We were there from 8/25-9/1. Below is the review I wrote for Trip Advisor.
I really wanted to give Aulani 3.5 stars but that was not a choice (so I gave 4 out of 5). Our family stayed at Aulani at the end of August, our last stop on a three island/three week trip to Hawaii. This followed stays on Big Island and Maui at high end, low density condos. Aulani couldn't have been more different. It is extremely high density.
We are Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members, so we are used to the crowds at Disney World parks and resorts. Aulani was similar. I expected by the end of August some of the crowds would have cleared out. Not so. There were many Japanese families staying there at the beginning of our stay, and then even more guests (mostly local Hawaiians) arrived for Labor Day weekend. By the time we left (Sunday of Labor day weekend), the place was packed.
Pros: The resort itself is beautiful and the attention to detail in the design is everywhere you look. The rooms are comfortable and well designed as we have come to expect from DVC. We stayed in a two bedroom ocean view villa on the 10th floor and my in laws were in a studio pool view on the 5th floor. The higher floors offer the best views and the most peace. (The lobby is on the 3rd floor so if you get a room on 3, be prepared for lots of foot traffic.) I really enjoyed the view and would definitely book an ocean view unit again. To me, it was worth the extra points. The beach is terrific and usually not crowded if you arrive in the morning. We were able to find chairs with an umbrella every day as long as we got there in the morning. The beach hut offers activities such as volleyball, ping pong, boogie board and sand toy rentals, all complimentary. There are also for fee rentals such as kayaks and SUPs. The lazy river, slides and pools are really nice IF you go first thing in the morning or very late afternoon into the evening. We would set up at the beach each day and the kids would go back and forth between the pools and beach. The kids enjoyed using the community center to rent complimentary DVDs each evening and do the menehune scavenger hunt. It was nice that the kids (almost 13 and 10) could enjoy some freedoms while the adults relaxed on the beach.
CONS: Aulani is just too crowded. The pool area is not at all relaxing. It is impossible to find a chair except for very early morning or late afternoon and evening. (Fortunately, we prefer the beach anyway.) There are often lines for rafts for the lazy river and slide. The adult infinity pool is the size of a large hot tub. We would get towels the night before and stake out our beach chairs early the next morning. Enjoying Aulani requires a Disney World touring plan style mindset. The other major con we encountered is an easy fix. There simply are not enough quick, casual family dining options after 5 or 6 pm. All the quick, casual eateries close or become bars at 5 or 6, with the exception of Ulu Cafe which has a limited menu. One evening at 6:10 pm I wandered around looking for a hamburger or hot dog to bring back to the room for my son and could not find one anywhere. Off the Hook, the poolside grill, should not turn into a bar in the evening. It should continue to offer casual, family dining until at least 8 pm. The character breakfast is overpriced and features only three characters (Mickey at check in and Goofy & Minnie coming by tables) and NO Stitch.
Despite these cons, we had a really nice time and would return to Aulani using our DVC points as long as we come prepared with a touring plan style mind set.
I really wanted to give Aulani 3.5 stars but that was not a choice (so I gave 4 out of 5). Our family stayed at Aulani at the end of August, our last stop on a three island/three week trip to Hawaii. This followed stays on Big Island and Maui at high end, low density condos. Aulani couldn't have been more different. It is extremely high density.
We are Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members, so we are used to the crowds at Disney World parks and resorts. Aulani was similar. I expected by the end of August some of the crowds would have cleared out. Not so. There were many Japanese families staying there at the beginning of our stay, and then even more guests (mostly local Hawaiians) arrived for Labor Day weekend. By the time we left (Sunday of Labor day weekend), the place was packed.
Pros: The resort itself is beautiful and the attention to detail in the design is everywhere you look. The rooms are comfortable and well designed as we have come to expect from DVC. We stayed in a two bedroom ocean view villa on the 10th floor and my in laws were in a studio pool view on the 5th floor. The higher floors offer the best views and the most peace. (The lobby is on the 3rd floor so if you get a room on 3, be prepared for lots of foot traffic.) I really enjoyed the view and would definitely book an ocean view unit again. To me, it was worth the extra points. The beach is terrific and usually not crowded if you arrive in the morning. We were able to find chairs with an umbrella every day as long as we got there in the morning. The beach hut offers activities such as volleyball, ping pong, boogie board and sand toy rentals, all complimentary. There are also for fee rentals such as kayaks and SUPs. The lazy river, slides and pools are really nice IF you go first thing in the morning or very late afternoon into the evening. We would set up at the beach each day and the kids would go back and forth between the pools and beach. The kids enjoyed using the community center to rent complimentary DVDs each evening and do the menehune scavenger hunt. It was nice that the kids (almost 13 and 10) could enjoy some freedoms while the adults relaxed on the beach.
CONS: Aulani is just too crowded. The pool area is not at all relaxing. It is impossible to find a chair except for very early morning or late afternoon and evening. (Fortunately, we prefer the beach anyway.) There are often lines for rafts for the lazy river and slide. The adult infinity pool is the size of a large hot tub. We would get towels the night before and stake out our beach chairs early the next morning. Enjoying Aulani requires a Disney World touring plan style mindset. The other major con we encountered is an easy fix. There simply are not enough quick, casual family dining options after 5 or 6 pm. All the quick, casual eateries close or become bars at 5 or 6, with the exception of Ulu Cafe which has a limited menu. One evening at 6:10 pm I wandered around looking for a hamburger or hot dog to bring back to the room for my son and could not find one anywhere. Off the Hook, the poolside grill, should not turn into a bar in the evening. It should continue to offer casual, family dining until at least 8 pm. The character breakfast is overpriced and features only three characters (Mickey at check in and Goofy & Minnie coming by tables) and NO Stitch.
Despite these cons, we had a really nice time and would return to Aulani using our DVC points as long as we come prepared with a touring plan style mind set.
