Aulani logistics

[downontheBW]

To OP, I was just rereading your post and noticed that you're planning way in advance. Just a suggestion, you may want to try and save up frequent flier miles for your flights. Or use FF miles for one flight and pay for the rest with cash.

Flights to HI for us would be around $1000 and usually more. When I first decided to visit Hawaii about 8 years ago, I signed up for a Delta Skymiles credit card, was given a bunch of bonus miles then began charging everything to it. In a couple of years, I had enough miles for 2 tickets to HI I'm saving up miles now to go in 2012.

Delta would probably be your best bet but I'm finding little availability on Delta lately but its maybe just were we live. United has more options for us but I don't know about flights out of DTW. Go online and check what months have availability with FF miles; you don't need to have an account to do so.

 

[Brownieone]

As to time of year, we have owned a vacation rental in Maui for 9 years and track the rental income by month. Our best month is February based on rent received divided by days available. Our best month overall is January, followed by March. Our slowest month is September, followed by May. Early December is also slow.

Before we became owners, we used to travel in early January every year and found it to be very frustrating to get reasonable airfare and car rentals. Often, the only option was to book late.

We now travel in May and October and can usually get very attractive air fare about 90 days in advance. -- Suzanne

We too have visited Oahu in May and October and the weather was perfect each time. When we visit Aulani we'll target those months again. And I'd recommend renting a car, which on our last visit to that island in 2007, was not obnoxiously expensive.

 

[justcruisin]

This thread has lots of great information. Thanks to all those who posted.

I have a somewhat silly question - We are looking to fly from Newark to HNL - it's 11 hours - are the seats in coach any bigger than the seats on a 737 that we would take to MCO?

DH is is a leggy 6'2".

Thanks again.

 

[LisaDKG]

Aloha!
We just bought DVC BLT and although our contract hasn't exactly been paid for yet (have a month to figure out where THAT money is going to come from ha ha!) upon finalizing we will have 2010/2011 points to bank and a UY of Sept. That being said, I am already looking at all the ways to spend my points and have my eye on a trip to Aulani in Oct. depending on availability by the time we close. I spent a week in Waikiki waaay back in '95 and liked it as well as touring around the island in a rental. I am wondering what would be the optimum amount of time to spend on a trip to get a good taste of everything Oahu offers. For example, while thinking I would spend a week at Aulani (or maybe 5 days max?) should I also look at extending that stay to include a shorter stay at a hotel in Waikiki or the North Shore? Or would it be better to stay put in Aulani and just take days trips? I don't love spending a lot of time driving in traffic on my vacation so ideally, time and money-wise, I would soak up everything that is offered at Aulani (and Paradise Cove - loved that) and then spend a few other days in the other locales doing the must do's. Anyone's opinions would be welcome! Also, what does everyone think about a trip that is so close to the resort's opening? Do you think they will have the kinks out? Does Disney have kinks? Isn't it time for Aulani to have its own forum here too???!

 

[jekjones1558]

Sign up for daily airfare alerts on Kayak.com. We have found that frequent flier tickets are very limited and need to be booked almost exactly at the 330 day mark (at least on Delta).
We used to do non-stops to HI so we could get there fast but the last few times we have done a short layover in LA or Seattle (we fly out of Mpls/St.Paul where Delta is king). We have found that the stop doesn't add that much to the length of the trip and it breaks it up for us. The travel day is pretty much shot no matter what. We have not found coach seats to have more room on Hawaii flights than on other flights so a tall person will suffer (another reason to consider a flight with a stop). Sometimes on the layover they even offer cash upgrades to first class for pretty cheap. If you decide to visit another island on the same visit, you can often get a flight directly to the Big Island or Maui from some west coast cities. If you fly non-stop to Honolulu you would then need to collect your luggage and take the Wiki Wiki to the commuter airport in Honolulu and then take a commuter flight to the other island, so you might as well do a stop on the West Coast and just fly directly from there to the other island.
Since winters seem to go on forever in MN, we prefer to escape during Jan. to March. Also, since we love whale watching we spend time in Maui and Jan. to March is whale watching peak. We are willing to pay a few extra dollars to break up the winter. We enjoy spring, summer and fall at home. But if the weather at home is no issue for you, then it is true that HI weather changes little all year.
It is possible to do a day trip to another island but I would find it very frustrating. However if that is the only way for you to see how different each island is, then go for it.
I also think that the Polynesian Culture Center on Oahu is worth a visit. You will learn the differences between cultures in Tonga, Figi, Hawaii, etc. And you can see the North Shore surfing beaches then also because they are not far away from the PCC.
I wouldn't even consider visiting Hawaii without a car. Sightseeing is just so much more fun when you can come and go on your own schedule. And cabs aren't sitting around on every corner like they are at WDW.
I consider myself a Disney fanatic (go to WDW several times a year, have a Mickey bathroom, etc.). WDW makes me so happy. But if I were told I would be meeting my maker soon, the one trip I would do is Hawaii. It is paradise. We just returned from there yesterday and I miss it terribly, can you tell?
You will have an amazing time no matter what.
P.S. Bring money. Food especially is $$$ there.

 

[caifitas]

Sorry to jump in here but I'm too exited with this post. Thanks all for your suggestions. I recently bought 350 points to AKV. I submitted for ROFR on the 20th and this wait is killing me. God willing it gets approved. I'm planning a surprise vacation to celebrate DW's 40th b-day to Aulani for one week. I'm hoping that when I finally make into the system(mid may) I wii be able to find availability for one bedroom for the first week of December.

I would also like to hear recommendations of things to do for our 3 1/2 year old twins.

Thanks

 

[Disneyfriend]

Sorry to jump in here but I'm too exited with this post. Thanks all for your suggestions. I recently bought 350 points to AKV. I submitted for ROFR on the 20th and this wait is killing me. God willing it gets approved. I'm planning a surprise vacation to celebrate DW's 40th b-day to Aulani for one week. I'm hoping that when I finally make into the system(mid may) I wii be able to find availability for one bedroom for the first week of December.

I would also like to hear recommendations of things to do for our 3 1/2 year old twins.

Thanks

Congratulations on your recent purchase!

I'll jump in with a few thoughts since I have a 3.5 year old myself. The Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium are both modest places, but in a weird way their very smallness makes them manageable and kid friendly. Now, the aquarium is so small that you can see it in about 30 minutes, but it might be worth a stop. Our family loves the Honolulu Zoo and have been members for years. You can comfortably see the whole zoo in about two hours, and my kids inevitably love going there.

Another thought would be the Bishop Museum, which is an odd combination of a history museum and a natural history museum. Your kids would love to see the enormous whale skeleton, and the volcano exhibit.

Hope you have a great trip. We're hoping to stay at the Aulani in December ourselves.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Sign up for daily airfare alerts on Kayak.com. We have found that frequent flier tickets are very limited and need to be booked almost exactly at the 330 day mark (at least on Delta).
We used to do non-stops to HI so we could get there fast but the last few times we have done a short layover in LA or Seattle (we fly out of Mpls/St.Paul where Delta is king). We have found that the stop doesn't add that much to the length of the trip and it breaks it up for us. The travel day is pretty much shot no matter what. We have not found coach seats to have more room on Hawaii flights than on other flights so a tall person will suffer (another reason to consider a flight with a stop). Sometimes on the layover they even offer cash upgrades to first class for pretty cheap. If you decide to visit another island on the same visit, you can often get a flight directly to the Big Island or Maui from some west coast cities. If you fly non-stop to Honolulu you would then need to collect your luggage and take the Wiki Wiki to the commuter airport in Honolulu and then take a commuter flight to the other island, so you might as well do a stop on the West Coast and just fly directly from there to the other island.
Since winters seem to go on forever in MN, we prefer to escape during Jan. to March. Also, since we love whale watching we spend time in Maui and Jan. to March is whale watching peak. We are willing to pay a few extra dollars to break up the winter. We enjoy spring, summer and fall at home. But if the weather at home is no issue for you, then it is true that HI weather changes little all year.
It is possible to do a day trip to another island but I would find it very frustrating. However if that is the only way for you to see how different each island is, then go for it.
I also think that the Polynesian Culture Center on Oahu is worth a visit. You will learn the differences between cultures in Tonga, Figi, Hawaii, etc. And you can see the North Shore surfing beaches then also because they are not far away from the PCC.
I wouldn't even consider visiting Hawaii without a car. Sightseeing is just so much more fun when you can come and go on your own schedule. And cabs aren't sitting around on every corner like they are at WDW.
I consider myself a Disney fanatic (go to WDW several times a year, have a Mickey bathroom, etc.). WDW makes me so happy. But if I were told I would be meeting my maker soon, the one trip I would do is Hawaii. It is paradise. We just returned from there yesterday and I miss it terribly, can you tell?
You will have an amazing time no matter what.
P.S. Bring money. Food especially is $$$ there.

Thanks much for sharing your experiences and advice, especially regarding the Polynesian Culture Center. Most of our family vacations are actually work conferences with educational tours included (anthological, archeological, or psychological) thus the cultural center would be a must. Also, spouse and I are tall so I think a layover would work well for our aging bodies. When you say layover, do you mean a day or two to tour the area and relax or the usual "exchange planes" type of layover?

Kate

 

[jekjones1558]

Thanks much for sharing your experiences and advice, especially regarding the Polynesian Culture Center. Most of our family vacations are actually work conferences with educational tours included (anthological, archeological, or psychological) thus the cultural center would be a must. Also, spouse and I are tall so I think a layover would work well for our aging bodies. When you say layover, do you mean a day or two to tour the area and relax or the usual "exchange planes" type of layover?

Kate

We have only done the hour or two layovers thus far and even that helps us. We have discussed the couple of days type (to do Disneyland or spend some time in Seattle) but on the way out we are always so excited to get to Hawaii and on the way back we just want to get home. Also traveling in the winter makes Seattle rather cold and LA more likely to have rain. Perhaps if we were traveling in different months the couple of days would be more attractive.
Good luck. Ah, Hawaii.

 

[OurDogCisco]

Oahu has a lot to offer as many people mentioned in earlier post like the Polynesian Center, Pearl Harbor, etc.... Alot of people will say it is their least favorite island but then, I wonder if they even leave Waikiki area. Anyways, I would like to mention that Waikiki area is a fun to place to visit. Just imagine a city on the beach. Anyways, if you like shopping it is always fun to look at all the fancy shops and people watch.

Anyways, here are some of the things we have done in Oahu that you might want to consider:

Dole Planation: http://www.dole-plantation.com/ This is a total tourist trap but we love coming here. They have a maze that my kids love to go through. They also are the home to the Dole Whip. To me it tastes better than one at Disney. It must be the pineapple they use.

Bowfin Museum: http://www.bowfin.org/ This is right next to Pearl Harbor. I recommend arriving at Pearl Habor as early as possible. I think we showed up at 7 am and the line was already 200 people deep. We did the tour and then afterwards went to the bow fin museum. The reason the line at Pearl Harbor is long is because they issue tickets out to the bomb site base on first come first served. So, the earlier you show up the earlier your time will be.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Over the last 20 plus years this place has gone downhill but still a gem if you like to snorkel. http://www1.honolulu.gov/parks/facility/hanaumabay/index1.htm The park opens at 6 am and seriously I recommend getting there early to see the best variety of fish. It is a long drive from the Ko'Olina area. We usually snorkel first and then, drive over to Diamond head to hike that and see the amazing view.

Definitely visit North Shore, in the winter the waves can be really high so not recommended for swimming but fun to watch especially the surfers. Also, the North Shore reminds me of old Hawaii with all the old shops and small villages. Very nice area. If you go in the summer I recommend going to Waimea Bay to snorkel in an area called Turtle Bay.

On the other side of the island from Ko'Olina is called the Windward side. Anyways, there is a beach called Lanikai Beach. Out of all the beaches I've been on in Maui, Kauai and Oahu this has to be the most beautiful beach I've ever seen.

There isn't much hiking in Oahu not like Kauai but I found one fall to hike to. It is a really easy hike and pretty. Manoa Falls Trail.

There is alot more to do on Oahu. A good book is called Oahu Revealed by Doughty & Friedman.

I'll leave with you with a picture of Lanikai Beach. I've been to Oahu in June and November. The one thing I would like to mention is the fact the weather can be rainy in the winter. On another forum there were people complaining about the rain. Apparently, it rained 9 days straight on Oahu this past January. Anyways, just be prepared. It will still be warmer than where you came from. This picture was taken during Thanksgiving week.

Finally, we stayed at Marriott Ko'Olina twice and here are our pictures from the resort. Disney will be right next door (click on the picture to see more photos of the resort:

 

[Disneyfn420]

Where is the best place to go for a Luau on Oahu. I will be staying in Aulani but not sure if they will have them at the resort.

 

[crisi]

A lot of Hawaii flights back to the mainland leave in the evening. Of course, late checkout at a timeshare is hard to get. So plan on stashing your luggage (you don't want to leave it in your car) at the hotel and find something to do for the day. Something that doesn't involve being sandy and salty when you board your ten hour flight.

 

[jekjones1558]

A lot of Hawaii flights back to the mainland leave in the evening. Of course, late checkout at a timeshare is hard to get. So plan on stashing your luggage (you don't want to leave it in your car) at the hotel and find something to do for the day. Something that doesn't involve being sandy and salty when you board your ten hour flight.

Great advise, crisi!
On our recent trip we were happy that the condo owner allowed half day rentals for this very situation. So our last day was so relaxing---washing clothes in the room, packing, watching whales in between, finishing off the beer and wine in the fridge, getting some last minute sun. I know that DVC doesn't offer that option for many reasons, but it would surely be nice.

 

[nifferearly]

Where is the best place to go for a Luau on Oahu. I will be staying in Aulani but not sure if they will have them at the resort.

I would think that Disney would offer them. But we've stayed at the Marriott timeshare that's at Ko Olina, next door to DVC. They offered several each week.

 

[PEANUT1]

We used our DVC to stay in a Westin in Maui in Oct 2009 and our flight home was at like 9pm. The hotel had a really nice departure lounge and an area to take showers with towels and toilletries provided. It was really nice because we could spend our last day at the pool but still clean up before heading to the airport for our flight. I wonder if Aulani has something like that.

 

[Disneyfriend]

Where is the best place to go for a Luau on Oahu. I will be staying in Aulani but not sure if they will have them at the resort.

I am guessing they will have luaus at the Aulani as well.

If not, though, there is a nice luau called Paradise Cove that is literally 2 blocks away from the Aulani. It's quite nice - beautiful setting, pretty good food. I've been to many luaus all over Hawaii, including on Maui and Kauai, and to tell you the truth . . . they're very similar. Some are a little better than others, but they are *very* alike. Paradise Cove is a lovely way to go.

 

[Thumper4me]

Our return flight in October is at 10:00pm. I wasn't sure if there would be a departure lounge like discussed above so we booked an additional night to make sure we could take a shower and get cleaned up before heading to the airport. Also don't have to worry about storing our luggage.

I am so excited about our trip!!

 

[wbl2745]

A lot of Hawaii flights back to the mainland leave in the evening. Of course, late checkout at a timeshare is hard to get. So plan on stashing your luggage (you don't want to leave it in your car) at the hotel and find something to do for the day. Something that doesn't involve being sandy and salty when you board your ten hour flight.

Absolutely do not leave luggage in your car, including the trunk! I was in Hawaii on a business trip (tough work, but someone has to do it) and our flight didn't leave until 9:00 PM so we parked down near Waikiki across the street from the zoo thinking that there was enough foot traffic that we would not be robbed. When we got back to our car they had opened the trunk and taken all of our luggage. Apparently the thieves have copies of the keys for rental cars and just try until they get the right one. There aren't that many keys. To passersby it looks like someone just getting into their trunk.

They looked through our luggage, took the valuable stuff like my laptop, and then just tossed the luggage out. It was found a day later.

Hawaii is a high crime state. Be aware.

 

[HarrietSLP]

A lot of Hawaii flights back to the mainland leave in the evening. Of course, late checkout at a timeshare is hard to get. So plan on stashing your luggage (you don't want to leave it in your car) at the hotel and find something to do for the day. Something that doesn't involve being sandy and salty when you board your ten hour flight.

Aulani is suppose to have a early check-in and late check-out lounge.

"Early Check-In and Late Check-Out Lounge
For Guests with late flight arrangements, this lounge provides restrooms, showers and dressing rooms, as well as a TV viewing area. It's located on the first floor of the South Wing next to the Pau Hana Room".

http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/about-aulani/guest-services/

 

[dsneygirl]

Aulani is suppose to have a early check-in and late check-out lounge.

"Early Check-In and Late Check-Out Lounge
For Guests with late flight arrangements, this lounge provides restrooms, showers and dressing rooms, as well as a TV viewing area. It's located on the first floor of the South Wing next to the Pau Hana Room".

http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/about-aulani/guest-services/

Awesome!!! We are going back to LAX probably on a 9-9:30pm flight (red eye) what a great feature. We plan to tire DS out at the beach all day so he sleeps the whole way to the mainland.