A Tale of Two Trips: Disneyland and Hawaii July 2014 Long Way Home: The End 9/13 p.40

[natebenma]

Love reading about HI! Also enjoyed the DL portion, but really looking forward to this part of your TR. You really did luck out with your view, spectacular!

Oh good! Definitely more to come.

We were blown away by our view at the Grand Californian in DL but I think we liked this view even more. There were so many interesting things to look at. On the last morning of our stay there, just before checking out, we saw a fire in the hillside.

Ahhhh- Hawaii! You must of been sooooo excited to get to this leg of the trip!

Great view. I have heard good things about this hotel and look forward to your review. It would be hard for me to be on Oahu and not see Aulani.

We were really excited- we love the beach and the tropics and we were looking forward to all of the exciting adventures we would have over the next 10 days.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village was awesome. I'll be touring the grounds of the resort in my next update.

Score on the room location and view! I lucked out on my one work stay. I was back from the beach and interestingly enough my building had it's own check in desk which was lucky as that is where I went first. Now at least I know where the other one is lol!

Too funny on the Sequoia seeds. I have to admit it is likely we would not have even remembered we had them, or if we did mentioned them.

Aulani is a slice of heaven. But after many trips navigating the island, it is not ideal for seeing many of the city sights especially for a shorter trip. Given Honolulu traffic, I think you made the right call.

I'm now hoping my kids won't whine after only one night there followed by 5 at Aulani!

A great place for coffee on the balcony. Although every morning had an early morning activity on tap, so we didn't get to spend a lot of time lingering.

We may have been able to check in right in the lobby in our building, but since we didn't know which tower we were in, we had to go to the main lobby. We did checkout there, though.

The sequoia seed episode is really funny looking back, but it was a bit disconcerting as it was happening. We really did not know how much this little souvenir would cost us in vacation time.

Someday I would love to stay at Aulani and experience other parts of Oahu, but since our trip was centralized with activities on the southside/Waikiki area of the island, the HHV was perfect for us.

This was the boys favorite resort in Hawaii because of all of the activity, but Mark and I preferred the one in Maui. Unfortunately, we heard an unbelievable amount of teen whining during our stay on the islands. Occasionally from ours but mostly from kids in other families. Are you kidding me?????

There is no question that we made the right call not renting a car in Honolulu, although we would have avoided a very sketchy incident if we had our own car.

Dun-dun-dunnnnnn...

 

[jenseib]

Loving it already!!!!

 

[eandesmom]

A great place for coffee on the balcony. Although every morning had an early morning activity on tap, so we didn't get to spend a lot of time lingering.

We may have been able to check in right in the lobby in our building, but since we didn't know which tower we were in, we had to go to the main lobby. We did checkout there, though.

The sequoia seed episode is really funny looking back, but it was a bit disconcerting as it was happening. We really did not know how much this little souvenir would cost us in vacation time.

Someday I would love to stay at Aulani and experience other parts of Oahu, but since our trip was centralized with activities on the southside/Waikiki area of the island, the HHV was perfect for us.

This was the boys favorite resort in Hawaii because of all of the activity, but Mark and I preferred the one in Maui. Unfortunately, we heard an unbelievable amount of teen whining during our stay on the islands. Occasionally from ours but mostly from kids in other families. Are you kidding me?????

There is no question that we made the right call not renting a car in Honolulu, although we would have avoided a very sketchy incident if we had our own car.

Dun-dun-dunnnnnn...

Luckily I do know my way around so the driving part is pretty easy and i do know the traffic patterns which helps with the planning.

I am worried about whining and "I am bored".

What activities did the boys like at HHV?

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Wow, I'm quite surprised to hear you had to fill out customs forms. I never would have thought that. Glad everything seemed to go quick, and on the plus side, your conscience is clear.

That's quite the view for 2nd floor!

 

[MEK]

That resort is gorgeous. So glad you were able to find the perfect resort for your family and for the activities you had planned.

I absolutely love the view. Just lovely.

But why the confusion getting to the right floor? That's sort of crazy.

Can't wait to read all about Hawaii!

 

[Wood Nymph]

We heard a lot of whining when we took our teen girls to Maui. Less time sightseeing and more time at the beach fixed the problem, though.

I can't wait to read more about your Hawaii trip.

 

[HockeyMomR]

Ahhhh. Lovely view. Pretty pictures looking forward to more to come!

 

[natebenma]

Loving it already!!!!

I am so glad to hear that! Thank you so much!

Wow, I'm quite surprised to hear you had to fill out customs forms. I never would have thought that. Glad everything seemed to go quick, and on the plus side, your conscience is clear.

That's quite the view for 2nd floor!

It was pretty anticlimactic going to Agricultural desk after we had built it up in our minds.

I'm not sure I have ever been happier to be wrong about an assumption. We haven't stayed at many multi-floored buildings with the kids, so I guess thinking we were on the 20th floor did not occur to us when we saw the room number.

Duh!

That resort is gorgeous. So glad you were able to find the perfect resort for your family and for the activities you had planned.

I absolutely love the view. Just lovely.

But why the confusion getting to the right floor? That's sort of crazy.

Can't wait to read all about Hawaii!

We really were happy about the resort and the view. There were just so many different and interesting things to look at depending on the direction and time of day.

It was weird that we were not the only ones confused at the room location. I guess they didn't explain it very well (or at all) at checkin. Jet lag. I'm gonna go with that as an excuse.

We heard a lot of whining when we took our teen girls to Maui. Less time sightseeing and more time at the beach fixed the problem, though.

I can't wait to read more about your Hawaii trip.

That is one of the reasons we skipped the road to Hana on Maui- did not want to be stuck in a vehicle with whining teens for 6 plus hours! At least when you are at the beach, some of the whining is downwind or you can stick your head underwater at the beach to drown it out.

Ahhhh. Lovely view. Pretty pictures looking forward to more to come!

Thanks! More pretty pictures coming up.

 

[natebenma]

Luckily I do know my way around so the driving part is pretty easy and i do know the traffic patterns which helps with the planning.

I am worried about whining and "I am bored".

What activities did the boys like at HHV?

We don't like driving. Period. So I would rather poke needles in my eye than drive in places like LA or Honolulu.

I will post some pictures/info about the resort after I do replies. My boys liked this resort the most out of the places we stayed in Hawaii. I think it was mainly due to the shopping/restaurant area.

We were fairly busy and did not have a lot of downtime at the resort.

We hit a pool once or twice, but my guys, especially Nate, does not generally like to go into pools. He is a social swimmer. If his friends are around, he will swim. I suspect your teens would enjoy one or more of the pools, especially if it is not crowded. We did not try, or even see, the waterslide but it is probably worth checking out.

We did take a dip in the ocean, but the beach right at resort did not blow us away. But the rest of Waikiki can't be beat for gorgeous views and people watching- the surfers and paddleboarders.

There is an activities lagoon with some water sports (kayaking, paddle boats- your guys are experts, I believe, and SUP-Stand Up Paddleboard). We didn't check into prices, but I'm guessing $$$.

We ate at the resort a lot because my family does not always like to push the envelope. Japanese Hatsuhana and CJs Deli were favorites. Nate said he loved the pancakes, which you could get all day (pictures to be posted shortly)

We made a couple of trips to the ice cream place (Lapperts)

Nate and Ben really love military history, so Mark took them to the nearby US Army Museum for a couple of hours. I believe the admission was by donation since it is government run. I didn't tag along for this excursion, so I had some afternoon alone time. Didn't suck!

If you are taking a walk along the beach, by all means avoid the stand selling shave ice at the resort next door. Do not fall for the sandwich board sign that say "Best Shave Ice on Waikiki". It isn't!

 

[natebenma]

.

 

[natebenma]

Once we got settled in, we walked to Waikiki beach, probably an 8-10 minute walk from our room. Never timed it.











It was around 2:30 pm (which was really more like 5 pm for us coming from California time), so we needed to find something to eat. We looked around at the restaurants in the shopping village and decided to eat at a Japanese place called Hatsuhana.





The food was incredible!



Gyoza


Tako (Tuna) Poke




Nate and I both ordered the Tempura Udon & California Roll

Ben got the Zaru Udon & California Roll. Looks like I don’t have a picture of this, but I have no idea why not.


Pineapple Juice

Total was $78.00 plus tip.


Once we had some food in our bellies, we went back to our room to change into swimsuits and get ready to explore the resort.

The first thing we did was return to the beach where we took our very first dip ever in the Pacific Ocean:







Views from the water






Our swim was quick and it was time for us to walk around and get acquainted with this huge, beautiful resort.


Continued in Next Post, First Dip in the Pacific and Splash!

 

[natebenma]

There were pools:

According to the resort’s website, there are 5 pools including a 10,000 square foot Super Pool plus the multilayered Paradise Pool, featuring dramatic waterfalls and the largest waterslide in Waikiki.













There is the 5 acre salt water Duke Kahanamoku Activities Lagoon, with kayaking, paddleboats and SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboards). We never did get over here when activities were going on, and I don’t have a list of the prices for the different activities.

Here is the one picture I do have, from one of our early evening walks:




Lots of pretty flora and fauna, landscaping and statues around the resort:















I had read that there were live penguins that you could visit on the property, but they were no longer at the resort by the time of our trip.


Statues







This picture came with a price.




I’m not sure where Mark was, I think returning towels after our swim in the ocean. I stopped to take pictures of this tiki that was in front of one of buildings. The boys stopped to wait for me. All of a sudden a stream of water fell from above right onto Nate’s head. It was a significant amount of water. We still have no idea what it was or where it came from or how it just perfectly splashed onto Nate and no one else.

EWWWWW!!!!

We laughed. One of those you just can’t help yourself, that was unbelievable sort of laughs. Nate actually was laughing, too. Fortunately, we were headed back to the room at the time, and I think Nate jumped into the shower.

After unpacking during a little break at the room, we had just enough steam to have dinner and do some shopping at the market at the resort.


Continued in Next Post: Dinner at CJ's Deli/ABC Markethttp://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52828963&postcount=393http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52828963&postcount=393

 

[natebenma]

CJ’s Diner:

The menu at CJ's Diner really appealed to us- they served breakfast all day, which is a big attraction for our pancake lover Nate. Plus they had a wide range of sandwiches and other entrees.

I opted for something with a Hawaiian twist.



Triple Play: Mini Wagyu Beef Loco Moco, Mini Macadamia Nut and Coconut Pancakes with Strawberries and Eggs Benedict with Gourmet Bacon, Tomato and Avocado

This was really yummy, although the pancakes were not as good as my favorite Pineapple and Macadamia Pancakes at Kona Café at the Poly.



Kahlua Pork Slider





Blueberry Pancakes and Banana Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

Everything was excellent!!


After our dinner, we were really starting to lose steam from our long day of travel and exploring the resort, but we needed to pick up a few things for the next morning.


The ABC Market is a grocery and gift shop right in the center of the shopping area.

There were drinks, prepared foods and other snacks, toiletries and medicine, clothing (Hawaiian shirts), other souvenirs, beach toys, and a lot more.


























We purchased a few items so we would be prepared for breakfast the following day, which was going to be an early one for us.


Next Up: Pearl Harborhttp://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52876180&postcount=410

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Waikiki beach... that just sounds right doesn't it? Like every beach tries to be that famous but just can''t do it.

Was the water cold? I've always heard the Pacific Ocean is cold. Maybe not there though.

That place looks like paradise. I love a place with a lot of lush Flora.

 

[jenseib]

Now I am trying to figure out how to plan a trip to hawaii!!!

Lunch looks so yummy!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Wow brilliant room view-I'm all about hte lit up night-time views so I too would have slept with the curtains open
The resort looks lovely but goodness the beach is just gorgeous. Such pristine sand and clear skies make me want to visit

 

[Wood Nymph]

Your ABC store pictures remind me of some of the foods that are unique to Hawaii that we always bought when we stayed in a condo in Kauai. We always bought some breakfast food, with guava jelly and Hawaiian coffee on the must have list. I also really like the Hawaiian soda:

Lilikoi was my favorite flavor.

 

[eandesmom]

Ah the ABC Store. I do love that place. It really is incredibly handy when on vacation. I was amazed how many are actually in Waikiki, I knew there were a lot but boy, people joke about how close Starbucks are to each other and this puts it to shame. I wouldn't be surprised if there were 20 between the start and end of the main drag there.

It really is great for cheap souvenirs and some of their food/booze prices aren't bad. Some of the food is outrageous but oh it is handy! They sell a special granola there than I've only found there. Reading your update reminded me I didn't buy myself any when I was there in December so I went online and just ordered myself a big bag! YUM!

The soda's/juice make me smile. They are actually pretty tasty although on the sweet side. Costco does a nice mixed case, maybe I will get that for the boys this next trip instead of soda for the room as I don't think they've tried any of them.

Your meals looked outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am definitely keeping CJ's in mind if folks are too hungry to stroll.

What the did boys think of the pools? Especially the main one? Or were you mostly in the ocean.

 

[natebenma]

Waikiki beach... that just sounds right doesn't it? Like every beach tries to be that famous but just can''t do it.

Was the water cold? I've always heard the Pacific Ocean is cold. Maybe not there though.

That place looks like paradise. I love a place with a lot of lush Flora.

It was really surreal to actually be at beach that famous!

Now, Rob are you an ocean-goer? I am surprised to hear that question from you since you live north of me. I am from New England where ocean water temp upwards of 68 degrees is downright tropical.

Water felt awesome!

The resort was big and beautiful and it was lovely just to walk around.

Now I am trying to figure out how to plan a trip to hawaii!!!

Lunch looks so yummy!

You really should!!!

Lunch and dinner were both excellent, in fact we ended up going back to both places for another meal later in the week.

Wow brilliant room view-I'm all about hte lit up night-time views so I too would have slept with the curtains open
The resort looks lovely but goodness the beach is just gorgeous. Such pristine sand and clear skies make me want to visit

We loved the view at all times of day, but the night was definitely the most magical.

The resort was gorgeous. The beach was wonderful, although I liked the stretch of Waikiki past our resort more than the area that was right there. The water did not seem as clear as it was elsewhere.

But I LOVED that you could look down the beach and see Diamond Head!!!

Your ABC store pictures remind me of some of the foods that are unique to Hawaii that we always bought when we stayed in a condo in Kauai. We always bought some breakfast food, with guava jelly and Hawaiian coffee on the must have list. I also really like the Hawaiian soda:

Lilikoi was my favorite flavor.

It was fun shopping here, and then when we were on Maui at an actual grocery store. We tried a few of the Hawaiian sodas and I got the lilikoi since I am a sucker for passionfruit. One of my favorite flavors.

Ah the ABC Store. I do love that place. It really is incredibly handy when on vacation. I was amazed how many are actually in Waikiki, I knew there were a lot but boy, people joke about how close Starbucks are to each other and this puts it to shame. I wouldn't be surprised if there were 20 between the start and end of the main drag there.

It really is great for cheap souvenirs and some of their food/booze prices aren't bad. Some of the food is outrageous but oh it is handy! They sell a special granola there than I've only found there. Reading your update reminded me I didn't buy myself any when I was there in December so I went online and just ordered myself a big bag! YUM!

The soda's/juice make me smile. They are actually pretty tasty although on the sweet side. Costco does a nice mixed case, maybe I will get that for the boys this next trip instead of soda for the room as I don't think they've tried any of them.

Your meals looked outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am definitely keeping CJ's in mind if folks are too hungry to stroll.

What the did boys think of the pools? Especially the main one? Or were you mostly in the ocean.

I don't think we got any granola, but we did try the Maui onion chips on your recommendation, and "Yum!"

CJ's was great. As I mentioned above, we returned to both Hatsuhana and CJ's for other meals later in the week.

Unfortunately, my boys are the wrong ones to ask about pools. We tend to spend more time in the ocean, although I think we only took a couple of dips while there. Ben and I went to one of the pools, but it was not the main pool and it was ok. Less crowded than the main pool. Never saw the water slide.

 

[KatMark]

Dee, sorry I got a bit behind.

you've arrived in Hawaii. Your pictures bring back wonderfu memories of our honeymoon there almost 32 years ago.

The resort you stayed at looks quite lovely.

And I'm wondering if it is lunch time as I am drooling over all of your food pictures.

Beautiful beach.

at the water on Nate's head.