Boardwalker
Active Member
Wife and I want to go, was it worth the long plane flight? What are some highlights of your trip, if you've been? Any must do/must see events/places/etc?
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Anyone been to Aulani?
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UncleFastpass
Active Member
Yes,it is worth the long flight. Aulani is amazing,the attention to detail is some of Disney's best. Even though we stayed there for almost 2 weeks and stayed on property for most of that I think I saw something I hadn't noticed before everyday, if not every other.If you have been to AKL you know that African culture is throughout the resort, at Aulani it is Hawaiian culture of course and it is masterfully woven into every part of the resort.Highlights,had to think about that cause it's a tough one but what I came up with was the resort,being there just made me happy and relaxed. Must see/must do, depends on what you like I don't like to recommend anything unless I have a sense of what someone likes.There are people who go to WDW and get up at the crack of dawn and run around to get "everything" in then there are those who sleep in, mosey over to the magic kingdom ride the train once around and go back to there resort,and every where in between
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KikoKea
Well-Known Member
I live about 30 minutes away and have visited only for dinner at night, but can say that it is absolutely gorgeous! The pool is beautiful with it's volcano, and there's Rainbow Reef, a cold pool with fish you can snorkel in. After dinner, we like to walk around before sitting on the beach at night to listen to the waves and look at the stars.
The island of Oahu is pretty....and crowded. Traffic can be a real headache here, but that's true of many places. Still, if you want to get out and see the island, I'd suggest you try to get back Aulani early, by about 4pm before the traffic gets bad. That will give you the evening to enjoy the resort and some pool time, too.
(Please, please....do not rent motor scooters!! They are dangerous and a real problem on the crowded roads.)
The island of Oahu is pretty....and crowded. Traffic can be a real headache here, but that's true of many places. Still, if you want to get out and see the island, I'd suggest you try to get back Aulani early, by about 4pm before the traffic gets bad. That will give you the evening to enjoy the resort and some pool time, too.
(Please, please....do not rent motor scooters!! They are dangerous and a real problem on the crowded roads.)
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Chet Dakota
Well-Known Member
We have been twice. We live on the East Coast, so it is an exceptionally long plane ride.
The villas themselves are standard DVC layout and are probably most similar to AKL. Nothing really special about them. As for the resort, it is nice and has some unique qualities. As mentioned, the pools are great and Rainbow Reef is pretty "cool", pun intended. The water is cold so be prepared for it. You do get used to it after a few minutes. The lazy river and slides are also nice, but depending on the time, the lines can be pretty long and sometimes you have to wait on a raft for the river.
The general location is not the most beautiful on Oahu, and the traffic in the area can be pretty bad at times going back to or coming from Honolulu. But, it is fairly convenient to a Target.
To be honest, I would probably rather stay on another island than Oahu, and on both trips we split our trip between Aulani and other resorts on Maui and Big Island. Don't get me wrong, Aulani is nice and will stay there again most likely, but I would not say that it is a Disney "Must Do."
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KikoKea
Well-Known Member
I agree with @Chet Dakota. If you want to see Hawaii, I would recommend you spend a few days at Aulani and visit at least another island. Our favorite is Hawaii- the Big Island- because it has Volcano Natl Park and is much less crowded, as is Kauai. Every island has beautiful beaches...around every turn is a beautiful beach, in fact, but they are not nearly as crowded as Oahu's North Shore.
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slipperalwaysfits
Well-Known Member
We got engaged at Disneyworld, (DH's favorite place) and we are headed to Aulani for our honeymoon. We registered for it on the Disney Honeymoon Wishes, and I do hate they take a cut of all the money but our family has been so generous and we are very fortunate to be able to go on a honeymoon to Hawaii, where Steven's never been. It's a long plane ride, but worth it. We'll be flying from Colorado. We are going in the fall of 2017. I don't think we'll spend much time outside of Aulani on this trip, since it's our honeymoon and we just want to relax. But I will definitely write about my findings. Somebody compared to to AKLodge in Disneyworld, which makes a ton of sense since the Mastermind Joe Rhode is behind both of them. Joe (or anybody else Disney puts in charge) always pays exquisite attention to detail, but I LOVE LOVE the fact Joe is from Hawaii and was able to make it so personal and fun! 
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RMichael21
Well-Known Member
I completely agree. We're traveling to Hawaii for two weeks (leaving in a few days) and we plan on spending 3 nights at Aulani because we all love Disney and spending 5 nights on Maui and Kauai each.
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zeebs758
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I posted this in other Aulani threads.
"I almost stayed at Aulani using DVC points but my fiance and I decided against it. We wanted to see as much of the island as we could and staying at Aulani would be an inconvenience because of its isolation. While in staying in Waikiki, we visited Hanauma Bay, Makapu'u, Lanikai and Kailua. Those places are a far drive from Ko Olina which is where Aulani is located. We did all that before we left to stay on the North Shore. The traffic is really bad on the island during the week and traveling to and from Ko Olina can be a pain. From our resort in Waikiki, we took a bus to Paradise Cove which is located next to Aulani. Because of traffic, it took almost 3 hours to get there when it should have only been an hours drive.
So just keep that in mind. Aulani has a lot to offer on the property but if you want to see more of the island, it may not be the best place to stay."
"I almost stayed at Aulani using DVC points but my fiance and I decided against it. We wanted to see as much of the island as we could and staying at Aulani would be an inconvenience because of its isolation. While in staying in Waikiki, we visited Hanauma Bay, Makapu'u, Lanikai and Kailua. Those places are a far drive from Ko Olina which is where Aulani is located. We did all that before we left to stay on the North Shore. The traffic is really bad on the island during the week and traveling to and from Ko Olina can be a pain. From our resort in Waikiki, we took a bus to Paradise Cove which is located next to Aulani. Because of traffic, it took almost 3 hours to get there when it should have only been an hours drive.
So just keep that in mind. Aulani has a lot to offer on the property but if you want to see more of the island, it may not be the best place to stay."
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Miceberg
Well-Known Member
I agree with the "visit for a day or two" camp then check out all that the Hawaiian island have to offer. If you're going to travel all the way to Hawaii, don't shortchange yourself! I've been to Aulani, Oahu and Kauai ... each have something unique to offer. If I could only choose one of the three, I'd pick Kauai without hesitation and I'm a big, big fan of all things Disney. As the other posters have said, Aulani is pretty isolated and I think that's a drawback.
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KikoKea
Well-Known Member
As @mattchu758 said, traffic can be horrible here. Aulani is on the west side of the island with access to H1, the main highway that leads into Honolulu. In the mornings, starting as early as 4:40am, traffic can back up for miles just getting to the junction with H2 (which leads to the North). H1 then becomes a large, slow-moving mess that crawls toward Honolulu, which improves about 8:30. Starting about 4pm, traffic can start slowing down or backing up on H1 coming out of town as traffic once again crawls toward the west and north. This mess lasts until about 7pm or later. It is somewhat better when school is out. But, there's a rail system going in and always pothole patching, which causes even more havoc.
If you head north, on H2, you'll run into Kamehameha Hwy, which runs along the North Shore. Actually, it circles the island (except the west part) and is a very cool drive. Since it is a 2 lane road along the North Shore, traffic tends to go slowly because of many people stopping to look, to park, etc.
If you want to see Oahu, I'd recommend going via the North Shore one morning to see the beaches. The Polynesian Cultural Center is in Laie, and is well worth going to. It opens at noon (I think) and has representative villages and shows of various Pacific island nations. There's a buffet at night and a terrific, well-done show in the evening. It lets out about 9:30 or 10pm. If you drive, the easiest way back to Aulani is the way you came, via North Shore Kam Hwy, H2, then H1 to Aulani. This would be a full day's touring.
The other end of the island has some very nice things to see, which would be another day outing. Take H1 through Honolulu, stop at Diamond Head, Blow Hole, etc. Hanama Bay is great for snorkeling, but hard to get into since the number of guests allowed in is limited. Lots of nice beaches, too.
Before Honolulu is the USS Missouri/ Pearl Harbor area. If you want take the boat out to PH memorial, get there early because the tickets go fast when the tour buses pull up when it opens. you buy tickets for the USS MO, the Bowfin sub, and Pac Air Museum at the PH complex just off Kam Hwy. Again, the rail is being built along that road, so traffic is a mess.
People hear of Waikiki Beach, but honestly, it is not worth fighting the traffic, etc to see it if you aren't staying down there. Crowded, with lots of shopping and tourists, and the beach is nowhere near the prettiest on the island. Aulani is on the west coast of the island, which is not really a place for tourists (or most locals) to wander. If you want to drive to the end of the road on the west coast, you'll see lovely views, but my advice to friends visiting is to stay in your car. If you want to visit an outlet mall, stop by Waikele Outlets and mall complex, which is about 20 min from Aulani off of H1. Outlets on one side of the road, Kmart and a few more on the other with a tram between the 2. The area is beautiful and the lower shopping area has a beautiful view of Pearl Harbor and all the way to Diamond Head.
Drive or take a tour? Driving gives you more freedom, especially if you have a lot you want to see. But, do plan your outings so you won't get caught in traffic and miss a dinner or show at the resort. With a tour, you can sit back, enjoy the view, read, etc while in traffic. If you don't have a long list of must-see places, I'd recommend looking into a day tour that includes the North Shore in the morning and Polynesian Cultural Center visit, dinner, and show in the evening.
Other questions?, Just ask and I'll do my best to answer.
If you head north, on H2, you'll run into Kamehameha Hwy, which runs along the North Shore. Actually, it circles the island (except the west part) and is a very cool drive. Since it is a 2 lane road along the North Shore, traffic tends to go slowly because of many people stopping to look, to park, etc.
If you want to see Oahu, I'd recommend going via the North Shore one morning to see the beaches. The Polynesian Cultural Center is in Laie, and is well worth going to. It opens at noon (I think) and has representative villages and shows of various Pacific island nations. There's a buffet at night and a terrific, well-done show in the evening. It lets out about 9:30 or 10pm. If you drive, the easiest way back to Aulani is the way you came, via North Shore Kam Hwy, H2, then H1 to Aulani. This would be a full day's touring.
The other end of the island has some very nice things to see, which would be another day outing. Take H1 through Honolulu, stop at Diamond Head, Blow Hole, etc. Hanama Bay is great for snorkeling, but hard to get into since the number of guests allowed in is limited. Lots of nice beaches, too.
Before Honolulu is the USS Missouri/ Pearl Harbor area. If you want take the boat out to PH memorial, get there early because the tickets go fast when the tour buses pull up when it opens. you buy tickets for the USS MO, the Bowfin sub, and Pac Air Museum at the PH complex just off Kam Hwy. Again, the rail is being built along that road, so traffic is a mess.
People hear of Waikiki Beach, but honestly, it is not worth fighting the traffic, etc to see it if you aren't staying down there. Crowded, with lots of shopping and tourists, and the beach is nowhere near the prettiest on the island. Aulani is on the west coast of the island, which is not really a place for tourists (or most locals) to wander. If you want to drive to the end of the road on the west coast, you'll see lovely views, but my advice to friends visiting is to stay in your car. If you want to visit an outlet mall, stop by Waikele Outlets and mall complex, which is about 20 min from Aulani off of H1. Outlets on one side of the road, Kmart and a few more on the other with a tram between the 2. The area is beautiful and the lower shopping area has a beautiful view of Pearl Harbor and all the way to Diamond Head.
Drive or take a tour? Driving gives you more freedom, especially if you have a lot you want to see. But, do plan your outings so you won't get caught in traffic and miss a dinner or show at the resort. With a tour, you can sit back, enjoy the view, read, etc while in traffic. If you don't have a long list of must-see places, I'd recommend looking into a day tour that includes the North Shore in the morning and Polynesian Cultural Center visit, dinner, and show in the evening.
Other questions?, Just ask and I'll do my best to answer.
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slipperalwaysfits
Well-Known Member
Phenomenal help, Disney friends! I know Aulani has excursions you can book through them. Do you know if one of these is a Pearl Harbor excursion?
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RMichael21
Well-Known Member
I did not see any Pearl Harbor excursions advertised when I was there, but I'm sure you could ask the concierge, who were super friendly and helpful by the way.
Just be advised, sometimes (actually a lot of the time according to the person I talked to) the USS Arizona memorial will be closed due to high winds. We found that out the hard way after a 45-60 minute drive from Aulani. Apparently, check their website to make sure the navy hasn't closed the memorial for the day.
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slipperalwaysfits
Well-Known Member
Thanks so much for your tip about the wind! I didn't even think about that possibility but would hate to waste half our day driving there and back and unable to visit to Arizona.
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RMichael21
Well-Known Member
Yeah, also if you pre-book anything (i.e. an audio tour) at Pearl Harbor, do it earlier in your trip, that way you c an receive a rain check if there's wind.
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Chezman1399
Active Member
We went for our 1 year anniversary and were supposed to go for our 5 this year before my wife passed (don't want to be depressing, but can lead to awkward conversation if I don't mention it and someone doesn't know) last year. I'm going to take my parents in February though, gonna be tough but it'll be worth it, I think. We loved the resort, had an Ocean view studio, I don't think we'd go again without having a full kitchen (doing a 2 bedroom in February, was going to go 1 bedroom in December if it was me and Brandie).
Flight path we took is Huntsville to ATL to HNL, flew first class. In 2017, my flight is HNT to ATL to HNL (first class) then HNL to LAX, stay a week at Grand Californian (renting DVC points since my points will be exhausted), and then back to Huntsville through ATL. I actually love being in the air so it really doesn't affect me, Delta gives almost all movies for free and on the long flights have started included a meal for coach on long flights.
Aulani is beautiful, so much so that we decided to delay our Europe trip which we originally intended for our 5 year another year or two to go back. The open air, the weather, the beach, and being in Hawaii and seeing the local sites was just amazing. One thing I am going to make sure I have for the next trip is my SCUBA cert.
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Me 'Earties
Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate
Went to Aulani once (avatar pic is from there), as my husband had a conference in Waikiki back in December 2015 and we took some days off prior to it, to visit. We never had been to Hawaii, and our younger son, Jack, was probably too young for the flight (we live in NJ). Older son, William, loved the plane ride (and all the movies he could watch), but what was very special to him was Auntie's Beach House. If you have kids in that 4-10 years (and may be older--I just think his experience was geared toward a younger kids crowd), it was fun to spend a couple hours there and do activities, play with other children. Even still, William did not want to leave Auntie's! We also spent a lot of time in the pool/lazy river and their lagoon/beach. There are only a couple of dining options, but it was fine for the days we were there (6 days). Plus, there was a small shopping plaza across the way from Aulani that had a couple of other eating options and an ABC store for some snack items if you wanted to bring to your room. There was also a scavenger hunt game and some activities that would change on a daily basis (you could pick up a daily itinery to see what was going on for the day) that were geared for different age groups (Keiki, I remember, were kids activities). We did also stay in Waikiki for a couple nights but it did not compare to Ko 'Olina. If we ever went back to Hawaii, we would probably spend a few nights in Aulani again, and then fly to Maui or Kauai for another few nights; and Jack definitely has to be a few years older (the long flight was tortuous for him--that was our mistake for thinking it could be done)!!
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Gaston's gal
Well-Known Member
We went to Aulani and absolutely LOVED it! I had read to visit early in the day on the second day of your trip since you will still be waking up early and it was great advice. I have written a Trip Report about our visit: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/aulani-trip-report.895390/
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rob0519
Well-Known Member
Having never been to Hawaii, we started looking into Aulani as well. Well, I know it's Disney and all about location, but the room rates are astronomical. I know we're all Disney fans here, so I went to Trip Advisor and found 108 terrible reviews, 151 poor reviews, 365 average reviews, 948 very good reviews and 2271 excellent reviews.
All the reviews from the terrible to the excellent shared a common theme; rooms not ready on time, way too crowded, average food, all chairs by the pool have people's stuff on them by 8 am with no one around, pools close at 6 pm and the feeling of cash flying out of your pocket at every turn.
So about 20% of the reviewers rated Aulani average to terrible. My estimates are looking like $6.000 for a 5 night room only stay. All of those 20% can't be making up the same complaints. I'm beginning to think Aulani may not be a very good value for that kind of money.
Thoughts?
All the reviews from the terrible to the excellent shared a common theme; rooms not ready on time, way too crowded, average food, all chairs by the pool have people's stuff on them by 8 am with no one around, pools close at 6 pm and the feeling of cash flying out of your pocket at every turn.
So about 20% of the reviewers rated Aulani average to terrible. My estimates are looking like $6.000 for a 5 night room only stay. All of those 20% can't be making up the same complaints. I'm beginning to think Aulani may not be a very good value for that kind of money.
Thoughts?
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biggsworth
Member
We stayed there once for 5 days. I thin it is totally worth it. Last year we stayed n Waikiki due to a half marathon we were running. After we ran the half we decided to drive over and spend the day at Aulani. That's how much we enjoyed. The place is beautiful to say the least. We spent two full days at the pool in between driving around Oahu. The lazy river is so much fun the endless pool is great. Listening to uncle tell stories by the fire pit. The architecture. One thing we were disappointed in was the food offerings though. we ended up filling our fridge with breakfast items and sneaking off to find food elsewhere.
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