Experience the Aloha! June 2021 Oahu/Aulani TR *COMPLETE* 3/7 Final Aulani Day!

[missangelalexis]

The surf lesson for DH & DS sounded really fun! And I'm glad you and DD could spend some time on the beach! Good to know about the sunscreen, I never would have known that.

Glad you all enjoyed going to Pearl Harbor!

Wow that lookout is gorgeous! As are the views from your hike!

 

[rentayenta]

Fun update!

This will be my second visit to Aulani and DH's first however he spent time time living in Hawaii and is familiar with the islands. I took a girls' trip in Jan 2020 and came back with COVID.

 

[khertz]

Exceptional photos as always. Thanks for taking us along.

Thank you so much! I love sharing our adventures, it lets me relive an awesome vacation.

The surf lesson for DH & DS sounded really fun! And I'm glad you and DD could spend some time on the beach! Good to know about the sunscreen, I never would have known that.

Glad you all enjoyed going to Pearl Harbor!

Wow that lookout is gorgeous! As are the views from your hike!

The sunscreen thing was something I researched way too much before we left! lol I stressed about making sure I got the right thing, and ended up spending a lot less than I was anticipating for a more-than-enough amount of sunscreen. Some of them I was reading in articles were like $50-100 a bottle for a tiny amount!!

That side of the island is absolutely gorgeous!

Fun update!

This will be my second visit to Aulani and DH's first however he spent time time living in Hawaii and is familiar with the islands. I took a girls' trip in Jan 2020 and came back with COVID.

OH NO!! What a souvenir!! Hopefully this will be a MUCH better experience than catching Covid!!

 

[AussieDisneyfans]

Really enjoying your trip report - my daughter and I went in Dec 2019 and fell in love with everything about Hawaii, that we had planned to go back last year. Well as we all know, that didn't happen and as we are in Australia, it won't be happening any time soon. I have also enjoyed your previous trip reports. We did a split stay also, Waikiki first then Aulani.

 

[amazingact21]

Wow, those are some beautiful shots. I could go to that lookout and stand there all day. I'm sure it's one of those sights that are even prettier in person, too.

 

[khertz]

Really enjoying your trip report - my daughter and I went in Dec 2019 and fell in love with everything about Hawaii, that we had planned to go back last year. Well as we all know, that didn't happen and as we are in Australia, it won't be happening any time soon. I have also enjoyed your previous trip reports. We did a split stay also, Waikiki first then Aulani.

Ugh, so sorry your trip had to be put off. It’s so frustrating that so many things are still up in the air. Hopefully you can travel again soon!!

Wow, those are some beautiful shots. I could go to that lookout and stand there all day. I'm sure it's one of those sights that are even prettier in person, too.

It’s definitely hard to capture the true beauty in photos. We stayed for awhile just looking at the beautiful scenery. It was too windy to be practical, but I’d love to sit out on those rocks with a book or something lol.

 

[Inga]

We have not been to the aloha market before so planning it for our Feb trip - we’ll go first thing in the morning, and Feb is a relatively cool month so we’re hoping to tolerate it. I really want to buy a cute hat - not a ball cap - more like a straw fedora….wondering if you saw any cute hats - or were too distracted by the heat to notice!

 

[CamDisDay]

Really enjoying this and getting excited for an upcoming trip! Can't wait to read what happens next!

 

[rdkeim]

Loving your TR and beautiful photos! That blue water - just gorgeous. Makes me want to go to Hawaii! I like the way you planned your days. You had lots of fun activities but didn't fill every minute. Looking forward to more

 

[ariel-and-eric]

Hello! My husband and I live in Louisiana, too (3 hours northwest). I have read your WDW reports, and I'm loving this one as well. We hope to go to Aulani soon; your tips and details are much appreciated!

 

[khertz]

We have not been to the aloha market before so planning it for our Feb trip - we’ll go first thing in the morning, and Feb is a relatively cool month so we’re hoping to tolerate it. I really want to buy a cute hat - not a ball cap - more like a straw fedora….wondering if you saw any cute hats - or were too distracted by the heat to notice!

It will definitely be more enjoyable in the cooler months!! They definitely had hats, along with really pretty Hawaiian print dresses I wish I'd had more time to check out for me & DD.

Loving your TR and beautiful photos! That blue water - just gorgeous. Makes me want to go to Hawaii! I like the way you planned your days. You had lots of fun activities but didn't fill every minute. Looking forward to more

The blue of that water was just unreal. It looks like a photograph even in person! We really planned a lot the first several days in Waikiki so that once we got to Aulani we could relax a lot more, which is usually tough for us to do on vacation. lol We like to go go go! So it was wonderful to have the benefit of time this vacation to get in plenty of both.

Hello! My husband and I live in Louisiana, too (3 hours northwest). I have read your WDW reports, and I'm loving this one as well. We hope to go to Aulani soon; your tips and details are much appreciated!

Welcome along!! Thanks for following DH and I both went to college in Northeast LA, me at ULM and DH at LA Tech. Are you in the Shreveport area?

 

[khertz]

Day 4: Thursday June 3rd

This morning was the only one where we didn’t really have anything planned because the only item on our itinerary was the Polynesian Cultural Center. It was about an hour drive to get there, but it didn’t open until 1 pm so we weren’t in a hurry to get to that side of the island. Since we had some free time, DH decided to hike Koko Head Crater. This was a hike he had seen on YouTube while researching our trip, and it was one he really wanted to try, but I didn’t think it was a good idea for the kids (or myself if I’m being honest). This is the description from alltrails.com:

Steep, no-shade, climb to the top of Koko Head Crater that includes spectacular panoramic views of the east Honolulu shoreline, Hanauma Bay, and parts of the Big Island. The 1,000+ step walking track consists of abandoned railroad ties that run along the crater's west side to the top of Koko Crater. The military used them previously during World War 2 as part of an incline tram to transport supplies to a lookout post at the summit. Halfway up, there is a "bridge" portion without ground beneath ~50 rail steps, but there is bypassing trail if you're scared.

While it does look incredibly cool with the abandoned railroad ties, it looked way too strenuous for me! And I was worried about the kids with how steep it is, especially once you are coming back down. But DH was up for the challenge, so this seemed like the best day for him to get to try it out. He got up and out early, while the kids and I stayed back and relaxed.

IMG_3530 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3534 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3541 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3543 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1184 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1185 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1189 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3548 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3555 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3576 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

We did benefit from his hike though, because he decided to stop for some malasadas at one of the Leonard’s trucks (Malasadamobile!) to bring back for a celebratory breakfast.

IMG_3584 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_3585 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

While DH had been gone, I had tried to get online to book tickets for snorkeling at Hanauma Bay for the next day. Apparently, these online tickets are Hawaii’s version of Rise of the Resistance boarding groups! I selected several different times but by the time I input all of my information and went to check out, it would tell me there were no longer enough spots left for that time slot. I tried several different times to no avail. They were gone within 3 minutes! I truly couldn’t believe it. I did wonder whether I should have made an account before trying (even though it said one was not necessary) because maybe I wouldn’t have had to type all of my information in?? I don’t know!

Once he was back and freshened up, we got on the road to head to Laie for an afternoon and evening at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The island villages open at 1 pm, but there is a dining and shopping area at the entrance called the Hukilau Marketplace, so we thought it would be a good idea to get there in enough time for lunch before the islands opened. We left at 10:45 am and as expected, it took about an hour to get there.

IMG_1204 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1201 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Our original plan was to eat at the full service restaurant called Pounders. We wanted the kids to have a substantial lunch because we had no idea if they would find much they were willing to eat later that evening at the luau. But once we arrived and walked around, there were quite a few food trucks in the area. We decided to get some burgers and fries from one of them instead so we could get finished a little quicker, and of course save a little money! It was plenty of food. While DH and DS were ordering, I tried to get DD to show off her tropical dress, but she was being prissy and uncooperative.

IMG_1202 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr

Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Once DS came back to the table, I wanted a picture of him in his dinosaur Hawaiian style shirt, and he was much more cooperative (but a little goofy!).

Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

So then naturally, DD decided she would just LOVE to let me take a photo!

Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

We feasted on our lunch, which included some delicious parmesan truffle fries, and then it was time to head into the PCC to start enjoying the island villages!

 

[Diasmom]

My husband is planning the Koko Crater Hike also. Did your husband have difficulty finding parking? The hike looks pretty challenging!

 

[ariel-and-eric]

It will definitely be more enjoyable in the cooler months!! They definitely had hats, along with really pretty Hawaiian print dresses I wish I'd had more time to check out for me & DD.



The blue of that water was just unreal. It looks like a photograph even in person! We really planned a lot the first several days in Waikiki so that once we got to Aulani we could relax a lot more, which is usually tough for us to do on vacation. lol We like to go go go! So it was wonderful to have the benefit of time this vacation to get in plenty of both.



Welcome along!! Thanks for following DH and I both went to college in Northeast LA, me at ULM and DH at LA Tech. Are you in the Shreveport area?

Thank you! We live in Alexandria. I went to college at NSU in Natchitoches, and my husband is from Long Island, NY.

 

[DDuck4Life]

My husband is planning the Koko Crater Hike also. Did your husband have difficulty finding parking? The hike looks pretty challenging!

Parking is super easy. The hike entrance is right behind a baseball field at a local park. so there is plenty of free parking for the park that you can use and just follow the crowd of people walking past the baseball field up to the hike. Just like most things the earlier you get there the less people and closer spot you will get to park. Those few extra feet you gain with each spot makes a difference after the hike heading back to your car.

 

[amazingact21]

That views from the top of that hike look spectacular! But....climbing that many stairs to be able to enjoy it...not sure it's worth that. Although, I guess if I'm willing to walk up a million spiraling, narrow stairs to get a look at the tops of ancient castles, what's some stairs on a mountain?
My friend was actually stationed in Hawaii for a long time, and she told me her husband convinced her to do that hike. She said she only got about a fourth of the way up before her husband reached the top, and she almost gave up because it was so steep.


I can't wait to hear about your experience at the cultural center and the luau! I saw the pics you posted and they looked amazing.

Ahhhh, daughters. Gotta love when they get in one of those moods. Evie's only about 2 months younger than D. so I can sympathize with all the emotions being thrown your way.
For what is' worth, the dress does look really cute!

 

[EmilyS92003]

Was there any pin reading at aulani? We leave tomorrow and need to know if we should bring pins or not…..

 

[khertz]

Was there any pin reading at aulani? We leave tomorrow and need to know if we should bring pins or not…..

we didn’t do it but I do remember they offered it for a limited time in the afternoons.

 

[khertz]

That views from the top of that hike look spectacular! But....climbing that many stairs to be able to enjoy it...not sure it's worth that. Although, I guess if I'm willing to walk up a million spiraling, narrow stairs to get a look at the tops of ancient castles, what's some stairs on a mountain?
My friend was actually stationed in Hawaii for a long time, and she told me her husband convinced her to do that hike. She said she only got about a fourth of the way up before her husband reached the top, and she almost gave up because it was so steep.


I can't wait to hear about your experience at the cultural center and the luau! I saw the pics you posted and they looked amazing.

Ahhhh, daughters. Gotta love when they get in one of those moods. Evie's only about 2 months younger than D. so I can sympathize with all the emotions being thrown your way.
For what is' worth, the dress does look really cute!

Right?! I was not disappointed to miss out on this one Way too strenuous for me!! DH said the locals were climbing it like it was nothing!

DD has me legitimately terrified for the teenager years. She is already so high maintenance!!!

 

[khertz]

Day 4 Continued: Thursday June 4th

When I left off, we were heading into the Polynesian Cultural Center to explore the island villages. The best way I can describe this if you’ve never been before is that it is like the World Showcase of Polynesian islands. There are 6 in total: Hawaii, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, and Aotearoa (New Zealand, which is much easier to remember how to spell, so I’ll be referring to it as that from now on!). Each village offers cultural presentations throughout the afternoon, and hands on activities or demonstrations. It is very cool to see all of the ways the different islands are the same and how they differ from each other.

IMG_1206 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1326 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1209 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

We walked to Samoa first, but it as we walked up they were just finishing their first cultural presentation of the afternoon, so we went over to the next island which was New Zealand where one was about to start. They were mindful of capacity limits at this particular one since it was inside, but we luckily were able to get in just before they stopped letting in more people.

The presentation started off with music and chanting.

Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1214 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1215 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Then we learned about poi! Unlike the dish that is eaten in Hawaii of the same name, poi here is the Maori word for ball on a cord. They sing and swing the balls in a very rhythmic dance that was pretty cool to see.

IMG_1218 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1221 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

They also showed us a game that helps teach hand-eye coordination where you basically throw sticks at each other and try to catch them. I’m sure that’s really fun to play with your siblings when you’re little…

IMG_1223 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1229 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1237 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

The presentation ended with the coolest part, and probably what everyone is interested to see there...Haka! The Maori war dance was very cool to see in person!

IMG_1241 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

The kids weren’t interested in the hands-on activities there (not even the stick throwing!), so we decided to double back and catch the next presentation scheduled in Samoa since we had missed the first one. Our host for this one was named Kap, and he was hilarious! He blended the culture and traditions of Samoa with some great jokes and cool tricks, like opening a coconut with a rock, and starting a small fire.

IMG_1243 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Then we moved out onto the grass where they demonstrated how they climb trees quickly and barefoot!

IMG_1245 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1248 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1258 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Next we went over to the island village of Fiji.

IMG_1261 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Here we saw more traditional dancing, and they explained how courting and marriage proposals happen.

Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr


Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr


Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

One of the hands on activities DS really wanted to do was the spear throwing in Tonga. Since we had some time before the next presentation there, we waited a few minutes before it was our turn to try it out.

IMG_1263 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

We each got a practice throw first before we took our real shots and tried to get the target.

IMG_1264 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1265 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1266 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

It was harder than it looked! But it was fun, and then we went over to get a spot for what ended up being probably our favorite presentation. We learned some dance moves, got to see them drum, and even got some good laughs when they brought a few volunteers from the audience up to try out the drums. It was very entertaining!

IMG_1267 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1271 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1276 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


Untitled by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

We only had time for one more presentation before we’d have to start making our way over to check in for the luau. It was between Hawaii and Tahiti, and when I told DH the 4 pm presentation in Tahiti was a traditional wedding ceremony, he just groaned. Lol So we went to Hawaii instead.

IMG_1262 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

This one was also pretty funny, as the host did tease us all a bit about how most of us pronounce “ukulele” (YOU-ka-lay-lee instead of ooh-koo-leh-leh) and they showed us the old and new styles of hula dancing, and even taught us some of the moves.

IMG_1284 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


IMG_1285 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

There was also a traditional hut home we could peek in before leaving the area.

IMG_1287 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​