November Make a Wish Trip

JJSinPA said:

Hello all,

1. Is there really a Starbucks next to Aulani? Or did it close? (Priorities, right?) No, unless one *just* opened up. Aulani has its own specialty coffees place, though, near the adult-only pool; open just in the morning though. There is also a coffee shop across the street in Ko Olino.

9. Is the snorkeling at Aulani worth it or should we just stick with Hanauma Bay?Aulani's snorkeling in Rainbow Reef is a man-made thing... not at all equivalent to snorkeling out in open water. However, we enjoyed it, and it was a good "starter" for younger kids or people who had never done it before. Your older ones may not find it all that exciting after one go, but for us, it was sufficient.
10. Refillable cups- worth it or no? I was debating letting my teens get them. I don't need one, nor do my younger kids, but thought it might be nice for the older kids even to just "go for a walk" for soda which they never drink at home Totally worth it for us! We bought two, and we used them for grown-up coffee in the morning from Ulu cafe, then washed them and passed them off to the kids. If there is any chance your kids will pester you for soda/lemonade at lunch or dinner, just get them and save yourself a lot of money! Our two used them at lunch everyday we were on-site, and if we cooked our own dinner - they used them again. On the nights we ate at Makahiki or Ama'Ama, we told them if they wanted anything other than water, they'd have to get it before or after b/c we weren't paying for more beverages there. There is a beverage station close to the lawn with the evening shows (Starlit Hui or lawn movies), so they used them there too. Having soda and lemonade is definitely a special treat for my kids, and they LOVED the rare joy of unlimited refills. Plus now we have them as souvenir travel coffee mugs.
12. Touring priorities- What is a must do item? We want to balance celebrating our "wish kid" with doing a few touring things for the older kids. I volunteered to stay and nap with her. Hahaha. That's hard not knowing what your kids like. We loved Kualoa Ranch, a catamaran ride, etc. I wrote up a lengthy post about our trip back in June and can point you toward it if you want to read about the excursions we did. We went all over Oahu b/c the kids and I had never been there.
13. Best grocery options and why- keep in mind we are feeding 8. I do not plan on "cooking" like I do at home but maybe grilling (how are the grills?) and buying bulk frozen pizza, etc which they never get at home. Also, cereal, eggs, lunchmeat, and if we have an oven I can roast two chickens easily with a salad- that is the type of cooking I plan on. Maybe getting some wine/beer too. Actually- definitely not maybe. If you have a Costco membership, you definitely want to go there. That, Safeway, and Target are about 10min away (not counting traffic). Yours sounds like a Costco-sized family for sure, and from what I read, the prices are the same as on the mainland. We went to Safeway b/c we missed Costco's open hours by about 10min, and it was fine for what we needed, but we're just a family of 4. We did frozen pizza one night, had sandwich ingredients, breakfast stuff, milk, and grilled hot dogs another night. The grills can be busy and are open only at dinner time, but it's nice that they provide the grilling utensils for you and you return them dirty. Absolutely get your wine/beer/liquor elsewhere, b/c that is the easiest way to save a ton of money.
14. Will I want to come home? (Just kidding. I will be grateful to come back to the US and our awesome doctors) NOPE!! And can you bring me back with you?

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cmph said:

I can't answer all of your questions b/c we went in May/June, but I will help where I can!

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JJSinPA said:

I would love to read your touring excursions! Thank you for your response!

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JJSinPA said:

Hello all,
I am nervously gathering info for my daughter's Make a Wish trip to Hawaii. she and her siblings are over the moon. I am sure this won't be my first round of questions.
Background- Dad, Mom, 6 kids. Youngest (5) with severe heart condition up to teens. Very active, outdoors family. My husband backpacks the cardiac kiddo on hikes.
Tight budget but we are making a choice to plan our best and really not worry once we get there- we really want all the kids to enjoy. They have been through so much. If they want ice cream, we will get ice cream. That kind of thing. They deserve it.
Dates- Will be definite soon, but they just emailed and are narrowed down to somewhere end of November/early December

1. Is there really a Starbucks next to Aulani? Or did it close? (Priorities, right?)
2. Weather end of November/early december?
3. Are there whales visible from the coast end of November/early December? (we cannot do a boat)
4. How are the waves at the North shore end of November/early December? The kids would be so stoked to see the surfers in action.
5. Has anyone done the kids makeover? My youngest (the Wish child) is secretly wishing for one and we are going to surprise her. I will do mani/pedis in the room for the rest of us
6. Has anyone done a groupon surfing lesson? This may be our big splurge for the kids but I would love to hear it is worthwhile.
7. Has anyone rented an 8 passenger vehicle from Aulani?
8. If they book us over Thanksgiving, what is Aulani like?
9. Is the snorkeling at Aulani worth it or should we just stick with Hanauma Bay?
10. Refillable cups- worth it or no? I was debating letting my teens get them. I don't need one, nor do my younger kids, but thought it might be nice for the older kids even to just "go for a walk" for soda which they never drink at home
11. Any advice? Anything at all. Bring it on!
12. Touring priorities- What is a must do item? We want to balance celebrating our "wish kid" with doing a few touring things for the older kids. I volunteered to stay and nap with her. Hahaha.
13. Best grocery options and why- keep in mind we are feeding 8. I do not plan on "cooking" like I do at home but maybe grilling (how are the grills?) and buying bulk frozen pizza, etc which they never get at home. Also, cereal, eggs, lunchmeat, and if we have an oven I can roast two chickens easily with a salad- that is the type of cooking I plan on. Maybe getting some wine/beer too. Actually- definitely not maybe.
14. Will I want to come home? (Just kidding. I will be grateful to come back to the US and our awesome doctors)

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JJSinPA said:

Hello all,
I am nervously gathering info for my daughter's Make a Wish trip to Hawaii. she and her siblings are over the moon. I am sure this won't be my first round of questions.
Background- Dad, Mom, 6 kids. Youngest (5) with severe heart condition up to teens. Very active, outdoors family. My husband backpacks the cardiac kiddo on hikes.
Tight budget but we are making a choice to plan our best and really not worry once we get there- we really want all the kids to enjoy. They have been through so much. If they want ice cream, we will get ice cream. That kind of thing. They deserve it.
Dates- Will be definite soon, but they just emailed and are narrowed down to somewhere end of November/early December

First of all, I'm so happy you get to take this trip! We are DVC and Aulani is our home property, so let me see if I can answer at least some of your questions

1. Is there really a Starbucks next to Aulani? Or did it close? (Priorities, right?) The property right next door to Aulani used to be a Marriott, but it closed and is now a Four Seasons. When Marriott left, Starbucks left. HOWEVER, you're still in luck if you must have the SBUX! In front of Aulani there is a wonderful walking path that runs along the water all the way down to the marina. Down towards that end is another Marriott property, and they do in fact have a Starbucks in the Marketplace! It's a beautiful walk i the morning, probably about 10 minutes in length. However, if you want something a little closer, in the strip mall across from the resort is Island Vintage Coffee. Unless you have an absolute loyalty to Starbucks, I would give this place a go. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I can get SBUX at home, so I tend to just stick to this place when we are at Aulani. They have acai bowls there that are incredible! I love the honey latte and the island latte (macadamia nut with coconut). They have amazing drinks you can't get at Starbucks. I would give them a go!
2. Weather end of November/early december? It's Hawaii, the weather is always nice
3. Are there whales visible from the coast end of November/early December? (we cannot do a boat) Nope. Well, probably not. The whales are migratory and do not make it down there until December and only stay through May'ish
4. How are the waves at the North shore end of November/early December? The kids would be so stoked to see the surfers in action. You should be in luck! Winter time is when the waves are the best!
5. Has anyone done the kids makeover? My youngest (the Wish child) is secretly wishing for one and we are going to surprise her. I will do mani/pedis in the room for the rest of us I haven't, only spa services, which are AMAZING! I've not been interested in the make-overs because 1) it's hot and I'm not wearing make-up in that heat, and 2) I'm constantly in the water, so anything I have done with my hair will quickly be undone. But, if it's her wish, then why not?!
6. Has anyone done a groupon surfing lesson? This may be our big splurge for the kids but I would love to hear it is worthwhile. No, but I've used Groupon for almost every other excursion we've done. I highly recommend it! Just be sure to watch the expiration dates. A lot of them expire 90 days from date of purchase.
7. Has anyone rented an 8 passenger vehicle from Aulani? I have not, but I have heard that renting out of Aulani is pretty expensive. You might price it out renting a car from the airport for your length of stay, especially if you are a AAA member. It might be as much for your length of stay as it is renting for a day or two out of Aulani.
8. If they book us over Thanksgiving, what is Aulani like?
9. Is the snorkeling at Aulani worth it or should we just stick with Hanauma Bay? We bought the length of stay pass for the kiddo a couple of visits ago, and it was fine. More of a one and done and she was over it. She said the water was cold and it was just too small of a space. That's the reef. Now, out in the cove, the better viewing is off by the rocks to the left. Not much to see on the right. Also, if you're interested in snorkeling, visit the other coves. They are less crowded, so you will typically see more things there, especially turtles.
10. Refillable cups- worth it or no? I was debating letting my teens get them. I don't need one, nor do my younger kids, but thought it might be nice for the older kids even to just "go for a walk" for soda which they never drink at home I think so. I don't think everyone needs one though. For $20 it's a deal since coffee and soda is so expensive there!
11. Any advice? Anything at all. Bring it on!
12. Touring priorities- What is a must do item? We want to balance celebrating our "wish kid" with doing a few touring things for the older kids. I volunteered to stay and nap with her. Hahaha.
13. Best grocery options and why- keep in mind we are feeding 8. I do not plan on "cooking" like I do at home but maybe grilling (how are the grills?) and buying bulk frozen pizza, etc which they never get at home. Also, cereal, eggs, lunchmeat, and if we have an oven I can roast two chickens easily with a salad- that is the type of cooking I plan on. Maybe getting some wine/beer too. Actually- definitely not maybe. COSTCO COSTCO COSTCO!!!! Always our first stop, every time! It's in Kapolei down the last exit before Aulani. I buy almost everything there. Excellent alcohol selection And why roast a chicken when you can buy one of their amazing rotisserie chickens for the same price you would pay at home? Prices are on par with what you pay stateside, except when it comes to milk. Expect to pay about $5 a gallon for that. So, I buy most everything at Costco, but for things I will need less of, I run across the street to Target. They have a small grocery area, and I just grab the things I need less of, plus paper plates and so on. Just so you know, you have to bring your own bags to the store! I learned that lesson when we went to Target and had to pay $1 for a re-usable bag. BUT, if you go to Costco, go down the isle where they sell the ziplock tupperware and look for their reusable bags. You get 4 awesome bags for like $6. I use these all the time at home!! Anyhow, there is a Walmart and Safeway in the area too.

Regarding the grills, the grilling area can get very busy on the weekend, and if there is any rain AT ALL they shut them down. That messed up my dinner plans on more than one occassion.
14. Will I want to come home? (Just kidding. I will be grateful to come back to the US and our awesome doctors)

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JJSinPA said:

Hello all,
I am nervously gathering info for my daughter's Make a Wish trip to Hawaii. she and her siblings are over the moon. I am sure this won't be my first round of questions.
Background- Dad, Mom, 6 kids. Youngest (5) with severe heart condition up to teens. Very active, outdoors family. My husband backpacks the cardiac kiddo on hikes.
Tight budget but we are making a choice to plan our best and really not worry once we get there- we really want all the kids to enjoy. They have been through so much. If they want ice cream, we will get ice cream. That kind of thing. They deserve it.
Dates- Will be definite soon, but they just emailed and are narrowed down to somewhere end of November/early December

1. Is there really a Starbucks next to Aulani? Or did it close? (Priorities, right?)
2. Weather end of November/early december?
3. Are there whales visible from the coast end of November/early December? (we cannot do a boat)
4. How are the waves at the North shore end of November/early December? The kids would be so stoked to see the surfers in action.
5. Has anyone done the kids makeover? My youngest (the Wish child) is secretly wishing for one and we are going to surprise her. I will do mani/pedis in the room for the rest of us
6. Has anyone done a groupon surfing lesson? This may be our big splurge for the kids but I would love to hear it is worthwhile.
7. Has anyone rented an 8 passenger vehicle from Aulani?
8. If they book us over Thanksgiving, what is Aulani like?
9. Is the snorkeling at Aulani worth it or should we just stick with Hanauma Bay?
10. Refillable cups- worth it or no? I was debating letting my teens get them. I don't need one, nor do my younger kids, but thought it might be nice for the older kids even to just "go for a walk" for soda which they never drink at home
11. Any advice? Anything at all. Bring it on!
12. Touring priorities- What is a must do item? We want to balance celebrating our "wish kid" with doing a few touring things for the older kids. I volunteered to stay and nap with her. Hahaha.
13. Best grocery options and why- keep in mind we are feeding 8. I do not plan on "cooking" like I do at home but maybe grilling (how are the grills?) and buying bulk frozen pizza, etc which they never get at home. Also, cereal, eggs, lunchmeat, and if we have an oven I can roast two chickens easily with a salad- that is the type of cooking I plan on. Maybe getting some wine/beer too. Actually- definitely not maybe.
14. Will I want to come home? (Just kidding. I will be grateful to come back to the US and our awesome doctors)

Click to expand...

JJSinPA said:

Hello all,
I am nervously gathering info for my daughter's Make a Wish trip to Hawaii. she and her siblings are over the moon. I am sure this won't be my first round of questions.
Background- Dad, Mom, 6 kids. Youngest (5) with severe heart condition up to teens. Very active, outdoors family. My husband backpacks the cardiac kiddo on hikes.
Tight budget but we are making a choice to plan our best and really not worry once we get there- we really want all the kids to enjoy. They have been through so much. If they want ice cream, we will get ice cream. That kind of thing. They deserve it.
Dates- Will be definite soon, but they just emailed and are narrowed down to somewhere end of November/early December

1. Is there really a Starbucks next to Aulani? Or did it close? (Priorities, right?) What type of room will you have? If a villa, then you will have a coffee maker in the room already! You can buy Starbucks ground coffee at Target or Costco (where I buy it when on Oahu!).


2. Weather end of November/early december? The weather is usually not that different between seasons, but we lived on the windward side which is VERY rainy in the winter (depressing) but at Ko Olina it is fine. I am a wimp, so in the winter I didn't go in the ocean. Yeah, a few degrees made a difference to me. But honestly, you'll have 80 degree days and it's nice.


3. Are there whales visible from the coast end of November/early December? (we cannot do a boat) Probably but not guaranteed. We could see them in the winter from base with binoculars in the winter, but it's hard to see. Even with a boat tour, which we did for our son's first birthday in January we didn't see any so it's not a guarantee.


4. How are the waves at the North shore end of November/early December? The kids would be so stoked to see the surfers in action. This is hit or miss, but you may see some good waves. They get more high in January I recall. Still it's nice to see.


5. Has anyone done the kids makeover? My youngest (the Wish child) is secretly wishing for one and we are going to surprise her. I will do mani/pedis in the room for the rest of us


6. Has anyone done a groupon surfing lesson? This may be our big splurge for the kids but I would love to hear it is worthwhile. My kids have never expressed an interest.


7. Has anyone rented an 8 passenger vehicle from Aulani? No, but when we needed extra vehicle for visitors, Alamo at the airport was always cheapest. I'd check them for a minivan that holds 8.


8. If they book us over Thanksgiving, what is Aulani like? Probably the same - with maybe a special dinner?


9. Is the snorkeling at Aulani worth it or should we just stick with Hanauma Bay? We love snorkeling at the lagoons. Go early (you'll be up early anyway - and yes it is cold but it will wake you up). If you wait, the water gets murky from swimmers. Go early, freeze your buns off, but it's fun. We sometimes bring a stale bagel - fish will love you! I went from bringing kids' snorkels and adult ones from Costco to now just adult (my kids learned to snorkel when they were little), and now I need a new set. Made the mistake of bringing one for everyone. Now 2 sets for the 4 of us is more than enough - and Costco in Kapolei sells them so you can just buy them there if you want.


10. Refillable cups- worth it or no? I was debating letting my teens get them. I don't need one, nor do my younger kids, but thought it might be nice for the older kids even to just "go for a walk" for soda which they never drink at home Do you have a villa? Are you grocery shopping? We're not big soda drinkers, so I guess it's your call. Cute souvenir.


11. Any advice? Anything at all. Bring it on!


12. Touring priorities- What is a must do item? We want to balance celebrating our "wish kid" with doing a few touring things for the older kids. I volunteered to stay and nap with her. Hahaha. This is up to you - read up and see what your family wants.


13. Best grocery options and why- keep in mind we are feeding 8. I do not plan on "cooking" like I do at home but maybe grilling (how are the grills?) and buying bulk frozen pizza, etc which they never get at home. Also, cereal, eggs, lunchmeat, and if we have an oven I can roast two chickens easily with a salad- that is the type of cooking I plan on. Maybe getting some wine/beer too. Actually- definitely not maybe. I actually cook more at Ko Olina than I do at home! It's just nicer to eat in the villa after being at the pool or beach or out and about. We typically shower before bed there, to get the salt and sand off. So I do cook a lot, but plan ahead and grill a lot! I'm not familiar with Aulani's grills, but ours at the Marriott are available 24/7 and we have a ton of them. I do fish, bratwurst, burgers, chicken teriyaki, you name it. I have been known to buy chicken thighs and Yoshida's sauce at Costco and marinate it for chicken teriyaki for a large group - add some rice (rice cooker in villa) and a salad & we had dinner for 12. Don't bother roasting a chicken - Costco has them! I do Costco a lot then fill in at Target. Oh, and they sell booze. Make your own drinks.


14. Will I want to come home? (Just kidding. I will be grateful to come back to the US and our awesome doctors)

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Looptyloo said:

2. Weather should be low 80's, might be a bit rainy but mostly on the windward side (away from Aulani)
3. Nov/Dec are early whale season here, so it may be possible to see them, but this last season they were late, so you'll have to look for some reports closer to your trip. Good places to whale watch are Makapuu (there is a lighthouse trail there if you guys wanted to hike) or Halona Blowhole.
4. Waves on the north shore, I think someone mentioned it will depend on exact current conditions/swell but there is a good chance for seeing some big waves and the surfers there.
9. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay is great! Very beginner friendly and you should be able to see lots of fish. Do remember there is an entrance fee there (7.50 each unless you happen to be a military family by chance)
11. I think doing a circle island tour at the beginning of the trip is great, you will see a lot and also get an idea of where you might want to spend more time. BUT I might be biased, I am a guide for one of those tours haha
13. I definitely agree with the others, especially with your family size, COSTCO! If you don't have a membership, it might be a good idea to find a friend who does and see about getting a gift card.
14. Remember, you'll still be in the US locals can get touchy if you mention going back to the US/states, etc. Hawaii is a state. I know, usually just a small slip in words. Here, we would say "going back to the mainland"

Hope you have a great trip!

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JJSinPA said:

I had a few more questions!
(and I did not realize my slip in saying back to the US! you are absolutely right!
-is there milk available for the refillable cups?
-tell me a little bit about Pearl Harbor. Tickets/timing/parking etc. We are always huge on history and experiences like that, but I am looking at our timeline and not sure how to make it work. I am afraid we would be really disappointed if we didn't make it there.

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JJSinPA said:

I had a few more questions!
(and I did not realize my slip in saying back to the US! you are absolutely right!
-is there milk available for the refillable cups?
-tell me a little bit about Pearl Harbor. Tickets/timing/parking etc. We are always huge on history and experiences like that, but I am looking at our timeline and not sure how to make it work. I am afraid we would be really disappointed if we didn't make it there.

Click to expand...