Just checked into Aulani...

[dianeschlicht]

<sigh>. Lonesome for paradise.

Yeah, and I'm sad that we only have a couple more days here!

 

[wcpamotm]

Thank you Diane for sharing your trip with us! We'll be going later this year and will be splitting time between Aulani and Hawaii as well, and now I'm all the more excited!

 

[CarolMN]

I still occasionally think about the Hawaiian sunset we watched in 2000. Thanks for sparking that special memory.

Sorry your vacation will be ending soon. Twin Cities is currently enjoying a bit of a dry spell (no snow) with high temperatures in the low 30's.

 

[ACDSNY]

Enjoying your pics of the Big Island, we'll be sure to check out Pu'uhanau Ohanaunau National Park. We're spending 3 nights on the rim of the crater and then 4 nights on the Kona side.

We loved Aulani and agree the service is top notch.

 

[dianeschlicht]

On our last night we went up to the observatory and did their star watch program. You can not believe how clear and special it is up there! The stars are so numerous, you can hardly see any black between them! You can even see the arms of our own Milky Way Galaxy. It was one of the most special things we did, and it was impossible to photograph.

 

[jekjones1558]

On our last night we went up to the observatory and did their star watch program. You can not believe how clear and special it is up there! The stars are so numerous, you can hardly see any black between them! You can even see the arms of our own Milky Way Galaxy. It was one of the most special things we did, and it was impossible to photograph.

I've never done this. Where is it?
P.S. DH suggested that I should go to Hawaii with my DSis next year. I told him that it didn't seem fair to him and he said that was silly. So I might get to go back to my favorite place on earth after all! I will probably be PMing you with a ton of questions.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I've never done this. Where is it?
P.S. DH suggested that I should go to Hawaii with my DSis next year. I told him that it didn't seem fair to him and he said that was silly. So I might get to go back to my favorite place on earth after all! I will probably be PMing you with a ton of questions.

Message away, Jean! The observatory is on the summit of Mauna Kia on Big Island.

 

[dianeschlicht]

The day after we got home I received a call from Member Satisfaction regarding the issues I saw with the hot tubs at Aulani. The Mem. Sat. team person I spoke with totally agreed that it was certainly something that COULD and SHOULD be done at Aulani, and she was going to bring it up to the officers at the next board meeting. She even volunteered that it was already a practice on the cruise ships, so it should be easier to do at a resort than on a ship. I also told her how wonderful we thought every other aspect of Aulani was. I even mentioned how impressed we were with the housekeeping standards there over what we see at WDW resorts.

 

[bwvBound]

Well done, Diane! {{Applause!}}

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am unfamiliar with a time that the hot tubs on the ships are unavailable for youngsters, but there ARE hot tubs in the adult only section.

I applaud you for bringing this up to MS!

Bobbi

 

[jekjones1558]

Good for you, Diane. Maybe I will benefit from your action if I make it to Aulani.

 

[wdrl]

The day after we got home I received a call from Member Satisfaction regarding the issues I saw with the hot tubs at Aulani. {snip} She even volunteered that it was already a practice on the cruise ships, so it should be easier to do at a resort than on a ship.

I agree that it would be nice if there was an adults-only area at Aulani. But I'm not sure that making an adults-only area at Aulani would be easier to do than on a cruise ship.

We just sailed on the Disney Magic and enjoyed the adult pool area on the ship. The adults-only areas on the Magic are forward on Deck 9 and there is little through traffic; kids and families normally don't have to walk through the adult area to get to the other parts of the ship. Its almost as if the Magic's adult pool is "Out of sight, out of mind" to kids. At Aulani, the hot tubs are conveniently located in the normal traffic patterns around the pool area and easily noticed by kids.

The Disney Magic's adult pool is nice, but I suspect most kids would find it boring compared to the two family pools on the Magic. One family pool has the Mickey slide and the other has the Funnel Vision Movie screen that shows movies most of the day and night. Plus, the Cruise Staff frequently stages events geared for kids at the two family pools. Nothing exciting like that happens at the adult pool on the Magic. By comparison, Aulani's two-level hot tub doesn't look "boring" and attracts kids like a magnet. What kid wouldn't think how neat it would be to go over the waterfall from one level to the next?

Also, the free ice cream and soft drink stations are much, much closer to the family pools than they are to the adult pool. These stations were always busy with kids.

All of these factors help isolate the adult pool on the Disney Magic from most kids.

Perhaps Disney will put some adult only hot tubs near the Wailana Leisure pool when it reopens this summer. When we were at Aulani in September, the Wailana Leisure pool was a lot less crowded than the main pool. Given its location, I believed it was easily overlooked by the majority of guests. And since it had no water slides, pool parties, or other cool features, I don't think kids wanted to spend much time at the Wailana pool compared to the main pool.

 

[DenLo]

From the Aulani website:

For the ultimate in outdoor relaxation at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, unwind with a dip in one of 4 whirlpool spas.

CONVENIENT LOCATIONS
Whirlpool spas are located in 3 areas at the Resort:

One whirlpool spa near Waikolohe Pool
One whirlpool spa near Waikolohe Stream
Two whirlpool spas at Alohi Pointa scenic oceanfront overlook
Whether you prefer all the action of Waikolohe Valley or the soothing scenery of Alohi Point, you'll find a whirlpool spa in a setting that suits your mood.

ABOUT ALOHI POINT
At Alohi Point, savor gentle ocean breezes, colorful sunsets and sweeping views as you let your cares drift away. Here, the 2 terraced whirlpool spas feature an infinity edgegiving the dramatic illusion that they extend directly into the Pacific Ocean.

This is the perfect place for parents to enjoy a soothing escape or romantic moment while the little ones play at Aunty's Beach House.

I really think these infinity whirlpools need to be for adults only. First for safety reasons. I never saw kids jumping from the top one to the bottom but heard about it. And secondly, why can't adults have something of their own at Aulani? It doesn't all have to be about families. Just one place to escape for awhile. And there are two other whirlpools tucked in around the main pool and the lazy river, families could use those spas. But as it families use all of them. It is a shame they don't have plans to add a whirlpool spa to the area right in front of the Ama' Ama' restaurant. There are a ton of chairs and lounges out there, but all are in the sun, no umbrellas as it might block the view. But IMO during the day they could have umbrellas there and take them down for evening dining.

I think it would be nice to have an adult pool too, but Aulani isn't set up for it. If they had put an adult area where they built the new Starlit Hui section it would have worked. But they really need to expand the pool area for families. And the new pool area will be right next to a 4 foot deep pool, Wailana Pool, that would be ideal for adults. But since the new cafe restaurant will be in the end cap of the Waianae building (which is closed during the construction), that means the traffic from the water play area and the new pool will pretty much walk right by the Wailana Pool, which could be a potential adult pool. Not very quiet and relaxing.

My final wish is that Aulani adds twice as many umbrellas as they think they'll need. As it is families have a tendency to take all of the umbrella covered chairs just in case their kids who live in the pool come out. That will give us couples a chance for some shade. Saving seats near the pool is as worse at Aulani as any cruise ship. But the CMs do ask if anybody has used the chair in the last hour and clean them up each afternoon. I just wish they would removing towels earlier in the morning.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree that it would be nice if there was an adults-only area at Aulani. But I'm not sure that making an adults-only area at Aulani would be easier to do than on a cruise ship.

We just sailed on the Disney Magic and enjoyed the adult pool area on the ship. The adults-only areas on the Magic are forward on Deck 9 and there is little through traffic; kids and families normally don't have to walk through the adult area to get to the other parts of the ship. Its almost as if the Magic's adult pool is "Out of sight, out of mind" to kids. At Aulani, the hot tubs are conveniently located in the normal traffic patterns around the pool area and easily noticed by kids.

The Disney Magic's adult pool is nice, but I suspect most kids would find it boring compared to the two family pools on the Magic. One family pool has the Mickey slide and the other has the Funnel Vision Movie screen that shows movies most of the day and night. Plus, the Cruise Staff frequently stages events geared for kids at the two family pools. Nothing exciting like that happens at the adult pool on the Magic. By comparison, Aulani's two-level hot tub doesn't look "boring" and attracts kids like a magnet. What kid wouldn't think how neat it would be to go over the waterfall from one level to the next?

Also, the free ice cream and soft drink stations are much, much closer to the family pools than they are to the adult pool. These stations were always busy with kids.

All of these factors help isolate the adult pool on the Disney Magic from most kids.

Perhaps Disney will put some adult only hot tubs near the Wailana Leisure pool when it reopens this summer. When we were at Aulani in September, the Wailana Leisure pool was a lot less crowded than the main pool. Given its location, I believed it was easily overlooked by the majority of guests. And since it had no water slides, pool parties, or other cool features, I don't think kids wanted to spend much time at the Wailana pool compared to the main pool.

I don't even care if there is a total "adults only" hot tub, but I DO wish there was an "adults only" TIME for the hot tubs. I'd be happy if the infinity edge pools were adults only the frist 2 and last 2 hours of the pool day. It's just odd to me that they bill that one as an adult get away, but we found it to be more of a kiddie pool.

 

[dianeschlicht]

From the Aulani website:



I really think these infinity whirlpools need to be for adults only. First for safety reasons. I never saw kids jumping from the top one to the bottom but heard about it. And secondly, why can't adults have something of their own at Aulani? It doesn't all have to be about families. Just one place to escape for awhile. And there are two other whirlpools tucked in around the main pool and the lazy river, families could use those spas. But as it families use all of them. It is a shame they don't have plans to add a whirlpool spa to the area right in front of the Ama' Ama' restaurant. There are a ton of chairs and lounges out there, but all are in the sun, no umbrellas as it might block the view. But IMO during the day they could have umbrellas there and take them down for evening dining.

I like the way you think! As you quoted, they DO bill the infinity spa as an adult relaxation place. NOT going to happen unless they make it adults only. But As I said in the previous post, I'd be happy if they would just give us a couple of hours a day. Yes, we DID see several kids jumping from the upper to the lower pool, but it was later in the afternoon when the cast members weren't there observing.

Beyond the kiddie pool aspect we witnessed, I really am not excited about sitting in a hot tub that lots of kids MAY use as a kiddie potty.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I am unfamiliar with a time that the hot tubs on the ships are unavailable for youngsters, but there ARE hot tubs in the adult only section.

I applaud you for bringing this up to MS!

Bobbi

Bobbi, that is what the MS cast member said was the precident for an adults only tub at Aulani too. She said if there was room for it on a cruise ship, there certainly should be room for it at a resort like Aulani.