I appreciate you being so transparent with the costs of everything on this trip. Of course that is one of the most important factors in deciding on what trips to take so it is key information. 🌴 💫
Once you get the cameras developed, make a scrapbook for him! Do it for each of your big trips! He can look back at them when he’s older. As for showing us, do whatever’s easy for you, whether that be scanning them or just kind of showing us through the video.
I really appreciate your open and transparent answers! You're right that some people treat vacation finances like a taboo topic. But it's important! It's refreshing to hear people be real about it and not gloss over the fact that these type of trips are expensive (and that's okay!). Thank you for sharing!
I mean if you're looking to go on these trips you know they're expensive lol neither Hawaii nor Disney are cheap vacations! This is def a dream vacay type of vacay. And if you're mildly curious and thinking you could splurge and put it all on a credit card welp the reality check is good!
Next time, in the event you guys don't buy into DVC, you may want to atleast rent DVC points. It's pretty easy to get a 1 bedroom and it would have likely saved you quite a bit. Many rental services now offer some kind of insurance too Also, you should consider investing in a travel rewards credit card, that would likely save a ton on those longer flight fares
I wish I had that kind of money you guys spent on this trip..i could pay off all my debts. But thanks for being honest about Aulani prices because it's in my bucket list and this reminds me I need to save ALOT😂. Thanks for letting us travel through you guys. Can't wait for the next trip you take!
We bought in DVC coming up on 5 years ago, can't imagine paying for as much as direct would want now. I am confident people who bought five years before we did felt the same way we do now though. We bought in as a way to ensure we took our vacation time as workholics and warm weather escapes from Wyoming. Definitely requires planning especially to take advantage of your home resort. Potentially investigate resale options also. You would not get some of the "perks" of being a "blue card" but the amount you save, a lot of the discounts are the same as annual passes. Bottom line, after 7 trips using our points, we've "paid" for it, I would do it again and if it's the right fit, you'll know in your heart. Also, we could sell our points now and get back as much as we paid up front if we wanted too but I think we'll stick with the 46 more years of vacations just for the cost of dues ;-)
As much as I love watching how y’all vacation, I really think you can have an amazing trip trip to aulani for like 1/4 of the cost if not less. Just on the airfare alone! I’ve gone to Hawaii for like $350 on economy, so for anyone who is scared of the price tag, I would keep that in mind (renting dvc points is also a really affordable option). Anyways, I love how transparent you guys are about it though, and it’s fun to see how much you can actually do on a vacation there.
It should definitely not shock me but goodness if I had $10,000 to spend on anything… let alone a flight for my sleeping kid lol. No judgement at all 🙏🏾 I was just shocked at the number. I need to vlog 😂
I was really shocked that, like Jenn said, it's comparable to the prices at some of the deluxe resorts at WDW... don't get me wrong, it is entirely out of my price range 😂 but lots of people stay at deluxe WDW resorts without a thought, so I was actually surprised to hear Aulani is on par with those prices!
How much is there to do in Bora Bora or Maldives for wee Jackson? Probably not so much. They clearly stated they chose Aulani for family memories and things for him to do.
Looked amazing but hearing these costs, that legitimately is some people’s entire annual salary! I get this is their job so actual cost to them is much different but for the average person, holy smokes. I guess I am more of a budget vacationer to get more vacations than an all out one trip kind of vacationer.
If you're still thinking about it, the DVC Fan TH-cam channel has a lot of good info and discussions. When I did the math, by buying in I could stay in DVC studios for about the same amount as a moderate resort room, and I can book a 1 bedroom for about the price of a normal deluxe hotel room. If you're going to stay in those larger rooms anyway, I think it's worth the upfront deposit.
@@cindyardoin1748 dvc resale all the way! There are a few great companies out there you guys should look at. Those upfront buy in prices go waaaaaaaaay down.
I’m a longtime follower, I really love you guys. I totally see how a lot of this can be written off on your taxes but WOW this is incredibly expensive, even for the average Joe. I feel the same as some others, I’d rather go to Tokyo Disney or see other parts of the world… own property 😬 haha congratulations to you guys though! More power to you!
Hey guys- Thank you for sharing so much about your trip! I’m sure this has been mentioned elsewhere in the comments, but if you’re looking at DVC, it’s worth taking a peek at doing a small contract direct from Disney, and then the remainder of your points from the resale market. Finding the same use year could be a bit tedious if there isn’t immediate availability on the market (if you want the same use year), but I just wanted to share that idea in case it would interest you!
Looked like a beautiful vacation! I want to go some day! I loved watching all the footage and seeing Jackson have so much fun! Don't feel bad we spent 1,000 a night on a Disney cruise only 4 nights, but what a great trip! Plus you do this for a living so why not! Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
When considering DVC you have to really look into restrictions when you buy, As a member since 1996, it is harder and harder to book even at 11 months out at your home resort, and almost impossible to get other resorts at 7 month booking window. However it is one of the best things we have purchased
I agree completely. Also look into buying direct vs. resale. You can save $10,000+ by buying DVC resale. If you are interested in Aulani as a home resort I would definitely try to get a subsidized dues contract if possible.
That’s why I ultimately decided not to buy in. I was sooooo tempted. Sat down with the guy and everything, but with my work, I can only plan ahead three months, tops. There’s no way I could plan 11 months out and know that those dates would still be okay when the trip was about to happen. No flexibility is why I decided not too, which is too bad, as I spend a lot of my time doing Disney.
@@davidcretella5547 1 bedrooms are the easiest ones to get at 7months....check out the disboards and they show you records of availability at various months. Most people do not want to spend the extra $$ on 1 bedrooms because a lot of them do not sleep more people than the studios but cost way more points.
And I have to say I cried a few times watching the videos because you are making such wonderful memories as a family and you guys try so hard to be awesome parents and you are doing amazing! Jackson is such a sweet boy!
The best thing to do is book with a travel agent who will watch for and apply the offer rates to your booking without you even having to do anything (completely free, same price as booking directly). I hope you tried to modify your first booking to extend it instead of booking a 2nd separate booking. Potentially the offer may have been included for the entire stay then. Please support agents, we are drowning with Covid cancelations.
I would recommend looking at the DVC resale market to save some money. You do have to compare the perks as resale contracts don't come with the same perks but if it's a big savings it might be worth it for you.
I’m really glad you guys are transparent about the prices of things. I remember when Jen and Tim would talk about how expenses these trips would be and how they could never do them. I’m happy you can do them now but I wish you still had the insight to not spend on some of these ridiculous things. At the end of the day you are doing really well and if it makes sense for your finances, enjoy life!
Hi Tim and Jen I don't know if you noticed but on the camera you used for your trip or lens has a defect in the bottom right if you play a video back on a large screen 32+ you will be able to see is about an inch on that size screen Just to maybe let the lens hire place know.
We bought our DVC through resale and our home resort is Aulani. We have a big family so it saves our family a TON of money. So if you end up having more kids, it will be worth your money. My kids are older too, and they still loved it. It was actually really enjoyable for us because my kids could wander around independently and us parents enjoyed the downtime. It was great. I don't have any regrets buying through resale! Saved us a lot of money!
I would not chose Aulani as a home resort. Chose something you want to visit more frequently as you get to book your home resort father in advance. I would chose a Florida resort especially since they are getting harder to book. As for price, keep in mind annual dues.
I guess have that 11 month window may not really be necessary for them tho as they are locals who stay at the resorts randomly vs other who plan out full Disney trips. They are the people who can rely more on one or two random night stays than the rest of us
And see for me, if I was ever able to buy into DVC I Would choose Aulani. Given how I'm a Southern Californian it's a lot shorter of a flight for me to get there (and cheaper too) and I have an aunt who lives on Maui and I love that island and would love to be able to explore the others so I think I would love to go there more than a lot of the WDW resorts and could use a day every trip to island hop to visit my aunt or explore another island :)
If you go to DVC, find the cheapest annual dues (I think Bay Lake Towers) with the most reasonable price (while still having a high exchange value-most Disney World properties are high exchange value, but monorail locations have more value than say Animal Kingdom because of convenience.) Use that to factor in actual "cost." It used to be you could buy "aftermarket" DVC but they have taken some of the perks away with that so may or may not be a good deal.
$70k?! So you’d pay it like a house note? Pulse your annual dues? So that could possibly be like $5k+ a year?! That’s a lot of money. Would you get to go as many times a year as you want? Is that to any DVC location? Or you select certain ones?
Thank you so much for answering the personal price questions. Makes you guys so trustworthy and for your viewers to always trust your word!! LOVE THAT about y’all! Thank you guys for answering the harder questions helped my family a lot!😁
I see someone already commented on getting the blue card when buying Disney, which is the card that gets you into the parties, special events, the lounge at Epcot and cruises. Another option is to buy the minimum points you can directly from Disney, I think its 150 right now. Then purchase another contract resale and you will save ALOT of money.
My best friend is a cast member at Aulani. Actually he was in one of your Vlogs. He said you don’t have to be a hotel guest to eat at our venues but we did have certain days that were hotel guests only, but I think that has changed since occupancy is lower but you should call just in case.
They didn't answer the shopping part of that question; do you know if it's the same as well? Are you able to go in the merch shops if you're not staying there?
Thanks for your insights. I think the disposable camera is a great idea. No worries about it getting wet. And it something your child can look back on.
You need to look into DVC Resale. Aulani is MUCH cheaper on the resale market per point than direct from Disney. You are already AP Passholders. The DVC discount is the same as the AP discounts.
I would say a 10-14 day stay at Aulani is perfect. Gives you plenty of days to explore the island and do plenty of activities. The first time we went we spent a week there. It seemed like it was just two days.
If you ever get a chance the Hilton Hawaiian village is another amazing hotel on the island with so much to do but is priced reasonably (for Hawaii standards lol) . Id really recommend it. I know its not Disney but It really is amazing and they have many of the same things the Disney hotel did. The first year we went to Hawaii for my sisters wedding we stayed at the Hilton thats more in the heart of the area, and when we discovered this other hotel just a short ways away that was also a Hilton we were like 🥺 awwww I want to stay here instead lol. The only downside to it was the bathroom had a-lot of glass for the walls so when my sister got sick with the flu, everyone got to listen 😂😅✨. Also another thing I could recommend is that in the area there are trollies that stop at your hotel that will take you all over, sometimes its fun to hop on and just see some of the amazing things in the area. For us a trolley driver got to know us pretty well and sometimes felt so proud of the island he would show us things we might not have known before. Sorry if my typing punctuation isn’t great, I just took preworkout for the gym so im jittery 😅.
One tip I got when going to a different country and it's a different time zone is set your watch, phone anything with a clock when you are on the plane to the time of the country you go going to. It helps a ton with jet lag.
I loved all the video's, and you two are such good parents and invest so time in Jackson for him to be as smart as he is and you were not able to travel much in 2020, y'all deserved a beautiful vacation and to share it with us, bonus ❤
A good tip instead of taking your vaccination around with you is to take a picture of your vaccination card along with your ID. Then just show that picture when you want to eat indoors at the restaurant. This is what i did last month and a tip by the hotel guest serviced where i stayed.
My son recently vacationed in florida from our home in the Pacific Northwest and “splurged” traveling first class because of the distance involved and discovered only about $100 difference in price between first class and coach. He flew American.
Can I just say it dawned on me all of a sudden that Jenn your hair is blonde again. I love it. It made me think of Jenn in Ireland at her wedding if that tells you how long I’ve been a fan!! Beautiful color. Rich honey blondie like Jackson! Love it. 👱🏼♀️ 🍯 👦🏼 ❤️
Basic business write offs. Look it up. A lot of their job they can write off. Especially if you have a good tax lawyer. But who cares... let them live their life
I highly recommend buying several smaller DVC contracts instead of one large contract. Sounds like they whited you a 350 point contract. That would be harder to sell resale in the future. If you buy direct, consider starting with around 100 points (or whatever the minimum is these days).. You can always add more. We started with 100 points at one resort, bought 100 later at another resort, then added on here and there, as we could afford it. Buying smaller points may mean you couldn’t do Aulani every year, but you can save up points or borrow to make it happen periodically until you have a larger number of points. Dip your toes into DVC! It’s likely that, like us, you’ll love it and will keep adding on! Also, direct points are most expensive so most either buy all resale (has restrictions) or buy a minimal direct contract then buy the rest resale (cheaper). Riviera resale has restrictions, so be sure to read about that. We love Aulani and not having a hefty hotel bill made deciding to go an easy decision.
We went to Aulani three years ago, flew nonstop from NY on Hawaiian in comfort plus seating for just over 1k per person. Used DVC points for 2 bedroom ocean view , then it’s basically what you spend on a normal vacation , food prices weren’t much different from here. Basically like going to WDW for a week By the way , first class was over 3 k per person
I saw that you mentioned to call Disney directly for discounts but travel agents can also get the best discounts! We are hurting right now and don't cost anything and would super appreciate your support to TAs!!!! :) thanks 😊
You definitely need to buy into DVC…You will for sure save money and all the extras would be so worth while. Just doing Staycations will be so worth it!!!
DVC is the BEST decision we ever made. Member since 2000, I own at Boardwalk and Hilton Head. We have never stayed at Boardwalk. We mostly went to Hilton Head or Vero Beach. In 2017 we finally made it to WDW and unfortunately in 2018 my husband passed unexpectedly. So 2017 was our last vacation with him and we had an amazing time. Without DVC we would not have all the memories we had with him going on vacation together with our kids and my sisters family and my mom (which she passed in 2020) I will forever be grateful that we chose DVC and continue to make new memories with my kids
I don't think it should be taboo to talk about how much travel and vacations cost. On my channel, which focuses on single parent travel, I always tell exactly how much we pay for everything, as well as how I save money, what discounts are available, etc. I think sometimes people just assume they can never afford to travel because it will be too expensive, and that's a real shame. We're taking a 10 night trip to L.A. and Disneyland soon, and we're spending about the same as what your stay at Aulani cost, about $8400 (that includes everything though - flight, rental car, attractions, food, etc.) I really enjoyed your Aulani trip series, and we would definitely like to get to Hawaii sooner rather than later! It's one of only two states that I have never visited; the other one is Alaska. Also, Minneapolis is our home airport and is one of Delta's main hubs. It's actually ideally situated because you can get Delta/Air France/KLM nonstop flights from Minneapolis to London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Tokyo. My son even flew to Morocco from Minneapolis a couple of years ago on Delta, with just one quick change in Paris.
Tim & Jenn, I saw on one of the Aulani videos that you were talking about doing DVC. I can’t recommend it enough for people who stay in the parks and resorts often. For example, as you were talking about how much you paid for your room at Aulani, I was thinking about how much we saved on our rooms at Aulani by doing DVC. We have 2, 2 bedroom villas for 6 nights We would be paying $9,500 per room for those rooms. Because we’re using points, we figured out the dollar value per point and we’re only paying about $2,500 for BOTH rooms
I believe the pre-travel test requires a negative result “no more than 72 hours before”. I believe, at the beginning of the video, you started “48 hours.” Just FYI. 😊
I still appreciate you guys, but i have to admit, haven’t been watching for a long time since it’s been soo Disney heavy. Really really miss you guys doing Universal and IOA videos.
I do not think my first comment posted. I suggest you look at all the dvc information on dvc resale market’s site. Jen said DVC gets a discount in cruises, that is incorrect. In fact if you figure out the cost of the points needed to book a cruise, plus the fee involved, it is actually more expensive then cash. As pass holders almost any “benefits” you receive from buying direct are replicated by your pass holder benefits. Resale is probably a better fit for you. I am not affiliated with any of this, in fact I own through Disney and if in 1997 resale had been like it is today then I would not have bought direct.
In our experience, DVC allows us to stay in resorts we couldn’t normally afford and gives us a lot of flexibility. We can go to Hawaii, California, South Carolina, Florida beaches or do a WDW vacation and we now plan time for ourselves.
We have 4 memberships we bought over the years....our home resorts are the beach club...animal kingdom lodge and the Polynesian....so worth the investment even though disney has cut back benefits...I am sure it will go back to normal in future....all of my family use the points and have wonderful vacations
I would get a small photo album that you can also write in and Title it Jackson's first Aulani trip. Then add a short caption of what he did that day or was excited about that day .
Thank you guys so much for breaking things down....you guys are awesome 👌...sending ❤ to y'all..and my husband agreed with plane seating he said thats the way to go he's been 3 times to Hawaii...he said airplane seating is EVERYTHING 😄😆
regarding DVC, keep in mind about the dues and fees, when you add it all up, it is something to think harder about if it is worth it. depends on type of rooms you anticipate using going forward for the life of the DVC purchase.
The price point nowadays is pretty steep, but I thought the same in 1998 when purchasing BWV @ 64 dollars a point. What a bargain , love using it every year , we can spend a week in a grand villa which would cost us more then what we paid in 1998
For sure, I always tell people its worth it, if they are repeat vacationers. If they are every once & a while tourists - then yeah, its probably not worth it
You don't need that many DVC points! You can bank and borrow points. We are staying for 8 nights with just 2 years of our points. We bought direct, buy you can also buy resale.
You can rent DVC points also and it saves you money. This summer I'll be getting 2 studio rooms at Boardwalk for 8 nights for the same price as 1 room if I booked through Disney
we saved money in hawaiii getting food from the ABC stores and cooking some meals in the room and just do some snacks or breakie etc out. which is great with kids who are tired and may not wanna leave the room after a long day
Jen, when you talked about the trip being worth it for you, I think y’all were really about to captured that in your filming and editing. Aulani was supposed to be my college graduation trip, but Covid kind of canceled those plans. Loved being able “to go” through the vlogs🧡💛
Thank you for being transparent with the cost, such valuable information to make an informed decision for future planning. I just love you all to pieces & sharing your lives.
I loved seeing you guys enjoy Oahu, especially as someone born and raised there, next time you go please see the windward side and rest of the island, it’s sooo gorgeous!
Being DVC, you can book in advance for the home resort, but it may be difficult for you to use those points at various resorts with short notice. The availability for short notice is slim lately…something to keep in mind that we’ve learned from experience at being Poly owners.
I appreciate you being so transparent with the costs of everything on this trip. Of course that is one of the most important factors in deciding on what trips to take so it is key information.
🌴 💫
Once you get the cameras developed, make a scrapbook for him! Do it for each of your big trips! He can look back at them when he’s older. As for showing us, do whatever’s easy for you, whether that be scanning them or just kind of showing us through the video.
That's a great idea :)
I don't think I could dream of the day where I could spend $10,000 for flights and another $9,000 for hotel. That's wild and amazing!
Right? The plane tickets is a third of what I make in a year😳
@@lindamemo5224 oof. I feel for you. We are all so horribly underpaid
Costco Travel has great deal on this resort.
I want to thank you for the transparency though. It is good information to know!
*Ten thousand dollars* for plane tickets? That's the down payment on a house in some parts of the country.
They also have an LLC and can write off, too soooo let them do what they want 🤷🏼♀️
Jen, your hair looks so cute like that! You always do such a great job of styling it. Tim has cool hair too :)
I really appreciate your open and transparent answers! You're right that some people treat vacation finances like a taboo topic. But it's important! It's refreshing to hear people be real about it and not gloss over the fact that these type of trips are expensive (and that's okay!). Thank you for sharing!
I mean if you're looking to go on these trips you know they're expensive lol neither Hawaii nor Disney are cheap vacations! This is def a dream vacay type of vacay. And if you're mildly curious and thinking you could splurge and put it all on a credit card welp the reality check is good!
Next time, in the event you guys don't buy into DVC, you may want to atleast rent DVC points. It's pretty easy to get a 1 bedroom and it would have likely saved you quite a bit. Many rental services now offer some kind of insurance too
Also, you should consider investing in a travel rewards credit card, that would likely save a ton on those longer flight fares
I wish I had that kind of money you guys spent on this trip..i could pay off all my debts. But thanks for being honest about Aulani prices because it's in my bucket list and this reminds me I need to save ALOT😂. Thanks for letting us travel through you guys. Can't wait for the next trip you take!
We bought in DVC coming up on 5 years ago, can't imagine paying for as much as direct would want now. I am confident people who bought five years before we did felt the same way we do now though. We bought in as a way to ensure we took our vacation time as workholics and warm weather escapes from Wyoming. Definitely requires planning especially to take advantage of your home resort. Potentially investigate resale options also. You would not get some of the "perks" of being a "blue card" but the amount you save, a lot of the discounts are the same as annual passes.
Bottom line, after 7 trips using our points, we've "paid" for it, I would do it again and if it's the right fit, you'll know in your heart. Also, we could sell our points now and get back as much as we paid up front if we wanted too but I think we'll stick with the 46 more years of vacations just for the cost of dues ;-)
As much as I love watching how y’all vacation, I really think you can have an amazing trip trip to aulani for like 1/4 of the cost if not less. Just on the airfare alone! I’ve gone to Hawaii for like $350 on economy, so for anyone who is scared of the price tag, I would keep that in mind (renting dvc points is also a really affordable option). Anyways, I love how transparent you guys are about it though, and it’s fun to see how much you can actually do on a vacation there.
It should definitely not shock me but goodness if I had $10,000 to spend on anything… let alone a flight for my sleeping kid lol. No judgement at all 🙏🏾 I was just shocked at the number. I need to vlog 😂
25:00 wow $8,761 for 9 days to stay at Auluni whoa 🤯 it’s pricy I would rather go to bora bora or Maldives for that price
I was really shocked that, like Jenn said, it's comparable to the prices at some of the deluxe resorts at WDW... don't get me wrong, it is entirely out of my price range 😂 but lots of people stay at deluxe WDW resorts without a thought, so I was actually surprised to hear Aulani is on par with those prices!
How much is there to do in Bora Bora or Maldives for wee Jackson? Probably not so much. They clearly stated they chose Aulani for family memories and things for him to do.
Y’all gotta remember - they also have an LLC so a lot of this they can write off. Sooo let them be 🤷🏼♀️
Looked amazing but hearing these costs, that legitimately is some people’s entire annual salary! I get this is their job so actual cost to them is much different but for the average person, holy smokes.
I guess I am more of a budget vacationer to get more vacations than an all out one trip kind of vacationer.
If you're still thinking about it, the DVC Fan TH-cam channel has a lot of good info and discussions.
When I did the math, by buying in I could stay in DVC studios for about the same amount as a moderate resort room, and I can book a 1 bedroom for about the price of a normal deluxe hotel room. If you're going to stay in those larger rooms anyway, I think it's worth the upfront deposit.
They need DVC resale market in their lives
@@cindyardoin1748 dvc resale all the way! There are a few great companies out there you guys should look at. Those upfront buy in prices go waaaaaaaaay down.
Those plane tickets would be my yearly travel budget lol
Wow that vacation was extremely expensive 😬. I’m glad you guys enjoyed it.
My eyes bugged out when she was telling the prices. The 3 plane ticket prices blew me away!
Yeah I was like OMG
Y’all gotta remember… they also have a business out of this. They can write ALOT of this stuff off, too.
Some people have those budgets, plus this is their job. If I had that kind of budget I would utilize it similarly.
Delta First Class! Wow 🤩💰! God Has Blessed y’all big time! 💕
I’m a longtime follower, I really love you guys. I totally see how a lot of this can be written off on your taxes but WOW this is incredibly expensive, even for the average Joe. I feel the same as some others, I’d rather go to Tokyo Disney or see other parts of the world… own property 😬 haha congratulations to you guys though! More power to you!
Hey guys- Thank you for sharing so much about your trip! I’m sure this has been mentioned elsewhere in the comments, but if you’re looking at DVC, it’s worth taking a peek at doing a small contract direct from Disney, and then the remainder of your points from the resale market. Finding the same use year could be a bit tedious if there isn’t immediate availability on the market (if you want the same use year), but I just wanted to share that idea in case it would interest you!
Looked like a beautiful vacation! I want to go some day! I loved watching all the footage and seeing Jackson have so much fun! Don't feel bad we spent 1,000 a night on a Disney cruise only 4 nights, but what a great trip! Plus you do this for a living so why not!
Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
When considering DVC you have to really look into restrictions when you buy, As a member since 1996, it is harder and harder to book even at 11 months out at your home resort, and almost impossible to get other resorts at 7 month booking window. However it is one of the best things we have purchased
I bought at SSR - haven't stayed there yet in over 15 years (knock on wood that continues). Then again, I'm always booking 2 BR or GV
@@Yankee717 much easier to get that type of room , studios and 1 bedrooms go quick
I agree completely. Also look into buying direct vs. resale. You can save $10,000+ by buying DVC resale. If you are interested in Aulani as a home resort I would definitely try to get a subsidized dues contract if possible.
That’s why I ultimately decided not to buy in. I was sooooo tempted. Sat down with the guy and everything, but with my work, I can only plan ahead three months, tops. There’s no way I could plan 11 months out and know that those dates would still be okay when the trip was about to happen. No flexibility is why I decided not too, which is too bad, as I spend a lot of my time doing Disney.
@@davidcretella5547 1 bedrooms are the easiest ones to get at 7months....check out the disboards and they show you records of availability at various months. Most people do not want to spend the extra $$ on 1 bedrooms because a lot of them do not sleep more people than the studios but cost way more points.
And I have to say I cried a few times watching the videos because you are making such wonderful memories as a family and you guys try so hard to be awesome parents and you are doing amazing! Jackson is such a sweet boy!
The best thing to do is book with a travel agent who will watch for and apply the offer rates to your booking without you even having to do anything (completely free, same price as booking directly). I hope you tried to modify your first booking to extend it instead of booking a 2nd separate booking. Potentially the offer may have been included for the entire stay then. Please support agents, we are drowning with Covid cancelations.
Best you tuber for dvc info to make a decision is Jen lefforge. She has a whole playlist explaining everything and in an unbiased way.
I love Jen Lefforge.
link please🙏
Agree. She’s great.
Agree!!!
I absolutely agree! I found her channel recently and love it!
I would recommend looking at the DVC resale market to save some money. You do have to compare the perks as resale contracts don't come with the same perks but if it's a big savings it might be worth it for you.
I’m really glad you guys are transparent about the prices of things. I remember when Jen and Tim would talk about how expenses these trips would be and how they could never do them. I’m happy you can do them now but I wish you still had the insight to not spend on some of these ridiculous things. At the end of the day you are doing really well and if it makes sense for your finances, enjoy life!
Hi Tim and Jen
I don't know if you noticed but on the camera you used for your trip or lens has a defect in the bottom right if you play a video back on a large screen 32+ you will be able to see is about an inch on that size screen
Just to maybe let the lens hire place know.
We bought our DVC through resale and our home resort is Aulani. We have a big family so it saves our family a TON of money. So if you end up having more kids, it will be worth your money. My kids are older too, and they still loved it. It was actually really enjoyable for us because my kids could wander around independently and us parents enjoyed the downtime. It was great. I don't have any regrets buying through resale! Saved us a lot of money!
I would not chose Aulani as a home resort. Chose something you want to visit more frequently as you get to book your home resort father in advance. I would chose a Florida resort especially since they are getting harder to book. As for price, keep in mind annual dues.
I guess have that 11 month window may not really be necessary for them tho as they are locals who stay at the resorts randomly vs other who plan out full Disney trips. They are the people who can rely more on one or two random night stays than the rest of us
And see for me, if I was ever able to buy into DVC I Would choose Aulani. Given how I'm a Southern Californian it's a lot shorter of a flight for me to get there (and cheaper too) and I have an aunt who lives on Maui and I love that island and would love to be able to explore the others so I think I would love to go there more than a lot of the WDW resorts and could use a day every trip to island hop to visit my aunt or explore another island :)
If you go to DVC, find the cheapest annual dues (I think Bay Lake Towers) with the most reasonable price (while still having a high exchange value-most Disney World properties are high exchange value, but monorail locations have more value than say Animal Kingdom because of convenience.) Use that to factor in actual "cost." It used to be you could buy "aftermarket" DVC but they have taken some of the perks away with that so may or may not be a good deal.
$70k?! So you’d pay it like a house note? Pulse your annual dues? So that could possibly be like $5k+ a year?! That’s a lot of money. Would you get to go as many times a year as you want? Is that to any DVC location? Or you select certain ones?
Appreciate you guys being so transparent with prices specifically, it helps me specifically dictate how much to expect and save for a trip like this
Thank you so much for answering the personal price questions. Makes you guys so trustworthy and for your viewers to always trust your word!! LOVE THAT about y’all! Thank you guys for answering the harder questions helped my family a lot!😁
Once you fly First Class it's hard to go back to Coach. 😊😊☺
I see someone already commented on getting the blue card when buying Disney, which is the card that gets you into the parties, special events, the lounge at Epcot and cruises. Another option is to buy the minimum points you can directly from Disney, I think its 150 right now. Then purchase another contract resale and you will save ALOT of money.
My best friend is a cast member at Aulani. Actually he was in one of your Vlogs. He said you don’t have to be a hotel guest to eat at our venues but we did have certain days that were hotel guests only, but I think that has changed since occupancy is lower but you should call just in case.
They didn't answer the shopping part of that question; do you know if it's the same as well? Are you able to go in the merch shops if you're not staying there?
I love how honest you guys are about everything! It is so much appreciated.
Omg so expensive🥺
Thanks for your insights. I think the disposable camera is a great idea. No worries about it getting wet. And it something your child can look back on.
You need to look into DVC Resale. Aulani is MUCH cheaper on the resale market per point than direct from Disney. You are already AP Passholders. The DVC discount is the same as the AP discounts.
I would say a 10-14 day stay at Aulani is perfect. Gives you plenty of days to explore the island and do plenty of activities. The first time we went we spent a week there. It seemed like it was just two days.
If you ever get a chance the Hilton Hawaiian village is another amazing hotel on the island with so much to do but is priced reasonably (for Hawaii standards lol) . Id really recommend it. I know its not Disney but It really is amazing and they have many of the same things the Disney hotel did. The first year we went to Hawaii for my sisters wedding we stayed at the Hilton thats more in the heart of the area, and when we discovered this other hotel just a short ways away that was also a Hilton we were like 🥺 awwww I want to stay here instead lol. The only downside to it was the bathroom had a-lot of glass for the walls so when my sister got sick with the flu, everyone got to listen 😂😅✨. Also another thing I could recommend is that in the area there are trollies that stop at your hotel that will take you all over, sometimes its fun to hop on and just see some of the amazing things in the area. For us a trolley driver got to know us pretty well and sometimes felt so proud of the island he would show us things we might not have known before. Sorry if my typing punctuation isn’t great, I just took preworkout for the gym so im jittery 😅.
One tip I got when going to a different country and it's a different time zone is set your watch, phone anything with a clock when you are on the plane to the time of the country you go going to. It helps a ton with jet lag.
Thank you for making these videos, I am traveling vicariously through you because I’ll never be able to afford Aulani 😂
We did the same tour you did but with Trans Luxury who was recommended by Hi-5. It was amazing! Highly recommend! And definitely buy into DVC!
I love the post vacation Q&A vlogs! It helps us when booking our own trips, flights, etc. Thank you guys for making it personal to us as well as you
We went to Costco for our groceries. Stayed in a studio and made most of our own food.
I loved all the video's, and you two are such good parents and invest so time in Jackson for him to be as smart as he is and you were not able to travel much in 2020, y'all deserved a beautiful vacation and to share it with us, bonus ❤
A good tip instead of taking your vaccination around with you is to take a picture of your vaccination card along with your ID. Then just show that picture when you want to eat indoors at the restaurant. This is what i did last month and a tip by the hotel guest serviced where i stayed.
Jenn, do a hair tutorial on your channel for this look. So cute!!!
In whatever way you can show us some (or all :-)) of Jackson's pictures would be great! I can't wait - they are going to be so cute!!!
Loved the video series. You guys make me laugh when you were talking about the discount. 😂 Didn't sound like Disney gave much discount.
I mean, it saved them like 200 bucks a night for 4 of the nights. $800+ isn't chump change :)
@@keandric2765 True true. But really Disney shouldn't have been charging that much to start with. But Disney is Disney I suppose 😂
My son recently vacationed in florida from our home in the Pacific Northwest and “splurged” traveling first class because of the distance involved and discovered only about $100 difference in price between first class and coach. He flew American.
Can I just say it dawned on me all of a sudden that Jenn your hair is blonde again. I love it. It made me think of Jenn in Ireland at her wedding if that tells you how long I’ve been a fan!! Beautiful color. Rich honey blondie like Jackson! Love it. 👱🏼♀️ 🍯 👦🏼 ❤️
Thank you for your transparency regarding prices. Completely out of my price range but, good to know.
Wait $3,550 per person per seat? So over 10k? Did I hear that right? Im never getting to Hawaii😅
Y’all also need to realize they probably have an LLC (business) so a lot of this they can write off too. So who cares 🤷🏼♀️
You should come visit Minnesota again sometime and spend more time here. Maybe just not in the middle of the winter ;)
Yes, Jackson would love the rides at MOA!
How on earth do people afford this!
Basic business write offs. Look it up. A lot of their job they can write off. Especially if you have a good tax lawyer. But who cares... let them live their life
I highly recommend buying several smaller DVC contracts instead of one large contract. Sounds like they whited you a 350 point contract. That would be harder to sell resale in the future. If you buy direct, consider starting with around 100 points (or whatever the minimum is these days).. You can always add more. We started with 100 points at one resort, bought 100 later at another resort, then added on here and there, as we could afford it. Buying smaller points may mean you couldn’t do Aulani every year, but you can save up points or borrow to make it happen periodically until you have a larger number of points. Dip your toes into DVC! It’s likely that, like us, you’ll love it and will keep adding on! Also, direct points are most expensive so most either buy all resale (has restrictions) or buy a minimal direct contract then buy the rest resale (cheaper). Riviera resale has restrictions, so be sure to read about that. We love Aulani and not having a hefty hotel bill made deciding to go an easy decision.
I spit out my drink hearing the price of the plane tickets! But damn worth it to lay down!
We went to Aulani three years ago, flew nonstop from NY on Hawaiian in comfort plus seating for just over 1k per person. Used DVC points for 2 bedroom ocean view , then it’s basically what you spend on a normal vacation , food prices weren’t much different from here. Basically like going to WDW for a week By the way , first class was over 3 k per person
Remember they videotaped it and posted to their TH-cam channel and included IG reels, so, some parts are a tax write off.
This was great thankyou for giving us all the information about the trip ...
thats a 20,000 dollar vacation :O
I saw that you mentioned to call Disney directly for discounts but travel agents can also get the best discounts! We are hurting right now and don't cost anything and would super appreciate your support to TAs!!!! :) thanks 😊
You definitely need to buy into DVC…You will for sure save money and all the extras would be so worth while. Just doing Staycations will be so worth it!!!
DVC is the BEST decision we ever made.
Member since 2000, I own at Boardwalk and Hilton Head. We have never stayed at Boardwalk.
We mostly went to Hilton Head or Vero Beach.
In 2017 we finally made it to WDW and unfortunately in 2018 my husband passed unexpectedly. So 2017 was our last vacation with him and we had an amazing time.
Without DVC we would not have all the memories we had with him going on vacation together with our kids and my sisters family and my mom (which she passed in 2020)
I will forever be grateful that we chose DVC and continue to make new memories with my kids
I love how you talked about the covid travel restrictions because I plan to go this is very informative
Aww glad you had such an amazing time making wonderful memories with Jackson and thank you for letting us be a small part of your adventures ❤️❤️
With drinks, excursions, souvenirs and having a verandah, transfers,hotel and airfare we spent about 6k for 8 day cruise
I don't think it should be taboo to talk about how much travel and vacations cost. On my channel, which focuses on single parent travel, I always tell exactly how much we pay for everything, as well as how I save money, what discounts are available, etc. I think sometimes people just assume they can never afford to travel because it will be too expensive, and that's a real shame. We're taking a 10 night trip to L.A. and Disneyland soon, and we're spending about the same as what your stay at Aulani cost, about $8400 (that includes everything though - flight, rental car, attractions, food, etc.) I really enjoyed your Aulani trip series, and we would definitely like to get to Hawaii sooner rather than later! It's one of only two states that I have never visited; the other one is Alaska. Also, Minneapolis is our home airport and is one of Delta's main hubs. It's actually ideally situated because you can get Delta/Air France/KLM nonstop flights from Minneapolis to London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Tokyo. My son even flew to Morocco from Minneapolis a couple of years ago on Delta, with just one quick change in Paris.
Tim & Jenn, I saw on one of the Aulani videos that you were talking about doing DVC. I can’t recommend it enough for people who stay in the parks and resorts often. For example, as you were talking about how much you paid for your room at Aulani, I was thinking about how much we saved on our rooms at Aulani by doing DVC.
We have 2, 2 bedroom villas for 6 nights We would be paying $9,500 per room for those rooms. Because we’re using points, we figured out the dollar value per point and we’re only paying about $2,500 for BOTH rooms
I believe the pre-travel test requires a negative result “no more than 72 hours before”. I believe, at the beginning of the video, you started “48 hours.”
Just FYI. 😊
Omg I love being DVC the trips we've taken have already paid for our contract.
I'm not sure how many points you're looking at but 70k sounds pretty steep! We bought resale for 10k for 75 points.
To stay at least 1 week at aulani in a 1 bedroom they need at least 250-300 points.
@@elisal3472 oof. True if they don't bank/borrow that's a lot
DVC is paid for in 5-7 trips. You can buy DVC for OKW or Saratoga and use those points at Aulani.
I still appreciate you guys, but i have to admit, haven’t been watching for a long time since it’s been soo Disney heavy. Really really miss you guys doing Universal and IOA videos.
Really random ?: What is the blue book on the couch?
You can get the pics developed at Walgreens. I think u can get them done digitally there too.
I do not think my first comment posted. I suggest you look at all the dvc information on dvc resale market’s site. Jen said DVC gets a discount in cruises, that is incorrect. In fact if you figure out the cost of the points needed to book a cruise, plus the fee involved, it is actually more expensive then cash. As pass holders almost any “benefits” you receive from buying direct are replicated by your pass holder benefits. Resale is probably a better fit for you. I am not affiliated with any of this, in fact I own through Disney and if in 1997 resale had been like it is today then I would not have bought direct.
Thanks so much for the detailed info you provided. It is very helpful.
In our experience, DVC allows us to stay in resorts we couldn’t normally afford and gives us a lot of flexibility. We can go to Hawaii, California, South Carolina, Florida beaches or do a WDW vacation and we now plan time for ourselves.
We have 4 memberships we bought over the years....our home resorts are the beach club...animal kingdom lodge and the Polynesian....so worth the investment even though disney has cut back benefits...I am sure it will go back to normal in future....all of my family use the points and have wonderful vacations
I am a DVC member and it is 100% WORTH IT! But YES it is a Big upfront commitment
I am so glad you guys had a wonderful time you Deserve it.
Join us at DVC!! I can't believe you guys haven't done that yet!! Bought in 2004 - all paid off. Now I'm paying dues & taxes - that's it :)
What about a layover in LA (@LAX) ? That’s where we flew into, and it broke up the flights nicely. We flew Detroit to LAX to Honolulu.
Jen, I just wanted to say your hair is so cute in today’s video! 💖
I would get a small photo album that you can also write in and Title it Jackson's first Aulani trip. Then add a short caption of what he did that day or was excited about that day .
Thank you guys so much for breaking things down....you guys are awesome 👌...sending ❤ to y'all..and my husband agreed with plane seating he said thats the way to go he's been 3 times to Hawaii...he said airplane seating is EVERYTHING 😄😆
regarding DVC, keep in mind about the dues and fees, when you add it all up, it is something to think harder about if it is worth it. depends on type of rooms you anticipate using going forward for the life of the DVC purchase.
The price point nowadays is pretty steep, but I thought the same in 1998 when purchasing BWV @ 64 dollars a point. What a bargain , love using it every year , we can spend a week in a grand villa which would cost us more then what we paid in 1998
For sure, I always tell people its worth it, if they are repeat vacationers. If they are every once & a while tourists - then yeah, its probably not worth it
You don't need that many DVC points! You can bank and borrow points. We are staying for 8 nights with just 2 years of our points. We bought direct, buy you can also buy resale.
There is a restriction on points borrowing right now, only can borrow 50 percent from next year
@@davidcretella5547 yes but you can bank points. We used 2 years of points for our upcoming stay.
You can rent DVC points also and it saves you money. This summer I'll be getting 2 studio rooms at Boardwalk for 8 nights for the same price as 1 room if I booked through Disney
we saved money in hawaiii getting food from the ABC stores and cooking some meals in the room and just do some snacks or breakie etc out. which is great with kids who are tired and may not wanna leave the room after a long day
Jen, when you talked about the trip being worth it for you, I think y’all were really about to captured that in your filming and editing. Aulani was supposed to be my college graduation trip, but Covid kind of canceled those plans. Loved being able “to go” through the vlogs🧡💛
Thank you for being transparent with the cost, such valuable information to make an informed decision for future planning. I just love you all to pieces & sharing your lives.
I think u can get them developed at like cvs maybe walmart
DVC resale! We saved a TON of money.
glad you guys enjoyed hawai’i!!
The DVC rooms are very expensive out of pocket. Have you have considered renting DVC points?
Other ideas for your next Aulani trip: Pearl Harbor, Waikiki/Diamond Head hike and Polynesian Culture Center.
I loved seeing you guys enjoy Oahu, especially as someone born and raised there, next time you go please see the windward side and rest of the island, it’s sooo gorgeous!
Being DVC, you can book in advance for the home resort, but it may be difficult for you to use those points at various resorts with short notice. The availability for short notice is slim lately…something to keep in mind that we’ve learned from experience at being Poly owners.
Very informative, thank you😊 Not me thinking you already were DVC members..👀