Getting to Aulani ?

[MiaSRN62]

Yes Annie...dh does golf.....he's gonna go bananas on Maui I'm sure !

And considering this is our first trip to Hawaii, what would u all consider a comfortable number of days to stay ? I'm thinking a month or so ?

All this talk and I can barely wait to go !

PS : Oh and Annie....a friend of mine honeymooned on Tahaiti and her photo album was nothing less than magnificent !

Maria

 

[BCV23]

I'd try for 10-14 days, Maria. It is such a long trip over and a tough trip back.

We love the Wailea area...specifically the Grand Wailea where momjcs just stayed. Incredible views and fantastic pool. I love the oceanfront walkway in front of the resorts there. Lots of good golf nearby.

There are also good courses on Oahu. I'll have to ask my DH for the name but he and our sons played at a course not too far from Ko'Olina that is reputed to be the most difficult course in the world. There is a course right at the resort, too.

Our first stay in Hawaii was in Ka'anapali in 1979 but it was (cover your eyes, Nikisha ) too busy and touristy for us. We stayed at the Sheraton and did love the snorkeling there as Annie said. However, my guys snorkel in front of the Four Seasons next to the Grand Wailea now and enjoy that. Not the plethora of fish that Black Rock enjoys though.

 

[Muushka]

Just wondering if we can swing a trip to Aulani in spring/early summer 2012. I know this is way out....but we'll have to start planning and saving now if we want to do it.

So....hit a road block. I have never been to Hawaii. I know Aulani is on Ohau. Flight-wise....what would be the best bet from Philly (or any nearby airport to Philly) to Hawaii ? I'm thinking Honolulu is the airport to fly into---then how far approx is the DVC resort from here ? Do you think there will be ME or is a rental car a must for HI touring ?

Thanks for any info.....I need to get a Hawaii for Dummies book for sure.


Maria

Too weird Maria . Yesterday Mr Muush and I were talking about our 20th anniversary (in 2012). We were planning on a Panama Canal, but I know he wants to go to Hawaii. So I mentioned going for our anniversary (4/25).

After reading this thread about $20 PB sandwiches and paper plates, I am not so sure!
Plus getting him on a 13 hour flight (this is the man who won't fly to WDW!) .

 

[WolfpackFan]

I can't imagine doing Hawaii without a rental car. There is just too much to see and do, unless you're going to just lay out on the beach all day at the resort.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes Annie...dh does golf.....he's gonna go bananas on Maui I'm sure !

And considering this is our first trip to Hawaii, what would u all consider a comfortable number of days to stay ? I'm thinking a month or so ?

All this talk and I can barely wait to go !

PS : Oh and Annie....a friend of mine honeymooned on Tahaiti and her photo album was nothing less than magnificent !

Maria

Certainly no less than 14 days, and we prefer about 21. Much longer than that, and it gets a bit too pricey for us with our kennel sitter. I spend more per day for the dogs to have a caregiver than I do for myself on the trip!

 

[Anal Annie]

Too weird Maria . Yesterday Mr Muush and I were talking about our 20th anniversary (in 2012). We were planning on a Panama Canal, but I know he wants to go to Hawaii. So I mentioned going for our anniversary (4/25).
After reading this thread about $20 PB sandwiches and paper plates, I am not so sure!
Plus getting him on a 13 hour flight (this is the man who won't fly to WDW!) .

Our anniversary is 4/25 too (got married in '93 so we're right behind you)!!!! Break up your trip in CA so Mr. Muushka will have a break 1/2 way!

Maria - go for 10 nights MINIMUM...14 would be better still. If you do a full 2 weeks you could comfortably visit 3 islands even for your first time. Last time we did 2 nights on Oahu, then 3 nights on the Big Island and 4 nights on Maui so it was a busy trip. We had only done a day trip to the Big Island and had not stayed there before so we just wanted to check it out...we figured what 9 yo boy wouldn't want to see an active volcano!? Oahu being our least fav. we only went for 2 nights so we could take DS to Pearl Harbor. Although we LIKE to go every 5 years "you just never know" so I wanted to be sure that DS got to go there. We have never stayed on Kauai either - we did a day trip once & drove around Waimea Canyon...it seemed like a pretty honeymoon kind of quiet island. Pretty, but too quiet for us so we've never stayed there.

Once you go once you WILL want to go again...the more times you go the more you will relax. There will be things you "must do" on your first trip that you can skip in the future when you go back.

The Grand Wailea is beautiful but it's beyond our price range as is the Four Seasons. Time before last when we went we stayed at the property next door to the Grand Wailea. At the time, it was an Outrigger property but I believe now it is the Marriott Wailea. The Westin in Ka'anapali is also supposed to be really nice...

OH and if you go in late winter / early spring you will catch whale season!!

 

[Muushka]

Thanks AA, good tip about the break-up of flights!

 

[chalee94]

one additional thing about a rental car: the marriott ko olina resort next to aulani charges about $30 per day for parking, so i suspect disney will charge something similar...

 

[123Disney]

We're looking into 2012 as well. What great information!!

 

[dsneygirl]

We have been to Maui twice and both trip flew to LA first and then Maui the next day. First time we just did a priceline hotel at LAX and the second trip we bookended it with DL

I found the flights much more manageable. (About 4-5 hours each leg) and we loved throwing DL in the mix.

Cannot wait to go back to the west coast and HI in 2012.

 

[Dean]

The only place in HI I would not get a car is if staying in Waikiki or if flying into Hana. Even if flying directly to the small airport by Lahaina, I would get a car. Rental cars tend to be fairly cheap in HI, I think we were under $300 for 2 weeks in 2008 without extra insurance. Email me directly and I can give you the email of a contact that I was able to get a car MUCH cheaper than any other option, they had a contract with Thrifty. About the best I've seen air is around $50 but then again we're not flying out of a good hub to get much competition. We're generally been looking at around $900-1000 per for the direct flight from Atlanta by connecting, just under $800 per if we drove to Atlanta. Sometimes you can get contract flights cheaper. HI is a great place, I'd encourage you to go. Just today we were planning our 2012 trip to HI for a 3 week trip for 4. Enjoy planning.

I would not anticipate difficulty getting DVC accommodations at that time if the resort is open by then.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thanks to everyone for the awesome info ! I seriously need to print this thread out....

Dean thanks for the offer....I will email you for the rental info.......


Maria

 

[DISNEY FIX]

I would break up the flight with a 2-3 day stop over at Disney Land before moving on to HI.

 

[bookwormde]

I actually like the stop over (in Phoenix, LA, SF out of PHL) for a good stretching break as long as the flight out is 1-1.5 hours stop over. I avoid Newark because it has such severe delays (both departing and especially arrivals).

One of the big determining factors of whether I will buy points or stay are DVC Hawaii is if there is a “magical express” to the airport and ferry. Ideally I would like to fly in spend a couple of days at DVC, ferry hop the other island for a week and them spend a week on the big island (my brother has a timeshare there) and then back to DVC for a night or 2 before departing.

If an AP that covers DL ever becomes affordable I might do a DL/DVC stop also.





bookwormde

 

[Dean]

I actually like the stop over (in Phoenix, LA, SF out of PHL) for a good stretching break as long as the flight out is 1-1.5 hours stop over. I avoid Newark because it has such severe delays (both departing and especially arrivals).

One of the big determining factors of whether I will buy points or stay are DVC Hawaii is if there is a “magical express” to the airport and ferry. Ideally I would like to fly in spend a couple of days at DVC, ferry hop the other island for a week and them spend a week on the big island (my brother has a timeshare there) and then back to DVC for a night or 2 before departing.

If an AP that covers DL ever becomes affordable I might do a DL/DVC stop also.





bookwormde

That has been a problem for us coming from the East Coast. Since you normally leave HI later in the day and "fly all night", if you also have a longer layover, it can count as an open jaw flight even if it really isn't. So you usually can't have 2 stop overs on the same flight in addition to the final destination.

 

[downontheBW]

We went to Hawaii about 6 years ago for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We loved it so much, we've been back 4 times. Although I'd love to go for 2 weeks or more, due to work, we haven't been able to so its normally 8 days for us. Each time, we've done 2 islands. Oahu/Maui, Kauai/Maui, Big Island/Maui, Oahu/Kauai. Except when staying in Waikiki, we always rent a car.

Check out Island Air for island hopping flights - here's a link to their route map: http://islandair.com/flightinfo-map.asp Watch the site for specials. Taking one of the small planes from one island to another is a great way to see the islands. Flying between Honolulu (Oahu) and Kapalua (West Maui) goes over Molokai and sometimes the view is great. We like to fly directly into West Maui because it's so close to our favorite Maui town of Lahaina; it's very close to Kaanapali as well.

Lahaina in the past was a whaling village so, although it's Hawaiian, it also reminds me of New England coastal towns such as Mystic, CT. There are nice restaurants and shops on a little main street. Definitely park the car and walk the main street.

I could go on about Hawaii but, in short, make sure you check out the locals' restaurants as well as those at the big resorts. They're not cheap but are much more reasonable. Much of Hawaii is still rural - get on the back roads and have some shave ice and a plate lunch (look them up on google).

Oh, and have a Mai Tai - I can't get a decent one here in the continental US - at least they seem to taste better in Hawaii. Hmmm, guess its time I make my plans for 2012, too

 

[mouthdoc]

DVC newbie here. Does anyone have any thoughts on what the point cost will be for rooms at Aulani? Similar to other DVC resorts?

 

[Dean]

DVC newbie here. Does anyone have any thoughts on what the point cost will be for rooms at Aulani? Similar to other DVC resorts?

I think if you look at BLT magic and premier, you'll have a pretty good reference.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I think if you look at BLT magic and premier, you'll have a pretty good reference.

ha ha....I was thinking the SAME thing Dean


Maria