Happy in Hawaii –- Aulani & Oahu with a Toddler ~ Updated 7/20: Final Update and link to new TR!

You have some seriously good flight karma!! How exciting to go back to Hawaii! Can't wait to hear about your plans!
I can't wait until we can start making plans. Right now that whole large-group thing is really causing us delays and drama. :headache: Once we've arranged where we're staying, I'll feel a lot better. Planning a trip to Hawaii should NOT be this stressful. :faint:

It sounds like you had a relaxing afternoon! Beautiful views from the canoe!
The ride was a nice chance to just relax and look around. :thumbsup2

I like the "hand holding" lesson! We're getting to the phase with Jake where he wants to walk instead of being carried. The trouble is he's a runner by nature and he's FAST so we've had some interesting moments!
Yikes! :eek: Luckily, Izzy has always been pretty good about not running off at random. She did a little bit when she first learned to run, but a few falls and the choice of holding hands or being carried slowed her down.

Your evening plans sound...interesting. I hope everything worked out well for you!
Ha, yeah...it's not the most exciting evening. But we're still in Hawaii! ::yes::

RE the houses for rent, maybe check out airbnb as well? I've had good luck with them lately (booked many of our France apartments/villas from there). It's tough leaving that up to someone else, I would not be doing well waiting around lol!
Thanks! I checked there too and saw similar things to what I'd been finding. As of this moment, BIL's mom found some condos at Turtle Bay that look very nice, but also cost more than (DVC-rental) Aulani. We mentioned that fact and Dug's parents basically flipped out on us, doing everything they could to insult Aulani and make us sound like selfish jerks for suggesting an alternative. :confused3 I don't know if they actually listened when we told them it was LESS expensive than the other place. Ack, I can't even think about this, it's been such a headache. :headache: I think the ideal result of discussions that will probably take place this weekend is that everyone stays at Turtle Bay for the majority of the trip and at least us (and maybe others?) move over to Aulani for the last few nights. I don't know. Not even sure if there's availability until I know what to have our DVC person look at for us. (I need a smilie that is banging it's head against a table).

The rest of your time at the village looks really wonderful and the canoe ride sounds great. Sorry your tummy was still acting up. Awful but my first thought was - well you probably didn't gain any weight that trip? lol! (I am still attempting to lose my Disney pounds from last year, so it's on my mind).
Haha, that is probably true, at least for the first part of the trip. I'm sure I made up for it after and no scales there to check. :rotfl: I was sick later this winter and lost like 6 pounds in 4 days :crazy2: (it all came back, don't worry). I need to lose all of the winter fluff too - so far this week, I've managed to avoid partaking in all the random candy and treats that show up at work - that's probably saving 500 calories/day right there. :faint: We'll see if it helps.

I am stunned that you keep finding these airfare deals! Amazing!
Me too! Again, though, the first time was luck, but the second time was totally due to the free alert email. :thumbsup2 I am amazed that a fare like that was offered, though - and it wasn't even a glitch! Those wacky airlines and their fare wars. :rotfl2:

Never, ever break a promise to a toddler.
Very true! The other day, it was Dairy Queen's 75th anniversary and they were giving everyone free ice cream cones. Well, Dug picked Izzy up from daycare and promised her ice cream. He got to DQ and the line of cars was down the street and parking lot was full. He abandoned hope there, but knew not to break a promise to a toddler. So, he ended up driving to multiple sites of ice cream in our area and finding they had all closed. He finally took her to a frozen yogurt place and, thankfully, she was too young to know the difference. :thumbsup2

Well, don't give me the option, then!
I know, it was weird and uncomfortable. I think onlookers thought we were breaking the rules. :confused3

No! We need to put that thing to bed once and for all.
You're telling me. Of course, it may still be a couple days...:rolleyes1

Wow you have such amazing flight karma! Thats wonderful that you get to head back to Hawaii so soon!
Thanks! I can't believe it!
 
Hey there! THANK YOU for not having 22,000 updates for me to try to catch up on. :laughing: I should let you know that I posted several, but all in the same night, so maybe not as bad as scrolling through lots of pages? I am really in need of finishing the summer TR so I can get the January one started and done before our big All Girl Princess Extravaganza this summer! :laughing: Anyway….

So glad that you made it to the canoes on time! I know Izzy would have been so disappointed. Actually, I would have to - that looks like fun!!!

I can’t believe you were seated with folks who lived 20 minutes from you! I need those little dolls singing their little small world song right now……

I am SO sorry that you were still feeling sick. That is just not a fun way to spend a vacation. :(
 
Hey there! THANK YOU for not having 22,000 updates for me to try to catch up on. :laughing: I should let you know that I posted several, but all in the same night, so maybe not as bad as scrolling through lots of pages? I am really in need of finishing the summer TR so I can get the January one started and done before our big All Girl Princess Extravaganza this summer! :laughing: Anyway….
Haha, you are so welcome! :goodvibes I saw your updates, but haven't had a chance to sit down and read them all yet (though I may have peeked and saw the contests had already been won :rotfl:). I actually wrote another (short) update for this TR tonight, so I'm going to bed after I get that up. I'll probably get to yours tomorrow night. I think everyone needs to take a little hiatus so I can get caught up! :faint: At this point, I'm just hoping to get this one done before we go back to Hawaii. :rotfl2:

So glad that you made it to the canoes on time! I know Izzy would have been so disappointed. Actually, I would have to - that looks like fun!!!
Agreed, me three! I love boat rides. And Izzy had been promised a ride and kept asking to do it - we couldn't disappoint!

I can’t believe you were seated with folks who lived 20 minutes from you! I need those little dolls singing their little small world song right now……
I know, crazy, huh?! It really is a very small world sometimes. Like our Dec. 2010 WDW trip where I walked into the MK and heard a familiar voice behind me and it was friends from home that we didn't know would be in Disney too!

I am SO sorry that you were still feeling sick. That is just not a fun way to spend a vacation. :(
It sucked. :sad2: I think I'll be going to great lengths to not get sick right before the return visit.
 
Driving, Food, and Exhaustion

We left off with us departing the Polynesian Cultural Center to head back towards Aulani. If you would like to picture the island, think of it as a sloppy circle and we were currently in the upper part of the right-hand side and needed to get to the lower-left. :teacher: One route to do that would be driving along the North Shore, then cutting down the middle of the island (passing the Dole Plantation) on the way back. However, the Dole Plantation closed at 5pm, so that was out. And I was just feeling so sick and exhausted that I wanted to get back as soon as possible. :sick: So, we went back the same way we came – the scenic H-3 (not as scenic at night). I felt a bit of regret about not exploring a new route, but I just couldn’t handle it that night. The lack of food and excess of illness was too much for me.

At any rate, I got us safely back to the Aulani area (I do almost all of the driving in our family, sick or not :drive:). I had no interest in dinner, but Dug still needed to eat something. Izzy was asleep in her carseat in back. We found the Kua Aina Burger location near Aulani (one exit down, right by Target). The burger chain came recommended by burger connoisseur Captain_Oblivious and he hadn’t steered us wrong so far, what with the on-our-way-to-Aulani-from-the-airport Leonard’s Malasada stop. ::yes::

I was going to wait/rest in the car with sleeping Izzy while Dug went in and grabbed a burger. As I settled in and closed my eyes, he headed inside:



In the meantime, my nap didn’t happen at all because Izzy woke up immediately and decided that she was not at all pleased about being awake. :sad: Keep in mind that, on top of the massive time change, she also had barely napped all day. She’d had a very short nap in the car earlier, then this short car nap – not her normal 2-hour midday siesta. :sad2: She was a wreck and could not be calmed, even when I got out and came around to visit with her. Feeling the way I did, there was clearly only one solution: dump her on Dug. :thumbsup2

So, I calmed her enough to go inside and eat (she said she was hungry, when asked). Dug might have been a bit surprised to have a dining buddy. :confused3 I told him to share fries with her and I would go over to Target (across the parking lot, basically) and get her another baby food pouch (she downed all her others we brought along that day – she was super into them during this trip). He agreed to take care of her while he ate.

Speaking of eating, he’d ordered the recommended Pineapple Bacon Cheeseburger:



And fries on the side:



He said the lettuce and tomato kind-of overtook the burger. If he got it again, he’d remove them to enjoy the pineapple/bacon/burger goodness a bit more. He also didn’t care for the fries and said they were small and burnt. Bummer that it wasn’t the best meal ever! This was a fairly new location, though, so maybe they were still figuring things out. It was still good enough to eat it all. :thumbsup2

I drove over to Target, as I wasn’t up for even walking that parking lot distance. I got one pouch for Izzy (she had more back at Aulani for the other days). I also got a deodorant for Dug, as he said he forgot to pack his. Spoiler alert: No, he didn’t. :headache: He just forgot that he DID pack it. Now he had two. Haha. :upsidedow Not to mention that the one he “forgot” to pack was one I had to pick up for him right before the trip on my break at work. I was a little annoyed by the whole ordeal. :furious:

Drove back over the restaurant and met up with them. They were doing okay and Izzy seemed in much better spirits. I gave her the pouch and let them finish up before all heading back out to the car.

When we got back to Aulani, we got Izzy down to bed in her pack ‘n’ play and I followed suit very quickly. I don’t think it took her long to fall asleep that night:



Dug still had some energy, so he went off to explore the resort while we slept. He ended up here:



This is a nice, little Hawaiian-themed bar. It was the music that drew him in:



And the beer and nachos were nice too:



Here’s what he posted on Facebook that night with the picture of the musicians:

Special moment listening to live performance of Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World as a Hawaiian breeze saunters in from the sea. Thinking of you, Bruddah Iz.

:rainbow:


He had a really nice time at the ‘Olelo Room that night. I had a enjoyable time sleeping, as did Izzy. :thumbsup2

Up next: Early morning, heading off to Pearl Harbor.
 


What a bummer about not feeling good. Its such a shame to be surrounded by such a beautiful place and not really feel like enjoying it.

I remember those days of Charlotte wakeing from a "non-nap" and making us all miserable! Oh those toddler routines. But I am conviced that time with daddy and French fries is the cure! (Daddy always seems like more of a treat. At least in our house anyway :)). I hope you stared feeling better soon!
 
That's too bad that you still felt crummy! :( It's always tough to feel tough on vacation! I'm glad you and Izzy got some much needed sleep. ::yes::

The bar Dug went to looks really fun - especially those tasty looking nachos! YUM! :cloud9:
 
I'm sorry you ended the night feeling so awful. It's not fun being sick in general but sick on vacation is especially hard. It seems like you and Izzy got the rest you needed that night, hopefully!

I love the picture you painted with Dug's night at the bar. It sounds especially nice when we're still stuck in winter here!
 


the canoe ride looks pretty nice - other than the worker who got annoyed at your question. To be fair though, how dare you not know how this thing you have never done before works! ;)

Glad Izzy got her boat ride in - she looks very happy, especially in that first we-sie.

Bummer about the stomach bug though - must have just been annoying to be in paradise and not able to fully enjoy it. Hope things got better though.

With all the travel you have been doing I am picturing a drawer with about 50 deodorants in it that you have bought for Dug over the years - kept as reminders of the trips :rotfl:

Sounds like a nice time Dug had and while I can understand him being happy and in the moment, part of me thought it was kinda dense of him to post about his "special moment" while you were up in the room feeling sick. :lmao:
 
Wow, I can't believe you got such a great airfare to Hawaii AGAIN! That is amazing. That should be fun to go with so many other people, as well.

Your canoe ride at the PCC looked like fun - glad Izzy got her boat ride!

I feel so bad that you were still feeling so sick at this point during the trip - I'm hoping your next update has you waking up and feeling great.
 
IMG_8410_zps0a7f5dd3.jpg

That lady looks pleased about the photobombing she's doing!


That's a better shot:thumbsup2

A friendly older couple sat next to us and we chatted a bit. Turns out they were from Minnesota too, in a suburb not more than 20 minutes away from us!

How cool is that? It's always neat when you're traveling and meet people from your neck of the woods.

However, my stomach was churning once again and I decided I needed to make another run to the restroom that I was getting to know all too well. Darn stomach bug! :sick: :crazy2:

Oh my gosh, it sounds like you have lots of tummy troubles. Is this an all the time thing, even at home?

Actually, I think this was a lesson in hand-holding in parking lots. Explaining it to her and letting her know that it was not negotiable.

Yep, we're starting to teach him in our church parking lot to look both ways and see if any cars are coming.

The burger chain came recommended by burger connoisseur Captain_Oblivious

He is the guy to trust!

Feeling the way I did, there was clearly only one solution: dump her on Dug. :thumbsup2

:thumbsup2 Wonderful!

Spoiler alert: No, he didn’t. :headache:

Not to mention that the one he “forgot” to pack was one I had to pick up for him right before the trip on my break at work.

:lmao: Sorry for laughing but REALLY! Dug and DH must be brothers.

Special moment listening to live performance of Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World as a Hawaiian breeze saunters in from the sea. Thinking of you, Bruddah Iz.

Aw love that song:cloud9:
 
Awww poor Izzy, might have been disoriented waking up like that. I hope you start to feel better, ugh! Did you not have anything for dinner?? Sounds like a nice evening for Dug listening to the music in paradise!
 
We found the Kua Aina Burger location near Aulani (one exit down, right by Target). The burger chain came recommended by burger connoisseur Captain_Oblivious and he hadn’t steered us wrong so far, what with the on-our-way-to-Aulani-from-the-airport Leonard’s Malasada stop. ::yes::

Uh oh. I don't like where this is headed.

Speaking of eating, he’d ordered the recommended Pineapple Bacon Cheeseburger:

Never mind. I LOVE where this is headed! :thumbsup2

He said the lettuce and tomato kind-of overtook the burger. If he got it again, he’d remove them to enjoy the pineapple/bacon/burger goodness a bit more. He also didn’t care for the fries and said they were small and burnt. Bummer that it wasn’t the best meal ever!

Well, darn. Now I feel bad. I do remember the fries being small, but not much else about them. And I usually remove the rabbit food from my burgers. :rotfl:

When we got back to Aulani, we got Izzy down to bed in her pack ‘n’ play and I followed suit very quickly. I don’t think it took her long to fall asleep that night:

I can't imagine why! :lmao:

Looking forward to Pearl Harbor.
 
Never mind. I LOVE where this is headed! :thumbsup2


.

Well, there's a shock! Whenever there's a hamburger involved Mark gets the bat signal.

I'm sorry you still weren't feeling well in your last updates. I hope you wake up refreshed and ready to go.

I love the pictures from the canoe ride. Were you just supposed to ride it one way?

Glad Izzy had no trouble falling asleep,

Looking forward to Pearl Harbor, too!
 
What a bummer about not feeling good. Its such a shame to be surrounded by such a beautiful place and not really feel like enjoying it.
It really is. I am one who would much rather be sick at home than on vacation. At home, at least you're just missing a day of work. Generally nothing earth-shattering. But a day of vacation is a day of adventures you may never have a chance at again. I tried to power through as much as I could, but getting back safely and resting was a top priority that night. And we were not fully adjusted to Hawaii time yet, so I'm sure it felt a lot later to me than it was.

I remember those days of Charlotte wakeing from a "non-nap" and making us all miserable! Oh those toddler routines. But I am conviced that time with daddy and French fries is the cure! (Daddy always seems like more of a treat. At least in our house anyway :)). I hope you stared feeling better soon!
I was sure she'd sleep longer, given her lack of naps that day. I was really looking forward to just shutting my eyes in the car for a bit. But, nope. The Daddy and French fry time worked out in this instance. She doesn't always think Daddy's a treat, though - she is a big-time Mommy's girl, still. Eventually, I'll feel better...:rolleyes1

That's too bad that you still felt crummy! :( It's always tough to feel tough on vacation! I'm glad you and Izzy got some much needed sleep. ::yes::
I was so happy to get into that bed and pass out that night. :faint: I hate being sick on vacation. :sad2:

The bar Dug went to looks really fun - especially those tasty looking nachos! YUM! :cloud9:
He really loved it there and said the nachos were delicious. I'm sure we'll spend some time there next time with family - seems like a great place to hang out in the late evening.

I'm sorry you ended the night feeling so awful. It's not fun being sick in general but sick on vacation is especially hard. It seems like you and Izzy got the rest you needed that night, hopefully!
Being sick on vacation is the worst. You can't just sit at home on the couch all day. Well, you could, but you'd miss out on so much. We did get some good rest, though.

I love the picture you painted with Dug's night at the bar. It sounds especially nice when we're still stuck in winter here!
I know, wouldn't you just love to be there tonight? :cloud9: He really enjoyed that time.

the canoe ride looks pretty nice - other than the worker who got annoyed at your question. To be fair though, how dare you not know how this thing you have never done before works! ;)
I know, right?! :rotfl: It was just weird vibes coming off the folks working there. Like maybe they were supposed to have us get off, but didn't want to make us, so said it was okay, but it wasn't really okay? :confused3

Glad Izzy got her boat ride in - she looks very happy, especially in that first we-sie.
She loved the boat ride! :thumbsup2

Bummer about the stomach bug though - must have just been annoying to be in paradise and not able to fully enjoy it. Hope things got better though.
Eventually, things get better. But I hated having to worry about where bathrooms were and if I should eat anything. Not to mention we had a lot of dining plans for this trip that I'd been looking forward to for a long time and I hated missing out on them. Kua Aina, for instance - I really had wanted a burger, but there was no way that was going to sit well with my stomach the way I was doing that night. :sad1:

With all the travel you have been doing I am picturing a drawer with about 50 deodorants in it that you have bought for Dug over the years - kept as reminders of the trips :rotfl:
:lmao:Thankfully, he hasn't done this every time.

Sounds like a nice time Dug had and while I can understand him being happy and in the moment, part of me thought it was kinda dense of him to post about his "special moment" while you were up in the room feeling sick. :lmao:
Eh, it didn't bother me. I see your point, but I know he posted it especially for his dad, as that's one of his dad's favorite songs/artists. :goodvibes

Wow, I can't believe you got such a great airfare to Hawaii AGAIN! That is amazing. That should be fun to go with so many other people, as well.
I can't believe it either. I never expected to be taking one trip to Hawaii at this point in my life...not to mention two! :eek: Yeah, there's going to be 15 people, I believe. :faint: And we are all staying at Aulani for the last four nights. :hyper: (Turtle Bay for the first part).

Your canoe ride at the PCC looked like fun - glad Izzy got her boat ride!
It was a really pleasant ride. Similar to riding the Friendship Boats across World Showcase, but a bit more cozy.

I feel so bad that you were still feeling so sick at this point during the trip - I'm hoping your next update has you waking up and feeling great.
I wish I could say that is what is coming...:sad2:

That lady looks pleased about the photobombing she's doing!
I love that look on her face. It just cracks me up. :lmao:

That's a better shot:thumbsup2
Thanks! :goodvibes

How cool is that? It's always neat when you're traveling and meet people from your neck of the woods.
It's amazing what a small world it is at times. You can travel far away and still be next to someone from home.

Oh my gosh, it sounds like you have lots of tummy troubles. Is this an all the time thing, even at home?
Thankfully, not an all the time thing. I just ended up catching this a couple days before our trip. I was hoping it would be short-lived and I'd be fine by the time we travelled, but it just wouldn't go away. And it was tough, because I'd be fine if I just didn't eat anything. But, eventually, I'd be like, "Hmmm, I seem to feel better now and I'm hungry, so I should eat." And then I'd be back at square one again. Just couldn't shake it. :sick:

Yep, we're starting to teach him in our church parking lot to look both ways and see if any cars are coming.
Same here, but her tumbling class parking lot. :thumbsup2

He is the guy to trust!
He knows his grub! :goodvibes

:thumbsup2 Wonderful!
If ever there was a time for a toddler drop, this was it. :rotfl2:

:lmao: Sorry for laughing but REALLY! Dug and DH must be brothers.
I think they have a few traits in common... :rotfl:

Aw love that song:cloud9:
Great song. Dug loves it too (as does his dad).

Awww poor Izzy, might have been disoriented waking up like that.
I'm sure she was. Time change, location change, schedule turned upside-down. Yeah, not the easiest to settle down with those factors involved.

I hope you start to feel better, ugh! Did you not have anything for dinner??
Nope, nothing for dinner. I just didn't feel that anything was going to sit well with me that night. I didn't eat very much at all for the first part of this trip. It was tough remembering that the others still needed to eat, as I often had no appetite.

Sounds like a nice evening for Dug listening to the music in paradise!
It really was! One of his best experiences of the trip, I think. I'm glad he got that, as he missed so much of the time at Aulani with his retreat.

Uh oh. I don't like where this is headed.
:eek:

Never mind. I LOVE where this is headed! :thumbsup2
:thumbsup2

Well, darn. Now I feel bad. I do remember the fries being small, but not much else about them. And I usually remove the rabbit food from my burgers. :rotfl:
Oh, don't feel bad. I just heard Dug the other day telling his parents about how amazing the burgers are there! ::yes:: I guess he should have followed your rabbit food removal method. And the fries don't look so bad to me, but :confused3.

I can't imagine why! :lmao:
So exhausted....:faint:

Looking forward to Pearl Harbor.
Thanks. It was a really interesting place, even for someone like me who has never been much of a history buff.

Well, there's a shock! Whenever there's a hamburger involved Mark gets the bat signal.
But of course!

I'm sorry you still weren't feeling well in your last updates. I hope you wake up refreshed and ready to go.
I guess I wake up doing okay. I think. Since I hadn't eaten for so long. We'll see when I get to that update (that's my memory for ya! :rotfl:)

I love the pictures from the canoe ride. Were you just supposed to ride it one way?
Well, the sign said they have round-trip and one-way rides, so I don't think that was an issue. I just don't know if they had wanted us to get off and get back in line to go back? But when we asked, they said to stay on. But just treated us weird. We were the only ones who stayed on. And they had taken our stroller off and had to put it back on. Maybe that annoyed them? :confused3

Glad Izzy had no trouble falling asleep,
Thank goodness!

Looking forward to Pearl Harbor, too!
Thanks, it was a good way to spend the morning!
 
Pearl Harbor – Part 1

Our alarm went off bright and early this morning at 5:15am. :faint: As terrible as that sounds, it didn’t feel so bad, given that it was 9:15am at home and we weren’t exactly fully adjusted to the new time. :goodvibes We were up so early because this was our day to see Pearl Harbor and the earlier, the better. We had reserved our boat rides out to the Arizona Memorial in advance via the website, but we still wanted to beat the crowds touring the museums and grounds. We actually reserved two separate ticket times and planned to alternate – one of us at Pearl Harbor and the other across the street at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet with Izzy. We did this for a few reasons. Partially because it is challenging to bring a toddler to the Arizona Memorial, due to a mandatory movie with a somber tone and very tight restrictions on bags (i.e. – no diaper bag, just carry one diaper and a few wipes in a ziplock, etc.) :eek: The other reason we decided to split was just so we would both be able to really take in what we were seeing at Pearl Harbor. Based on past experience, I tend to barely see anything in museums if I’m also supervising Izzy. Plus, the Swap Meet was a recommended activity, so bonus! :cool1:

Oh, when I woke up, I saw a fantastic weather forecast for the rest of the trip. Sunny, warm temps, blue skies! :cloud9: (I don't think the forecast ended up being entirely accurate, but not too bad. We had pretty good weather).

We had breakfast in our room this day. Check out my breakfast of champions:



Yes, that it indeed a leftover malasada and a Diet Dr. Pepper. :lmao: Izzy’s breakfast won in the nutrition department, as her malasada was accompanied by yogurt melts, a fruit and veggie pouch, and milk (yes, we brought that plate along):



Ah, vacation breakfast! (Notice that I decided to brave eating a bit of food, but I wasn’t about to chance stomach upset for anything less than delicious ::yes::).

We were rushing around getting everything ready to go (we’d be out the whole day), so I forgot to remind Dug about bringing a couple things for later: his sandals and his fleece jacket. Sandals for our stop at a beach and fleece for an overlook known for being windy and chilly. Oops, sorry Dug! :o I already had those things packed up for me and Izzy.

Once we had everything ready, Dug was in charge of getting himself and Izzy and our stuff/stroller to the front door of the resort while I took the small cooler of cold water/pop and went to get the car from the parking garage. We were trying to save some time, since Dug’s back problems tend to make him walk pretty slow at times. :snail: And I can get down to the car pretty quick. :teleport: Off I went, on the elevator with the mirrored back, selfies required:



I picked up Dug and Izzy at the front door (and tried not to confuse the CMs that were ready to welcome new guests) and we headed across the island. We had wisely planned this on a Sunday, so we were able to avoid rush hour traffic. :thumbsup2 In fact, we actually managed to make it there earlier than planned, despite leaving a bit later than we’d hoped.

While we drove, we decided that I would take the first shift at Pearl Harbor and Dug and Izzy would start at the Swap Meet. I got out at Pearl Harbor and they took the car over to Aloha Stadium (we had just passed it up the street). Here’s my view walking into the grounds:



I picked up both of our tickets from the booth without issue. Well, other than the person working there thinking it was strange that we had two different times. :confused: Then I headed over to the first museum, as I had some time to see them before the boat to the memorial:



I really liked being able to go at my own pace in the museums without wrangling a toddler or trying to keep track of Dug. I was able to stop and read things or skip by things as I pleased. I found some of the reading very interesting:





Not sure how much you can actually make out of those, but there you go. :rotfl: In general, I liked that the museums had not only battle-type information, but also personal stories about the people who lived through it (or didn’t). I am not a big history buff at all, but the more emotional displays really connected with me.

Meanwhile, Dug was here:





He found a pair of sunglasses that are made to fit over regular glasses. He got those to use throughout the trip. And he also found a hat to wear:





While he shopped, I was finishing up at the museums. I had started watching part of an interesting short movie in one of them, but had to leave in order to get in line for my boat ride. I actually did end up in line 5 minutes early, as it was 8:00am and I was supposed to be there at 8:05am for the 8:15am ticket. I passed the time by making up some notes in my phone about our trip so far.

There was no real organization to this wait. There was a rope and just people randomly gathered in the area around it, hanging out. Nobody was even checking for tickets or times on tickets. :confused3 I just tried to stay near the rope to get in towards the front.

I was trying to mind my own business, but I couldn’t help but overhear some of the appalling things that the family next to me said. I think it was parents and a couple of teenage boys and maybe a girl (I didn’t look closely). One of the boys said, in reference to the movie we were waiting to see (a very interesting, but solemn movie about the attacks), that he was “going to die of boredness.” How completely inappropriate to say that about a movie that only exists because of people who died in bravery. :eek: I can’t believe the parents didn’t say anything to him about respecting the fact that they were at a memorial. :sad2: On top of that, another family member said, “There’s still dead people on the Arizona.” Okay, so that’s true, but it was followed by a response of, “What’s the Arizona?” :scared1: That was answered with, “The boat we’re going to see!” I admit that I am not into history at all, but seriously? :confused3 At least do a teeny tiny bit of research on the memorial site that you are visiting. I mean, there’s museums and exhibits everywhere – just glance at one, maybe? :headache:

Thankfully, we were finally able to enter the theater. I grabbed a seat for the movie, trying to strategically guess where it would let out, so that I could stay near the front. I did so-so, but it worked out fine. The movie was very captivating and emotional (and educational). I did hear some parents trying to quiet a toddler at one point and I was glad that Izzy was with Dug. :-)

After the movie, we exited the theater and boarded the boat that would take us out to the memorial site. I rode on the left and enjoyed the scenery. :boat: The memorial was built right over the remains of the Arizona and was very well done. I knew from other reports that I would not be allowed to stop and take pictures on the way in (they want people to move along and take pics on the way out), so I just snapped one from my spot on the boat as we pulled up:



Then I got off the boat and made my way inside:



It was really interesting to peer into the water off the sides of the memorial. I knew that there was still oil leaking from the ship below, even after all these years, but it was really creepy to see it right there and know what was below you and what had happened in this place. Some photos (where I was gripping my phone for dear life as I held it out over the water, by the way :scared: - I suspect the Arizona may be covered in cameras and phones...):













This was at the far end of the memorial. A tribute to those who went down with the Arizona :angel: :



As I skimmed through the names, I happened to notice that someone shared a not-terribly-common last name with Dug’s Papa (his mom’s dad). I sent Dug a picture of that. When he went to the memorial later, he also noticed another person with the same last name on the bench part of the memorial. Made us wonder if they were any relation.

The bench was for those that survived, but chose to be with their fellow soldiers when they died later:



More things to see just below the water:





As I wandered around, I noticed this employee with a group gathered around and stopped to listen:



He was telling really interesting stories about the memorial. I actually have video of one part that was really intriguing (about raising money to build the memorial), but Photobucket is giving me a hard time when I try to upload it, so we’ll see if I can figure that out by the next update.

Up next: More Pearl Harbor.
 
I would love to visit Pearl Harbor. I have heard wonderful things about it - how somber the movie is and what an amazing piece of living history it is. I find it absolutely fascinating that oil still leaks from the Arizona. That's crazy. Those pictures are so cool.

So did they teenager die of bordomeness???? I sure hope so. :sad2: I do think that people who are absolutely clueless about a historical site or memorial should just stay quiet. You are absolutely right - why wouldn't you read about what you are going to see? I also find that most people's attention span for such sites are nil. Yet - the quality of the movies and the exhibits continue to improve and improve to really capture one's attention.

Honestly - I don't care if I ever get to Hawaii. It's on the bucket list, but not super high. But I would love to see Pearl Harbor because of the magnitude of that experience.
 
I think you are very smart with the way you and Dug arranged things so you could each visit Pearl Harbor solo. I'm sure that you each got so much more out of it, than if Izzy had been with you. She was probably happier at the swap meet, as well!

That is too bad about the family that you overheard. People are shocking sometimes.
 
"Yes, that it indeed a leftover malasada and a Diet Dr. Pepper. " ... well, at least it was DIET Dr. Pepper, to keep it healthy ;) Like you said though, vacation calories are definitely not the same

Totally agree with you about trying to enjoy a museum and the challenges a toddler provides. Several memories of chasing Peter and Olivia up and down ramps, through corridors, etc. at the gem and mineral area of the American Museum of Natural History - I think it was a great idea to split up the time at the memorial.

I guess at least it is good that those other people were making time to visit the memorial and hopefully they have a greater appreciation for those that lost their lives after experiencing it. :confused3 reminds me of the people that show up at Disney World and don't realize there are 4 theme parks ... nor that none of them contain Harry Potter land

Thanks for sharing your experience and the photos :goodvibes
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!













Top