SAP+ ?

[WinterSolider]

Likely target Island Garden in the Ewa Tower; have stayed 3x over the past year in Island Garden and Ocean, and honestly don't think there's much of a difference in view (if you're in a high enough floor).

Ocean 2BR will likely always be available at 7 months and is roughly 20% more expensive than Island Garden, depending on the season.

Aulani Subsidized is going to probably be $120 while you can get Saratoga for $90 or less.

I would buy Saratoga, but 20% to 30% more points than you were planning on. It won't cost you any more than AUL-S would and you'll have enough for Ocean View if that's all that's available at 7 months. If Island Garden is available, even better, now you have extra points to tack on a night or rent out.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Ocean 2BR will likely always be available at 7 months and is roughly 20% more expensive than Island Garden, depending on the season.

Aulani Subsidized is going to probably be $120 while you can get Saratoga for $90 or less.

I would buy Saratoga, but 20% to 30% more points than you were planning on. It won't cost you any more than AUL-S would and you'll have enough for Ocean View if that's all that's available at 7 months. If Island Garden is available, even better, now you have extra points to tack on a night or rent out.

This is 100% not true. Just because something happens some of the time does not mean it is “always” available.

 

[WinterSolider]

This is 100% not true. Just because something happens some of the time does not mean it is “always” available.

Actually it is true. OP travels in February and October and 2BR Ocean View is available at 7 months in February and October literally 100% of the time. Maybe that won't be true forever, but it's been true inception-to-date.

 

[gobears157]

Just my opinion: I would keep what you already have because of transaction costs and the fact that’s it’s a buyers market. .

Keep looking for AUL-S, but don’t turn your nose up at making agressive offers on unsubsidized AUL.

I wouldn’t recommend people buy outside of WDW if the points are mainly for WDW & I wouldn’t recommend people buy outside of DLand or Hawaii if that is where they primarily want to use the points.

Why do you not recommend people buying WDW resorts (e.g., SSR) for Aulani?

I can see this make sense for VGC where it's incredibly to book even at 11 months, but seems like the consensus is that AUL has ample availability even at the 7 month mark.

 

[WinterSolider]

I can see this make sense for VGC where it's incredibly to book even at 11 months, but seems like the consensus is that AUL has ample availability even at the 7 month mark.

If your goal is to stay at Aulani with a rough idea of when and in what unit generally, yes there is ample availability at the 7 month mark.

But it's not like EVERYTHING is ALWAYS available at 7-months. You need to consider all of the following:

• Grand Villa standard view is basically impossible to get.
• Hotel Room sells out extremely fast. Extremely difficult even at 11 months.
• Standard View and Island Garden View go first.
• Studios sell out before 2BR, which sell out before 1BR.
• January, June, and December can be tricky for certain categories.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Actually it is true. OP travels in February and October and 2BR Ocean View is available at 7 months in February and October literally 100% of the time.

I booked a 2Bd IGV in August and then looked to see if I could up it to an OV when I knew I would have more points coming. There was nothing available for the length of my stay.

So I will reiterate that it is not true that 2BD OV will always be available at 7 months.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Why do you not recommend people buying WDW resorts (e.g., SSR) for Aulani?

I can see this make sense for VGC where it's incredibly to book even at 11 months, but seems like the consensus is that AUL has ample availability even at the 7 month mark.

Because I have experienced times where I wanted to adjust the room category up or down outside of 7m and it was not available for the duration of my planned stay.

I just don’t see the point in risking it.

 

[gobears157]

If your goal is to stay at Aulani with a rough idea of when and in what unit generally, yes there is ample availability at the 7 month mark.

But it's not like EVERYTHING is ALWAYS available at 7-months. You need to consider all of the following:

• Grand Villa standard view is basically impossible to get.
• Hotel Room sells out extremely fast. Extremely difficult even at 11 months.
• Standard View and Island Garden View go first.
• Studios sell out before 2BR, which sell out before 1BR.
• January, June, and December can be tricky for certain categories.

Considered most of your points. In my use case, as @WinterSolider recognized, I'm consistently targeting 2br for either Feb and/or Oct, which historically have lighter demands.

This may change to March/April for spring break depending my kids' school schedule in the future. Currently, school has one 'Fall week' off in Oct and 'Ski Week' off in Feb -- so it works out perfectly for us.

 

[Chili327]

I vote for this, especially since there are 2 available... but also agree with Astro, i wouldn't sell your current contract right now.

Sell current 230p AUL and keep searching for 300-350 subsidized AUL

 

[AstroBlasters]

Actually it is true. OP travels in February and October and 2BR Ocean View is available at 7 months in February and October literally 100% of the time. Maybe that won't be true forever, but it's been true inception-to-date.

I am willing to concede that it is generally true that Feb and Oct have good availability at 7m for a 2BD OV.

However, as people read these threads years after we have posted I wanted to clarify that it is not a universal truth that 2Bd OV are available at 7m year round regardless of length of stay.

I personally would not buy WDW points if my main purpose was to use them at AUL.

 

[gobears157]

I vote for this, especially since there are 2 available... but also agree with Astro, i wouldn't sell your current contract right now.

Already reached out to both 300 point listings; one is with a broker/agent who's not selling below $137pp, and another is a stripped contract firm on $123pp.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Already reached out to both 300 point listings; one is with a broker/agent who's not selling below $137pp, and another is a stripped contract firm on $123pp.

What is your UY?

 

[gobears157]

What is your UY?

Current UY is April, so if I'm adding, hoping to align with this UY. If starting fresh (selling current and getting a new contract), I'd target Mar/Apr, with secondary consideration for Nov/Dec.

 

[intamin]

Current UY is April, so if I'm adding, hoping to align with this UY. If starting fresh (selling current and getting a new contract), I'd target Mar/Apr, with secondary consideration for Nov/Dec.

There really aren't that many subsidized Aulani contracts in April, there are however a plethora of subsidized Aulani contracts in March. It's the main reason why I own both March and April use years now unfortunately but it's worked out fine thus far.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Current UY is April, so if I'm adding, hoping to align with this UY. If starting fresh (selling current and getting a new contract), I'd target Mar/Apr, with secondary consideration for Nov/Dec.

April is going to be trickier for Sub UY than Dec, Feb, March.

 

[intamin]

Seeking advice:

I currently have 230 points at Aulani (unsubsidized) and plan on going 1-2x/year for 3-4 nights each (typically Feb and/or Oct). I'm targeting 2 bedroom stays for the foreseeable future (at least the next decade or so) since it allows us to invite another small family to join us (intention is to spend quality time together).

I am targeting to have a total of 300-350ish points, which would allow me to go ~3x every 2 years or so, and I've been looking at subsidized Aulani contracts for the past 6ish months. I'm considering SSR for SAP points instead of subsidized Aulani.

Different options in my head:

• Keep current 230p AUL and add SSR for SAP (will match 7-month SSR to my current 11-month AUL contract)
• Keep current 230p AUL and keep searching for another 70-120p subsidized AUL
• Sell current 230p AUL and target 300-350 SSR to primarily be used for AUL
• Sell current 230p AUL and keep searching for 300-350 subsidized AUL

Thoughts and/or advice? TIA!

(btw I love this community as I've learned so much!)

Definitely not worth it to sell just to upgrade to subsidized. Are you planning to go to WDW at all? Would you benefit from having home resort priority at WDW every few years?

If you would benefit from having WDW priority yeah you could consider SSR or if you're willing to spend a little more to have home resort priority at somewhere where it matters then maybe CCV or BLT.

If you don't plan to go to WDW at ALL I'd probably be extremely aggressive on unsubsidized contracts in my use year to keep things all the same. Like 80 pp and under aggressive. I know a lot of us are pretty subsidized happy on here but the difference in buy in cost invested into a HYSA or CD definitely negates a lot of the difference between unsub and subsidized.

 

[gobears157]

I'm planning a DCL (wish) and WDW trip in November, but expect this to be a rarity (aka don't know when I'll head back to FL).

As a west coaster, I expect to go to Hawaii regularly and DL/CA sometimes. My longer vacations (anything >1 week) are focused on international travel.

Appreciate all the advice. Looks like I'll keep hunting for a 300-350p AUL-S with Mar UY, then sell my current contract as my strategy.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Just something to bear in mind... let's say you buy a 300 pt contract that is subsidized, at $120pp - you're paying $36,000 plus closing costs of say $1,000 so $37,000.

You sell your 230 pt contract but run into a savvy buyer who won't pay more than $85pp because it's a somewhat bigger contract that is not subsidized- that's $19,550 but then you have a broker commission of i think 9.5% or something so you are really getting about $17,500 or so.

If my math is right, essentially you'd pay more than double what you sell for, to get the 300 pt subsidized contract while adding only 70 more points.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I'm planning a DCL (wish) and WDW trip in November, but expect this to be a rarity (aka don't know when I'll head back to FL).

As a west coaster, I expect to go to Hawaii regularly and DL/CA sometimes. My longer vacations (anything >1 week) are focused on international travel.

Appreciate all the advice. Looks like I'll keep hunting for a 300-350p AUL-S with Mar UY, then sell my current contract as my strategy.

Yeah, then you definitely want to own AUL and not a WDW resort.

Also, smaller contracts are generally considered because they are easier to resell if needed.

Also, there is nothing wrong with negotiating down to $90pp on an unsubsidized...especially if it has loaded points.

Relative to most of the subsidized contracts that want $130-$140 you will be better off with the unsubsidized.

 

[gobears157]

Just something to bear in mind... let's say you buy a 300 pt contract that is subsidized, at $120pp - you're paying $36,000 plus closing costs of say $1,000 so $37,000.

You sell your 230 pt contract but run into a savvy buyer who won't pay more than $85pp because it's a somewhat bigger contract that is not subsidized- that's $19,550 but then you have a broker commission of i think 9.5% or something so you are really getting about $17,500 or so.

If my math is right, essentially you'd pay more than double what you sell for, to get the 300 pt subsidized contract while adding only 70 more points.

I've done the calculations with assumptions buying at $115-120pp, and selling at $90-95pp. Break even ~10-12 year mark... then again, that doesn't take into consideration time value of money (e.g., HYSA or index funds).