Is Aulani worth the cost

[ShannonR]

We are looking in to going to Aulani next year. We live in Florida so go to Disney constantly of course, not to mention we have been on several Disney cruises but have always wanted to go to Hawaii/Aulani. It's just soooooo expensive that we want to make sure it's worth the cost.

Thanks
Shannon

 

[nkereina]

Worth is very subjective. And you're asking on a forum full of Aulani fanatics, so keep that in mind.

IMO, you should desire a Hawaiian vacation - not an Aulani vacation. Aulani is a very different experience than the parks or a cruise. Its a resort hotel with a subdued Disney theme. Its in an isolated area of Oahu. Disney planned the resort under the assumption that most of their guests would be transient with rental cars, off exploring Oahu for most of their trip. Because of this, IMO, there is not enough at the resort to keep you busy and entertained without leaving. Plus, I think its a sin to not explore the island after spending the time and money to go there. So, if you've never dreamt about going to Hawaii but are intrigued by Aulani, I don't think its worth it. But if Hawaii is a bucket list item for you, then do it and stay at Aulani while there. I hope that makes sense - all my opinion, of course.

There are ways to do it cheaper - you can rent DVC points for a cheaper price than what you'd pay booking through Disney. There are many brokers out there who facilitate this process, but you should be mindful that its usually non-refundable and you need to book at least 7-11 months in advance, so your dates need to be firm. You also would get free parking staying on DVC points. I'm of the opinion that a rental car is a must have there.

You could also stay elsewhere on Oahu for much cheaper - Waikiki, an Airbnb rental, other parts of the island. If you stay elsewhere, you can still visit Aulani for the luau, spa treatment, dining reservations. You can even use the beach and lagoon there because all beaches in Hawaii are public. You just would not be permitted to use Aulani's beach chairs or the pools.

 

[alohamom]

Everyone is going to have their own opinion but here is mine-

It took us YEARS to finally decide to give Aulani a try.

We travel from Toronto to Hawaii on a regular basis and have been doing that since my hubby and I got married there 25 years ago.

We have been to all the islands multiple times and love each one for its own reasons but one thread that ties all of our trips together is adventuring out and about to discover the natural beauty of the islands.

So I was really concerned that a Disney resort would not be authentic, that it might have only a Hawaiian veneer to appeal to Disney centric mainland travellers in order to keep them spending on the property.

To be totally honest, if the price of Aulani per night had been about 1/3 less than it is we might have stayed there sooner but the cost along with my concerns about it not being authentically Hawaiian stopped us from choosing it many times.

In 2016, we decided we wanted to go to the Big Island and the best price for airfare by a huge margin at that time was through Oahu.

My husband said maybe we should stay a few nights in Waikiki as the kids had not been there since they were little and it might be fun for us all.

Since we were already flying into Oahu, I started looking around for something family oriented in Waikiki. All the small pools, resort fees and parking fees were making it a hard task.

Then I read here on the Dis about renting DVC points-well, that changed everything!

It worked out cheaper (not by too much but enough) for us to rent DVC points and stay at Aulani than any place COMPARABLE in Waikiki. I mean obviously a Motel 6 is going to be cheaper but when I compared places like the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Sheraton Waikiki, the Hyatt Regency-they were all more money once you factor in the resort fee and parking fee

Soooooo it was a no brainer and we gave Aulani a try.....I remember being a little wary, thinking I am getting a good deal so it is ok if I dont like this resort. The kids will use all the pools and that will make it worth while.

Well, I am not one to admit I was wrong too often but I have to say-that first stay at Aulani was incredible. We had one of the best vacations of our lives that year. It hit all the right spots for my family and I and I am not a huge Waikiki fan so I felt the off the beaten path location was great for us as a home base for enjoying Oahu

I was shocked at how classy it was, I had thought it would be, lets say, "whimsical" but it was comparable to any other beautiful high end resort I had stayed at through out the islands. From the photo collage behind the front desk to the thoughtful landscaped grounds to the lovely ocean views, it was all way beyond what I had previously thought it might be like.

The icing on the cake for us is the lazy river. We LOVED it and it is the reason we went back to Aulani. We have been in other meandering pools here and there including the incredible pool at the Grand Hyatt Kauai which is phenomenal but it isnt quite as good as lazy river at Aulani (imho)

So the bottom line for me was that at the DVC point rental price, Aulani is well worth it. I would probably have a harder time justifying it at rack rate, but if that was all there was I would still stay there again.

 

[FrauMichael]

With the same caveat, that it is a personal/subjective thing here is my calculation on why Aulani is worth it and when it will stop being of value (I think!) to me.

We live in CA and were going to HI every 2-3 years prior to Aulani. I am not a big Disney person. I’ve enjoyed my occasional trips to Disneyland but have never been to WDW and while I’m curious about DCL I can very well imagine it never being a high enough priority to actually book.

I honestly believe Aulani is the BEST vacation you can do with a 5 year old. I am about to go for a 3rd time (with a 3 and 8 year old) and can’t wait! We get a standard hotel room when they have the regular fall and winter specials and to me it is 1000% worth it.

Once my oldest is 12 though I honestly don’t see us going again. For the price my husband would much rather stay at a non-Disney resort (I know others consider the Disney premium to be justified but he thinks a Westin, Fairmont, or similar is preferable and many have similar pool complexes) and he’s getting antsy about spending so much time on Oahu. For me Aulani will no longer be worth it once the kids age out of Aunties and the excitement of hunting for menehune and the other Disney elements that I truly do think makes Aulani magical for young children. BUT I’m excited to see what is coming after the pool update next year and maybe we’ll keep Aulani in the rotation longer - even my husband who desperately wants us to go somewhere else in HI admits it is a beautifully executed resort.

Obviously this board is full of adults who go there alone and love it so your mmv based on what you are looking for in a resort and your enthusiasm for Disney generally.

Also, coming from FL I think the previous posters comment that you should really want to go to HI itself is important. My MIL lived in FL and I know for her HI was very meh and not worth the long uncomfortable flight and that was without dropping tons of money on a hotel. Given jet lag and flight length I’d evaluate how excited you are about a trip to HI independent of Aulani.

 

[MouseOfCards]

We love Aulani. We've spent time at other hotels around Hawaii and always end up wanting to head back to Aulani. Our little ones still regularly ask us, "Can we go to Hawaii (referring to Aulani) tomorrow? PLEASE!" I wouldn't pay rack rates though. As PP mentioned renting DVC points brings the cost down into the more affordable/acceptable range. Best wishes on your decision!

 

[smjj]

About renting a car to tour the island. Do you rent onsite if you can or do you just rent at the airport and keep it for the length of your stay? Is there a parking fee if staying on on points..ºoº...smjj?..

 

[pharmama]

About renting a car to tour the island. Do you rent onsite if you can or do you just rent at the airport and keep it for the length of your stay? Is there a parking fee if staying on on points..ºoº...smjj?..

Self-Parking is included if you are staying on points. Aulani is not particularly close to the airport so we found it most convenient to rent at the airport and keep the car the whole time. Our flights were also much better (and we could use all miles) if we came in one day earlier so we did one night in Waikiki first. True, the car then sat in the Aulani garage for the first two days we were at Aulani but we got good use of it on other days. Diligent frequent checking of rental car rates got us a good weekly rate on a minivan. If you're not staying on points and have to pay the steep nightly parking fee that might change the equation.

 

[nkereina]

About renting a car to tour the island. Do you rent onsite if you can or do you just rent at the airport and keep it for the length of your stay? Is there a parking fee if staying on on points..ºoº...smjj?..

I agree with PP. Its true that those staying on points do not have to pay for parking. Aulani also does not have airport transportation so if you rent onsite, you still need to pay for a way to get to and from the airport. So IMO, it makes the most sense to rent and return right at the airport. By doing this, you also don't have to pay any extra fees for picking up/dropping off elsewhere. We also got a better rate, and didn't have to worry about the limited availability that onsite Alamo encounters sometimes.

 

[mfleeting]

Is it worth the cost? YES! Would I want to travel from Florida to Hawaii just for Aulani? NOPE! If your wanting a Hawaii vacation I would spend a few days at Aulani and a few days elsewhere enjoying the island. We spent the first part of our week in Waikiki and really enjoyed the beach, watching the surfers, fireworks, being near some island restaurants, and some of the tourist things to do. We also spent some of our time at Aulani just exploring the island and going out to the mountains. Theres so much to do and so much time to just relax and Aulani is the relaxing part (but I didn't like the beach).