 

[cayman01]

Ohhhh myyyyy

Let's look at this in good old American dollars......

If you buy from Disney you are looking around $170/pt.

To stay in a 1BR at Aulani will run you anywhere from 250-450 pts per week. Depending on the time of year and particular view. And you WILL need at least a 1BR until the kids get older.

So let's use 325 pts as a benchmark which gets you there in one form of accomadation or another at any point in the year.

325 times $170/pt = $55,250

Maintenance fees are going to run you about $7/pt/yr.

325 times 7/pt = $2275/yr in MF's

So over ten years that will run you about $78,000 if you pay CASH.

Now, let's buy resale at Bay Lake Towers.

325 times $115/pt = $37,325

maintenance will probably be around $6 average....

325 times $6/pt = $1950

Over ten years that comes to $56,825 , a savings of $21k+

Or , we could low ball at Old Key West

325 times $75/pt = $24,375

maintenance will be about $7 too

325 times $7/pt = $2250

A total outlay of $46,875, and a savings of $31k+

So, even with OKW as a home base you are looking at $4700/week for Aulani. Yes, you could resell your points in ten years to cut down your outlay, but we don't know what the future holds as far as value. What
is it costing you to rent? I understand the Disney Magic as my DW and DD
are addicts but I think you would be better off renting. IMHO, Disney is just too expensive now. Remember, those numbers don't include the first bitwe of food or Disney merch.

 

[DeniseM]

And then you add financing and interest, and it's a ridiculous proposition.

 

[alwysonvac]

Go home and think about it.

I agree Aulani is an amazing resort. We've been their twice and loved both times but it's super expensive and takes careful consideration. Due to the high prices we only stay a few days using our Orlando DVC points.

Here's the latest pricing

From http://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/financial/pricing-a-promotions
Aulani (Hawaii)
$171 per point; 100-149 points
150 points: $171 per point LESS $1,250 Developer Credit
200 points: $171 per point LESS $2,750 Developer Credit
250 points: $171 per point LESS $3,250 Developer Credit
300 points: $171 per point LESS $4,000 Developer Credit
1000 points: $171 per point less $14,000 Developer Credit
(Savings vary at other purchase levels)

Here's the point chart.

 

[Ty1on]

Let's look at this in good old American dollars......

If you buy from Disney you are looking around $170/pt.

To stay in a 1BR at Aulani will run you anywhere from 250-450 pts per week. Depending on the time of year and particular view. And you WILL need at least a 1BR until the kids get older.

So let's use 325 pts as a benchmark which gets you there in one form of accomadation or another at any point in the year.

325 times $170/pt = $55,250

Maintenance fees are going to run you about $7/pt/yr.

325 times 7/pt = $2275/yr in MF's

So over ten years that will run you about $78,000 if you pay CASH.

Now, let's buy resale at Bay Lake Towers.

325 times $115/pt = $37,325

maintenance will probably be around $6 average....

325 times $6/pt = $1950

Over ten years that comes to $56,825 , a savings of $21k+

Or , we could low ball at Old Key West

325 times $75/pt = $24,375

maintenance will be about $7 too

325 times $7/pt = $2250

A total outlay of $46,875, and a savings of $31k+

So, even with OKW as a home base you are looking at $4700/week for Aulani. Yes, you could resell your points in ten years to cut down your outlay, but we don't know what the future holds as far as value. What
is it costing you to rent? I understand the Disney Magic as my DW and DD
are addicts but I think you would be better off renting. IMHO, Disney is just too expensive now. Remember, those numbers don't include the first bitwe of food or Disney merch.

This was a well constructed and eye opening analysis.

 

[slum808]

You can find Aulani resale for $105/pt. If you're patient you may find one of the original contracts with subsidized mf

 

[smmatrix]

I'm here for seven days, and in a hotel room, 112 points it would cost me if I was a member but since I'm not I'm paying $3550 for the week.

So would I really need 350 points in the future? The room is nice and all, but we are doing our best to spend all waking moments outside and in the resort because it's so awesome with all of its activities.

 

[lily28]

I'm here for seven days, and in a hotel room, 112 points it would cost me if I was a member but since I'm not I'm paying $3550 for the week.

So would I really need 350 points in the future? The room is nice and all, but we are doing our best to spend all waking moments outside and in the resort because it's so awesome with all of its activities.

You could rent point at $15-16/ point from dvc members and save a bundle compare to renting room direct

 

[alwysonvac]

I'm here for seven days, and in a hotel room, 112 points it would cost me if I was a member but since I'm not I'm paying $3550 for the week.

Also there are only 8 DVC hotel rooms.
When Aulani converted one of the DVC standard view Grand Villa to the Ulu Cafe, they added 8 hotel rooms to the DVC inventory. All 8 are standard view rooms with views of the parking lot. The hotel room has two queen beds but no microwave or toaster.
NOTE: Generally there's lots of competition for the lowest point DVC rooms.

Here are some other threads that you might find helpful
Aulani views - http://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-villas-views-updated-09-09-2016.2907389/
DVC Resource a Center - http://www.disboards.com/threads/dvc-resource-center.3516203/
Maintenance Fee history - http://www.disboards.com/threads/dvc-resource-center.3516203/#post-55874468

 

[famy27]

I know some people think you need a one or two bedroom, but we just did a studio stay at the Poly, and it was perfect for us. My girls and 10 and 4.

We bought 270 BLT points last October for $115 per point, and I am so very happy with our decision. This year, we rented out 140 of our points for $13 per point using a rental agency ($1820 total). Our MFs are $1425, so we covered all of this year's costs and have money left over. We used our remaining 130 points for a one night stay at Saratoga Springs added on to an RCI exchange, and for six nights at Poly.

Our plan for the future is to use about eight nights annually for ourselves, mainly staying in studios, and to rent out the remaining points.

We could rent from an owner, but at $15-16 per point, it adds up. Also, you have to find someone with the points you need when you need them. As an owner, I can check the DVC member website whenever I want. For this last trip, we changed our days three times, and it was as easy as pie on the DVC site. Renting from an owner generally means you can't change or cancel your reservation. We considered buying DVC a few years ago but held off because of the purchase price. Now that we are in the system, we are kicking ourselves for not buying sooner when the prices were lower. And after our Poly stay, I'm getting a bad case of add-on-itis. I really want a small batch of Poly points now. I feel like I need to join some sort of support group...

 

[presley]

Go to the presentation. DVC isn't pushy like other timeshare presentations. You'll learn some stuff and just tell them you want to do some research for a few months. They'll let you off the hook with some follow up phone calls. Again, not high pressure like the other timeshares unless you get a new sales person who came from one of the other companies that is pushy.

Then, take your time to research. The nice thing about DVC is that even if you regret your purchase, you can sell it for close to what you paid for it and some people even sell higher than what they paid. It's been shown how much it costs to own. Do you really want to stay there for a week every year? If not, renting from owners may be a better option. There are some old contracts that have lower MFs because they did really bad math when they opened the place. You may find one of those on the resale market and then you are not only saving on your purchase price, but on your annual dues forever.

In your time of researching, be sure to check out the other properties on Oahu. It may be better to buy at one of those and just add on a couple nights to stay at Aulani when you go to Hawaii. It really depends on your vacation style. Aulani is great for those with small children, but I don't see the attraction for the adventurous travelers or older kids and adults.

 

[floydp]

I agree Aulani is an amazing resort. We've been their twice and loved both times but it's super expensive and takes careful consideration. Due to the high prices we only stay a few days using our Orlando DVC points.

Here's the latest pricing

Here's the point chart.

Do you know what the Hawaii added on at check out tax would be? If so, just give an example for a one bedroom intermediate season.

 

[mtforeman]

Yep, hubs and I went to SS over the summer and fell in love also (RCI trade). However, after we weighed the costs (OUCH) the initial glamour wore off. We figure we'll just stick to whatever is available through RCI for trade, which seems to always be SS with the rare occasional OKW.

 

[alwysonvac]

Do you know what the Hawaii added on at check out tax would be? If so, just give an example for a one bedroom intermediate season.

Here's the link to the 2016 Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) based on the 2016 Aulani DVC chart - https://disneyvacationclub.disney.g...aiiaccommodationtax/2016_HI_TAT_Web_Chart.pdf

From - http://www.dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/aulani-villas/faqs

What is the Transient Accommodations Tax?
For all stays at Aulani, the State of Hawaii imposes a daily transient accommodations tax based on the number of Vacation Points required for the stay. The State requires that the tax be collected from the guest occupying the timeshare and is collected only if the accommodation is used. Thus, the transient accommodation tax cannot be included in the yearly maintenance fee paid by Aulani owners.

The tax is computed by taking one-half of the yearly maintenance fee, multiplied by the number of Vacation Points for the length of stay, multiplied by a tax rate of 7.25%.

For 2016, Aulani's yearly Maintenance Fee is $6.7913 per point. The proposed transient accommodations tax per point is

$3.3957 (1/2 of the 2016 MF of $6.7913) * 1 (a single point) * 0.0725 (tax rate) = $0.2462 per point.

A 7-night stay in an Ocean View studio during the Magic Season at Aulani requires 203 points. The transient accommodations tax is $7.14 per night, or $49.98 for the entire length of stay.

The tax must be paid at or before check-out. The amount of the tax will vary from year to year and is subject to change.

 

[Password is taco]

I'm here for seven days, and in a hotel room, 112 points it would cost me if I was a member but since I'm not I'm paying $3550 for the week.

So would I really need 350 points in the future? The room is nice and all, but we are doing our best to spend all waking moments outside and in the resort because it's so awesome with all of its activities.

Regarding point needs, don't just think about what works for your family now. Think about how needs/expectations will change as your kids age, etc.

 

[littlestar]

Depending on when you want to vacation at Aulani (whether you need holiday weeks or not), you might be able to get by with a Disney Saratoga Springs resale contract. The last time I checked, those were going for anywhere from $79 to $89 a point. Didn't know if you plan to home school or pull the kids out of school for vacations? You could buy a resale at SSR and then even add on as little as 25 points direct through Disney at Aulani.

Disney usually will sell a minimum 50 point or larger contract direct if you push for it. Maybe Disney will sell you 50 points at Aulani while you are there. And then you could find a great Saratoga resale later with your use year. With banking and borrowing you could have 100 points every other year for home resort 11 month booking at Aulani with a small contract.

We have a mixture of developer and resale contracts. We have used The Timeshare Store to buy and sell - they were wonderful to work with.

 

[bendadin]

Personally I would buy resale and then do a point transfer of Aulani points on the years that you want the 11 month advantage. The only issue is that you have to call in to do all of your reservations, which isn't particularly a problem. There is plenty of week available If you plan to go to WDW and want the current perks, buy a 25 point add-on. Full weeks are available 7 months and one week out from today for a studio.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I've been a member here for several months and I know better than buying at developer prices, but I am wondering is there ever a good reason to buy from the developer?

I am here at Disney's Aulani and this is an amazing resort. It's over-the-top impressive, exceeds all expectations, fantastic in every way. I don't want to leave and will surely want to come here every year for eternity. I also see a Aulani is rated #2 best resorts on TUG... and for good reason!

I am tempted to attend a timeshare presentation though the reward is only $50.

I am a Worldmark owner and vacation 8 to 10 weeks per year. I love my Worldmark but they are merely homes away from home. Aulani is a whole different breed whereas I can be here easily for a week without wanting to leave the property. My two 3-year-old twins, boy and girl, love it here. So many things to do. Good reasons to buy?

Before signing on the dotted line be sure to walk two lagoons over and check out Marriott's Ko Olina resort.

The kids will be kids for only so long and 10 years from now you may end up kicking yourself for buying at Aulani instead of the Marriott property.

To me Aulani is a cement pad; Marriott's Ko Olina has far better landscaping (just my opinion).

Best of luck with your final decision!





.

 

[littlestar]

Thought of something else to add. Since you already own Worldmark and can trade in to Hawaii for seven night trades, you could always use DVC points to tack on a two or three night stay at Aulani.

We are DVC members and when we vacation in Orlando we frequently trade in and stay a week at a Marriott or Sheraton and then use our DVC points to add two or three days onsite at Disney,