Paul Stupin
New DVC Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2016
We just bought an Aulani contract to add to our multiple Copper Creek contracts. We do plan on staying there once a year, and live in Los Angeles, so the airfare is really no different than flying to Orlando.
That said, there do appear to be a range of studio availabilities at the seven month window, especially in the cheaper booking periods. We did consider SS as well, but decided against it for several reasons. First, we do occasionally want to take advantage of the 11 month window, but that wasn't the main reason.
For us, there were a few other arguments against SS. (1) We like Aulani's later point expiration year. (2) Aulani is never ROFRed, unlike Saratoga Springs. Though not recently, SS is one of the more frequently ROFRed resorts. The resale market takes forever anyway, and we didn't like the thought of initiating the process and then possibly having to start it all again several weeks later. (3) This one is psychological. We didn't like the idea of spending thousands and thousands of dollars on a resort we didn't really like, even if we rarely planned on staying there. If I'm going to own a contract for many years, I'd rather own at a beautiful resort where I want to stay. (4) One key reason to buy is the 11 month window. Its pretty much meaningless at SS, which has year round availability. Its also worthless if you never want to stay there. Aulani has great seven month availability, but for Christmas and such the 11 month window, especially for studios, means something. (5) True, Aulani's dues are higher. But a few hundred extra dollars isn't that bad.
That said, there do appear to be a range of studio availabilities at the seven month window, especially in the cheaper booking periods. We did consider SS as well, but decided against it for several reasons. First, we do occasionally want to take advantage of the 11 month window, but that wasn't the main reason.
For us, there were a few other arguments against SS. (1) We like Aulani's later point expiration year. (2) Aulani is never ROFRed, unlike Saratoga Springs. Though not recently, SS is one of the more frequently ROFRed resorts. The resale market takes forever anyway, and we didn't like the thought of initiating the process and then possibly having to start it all again several weeks later. (3) This one is psychological. We didn't like the idea of spending thousands and thousands of dollars on a resort we didn't really like, even if we rarely planned on staying there. If I'm going to own a contract for many years, I'd rather own at a beautiful resort where I want to stay. (4) One key reason to buy is the 11 month window. Its pretty much meaningless at SS, which has year round availability. Its also worthless if you never want to stay there. Aulani has great seven month availability, but for Christmas and such the 11 month window, especially for studios, means something. (5) True, Aulani's dues are higher. But a few hundred extra dollars isn't that bad.