Is Aulani worth it if your youngest is 18?

[Redeemed]

This is my DS's graduation trip!!
We are DVC and have enough points for an 10 day Aulani stay, BUT......

Is there another resort (on any island) that would be better for a family of 5, with the 3 "kids" being 23,22,and 18??
We will do most any outdoor activity including learning to surf, shark tank dive, deep sea fishing, etc etc

Just trying to get the best bang for the buck!

Thanks!!

 

[dclpluto]

This is my DS's graduation trip!!
We are DVC and have enough points for an 10 day Aulani stay, BUT......

Is there another resort (on any island) that would be better for a family of 5, with the 3 "kids" being 23,22,and 18??
We will do most any outdoor activity including learning to surf, shark tank dive, deep sea fishing, etc etc

Just trying to get the best bang for the buck!

Thanks!!

You are DVc so you love Disney. Don't see a reason why you want to stay any where else.

 

[buffettgirl]

Your older kids might have more fun down in waikiki, where there is more nightlife, more shopping, more people of the opposite sex to look at and talk to....
Activities can be done anywhere. And just about everything you're talking about is going to be done away from Aulani.
To me, there isn't much special about aulani when you have an entire state full of ocean front hotels. Aulani isn't WDW. It's just a themed hotel. Themed to be a hawaiian hotel. Surrounded by authentic hawaiian hotels.

Obviously, if you're able to use your points, it's going to be the most economical place to stay. And look, I love all things Disney. Yet, I've been to aulani, I've visited friends staying there, I've eaten there, I've gone over to shop, and I feel zero need to actually stay there. There is just no draw for me.

 

[alohamom]

You might want to consider something like Kings Land in the Waikoloa resort area of the Big Island. It is certainly less expensive but is a much bigger resort (it is part of the Hilton Waikoloa and shares all the pools etc.) The Big Island is awesome for adventure travel that your older kids might like, especially deep sea fishing in Kona, the active volcano, some amazing beaches and towns, some crazy hiking and of course surfing and snorkelling. You can get a high end 2 bedroom with a full kitchen for between 250-300/night http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/hawaii/kings-land-by-hilton-grand-vacations-KOAKLGV/index.html

Another way to do it is to do a split stay with a few nights in one area of Oahu and then a few at Aulani. You could do as Buffetgirl suggests up above and stay a few night in Waikiki which is to me is crowded, noisy, dirty and crazy but my older teens LOVE it. There is lots to do, tons of people watching, places to go, shop, dance, etc BUT I find Waikiki very, very expensive compared to other areas. Another idea is to stay up in the North Shore. If your kids are a little more laid back, are into nature, the environment, are active, this is a great option. There are so amazing condo rentals in the Turtle Bay resort area available through VRBO or Airbnb which can make for a great way to soak up the local surf culture too

 

[Elima2015]

To be totally honest, I'm not sure Aulani would be my first choice for a family with kids that age and with your list of activities that you enjoy. There are a lot of young children at the resort with activities geared accordingly and it is a bit removed in location from the more active parts of Oahu. If you want Oahu, I would consider Waikiki or look at renting a condo on the North Shore. I have never been to Maui, but it seems to be a favorite among some of my friends.

If you are up for considering something completely different than HI, I would look at Atlantis in the Bahamas. It is a beautiful resort with plenty to do and awesome water slides. They have a dolphin encounter on property, but loads of options from other companies for parasailing, boat rides, heading over to different islands, fishing, etc. Bonus is that airfare is less expensive (even flying from the West coast!) and lodging can be less expensive if you rent a timeshare through vrbo.

 

[Redeemed]

Thank you all for the input!!
You are confirming my gut instinct!!

 

[brimorga]

Aulani would be cool for a couple of days, but hit Waikiki for sure. It's the only place on the islands with a decent night life.

If you want a better graduation trip, take them to Mexico.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I went to Maui with my parents and my twin sister when we graduated high school. Nightlife will be mostly irrelevant as the 18 year old will be too young to get in most clubs and bars and I was never interested in that anyway so going to Waikiki would not have interested me. The hotel where we stayed didn't have enough for us to really do but with all the beach activities, supplemented with a couple off site activities like surf lessons and Pearl Harbor and I'd have been THRILLED!!! If only Aulani was open then!!!!