OK who wants to see 6.5 bazillion photos of Aulani?
Today was our last full day in Hawaii but only our first day to really explore the resort with absolutely no other obligations, and we spent about 70% of it in the water. (The other 30% was spent eating.) Originally wed planned to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center, or maybe some of the other sites in Honolulu that wed missed (like the Alfred Shaheen dress exhibit at the Bishop Museum). But yesterday hadnt felt like enough time to really take advantage of all Aulani had to offer, so we scrapped those plans and stayed in.
Patrick had pretty well adjusted to the time difference by then, but I was still springing awake before dawn, so today I decided I might as well get to see the sunrise. I thought Id take the iPad and go read in the chairs near the elevator lobby on the top floor of our tower, overlooking the beach.... until I remembered that, you know, the sun cant rise and set over the same beach!
So instead, I headed out front to porte cochere to see it rise. No dicemountains in the way. I needed to get up higher, so I walked over to the valet parking garage, which is on the opposite side of the resort from the self-park and adjacent to that convention center we had such a primo view of from the Ewa tower.
It was 5 minutes before I realized I still wasnt high enough to see anything cuz of all the pesky trees planted by those $^#%@! humble fishermen who built Ko Olina.
The iPad was telling me that sunrise was imminent, so I booked it back through the lobby to the Waianae tower, thinking I could view the sunrise from the windows in the elevator lobby on the top floor.
Foiled again!
But the dang Ewa Tower was in the way! And since there are no windows overlooking the front of the resort in the upper-floor public spaces, I finally had to accept that, unless you get a high-floor, island-view room in Ewa, Aulani is a sunset-only kind of place. I trudged dejectedly back through the lobby to see if Patrick was awake yet so we could beat the crowds to breakfast at Makahiki Buffet. He wasnt, but that was soon remedied!
Makahiki is on the ground level by the main entrance to Waikolohe Valley (a.k.a., the pool). They offer a choice of buffet or a la carte dining, with a character breakfast every day except Monday and Thursday during the winter; in the summer, Mondays the only character-free day.
We took one look at the buffet prices ($32/adult, $18/child) and asked for the a la carte menu.
There is seating indoors and out; apparently the awnings over the patio, which seem like a no-brainer, were only recently installed. It was still shady enough out that we solarphobes decided to sit outside.
If youre there for the character breakfast, they divert you to the patio of the Olelo Room first to get a picture with Mickey. That leaves just Minnie and Goofy to make the rounds inside the restaurant. (Maybe it was a slow day?)
While Patrick was taking these photos for me, I made the mistake of investigating the buffet. You know how Im always on about the soggy, cold, overcooked and picked-over food at Disney buffets? This was a whole other ballgame. The minute I spotted a Japanese-style soup and salad station on the breakfast buffet, I was transported back to our Tokyo trip and instantly smitten with Makahikidang the financial consequences!
(Imonna do this the lazy way and just post a photo of each stations label instead of retyping everything...)
to the thrusting cowboys reference.
Goofy did do a great job with his poses.
Aside for the view, that villa really is gorgeous.
I really think you're on to something there...
