Aulani Needs a Disney Dining Plan.

[CampbellzSoup]

I know Disney reads this forum.

It would make the Aulani package really seem like a all inclusive, and a much better vacation when you don't have to think about prices on vacation. I think the option to have it would be rather nice, and give guests their choice to pay all up at front, or to not have it.

I LIKE dining plans as I just like to get what I want without having to think ...man how much is that. I know on a cruise or all inclusive you already pay for it...but it's still a nice perk!

Ama Ama is truly amazing guys the view at sunset is to die for...I'm actually thinking when I can go back

 

[cmph]

I know Disney reads this forum.

It would make the Aulani package really seem like a all inclusive, and a much better vacation when you don't have to think about prices on vacation. I think the option to have it would be rather nice, and give guests their choice to pay all up at front, or to not have it.

I LIKE dining plans as I just like to get what I want without having to think ...man how much is that. I know on a cruise or all inclusive you already pay for it...but it's still a nice perk!

Ama Ama is truly amazing guys the view at sunset is to die for...I'm actually thinking when I can go back

We would get a dining plan there!

also magic bands. Waterproof magic bands instead of carrying around a room key and something to keep it in!! They already have magic bands for Aunty's... simplify the process by only having magic bands in the resort!

 

[Diznygrl]

A dining plan at Aulani would probably just do what it does for WDW...make it virtually impossible to get a reservation unless you book a crazy amount of time in advance...especially since there are only, what? Two non-quick service restaurants at Aulani vs. however many are at WDW. Then with more and more people needing to be pumped through 'Ama'Ama and the character buffet in order to use their "table service credits", the quality of the food would start to suffer.

 

[cmph]

I don't know, I feel like Aulani is very, very different than WDW. Many folks use the grills and their kitchens and barely eat at the table service restaurants, purely for cost reasons, and a dining plan wouldn't sway them to do otherwise b/c it would be pricey. I don't think I quite understood how popular the cooking-your-own-food option would be there until I saw all the doormen unloading trunks jam-packed with Costco supplies and luggage racks loaded with groceries, the line to cook at the grills in the evening, etc. That's pretty difficult to do at the parks unless you are within driving distance, or rent a car, and purposefully leave the parks early enough to cook and eat dinner in your room nightly. At Aulani, you're probably back on-site well before dinner almost every night if you ever left (we were every night); at the parks, we hardly ever are back at the resort by dinner, maybe once a trip so we can use the pool. I think the people who almost always eat in the restaurants for dinner would mostly want a dining plan, but not even all of them would b/c the Aulani crowd is much more free-flowing.

Just to be clear, I doubt a dining plan is really on Aulani's radar... I just think it would be nice for those of us utilizing the restaurants for most meals b/c it would be extremely helpful in budgeting and spreading out the cost of this very expensive trip. That $2000k end-of-trip room bill for my family of 4 was a killer... a huge chunk of that was food, and I would have loved to have had that rolled into the room booking rather than see that buzzkill on the day we checked out!! Pretty sure that's what CambellzSoup was thinking when he posted this.

 

[OKW Lover]

Ummm, why do they need a dining plan? To keep guests from dining at other island restaurants and/or using their DVC kitchen facilities?

We've spent 22 nights at Aulani over the past three years. In all those visits, we've probably eaten at an Aulani restaurant a dozen times. Perhaps more if you count a burger at the pool.

 

[Cinderpamela]

If traveling all the way to Hawaii I would highly recommend trying more than just what Aulani has to offer- there is such a legacy of great cross cultural food all over the island to be experienced, I would not want to limit myself to eating only at Aulani. But then, I have never been a fan of the WDW dining plan anyways.... while others just love it. Like Dznygrl said, that would most likely make the onsite restaurants so hard to book. Since Aulani is a homage to the people and culture of Hawaii I say get out there and try their food while on a visit there. We loved Ama Ama, but we loved Alan Wong, Town, and Morimoto in Waikiki even better.

 

[herc1997]

There are plenty of places to eat at Ko Olina. I don't think it would work with a dining plan. There are not enough restaurants to support it at sold out Aulani. With pizza, sushi, Japanese, Monkey Pod and others across the street, other quick service type places at other hotels along the lagoons, besides Roy's up the street, and the Paradise Cove Luau, there seems to be much to choose from. Ko Olina has the shuttle that runs so these places are easy to get to.

Having a car, you can head to Waikiki for some great food places as well as heading to the North Shore for the food trucks and other local places.

 

[Regan117]

No. Just...no. I like that it isn't fully DISNEY.

 

[Gorechick]

They do occasionally offer a promotional plan with 1 meal a day at Ulu cafe. I think offering a quick service plan on a regular basis with 1 dining credit and 1 snack credit per day useable at Ulu, Olelo room, Pool bar, Lava shack, etc...Would be popular.

 

[cmph]

I think a lot of people choose Disney resorts partially b/c of allergy-friendliness. Those with no food restrictions probably do not realize how many of us there are who do this. We ate dinner every night at the resort (cooking our own twice) for that reason. Off-site, DH always brought his own food b/c we couldn't trust that he could eat safely elsewhere. There wasn't one excursion we did that had safe food for him at lunch. Sure, we could have made a point of eating at high-end Honolulu restaurants that would be safe for him, but we have kids, and I doubt anyone wants kids at Alan Wong's restaurants at night. Nor did we want to be in the city at night (again, b/c of the kids). So I think for a number of people... we're eating at Aulani almost every meal b/c it's the easiest, safest option. We did try to get sushi in Ko Olina once (it was closed), the pizza place has nothing safe for him, nor did the Hawaiian bbq place, and Monkeypod has only limited options compared with Aulani's offerings and only a 50% celiac-friendly rating.

I am NOT saying that there needs to be tiers of dining plans or anything complicated, a la WDW, but something simple as an add-on would be nice, b/c the reality is - many of us are eating the majority of our meals on-site already. Not saying "all", so please don't assume I mean that everyone does what we do, or even a majority.

If DH didn't have celiac? We certainly wouldn't have had to eat on-site as much, and we could have done food trucks, etc. It stinks, but it is what it is. He was super-sad that we never found poke made with tamari; all other soy sauce is actually made from wheat. Oahu doesn't have a wealth of celiac-friendly options.

 

[Minniesgal]

I don't think there are enough different dining options for a dining plan. I'd hate to be stuck eating there for our 10 day trip much prefer to go out of Aulani to eat.

 

[keaster]

I agree that with only two restaurants and a quick service style venue, there are not enough options to warrant a dining plan. Plus there are enough options off property close enough that are not too badly priced!

 

[pepperandchips]

I love the idea of prepaid meals. I think people are reading this and getting too hung up on "not enough restaurants" to support a sister to the WDW dining plan, but I think of the Universal QS dining plan where you can pay a flat fee and know what you'll get as far as entitlements. I am planning an Aulani trip for my 30th and will likely put all of my dining budget into a special savings account just so that I can "not care" what the prices will be. As someone who grew up with family vacations ruled by a "cheap" parent, I don't like to worry about the cost while I'm on my vacation - I like to budget and pay in advance and then ENJOY the vacation while I'm there!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Again I'm not understanding the pushback to this - it would be an option. Perhaps a quick service plan that allows the family 2 quick service credits or a table service plan that allows the family 1 credit for lunch and one for diner at Ama Ama/a new table restaurant. If you don't want it - you don't have to purchase it. I just again, like the thought of all inclusive vacations where everything is already paid for.

 

[dsnydaddy]

I'm not eating at the Aulani again (other than snacks) WAY too pricey for me. I'll be making meals in my room and checking out where the locals eat. Last trip we found some fantastic hole-in-the-wall restaurants that were very well priced.

 

[OKW Lover]

Again I'm not understanding the pushback to this - it would be an option.

My response was pretty much based on the title of the thread. Option? Fine, go ahead and offer it.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I'm not eating at the Aulani again (other than snacks) WAY too pricey for me. I'll be making meals in my room and checking out where the locals eat. Last trip we found some fantastic hole-in-the-wall restaurants that were very well priced.

You've got to share where

 

[canadiandisneynut]

I don't know, I feel like Aulani is very, very different than WDW. Many folks use the grills and their kitchens and barely eat at the table service restaurants, purely for cost reasons, and a dining plan wouldn't sway them to do otherwise b/c it would be pricey. I don't think I quite understood how popular the cooking-your-own-food option would be there until I saw all the doormen unloading trunks jam-packed with Costco supplies and luggage racks loaded with groceries, the line to cook at the grills in the evening, etc. That's pretty difficult to do at the parks unless you are within driving distance, or rent a car, and purposefully leave the parks early enough to cook and eat dinner in your room nightly. At Aulani, you're probably back on-site well before dinner almost every night if you ever left (we were every night); at the parks, we hardly ever are back at the resort by dinner, maybe once a trip so we can use the pool. I think the people who almost always eat in the restaurants for dinner would mostly want a dining plan, but not even all of them would b/c the Aulani crowd is much more free-flowing.

Just to be clear, I doubt a dining plan is really on Aulani's radar... I just think it would be nice for those of us utilizing the restaurants for most meals b/c it would be extremely helpful in budgeting and spreading out the cost of this very expensive trip. That $2000k end-of-trip room bill for my family of 4 was a killer... a huge chunk of that was food, and I would have loved to have had that rolled into the room booking rather than see that buzzkill on the day we checked out!! Pretty sure that's what CambellzSoup was thinking when he posted this.

Are the grills outdoors in common areas or on the balcony sort of thing?

 

[canadiandisneynut]

I think a QS dining plan would be an excellent addition. I have to admit that not having the option for all inclusive has kept us from booking sooner

 

[Gorechick]

Are the grills outdoors in common areas or on the balcony sort of thing?

The grills are outdoors. They are on the backside of the Ewa tower near the path to the Halawi lawn.