Aulani to WDW: The Lurkyloos' Anniversary Vow Renewal Extravaganza! Resort Tour 5/13!

[lurkyloo]

Originally Posted by librarygeek

The spa looks amazing. I've only been to a spa once before because I can never bring myself to pay those prices. I love the little garden though. And those sunset pictures at the restaurant are gorgeous! The "luau" looked fun too, especially for free. And of course you can't have a luau without Mickey, right?!

Yeah, I'm with you on the spa thing. Once I'm there, I really enjoy it, but it's so hard to get past the mental barrier of high prices for stuff like scrubs and moisturizing that you can do on your own at home for free!

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

A dreary, rainy morning here in Connecticut but I have had a blast catching up on your adventures in paradise. There's so much I wanted to comment on, I should have taken notes!!

I AM a sit on the beach kinda gal but all the fun stuff you did has me thinking I would need to go for at least a few weeks to get my fill of each. Plus there's the jet lag to consider... as I talk myself into this.

I have to go back and check what research you did other than the Oahu Revealed book, which I shall order if I decide to book a trip. Love that you were so clued in on the must-do's (haha... WDW Stacy reference) - especially in the food department!

Yeah, when's Stacy gonna get out to Aulani?

I didn't really have time to read more than Oahu Revealed, book-wise, although I did skim Frommer's Oahu guide. Mostly it was reading others' trip reports (though then you worry you're just going to fall into the same itinerary that everyone else does... it's tricky!).

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Kudos for the effort of trying to find the right spot to see the sunrise! It looks like Disney really covered their bases making sure the only way to get a decent view is to pay for it I don't think those palm tree placements were just innocent coincidence!

That buffet spread is simply awesome! I could have easily made three trips!

I think that Minnie's outfit is my favorite of all her "alternative" outfits.

In this picture, it looks like Goofy is getting hypnotized by that guy. "You will not go shark hunting. You will not go shark hunting" Doesn't seem like it worked.

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

And this Mickey reminded me of the ones on Times Square trying to lure my kids into an unsanctioned photo-op.

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

(Psycho music cue) OFF-MODEL MICKEY!!!!

[Mom2m&k]

Okay if you look closely at the paintings of the men fishing and the women in the boat...the barely there vs hefty bag theme is carried on! I love all of your pics and your commentary on them!

[wiigirl]

Love all your pics!

[MEK]

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Me too! Jensey's was sorta like this, but even cuter!

Too funny!

[MEK]

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

“I will TEAR this place APART!!!”

I just adore all of Patrick's scenery picture, but I have to say that this is a heck of a great candid shot of someone else's kid. Well done!

Bummer about getting out of bed early to find the elusive sunrise. How frustrating.

Yeah - I would have had a hard time passing up that buffet too. It really does look relish. And it was sort-of like a character meal. Goofy did do a great job with his poses.

I bet you are SO glad that you waited until the last day to go see the model one BR villa. Let's see - Your view. That view. Yup. Aside for the view, that villa really is gorgeous.

[Captain_Oblivious]

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

OK who wants to see 6.5 bazillion photos of Aulani?

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

I trudged dejectedly back through the lobby to see if Patrick was awake yet so we could beat the crowds to breakfast at Makahiki Buffet. He wasnt, but that was soon remedied!

Please tell me you used an air horn!

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

I wished mine had been good enough to help him out, but Im pretty sure he already knew where the bathroom, train station and beer were...

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Tots!!!

Sold! I'm in!! Price per person be darned!!

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Goofy had so little to do, he decided to go fishing... for SHARKS!

On the patio? Maybe they were landsharks?

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Mmmm.... glass fruit.....

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

The adjacent Olelo Room is the resorts bar, and I love the sort of neo-tiki theme. You could probably spend an hour in there just looking at everything in the shadow boxes (and pick up a little Hawaiian while youre at it!)

That does look like a pretty cool spot to hang out.

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

My absolute favorite thing about the Disney Vacation Club is the tubs with sliding doors so you can see the view from your bubble bath. I got a little misty thinking of what could have been....

I'm sure the parking lot looks awesome from the bubble bath.

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Say, that looks like a swell spot to get hitched!

Nah, I hear they'll just screw up your personalized ceremony.

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Whoa, PATRICK! Get off that railing!!!

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

On our way out, we remembered to peek in the closet and found...

(Psycho music cue) OFF-MODEL MICKEY!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo...

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

This is the self-park. I think we have more shots of it later (cuz were just that thorough) but if I forget, the hot tip here is to park on Level 4 so you can walk straight to the lobby without using the elevatornobody seems to catch on!

Cool, thanks for the tip!

[lurkyloo]

Originally Posted by DaveinFallsChurch

Kudos for the effort of trying to find the right spot to see the sunrise! It looks like Disney really covered their bases making sure the only way to get a decent view is to pay for it I don't think those palm tree placements were just innocent coincidence!

I really think you're on to something there...

Originally Posted by DaveinFallsChurch

And this Mickey reminded me of the ones on Times Square trying to lure my kids into an unsanctioned photo-op.

Exactly! Or the "superheroes" out front of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood!

Originally Posted by Mom2m&k

Okay if you look closely at the paintings of the men fishing and the women in the boat...the barely there vs hefty bag theme is carried on! I love all of your pics and your commentary on them!

By gawrsh, you're right! Leave it to Joe Rhode to go into that kind of detail...

Originally Posted by wiigirl

Love all your pics!

Hey, thanks! I'll tell Patrick!

Originally Posted by MEK

I just adore all of Patrick's scenery picture, but I have to say that this is a heck of a great candid shot of someone else's kid. Well done!

I'm always a little leery of posting someone-else's-kid pics on the Interwebz, but oh my goodness, someone else's kids usually make hilarious photo subjects!

Originally Posted by MEK

I bet you are SO glad that you waited until the last day to go see the model one BR villa. Let's see - Your view. That view. Yup. Aside for the view, that villa really is gorgeous.

Seriously...

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

I'm sure the parking lot looks awesome from the bubble bath.

Love all the snappy rejoinders (which, BTW, would be an AWESOME name for a band)! I always figure that people who take the time to comment on my trip reports will appreciate individual replies, so it was fun to kinda have the same thing posted for me!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Makahiki doesn’t have an ocean view, but it’s patio is awfully pleasant.

must.eat.here!

Those girls in the kimonos are SOOOO cute! Loving the glass fruit as well and will definitely remember to park on the 4th floor!

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Even though Patrick was itching to get in the water, he dutifully accompanied me to the Disney Vacation Club’s model room on the top floor of the Waianae tower so I could have photos for PassPorter’s Disney Vacation Club Guide. This is a one-bedroom unit like the one I was gonna rent to share with Nate & Jensey, till I discovered that it only has one bathroom (unlike the 1-bed, 2-bath units at another new DVC resort, Bay Lake Tower), and the toilet part is separated from the tub part by only a slatted door—yikes! I mean, maybe that’s OK, if you’re all a family, but for two couples traveling together... no thanks...


My absolute favorite thing about the Disney Vacation Club is the tubs with sliding doors so you can see the view from your bubble bath. I got a little misty thinking of what could have been....

Well in a standard...it wouldn't have been your view so that would really bite...don't want to see the roof of the walkway to the convention center from your tub! So that should make you feel better, right?

I love those 1 bedrooms but agree, bummer it's not 2 baths...nor will it be at the VGF.

Wonderful update and great photos, breakfast looks uber yummy despite the characters.

[Captain_Oblivious]

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Love all the snappy rejoinders (which, BTW, would be an AWESOME name for a band)! I always figure that people who take the time to comment on my trip reports will appreciate individual replies, so it was fun to kinda have the same thing posted for me!

When I write up a chapter for a TR, I'm always grateful when people take the time to read it and respond. I know how much effort it takes to write it!

[lurkyloo]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Well in a standard...it wouldn't have been your view so that would really bite...don't want to see the roof of the walkway to the convention center from your tub! So that should make you feel better, right?

Yeah, I guess the tub view of a mucky puddle of rain water congealing on the walkway roof isn't quite the same as one of the Pacific!

Also, I'm so glad you quoted that first photo, so I could fix the caption... I nearly died of embarrassment when I spotted a superfluous apostrophe in the possessive its—I should have my copy editor's license revoked!!!

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

When I write up a chapter for a TR, I'm always grateful when people take the time to read it and respond. I know how much effort it takes to write it!

[IluvKingLouis]

I have so enjoyed this thread! We visited Oahu last summer (I grew up there), and my dd10 and I popped into Aulani to enjoy the grounds and have their buffet. It was an excellent buffet, though very pricey!

The small table in your picture is where we were first seated, but I had ordered a glass of wine and it was very windy. I was nervous the glass would blow over and pieces would end up in the Koi pond So we moved to an inside table.

I used to think that Aulani would not fit our budget, but your method of using DVC credits might make it possible! I hadn't thought of that!