Aulani, i have questions!

[dreday3]

Nowhere to post this. Anyone with Aulani experience?

 

[Gillyanne]

Not me personally but my BFF (not on these boards) went with her family in June. I could pass on a question and post her answer....

 

[muddyrivers]

I went with my family in April. I'm sure there's others who have been there as well. Post away and I'm sure you'll get some answers!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

PM me or ask her, I have some Aulani experience both pre- and post-COVID.

 

[dreday3]

Thanks!

We are planning to go in May 2024. We will be flying to LA, doing 2 nights there to see Disneyland/DCA, then from there to Hawaii.

The current plan is to do 8 nights total in Hawaii. Some want to split between Maui and Oahu. Some feel we can find enough to do in Oahu without splitting. We would be renting a car. My husband was stationed on Oahu for 3 years, so he knows Island well and already has about 20 days worth of stuff for us to see.
I feel like Oahu will have a good mix of natural beauty, resort days and then we can go into Waikiki sometimes to eat/shop/see the Brady Bunch filming location.

Do you guys think 8 nights at Aualani is too long? I saw some other places that seemed maybe a bit more luxurious, but way more expensive.
I watched videos - we have people coming that don't love Disney, but the hotel doesn't seem too over the top with Disney, right? And they can avoid character greets.

Is May a good time to go? How far out should we plan to book if we stay there? We'd be paying cash, not DVC.

 

[sullyinMT]

Just went in July. We filled an eight night trip no problem. The resort is beautiful, and very minimally “Disney.” Even the DVC push isn’t over the top, which is nice. The Lu’au is is presented by a third party, and is excellent. We were there when they went back to buffet style instead of individual bento boxes. Food service is complete before the main show gets going. Character breakfast was still served a la carte, which we honestly prefer to enjoy more character time.

Your husband I’m sure knows/remembers, but the traffic was unpleasant pretty much any time of day. Just pack your patience, but the car will be worth it. Enjoy your trip!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

We are planning to go in May 2024. We will be flying to LA, doing 2 nights there to see Disneyland/DCA, then from there to Hawaii.

Are you set on this itinerary? The jetlag flying East is much more difficult than the jetlag flying West. We don't mix Disneyland in with our Hawaii trips, but we always to a "pit stop" overnight in California to help adjust to the time change when flying home, not when flying there. When you fly West, you can leave from Boston or New York at a normal time (8 or 9am) and land in Honolulu also at a normal time (3 or 4pm). Flying East, you're pretty much locking yourself into a redeye.

The current plan is to do 8 nights total in Hawaii. Some want to split between Maui and Oahu. Some feel we can find enough to do in Oahu without splitting. We would be renting a car. My husband was stationed on Oahu for 3 years, so he knows Island well and already has about 20 days worth of stuff for us to see.

I don't like island hopping in general, but I definitely wouldn't do it if the trip is less than two weeks. And the only island I'd hop to would be the Big Island if you felt like your trip would be incomplete without seeing an active volcano. If you want to do a Maui vacation, do a Maui vacation. Splitting an 8 night trip gives up an entire day to the hassle of repacking, driving to the airport, returning the car, flying, getting a new car, checking in, and unpacking again.

Off the top of my head:

- Pearl Harbor is a full day
- Diamond Head and Waikiki is a full day
- The Bishop Museum is a full day
- The North Shore (with a pit stop at Dole) is a full day
- Pick any random hike and that's a full day
- Kualoa Ranch and the Byodo-In Temple on the windward side of the island is a full day

So that's six full days and you haven't spent a single second sitting by the pool yet.

I feel like Oahu will have a good mix of natural beauty, resort days and then we can go into Waikiki sometimes to eat/shop/see the Brady Bunch filming location.

Have you been to Waikiki? It rivals the George Washington Bridge as my least favorite place on Earth. Do it early in the trip to see if you like it, but from my perspective it's everything that's bad about Oahu crammed into one neighborhood.

Do you guys think 8 nights at Aualani is too long? I saw some other places that seemed maybe a bit more luxurious, but way more expensive.
I watched videos - we have people coming that don't love Disney, but the hotel doesn't seem too over the top with Disney, right? And they can avoid character greets.

Avoiding Disney is easy, avoiding children is hard.

Is May a good time to go? How far out should we plan to book if we stay there? We'd be paying cash, not DVC.

Weather and crowds should be great in May. Depending on where you're coming from, booking the flights will be the bigger headache than booking the hotel. Keep your eyes open for discounts. Things like 30% off of a stay of 5 or more nights are pretty common.

Unsolicited advice: I wouldn't pay extra for Island Garden View or Poolside Garden View. If you want to splurge, splurge all the way to Ocean View. Otherwise, accept that your view will suck and just book Standard.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Oh and since you're paying cash, not points... Self-parking and valet parking are the same price, so bring a pocket full of small bills for tips and enjoy the valet service. Entering through the lobby is much more majestic than entering through the self-parking lot.

 

[dreday3]

Are you set on this itinerary? The jetlag flying East is much more difficult than the jetlag flying West. We don't mix Disneyland in with our Hawaii trips, but we always to a "pit stop" overnight in California to help adjust to the time change when flying home, not when flying there. When you fly West, you can leave from Boston or New York at a normal time (8 or 9am) and land in Honolulu also at a normal time (3 or 4pm). Flying East, you're pretty much locking yourself into a redeye.


I don't like island hopping in general, but I definitely wouldn't do it if the trip is less than two weeks. And the only island I'd hop to would be the Big Island if you felt like your trip would be incomplete without seeing an active volcano. If you want to do a Maui vacation, do a Maui vacation. Splitting an 8 night trip gives up an entire day to the hassle of repacking, driving to the airport, returning the car, flying, getting a new car, checking in, and unpacking again.

Off the top of my head:

- Pearl Harbor is a full day
- Diamond Head and Waikiki is a full day
- The Bishop Museum is a full day
- The North Shore (with a pit stop at Dole) is a full day
- Pick any random hike and that's a full day
- Kualoa Ranch and the Byodo-In Temple on the windward side of the island is a full day

So that's six full days and you haven't spent a single second sitting by the pool yet.


Have you been to Waikiki? It rivals the George Washington Bridge as my least favorite place on Earth. Do it early in the trip to see if you like it, but from my perspective it's everything that's bad about Oahu crammed into one neighborhood.


Avoiding Disney is easy, avoiding children is hard.


Weather and crowds should be great in May. Depending on where you're coming from, booking the flights will be the bigger headache than booking the hotel. Keep your eyes open for discounts. Things like 30% off of a stay of 5 or more nights are pretty common.

Unsolicited advice: I wouldn't pay extra for Island Garden View or Poolside Garden View. If you want to splurge, splurge all the way to Ocean View. Otherwise, accept that your view will suck and just book Standard.

Thanks!

We are pretty set on doing Disney first. Flight there will be 4 hours. Then from LA to Hawaii I think about 5?
I know flight straight home to Chicago will be rough, but I will build in some vacation days at home before I go back to work.

Yes, my husband keeps telling me we won't like Waikiki, so maybe I'll skip it. Or we can just go once early on.
I'm thinking no on Island hopping too.

I think we will book standard. We can just go outside for the views.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

We were there when they went back to buffet style instead of individual bento boxes.

That's a good surprise, I hadn't realized it changed back. Have the pre-show activities returned?

 

[sullyinMT]

That's a good surprise, I hadn't realized it changed back. Have the pre-show activities returned?

They have! My youngest (12) was quite the joiner in all of it, which surprised me. Post-show entertainer meets were also there, and maybe a highlight of the show.

I don’t know if it was a fluke, so I hesitate to get expectations too high. But we were there for a Sat-Sun over July 4. Wednesday of that week, we got a letter that mousekeeping would do a light touch up every day. We had towels, toiletries, and trash refreshed, but no bed making (which doesn’t bother us) daily from Wed-Sat.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

They have! My youngest (12) was quite the joiner in all of it, which surprised me. Post-show entertainer meets were also there, and maybe a highlight of the show.

Those photos with the entertainers always crack me up. "Hey tourist, would you like a commemorative picture taken with these extremely fit and attractive young people in tiny outfits so you can contemplate how fat and ugly you look by comparison?"

Why yes, yes I would. Here's my credit card.

 

[dreday3]

One more question for anyone.

Did you like the beach there? I read people saying it's not a real beach, which I'm not sure I understand. It looks very nice! We do plan to do a snorkeling day at a different location, but you can snorkel on the Aulani beach?
Can you walk down to the beach at night, or does it close?
Can we walk around beach and see other resorts? Is there a path to walk?

 

[sullyinMT]

The beach is groomed and there are breakers that I believe are man installed. It’s a beautiful area that’s actually managed by the Ko Olina neighborhood association (not private to Aulani). A very nice path connects all of the lagoons in Ko Olina and is very scenic for walks or jogs. There are small schools of fish, but I didn’t think snorkeling at the resort was a “must-do.”

If you want a “real” (natural) beach, electric beach/park is about 2 miles north and offers breathtaking sunset views. It’s a nice area, but the sand under feet at Aulani is nicer.

 

[dreday3]

The beach is groomed and there are breakers that I believe are man installed. It’s a beautiful area that’s actually managed by the Ko Olina neighborhood association (not private to Aulani). A very nice path connects all of the lagoons in Ko Olina and is very scenic for walks or jogs. There are small schools of fish, but I didn’t think snorkeling at the resort was a “must-do.”

If you want a “real” (natural) beach, electric beach/park is about 2 miles north and offers breathtaking sunset views. It’s a nice area, but the sand under feet at Aulani is nicer.

Thank you so much! It sounds perfect.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

To add a few points to what @sullyinMT said...

I think of the Ko Olina lagoons almost like saltwater lakes. You're not going to be doing any bodyboarding or surfing because there are no waves to speak of, but that makes it perfect for something like paddleboarding or just "normal" swimming, especially with kids.

The path around the lagoons will close occasionally when there are special events. For example, on my last trip they were filming American Idol so the path was closed in the evenings, and on another trip the area in front of the Four Seasons closed for a wedding.

By law, every beach in Hawaii is public, so there are no fully private beaches that you're going to find. The resorts can (and do) restrict use of their beach chairs, parking lots, and other amenities, but the sand and the water are open to anybody.

If you do the snorkeling tank at the resort (Ranbow Reef), your "ticket" is good for complimentary snorkel gear rental at the beach as well.

Beach toys are complimentary for kids, or at least they were pre-covid. If you're a Costco member and will be doing any grocery shopping, they have a really good beach toy set that seems to always be available there.

 

[dreday3]

To add a few points to what @sullyinMT said...

I think of the Ko Olina lagoons almost like saltwater lakes. You're not going to be doing any bodyboarding or surfing because there are no waves to speak of, but that makes it perfect for something like paddleboarding or just "normal" swimming, especially with kids.

The path around the lagoons will close occasionally when there are special events. For example, on my last trip they were filming American Idol so the path was closed in the evenings, and on another trip the area in front of the Four Seasons closed for a wedding.

By law, every beach in Hawaii is public, so there are no fully private beaches that you're going to find. The resorts can (and do) restrict use of their beach chairs, parking lots, and other amenities, but the sand and the water are open to anybody.

If you do the snorkeling tank at the resort (Ranbow Reef), your "ticket" is good for complimentary snorkel gear rental at the beach as well.

Beach toys are complimentary for kids, or at least they were pre-covid. If you're a Costco member and will be doing any grocery shopping, they have a really good beach toy set that seems to always be available there.

Thanks!

We don't have kids and people coming with aren't bringing theirs. (but kids don't bother us)
I think this place is still good for adults? We aren't there for a big romantic get-away and my long, party nights are behind me. Happy to just relax outside with some wine.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think this place is still good for adults?

Yes.

We aren't there for a big romantic get-away and my long, party nights are behind me.

This is true of Aulani and Hawaii in general... Stuff closes EARLY. If you were looking for long party nights, I'd say skip Hawaii entirely, not just Aulani. Don't be shocked when everything shuts down at 8pm. Use the jet lag to your advantage... get everywhere early, eat dinner during happy hour specials, and be ready for bed when things start to close.

Happy to just relax outside with some wine.

There are cheaper ways to do that. Make sure to immerse yourself in the Hawaii-ness of it all. If you go looking to have a drink on a beach chair, you're still going to have a wonderful time, but probably not different enough from somewhere like the Bahamas to justify the additional cost and travel time.

I can't recommend the Bishop Museum strongly enough.

 

[dreday3]

Yes.


This is true of Aulani and Hawaii in general... Stuff closes EARLY. If you were looking for long party nights, I'd say skip Hawaii entirely, not just Aulani. Don't be shocked when everything shuts down at 8pm. Use the jet lag to your advantage... get everywhere early, eat dinner during happy hour specials, and be ready for bed when things start to close.


There are cheaper ways to do that. Make sure to immerse yourself in the Hawaii-ness of it all. If you go looking to have a drink on a beach chair, you're still going to have a wonderful time, but probably not different enough from somewhere like the Bahamas to justify the additional cost and travel time.

I can't recommend the Bishop Museum strongly enough.

Oh yeah. We definitely plan to be doing things. I just meant at night, I'll be happy just sitting outside with a glass of wine. I don't need any bar life there.

 

[Ayla]

Thanks!

We are pretty set on doing Disney first. Flight there will be 4 hours. Then from LA to Hawaii I think about 5?
I know flight straight home to Chicago will be rough, but I will build in some vacation days at home before I go back to work.

Yes, my husband keeps telling me we won't like Waikiki, so maybe I'll skip it. Or we can just go once early on.
I'm thinking no on Island hopping too.

I think we will book standard. We can just go outside for the views.

Not Aulani-related, but Hawaii-coming-home-to-Central-time-zone related...We went to Maui in January and the jet-lag coming home killed us for almost a week. It was no joke. That is the only reason I'm not planning a return trip. It was ROUGH.