Does Anyone have experience with Aulani's Tween Activities?

blessed2BaMama

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 3, 2013
Messages
73
I think my shy and sometimes anxious 12 yr old son would enjoy the tween activities Aulani offers but I don't know enough about them to tell him much! Has anyone ever taken their children to these activities or watched them and could you tell me a little bit about them ...thank you in advance !! Blessings! Amy
 
My 11 year old was not too impressed with the tween activity she did. They just used sharpie markers to color a plastic necklace. There were a lot of tweens in there. Not enough seats for all of them.
She enjoyed the Stitch's space goo and Keiki Hula more than the tween activity.
At first she didn't want to go, but I reminded her that it may be her last time being a kid at a Disney Resort, so just enjoy it. So she really did have fun at the kid activities.
 
My kids are 8 and 10 (girls), and my 10 year old turned 11 two weeks after we got back. They did not do the tween activities because frankly we were too busy doing so much else! I will admit I didn't seek them out either, as it would have been possible for my older daughter to participate but not the younger one. I will say that they did enjoy Aunty's despite my angst that they would hate it and find it too babyish. They did the Keiki Hula (kind of a let down after they had learned the hula in a more detailed manner in an earlier activity, but still fun), Space Goo and Coconut Queens and Kings of Comedy. They enjoyed all of them, but I think they liked Space Goo the best. They did meet lots of other kids in the pools etc throughout the trip, and then they wanted to coordinate going to Aunty's in the evenings so they could hang out with their new friends! They only went to Aunty's one other time for a short while when we were in the spa, but overall they enjoyed it much more than I expected. For a 12 year old boy, the video and computer games might appeal at Aunty's but I don't know if that is what you had in mind!? The good thing about the activities at Aulani is that the Tween ones are generally free, and if he hates it or is bored, he can always just head on back to the room! Have a great trip!
 
My daughter turned 11 right before we went but didn't want to go to the few tween things listed on the Iwa. She preferred to stay with her younger brother in Aunty's. I can't say exactly what the tween boys did out there - but I know they blocked off the outdoor play area to everyone but them one day for sports type of activities. i don't remember the Iwa referencing any tween activity that night; I think the CMs just tried to get activities going that fit the age demographics, and keep younger ones safe too. Mine did the comedy show, space goo, and the aloha party. Comedy show was their fave; space goo was boring bc they had just done that at school; aloha party skewed too young for my kids (even the 7yo). If you pre register him, definitely go for comedy show or space goo over hula or aloha party.
 

My son 11 did the craft night and the game challenge night activity. He was happy that there were other boys there and he had a blast. He thought it was fun to get to know a couple kids that he saw around the resort other times or in Aunty's other times as well. He played video games with a couple of them and saw them in activities in the community room as well. I was worried that he would be the only boy especially at the craft night but he wasn't. He didn't really care about the craft but he loved having something that he could do and feel independent and it was social.
 
We recently got back w 12 and 10 yo girls, and 7 yo son.

During checkout an overly friendly CM, seeing the account and talking about future visits, was spontaneously commenting about the programs for kids and lamented that she wished Aulani had as robust a tween program as it does a teen program. Unsolicited she told me that she suggested bumping up a child's age to qualify them for teen programs if you think your child is emotionally ready. They are on an "honor system" she said and do not check ages further than the reservation. She went on to say that she used to do it in the computer for guests all the time after check in if they could benefit from it... but then was told to stop.

I'm not sure my 12 yo would've felt comfortable with the teens, but the tip is worth mentioning.

Aulani needs more tween-specific activities. They had a few at Aunty's: tween crafts, for example. They need more. They could even be the same standard Aunty's activities but aimed at 9-12 yr olds. So much of the issue for tweens, mine at least, is the emotional barrier of being in the same room as 4 yr olds.

Having said all that, they all loved the comedy night and the tween craft night.
 
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I can tell you having asked they will not let 12 yo do the teen activities. We tried and they would not allow it.
 
Yes, exactly. That's why that front desk person was suggesting actually changing the age (i.e., lying), precisely because they won't allow exceptions. I am just passing on what she said, I do not necessarily support it.
 
We recently got back w 12 and 10 yo girls, and 7 yo son.

During checkout an overly friendly CM, seeing the account and talking about future visits, was spontaneously commenting about the programs for kids and lamented that she wished Aulani had as robust a tween program as it does a teen program. Unsolicited she told me that she suggested bumping up a child's age to qualify them for teen programs if you think your child is emotionally ready. They are on an "honor system" she said and do not check ages further than the reservation. She went on to say that she used to do it in the computer for guests all the time after check in if they could benefit from it... but then was told to stop.

I'm not sure my 12 yo would've felt comfortable with the teens, but the tip is worth mentioning.

Aulani needs more tween-specific activities. They had a few at Aunty's: tween crafts, for example. They need more. They could even be the same standard Aunty's activities but aimed at 9-12 yr olds. So much of the issue for tweens, mine at least, is the emotional barrier of being in the same room as 4 yr olds.

Having said all that, they all loved the comedy night and the tween craft night.
Do you happen to remember the name of this front desk CM?
 
Do you happen to remember the name of this front desk CM?

I don't. It was on the checkout day and I was actually trying to get out of there. The conversation was memorable of course as you might imagine. I had some bags, family went ahead to car, wanted to settle up the charges... as she pulled up the account on the computer she looked over the kids ages, was smily and talky, and presumed I'd be back in 2 yrs (when my girls would be 14 and 12) and just kept going from there talking about how good the teen activities were, how much better the tween activities need to be, how she believed Aunty's should be 3-9, that kids are growing so fast these days... a bit manic with flight of ideas but with a gentle Hawaiianess to it too ... I got one response/question in only, to the effect of (paraphrasing) "would they really not cross reference with disney accounts or prior vacations for kids birthdays"... she replied happily that they are on the honor system and in fact she used to make the changes herself in the computer in the past if she thought a family could benefit but then got in trouble. Not surprising. Mind you, I never even started the conversation, just wanted my bill.

I mentioned the episode on this thread to make the point that even a CM there wished the tween experience was less of a watershed and had tried to do something about it in the past.
 












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