Aulani - Few Questions

[eva]

Just booked a stay at Aulani for May. I've read quite a bit on the resort, but still have a few questions.

1. How much are the pool cabanas? Do you rent them for the entire day? Anyone have a review of the cabanas?
2. Which excursions planned by the resort do you recommend?
3. How far can you walk on the beach?
4. Do you make reservations for the STARLIT HUI? What is the cost?
5. Where can you reserve a great lua either near the resort or in Honolulu?
6. How are the hula lessons? Is there a cost?
7. We are thinking of adding on a couple nights prior to our stay in Honolulu to do some of the touristy things there. Any recommendations on places to stay? Looking for resort with a nice pool and maybe $250 or less per night.

That's it for now. But I am sure I will have moreas we get closer.
Thanks so much!

 

[abdgeek]

Just booked a stay at Aulani for May. I've read quite a bit on the resort, but still have a few questions.

1. How much are the pool cabanas? Do you rent them for the entire day? Anyone have a review of the cabanas?
2. Which excursions planned by the resort do you recommend?
3. How far can you walk on the beach?
4. Do you make reservations for the STARLIT HUI? What is the cost?
5. Where can you reserve a great lua either near the resort or in Honolulu?
6. How are the hula lessons? Is there a cost?
7. We are thinking of adding on a couple nights prior to our stay in Honolulu to do some of the touristy things there. Any recommendations on places to stay? Looking for resort with a nice pool and maybe $250 or less per night.

That's it for now. But I am sure I will have moreas we get closer.
Thanks so much!

Here are the answers to some of your questions:
2) I recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center(PCC) excursion. It was nice to have someone else do the driving as the venue is an hour away. I did a lot of the sights that Aulani offered excursions to on my own because I don't like to feel rushed(Diamond Head, Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu Academy of Arts).
3) I didn't do it, but you can walk to the other timeshares on either side of Aulani via the beach.
4) Starlit Hui is free. Check to see if it will be running when you are there.
5) Paradise Cove luau is next door(10 min walk) from Aulani and you can make reservations at the excursion desk at Aulani. Check the tripadvisor reviews to see if you want to do it. The PCC has two luaus there. You get dinner with your ticket, but you can see if you can switch the dinner to the luau once you are there. Several people in our group did. Otherwise, the prime dining dinner comes with the ticket.
6) The hula lessons at Aulani were fun. You are out in the open, so people can see you learning; however, having Minnie join us and taking pictures with her made up for it.

 

[Pakey]

I was there last month and rented a cabana for all 6 days. Cost was around $300 a day but I got a 10% discount with my DVC card.

The cabanas are nice enough, pretty standard if you have rented them at other locations, they come with usual furniture, 2 outside loungers, TV, mini fridge with 6 bottles of water, fruit platter and some chocolates at end of day.

Cabana menu had decent drinks and food. I loved the seared ahi salad and had it every day.
Service was decent, some days better than others. I had a different server every day. Drinks were $10 each and the salad was $22.

There were cabanas in 3 different locations. Because I had booked so many days, I got a call every evening asking me which cabana I wanted the next day before they assigned the others.

There are 4 (#1-4) at the main pool. #1 is the only one with ocean view but it has a tree in front of it so there's not much sun if you want to tan. The ocean views are spectacular but the walkway to the beach is right by it so there were people constantly stopping right by the lounger taking photos. These 4 are stacked one next to the other and I wouldn't want the 2 middle ones.

There are 2 by the children's play/splash area which are a great location if you have toddlers but I would hate these because there are kids running in front of them constantly.

There are 2 by the adult pool that are very quiet. I chose one of these on the days I was by myself because I was just tanning and reading.

Since they are expanding pool deck at quiet/adult pool I don't know if they are relocating these.

 

[dstupper]

Cabana 7 & 8 are probably going to be taken off the market soon, as the construction starts on that side. I hope that more cabanas are in store when they finish the pool expansion!

 

[eva]

Cabana 7 & 8 are probably going to be taken off the market soon, as the construction starts on that side. I hope that more cabanas are in store when they finish the pool expansion!

I hope they are available by the time we are there. The CM at MS said that the construction at Aulani should be minimal by the time we go in May. Hope that is true. I think we will tryreserving a cabana for one day to begin with.

 

[wdrl]

Cabana 7 & 8 are probably going to be taken off the market soon, as the construction starts on that side. I hope that more cabanas are in store when they finish the pool expansion!

The plan is to add more cabanas surrounding the new water features. Several Aulani CMs told us that there will be more cabanas by the Wailana Leisure pool as well as the new family pool that is being built where the Starlit Hui use to be performed. The DVCmember website also lists that more cabanas will be added as part of the upcoming enhancements at Aulani.

 

[eva]

The plan is to add more cabanas surrounding the new water features. Several Aulani CMs told us that there will be more cabanas by the Wailana Leisure pool as well as the new family pool that is being built where the Starlit Hui use to be performed. The DVCmember website also lists that more cabanas will be added as part of the upcoming enhancements at Aulani.

Great news!

I no longer need an answer for number 7. We are just going to add a couple more days to Aulani and do their Pearl Harbor excursion. Has anyone done any of the excursions that Aulani offers?

 

[disneybel]

Great news!

I no longer need an answer for number 7. We are just going to add a couple more days to Aulani and do their Pearl Harbor excursion. Has anyone done any of the excursions that Aulani offers?

We were there in June and did the rainforest hike. We really enjoyed it. The Disney Catmember (Adventures by Disney, I believe) that went with us was wonderful, but they also contract with a local company that takes you into the rainforest. The paths are very narrow and rocky and muddy -- take the boots they offer. Unfortuanely, one member of our party fell and cut her head open on a rock. The Disney Castmember took her back down to the beginning to the hospital, as he should have. So we were left with the local guide, who was great. The way down was through a bamboo forest, which was beautiful, just again, very rocky and muddy. We had our 2 children with us (10 and 7) and they did fine, but were very tired at the end. If you can, find a walking stick. They provided water and snacks, rainboots and bug spray, and a belly pac to carry it all in.

Have fun! I wish we were going again. Probably once in a lifetime for us!

 

[eva]

We were there in June and did the rainforest hike. We really enjoyed it. The Disney Catmember (Adventures by Disney, I believe) that went with us was wonderful, but they also contract with a local company that takes you into the rainforest. The paths are very narrow and rocky and muddy -- take the boots they offer. Unfortuanely, one member of our party fell and cut her head open on a rock. The Disney Castmember took her back down to the beginning to the hospital, as he should have. So we were left with the local guide, who was great. The way down was through a bamboo forest, which was beautiful, just again, very rocky and muddy. We had our 2 children with us (10 and 7) and they did fine, but were very tired at the end. If you can, find a walking stick. They provided water and snacks, rainboots and bug spray, and a belly pac to carry it all in.

Have fun! I wish we were going again. Probably once in a lifetime for us!

Thanks for the review. We are thinking about the Kualoa Ranch Experience: Private Beach & Horseback Riding excursion and the USS Arizona, USS Missouri & Punchbowl National Memorial Tour. We will be renting a car and plan to drive the North Shore ourselves. Anyone have any suggestions of what we should see in that area?

 

[BCV23]

Eva, we haven't stayed at Aulani yet but have vacationed at the JW Marriott next door. There is a walkway along all four lagoons. I walked it early every morning. Just lovely. Can't wait to do it in January.

Here's a google map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&s...ei=EnR9UKbdHMSXrAGQk4DoCg&sqi=2&ved=0CLcBELYD