Turtle Bay VS Aulani

abbiep · Sep 28, 2016

We will be going to Hawaii the Thursday before Easter and staying thru the next Thursday. I originally was going to stay at Aulani but when I compared the cost between there and Turtle Bay I saw there was a big difference. We will have our 13 Yr old Granddaughter with us. We love Disney but I don't have to stay at a Disney resort just to get the Disney Experience.

I would like suggestions as to which one to stay at. I am concerned that our Granddaughter may not enjoy Aulani as much as she would have when she was younger and wonder if the cost is worth it compared to what I could get at Turtle Bay.

If Disney would come out with specials like they have now that would make the cost almost comparable. I realize none of us have a crystal ball and with Disney sometimes things are hard to predict but I was wondering if any has had any experience with this time of yr and could I possibly expect some discounts. They currently have them out for the period up through March.

Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

alohamom · Sep 28, 2016

I would do a split stay, with your time during the easter weekend at Turtle Bay (Aulani will be crowded) They are very very different resorts. We stopped by Turtle Bay this summer and as nice as the location is, it felt kind of run down and tired. It has been there quite a while, originally a Hilton resort years ago. I think if you are going all the way to Hawaii and only staying at Turtle Bay, I would look into going a step further and going to another island instead like Maui, Kauai or Big Island.

As far as her enjoying Aulani, I think that is an awesome age for the resort. The first time we went my kids were 14 and just turned 17 and they absolutely LOVED it. They have been travelling to all the Hawaiian islands all their life and they LOVED Aulani so much that we came back this past summer. Even two years later, they really enjoyed it.

abbiep · Sep 28, 2016

Thank you. I hadn't thought about split stay. I am also going to try to rent dvc points

alohamom · Sep 28, 2016

I have rented DVC points and it is a really good alternative to direct booking. I used Davids both times and had no issues. I have worked it out against the specials that Aulani runs and even with the bonus Ulu cafe credit offer, it is still less expensive to rent points because of not having to pay for parking on a DVC rental stay. Turtle Bay resort has a definite North Shore vibe which appeals to the 20-somethings, that bohemian sort of surfer thing and dont get me wrong, it is fun but I dont know how fun that would be for a 13 year old. I just looked and see that TB has 2 queens in a room for 340/night from Thurs April 13 to Monday april 17(plus tax and possible a resort fee-didnt look that far) and then Davids cost calendar shows 336/night for a standard view studio at Aulani for the 17 to the 20th so it is around the same price. I am thinking maybe you were looking at renting a condo within the Turtle Bay resort area? Those are substantially cheaper, around 180-300/night depending on the unit. Happy planning!

kdonnel · Sep 28, 2016

We have always stayed that same week at Aulani. It is crowded but not annoyingly so. We drove over to turtle bay to see the Hunger Games lagoon. It was not very impressive. In my opinion the beach at Aulani is much nicer. My kids have never complained about Aulani. They think it is the greatest hotel ever. Keep in mind that Turtle Bay is very remote.

longboard55 · Sep 28, 2016

Turtle Bay is very scenic, they are also some great super secluded beaches and bays within a short walk, my issue with Turtle Bay is it does get very windy often, and the selection of restaurants is limited. I recommend the horse ride.

ehrawn · Sep 28, 2016

We are Oahu residents and love them both, but there are differences: location and activities on site, chief among them. Turtle Bay is located on the North Shore which will give you easier access to locales over there. November is the start of big wave season, though, so the possibility exists that it won't be safe for you to be in the water at some beaches. The roads in that area are only two-lanes and can get very crowded when the waves are big. This will make seeing sites around the Island difficult. Aulani offers entertainment and service that is Disney quality- you'll have nice service at Turtle Bay, but if you are on this forum, you will understand the difference. If this is your first or likely your only visit to Oahu I would not suggest staying at Turtle Bay simply because of the unknown about the waves and for access to other parts of the Island.

abbiep · Sep 29, 2016

Thank you for your responses. I feel more comfortable about staying at Aulani with a 13 yr old. We will be doing a split stay with the majority of the trip at Aulani.

ihearthawaii · Oct 1, 2016

abbiep said:
Thank you for your responses. I feel more comfortable about staying at Aulani with a 13 yr old. We will be doing a split stay with the majority of the trip at Aulani.

Also look into the Marriott or Four Seasons next to Aulani, you might get some good rates at those two places.

abbiep · Oct 2, 2016

Thank you, I will check into that

Turtle Bay VS Aulani

abbiep

Mouseketeer

alohamom

DIS Veteran

abbiep

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alohamom

DIS Veteran

kdonnel

DVC-BCV

longboard55

DIS Veteran

ehrawn

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abbiep

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ihearthawaii

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abbiep

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