Any chance to book Aulani for Christmas or NYE at 7 months?

[mernin]

We are thinking of cancelling our trip to WDW planned for this spring to spend Christmas in Hawaii. We would like to either start or end our trip at Aulani, so would have either Christmas or NYE in our dates. Is there any chance we’d be able to get a studio or 1 bedroom at 7 months out? What the view is isn’t a deal breaker, we’d take what was available.

Just trying to figure if it’s best to find an owner with home resort to book at 11 months and rent our points, or risk it at 7 months. I would rather use our own if we thought we could get it.

 

[slamommie]

We got lucky with a 1 bdrm Island View for Christmas Day and the following night last year (2022) two months out, by checking daily. It was a stay-cation for us, so opened gifts then headed out to Aulani. Was a great Christmas!

 

[mernin]

Ugh....I missed it this morning. Only 3 options were available (OV Studio, IV 1 bed, OV 1 bed) at 8am, but I had our backup plan booked for the week earlier in WDW and didn't realize I couldn't change the points to a different booking (like with a waitlist). So by the time I realized that, went and cancelled my first reservation to free up my points, they were gone. I was able to rebook my back up plan, but I really do want to go to Hawaii this year. Thinking I should have just booked it with borrowed points and asked Member Services to switch them for me after the fact.

Dumb move...now to decide if I try again tomorrow for 1 less day and put a waitlist in, or let it go...

What would you have done?

 

[jekjones1558]

Ugh....I missed it this morning. Only 3 options were available (OV Studio, IV 1 bed, OV 1 bed) at 8am, but I had our backup plan booked for the week earlier in WDW and didn't realize I couldn't change the points to a different booking (like with a waitlist). So by the time I realized that, went and cancelled my first reservation to free up my points, they were gone. I was able to rebook my back up plan, but I really do want to go to Hawaii this year. Thinking I should have just booked it with borrowed points and asked Member Services to switch them for me after the fact.

Dumb move...now to decide if I try again tomorrow for 1 less day and put a waitlist in, or let it go...

What would you have done?

Once you borrow points you can't un-borrow them. They stay in the use year of the reservation you made.
If you could live with one less day, then I would try again tomorrow and pray that the waitlist comes through. Aulani is so awesome--I hope it works out for you. Good luck!

 

[mernin]

Thanks! I dropped my back up plan 1 minute before to free up my points and was able to snag the 4 days available first thing this morning! Super happy about that!!

Can I modify a waitlist (the days) or do I have to cancel and set up a new one for the 1st day I wasn't able to get? I clicked the modify button but it only let me change from 7 to 31 days prior to release the waitlist, not the dates.

 

[jekjones1558]

Thanks! I dropped my back up plan 1 minute before to free up my points and was able to snag the 4 days available first thing this morning! Super happy about that!!

Can I modify a waitlist (the days) or do I have to cancel and set up a new one for the 1st day I wasn't able to get? I clicked the modify button but it only let me change from 7 to 31 days prior to release the waitlist, not the dates.You

You will need to set up a new waitlist. Good luck! Happy that you at least got 4 days. I would also suggest that you log on first thing every morning to see if you can get that additional day. I have found that stalking in addition to waitlisting is a good strategy.

 

[mernin]

You will need to set up a new waitlist. Good luck! Happy that you at least got 4 days. I would also suggest that you log on first thing every morning to see if you can get that additional day. I have found that stalking in addition to waitlisting is a good strategy.

Thanks for the suggestion!