15 Reasons Why Disney’s Aulani Is The Happiest Place in Hawaii
Thinking of planning a vacation to Aulani? We just got back and let me tell you, it’s time to get excited. This past February our family of four (two adults and two kids ages six and five) spent six nights at Aulani and I’m here to share my 15 different reasons on why I can’t wait to go back. So, let’s dive in!
First, a basic overview: This fabulous resort means “Home” in Hawaii and is located on the southwest side of Oahu in the charming community of Ko’Olina, which means “Place of Joy”. How’s that for setting the tone? You’ll fly into Honolulu (airport code-HNL) and expect a 20-45-minute drive depending on traffic. You can book a standard hotel room, or a suite, 1, 2, or 3-bedroom villa either by calling Aulani directly, using a travel agent (I recommend a certified Disney Travel Company) or you can book points for the villas by renting Disney Vacation Club points. There are several dining options on site including quick service and table service restaurants, room service and snack shops, and if staying in a villa you’ll be able to prepare your own meals. The amenities of this resort are fabulous, family-friendly and from the moment we arrived, we were in paradise!
1. Arrival: We were greeted with refreshing drink of citrus infused water and a lei (ladies), kukui nut necklace (men), or Menehune necklace for your keikos (children). Prepare to be awestruck as you walk through the lobby and get your first view of the Aulani gardens, pools and ocean. While checking in, your kiddos will be entertained in the adorable room adjacent to the front desk featuring– what else–a Disney movie.
2. The Place: Aulani just feels amazing. The layout is in the likeness of their logo with the guest services at the apex, the rooms bending around the exterior, and nestled in the interior are the gardens, pools and restaurants, all leading to the dazzling Pacific Ocean. Winding paths and bridges will guide you throughout the resort amongst a stunning display of tropical plants and flowers. In true Disney fashion, they nailed the theming right down to the speakers piping in Hawaiian music and bird song.
3. Accommodations: We booked a standard room with a standard view as we figured we’d be spending most of our time outside breathing in that Hawaiian air. Also, when comparing the studio villas to the standard hotel rooms, we preferred the two queen beds options of the standard rooms, whereas the studio is limited to one queen bed and a queen sleeper sofa. Our island décor inspired room was spacious, clean and had a few of those Disney touches that we loved. The bathroom was accommodating with the separate commode area and we were impressed with the luxurious robes and extra toiletries provided.
4. Ahhh, what’s that wonderful smell? You know when you walk into Disney’s Beach Club or Pop Century, or any other Disney resort you are immediately greeted with a wonderful, signature scent? Same thing with Aulani! It was similar to Disney’s Polynesian Resort but had its own flare and immediately inspired relaxation. The closest fragrance I have found to match it is the “Shea” scented products from The Body Shop.
5. Pools & hot tubs: Aulani features a handful of strategically placed hot tubs and three grotto style pools that accommodate a range of personalities. The Waikolohe pool (main family pool) is the center of the action, including the Shake-a-Shaka Pool party featuring your favorite Disney friends, while the quieter Wailana Pool is limited to guests 18 years and older. Did you know the pools and spas at Aulani are actually salt-water pools? This system keeps the water clean & sanitized while being healthier on your skin, eyes and lungs than traditional chlorine-treated pools. Stick your head underwater and you just might hear a humpback whale or dolphin!
6. Waikolohe Stream & Waterslides: We spent a lot of glorious hours floating down the Waikolohe Stream—aka, lazy river, and each time we spotted a different Hawaiian sea creature sculpted or stamped into the surrounding lava rock formations throughout our river path. On your next float, see if you can spot a crab, octopus or even a humpback whale! Innertubes are provided and the water temperature felt perfect! Aulani also features two different waterslides (body slide and tube slide) and both were a lot of fun. Lines can get long, so get in line earlier in the day to avoid waiting too long.
7. Beach: Aulani’s beach is located on a man-made lagoon and the reef out front protects the shoreline from crashing waves. When I first heard this, I was a little turned off as I much prefer a natural beach, with their waves and potential of finding a sea shell that washed ashore. However, we found this set up was perfect for kids, paddle boarding and swimming. The setting of the lagoon is gorgeous so don’t fret like I did about it looking artificial. Do your kids love to build sand castles? Head up to Makiki Joe’s Beach Rentals right near the beach entrance to check out a bag of sand toys that you can enjoy for the day free of charge.
8. Disney Food: Mickey Ice Cream bars or Dole Whips interest you? Does grabbing a Mickey shave ice and enjoying it with your toes in the sand sound like paradise? You’ll find these fun treats and more at Aulani! If your sweet tooth is craving candy similar to what you’d find in the theme parks, you can find several options from Goofy’s Candy Company available at the snack and gift shops.
9. Rainbow Reef: Hoping to catch a glimpse of Hawaii’s famous “under the sea” residents? Aulani’s exclusive salt water snorkeling aquarium offers a unique opportunity to see a wide variety of colorful tropical fish and gives beginner snorkelers a chance to experience the thrill of floating amongst these gorgeous fish without having to worry about waves or something else intimidating. Not interested in wearing a mask? Visit the underwater viewing area that is perfect to get a glimpse of the inhabitants, including Hawaii’s state fish, the Humuhumunukunukuapua a! If you don’t know what one looks like, google it! They are absolutely gorgeous!
10. Aunty’s Beach House: AKA-best kids club EVER! Don’t spend a minute more worrying about safety or security, just get excited as both you and your kids are in for a treat. Inside the Beach House there are several rooms featuring: Disney costumes, arts and crafts, video games, movies and a huge outdoor playground. The kids are given their own magic security band that is linked to your photo and room card and you provide a secret password that has to be used before the kids can leave. Also–they have a hand washing station before the kids even get into the main play house.
You can preregister online (we did this 60 days ahead of time) and at that time you can sign them up for three free activities (ex: Stitch’s Space Goo or Disney Junior Aloha!) and any of the premium activities offered on certain days (Surf’s Up with Goofy or Kakamora Chaos with Moana—each $59). Our kids did the Moana event and decorated a paddle that we used to collect character signatures throughout the week. Aunty’ s does allow sign ups every morning on a first come basis—but the line was building by 7:00 a.m. so the online registration was a time saver. Drop your kids off for a few hours one evening to enjoy dinner at ‘Ama ‘Ama and don’t be surprised if they don’t want to leave when you return to pick them up.
11. Disney Characters: Know what’s better than meeting the classic characters in person? Seeing them in their beach gear! During our stay we saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto, Moana, Stitch and Duffy. You’ll have several opportunities to meet them around the resort (call the character hotline each morning to get all the details on when and where) or reserve one of the character dining experiences at Makahiki. Here you will enjoy a buffet offered for both breakfast and dinner featuring entertainment from “Aunty” (breakfast) and “Uncle” (dinner on select evening). We tried both and thought the food was great and it was a fun opportunity to see all the classic characters. These do fill up and I recommend making a reservation at least a few weeks, if not months in advance. (Dining reservations can be booked 180 days ahead of your stay).
12. Fitness Classes: I totally understand if your vacation equals a break from working out, but if you are like me, vacations are a great opportunity to take in some new sites on your morning run or experience your favorite yoga pose in a totally unique setting…say a beach, or a paddle board! The classes offered at Aulani were seriously one of the highlights of this resort for me. They offer everything from cardio HIIT classes on the beach, yoga, spinning and two different paddle board classes (yoga and a toning class). Some of these classes are free and don’t require signing up, but several options have a fee ($20) and you’ll need to sign up at least the day before. Make sure you check out the weekly ‘Iwa (resort activity schedule) online or the daily ‘Iwa can be picked up at the front desk the evening before.
13. Menehune Adventure Trail: Interested in learning more about the Hawaiian culture? Curious about the legend of the Menehune? Head over to the Pau Hana Room Community Hall and check out you’re your very own iPad that will lead you on a scavenger hunt throughout Aulani’s lobby or pool area. On your journey you’ll encounter some magical moments and you might even snag a souvenir or two.
14. Reduce & Reuse: My only real complaint about Aulani is the amount of plastic waste they generate. One bright spot is the ice water stations located throughout the resort. Bring your own water bottle to fill up and stay hydrated and feel good about using one less plastic cup. Out in that gorgeous ocean swim sea turtles and monk seals-both endangered species that need our help in protecting their place. Opt to go straw-less whenever you can!
15. Souvenir idea: Every day a different colored wristband is given when you check out your pool towels to ensure that the use of pools and slides is limited to Aulani guests. While I can’t claim credit for this idea, another family kept their collection of bands and displayed them in a clear Christmas ornament. I am looking forward to hanging this Aulani memory on our Christmas tree next holiday season. Mahalo for reading!
Helping families plan their next adventure is a passion of mine and I am also a certified travel agent for Key to the World Travel. Contact me at: [email protected] for FREE assistance in booking and planning your next trip!
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