Aulani Villas & Views -- REVISED 07/22/2017

[Silly Little Pixie]

Wdrl, your view from 304 looks great! I'll be happy with my pool view if mine looks like that!

 

[wdrl]

When you are at Aulani, DVC offers tours of a three bedroom Grand Villa six days a week. The Grand Villa (#1001) is on the 10th Floor in the Waianae Building. As with all other Grand Villas, it is on the endcap of the building so the balcony faces the ocean.

Its extremely spacious and very nicely appointed. The balcony runs the entire length of the villa and we had a great view of the Pacific Ocean. The master bathroom has a TV display built into the mirror. I've never seen that before. That is not a reflected TV image in the mirror -- its the TV itself!

Here are some more photos of the interior of the Grand Villa:

The GV doesn't have a separate laundry room. The stacked washer/dryer units are in a closet area:


The main entrance to the GV:



Each Aulani Grand Villa occupies a single floor, but has two doors. The second door opens to a large interior hallway which, for lack of a better term, I called a mud room. This would be a good way to enter the villa if you are coming back from the beach or pool and you don't want to track sand into the villa.



Views from the GV's balcony:



 

[drujaz]

When you visit Aulani, it would be helpful if you post photos of the view from your villa to this thread.
******

Our first day here and I have to say, this resort is just beautiful. Here's a view from room 1258 of the Ewa Tower. This room is a One Bedroom Ocean View.

 

[wdrl]

Our first day here and I have to say, this resort is just beautiful. Here's a view from room 1258 of the Ewa Tower. This room is a One Bedroom Ocean View.

Thanks for posting, drujaz! I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay at Aulani.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I talked to a CM at Aulani and she confirmed that none of the HA units (or 1 bedrooms attached to an HA studio) have the single sleeper in the living room...no trundle under the tv or sleeper chair. She said it is because then the unit is not wheelchair accessible, a wheelchair couldn't go around the trundle to access the balcony. I don't think the lack of the single in the living room is an issue for most people, but for some (like us) it is. Luckily, I called MS and was able to switch to a regular PV villa. My FIL who has mobility issues can just use the shower in the master bedroom rather than the roll in shower.

Aulani also does not have rollaways, but she said they could provide an air mattress if you need the extra bed in the HA room. The CM did confirm that the pool view HA units are on the 4th floor- so if you need one, you know it's a good view!

Just good information to know!

 

[wdrl]

Villa #170/172 is part of Aulani's Phase 3 which is tentatively schedule to open in January 2013. As such, it is not yet available for guests to use. I don't know for sure which part of this vacation home is the one-bedroom villa and which part is the studio villa. However, if the layout of Phase 3 mirrors the layout of the already opened Phase 2, then villa #170 should be the one-bedroom and villa #172 should be the studio portion.

We were recently at Aulani and I took some photos of the view from the patio of Villa #170/172. It is on the ground level of the long wing of the Ewa Building. You step right off the patio of the villa and are in Waikolohe Valley, Aulani's name for the gardens and water features including the main pool and lazy river. Villa #170/172 is also as close as you can be to the bank of elevators and guest laundry room for the Ewa Building.

A possible drawback to Villa #170/172 is that it is classified as having a Pool View. Actually, the name of this view category is "Poolside Gardens View" which "includes at least a partial view of the pool, courtyards, water features, or landscaping from the room of balcony." Guests expecting a view of the pool or water feature might be disappointed with the view from the patio of Villa #170/172. Landscaping and a short rock wall blocks any view of the lazy river. The lazy river is actually just on the other side of the rock wall in these photos, which were taken from the patio. One photo is looking to the left, the other is looking to the right.

 

[dvc_john]

This is view from 813, the 1-br portion of a 2-br lock-off ocean view.

 

[dvc_john]

This is the view from 1006, a 2-br lock-off ocean view. It is currently (as of September 2012) being used as an 'open house' room, available for walk-in viewing every day for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the late afternoon.

 

[wdrl]

Thanks, dvc_john, for posting your photos to this thread. My wife and I were at Aulani until 9/22 so we just missed you.

 

[Iceman93]

I'm about to post a few-pics from 1003, a 2br non-lock-off ocean view. I mentioned to a few cast members that we were less than impressed with this as the most expensive view category, and was told they hear that a lot. LOVED the resort, was just underwhelmed with the view for what we paid.

 

[wdrl]

Thanks for posting your photos, Iceman93.

When we were at Aulani, we also heard from a DVC CM that a reclassification may be needed on the odd-numbered ocean view villas in the Waianae Building.

I'm sure DVD will have to tweak the Aulani point chart because of the elimination the Standard View Grand Villa. However, a reclassification of Waianae's 28 odd-numbered vacation homes from Ocean View to Island View would necessitate more significant increased points costs, just like the downgrading of 10 BLT Theme Park View villas to Standard View resulted in increased point charges at BLT.

 

[slum808]

Did I miss something, what happened to the standard view GV?

 

[dvc_john]

Did I miss something, what happened to the standard view GV?

From a post by wdlr in another thread:

Currently, there is one Standard View Grand Villa on the first floor of the Waianae Building (#101) and two Standard View Grand Villas on the second and third floors of the Ewa Building (Villas #289 and #389). In October, Disney will permanently eliminate GV #101, putting a pool side cafe in its place.

 

[wdrl]

Did I miss something, what happened to the standard view GV?

From a post by wdlr in another thread:

Currently, there is one Standard View Grand Villa on the first floor of the Waianae Building (#101) and two Standard View Grand Villas on the second and third floors of the Ewa Building (Villas #289 and #389). In October, Disney will permanently eliminate GV #101, putting a pool side cafe in its place.

Thanks, dvc_john for putting in the quote about the elimination of one Standard View GV at Aulani.

Here is a link to an article with photos on some of the enhancements that are occurring at Aulani. The Standard View GV in the Waianae Building will be eliminated, but there will still be two Standard View GVs on the endcap of the Ewa Building. They are considered standard view because their views of the ocean are obstructed by the rooftop of the Ama'Ama restaurant.

 

[PinkGrandma]

I'm just about to book a 2 bdrm. villa for Spring 2013 for my husband and I and our son, daughter-in-law & granddaughter (5). Any suggestions? We have never stayed at a Disney vacation villa before and I am just wondering opinions about if it is better than having 2 rooms at the regular hotel? are shampoo, etc.included?, how often do they supply towels, etc.? Are the villas close to the pools, etc. or are we going to have to walk a mile? Any input anyone can give me would be so appreciated. We are looking forward to our first all family vacation being a Disney one!!

 

[krbrat]

I am wanting to book Aulani for my son and his fiancee's honeymoon. Since it is not my home resort I cannot book until 7 monthe out. Do any of you think I will have trouble getting a room?

 

[Cinderpamela]

I am wanting to book Aulani for my son and his fiancee's honeymoon. Since it is not my home resort I cannot book until 7 monthe out. Do any of you think I will have trouble getting a room?

We booked right at the 7 month mark back in December for our trip this past July. I was on the phone right at opening and got exactly what we wanted. We were actually at WDW during our booking time so there I was in Liberty Square booking our Aulani trip.

I would say just get online or call right when your window opens up and you should be ok.

 

[krbrat]

Thanks Cinderpamela. How did you enjoy the resort?

 

[Iceman93]

I'm just about to book a 2 bdrm. villa for Spring 2013 for my husband and I and our son, daughter-in-law & granddaughter (5). Any suggestions? We have never stayed at a Disney vacation villa before and I am just wondering opinions about if it is better than having 2 rooms at the regular hotel? are shampoo, etc.included?, how often do they supply towels, etc.? Are the villas close to the pools, etc. or are we going to have to walk a mile? Any input anyone can give me would be so appreciated. We are looking forward to our first all family vacation being a Disney one!!

I can't really help on the 2br villa vs 2 hotel rooms; each has its pros and cons. What I can verify is that, as a paying guest and not a DVC member on points, you will get full housekeeping in your villa twice a day just like in a regular hotel room. They will restock your shampoo, soap, etc., change your linens and towels, and all that exactly the same. And the walks to all of the common facilities are exactly the same length (short!) in either a villa or a hotel room.

 

[theOCdisney]

After being here at Aulani i have new appreciation for all the pictures. I would make a suggestion for an additional room category. I would divide the ocean view into two. 1. Partial ocean view and 2. Deluxe ocean view. This would solve the problem of some people getting a much better view than others who are paying the same amount in points. Even some of the garden/pool view rooms could be moved to the partial ocean view room category. When we get to Kauai tomorrow I will post pictures of our room. A garden/pool view room with a peek-a-boo view of the ocean through the trees. We have thoroghly enjoyed our stay here at Aulani. The attention to detail is what makes this such a level above other resorts in the same class. We can hardly wait to return to Aulani with our children and grandson. Perfect place for a multi-generational vacation.

Aloha!

P.S. We need a hula dancer smiley.