Aulani logistics

[areweindisneyyet]

Awesome thread. We leave in 8 weeks returning after 20 years. Taking notes. Spending a week in Waikiki before heading to Aulani for three nights.

Have booked a surprise swim with dolphins at the sea life park on one of our Waikiki days and another day for Pearl Harbour.

Am thinking of whisking DH and I over to the Big Island for a day trip.

Thinking we might hire a car for a day and got to the north shore and Polynesian centre.

Need to do some Christmas shopping and pool time.

Aulani time will be just relaxing and exploring the resort.

 

[buckbart]

I am so happy to finally have found a thread to Hawaii - I'm shocked it doesn't yet have its own forum. We are planning an early 2012 trip to celebrate my 40th and DH's retirement from the Canadian Forces. Looking forward to more information - especially from those who go and stay at Alunai and those that live there. Your information to me during my planning process is priceless!

Email subscription is on!

 

[ciao_gina]

I am so happy to finally have found a thread to Hawaii - I'm shocked it doesn't yet have its own forum. We are planning an early 2012 trip to celebrate my 40th and DH's retirement from the Canadian Forces. Looking forward to more information - especially from those who go and stay at Alunai and those that live there. Your information to me during my planning process is priceless!

Email subscription is on!

There are quite a few threads here-just do a search for Aulani

 

[podsnel]

Hey Kate!! Great thread!!

We just booked our flight using FF miles- our plan is to go to Kauai for the first 3 nights, then Aulani for 7 nights. Pods & I went on our honeymoon and swore we'd be back every 10 years- well, this will be our first time back, and it took a little longer than 10- try 26!

Anyway....on our honeymoon, we went to the Big Island and Maui- they were both beautiful, but very different from each other. The Big Island has the active volcano, which was exciting to see (even if it wasn't erupting when we were there)- it is the newest earth on earth, it is still being created, KWIM? On Maui, the volcano is dormant- the island is very charming, the town of Lahaina was wonderful, it was very beautiful and more going on there than on Hawaii, which was a sleepier kind of a place (or maybe it was just that we were sleepy while we were there! Fighting to stay up until 9pm, as I recall, and we were in our early 20's! ). At the time, Kauai seemed REALLY remote- but now, I constantly hear about it's unparalleled beauty- like no place on earth- so we HAVE to check it out! Google Napali Coast and Waimea Canyon, and you'll see what I mean- it is the oldest island in the chain, and the topography looks otherworldly....

I am so glad Disney chose a more remote part of Oahu to build their resort- we avoided Oahu on our honeymoon because we didn't want to fly 11 hours to go to a city on the beach. We wanted (and still want) a polynesian paradise....

ANyway, wish us luck when our 7 month window opens- we are shooting for late August. If we can't book using our points, our plan is to rent them out and stay on cash. I have booked our accomodations on Kauai (our condo looks at Bali Hai...BALI HAI!!!! ), but not our interisland air- so we'll have flexibility if we need it when booking DVC. We can always change our kauai stay in January, but it's nice to have our first choice of accomodation booked if all goes well (BALI HAI!!!!!!!).

 

[kid-at-heart]

Hi Ellen!

You guys have the greatest adventures. I am looking forward to "your" trip because you are always so great about sharing your research and trip experiences...

I am here but my ex has a condo on one of the islands. I wonder if he would lend it to me and my family when we finally make it to Hawaii. I seriously doubt it. And if he did it would probably be haunted or something.

 

[podsnel]

I think it's worth a shot- Hawaii is $$$....the place we are staying on Kauai isn't too bad, though- although we only went for the studio room since we don't plan on being there much- but look at the view!

$165 per night, plus tax and $75 cleaning fee. It's called Hanalei Bay Resort.

 

[d-r]

from the looks of that pool, plus add in the ocean, I think my kids would be busy there for a week without ever touching a car. I found this map of the area if that helps anyone -

http://www.koolina.com/explore/interactive-map

 

[Shuweb]

If you want to see a trip report on Oahu (which is where Aulani is), check out my travelogue on Shuweb. I can't post the actual URL because I am new here, but you will find me right away on a search.

Some key points:
- Visit the Cultural Center! Plan on spending 2 days there. The problem for you if you go from Aulani is that it is a very long drive, probably up to 2 hours. This because the resort is on the southwest side, and the center is on the north side. Nonetheless, it's worth the trip. It gives you ideas on your next island destination (and I've been to many);
- eat at Roy's And Alan Wong's. They are in the Waikiki area, you have to go!
- personally, I think Waikiki is WAY overrated. It's crowded, noisy and there's not a whole lot there, yes, there is a very nice mall there, but you can find the same stores in any major city. If I go to Waikiki again, it's because I want jewelry and I want to say that I've walked the famous beach. But really, there are better beaches out there.
- if I were you, I'd split the time between Aulani an one other place. Check out the east half of the island by car for a few days, do some snorkeling and kayaking, and then finish off the trip at Aulani (I'm going there soon, I hope it meets my expectations), and relax there for a few days.

But perhaps the other thing to consider is island hop. Go to Maui, which is not too country and not too metropolitan, and then spend the last few days at Aulani. Now THAT'S what I would do!

Like many of you on this board I am now making plans to visit Hawaii - in a couple of years. Thanks a lot Disney...

I have never traveled to Hawaii and am a little unsure of what I am doing. I am hoping others will jump in with advice and save me hours of research.

I know I need to research/plan for:

When to go? For us it will be which month are airfares the cheapest from the mid-west to Hawaii.

Which airport will we be flying into?

Do we fly straight from Michigan to Hawaii or should we layover somewhere?

How do we get from the airport to Aulani? Must we rent a car? We would prefer not to rent a car.

If we do not rent a car, what other activities are nearby which we can walk/use public transportation to get to?

What else do I need to consider/research to make our trip as stress free as possible?

Thanks for your help.

Kate