Am I crazy for this DL / Aulani plan?

[Mardigras2025]

Thanks everyone for all of your advice!

Polynesian reservation has been cancelled, so this is happening!

On the waitlist for GCH for three nights for a two bedroom! Need to start looking to refundable backups - candy cane, Westin, Pixar place are some preliminary thoughts but have not looked too far into it yet! I know there were some harbor recommendations in this thread I will check out.

Staying 7 nights on Oahu. And now deciding between all 7 nights at Aulani (pricey, but maybe not so much more that the benefits of not moving aren’t worth it), or doing a split stay 3/4 or 4/3. Either turtle bay condos in the north shore (young kid friendly?) or Aston Waikiki beach towers (views, spacious rooms).

Decided against Hilton Hawaiian Village after reading some reviews and seeing some pictures! Maybe will circle back to it, but I’m not sure. I also feel like we get a nicer version of the slides and lagoon at Aulani, so that wouldn’t be necessary for our exploring leg.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I personally would do all Aulani in Hawaii and not Hilton. Mickey and Hawaii together in one

I agree! You can go see Waikiki. It's not far at all by car. I don't see a big need to stay there. I'd much rather be at Aulani and go out on a couple of day trips, maybe one day North Shore and one day Waikiki. That would be enough for me. YMMV

 

[GBBTomorrow]

For those saying to stay in one place on Oahu, would you rather:

- nix Grand Cal and stay at a good neighbor (no early entry, other perks like slightly shorter walk and Disney bubble), and then stay at Aulani for 7 nights

- keep grand cal and don’t stay at aulani at all? Find somewhere else on Oahu

- maintain current plan of three stays, but make middle part at different resort/hotel/timeshare 4 nights

I think for budgetary reasons, 3 nights at Grand Cal followed by 7 nights at Aulani might be hard to swallow, even with renting points.

This is a really good summary. If it were me, I'd stay at the Candy Cane Inn when I was at Disneyland, which is a perfectly nice hotel that is just outside the gates and a super close walk, with a nice breakfast and solid staff, and then use the money I saved from Grand Cali to stay at Aulani the whole time on Oahu.

 

[Mardigras2025]

I agree! You can go see Waikiki. It's not far at all by car. I don't see a big need to stay there. I'd much rather be at Aulani and go out on a couple of day trips, maybe one day North Shore and one day Waikiki. That would be enough for me. YMMV

Thank you! We currently have four ocean view nights booked with points at Aulani, still trying to figure out the middle portion and still considering piecing it together (but past the 7 month mark). My wife’s main point for staying at Aulani the whole time - not moving groceries!

 

[Mardigras2025]

This is a really good summary. If it were me, I'd stay at the Candy Cane Inn when I was at Disneyland, which is a perfectly nice hotel that is just outside the gates and a super close walk, with a nice breakfast and solid staff, and then use the money I saved from Grand Cali to stay at Aulani the whole time on Oahu.

Thank you!! On the wait list at GCH now for a two bedroom for 2 out of the 3 nights (have the third night filled so far). But need a good backup plan / replacement for GCH not coming through. Have a hard time giving up early entry (I know it’s only 30 minutes! But coming from the east coast and trying to fit a lot in for a short time…) and Disney bubble. So I was considering DLH with cash / refundable reservation, but have heard many good things about candy cane inn so definitely want to consider it!

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Thank you!! On the wait list at GCH now for a two bedroom for 2 out of the 3 nights (have the third night filled so far). But need a good backup plan / replacement for GCH not coming through. Have a hard time giving up early entry (I know it’s only 30 minutes! But coming from the east coast and trying to fit a lot in for a short time…) and Disney bubble. So I was considering DLH with cash / refundable reservation, but have heard many good things about candy cane inn so definitely want to consider it!

One thing I'd say, coming from decades at WDW and only experiencing Disneyland since moving to the west coast a few years ago, that 30 minutes may seem way less important to you out here. Disneyland is just such a more laid back experience. People don't seem so obsessed with getting to certain places at certain times and checking things off lists. They tend to go with the flow a lot more, much more like how I remember WDW as a kid and young adult. I can't promise it will be like that for you, but when I've been in Disneyland it feels like a "real" vacation to me. I still love WDW, but there's a lot to be said for the Disneyland vibe. Also, Fastpass/Genie+ always work great out here too, which takes a lot of the pressure off to do "all the things." With three days, you'll actually be able to do everything, even at a relaxed pace.

I'd even add that the Disney Bubble phenomenon doesn't really happen at Disneyland either. The city comes right up to the gates, and even once you're inside the plaza/Downtown Disney area, it doesn't feel that separate from the rest of the world in the same day as WDW does. This isn't a bad thing. Just different.

Hope you have the best time ever on all of it!

 

[OlliePop27]

I would nix GCH and stay on Harbor. There are multi room suite options on Harbor that are almost as close as many rooms at GCH. Benefits on site at DL are limited. You also get to save money. The security situation for EE at GCH I also find to be frustrating. I just stayed offsite in July and losing EE was not impactful at all - coming from someone who thought it would be a negative to lose EE, someone who did EE on the trip prior, someone coming from Central time so it's easier to wake up early in CA, and someome travelling with kids around the ages of yours. Staying in a two bedroom suite with kids and walking 5 minutes to/from hotel to park entrance was bliss! It doesn't have to be GCH for proximity - one of the perks of DLR.

I've stayed at Hilton Hawaiian Village and enjoyed the experience. I don't particularly like Waikiki - too busy and bustling. I don't go to Hawaii for a city experience, I can go to Miami for that (I'm not saying Honolulu and Miami are the same). I'd stay the whole time at Aulani. If it's an option, other islands might even be a better experience. Oahu is great, and each island has it's own charm, but we love Maui most.

It would be even better if Aulani could be on multiple islands!

 

[Mardigras2025]

I would nix GCH and stay on Harbor. There are multi room suite options on Harbor that are almost as close as many rooms at GCH. Benefits on site at DL are limited. You also get to save money. The security situation for EE at GCH I also find to be frustrating. I just stayed offsite in July and losing EE was not impactful at all - coming from someone who thought it would be a negative to lose EE, someone who did EE on the trip prior, someone coming from Central time so it's easier to wake up early in CA, and someome travelling with kids around the ages of yours. Staying in a two bedroom suite with kids and walking 5 minutes to/from hotel to park entrance was bliss! It doesn't have to be GCH for proximity - one of the perks of DLR.

I've stayed at Hilton Hawaiian Village and enjoyed the experience. I don't particularly like Waikiki - too busy and bustling. I don't go to Hawaii for a city experience, I can go to Miami for that (I'm not saying Honolulu and Miami are the same). I'd stay the whole time at Aulani. If it's an option, other islands might even be a better experience. Oahu is great, and each island has it's own charm, but we love Maui most.

It would be even better if Aulani could be on multiple islands!

Thank you! We went to Maui for our honeymoon and loved it so much and really wanted to go back! In fact, the original 2020 Hawaii trip that never happened was 4 nights in Waikiki followed by 6 nights in Maui.

I think with limited time of only 7 nights (unless we eliminated the Disney portion entirely - probably out of the question since that was the whole point of the trip when we were originally going to Poly), we definitely wanted to stay put on one island.

We thought the kids would really enjoy the Aulani and having more amenities on Oahu. And the grandparents would enjoy Pearl Harbor and everything else. Kind of a good “starter island” for kids and first-timers / potential only-timers. Then we could take the kids to Maui another time, when they are a little older. BUT could definitely consider going from Disneyland to 7 nights in Maui, and just skipping Aulani, if that would be more enjoyable for the whole group.

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

I've stayed at Hilton Hawaiian Village and enjoyed the experience. I don't particularly like Waikiki - too busy and bustling. I don't go to Hawaii for a city experience, I can go to Miami for that (I'm not saying Honolulu and Miami are the same). I'd stay the whole time at Aulani. If it's an option, other islands might even be a better experience.

This

 

[WinterSolider]

Yes it's "doable" but I wouldn't.

Oahu needs 8 nights, minimum, to make the flights worth it in my opinion. More nights if this is a "once in a lifetime" trip where you want to do and see everything.

Also, if you're going to do a California stay, you want to do it after Hawaii, not before. Jetlag flying East is worse than jetlag flying west and you want to do your California pit stop when the time change is working against you, and do the longer flight when the time change is in your favor.

 

[Mardigras2025]

Yes it's "doable" but I wouldn't.

Oahu needs 8 nights, minimum, to make the flights worth it in my opinion. More nights if this is a "once in a lifetime" trip where you want to do and see everything.

Also, if you're going to do a California stay, you want to do it after Hawaii, not before. Jetlag flying East is worse than jetlag flying west and you want to do your California pit stop when the time change is working against you, and do the longer flight when the time change is in your favor.

Thanks! We currently have 7 nights in Oahu, which works out to nearly 8 days since we come home on the redeye. I contemplated trying to make it 8 nights, but thought that 7 might be enough with young kids not being able to do and see everything. It may be a once in a lifetime trip for the grandparents, but we will be back to Hawaii. We aren't island hopping, so had assumed that would be enough time to properly scratch the surface of Oahu. I will strongly consider trying to make it 8 nights, which would make the trip 11 nights total. Seems a little long for everyone to be gone, but I am basically missing two weeks of work no matter what, so what's the harm in another night?

Our thought process on DL first was that we can recover from the HI jet lag at home and will just want to be home at that point after being on that long flight. I can't really imagine wanting to do 3 days at a theme park after spending a week or more in HI and having jet lag, it sounds exhausting. The other way around seemed more doable with young kids - ease into the HI time change by spending time on the West Coast, then recover from HI at home. But I have heard this advice from multiple people, so will definitely consider it.

 

[WinterSolider]

Thanks! We currently have 7 nights in Oahu, which works out to nearly 8 days since we come home on the redeye. I contemplated trying to make it 8 nights, but thought that 7 might be enough with young kids not being able to do and see everything. It may be a once in a lifetime trip for the grandparents, but we will be back to Hawaii. We aren't island hopping, so had assumed that would be enough time to properly scratch the surface of Oahu. I will strongly consider trying to make it 8 nights, which would make the trip 11 nights total. Seems a little long for everyone to be gone, but I am basically missing two weeks of work no matter what, so what's the harm in another night?

Broad-strokes "must-do" activities that take up full days IMO:

1. Pearl Harbor
2. North Shore (Dole Plantation and/or Green World Coffee Farm on the way if you want to do either or both)
3. Something cultural (Polynesian Cultural Center or Bishop Museum or similar)
4. Family hike (Diamond Head or Ka'ena Point or similar)
5. Beach day
6. Resort day (or two half days)

That gobbles up a full 7-night trip pretty quick with not a lot of wiggle room, and doesn't include things like Kualoa Ranch or boat excursions or a second beach day or a second hike day or more resort time or grocery shopping or church if you need or want to do any of those things.

Our thought process on DL first was that we can recover from the HI jet lag at home and will just want to be home at that point after being on that long flight. I can't really imagine wanting to do 3 days at a theme park after spending a week or more in HI and having jet lag, it sounds exhausting. The other way around seemed more doable with young kids - ease into the HI time change by spending time on the West Coast, then recover from HI at home. But I have heard this advice from multiple people, so will definitely consider it.

Honestly I think regardless of how you split it up, the mental hurdle of a Disneyland stay on either end of the trip is going to make the whole endeavor just a little bit more chaotic than it's worth. I know it's tempting to look at California as "on the way" to Hawaii but from a logistics perspective as well as all the moving pieces of trip planning with multiple generations, I would generally just advise to do your Disneyland vacation another year.

Obviously your list of must-dos will be different from mine, but I think a 9 or 10 night Oahu vacation would be more fulfilling and relaxing than a 7+3 or 8+3 Oahu and Disneyland vacation. I think 7+3 is going to leave you wishing "I wish we had more time for X, or I wish we had spent more time appreciating the resort, or holy crap I am absolutely exhausted."

 

[Mardigras2025]

Broad-strokes "must-do" activities that take up full days IMO:

1. Pearl Harbor
2. North Shore (Dole Plantation and/or Green World Coffee Farm on the way if you want to do either or both)
3. Something cultural (Polynesian Cultural Center or Bishop Museum or similar)
4. Family hike (Diamond Head or Ka'ena Point or similar)
5. Beach day
6. Resort day (or two half days)

That gobbles up a full 7-night trip pretty quick with not a lot of wiggle room, and doesn't include things like Kualoa Ranch or boat excursions or a second beach day or a second hike day or more resort time or grocery shopping or church if you need or want to do any of those things.


Honestly I think regardless of how you split it up, the mental hurdle of a Disneyland stay on either end of the trip is going to make the whole endeavor just a little bit more chaotic than it's worth. I know it's tempting to look at California as "on the way" to Hawaii but from a logistics perspective as well as all the moving pieces of trip planning with multiple generations, I would generally just advise to do your Disneyland vacation another year.

Obviously your list of must-dos will be different from mine, but I think a 9 or 10 night Oahu vacation would be more fulfilling and relaxing than a 7+3 or 8+3 Oahu and Disneyland vacation. I think 7+3 is going to leave you wishing "I wish we had more time for X, or I wish we had spent more time appreciating the resort, or holy crap I am absolutely exhausted."

Very good points, thank you! It does sound exhausting... CA is "on the way" for us since we do not have direct flights anyway, but definitely get the point. We wanted to do Disneyland (or Disney World) at 6.5 and 4, before our daughter got too old "for the magic." So we had a weeklong WDW trip booked at the Poly, but then I just started to have second thoughts on the week - the relative expense, the ultimate exhaustion of many park days, and my mind went to a shorter DL trip, followed by HI. I justified it by fulfilling the COVID HI trip that got cancelled, mother-in-law's 60th birthday, our 10th anniversary, first Disney trip, etc. BUT I definitely can see that this is trying to cram too much into a short amount of time.

Definitely wanted to do North Shore, multiple hikes, see other beaches, experience different food, and enjoy Aulani. Pearl Harbor would be adults-only, and potentially skipping Dole Plantation, PCC and Bishop Museum on this trip. Definitely had Kualoa Ranch on our list, and considered a glass bottom boat (our kids are probably too small for dolphin/whale excursions). Adults could consider PCC, Bishop Museum, whale excursion, or more moderate snorkeling, but I don't know how often our group will want to split up.

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

Dole Plantation is a good pit stop between Aulani and the north shore.

 

[WinterSolider]

Dole Plantation is a good pit stop between Aulani and the north shore.

As long as you get there before the tour buses from Waikiki show up.

 

[longboard55]

If you have a 10 year old the Dole Pineapple Maze will be the highlight of their trip. Yes I am serious

 

[Mardigras2025]

If you have a 10 year old the Dole Pineapple Maze will be the highlight of their trip. Yes I am serious

How about a 6 and 4 year old?? I had heard it might be a skip, but if it’s a kids highlight we might stop there on the way to north shore.

 

[Clarigirl10]

We did a split stay in Hawaii this past May. We actually enjoyed the Hilton Hawaiian Village - the price point was good and lots to do at the resort. We are planning to do a split stay next year at the Ritz Waikiki and then Four Seasons or Aulani... I think if it makes more sense financially, you don't need to do your whole stay at Aulani.

 

[Mardigras2025]

We did a split stay in Hawaii this past May. We actually enjoyed the Hilton Hawaiian Village - the price point was good and lots to do at the resort. We are planning to do a split stay next year at the Ritz Waikiki and then Four Seasons or Aulani... I think if it makes more sense financially, you don't need to do your whole stay at Aulani.

Thank you! We now currently have 3 nights in Aston Waikiki Beach Tower, followed by 4 nights in Aulani. It saves us about $1,700, so a better financial decision. A lot, but in the grand scheme of the trip you could argue to spend that much more for the convenience of being in one place could be worth it. But our current opinion is that this is our first trip to Oahu, so we wanted to do diamond head, eastern beaches, and Waikiki during our first leg, and then focus on Aulani and north shore during that part of the trip. We still go back and forth though on one place vs. two, but thought especially for the grandparents to start somewhere else would be nice.

 

[longboard55]

How about a 6 and 4 year old?? I had heard it might be a skip, but if it’s a kids highlight we might stop there on the way to north shore.

Just don't let dad cheat and open the solution early