At Aulani Right Now, And…

[Paul Stupin]

Just thought I’d weigh in with some random observations.

1. Definitely not as busy, which definitely makes things more pleasant than usual. Water is refreshing, everything looks well cared for and pretty much in good shape. Even all the torches in front are working, and look quite fiery!

2. Maybe this is just new to us, but after a long walk after dinner, we walked by the pool just in time to see a poolside show we’d never seen before, with hula dancers, and three vocalists, two women and a gentlemen. Quite beautiful original music, with Aulani incorporated into the lyrics. We have a song! And it’s pretty good!

3. Seems like the stars are even more visible at night than usual…the nighttime sky seems so crisp and crystal clear.

4. Sad news re my beloved Meile Deck, the casabella seating area below the loungers but above the beach in front of Ama Ama. Management has replaced the old casabellas with new ones, no longer made of wood, but an iron frame with nylon weaving. The big problem isn’t that they look kinda cheap, which they do, but that the hood overhead is only partially adjustable. It stops about halfway up, so they provide next to no protection from either sun or rain, rendering them, for us, unusable. We complained to the manager of the area, who used the exact same canned phrase our attendant said earlier, “We’re aware of the problem and are currently working with the manufacturer to come up with a solution.” Uh, yeah, right. What a dumb mistake! The employees also told us they had no idea who from Disney actually ordered the new furniture, or if the order even originated in Hawaii. And the “solution” seems pretty obvious to me. Buy new ones!

5. Ok, this is scary, but not as bad as it sounds. Killed a cockroach in the bathroom two nights ago. Called housekeeping immediately and they sent someone up. He asked me if I had kept the door open without the screen closed, which I had, by mistake, earlier that day. Turns out they’re outside and can fly in. Haven’t seen any others. So keep the screen doors closed! They call these particular large, brown cockroaches “B52s.”

6. Adult pool area has been serene, peaceful and a great place to hang out!

7. Why do guests FaceTime relatives at the pool area, put them on speakerphone, and then crank up the volume so loud that everyone nearby can hear them?

8. The breakfast at the ABC store is really good! Delicious fresh cooked omelettes, great acai bowls and coffee. It’s worth giving it a try. Aside from the $2 for each banana, it’s very reasonably priced.

8. Annoyances aside, it’s a great resort and we’re having a wonderful time.

That’s it for now!

 

[OKW Lover]

1. Definitely not as busy, which definitely makes things more pleasant than usual.

Thanks for the report. I'm envious of you being there. Especially since I have to wait until much later this year to go myself!

Curious as to your frame of reference on the comment above. Not as busy as what? What dates have you been there before?

 

[Dobermanns]

4. Sad news re my beloved Meile Deck, the casabella seating area below the loungers but above the beach in front of Ama Ama. Management has replaced the old casabellas with new ones, no longer made of wood, but an iron frame with nylon weaving. The big problem isn’t that they look kinda cheap, which they do, but that the hood overhead is only partially adjustable. It stops about halfway up, so they provide next to no protection from either sun or rain, rendering them, for us, unusable. We complained to the manager of the area, who used the exact same canned phrase our attendant said earlier, “We’re aware of the problem and are currently working with the manufacturer to come up with a solution.” Uh, yeah, right. What a dumb mistake! The employees also told us they had no idea who from Disney actually ordered the new furniture, or if the order even originated in Hawaii. And the “solution” seems pretty obvious to me. Buy new ones!

Oh no! We have these booked for the next few days! Well, we’ll see in a few couple hours

 

[Paul Stupin]

Thanks for the report. I'm envious of you being there. Especially since I have to wait until much later this year to go myself!

Curious as to your frame of reference on the comment above. Not as busy as what? What dates have you been there before?

Not as busy as springtime or June, or even Feb.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Oh no! We have these booked for the next few days! Well, we’ll see in a few couple hours

Curious to hear your thoughts. They’ve opened all the umbrellas that were used for the chaises that used to be on the deck, in an effort to add more shade, but they’re not particularly effective as the sun moves overhead. One alternative, if you don’t like them, is to move to the ones nearer the beach.

 

[Dobermanns]

Curious to hear your thoughts. They’ve opened all the umbrellas that were used for the chaises that used to be on the deck, in an effort to add more shade, but they’re not particularly effective as the sun moves overhead. One alternative, if you don’t like them, is to move to the ones nearer the beach.

I see what you mean about the fixed / halfway covered canopy. So far at 10am it’s nice. Let’s see how it girs as the shun moves. I like the new base construction material. Feels a bit more sleek/modern.
I don’t like the ones on the beach cuz the view is literally backs of lounges and umbrellas.

 

[jimmymc]

Curious to hear your thoughts. They’ve opened all the umbrellas that were used for the chaises that used to be on the deck, in an effort to add more shade, but they’re not particularly effective as the sun moves overhead. One alternative, if you don’t like them, is to move to the ones nearer the beach.

I see what you mean about the fixed / halfway covered canopy. So far at 10am it’s nice. Let’s see how it girs as the shun moves. I like the new base construction material. Feels a bit more sleek/modern.
I don’t like the ones on the beach cuz the view is literally backs of lounges and umbrellas.

Would one of you be able to post pictures of the new furniture? I'm curious.

 

[Paul Stupin]

I see what you mean about the fixed / halfway covered canopy. So far at 10am it’s nice. Let’s see how it girs as the shun moves. I like the new base construction material. Feels a bit more sleek/modern.
I don’t like the ones on the beach cuz the view is literally backs of lounges and umbrellas.

My fear is that you’ll be in the sun late morning or early afternoon.

 

[Skywalker3]

Just thought I’d weigh in with some random observations.

5. Ok, this is scary, but not as bad as it sounds. Killed a cockroach in the bathroom two nights ago. Called housekeeping immediately and they sent someone up. He asked me if I had kept the door open without the screen closed, which I had, by mistake, earlier that day. Turns out they’re outside and can fly in. Haven’t seen any others. So keep the screen doors closed! They call these particular large, brown cockroaches “B52s.”

Hey, at the risk of derailing, I do want to ask....how common is this? I grew up in South Louisiana, and we had the kamikaze, flying, half-a-foot-long creatures, on a daily basis.....but I"m terrified of them. No other bugs, spider, bee, wasp, or lizard, snakes, bother me.....but these do. Just need to get mentally prepared.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Hey, at the risk of derailing, I do want to ask....how common is this? I grew up in South Louisiana, and we had the kamikaze, flying, half-a-foot-long creatures, on a daily basis.....but I"m terrified of them. No other bugs, spider, bee, wasp, or lizard, snakes, bother me.....but these do. Just need to get mentally prepared.

I’m not sure your kamikaze is the B52 I found. What I found just looked like a fairly large, disgusting roach. But it wasn’t half a foot! For us, the experience was very very uncommon. We’ve been visiting Aulani for years now and this was our first (and hopefully last) encounter.

 

[Dobermanns]

Would one of you be able to post pictures of the new furniture? I'm curious.

 

[Dobermanns]

My fear is that you’ll be in the sun late morning or early afternoon.

Yeah that was my fear too. And definitely no shelter from rain. Today at noon the entire casabella was still in the shade. Thankfully it’s mostly overcast today.

 

[Skywalker3]

I’m not sure your kamikaze is the B52 I found. What I found just looked like a fairly large, disgusting roach. But it wasn’t half a foot! For us, the experience was very very uncommon. We’ve been visiting Aulani for years now and this was our first (and hopefully last) encounter.

I exaggerate a little....but so glad to know it's rare! thanks!

 

[Unclelude]

We were there last week, my kid said he saw a roach run under the stove... I wasn't sure if I believed him... I do now!

A few years ago while sitting in the adult hot tub, a roach crawled from the rocks onto my wife's head... that was something. You could see them scurry from time to time across the rocks... we didn't see any this time - believe me my wife was looking. To be fair, the hot tub closed later when we were visiting a few years ago ( maybe they come out after 8 and that's why they close so early ... I jest, but do wish the pools stayed open later in winter )

I agree with the crowd level, based on pool chair availability, it wasn't too crowded... we never really had an issue finding chairs. The weekends definitely had a more 'local' vibe.

Have fun!

 

[VGCgroupie]

Flying. Cockroaches. Thanks for the heads up. Will be there in August and will keep that screen closed!

 

[bakofarmgirl]

I agree with the crowd level, based on pool chair availability, it wasn't too crowded... we never really had an issue finding chairs. The weekends definitely had a more 'local' vibe.

We noticed this last September especially it seemed around work/school holidays (Labor Day for us)

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

Roaches definitely come out at night in the islands. They are also, oddly enough, attracted by light in some cases. I remember many nights out playing, and passing by streetlights which had a swarm of bugs flying around - many of them the big yucky cockroaches.

I also remember riding my skateboard on the walkways at my elementary school at night, hearing the constant crunching sound underneath the wheels. Walking through the next day, we could see the cockroach carnage we’d leveled the night before.

Too many stories of them to tell! Nowhere is safe in the islands!

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

2. Maybe this is just new to us, but after a long walk after dinner, we walked by the pool just in time to see a poolside show we’d never seen before, with hula dancers, and three vocalists, two women and a gentlemen. Quite beautiful original music, with Aulani incorporated into the lyrics. We have a song! And it’s pretty good!

We love this, and some nights, we get takeout and eat at the pool area to enjoy this.

3. Seems like the stars are even more visible at night than usual…the nighttime sky seems so crisp and crystal clear.

I dream of these stars.

8. The breakfast at the ABC store is really good! Delicious fresh cooked omelettes, great acai bowls and coffee. It’s worth giving it a try. Aside from the $2 for each banana, it’s very reasonably priced.

I agree with the Acai Bowls and the reasonably priced 100% Kona Coffee. We love the Ube Pancakes from ABC, but they are very filling.

 

[meggiebeth]

Thanks for the heads up regarding cockroaches. I wouldn’t have thought to keep the screen closed on the door to keep them out but would absolutely lose it if I found one in my room. In the UK the only place you see cockroaches is in dirty places, bins, etc - I’d never seen one until visiting the US and it’s interesting that they’re everywhere - regardless of cleanliness!

 

[Paul Stupin]

Thanks for the heads up regarding cockroaches. I wouldn’t have thought to keep the screen closed on the door to keep them out but would absolutely lose it if I found one in my room. In the UK the only place you see cockroaches is in dirty places, bins, etc - I’d never seen one until visiting the US and it’s interesting that they’re everywhere - regardless of cleanliness!

The guy who came up said they fly in and then hide during the day, and then come out at night.