Aulani Pre Trip Report

[Witherbark]

Hello Friends! I began this pre-trip report when I actually started planning, but was too timid to post here. Now that it is closer, I'm ready. But that is why it is written in present tense, although describing events in the past. I hope to update with the first five or so installments very quickly.

Part 1: That Dream within a Dream
Marriage? Er, no. Going to Hawaii. DH and I have been drooling over pictures of Aulani since it opened. Finally, we decided that 2015 would be our year! First things first, we needed to pick a date. Since DH is an Army Reserve officer (one weekend a month and two weeks a year my Aunt Fanny) and also works for the Department of the Army as a civilian, our vacation time is always circumscribed by the wants and needs of the Army. We finally picked early March as the best time. My work doesn’t really care when I leave. Well, maybe they do, but they don’t say anything about it.

Now that we had dates, I backed up 7 months from the start of our vacation and anxiously started stalking the DVC member website and reading every trip report available on Aulani. About a week before our dates, I couldn’t stand it anymore and booked basically a week early. I thought I’d hold that and in a week I’d move it, but then it looked like everything was sold out and I ran the dates by DH and he said they were good!

I had secured 8 nights in an ocean-view villa. If we were going to go, why not go big, right? Well, I guess “big” would be a one-bedroom, but I couldn’t go crazy. But 8 nights in Hawaii wasn’t going to be enough with all we wanted to do. So I reserved the military resort, Hale Koa, for three nights prior to Aulani. At DH’s pay grade the rate wasn’t bargain-basement, but it was a far sight lower than anything else in Waikiki and parking was only $7 a day. I’d still like to do a couple of days post-Aulani as well, but that will depend on flights.

Now we still need flights – looks like Delta out of IAD is our best bet – and a rental car. I’ll try our USAA discount and I’ve also heard good things about Costco. We’re not members, but if I’m doing DH’s family Christmas Eve, a membership is worth it. So I’ll check that out. Recommendations on these options are welcomed!

Reading List:
Fodor’s Oahu
Oahu Revealed
Frommer’s Easy Guide to Hawaii
James Michener’s Hawaii
Sarah Vowell’s Unfamiliar Fishes

I’ve also started the shopping already. I’m trying to do it bit by bit to reduce the economic impact. And we have a cruise in the interim, so a lot of stuff will be used at least twice. So far I have lots of sunscreen and swimmer’s ear, one set of snorkel and fins (speedo brand, $19 at Target clearance), and a backpack cooler for hiking and beach trips.

 

[Witherbark]

Part 2:

We try to do two vacations a year. Some years that works out better than others (I’m looking at you, years that had deployments). This year we managed to do Disney in February. Since we already had PAPs (I think we got three trips out of those things), had points to stay at SSR, and used our Disney Rewards card points for a lot of dining, the trip really wasn’t that expensive.

This November we’re doing the NCL Getaway out of Miami. It’s our first non-Disney cruise and we’re very excited. We had thought about either the Magic or the Fantasy for the same week, but the rates were high. We were able to reserve a balcony on the Getaway for less than an ocean view on either Disney ship. And since we’re using miles for ¾ of the flights and points for the hotel the night before, this is also something of a bargain trip.

It also gives me a chance to test some of my tips and tricks pre-Hawaii. I have a travel tin air freshener from Yankee Candle. I want to see if that keeps the cabin (and later the villa) clean smelling. I also want to test out my water shoes and my new Tevas.

I’m excited for the trip on its own, of course, and not just as a Hawaii dry run. We need some time away after a very busy summer and early fall. The islands we’re visiting aren’t particularly special, I think we’ve already been to all of them. But we do have some different (self-planned) excursions lined up, and the ship itself looks fantastic with a dueling piano club, rope climbs, and lots of entertainment. Heck, if I get to end every day sitting on my balcony with a glass of wine I’ll be pretty darn happy.

UPDATE: I didn't use my Tevas for the cruise, so now I'm stuck breaking them in here in the metro DC area during winter. I've been wearing them around the house and I look like a prize idiot.

Hopefully pictures to come! (Not of me looking like a prize idiot: you're welcome).

 

[Witherbark]

Part 3:

One of our excursions on the upcoming cruise is a running tour of St. Thomas followed by time at the beach. They take your beach bag and deliver it to you when you finish the run. This will give me another use for the lock I got for our beach bags.

Following all of the information that Hawaiian beaches are a hotbed of thievery, I considered buying a Kyss bag or some other device. But being too cheap for that, I decided on the cobbled-together approach. I have a bike lock to lock our beach bag to a tree or chair, and then a luggage lock to put on the actual beach bag. I know this won’t deter a determined thief, but I hope it’s enough to keep away crimes of opportunity. Not that a would-be thief would get much except for some flip-flops and sunscreen.

Anyway, I’ll use the luggage lock on the beach bag I give to the folks in St. Thomas. Not that I don’t trust people, just that…no, it is that.

Incidentally, I had booked the Getaway as a guaranteed stateroom because that is the cheapest. When I saw our assignment, I wasn’t thrilled because it was a connecting stateroom. We hate connecting rooms. So I called to see if there was something else that I could switch to. My TA was able to get us into a mini-suite for no extra cost. Partly because the cost of the cruise had dropped. Score! The mini-suite has no suite amenities like butler service or robes, but it does have the nicer bathroom. Works for me.

Update: We had a great time on the Getaway, and I’d do that cruise again if the price were right. Fabulous, fabulous time on the islands which I 100% did NOT expect given that we’d been there before and I hadn’t been thrilled. And I totally forgot my bag lock, which mattered not at all because the people at the running tour were amazing and wonderful.

 

[Witherbark]

Part 4:



Oh for all that is…So last week I saw on DH’s Facebook page that he had posted the tour dates for his favorite band and they had a stop near us. Which DH was planning to attend. Which was smack in the middle of our Hawaii dates.

Don’t judge us for finding out about dates through FB. Honestly, with the peripatetic nature of DH’s job, it’s a wonder we ever know where the other is or what we have planned. Recently DH ran a race in a southern state, and while I knew when he was leaving and coming back, I honestly couldn’t remember what state he was in.

Anyway, DH loves this band. He’s not really a concert guy, he just has a couple of groups he really enjoys and probably attends all of two concerts a year. I hated to prevent him from attending his favorite group. So I said if he could get tickets, I’d rearrange our Hawaii dates. I looked preliminarily, and it seemed like I could adjust things.

So he got tickets and that same day I spoke with Elizabeth at Member Services and she hooked me up with the same ocean view at Aulani and then I spoke with Hale Koa and they were able to adjust my rooms as well. Incidentally, speaking with Elizabeth was awesome and amazing and she made everything super easy and convenient. Speaking with Hale Koa was like visiting the dentist. We went from a Thursday-Wed (13 day) trip to a Monday-Monday (14 day) trip. It looks like airline costs are going to increase by about $100 dollars, but nothing else appears to be more. We are still doing Hale Koa in Waikiki first, followed by 8 relaxing days at Aulani. This may put us more into the spring break time at Aulani, but whatever. We will make the best of it and just suffer through being in paradise.

Update: Aulani's welcome materials are personalized, colorful, and delightful. Hale Koa's welcome materials are...not. And also include information on what to do if you have TDY or PCS during your scheduled vacation (and lots of other initials, with no explanation). I suppose they figure if you don't understand what those mean, you have no business there. Which is kinda true.