Aulani should we bring another couple?

[hmire]

Need advice from people that have been to Aulani. We are going to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. I am trying to decided if we should make a solo trip with just me and hubby or ask another couple (good friends) to go with us. I know hubby and I will have a blast. Just trying to figure out if it is better with another couple too.

 

[greengeen]

I would (and have) take my kids on an anniversary trip, but never another couple. But obviously it's a personal decision.

 

[bobbiwoz]

DH has requested our anniversary cruise next year be just for the two of us. I'm going along with that, very often we've taken cruises, or trips with friends. Do either of you have a strong preference?

 

[mouseaider]

We are celebrating our tenth anniversary at Aulani in six weeks and I want my bride all to myself for that occasion.

But it's your decision. Good luck and happy anniversary, no matter what you decide.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Personally, I wouldn't want to vacation with another couple ever, let alone on my anniversary, but that's just how DH and I roll.

 

[ONealFamily]

We are going to Aulani for our 4th Anniversary next year. We are bringing our two kids, my wife's sister, and another couple that have two kids.

They all have agreed to babysit so we can get a nice anniversary date. There are so many of us we will have more than one rental car and won't feel obligated to all do the same stuff. We are getting a Grand Villa so there should be room enough for everyone.

We just figure, the more the merrier.

 

[Pakey]

We have been to Hawaii 5 times and have 2 more trips scheduled there. We've done it both ways and it depends on type of vacation. My husband golfs and I do not so sometimes we like another couple to go along so that there's at least one golfer to entertain my husband. But other than that aspect, we much prefer Hawaii on our own. It's a a great place to enjoy quality couple time.

 

[bfosbenner]

We just returned from a week in a 2 bedroom with friends. We both were celebrating near our 20th. We had a lot of fun. Each with our own bedroom and a living room to chat.

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

10 years is a milestone in this day and age. I say go solo. I would never bring anyone else on an anniversary trip, but that's just how dh and I are. Our anniversary is for us and in our busy lives pretty much the only time we get to be alone.

 

[klmnluvdis]

We are going to aulani 2 bdrm ocean view for our 25th anniversary with anouther couple and there kids and our 2 adult kids we all cant wait!!! so bring them and enjoy!!!

 

[klmnluvdis]

We are going to aulani 2 bdrm ocean view for our 25th anniversary with another couple and there kids and our 2 adult kids we all cant wait!!! so bring them and enjoy!!!

 

[littleweasel69]

DH and I returned from our 15 year anniversary trip in March. We debated prior to going if we go solo or ask friends/family to join in. We have always traveled either with our kids or alone. We decided to extend an invitation to family, a decision that we regret now. As other people have posted, it is a personal choice. But from experience, I would go alone. We were in Hawaii for 11 days (not to mention it was the unseasonably rainiest time of all--46 inches while we were there, hail and a tornado) and in addition to Oahu tried to see Kauai as well. Our trip was ruined not only by weather but by our travel companions. Aulani is beautiful, and I hope some day to return (by ourselves or with our children) to enjoy all it has to offer. Based on this experience, we have decided, we will never travel with anyone else again.

 

[Anal Annie]

Tough decision. I wouldn't bring another couple that I hadn't traveled with before. NOT the time to experiment with group vacations IMO. As someone else said, it might be nice if the DH's golf or something & you just want to hang out on the beach or something and not be alone. We go on an annual ski trip every January with about 7 families...but it's local (2.5 hr. drive) and it's only for 4 days. I think that's my limit for tolerating other people and other peoples kids.

Do you have kids? I would also be hesitant to leave our DS behind. We have only vacationed once w/o him (to Hawaii when he was 4). We missed him so much all week. Probably didn't help that the trip was in October, right after 9/11 so traveling anywhere by plane was a nightmare. My parents WERE going to come to our home (near DC) to stay with him but we decided instead to take him to them to stay (in WV) because at the time it just seemed safer. I had a hard time relaxing though all week and every time we saw a family that had brought their kids we wanted to call him. He'd also broken his arm 3 days before 9/11 and just got the cast off the day before we were leaving and was going to a removable velcro cast so I was worried over him re-injuring his arm while we were gone. Now we're at the point where DS will be graduating in 3 more years and will be gone out of the house soon enough so I don't want to enjoy all of the remaining vacations we can with him.

Now that I think about it, at this point it's been so long since it was just me & DH I think I would want someone else along! It would just need to be someone else that we both knew VERY well and had hopefully traveled with before.

 

[kerickson]

We are going to Aulani in about 6 weeks and sharing a 2BR with another family. We share a vacation home with this family and love traveling together. We figure we might even get some extra alone time or adult time since our kids love playing together too.

Anniversaries are different, though, and trips with kids and/or another family do add some extra stress (but hopefully extra fun and memories too). I don't think I could justify an entire week alone with my husband (to my parent's who'd end up watching the kids), but I am hoping a long weekend at Aulani when our 15yr roles around...

 

[twinklebug]

Since you've traveled with them before, I'd say go for it, BUT, book separate accommodations. Kids change and can be fickle. Just because they've gotten along 100 times in the past on trips does not mean they will this trip. And it's a long trip out there... they might tick each other off on the plane even before you even arrive

Keep the living quarters between the families totally separate and you'll have attitude insurance built in.

 

[darbry]

We're going to celebrate our 20th anniversary in November. We're not bringing the kids because airfare is 1,100 per person and it gets way too expensive when you add up 5 people. We've decided after 20 years we can do something just for us. I'm tickled pink to be able to spend time in a gorgeous place with no schedules, or screaming and fighting munchins. I feel like a teenager again with anticipation. So we obviously don't get much time alone and I always feel like I have to entertain people when they go somewhere with me so I personally wouldn't, but my life could be completely different than yours. Whatever you decide have fun! And Happy Anniversary! Cheers!