Honeymooning at Aulani - need some help

[nkereina]

Currently planning our honeymoon to Hawaii for late September 2016, and will be spending a week island hopping followed by a week at Aulani. I'm planning on renting points for a studio but have no qualms about paying cash for a regular room if I can't come by the points/availability. First visit to Hawaii. We'll have a car.

A few questions...

1. What's your experience been as far as crowds in late September? Our TA said September is on the cusp of off-season into peak season, so to expect moderate crowds. Would this be a time of year we can expect the resort to be packed?

2. What's your experience been with weather in Hawaii in late September? Friends of ours honeymooned there during the same time of year and said it's the start of the winter season, so swimming in the ocean is pretty much out of the question (too rough, waves too high, etc).

3. Aulani casabellas - any experience with renting these? I like the idea of being able to reserve the ones in front of Ama Ama, but not sure about the location/area? Any difficulty with getting same day ones at the beach? For the ones at the beach, can you call down in the morning or does it need to be reserved in-person?

4. Nighttime entertainment - it looks like a luau style show (not dinner) goes on at the resort. Anything else that goes on at night there? I've read the pools and restaurants close up shop relatively early. From an adult perspective, anything fun to do in the surrounding area? We'll have a car. FWIW, we're doing a traditional style luau on Maui and will likely schedule a sunset cruise (any suggestions for one?!)

Thanks all!

 

[cedricandsophie]

Been to Aulani four times. It's great but if you are a young couple on your honeymoon just remember there is not much to do after 9 pm. You can walk across street for more restaurants and some music. There are some restaurants in Kapolei which is about 5 min drive. But it's a very quiet area. Driving into Honolulu is about 30 to 45 min depending on traffic and there is always traffic.

Weather in sept should still be nice and warm.

It is always busy but sept is a good time. However there will still be lots if kids.

Don't get me wrong we love it but don't want you to be disappointed or bored

 

[DenLo]

The busiest times at Aulani is when the Hawaiian schools have their breaks. The fall break usually runs the first full week in October, for October 2015 that meant that Aulani was at full capacity from October 3 through October 11. Plus during that period many of the Rocky Mountain and West Coast school districts also had their fall breaks and family's from Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington also booked Aulani. Even getting lounge chairs was tricky except around the Adults only pool as it didn't fill up until between 10 - 11 AM.

Weekends can be busy at Aulani because the resort offers discounts to locals and local DVC owners often do weekend staycations at the resort.

I think your TA's statement that it would be moderately busy is correct but to expect the weekends to be busier. Many have complained that the resort is dead after dark, so if you two need nightlife to keep you happy, Aulani may not be what you are looking for, a hotel on Waikiki or Maui might be better.

The water in Hawaii is not as warm as it is the Virgin Islands. The water temperature does not vary that much. I don't believe the big waves and rough water in Hawaii begin until December or January.

I can't help you at all about the casabellas. The executive lanais on the west side of the resort can get very hot due to lack of wind. They are shady in the morning, but the shrubbery between Aulani and the Wedding Chappel blocks the breeze coming from the west. Which is a shame because otherwise they are very nice especially for the price.

 

[GoBears 1980]

Currently planning our honeymoon to Hawaii for late September 2016, and will be spending a week island hopping followed by a week at Aulani. I'm planning on renting points for a studio but have no qualms about paying cash for a regular room if I can't come by the points/availability. First visit to Hawaii. We'll have a car.

What does "a week island hopping" mean? Don't stay on any island less than 5 or 6 nights. The hassles of checkin, check out, airports, car rental counters, etc is NOT worth it.

1. What's your experience been as far as crowds in late September? Our TA said September is on the cusp of off-season into peak season, so to expect moderate crowds. Would this be a time of year we can expect the resort to be packed?

The crowds are gone after Labor Day all through September. October is busy only when HI schools are out and then it is quiet again until Thanksgiving.

2. What's your experience been with weather in Hawaii in late September? Friends of ours honeymooned there during the same time of year and said it's the start of the winter season, so swimming in the ocean is pretty much out of the question (too rough, waves too high, etc).

There is no such thing as winter in HI per se. The average high temp in Sept is 87°, the average low 75°. In the "dead" of winter in February the average high temp is 81°, the average low 66°.

The water temp is around 80°, or warmer than most competition swimming pools. The cove at Aulani is artificial so there is no wave action. Even at that, the high wave action in Winter (Nov to April) is at the the North Shore, not Leeward Oahu.

4. Nighttime entertainment - it looks like a luau style show (not dinner) goes on at the resort. Anything else that goes on at night there? I've read the pools and restaurants close up shop relatively early. From an adult perspective, anything fun to do in the surrounding area? We'll have a car. FWIW, we're doing a traditional style luau on Maui and will likely schedule a sunset cruise (any suggestions for one?!)

There is not a lot going on in that part of the world at night. All that goes on in Honolulu.

Do NOT do a sunset dinner cruise. They are way way over priced for the quality.

Go into Waikiki one day, go on a catamaran cruise during the day (late morning), slip into dry clothes and head to the Halekulani Hotel's "House Without a Key" for sunset cocktails.

 

[nkereina]

Thanks for all the replies and info!

On a related note, considering we're a couple honeymooning and not a family, might it be a better idea for us to split our last 7 nights between Aulani and Turtle Bay in the North Shore? We want to relax the last 7 days we are there so the thought of split stay wasn't appealing to me, but I'm hearing the points on the lack of evening entertainment and things to do for adults. I don't know if Turtle Bay is any better for that though.

We'll be doing Waikiki during our first 4 days in Hawaii so we won't want to go back there. We're then going to Maui for 5 days. Then coming back for time at Aulani.

Thanks again!

 

[alohamom]

Turtle Bay is about the same if not worse for nightlife because it is so isolated but you can always drive into Waikiki if you find it really dead in Ko Olina. I find that after a few days of being in Hawaii I am so mellow that I dont need nightlife, I just want to sit on the lanai or walk a moonlit beach

 

[swooshbear]

Since you will have a car, I would recommend checking out the nightlife in Honolulu/Waikiki. There are so many great restaurants in Honolulu: Side Street Inn, Alan Wong's, Liliha Bakery to name a few. And then get Leonard's (malasadas) or Bubbies (mochi ice cream) for dessert.

 

[GoBears 1980]

Thanks for all the replies and info!

On a related note, considering we're a couple honeymooning and not a family, might it be a better idea for us to split our last 7 nights between Aulani and Turtle Bay in the North Shore? We want to relax the last 7 days we are there so the thought of split stay wasn't appealing to me, but I'm hearing the points on the lack of evening entertainment and things to do for adults. I don't know if Turtle Bay is any better for that though.

We'll be doing Waikiki during our first 4 days in Hawaii so we won't want to go back there. We're then going to Maui for 5 days. Then coming back for time at Aulani.

Thanks again!

NOT Turtle Bay. That is the North Shore and very quiet.

Look at the Kahala Resort.

 

[nkereina]

Thanks all! Appreciate the advice.

@GoBears 1980 will do - thanks for the tip!

 

[Anal Annie]

Although I've only been to Aulani 1x I've been to Hawaii 5x, all at various times of the year and I've always island hopped. I have been in both early Sept. and late Oct. - I didn't notice any difference in weather or water temps between Sept and Oct so you should be fine. It's still very tropical and the water is warm. I would consider winter in Hawaii to be Dec - Feb just like on the mainland but much milder.

I would stick to your original plan of Aulani for a week - the Turtle Bay resort is very remote and much, much older. If you DO decide to go there, to avoid disappointment, I would go there FIRST then to Aulani last as it won't be any comparison in the resorts.

 

[Chickkypoo]

4. Nighttime entertainment - it looks like a luau style show (not dinner) goes on at the resort. Anything else that goes on at night there? I've read the pools and restaurants close up shop relatively early. From an adult perspective, anything fun to do in the surrounding area? We'll have a car. FWIW, we're doing a traditional style luau on Maui and will likely schedule a sunset cruise (any suggestions for one?!)

Hi Nkereina,

We got married at Makapu'u Beach on Oahu in November of 2013. We spent 5 nights of our honeymoon at Aulani. We enjoyed it, but others are right, there is not a lot to do in the area, especially later at night. The resort does have a small luau style show a couple nights a week. We didn't catch it, but chose instead to walk down the street to the Paradise Cove Luau. We really enjoyed it, and the food was pretty decent.

There are not a lot of food options at the resort, but there is a plaza across the street with a Monkeypod, a mexican restaurant, and I believe there is a Roy's just down the street. We also drove into Kapolei one night to eat.

I would also suggest taking a drive and checking out the Dole Plantation, and continue the drive up the island to Haleiwa (make sure to try the shave ice at Matsumoto's!). If you want to continue the drive, the North Shore is gorgeous! The shrimp trucks up that way are delicious.

Enjoy your honeymoon!

 

[nkereina]

Great tips! Thank you both @Anal Annie and @Chickkypoo !