Gidget Goes Hawaiian- Kauai & Aulani 8/2012 TR- 3/1 updates!

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by JKSWonder

How great about your friend.....and it looks like she had a really great dress, too!

It is so great- very, very happy for them!

Originally Posted by RopeDrop

Very new to DISboard, but just wanted to thank you for the terrific TR! Very enjoyable read.

Hi Cruise mate! Thanks for reading it! I will see you in a few weeks on the Dream! YIPPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by thebyrdwoman

Loved this trip report! I am a cast member at Aulani and it's fun to see the resort from a different point of view.

WOW! I feel so honored to have you read my TR! You work at a fabulous, fabulous resort- I am really looking forward to returning in the next few years.

I'll also be at WDW early May of this year -- I'll keep an eye out!

Great! I hope we run into each other!

Originally Posted by franandaj

I'm so glad it's not all the way over yet!!!! This has been such a fun TR, I can't even imagine how much fun it was living it, you all must have had a blast! I'm looking forward to what you're going to share of your GV and then your CA TR, especially since I get to play a little part in it!!!!

We did have an amazing time- it is making it VERY hard to plan other vacations though- so hard to top, or even equal! And I am VERY excited to meet YOU in August! I can't wait for your "part"!

Originally Posted by dizneeat

All caught up, Ellen!

Hawaii just looks so beautiful and I am always amazed at the sight of Pearl Harbour. Such beauty and then there is still all the tragedy.

Your last day looks lovely - love the sunset pics and the buffet sounds yummy too!

Can't wait for more adventures.

I am sorry you won't make it to Europe in 2014. We are going on the Magic in July. Had to about the airfare - that's what we are always faced with and I cannot wait to be able to fly "cheap" while cruising in Europe.

Well, I would do it if it was just for Pods and I....actually, we are planning (well, I am planning, LOL) on a cruise in Europe- but most likely for our 30th anniversary, which is in 2016. Pods feels like he got cheated out of REALLY seeing the Vatican the last time we went to Italy, because it was our last day, we had a bad tour with Angel tours (they made us all wait for a large group that was A. Late and B. Over the limit of their so called "small group tour". We also had the Scavi tour booked, and that made us rush through the museums/Sistene Chapel, etc. Anyway, it's rare for Pods to actually say he wants to go somewhere, so that makes me think it will definitely happen.

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

3 days on Oahu at Aulani,
1 week on Maui with extended family
2 days on Hawaii in a hotel near Kona,
3 days on Kauai at a condo in Princeville.

WOW!!!!!! That is an AMAZING trip! You will see it all-can't WAIT for that TR! Does your wife have any idea?

Needless to say your TR has helped tremendously!

One question--did you have any trouble with traffic at all when you went to Pearl Harbor? (I know the GPS drove you nuts already)

We went on a Sunday, there was no traffic at all, I think we left a little after 9...

Just wondering if the traffic jams were gone by the time you needed to leave to get to the 10:30 a.m. tour.




Very cool! Don't forget us when you're rubbing elbows with the rich & famous.

Well, I'm not the one rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, just the brilliant and normal!

Hate to see the trip end, but it looks like it was a wonderful time for you and your family. Hope the last Hawaii items are really cool!

The very last thing we did/saw made me feel COMPLETE!

Originally Posted by saintstickets

Nice update Ellen. Aulani is so peaceful late at night when it is quiet and most of the resort guests are in their room. I'm curious what 2 items were left on your bucket list for the final day!

Well, the first is...HEY! You'll just have to be patient!

Originally Posted by Beth D

Lovely at night!

The buffet looks great, but I wouldn't get my $$ worth, since I'm not a seafood fan.

What was written on the eclairs?

Aulani- a Disney resort and Spa

[podsnel]

In the morning, the weather seemed a bit cloudy- which I usually welcome on the last day of vacation (makes it so much easier to get on that plane.). I took a picture of the 5 chairs that ALWAYS EVERY MORNING had towels on them by 7 am. SO annoying!



I went down to the olelo Room one last time, for one last almond croissant, and one last hug from Aloha Lani.





What a warm and beautiful person she is.

Back up to breakfast on the balcony-



Seriously- just LOOK at those flaky, moist layers!



The foggy view-





Even foggy, I did not want to give it up. Eventually it cleared, and i took a few fisheyes-







The HUGE balcony-



Timmy waiting patiently for the bellman to take all of our luggage away (except for the one bag we would be putting into a locker downstairs for changing into after our showers/before the airport).



I loved that at Aulani they made it so easy to spend the day even after you check out of the villa you never want to leave! Because most people who leave Hawaii do so later in the day, there is a lounge available to departing guests complete with showers, blow dryers, toiletries,lockers, computers and printers for boarding passes, tvs, couches- even a menu to order from if you are hungry. So we stuufed our bag into one of the lockers (the lockers are the size of a spa locker, so not too big of a bag) and headed out to the pool on what had become a lovely Monday morning.









Ahhhh...so relaxing.

Up next- lunch at Ama Ama- the BEST lunch EVAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

[podsnel]

Once again, the boys wanted to have lunch at Mama's, aka the hot dog/chicken finger window, so when it was time to eat, they went there, and we went to Ama Ama. First a pit stop in the lovely ladies' room to wash up-



We were led to a table right in the edge of the restaurant overlooking the beach-



I went ahead and ordered the world's most refreshing beach side cocktail,



(as a side note, I am the proud new owner of my own bottle of Effen Cucumber Vodka and a big bottle of diet ginger ale- hardly miss the lychee juice at all, lol!). Here is the lunch menu from that day-



Because Pods had loved his appetizer salad SO much when he had it our first night at dinner, he went ahead and ordered the full on version for his lunch.
‘AMA‘AMA Chopped Salad, crispy Wonton Strips, Bacon, Chopped Tomatoes,
Avocado, Egg, Furukaki, Capers, and House-made Ranch Dressing (although he subbed O&V) 15.00



Me? Well, I apparently had everything ELSE that was in their kitchen that day.

Daily Local Plate Lunch 20.95
Ask your server for today’s selection.

But....this was not a usual plate lunch. This was a plateS lunch. As in TWO.



Who knew I was so hungy?? Good thing Pods has an appetite, because he helped me a LOT when it came to attempting to clear my plateS. As best as I can recall, here is what I had that day-

Starting at 12:00, Kalbi (which are like short ribs or flanken), Mac salad, Huli Huli chicken on coleslaw, kimchi and a big ol scoop of white rice.


AND....a salad of watercress and other greens with some kind of beef and wonton strips-


It was all SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO amazing!! My mouth is watering right now, EXACTLY (to the day!)6 months later! I am very glad I chose this for my last lunch- it was my favorite thing at AMA AMA of all three of our meals there, and I can PROMISE you that if it is on the menu when I go back, I will be having lunch at AMA AMA multiple times- but I really do think I will need to share my plateS with Pods.

A very, very sweet gentleman who was dining with his wife at the next table saw me taking all these food pics and asked if I wanted one of actual people (as in he would be happy to take one of us). Well, ok, but did you see my plateS, Sir? They are much more photogenic!



Of course, I reciprocated the favor for he and his wife. And it took all I had to resist taking food porn pics while I was over there taking their photo!



I'm gonna go out on a limb and say our bellies were full when we rolled out of Ama Ama that day. Happy. And FULL. Then we followed this guy back to the beach-



Where we swam in the ocean for a while. Tyler was being silly, as he often was on this vacation-





This game was set up on the lawn, so they decided to play-







And we went for a little walk....oops! Out of time for today- I'll be back when I can-

[CRdisMom]

this seems like yesterday that we were hearing that you were leaving for Hawaii. Now spring break is coming up fast. Where does the time go? LOL

[franandaj]

That lunch looked really good! No way I could eat it all, but probably two could! I love Kalbi!

[Wicket's Mom]

Oh my I want about ten of those almond croissants and several of those cucumber drinks. That you keep me happy for about an hour!

[ACDSNY]

I never get tired of seeing pics of Aulani. The vases at AMA AMA were changed out in December to a wider base as the breeze was blowing them over and they were breaking. We had breakfast at AMA AMA quite a few morning and now seeing the lunch menu I wish we would have gone in for lunch. It looks so good!

[MEK]

I'm so glad you decided to take so many pictures on your last day because that place is simply amazing.

I love that they actually have a whole locker room area for you. Good to know!

Lunch looks amazing!

What's with the chairs saved with towels at 7am? Didn't you just want to walk by and throw those towels in the pool?

[eandesmom]

oh my that all looks just heavenly!!!! YUM

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

this seems like yesterday that we were hearing that you were leaving for Hawaii. Now spring break is coming up fast. Where does the time go? LOL

Seriously- time flies!

Originally Posted by franandaj

That lunch looked really good! No way I could eat it all, but probably two could! I love Kalbi!

It was ENORMOUS!!! Good thing Pods was there with me!

Originally Posted by Wicket's Mom

Oh my I want about ten of those almond croissants and several of those cucumber drinks. That you keep me happy for about an hour!

The almond croissant was no joke- better than ANY ANYWHERE! And that cucumber drink- mmmmmm-I just found the Lychee juice, so I am looking forward to trying the real deal this weekend for myself.

Originally Posted by ACDSNY

I never get tired of seeing pics of Aulani. The vases at AMA AMA were changed out in December to a wider base as the breeze was blowing them over and they were breaking. We had breakfast at AMA AMA quite a few morning and now seeing the lunch menu I wish we would have gone in for lunch. It looks so good!

Well, that makes sense. I can see how in winter it would be more brisk in there.
And don't worry about the lunch- YOU will go back, you can have lunch THEN!

Originally Posted by MEK

I'm so glad you decided to take so many pictures on your last day because that place is simply amazing.

I love that they actually have a whole locker room area for you. Good to know!

Lunch looks amazing!

What's with the chairs saved with towels at 7am? Didn't you just want to walk by and throw those towels in the pool?

It really is a great place- I hope you will figure out how to fit it into your hectic travel calendar one day soon!

By the way- Tim is playing baseball in Rehoboth again- this time April 5-7. Just he and I are coming down, staying at the Avenue Inn this time, we will leave on Friday to come down after school. Nothing going on on Friday night, I'm not sure what the schedule is for the rest of the weekend when the tournament starts, but I thought I would mention it just in case you felt like coming down to eat some crabs on Friday night!

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

oh my that all looks just heavenly!!!! YUM

OOPS! I missed you! Yes- that lunch was something to STILL dream about. I hope you'll try it when you go-

[Captain_Oblivious]

Originally Posted by podsnel

WOW!!!!!! That is an AMAZING trip! You will see it all-can't WAIT for that TR! Does your wife have any idea?

Well, she knows we're going to Hawaii. It's hard to keep all of that a secret. But she has no idea that the wait list came through for Aulani. Her birthday is next month so it'll be fun to surprise her with that.

We will be on Oahu from a Tuesday - Friday, so I'll have to worry about rush hour traffic when I go to Pearl Harbor. I'm thinking if I wait for rush hour to be over and leave at 9:00 for a 10:30 tour or so, I'm probably going to be ok.

Originally Posted by podsnel

I took a picture of the 5 chairs that ALWAYS EVERY MORNING had towels on them by 7 am. SO annoying!

Wow, that is annoying! I like Mary Ellen's idea of tossing them in the pool.

Originally Posted by podsnel

Even foggy, I did not want to give it up.

That's understandable. I don't know about yours, but my backyard doesn't look nearly as nice.

Originally Posted by podsnel

But....this was not a usual plate lunch. This was a plateS lunch. As in TWO.

That is a heaping pile of food! I guess you won't need to get the crappy airline meal later.

[podsnel]

So we went for a walk....







I was trying to absorb that 2 years of anticipation was just about finished, and soon we would be leaving all this beauty.







I had been SOOOO overjoyed when Aulani was announced, and waited so patiently for it to be our turn...





But I also knew that because we could use our points here, it would take a LOT less time to get Pods to come back to Hawaii after this visit than it did after the last one.



DVC points rock.

My brain started going into overdrive...what did I need to do to make the most of the time we had left? Hmmm...we relaxed by the pool for a while as I contemplated that thought...and realized there was still time for (and always room for)....



ICE CREAM! Specifically-



Because REALLY, no Disney vacation- whether it's in a park or somewhere else, is complete without one!



But there were two more things that needed to be done- one we had contol over, one we did not and it just fell into our wet laps. I'll leave you to contemplate that while I go walk my dog on this beautiful 48 degree day (it feels like SPRING here in NJ!!!).

[Wicket's Mom]

Ooh I want a Mickey bar in Hawaii! Such a wonderful trip, so beautiful!

[podsnel]

Sooo....all vacation long, everywhere we went, we seemed to observe many people participating in an activity that we had never tried. Well, at Aulani, they couldn't make it any easier to try- so literally in our last hour, we marched ourselves back to the beach and shared a paddleboard between the four of us. Which, really, worked out well. Because yes, it's a great workout for your core, and yes, it is a cool thing to do, but no- it really is not all that exciting when you get right down to it when you are paddling in a circle in a protected lagoon! GREAT place to learn, though!

Timmy was first-



The CM told us to get comfortable on our knees, and then stand up-







Which Timmy, being the surf king and all, had no problem with- I had to laugh, because we had no idea what to expect! We had heard it was really hard to do- but in a lagoon? Not so hard, LOL! Tyler got up next-





Finding the POB (point of balance) was not a problem for Ty, either. Plus, he got to show off his strong arms while he paddled...





Pods and Timmy decided, muscles or not, he was goin' down!



And Timmy showed off a bit-



Then it was my turn-





Of course, when I got on, the clouds started rolling in along with the wind, and I started heading out past the rope/net- which is where I knew I did NOT want to go, based on an earlier TR I had read, so, I hopped off and kicked myself to safer water before I paddled back in.







Cont'd next post-