Aulani - using the balcony?

[amystevekai&bump]

Hi all

It's getting close to when I can attempt to book our studio at Aulani for our August trip and at the moment availability looks pretty good for all but the standard view and hotel rooms

I thought I had decided on an ocean view room as some of the views look awesome, but I've been looking at the 2016 point charts for our next WDW trip and I've begun to question whether I should opt for a 'lesser' view & save some points!

DH has rightly pointed out that we have never sat on the balcony in wdw (despite having Savannah views at AKV and Park views at BLT), due partly to spending so little time in the room and partly down to the number of bugs - my DH attracts insect bites like no one I've ever met!

Can I therefore ask - for those of you who have visited both Aulani and wdw, did you spend more time in your room (and therefore more time on your balcony) at Aulani than at WDW?

How is the bug situation at Aulani? If DH sees lots of squatted bugs, (as we always do at WDW), then that will be enough to keep him (& therefore me as I like company!) permanently inside when we are in the room.

Many thanks for any thoughts.

Ps we are planning an 8 night stay in mid August & spending most days in the resort - incase that effects your advice

 

[Anal Annie]

I heard they're changing the point charts for summer 2016 to make it very expensive to go during late June - early August (changing to Premium season). We went this past August and had an IV studio. We really didn't spend that much time in the room or out on the balcony. We were down at the pool all day every day (unless we went somewhere to "do" something). I suspect the lower views are going to be even harder to get with the new point structure…We did not have a problem with bugs or insects while we were there (I am like your DH and attract anything & everything that bites).

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I heard they're changing the point charts for summer 2016 to make it very expensive to go during late June - early August (changing to Premium season). We went this past August and had an IV studio. We really didn't spend that much time in the room or out on the balcony. We were down at the pool all day every day (unless we went somewhere to "do" something). I suspect the lower views are going to be even harder to get with the new point structure…We did not have a problem with bugs or insects while we were there (I am like your DH and attract anything & everything that bites).

Thanks Annie. We will be there this August before the point charts change, availability looking good at the moment, but I've got a week to wait - just hoping that Aulani owners are not waiting until the last minute to use their home resort advantage!

Good news on the bug front - though that makes the decision harder, as if there's a chance DH will be out on the balcony then I'd like something nice to look at!

Annie, can I ask - was your island view on a high floor? Wondering if bugs are more likely with the foliage on the lower floors? In which case, I guess there is more chance of being higher up in an ocean view? I know pool view are the lower floors, so perhaps more bugs?

 

[cindyzig]

Hi all

It's getting close to when I can attempt to book our studio at Aulani for our August trip and at the moment availability looks pretty good for all but the standard view and hotel rooms

I thought I had decided on an ocean view room as some of the views look awesome, but I've been looking at the 2016 point charts for our next WDW trip and I've begun to question whether I should opt for a 'lesser' view & save some points!

DH has rightly pointed out that we have never sat on the balcony in wdw (despite having Savannah views at AKV and Park views at BLT), due partly to spending so little time in the room and partly down to the number of bugs - my DH attracts insect bites like no one I've ever met!

Can I therefore ask - for those of you who have visited both Aulani and wdw, did you spend more time in your room (and therefore more time on your balcony) at Aulani than at WDW?

How is the bug situation at Aulani? If DH sees lots of squatted bugs, (as we always do at WDW), then that will be enough to keep him (& therefore me as I like company!) permanently inside when we are in the room.

Many thanks for any thoughts.

Ps we are planning an 8 night stay in mid August & spending most days in the resort - incase that effects your advice

I can speak for Kidani and will able to speak for Aulani soon as we will be there from January 26th through February 5th.

At Kidani, we were in a one bedroom Sunset Svannah room at Kidani for a week in October of this year. We were busy too, but I found balcony time quite a bit in the early evening. My 6 year old son liked the balcony too and my father-in-law spent some time there too. My husband gets bit up too, and he did not spend much quality time out there.

At Aulani, we finally opted for the first 4 nights in an ocean view studio. Then, we move to a pool view one bedroom villa for the last 6 nights. I love a nice lanai in Hawaii and foresee myself spending morning and evening time in between playing at the pools/beach outside. My favorite thing to do in other past trips to Maui were to have a cup of coffee on the lanai in the morning and a glass of wine on the lanai in the evening, and I was not bit up there by bugs and my husband was not either. I would think it would be the same at Aulani, but the jury is out, and I will be happy to report back once we return. I have a feeling we will be out of the room at Aulani much more than in Maui because the resort has SO much more to do and to keep my son busy.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I can speak for Kidani and will able to speak for Aulani soon as we will be there from January 26th through February 5th.

At Kidani, we were in a one bedroom Sunset Svannah room at Kidani for a week in October of this year. We were busy too, but I found balcony time quite a bit in the early evening. My 6 year old son liked the balcony too and my father-in-law spent some time there too. My husband gets bit up too, and he did not spend much quality time out there.

At Aulani, we finally opted for the first 4 nights in an ocean view studio. Then, we move to a pool view one bedroom villa for the last 6 nights. I love a nice lanai in Hawaii and foresee myself spending morning and evening time in between playing at the pools/beach outside. My favorite thing to do in other past trips to Maui were to have a cup of coffee on the lanai in the morning and a glass of wine on the lanai in the evening, and I was not bit up there by bugs and my husband was not either. I would think it would be the same at Aulani, but the jury is out, and I will be happy to report back once we return. I have a feeling we will be out of the room at Aulani much more than in Maui because the resort has SO much more to do and to keep my son busy.

Hi Cindy

Gosh your trip is really soon! How exciting! yes, it would be terrific if you could report back. Thank you

I've just checked availability again (hadn't looked for a couple of days) and now the only view that looks to be totally open for all of August is ocean view - island/pool are still showing for my dates at the moment, but I see that those views have already gone for those able to book from today, so I'm guessing I might not have a choice anyway when my booking date arrives as earlier arrivals might well get the 'lesser' views first!

 

[Sir William]

Lanai (balcony) use is a very personal amenity and DW and I are a perfect example from our visit last year.

She likes to sit by the pool or on the beach and can do so all day, whereas I preferred the lanai to the pool.

My routine over our 4 days was to sit on the lanai in the early mornings having my tea and reading while she slept in. I usually sat on it again early to mid-afternoon for a couple of hours, and again in the early evening before we went to dinner. DW would join me for a few minutes in the morning and evening, but otherwise didn't use it all that much. We follow much the same pattern on our cruises as well.

For me, the lanai is critical to my enjoyment, but for DW it was nice to have but not essential. We're going back in late June for 2 weeks and I'm looking forward to relaxing on the lanai again like last year. DW is anxiously awaiting sunning by the pool.

BTW, I didn't find the bugs to be a problem at any time.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Lanai (balcony) use is a very personal amenity and DW and I are a perfect example from our visit last year.

She likes to sit by the pool or on the beach and can do so all day, whereas I preferred the lanai to the pool.

My routine over our 4 days was to sit on the lanai in the early mornings having my tea and reading while she slept in. I usually sat on it again early to mid-afternoon for a couple of hours, and again in the early evening before we went to dinner. DW would join me for a few minutes in the morning and evening, but otherwise didn't use it all that much. We follow much the same pattern on our cruises as well.

For me, the lanai is critical to my enjoyment, but for DW it was nice to have but not essential. We're going back in late June for 2 weeks and I'm looking forward to relaxing on the lanai again like last year. DW is anxiously awaiting sunning by the pool.

BTW, I didn't find the bugs to be a problem at any time.

Thank you taking the time to post . Can I ask, what view do you opt for?

 

[DenLo]

We have stayed at Aulani twice, in a pool view and the second time in an ocean view. We are view people. We do sit on the balcony even at WDW. If the resort doesn't have views in studios, we don't stay there.

We found that if we did not have an Waikole Valley view that we would be out of the action especially in the evenings. One of the best parts of having a balcony view looking over the valley was hearing the live music being played at the lounges while we enjoy a glass of wine (or a bottle).

It is true that for many hours of the day you spend it at the pool. But after a while we often returned to the room just to get away from the crowds. And there is nothing better than watching a sunset from your balcony while at Aulani. Sure we watched the sun set while at Makaka Landing but it was not special like it was on our own balcony.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

We have stayed at Aulani twice, in a pool view and the second time in an ocean view. We are view people. We do sit on the balcony even at WDW. If the resort doesn't have views in studios, we don't stay there.

We found that if we did not have an Waikole Valley view that we would be out of the action especially in the evenings. One of the best parts of having a balcony view looking over the valley was hearing the live music being played at the lounges while we enjoy a glass of wine (or a bottle).

It is true that for many hours of the day you spend it at the pool. But after a while we often returned to the room just to get away from the crowds. And there is nothing better than watching a sunset from your balcony while at Aulani. Sure we watched the sun set while at Makaka Landing but it was not special like it was on our own balcony.

Denise your post has just totally sold me on an ocean view studio - thank you

This could well be our one and only trip to Aulani (it's a very long way from the UK ) and I now want that view that you've described!

Thanks for taking the time to post