first trip to Aulani, any and all info/tips wanted

[mikewdw]

planning our first trip to Aulani this summer. basically we have always just gone to WDW (live in AL so easy drive and we love it) but now trying to get it all planned.
we are 2 adults, 3 children 13, 11,11 with 5 days there
any tips/info, do's, don'ts appreciated on ANY topic from best air fare, to food there, travel there, what to do there, what not to do, ways to save money etc
thanks
mikewdw

 

[Midoria]

Have you checked Trip Advisor for your non-Disney questions? They are really indispensable, and while I feel like a commercial because I keep suggesting the site, they have helped plan every successful trip I've ever gone on. Also, I suggest Frommers and/or Lonely Planet books. I have one for every vacation I've ever done, and they really help.

 

[poison ivy]

planning our first trip to Aulani this summer. basically we have always just gone to WDW (live in AL so easy drive and we love it) but now trying to get it all planned.
we are 2 adults, 3 children 13, 11,11 with 5 days there
any tips/info, do's, don'ts appreciated on ANY topic from best air fare, to food there, travel there, what to do there, what not to do, ways to save money etc
thanks
mikewdw

so exciting. We just went for our first trip over Thanksgiving week.
Not sure about AL, but the best airfare for us from the west coast seemed to be thru either Hawaiian Airlines or Alaska Airlines.
I strongly recommend renting a car. We booked Alamo at the airport using a Costco membership discount.

we loved everything we did

north shore drive and beaches
Hiked Diamond Head
Kualoa ranch - did the Premiere Movie Sites Tour and bought some of their grass fed beef which we grilled at Aulani. http://www.kualoa.com/beef/
Dole Pineapple Plantation - maze was a TON of fun. Your kids will be challenged. There are a number of well hidden stations to find with a map. We loved it. It was in the Guinness book of world records at one time. train was a little boring but part of the charm.
Pearl Harbor - go early. IF the winds kick up they stop running the boats out to the Memorial. This happened to us in the afternoon so we made a second early am trip.
Sea turtle cove next to the resort was great to snorkel or just stand and watch them gracefully swim by. Recommend aqua shoes.

we ate at some local spots when we ventured out which were reasonably priced. Seven Brothers is a great burger place. http://www.sevenbrothersburgers.com/not-just-a-meal/
Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha has the BEST Shave Ice. https://uncleclays.com/

 

[ehrawn]

Lots of good trip reports in this board. Here's a recent one.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/he...-hours-some-thoughts-as-i-cant-sleep.3568734/

 

[Looptyloo]

As far as saving money, it might save a good amount if you stayed in a Waikiki hotel for days that you want to explore the island. We love Aulani but you're paying a good amount for their amenities, so if you don't plan to use them on some days, you could save a good bit by staying somewhere else and splitting your stay. With 5 days, not sure if you would want to do that (or add a couple days to your trip, 5 days at Aulani, a couple days elsewhere)....

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[frank808]

Biggest advice is to relax and enjoy yourself. I recommend getting a car if you plan to sightsee around the island. If aulani is your destination you can just rent a car for the days you decide to leave the resort. There is an onsite alamo or at the marriott timeshare there is an enterprise rent a car. There is a resort shuttle that travels within koolina that is complimentary.

 

[mikewdw]

thanks all for info,
if you think of anything else let me know!
mikewdw

 

[Marley30]

Not sure if the promotion is still going on. I booked aulani for 4 nights, 20% off rooms, $50 credit per night, free 1 day car rental and free shuttle service to and from the airport.

I believe the credit offer has passed but I do believe if you book over the phone for any reservation 4 nights or longer you will still get the free Day car rental and shuttle service. (According to the CM when I asked how come I never saw these offers online) - definitely call to see what offers they have for your potential dates. Not everything is advertised online I guess!

I am also staying in Waikiki through Airbnb for several nights before moving to aulani to cut the costs.

 

[MeeskaMooska13]

Not sure if the promotion is still going on. I booked aulani for 4 nights, 20% off rooms, $50 credit per night, free 1 day car rental and free shuttle service to and from the airport.

I believe the credit offer has passed but I do believe if you book over the phone for any reservation 4 nights or longer you will still get the free Day car rental and shuttle service. (According to the CM when I asked how come I never saw these offers online) - definitely call to see what offers they have for your potential dates. Not everything is advertised online I guess!

I am also staying in Waikiki through Airbnb for several nights before moving to aulani to cut the costs.

I got a similar deal through my travel agent.

 

[flinkerfrosch]

so exciting. We just went for our first trip over Thanksgiving week.
Not sure about AL, but the best airfare for us from the west coast seemed to be thru either Hawaiian Airlines or Alaska Airlines.
I strongly recommend renting a car. We booked Alamo at the airport using a Costco membership discount.

we loved everything we did

north shore drive and beaches
Hiked Diamond Head
Kualoa ranch - did the Premiere Movie Sites Tour and bought some of their grass fed beef which we grilled at Aulani. http://www.kualoa.com/beef/
Dole Pineapple Plantation - maze was a TON of fun. Your kids will be challenged. There are a number of well hidden stations to find with a map. We loved it. It was in the Guinness book of world records at one time. train was a little boring but part of the charm.
Pearl Harbor - go early. IF the winds kick up they stop running the boats out to the Memorial. This happened to us in the afternoon so we made a second early am trip.
Sea turtle cove next to the resort was great to snorkel or just stand and watch them gracefully swim by. Recommend aqua shoes.

we ate at some local spots when we ventured out which were reasonably priced. Seven Brothers is a great burger place. http://www.sevenbrothersburgers.com/not-just-a-meal/
Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha has the BEST Shave Ice. https://uncleclays.com/

I don't mean to highjack the post, but could you please tell me if Thanksgiving week was busy? We may be going this Nov leading up to the day after Thanksgiving.
Thanks

 

[poison ivy]

I don't mean to highjack the post, but could you please tell me if Thanksgiving week was busy? We may be going this Nov leading up to the day after Thanksgiving.
Thanks

Our stay was Wed - Tues over Thanksgiving. The week was bustling with people coming and going but not crowded if that makes sense. We had originally reserved a Cabana for 2 out of 6 days but cancelled them both since it really wasn't a problem ever finding a spot around the beach or pool and we felt they were too confining for our group. We loved that time of year. The resort is beautifully decorated and the weather was really nice.

 

[85glht]

Biggest advice is to relax and enjoy yourself. I recommend getting a car if you plan to sightsee around the island. If aulani is your destination you can just rent a car for the days you decide to leave the resort. There is an onsite alamo or at the marriott timeshare there is an enterprise rent a car. There is a resort shuttle that travels within koolina that is complimentary.

We went there twice and rented a car both times.... we did all our touristy things in the am and then headed back to Aulani in the afternoon to enjoy the pool and especially the lazy river! Enjoy your trip!

 

[apple9117]

great tips here!

 

[flinkerfrosch]

Our stay was Wed - Tues over Thanksgiving. The week was bustling with people coming and going but not crowded if that makes sense. We had originally reserved a Cabana for 2 out of 6 days but cancelled them both since it really wasn't a problem ever finding a spot around the beach or pool and we felt they were too confining for our group. We loved that time of year. The resort is beautifully decorated and the weather was really nice.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[Nikodemos]

For the past two years, we did split stays. For 2015, we did Turtle Bay (Polynesian Cultural Center, Dole Plantation, North Island) for 3 days, then Aulani. For 2016, we did the Big Island (West Coast beaches, Volcano) then Aulani. That way we can do all our adventuring, turn our car in, and then relax at Aulani. Otherwise, as stated above, you're spending a lot to use Aulani as a base of exploration.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Our stay was Wed - Tues over Thanksgiving. The week was bustling with people coming and going but not crowded if that makes sense. We had originally reserved a Cabana for 2 out of 6 days but cancelled them both since it really wasn't a problem ever finding a spot around the beach or pool and we felt they were too confining for our group. We loved that time of year. The resort is beautifully decorated and the weather was really nice.

Did you go to their Thanksgiving feast? We'll be there this Thanksgiving and we are trying to figure out dining for that day. Would appreciate any thoughts you have!

 

[poison ivy]

Did you go to their Thanksgiving feast? We'll be there this Thanksgiving and we are trying to figure out dining for that day. Would appreciate any thoughts you have!

We dined at the Makahiki Thanksgiving Buffet which was excellent and a bit cheaper than the main Thanksgiving feast with characters. Makahiki has indoor/outdoor seating which was a problem with the winds later that day. So if you choose this option, try to book an early seating to better your chances of an indoor table should the weather call for it. I'll post some pics next.

but Here's a video from 2016 I managed to find which has some footage of the main Thanksgiving buffet at the end.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

We dined at the Makahiki Thanksgiving Buffet which was excellent and a bit cheaper than the main Thanksgiving feast with characters. Makahiki has indoor/outdoor seating which was a problem with the winds later that day. So if you choose this option, try to book an early seating to better your chances of an indoor table should the weather call for it. I'll post some pics next.

but Here's a video from 2016 I managed to find which has some footage of the main Thanksgiving buffet at the end.

Thank you so much for the tip about timing. We will definitely keep that in mind.

 

[poison ivy]

Looks like all my pics are family so I can't share. Here's the Thanksgiving menu for Makahiki from 2015. I don't have last year but it's very similar.

https://resorts.disney.go.com/media.../makahiki-thanksgiving-dinner-buffet-menu.pdf

And here's a Disney Parks blog from that same year re: the Main Ballroom Thanksgiving Feast. (notice the price difference)

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ampaign=Feed:+DisneyParks+(Disney+Parks+Blog)

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

I don't mean to highjack the post, but could you please tell me if Thanksgiving week was busy? We may be going this Nov leading up to the day after Thanksgiving.
Thanks

We were there this Thanksgiving from Friday before to Saturday after. The first part of the week was very calm and low key, about Wednseday it started to get very crowded. Not unmanageable, but definitely difficult to find a chair at the pool(the beach chairs were never full though). Definitely a big uptick in people and activities right before and after the holiday.