Aulani: What's the One Thing You Wish You Knew?

[SeaPic]

I am looking at the Aulani website and it says there is a charge of $15 for the rainbow reef snorkelling. Is this for the rental of equipment or can you bring your own and snorkel for free?

When we went in 2012 we had to use their equipment and get new each time. The fee covered entry and equipment and you could stay as long as you want. Which wasn't very long for me due to the water temp - it had to be colder than the 82 they quote now. Lol.

 

[islandtimect]

When we went in 2012 we had to use their equipment and get new each time. The fee covered entry and equipment and you could stay as long as you want. Which wasn't very long for me due to the water temp - it had to be colder than the 82 they quote now. Lol.

Is the equipment free with the Disney Visa card?

 

[mic_KY_mouses]

Is the equipment free with the Disney Visa card?

I wondered the same thing. There was a promo out there a few months ago for a freebie for Disney Visa Cardholders but it disappeared and I haven't seen it again. I printed the info and will ask when we get there in a few days to see if they will honor it. I'll post back if I can.

 

[poohj80]

Is the equipment free with the Disney Visa card?

Yes the full Rainbow Reef experience was free for us in March.

This is the deal that was being offered at the time, but we were allowed to use Rainbow Reef free with our card even though we were staying on DVC points. We just showed our card to them and they punched our band each day. Never hurts to ask, right?

For a limited time, when Disney Visa cardholders purchase a minimum 4-night stay in a 1-2 bedroom villa at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawai'i, you'll enjoy a $500 Resort credit. The villas are ideal for families and larger travel parties. Or, you'll get a $400 Resort credit when you purchase a minimum 4-night stay in a deluxe studio or hotel room (excluding suites).

Plus, enjoy a Rainbow Reef snorkeling rental during your stay.

 

[jliehr]

The ABC Store (forget it's other name) across the street in the center with Monkeypod Kitchen is selling Dole Whips currently, I didn't try one because it was before dinner, but might save someone from heading to the Plantation if they really just want a Dole Whip.

 

[cedricandsophie]

There is a great workout on the beach almost every morning. No cost. The fitness center is also good. And the marriot next door has tennis courts thst cost 23 an hour. We played 4 times in April when we were there. Also there is excellent sushi restaurant across the street. Stay away from just tacos ...not very good. If you want to go to mass on Sunday there is st Rita's a few miles west of aulani on the same highway you come in on from Honolulu.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

We were there March of 2013. I wish I knew that if you leave your slippers by the pool area that someone takes them. All my family and my sister's family's slippers were gone our very first day. No one knew where we could find them. We had to buy new flip flops.

...So I suggest don't wear your best sandals/slippers...just the cheapest and bring more than one pair!

You mean, theft at the Aulani resort? Does that mean we can't leave anything by the pools etc? People can be so disgusting.

 

[poohj80]

We did not learn about the 1 hour pool chair-towel rule until our 4th day. Aulani cast members monitor pool chairs and if it looks like you have not returned to your chair for an hour, they will fold your towel and hang them on the back of the pool chair. This is how you know your chairs are being watched. When you return to your chair, just pull the towels down and that's how they know you have returned. If the towels have not moved after another hour (I think), the cast members will pick up all belongings and take them to the main towel distribution location and you can pick up there.

We were very upset that NO one mentioned this to us. We overheard the people in front of us in the towel line being asked if they knew the towel rule on our 4th day. We had to say we didn't know the towel rule and get it explained to us as no one had asked previously.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Thinking of joining Costco. How is the Costco Selection...

The Hawaiian Costcos have an awesome poke section, all the take-home gifts you could imagine such as mac nuts and other Hawaiian products for way less than elsewhere (I got a ukulele on the Big Island), and of course the cheapest gas on the island.

The Costco company treats its workers very well and is very concerned with developing very high quality products at excellent cost. In that way it is not "like Sam's Club," which as I understand is related to WalMart

I would recommend Costco to anyone, particularly for a Hawaiian vacation.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

P.S. about the poke at Costco: I thought I would not like raw fish either, but it was one of the best things I ever sampled! Don't rule it out until you try it

And I read a post by someone who used 9 bottles of tanning lotion for 3 people (did not say how long they stayed) -- given we can't bring a lot of liquids or gels on the plane, it is making me even more grateful there is a nearby Costco!

 

[poohj80]

We hit Costco and Target (across the street since we didn't need everything in Costco portions). The Costco prices were the same as at our local Costco including the sets of suntan lotion. If I would have thought about it, I wouldn't have packed any and just bought it all there. You can also buy POG by the gallon.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Here's the one thing I wish I knew. If you go to Matsamoto's for shave ice, and are wondering what beans with your shave ice will be like, and then decide to order your shave ice with beans thinking you'll be more authentic. DON'T.



Yuck. What's with putting beans on perfectly good shave ice. Not a mistake I'll repeat!!

I LOVE adzuki beans! They make the best filling for asian pastries, too, yum!!!

 

[Pixie_Dust]

KNOWING HOW CROWDED IT WAS! ... It was very hard to enjoy the resort this time around and we had to get up around 5AM to reserve decent pool chairs.

What does that mean,. to "reserve" a pool chair? I hope it doesn't mean like what they say you canNOT do on a cruise, plop down your stuff to block other people from using the chairs even though you are not there at the time? Please tell me there is a more civilized system?

P.S. Just got to the end of this thread, was answered a few posts above, sounds good, I will just have to remember not to keep my towels neatly folded

"We did not learn about the 1 hour pool chair-towel rule until our 4th day. Aulani cast members monitor pool chairs and if it looks like you have not returned to your chair for an hour, they will fold your towel and hang them on the back of the pool chair. This is how you know your chairs are being watched. When you return to your chair, just pull the towels down and that's how they know you have returned. If the towels have not moved after another hour (I think), the cast members will pick up all belongings and take them to the main towel distribution location and you can pick up there."

 

[funhouse8]

I wondered the same thing. There was a promo out there a few months ago for a freebie for Disney Visa Cardholders but it disappeared and I haven't seen it again. I printed the info and will ask when we get there in a few days to see if they will honor it. I'll post back if I can.

Oh please come back and let us know. We leave in three weeks. Can't wait and this would be a great perk. Thanks.

 

[islandtimect]

So it is hard to get pool chars if we go to the pool after breakfast, say 10am? I hate that people save chairs when they aren't there!

 

[CrazyDuck]

What I know that you should know...

Aulani's location makes it susceptible to some of the worst traffic in the nation! If you are traveling from Aulani heading towards Waikiki, you'll want to avoid the freeways between the hours of 5:30am and 8:00am. If you are travelling to Aulani from Waikiki or from the Airport, you'll want to avoid doing so between the hours of 3:00pm and 6:30pm.

- If your travels take to you the North Shore via H2 you'll only experience traffic in the morning and it will be short lived as the H2 exit is not far from where the traffic starts. Coming home from the North Shore you shouldn't see any traffic as any traffic on the H1 would have cleared by the time you reach the H2 interchange. *Special note for travelling on the North Shore. If you are here during the winter months (November - March) and you hear on the news that "Surfs Up", be advised that the traffic on the north shore can be absolutely ridiculous. Traffic on Kamehameha Hwy. often back up well before you even reach Haleiwa town and it may last all the way to Turtle Beach Resort. That's 7-8 miles of traffic going at most 5 miles per hour. So just take that into consideration if you want to go and check out the "epic waves"!

Other notes:
- The traffic times mentioned in the first paragraph apply only to weekdays. Weekends and Holidays traffic is usually light.

- The University of Hawaii has a huge impact on the traffic. When they are in Session (Aug-May) the traffic is at its absolute worst. During the Summer months, winter and Fall breaks traffic is a little lighter, most noticeably going towards Waikiki.

- There are many variables that can, and usually will, make traffic worse. Accidents and Road construction are the usual suspects. Right now there is a lot of construction going on. Follow "Hawaii Department of Transportation" on Facebook to get the latest updates to and lane closures.

 

[SeaPic]

The ABC Store (forget it's other name) across the street in the center with Monkeypod Kitchen is selling Dole Whips currently, I didn't try one because it was before dinner, but might save someone from heading to the Plantation if they really just want a Dole Whip.

Thanks! I'll definitely check this out when we are there next month.

 

[yolie912]

Oh please come back and let us know. We leave in three weeks. Can't wait and this would be a great perk. Thanks.

Nope I tried it and it doesn't work.. Bummer!!

 

[yolie912]

If you ask a pool staff member they will give you your stuff back. There is no saving chairs here. I am here now and it seems it's more enforced in the weekend... If you have questions I will be happy to reply.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Ty for the awesome post, CrazyDuck! My SIL was in Oahu last year and traffic was so bad she posted on fb that she was "officially over it." Bad traffic is one of the most stressful things ever! (For instance, whenever we get stuck in Bay Area traffic, such as that stretch of I-80 near Berkeley, sometimes at 0-5 mph, it is enough to push DH over the edge and consequently make me frightened and miserable ) I think we can be mentally prepared to spend hours in traffic, theoretically, but it will still bug us when we have to go through it. Any strategies to minimize the craziness are greatly appreciated!.

Is there wifi along all the hwys so we can refer to our app that shows traffic flow? Or is that specific to your carrier? We have Metro PCS. I do not want to pay $15 a day xtra to get nav on the rental car!

What I know that you should know...

Aulani's location makes it susceptible to some of the worst traffic in the nation! If you are traveling from Aulani heading towards Waikiki, you'll want to avoid the freeways between the hours of 5:30am and 8:00am. If you are travelling to Aulani from Waikiki or from the Airport, you'll want to avoid doing so between the hours of 3:00pm and 6:30pm.

- If your travels take to you the North Shore via H2 you'll only experience traffic in the morning and it will be short lived as the H2 exit is not far from where the traffic starts. Coming home from the North Shore you shouldn't see any traffic as any traffic on the H1 would have cleared by the time you reach the H2 interchange. *Special note for travelling on the North Shore. If you are here during the winter months (November - March) and you hear on the news that "Surfs Up", be advised that the traffic on the north shore can be absolutely ridiculous. Traffic on Kamehameha Hwy. often back up well before you even reach Haleiwa town and it may last all the way to Turtle Beach Resort. That's 7-8 miles of traffic going at most 5 miles per hour. So just take that into consideration if you want to go and check out the "epic waves"!

Other notes:
- The traffic times mentioned in the first paragraph apply only to weekdays. Weekends and Holidays traffic is usually light.

- The University of Hawaii has a huge impact on the traffic. When they are in Session (Aug-May) the traffic is at its absolute worst. During the Summer months, winter and Fall breaks traffic is a little lighter, most noticeably going towards Waikiki.

- There are many variables that can, and usually will, make traffic worse. Accidents and Road construction are the usual suspects. Right now there is a lot of construction going on. Follow "Hawaii Department of Transportation" on Facebook to get the latest updates to and lane closures.