I banked my points to book Aulani but it's not available. WWYD?

[DonMacGregor]

I spent time in Hawaii a lot as a kid, and my brother and I will vouch for BI as being well worth a real trip. Spend a few days in Kona, then drive down via South Point to stay near Volcano at least two nights. Then stay near to Hilo (or use Volcano as your homebase) to check out some of Hilo, as well as the Puna District, which is a gem. Come back up around the island 's east side.

A few things not to miss:

• Volcano Winery
• VNP, duh
• Visit one of the Painted Churches
• Pololu Valley Hike (if you have good knees, it's amazing)
• Waimea town
• Kanaloa Octopus Farm (currently closed but when they reopen)
• Snorkeling at Honaunau Bay
• Kaimū Bay (super cool)
• Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park

I could go on all day. It's my favorite island by a lot. I love just sitting in an outdoor hottub near Volcano Village and stargazing.

Yeah, for some reason, out of probably 25 - 30 trips, we only ended up on the Big Island twice. Of course, I didn't have much say as a kid, but in my teens Maui was the place to be for my folks. As I got more into surfing, Oahu and the North Shore drew my attention. Actually only started exploring Kauai as an adult, and have been going back to Maui the past few years because my sister's in-laws have a VRBO there (survived the fires).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Yeah, for some reason, out of probably 25 - 30 trips, we only ended up on the Big Island twice. Of course, I didn't have much say as a kid, but in my teens Maui was the place to be for my folks. As I got more into surfing, Oahu and the North Shore drew my attention. Actually only started exploring Kauai as an adult, and have been going back to Maui the past few years because my sister's in-laws have a VRBO there (survived the fires).

Yeah. We used to stay in a beachfront corporate condo in West Maui when meeting up with my father. But tourrism there was so much different then, and these days Maui is such a crowd scene and the water situation is awkward.

 

[Brian Noble]

I suspect Maui is one-and-done for me, and that was before the fires. I did not vibe with it. This was in '21, and to say it was crowded would be an understatement---and that was despite the proof-of-vaccination requirement.

Edited to add: And yes, the water situation is awkward, and another reason we might not go back.

However, if I do go back, it will be because of the Molokini Crater.

 

[Brian Noble]

My vote is also for Kauai for pristine Hawaii.

We've always thought of Kaua'i as different, and on our most recent trip, we learned some (possibly not entirely correct) history that might explain why--at least in part.

There's a much longer version, but the short version: King Kamehameha, after conquering the other islands in the chain, attempted to invade Kauai not once but twice. He failed both times. His son decided that maybe it was not his manifest destiny to conquer Kaua'i, and instead offered a merger that would bring Kaua'i in under his overall rule, but allow the Kaua'i royal family to retain local control. This was accepted.

Consequently, the island of Kaua'i has never been "conquered". I'm not sure whether this is why it feels "more Hawaiian" to us, if that's just because it's the oldest, or if we are just making it up. But it's fun to think about.

I also dig the "no taller than a coconut palm" rule.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Yeah. We used to stay in a beachfront corporate condo in West Maui when meeting up with my father. But tourrism there was so much different then, and these days Maui is such a crowd scene and the water situation is awkward.

Maui is WAY too crowded now (well, before the fires), and I find that if you know where you’re going, you can find some excellent secluded beaches on Oahu that render Maui moot. Now, Kauai…

 

[crisi]

Thinking about this some more, I'm more inclined to vote for renting your points and booking something else. This is mainly because you have no flexibility at all about when you go--it has to be that specific week.

Once you do that, there is no particular reason to go to Aulani. I know a lot of people like it, and I probably would too if I were to go. But, if I am going to Hawaii, I want to go to Hawaii and not Disney's ersatz sanitized version of it. The Ko'Olina development is a set of man-made lagoons, and they don't have much in the way of coral. So Aulani has a Very Large Fish Tank that you can snorkel in. That's great, but I'd much rather snorkel on an actual reef, and many of my favorite spots are not even on Oahu.

Yeah, I understand that my opinion is not particularly popular around these parts. I know a few people who often visit "real" Hawaii and also love Aulani--and I consider those people to have good taste in general. So maybe I'm just missing it, or it's a have to try it to get it thing.

I agree with you. Aulani is the Disney version of Hawaii in Hawaii - and it feels inauthentic. The beach is just OK, the pools make the whole resort a loud echo chamber during the day - it isn't remotely peaceful, and Oahu is not my favorite island (Hawaii isn't my favorite South Pacific chain) and, as Don said, its on the wrong side of the wrong island. I know a lot of people love it, but for us, its a place we've gone because we have points to spend and its easier than renting the points out and booking something else.

 

[kboo]

Won't I end up with a bunch of reservations that are separate and I'll have to move rooms?

Possibly but you may have waitlists come through. We stayed at Aulani back in April. Even at 7 months, we couldn't get everything all in a row, and we had to use different contracts to book because we didn't have enough points in one contract to cover all the nights we wanted. It was Easter weekend so first priority was to get all the nights covered if possible, in whatever rooms happened to be available. At one point we had rooms in different 1br views (mostly
OV which is what we figured), and a night here or there in a 2br. Although I had set up waitlists, I actually slowly picked my way to the full stay in a 1br OV. I'd set up what you can, waitlist single nights, getting 2 nights in a row, then 3, then 4 etc.

so I thought it was walkers, but it just was slim pickings. I would definitely waitlist while you consider your options with your family. Good luck.

Waitlist and if you have to walk, you walk! There is no ethical prohibition on walking. Both before and after the pandemic, but before VGF 2.0, December at VGF (especially Christmas) was pretty impossible, even with home resort priority. knock on wood, we've had good look with a lot of perseverance in stalking the site.

(Just now when I was looking for June AUL availability, I decided to see what had happened with an August trip I'd booked in a preferred view and waitlisted for standard - suddenly standard rooms had opened up and I was able to get all of my nights in a standard, though some were in a lockoff - so we are getting closer. I'm not too worried.)

 

[AstroBlasters]

Withhold judgement? Where’s the fun in that? In the words of Ted Lasso when offered tea: No thank you.

More seriously: this place can be a Disneyphile echo chamber. I will sometimes offer the Loyal Opposition opinion to remind people that the Aulani room they can’t even book is not the only possible place to stay on the islands.

Edited to add: And if I'm being completely honest, even Princeville gives me the heebie-jeebies, as it is strictly a resort community.

For clarification:

1) Have you ever stayed at Aulani?
2) Do you currently own DVC points?
3) Do you ever travel to Hawaii with children?

 

[crisi]

For clarification:

1) Have you ever stayed at Aulani?
2) Do you currently own DVC points?
3) Do you ever travel to Hawaii with children?

I can't speak for Brian, but yes, yes, and yes. My kids were past peak waterpark age by the time Aulani opened, but our Hawaii trip with kids at waterpark age featured more surfing, real snorkeling and volcano viewing than you get at or near Aulani. I think its a great place for kids at peak waterpark age - but at peak waterpark age, there is a waterpark a mile from my house, and a huge one fifteen minutes away.....I don't really need to spend the money on airfare to Hawaii for a great waterpark.

Which isn't to say we'd never return - we have points and I could spend another few days at Pearl Harbor alone (its in a great location for that), but it isn't near the top of my list for destinations.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I can't speak for Brian, but yes, yes, and yes. My kids were past peak waterpark age by the time Aulani opened, but our Hawaii trip with kids at waterpark age featured more surfing, real snorkeling and volcano viewing than you get at or near Aulani.

This is why we always get a car, regardless of where we are staying, when on Oahu. There are plenty of fantastic places to see and spend time, you just need to get out of Ko'Olina.

 

[jekjones1558]

This thread is a really interesting read, representing such a wide variety of opinions. I have vacationed in Hawaii many, many times because it is a perfect escape from Minnesota winters. I have stayed on the 4 most visited islands and love every one of them for different reasons. We enjoy renting oceanfront condos through VRBO, AirBNB, etc and we also like staying at nice resorts like those at Poipu, Kapalua, Mauna Lani, Aulani. I have never visited Aulani with kids but still I just love the vibe, the water slide and lazy river, all of it. I am always impressed with the quality of service provided by Aulani staff, superior to those at WDW, at least in my experience. I find it very hard to choose which island(s) to visit each year--that's how much I enjoy each one. No matter which Hawaiian island we visit, we always rent a car because no resort or room can capture all that any of the islands has to offer.
That is all. Just wanted to offer up my view as a 76 year old, in case there might be any other seniors out there contemplating whether Aulani is worth a stay.

 

[Brian Noble]

1) Have you ever stayed at Aulani?
2) Do you currently own DVC points?
3) Do you ever travel to Hawaii with children?

Despite the fact that this is a blatant attempt at gatekeeping, I'll address it: No, no, yes--many times.

And, not that you asked, but I've averaged about 275-300pts/year in DVC stays over the last 15 years. Between summer of 2016 and now, I've spent one week on Oahu, one week on Maui, three weeks on the Big Island, and five weeks on Kauai.

Of course, none of that is relevant to whether I'm allowed to have and express an opinion about DVC generally or Aulani in particular--and I was clear from the point at which I suggested "maybe not Aulani" that I haven't stayed at Aulani. And that was only after recommending waitlisting first, so it's not like I am a Never Aulani person.

But I don't need to stay there to know that an artificial reef is, well, artificial. I admire their efforts at trying to incorporate Hawaiian culture, but the development is still haole-centric. (If you've been to Hawaii and don't know what that means, you might not have gotten far enough out of the tourist bubble.) Disney has a very distinct playbook, and even the JR-led bits of it are ersatz and sanitized. For example, I've visited India, and I've been to the Asia section of Animal Kingdom. They are in no way the same thing.

(Just as one example, there is no cricket. Best of luck to India in the ICC semi-finals! Oh, and happy Diwali, which just happens to be today.)

That doesn't mean Aulani can't be great. It's clearly a lovely resort, and lots of people like it. That's wonderful! I'm glad people enjoy it. In fact, more DVC owners seem to like it than there are rooms for those owners, because it seems to be hard to book for much of the year.

My only point in this thread is that there is a lot more to Hawaii than Aulani, or Ko'Olina, or Oahu, and if you can't get a reservation at Aulani, it's possible that a different visit to Hawaii will also be awesome for many reasons. If you interpret that as "Aulani is bad" that's your problem, not mine.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Despite the fact that this is a blatant attempt at gatekeeping, I'll address it: No, no, yes--many times.

And, not that you asked, but I've averaged about 275-300pts/year in DVC stays over the last 15 years. Between summer of 2016 and now, I've spent one week on Oahu, one week on Maui, three weeks on the Big Island, and five weeks on Kauai.

Of course, none of that is relevant to whether I'm allowed to have and express an opinion about DVC generally or Aulani in particular--and I was clear from the point at which I suggested "maybe not Aulani" that I haven't stayed at Aulani. And that was only after recommending waitlisting first, so it's not like I am a Never Aulani person.

But I don't need to stay there to know that an artificial reef is, well, artificial. I admire their efforts at trying to incorporate Hawaiian culture, but the development is still haole-centric. (If you've been to Hawaii and don't know what that means, you might not have gotten far enough out of the tourist bubble.) Disney has a very distinct playbook, and even the JR-led bits of it are ersatz and sanitized. For example, I've visited India, and I've been to the Asia section of Animal Kingdom. They are in no way the same thing.

(Just as one example, there is no cricket. Best of luck to India in the ICC semi-finals! Oh, and happy Diwali, which just happens to be today.)

That doesn't mean Aulani can't be great. It's clearly a lovely resort, and lots of people like it. That's wonderful! I'm glad people enjoy it. In fact, more DVC owners seem to like it than there are rooms for those owners, because it seems to be hard to book for much of the year.

My only point in this thread is that there is a lot more to Hawaii than Aulani, or Ko'Olina, or Oahu, and if you can't get a reservation at Aulani, it's possible that a different visit to Hawaii will also be awesome for many reasons. If you interpret that as "Aulani is bad" that's your problem, not mine.

Thank you for your consistently valuable timesharing advice on a DVC forum even though you do not own any DVC points.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

So we’ve never been to Hawaii. But we’ve heard from friends that it’s beautiful but grotty. It’s on our list, just not at the top. We will probably go 2025 or 2026. But we thought we’d want to stay at Aulani or some place like it— maybe the Marriott- a place that would buffer us from the “real” Hawaii. I’m not saying we would never venture out, but we’d like to come home at night to a hotel where everything is pleasant and there is no drama. I mean we get off the ship at Nassau. But we won’t get off at Belize again.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Despite the fact that this is a blatant attempt at gatekeeping, I'll address it: No, no, yes--many times.

And, not that you asked, but I've averaged about 275-300pts/year in DVC stays over the last 15 years. Between summer of 2016 and now, I've spent one week on Oahu, one week on Maui, three weeks on the Big Island, and five weeks on Kauai.

Of course, none of that is relevant to whether I'm allowed to have and express an opinion about DVC generally or Aulani in particular--and I was clear from the point at which I suggested "maybe not Aulani" that I haven't stayed at Aulani. And that was only after recommending waitlisting first, so it's not like I am a Never Aulani person.

But I don't need to stay there to know that an artificial reef is, well, artificial. I admire their efforts at trying to incorporate Hawaiian culture, but the development is still haole-centric. (If you've been to Hawaii and don't know what that means, you might not have gotten far enough out of the tourist bubble.) Disney has a very distinct playbook, and even the JR-led bits of it are ersatz and sanitized. For example, I've visited India, and I've been to the Asia section of Animal Kingdom. They are in no way the same thing.

(Just as one example, there is no cricket. Best of luck to India in the ICC semi-finals! Oh, and happy Diwali, which just happens to be today.)

That doesn't mean Aulani can't be great. It's clearly a lovely resort, and lots of people like it. That's wonderful! I'm glad people enjoy it. In fact, more DVC owners seem to like it than there are rooms for those owners, because it seems to be hard to book for much of the year.

My only point in this thread is that there is a lot more to Hawaii than Aulani, or Ko'Olina, or Oahu, and if you can't get a reservation at Aulani, it's possible that a different visit to Hawaii will also be awesome for many reasons. If you interpret that as "Aulani is bad" that's your problem, not mine.

Wow! That turned defensive and aggressive very quickly.

I was simply inquiring if you had any personal experience about the resort which you told another poster that “there is no particular reason to go to Aulani. I know a lot of people like it, and I probably would too if I were to go. But, if I am going to Hawaii, I want to go to Hawaii and not Disney's ersatz sanitized version of it.”

I can go on another timeshare company’s message board and tell posters that there is no reason to go to one resort or another because of various other options in the area, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable for someone on that thread to ask if I have ever experienced the resort myself. It wouldn’t make my potential points any less valid, but it’s a piece of information that someone may want to know if they are going to take my comments into their decision making process.

 

[jekjones1558]

So we’ve never been to Hawaii. But we’ve heard from friends that it’s beautiful but grotty. It’s on our list, just not at the top. We will probably go 2025 or 2026. But we thought we’d want to stay at Aulani or some place like it— maybe the Marriott- a place that would buffer us from the “real” Hawaii. I’m not saying we would never venture out, but we’d like to come home at night to a hotel where everything is pleasant and there is no drama. I mean we get off the ship at Nassau. But we won’t get off at Belize again.

i am blown away by this post. I can’t imagine where your friends stayed. I have been all over the 4 most visited Hawaiian islands and never had a problem. I remember feeling a little uncomfortable on Guadeloupe and Martinique but never in Hawaii.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

i am blown away by this post. I can’t imagine where your friends stayed. I have been all over the 4 most visited Hawaiian islands and never had a problem. I remember feeling a little uncomfortable on Guadeloupe and Martinique but never in Hawaii.

It’s not just our friends. I’ve read several reviews where people say similar things. I guess it’s like the rest of the world- falling apart unfortunately.

 

[zavandor]

It’s not just our friends. I’ve read several reviews where people say similar things. I guess it’s like the rest of the world- falling apart unfortunately.

I guess that's what everyone say about every place that's not their home since the fall of the roman empire.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I guess that's what everyone say about every place that's not their home since the fall of the roman empire.

Lol. Our home is falling apart too.

 

[Minniesgal]

June is the worst month of the year for availability and pretty much doesn’t happen at 7 months. Go later in the year. Oct is usually pretty good to book