An Intimate Vow Renewal with Kids: Hawaii is a no-go

[Alexsandra]

PLANNING FOR HAWAII

I've actually spent some free time researching the different islands and trying to calculate how much it would really cost to go to Hawaii. Ideally, we would need to go for two weeks for it to be worth it. Since we live on the east coast and Hawaii being so far, going for one week is really too short of a trip. We loose at least two days traveling (going and coming back) and we will be so messed up with the time change that I think we will hardly have time to see or do anything in one week's time. Also for the price the airline tickets will cost or in my case, for the amount of points I have to use, a two week vacation makes more sense. That means our budget needs to be stretched out to cover a two week trip. To do this we do need to make some sacrifices in certain areas and it changes some of my original plans but it is completely doable.

WHICH ISLAND TO VISIT?
I really would love to visit at least two Hawaiian Island during our trip but it would cost an extra $300 in airline tickets to do so (it is about $70 the ticket per person one way). Since our budget is already tight and it is our first trip to Hawaii, we decided to just stick to one island. It is not only more economical to stay in one place but also less hassle especially when traveling with two young kids. I've been researching each of Hawaii's Islands and trying to figure out which one to visit. This has been the most challenging decision.

I was able to rule out The Big Island of Hawaii, because it is just too vast, has the least amount of beaches and seems to appeal to me the least. We are big beach people. Kauai is known as "the garden state" as it has the most lush landscapes and is said to be the least touristy. Since it is less touristy, there are less hotels and fancy restaurants and renting a home or condo here seems quite affordable. That also means there are less things to see and do with kids. If my kids were older and could do more hiking, I would go to Kauai. Since I am looking for great beaches and more kid friendly activities that leaves Maui or Oahu. Maui has some of the most beautiful beaches and is family friendly but it seems to be the most expensive. Oahu is the most populated because of the big city of Honululu and its touristy and famous Waikiki beach but this makes for more affordable options. We are going to try to avoid these populated areas and concentrate on the rest of Oahu which seems really beautiful. There are tons of beautiful free beaches around the island and lots of places to visit that are very kid-friendly.

WHERE TO STAY?
Ideally I would have loved to spend my whole vacation at a fancy resort like Disney's Aulani but after looking at prices of the rooms/suites,it is really not a possibility in our tight budget. I tried to find a more affordable resort on the island and found some good alternatives, but after stumbling onto this amazing blog with insider tips on Oahu I found what i was looking for: http://cupofjo.com/2013/03/vacation-idea-lazy-days-in-oahu-hawaii/
Renting a home or condo in the town of Kailua was not only a lot more affordable but I think is even better than staying in a resort. The town of Kailua has great shops and restaurants and the best part is that we will be minutes away from one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii: Lanikai. Lanikai is voted one of the best beaches in the World in 2014. Renting a home vs staying in a hotel not only saves us a ton of money but will make meal time easier for my family since our oldest son has a severe nut allergy. We will make this our home base for visiting the island.

I still want to go to Aulani for a few nights to spoil ourselves and for our vow renewal. We are thinking of ending our trip here to make it feel extra special. I have to figure out how many nights we can afford and try to do a little more research on how much the vow renewal will cost us. Once I do that I will try to post my findings.

 

[Disneyducks12]

Those pictures on those blog are so PRETTY it looks amazing!! I think renting a house is smart especially if you are doing a two week stay and with little ones! The beaches look amazing and sounds like a good choice for an island I am so excited to hear how long you get to stay at Aulani that is on my bucket list of places to go it looks amazing the perfect back drop for a vow renewal I am excited for you it! It all seems to be coming together!!!

Happy Planning
Melissa

 

[Alexsandra]

Those pictures on those blog are so PRETTY it looks amazing!! I think renting a house is smart especially if you are doing a two week stay and with little ones! The beaches look amazing and sounds like a good choice for an island I am so excited to hear how long you get to stay at Aulani that is on my bucket list of places to go it looks amazing the perfect back drop for a vow renewal I am excited for you it! It all seems to be coming together!!!

Happy Planning
Melissa

Thanks Melissa,I can't wait to see how your wedding turns out! Looking forward to your wedding day pics!

 

[Disneyducks12]

Thanks Melissa,I can't wait to see how your wedding turns out! Looking forward to your wedding day pics!

Your welcome!

Me too lol it goes by so quick we were engaged for two years and I am trying to figure out where the time went!

 

[Doodlebug25413]

Trying to get my husband to go to Hawaii is like pulling teeth out of a clenched jawed alligator full of dinner.
He hates pineapple, chicken & anything remotely like sushi. (which to be a brat I'm going to have sushi at our reception & eat it right in front of him LOL)

YOU ARE LUCKY I AM JEALOUS

Agreed, if you are staying longer then a week, do a rental. You get more space for your money, you will have a kitchen to cook your own food (money saver). And if you don't feel like going out, you can just lay around the house.
I have a friend who lives there, I am all the time seeing his posts on facebook. It is amazing. Amazing food. Amazing scenery. I think you will not have any issues finding stuff to do.

You gotta see the black sand beaches. When I was planning (when I THOUGHT husbands was being sent for work), that was on my list of to do's.

Keep the plans coming!!

 

[Seia]

I just read your entire PJ so far. I love everything!! Especially all of the seaside elements you're adding. I'm so happy for you that you're going to be able to do Hawaii like you wanted! Can't wait to see more.

 

[Alexsandra]

Trying to get my husband to go to Hawaii is like pulling teeth out of a clenched jawed alligator full of dinner.
He hates pineapple, chicken & anything remotely like sushi. (which to be a brat I'm going to have sushi at our reception & eat it right in front of him LOL)
YOU ARE LUCKY I AM JEALOUS

Agreed, if you are staying longer then a week, do a rental. You get more space for your money, you will have a kitchen to cook your own food (money saver). And if you don't feel like going out, you can just lay around the house.
I have a friend who lives there, I am all the time seeing his posts on facebook. It is amazing. Amazing food. Amazing scenery. I think you will not have any issues finding stuff to do.

You gotta see the black sand beaches. When I was planning (when I THOUGHT husbands was being sent for work), that was on my list of to do's.

Keep the plans coming!!

You kill me!
Just use my technique: harass, harass and harass until he gives in. Just do it in the sweetest way possible. You know, puppy eyes, and kisses.
Thanks for the tip about the black sand beaches, I will look into that!
More plans to come soon!

I just read your entire PJ so far. I love everything!! Especially all of the seaside elements you're adding. I'm so happy for you that you're going to be able to do Hawaii like you wanted! Can't wait to see more.

Awe thanks, I might change a few things now that the plans have changed. I was thinking of going with a simpler dress and maybe changing out my flowers for something more tropical.Anyway, I will try to post more when I have a chance.

 

[Doodlebug25413]

I hope I don't kill you! You have to go to Hawaii first!
And bring back pictures!

 

[Alexsandra]

THE PLAN

I spent the whole night yesterday calculating the cost of our trip. Right now I have totaled it up to $6,000- $7,000. We are going to save up $8,000 to be safe but my budget cannot go over that.
When you sit down and do the math it really puts into perspective how much is left in the budget for extras, especially when the exchange rate is so bad. Our Canadian dollar is so low right now. Like I said before, I will have to make some concessions because I need to spread that budget over two weeks.

Ok so here is what we decided to do.

FLIGHTS
I am lucky enough to have saved up enough aeroplan miles to buy my airplane tickets with points but I still have to pay the taxes which come out to $500 CAD (for 3 tickets). One ticket I am getting for free because of an incident flying with Air Canada where I got a free ticket as compensation.

TRANSPORTATION
We will rent a car. I saw 2 week rentals going for $600 CAD at Costco.

WHERE WE ARE STAYING
I have found a couple of homes to rent in Kailua that are perfect:

This one is the front runner because it is really well price and is across the street from the Beach. Plus they offer lots of free perks like use of their beach stuff: bikes, snorkel gear, beach mats and coolers.
http://www.vrbo.com/1096

or

This one is my runner up because it is further in town and is a 10 min drive to the beach. It is also more expensive but has a nicer pool and landscaped lanai.
http://www.vrbo.com/439113

or

This one is close to the beach but has no pool. Still, it is very nice, clean property.
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p136589vb

This will be our home base as we drive around the island visiting some sights. Of course we are planning on relaxing at the beach most days and getting some snorkeling done at Hanuma Bay.

As for Aulani because of its high price, we decided that we would only stay two nights in a standard room. We will stay here the last two nights of our trip and try to take advantage of all their free amenities: beach, pools, slides, lazy river, splash zone, kids club and the nightime Starlit Hui show. I think this will be a nice way to finish our trip. "Mom and Dad" can do some relaxing while the kids spend some time at the kids club. Plus it will be nice to not have to cook or clean and to just sip some mai-tais and pina coladas at the bar.

VOW RENEWAL
For the vow renewal, I checked prices with Disney Fairytale wedding at Aulani and the price to do a vow renewal there is just insane. It starts at $3,900 which includes the officiant, a guitarist or ukelele player, seasonal leis, photographer for one hour and disk with 100+ photos, and a Disney "wedding planner". I cannot even have the celebration by the beach. I have to choose between the pool or a hydrotherapy garden. No, renewing our vows by a public pool is not my idea of the romantic Hawaiian vow renewal I was picturing! Plus, with our already tight budget, there is no way I could afford it.

So I did a lot of research and found some alternatives. I actually found a company that offers affordable beach wedding packages in Oahu. They are called Islander Weddings. They offer tons of different packages that are so much more affordable than Disney. I can pick the time and beach location of my choice and a great package that is more in my budget. For $395 I get an officiant, two flower leis, ukelele player/singer, professional photography for an hour with 100 edited photos on a disk. I want to add on some other options offered like some extra leis for the kids, and a cake and champagne toast.

Check out this family who renewed their vows with them on a secret Beach right next to Aulani. They were staying at Aulani and walked over to this secret beach around sunset for the renewal. Their renewal is really sweet and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I actually found Islander Weddings through Marella Photography:

http://marellaphotography.com/blog/...vow-renewal-photographer-oahu-disney-koolina/

So now that I got that sorted out, I am debating if I should have my vow renewal while staying at Aulani or have the renewal while we are staying at the rental home? I think I like ko-olina for the renewal because it is supposed to have the nicest sunsets so it would make more sense to do it while staying at Aulani. Either way, we can always drive to where we want to have the renewal.

THE DRESS
Since we are doing the renewal on a beach in Hawaii, I am thinking of changing the look I was previously going for to something more tropical and bohemian. I want a dress that is more casual and I think I want it to be white instead of blush. I want some tropical flowers in my hair or maybe even a haku head lei. I really like the bohemian look so am trying to figure out what kind of dress I can find to suit the occasion. I will try to post something as soon as I got something more concrete.

That is it for now!

 

[Disneyducks12]

THE PLAN

I spent the whole night yesterday calculating the cost of our trip. Right now I have totaled it up to $6,000- $7,000. We are going to save up $8,000 to be safe but my budget cannot go over that.
When you sit down and do the math it really puts into perspective how much is left in the budget for extras, especially when the exchange rate is so bad. Our Canadian dollar is so low right now. Like I said before, I will have to make some concessions because I need to spread that budget over two weeks.

Ok so here is what we decided to do.

FLIGHTS
I am lucky enough to have saved up enough aeroplan miles to buy my airplane tickets with points but I still have to pay the taxes which come out to $500 CAD (for 3 tickets). One ticket I am getting for free because of an incident flying with Air Canada where I got a free ticket as compensation.

TRANSPORTATION
We will rent a car. I saw 2 week rentals going for $600 CAD at Costco.

WHERE WE ARE STAYING
I have found a couple of homes to rent in Kailua that are perfect:

This one is the front runner because it is really well price and is across the street from the Beach. Plus they offer lots of free perks like use of their beach stuff: bikes, snorkel gear, beach mats and coolers.
http://www.vrbo.com/1096

or

This one is my runner up because it is further in town and is a 10 min drive to the beach. It is also more expensive but has a nicer pool and landscaped lanai.
http://www.vrbo.com/439113

or

This one is close to the beach but has no pool. Still, it is very nice, clean property.
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p136589vb

This will be our home base as we drive around the island visiting some sights. Of course we are planning on relaxing at the beach most days and getting some snorkeling done at Hanuma Bay.

As for Aulani because of its high price, we decided that we would only stay two nights in a standard room. We will stay here the last two nights of our trip and try to take advantage of all their free amenities: beach, pools, slides, lazy river, splash zone, kids club and the nightime Starlit Hui show. I think this will be a nice way to finish our trip. "Mom and Dad" can do some relaxing while the kids spend some time at the kids club. Plus it will be nice to not have to cook or clean and to just sip some mai-tais and pina coladas at the bar.

VOW RENEWAL
For the vow renewal, I checked prices with Disney Fairytale wedding at Aulani and the price to do a vow renewal there is just insane. It starts at $3,900 which includes the officiant, a guitarist or ukelele player, seasonal leis, photographer for one hour and disk with 100+ photos, and a Disney "wedding planner". I cannot even have the celebration by the beach. I have to choose between the pool or a hydrotherapy garden. No, renewing our vows by a public pool is not my idea of the romantic Hawaiian vow renewal I was picturing! Plus, with our already tight budget, there is no way I could afford it.

So I did a lot of research and found some alternatives. I actually found a company that offers affordable beach wedding packages in Oahu. They are called Islander Weddings. They offer tons of different packages that are so much more affordable than Disney. I can pick the time and beach location of my choice and a great package that is more in my budget. For $395 I get an officiant, two flower leis, ukelele player/singer, professional photography for an hour with 100 edited photos on a disk. I want to add on some other options offered like some extra leis for the kids, and a cake and champagne toast.

Check out this family who renewed their vows with them on a secret Beach right next to Aulani. They were staying at Aulani and walked over to this secret beach around sunset for the renewal. Their renewal is really sweet and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I actually found Islander Weddings through Marella Photography:

http://marellaphotography.com/blog/...vow-renewal-photographer-oahu-disney-koolina/

So now that I got that sorted out, I am debating if I should have my vow renewal while staying at Aulani or have the renewal while we are staying at the rental home? I think I like ko-olina for the renewal because it is supposed to have the nicest sunsets so it would make more sense to do it while staying at Aulani. Either way, we can always drive to where we want to have the renewal.

THE DRESS
Since we are doing the renewal on a beach in Hawaii, I am thinking of changing the look I was previously going for to something more tropical and bohemian. I want a dress that is more casual and I think I want it to be white instead of blush. I want some tropical flowers in my hair or maybe even a haku head lei. I really like the bohemian look so am trying to figure out what kind of dress I can find to suit the occasion. I will try to post something as soon as I got something more concrete.

That is it for now!

Your plans are really moving along now! I really love the second house it is so pretty and I love that pool and top deck a little walk to the beach wouldn't be too bad! But the other houses are nice too whatever you choose will be great! For the vow renewal if you don't like Disney's location I would do it at that private beach while staying at Aulani since its right next door that seems like a great alternative and the pictures came out really great!

Happy Planning
Melissa

 

[Lynne G]

I'd vote for the renewal when you're at the rental home. Since you'd like to include your family, that would be a nice evening activity to enjoy and then maybe a night out for the family. At Aulani, since it is so expensive, I'd let the family enjoy all the things to do there. And, a couples dinner with the kids taken care of would be a nice way to end the vacation. So happy you are excited about Hawaii.

 

[Doodlebug25413]

HOLY COW THOSE PICTURES ON THE SUNSET ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!
You have to get pictures there. I don't care if you get married in the alley trash can. Just get those shots! (ok, no, I was kidding, please god don't get married in the alley or a trash can lol)

Ok, the houses, I like the 1st 2 choices. The 2nd has a fountain on the pool. Talk about after the kids crash, some late night skinny dipping with the hubby.

I think you have a beautiful face. You look very young & romantic. Put a simple pretty flower or small flowers in your hair. I wouldn't do the whole flower halo thing. Unless I'm envisioning something different then you. Big bold flowers
or headpieces take away from your face. I don't know. That's just my opinion.

And you will find a lot of choices with the Bohemian casual look. Especially a beachy type look. White or Blush, I think it will work either way & still be beautiful.
(Although I'm kinda smitten on the blush lol)

 

[Disney_Alli]

Love that you're going to Hawaii now! I've made the flight from Ottawa and with a stop in Vancouver it's really not too bad. I'm hopping to be in Hawaii in February since my parents are staying at their timeshare there but we'll see if I can swing a week off just 5 or 6 months after the wedding. Plus my fiancé for some reason does not want to go to Hawaii he wants to go back to Vegas for his birthday in February since it falls on super bowl Sunday... I told him he could go to Vegas if he wants to but we've been twice in three years and I'm completely down with it for now. I wanna go back to Hawaii in the worst way! I haven't been since high school.

If it makes you feel any better my parents took my sister and I to Hawaii (from Toronto) when we were 3 or 4. We did stop in California for a couple days each way but it was apparently pretty manageable - or so they say.

Loving all your plans and as a girl with two dresses for a short Escape wedding I sympathize with the dress struggle. It's hard finding what you want.

 

[Alexsandra]

Your plans are really moving along now! I really love the second house it is so pretty and I love that pool and top deck a little walk to the beach wouldn't be too bad! But the other houses are nice too whatever you choose will be great! For the vow renewal if you don't like Disney's location I would do it at that private beach while staying at Aulani since its right next door that seems like a great alternative and the pictures came out really great!

Happy Planning
Melissa

That second house is really beautiful but it is also more expensive. The pool area is shared with 2 other suites but it would still be great to use the facilities after a day of sightseeing. This house is in town and I don't think that walking to the Lanakai beach is possible with the two kids but it is a 10 to 15 min drive which is fine. The first house is not as nice but it is right on the beach and I still have access to a pool which makes it a great choice too. I don't know which to pick?

I'd vote for the renewal when you're at the rental home. Since you'd like to include your family, that would be a nice evening activity to enjoy and then maybe a night out for the family. At Aulani, since it is so expensive, I'd let the family enjoy all the things to do there. And, a couples dinner with the kids taken care of would be a nice way to end the vacation. So happy you are excited about Hawaii.

I did not think of that, you may be right. Thanks!

HOLY COW THOSE PICTURES ON THE SUNSET ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!
You have to get pictures there. I don't care if you get married in the alley trash can. Just get those shots! (ok, no, I was kidding, please god don't get married in the alley or a trash can lol)

Ok, the houses, I like the 1st 2 choices. The 2nd has a fountain on the pool. Talk about after the kids crash, some late night skinny dipping with the hubby.

I think you have a beautiful face. You look very young & romantic. Put a simple pretty flower or small flowers in your hair. I wouldn't do the whole flower halo thing. Unless I'm envisioning something different then you. Big bold flowers
or headpieces take away from your face. I don't know. That's just my opinion.

And you will find a lot of choices with the Bohemian casual look. Especially a beachy type look. White or Blush, I think it will work either way & still be beautiful.
(Although I'm kinda smitten on the blush lol)

Okay, you went all "Oscar the grouch" on me! Trash cans and alleyways...LOL
I know, I have to get some pics done on that secret beach, it is just so beautiful. I think anywhere in Hawaii will be spectacular. Can't wait!
The skinny dipping is kind of out of the question because I will be sharing this pool with two other units on this property. I can just see our neighbour's faces as they find us butt naked in the pool.
Thanks for the compliment about my face, I,m blushing right now. I think you are right about the simple flower in my hair. I was not sure about the headpiece.
I still like the blush dress but maybe a white dress might be pretty if I go with a colourful lei around my neck or in my hair. I am not there yet so I have time.

Love that you're going to Hawaii now! I've made the flight from Ottawa and with a stop in Vancouver it's really not too bad. I'm hopping to be in Hawaii in February since my parents are staying at their timeshare there but we'll see if I can swing a week off just 5 or 6 months after the wedding. Plus my fiancé for some reason does not want to go to Hawaii he wants to go back to Vegas for his birthday in February since it falls on super bowl Sunday... I told him he could go to Vegas if he wants to but we've been twice in three years and I'm completely down with it for now. I wanna go back to Hawaii in the worst way! I haven't been since high school.

If it makes you feel any better my parents took my sister and I to Hawaii (from Toronto) when we were 3 or 4. We did stop in California for a couple days each way but it was apparently pretty manageable - or so they say.

Loving all your plans and as a girl with two dresses for a short Escape wedding I sympathize with the dress struggle. It's hard finding what you want.

I fly to China every 6 months for work so I know what it is like to be in the plane for long hauls but I am worried about how my kids will handle it. I am glad to hear that your parents did it in the past when you were little and that it went well. I am looking into stoping in LA for a couple of days before flying to Hawaii to break up the trip.
I think that may be better for the boys.

Thanks for sympathizing with me for the dress, I guess us women always have this dilemma.

 

[Alexsandra]

FLIGHTS

Ok I am in need of advise here.

So I am trying to book my flights today. Because I am flying with points there are a lot of blackout dates which makes it more complicated. I hate their system. I have accumulated the points, they should make all the flights available. With these blackout dates, traveling over the week-end is out. I need to take a week-day flight and there are so many flights that need 2 stop-overs, NO WAY. I did find two flights to Hawaii that were available with only one stop. The first flight makes our trip a day shorter than we planned but it lets us come back on Thursday March 3rd which is still during the kids' Spring break holiday. That will give the kids enough time to recover from jet-lag before they start school on Monday. The other flight I found lets us stay a whole 2 weeks but would have us come back on Wednesday the 10th of March during the school week and the kids would back in class on Thursday jet lagged and exhausted. So I cancelled that one all together.

The debate is when I started looking into maybe breaking up the flight on the way to Hawaii to make the trip more manageable for the kids. I found that I could fly to L.A. in 6 hours and stay there a few days before taking another 6 hour flight to Hawaii. That would give the kids a break and it would give us the opportunity to visit Disneyland for the first time. Seeing that I am a huge Disney fan, I really, really, really love the idea of visiting Disneyland but there is a catch. The catch is that this options shortens our trip to 11 days and it means we loose 3 days traveling. So I discussed this with my husband and he is not a big fan of this idea. My husband prefers getting all the traveling done in one shot! Even if the flight is really long he prefers getting it out of the way so that he can get to his destination faster then spend the time there relaxing. He does not like the hassle of packing and unpacking and changing hotels and doing the airport security check all over again. Anyway, you get the drift. He prefers skipping L.A. and Disneyland and going straight to Hawaii but he said that if I really have my heart set on it, he will go along with it. Now I don't know what to do! The kids would love to incorporate Disneyland but my husband does have a good point and it shortens our trip.

Here are three options I am considering:

1.Fly straight to Honolulu from Montreal on a Friday with a quick stopover in each city. Stay 13 nights in Hawaii before departing two weeks later on the Thurs.

Depart Montreal Fri Feb 19th
8:10 -11:50 (transfer in San Fransisco)
16:10 -19:48 (Honolulu)

Return to Montreal Thud March 3rd
23:55-14:10 (Transfer in Toronto)
17:00 -18:18 (arrive in Montreal)

or

2. Fly to L.A. from Montreal on a Monday. Take shuttle bus to hotel near Disneyland. Spend 3 nights there and visit Disneyland for 2 days. Then take flight from L.A. to Honolulu on Thurs. Arrive in Hawaii on Thursday and stay 7 nights. Depart on the following Thurs. This is a shorter trip overall but gives the kids a break in the long haul flight on departure.

Depart Montreal Mon Feb 22nd
18:30 - 21:53 (arrive in Los Angeles)

Spend 3 nights at Disneyland hotel.

Depart Los Angeles Thu Feb 25th
08:45 - 12:19 (arrive in Honolulu)

Spend 6 nights in Hawaii

Return to Montreal Thu March 3rd
23:55-14:10 (Transfer in Toronto)
17:00 -18:18 (arrive in Montreal)

or

3. Fly to L.A. from Montreal on a Monday. Take shuttle bus to hotel near Disneyland. Spend 4 nights there and visit Disneyland for 3 days. Then take flight from L.A. to Honolulu on Friday. Stay 6 nights in Hawaii. Depart on the following Thurs. means we got more days to visit Disneyland but less days in Hawaii.

Depart Montreal Mon Feb 22nd
18:30 - 21:53 (arrive in Los Angeles)

Spend 3 nights at Disneyland hotel.

Depart Los Angeles Thu Feb 25th
08:45 - 12:19 (arrive in Honolulu)

Spend 6 nights in Hawaii

Return to Montreal Thu March 3rd
23:55-14:10 (Transfer in Toronto)
17:00 -18:18 (arrive in Montreal)

What do you think?
HELP!

 

[Disney_Alli]

Here's my $0.02 take it for what that's worth (especially since we eliminated the penny) I think 2-3 days is no where near enough time in Disneyland - we did six days there in December and still missed a bunch of stuff. What's the longest flight your boys have done? The five or so hours from Montreal to Orlando? How'd they do? What's the biggest time difference they've ever coped with? How do they adapt? I'm sure flying to China that often you know all the tricks. I'd vote for the longer time in Hawaii personally. Especially since I'm betting any of the options that involve stopping at Disneyland mean eliminating Aulani. But I'm an all in kinda girl. If I'm doing theme parks I just wanna do parks, if I'm doing Hawaii I'd want to do everything I could there. It's good you narrowed you island choices down to Oahu since that where Aulani is and that means no island hoping. There are some amazing things to do on the island and I'd pick something to do every second day - leaving time for beaches/shopping/relaxing the other days. Keep the last couple days at Aulani just for their pool and activities. There's a church right next to Aulani that does weddings too. The couples are apparently all over the beach in front of the resort for pictures all the time since every beach in Hawaii is public. If you wanted to do it at Aulani for cheaper you could check it out... I can't remember the name but I know Carrie mentions it on her Travel Babble site when she talks about her ow renewal in Hawaii.

 

[Disneyducks12]

I vote for option number two for a few different reasons mainly because you are going to Disneyland in the off months I go to Disneyland all year long and March is hardly ever crowded and if you stay onsite you can stay all day and night with easy access to rest if the kiddos need a break. Six days in Hawaii seems a little short if you could add two more days I think that would be perfect! I hope that helps some

 

[Doodlebug25413]

I'm on the fence. But here are my thoughts:

If it were me, Hawaii is a once or twice in a lifetime trip. I would do absolutely everything I could possibly see or do there, and make the most of my time/trip at Hawaii.
Disneyland you can make another family trip later on, and seeing it in only a few days will not give it justice. It's like coming to Disney World & trying to see everything in 3 days.
It's just not going to happen.

Vacation is supposed to be relaxing & fun. You should be able to enjoy yourself and your trip. You don't want to be rushed.

 

[Alexsandra]

Here's my $0.02 take it for what that's worth (especially since we eliminated the penny) I think 2-3 days is no where near enough time in Disneyland - we did six days there in December and still missed a bunch of stuff. What's the longest flight your boys have done? The five or so hours from Montreal to Orlando? How'd they do? What's the biggest time difference they've ever coped with? How do they adapt? I'm sure flying to China that often you know all the tricks. I'd vote for the longer time in Hawaii personally. Especially since I'm betting any of the options that involve stopping at Disneyland mean eliminating Aulani. But I'm an all in kinda girl. If I'm doing theme parks I just wanna do parks, if I'm doing Hawaii I'd want to do everything I could there. It's good you narrowed you island choices down to Oahu since that where Aulani is and that means no island hoping. There are some amazing things to do on the island and I'd pick something to do every second day - leaving time for beaches/shopping/relaxing the other days. Keep the last couple days at Aulani just for their pool and activities. There's a church right next to Aulani that does weddings too. The couples are apparently all over the beach in front of the resort for pictures all the time since every beach in Hawaii is public. If you wanted to do it at Aulani for cheaper you could check it out... I can't remember the name but I know Carrie mentions it on her Travel Babble site when she talks about her ow renewal in Hawaii.

The flight from Montreal to Orlando is about 3 hours. The longest my oldest boy was on a plane is 6 hours when we flew to London. He was three at the time and at the time it was challenging. The flights down to Orlando were always a breeze with my boys. We are leaving for Italy in a month to visit family so we'll see how they react then. I was hoping to reserve the flights to Hawaii before I left though.
Personally I go stir crazy in the plane when I fly to China and I fly first class. I think my oldest will find it really tough but I am hoping they will sleep most of the way. My youngest is much easier to please. I do have tricks to make the flight more bearable but a 13 hour flight is going to be tough no matter what I bring to distract them.
My husband is with you, he is all in kinda guy! We are planing on doing a lot of relaxing with some site seeing every other day as you mention and it would be better to do that if I had more time in Hawaii

I vote for option number two for a few different reasons mainly because you are going to Disneyland in the off months I go to Disneyland all year long and March is hardly ever crowded and if you stay onsite you can stay all day and night with easy access to rest if the kiddos need a break. Six days in Hawaii seems a little short if you could add two more days I think that would be perfect! I hope that helps some

I can't really add more days because of our budget and the flight availability. If I could then it would be a no brainer for me: Disneyland then Hawaii. I think that is why I am having so much trouble deciding.

I'm on the fence. But here are my thoughts:

If it were me, Hawaii is a once or twice in a lifetime trip. I would do absolutely everything I could possibly see or do there, and make the most of my time/trip at Hawaii.
Disneyland you can make another family trip later on, and seeing it in only a few days will not give it justice. It's like coming to Disney World & trying to see everything in 3 days.
It's just not going to happen.

Vacation is supposed to be relaxing & fun. You should be able to enjoy yourself and your trip. You don't want to be rushed.

I think you are right. I would be rushing at Disneyland and rushing Hawaii if I choose option 2. Even though I think it would be easier on the kids to split the trip I think it would take too much away from the Hawaiian part of our vacation. The whole point of this trip was to fulfill my lifelong dream of visiting Hawaii and having a memorable vow renewal on the beach. I actually posted the question about splitting the trip on another board to get some more feedback. All the responses were split down the middle and it did not really help with my decision but I think you just convinced me. Thank you. I will keep Disneyland for another trip were I could incorporate a California road trip.

I appreciate everyone's input and I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to help me with this decision.

 

[Alexsandra]

THE DRESS- PART 2

Ok so we are going to book our ticket tomorrow so that is out of the way.

I have been searching the internet trying to find a dress that appeals to me. Like I said in a previous email, I was looking to change the style to something a little more relaxed. I love the bohemian look so I found a couple of dresses that fit into that look. I still like the chiffon blush dress but it looks more dressed up. Here is what I found, tell me what you think.

1) I found this dress at Victoria Secret. It is really casual but I like that it has that "beach bohemian" look to it:



2) I kind of like it with some foot accessories such as these:


3) I also saw this dress online which is more lacy but still has that "bohemian" look to it.


4) If not I found another dress at BHLND. It is a shorter dress but I love the delicate lace at the top.


5)If I want to stay with the blush chiffon dress, I found this one at the Hudson Bay Company:


FLOWERS AND HAIR

I am looking to wear leis like these:


For the hair I was thinking of leaving loose maybe half up with flowers like this:


or maybe wearing a flower haku like these:



Or Maybe I will add colour in my hair with flowers like these


This is just preliminary but its a beginning. Let me know what you think.