It All Started with a Massive Price Glitch - Aulani Nov. 2014 PTR ~ Updated 12/6 - TR

[Jennifer48]

Another Aulani veteran, yay! Did you have a great time?

We had an amazing time! Can't wait to go back one day!

I don't think you are bragging. Heck, if I was able to get such great flight deals I'd shout it from the mountain tops!

We get a car rental discount through work so I can't help you there unfortunately.

What a crazy story about your free Ergo!

 

[Leshaface]

How did you get the car seat to attach to the stroller? Can you post a link of where you purchased this at please? Last time we just used the red stroller bag and it was so clunky and awkward carrying it through the airport. That looks way easier

Woah score on the ergo carrier! Uh, can you be on the lookout for free stuff for me too?!

 

[torrey]

We found that if you want to bring a car seat on a plane, the best way is to attach it to a rolling suitcase. The top latch tether can just be looped over the suitcase handle and tightened. Tilting the suitcase over lifts the car seat.

That being said, once the kids turned 2, we check all their car seats. Too much of a pain to haul them around airports and onto/off planes.

We are going to Aulani with a 2 and 4 year old. Not bringing a stroller. Didn't think we would ever want/need it. We do have an Ergo for the few times when it would be better if the 2 year old doesn't walk.

 

[Dugette]

wow - all that travel decisions to make ... one thing that isn't as big of a deal when just staying on site at WDW

Yeah, I'm so used to WDW, so this is a bit different. Though, I have to say, NYC was much more challenging for me (but worked out great).

Oh, you might want to investigate just putting Izzy's car seat into the stroller - we are planning to do that at times on our upcoming trip with Emma's and just tried it and it fits really snug in there so should be ok ... just something else to consider (since I am sure you need more option and complications )

I will have to play around with it before the trip, just in case. I know that we have put her carseat in the stroller without her in it, while walking through the airport with her in the Ergo. But I'd have to see if I could get it to be secure in there before I'd attempt to have her in it (asleep, ideally). We'd still have to manage to carry her in the seat off and on a plane, though - luckily, we don't have to walk through those crazy narrow coach aisles this time, though!

I wonder if they have places to rent hiking carriers. We have one that we have used with the kids that has a big metal frame and works great for hiking but wouldn't want to travel with.

I bet they do, but I think I'll be fine with the Ergo. It has a back carry too, which is probably good for hiking, I just haven't had the need to use it. But I could. I'm also wondering if we could bring the stroller up Diamond Head. I think it might be fully accessible. If so, it would be nice for Izzy at times and Dug would like having it to hold onto to help him when his back/hip bothers him (which may keep him from doing Diamond Head altogether, but we'll see - he's doing physical therapy for it now, but still having a lot of pain on walks ).

Are you kidding me? You got a free ergo??? What the heck? Do you play the lottery? Cause you've got some ridiculous luck!

Ha, maybe I should get a lottery ticket! But I'm way too cheap for that. If it makes it any better, we've had some lousy luck too - our vet bills this year have been over $3k, we just had to drop an unexpected $700+ on plumbing, we had to pay $1700 unexpectedly for Dug's car, etc. As I've always said - I'm a lucky person, but there's both good and bad luck and I've got both!

And no suggestions on your car rentals. I vote cheapest price...heck, for that matter maybe you should just keep checking the rates every day and you'll find it for $10!! I mean...that's just how things are going for you these days! lol

That would rock to get a $10 car rental! I will keep checking and hoping to find a better rate, but probably over $10.

We had an amazing time! Can't wait to go back one day!

Glad to hear that!

I don't think you are bragging. Heck, if I was able to get such great flight deals I'd shout it from the mountain tops!

Sweet! Good to know it's coming across okay. I feel sort-of strange about the whole thing still. It almost feels like a dream, but it's real.

We get a car rental discount through work so I can't help you there unfortunately.

You must have better discounts than I do! Mine was actually great for NYC and Oregon, but not so much for Hawaii so far. Will keep checking, though.

What a crazy story about your free Ergo!

Gotta love "dumpster diving" at work!

How did you get the car seat to attach to the stroller? Can you post a link of where you purchased this at please? Last time we just used the red stroller bag and it was so clunky and awkward carrying it through the airport. That looks way easier

First off, I stole the idea from Imagineer5 - she had a picture in her TR of a similar setup - I think she has some hooks that fit on the stroller handle and used those for the top. However, I have a large carabiner that I found on clearance in the Target dollar section (score!), so I used that to attach the top tether of the carseat to the stroller handle, as you can see in the picture. The bottom of the carseat just tucks into the back of the basket under the stroller. If I want it extra secure, I sometimes will use the latch anchors of the carseat to attach it to random stroller parts so that it won't fall off. If i remember right, you have a City Mini, which is a very similar stroller, so this setup should work fine for you. Then I just bring the gate check bags (folded up) for both carseat and stroller. If we can't bring the carseat on (I always try!), then we'll toss it in the gate check bag before boarding. And we always fold up the stroller and put it in its gate check bag right before boarding (along with whatever other random things I've decided not to carry on, since there's extra room in that bag!) At any rate, attaching it to the back of the stroller is super quick and easy - a few seconds, really. And when Izzy's not in the stroller (like in the Ergo), I just toss the carseat into the stroller seat and go.

Woah score on the ergo carrier! Uh, can you be on the lookout for free stuff for me too?!

Ha ha, I'll try!

We found that if you want to bring a car seat on a plane, the best way is to attach it to a rolling suitcase. The top latch tether can just be looped over the suitcase handle and tightened. Tilting the suitcase over lifts the car seat.

Hi and (to both the DIS and the PTR). Yes, that's another good option. For us, we haven't always had a rolling bag with us to carry on (have checked them), so that wasn't an option. We may have one for Hawaii, but the stroller attaching is so slick that we'll likely just do that anyway.

That being said, once the kids turned 2, we check all their car seats. Too much of a pain to haul them around airports and onto/off planes.

For us, having that carseat on the plane is the key to having an enjoyable (or at least less painful) flight with a toddler. It keeps her contained and comfortable and more likely to take a nice nap.

We are going to Aulani with a 2 and 4 year old. Not bringing a stroller. Didn't think we would ever want/need it. We do have an Ergo for the few times when it would be better if the 2 year old doesn't walk.

When is your trip? I like hearing about other people taking their little ones!

To each their own on the stroller. Just comes down to knowing your family, your plans, and your child(ren). I could see not really needing the stroller if we were just sticking around the resort. But we do plan to be out and about a lot. I can't imagine the Swap Meet without her in the stroller, for instance. I also like that it is a traveling nap machine - even at the resort, if we are out by the pool or just exploring, she can relax and nap, as needed. And, frankly, to me, it's worth bringing it just for carrying our stuff (and our daughter) around the airports.

 

[AprilRenee]

Hang on! You've never done a back carry in the ergo??? It's SO much better than the front carry! Caden could see over my shoulder and LOVED it!! You gotta try it out!! Just make sure the belt is around your natural waist (not hips) and it's way more supportive than the front carry and they love being able to see so much!

And oooh! bummer! on all the other expenses! Ok you can have a free ergo lol

 

[Dugette]

Hang on! You've never done a back carry in the ergo??? It's SO much better than the front carry! Caden could see over my shoulder and LOVED it!! You gotta try it out!! Just make sure the belt is around your natural waist (not hips) and it's way more supportive than the front carry and they love being able to see so much!

Thanks for the tips! I did try it out once and it seemed okay, but I guess I'm just lazy and it's so easy to put her on my front.

And oooh! bummer! on all the other expenses! Ok you can have a free ergo lol

Ha ha, thanks!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Thanks for sharing the details of your planning. I just noticed you had a fun PTR going....

Well done with the cost of the room! I am happy it went so smoothly working with the DVC owner. Sounds perfect. Yippee for you!

I look forward to hearing more! You are going to have such an amazing time. I love that your little daughter seems to be as excited as you.

 

[Dugette]

Thanks for sharing the details of your planning. I just noticed you had a fun PTR going....

Thanks for coming over!

Well done with the cost of the room! I am happy it went so smoothly working with the DVC owner. Sounds perfect. Yippee for you!

It really was about as ideal as you can get. So glad it worked out like it did!

I look forward to hearing more! You are going to have such an amazing time. I love that your little daughter seems to be as excited as you.

She is so excited! It's hilarious that she's always saying, "I want go Hawaii, please. I want Minnie, please." (Minnie was in the Aulani youtube video we showed her).

 

[Dugette]

Okay, I just need to get this out there, even though it may not be an exhaustive list. I probably have forgotten something, so please let me know. I also have another list that contains a lot of would-like-to-do's, so I'm sure many of those will be worked into our plans too. But this list is things we are prioritizing. I apologize in advance for the lack of pictures. Please go to your nearest Aulani trip report and drool over some blue water pictures if it gets to you...

First, let's start with the few things that we actually have reserved already:

*We arrive Friday 11/7/14 around 6pm. We'll pick up our rental car and make our way to Aulani, stopping for the highly recommended Leonard's Bakery Malasadas (the truck) on the way. We'll get in, unpack, and take turns exploring the resort, as Izzy will likely be asleep. Heck, maybe we'll wheel her around asleep in the stroller and explore together. Hoping we can stay up a bit and adjust to the 4-hour time change.

*Since we will probably still be adjusting to the time difference and waking up early, I figured we should take advantage of that our first couple days. So, our first morning, Saturday 11/8/14, we have a 7am character breakfast at Makahiki. Let's have Izzy see Minnie right away! I would consider doing this more than once if we like it. Maybe I should reserve a second one. I think you can cancel without penalty pretty much anytime at Aulani?

*Our second morning, Sunday 11/9/14, we are planning to do both Pearl Harbor and the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. I've heard weekends are good to avoid the traffic on the way across the island, plus the Swap Meet runs this day. The Swap Meet itself wouldn't really be a must-do for us, but we are tying it in with our plan for Pearl Harbor. We have one Pearl Harbor tour ticket reserved for 8:15am and the other for 10:00am. Our plan is to switch off doing the tour and the swap meet (basically across the street from each other). The reason is that the tour is not very toddler-friendly. No bags, not even diaper bags, allowed (just a single diaper and wipes in a ziplock bag). Very somber atmosphere and a 23-minute movie - both potentially stressful with an unpredictable toddler. And, frankly, I just want to be able to pay full attention to everything and I know that won't happen with Izzy there. We were just at the special Dinosaur exhibit at the MN Science Museum this weekend. I went through once with Izzy and it was really fun to see her experience everything, but I left only having learned that there were lots of big dinosaurs. Really, that's it. Later, with Dug watching her, I went back through the exhibit quickly by myself and got TONS more details out of it. That's what I'm hoping for at Pearl Harbor. The Swap Meet should be fun to maybe pick up some souvenirs and such at good prices.

*A few days later, on Wednesday 11/12/14, we have a dinner reservation for 5:00pm at Ama Ama, Aulani's sit-down restaurant. Hoping to have a nice meal while catching the sunset. I scheduled this just to make sure we have it some night, but I'm not tied to that night. So far, the schedule is very open and we should be able to move it, but I threw it here for now.

That's it for pre-scheduled things, thus far. On to the rest of the list!

Here are the things we want to do on-site at Aulani:

*Just explore the grounds/beach/resort/pool area, etc. We'll do some of this the first night, but I really want to make sure we take it all in. I understand the resort has phenomenal theming and I want to make sure we take time to appreciate it.

*Enjoy the pool area, especially the lazy river, waterslides, and infinity hot tub. I am thinking a lot of this will occur while Izzy is napping or asleep for the night. My hope is to have her do most of her napping in the room while one of us stays with her and the other has time to enjoy the pool (switching off days). I plan to make many laps on the lazy river (after taking the tube slide directly into it, of course). Sounds heavenly!

*Play the Menehune Trail game. This is the interactive game using tablets you can check out. It sounds really fun. I think this is something we can do as a family. However, if Izzy is bored, we could do this on our own while she naps too.

*Take Izzy to the zero-entry pool, the toddler splash pad, and the Menehune Bridge kids' play area. There may be a toddler pool too, I just read? At any rate, I'm sure she'll enjoy some time in the pool. She had been afraid of pools earlier this summer, but last time I took her to the one in our neighborhood she had a blast! She went from not even wanting to step in the water to jumping into my arms from the side. She loves chasing floating toys around the pool too, so I just picked up a few things I can bring along, if they're allowed. I really think she'll like the Menehune Bridge area, as she LOVES climbing up on playgrounds and going down slides. It looks super fun!

*Dole Whips at Aulani!! Enough said.

*The Starlit Hui is Aulani's luau-like nighttime show. It also has Disney characters making appearances. Since we do not plan to do a "real" luau, we want to catch this. It looks like it's currently running Monday and Thursday evenings, but not sure if that can change? I see that most people sit on mats on the ground, but there are some chairs. Hoping we can get a chair for Dug or he will be in some pain afterwards. Izzy and I should be okay with the mat on the ground, though.

*Toddler time at Aunty's Beach House. So, a real bummer with the timing of this trip is that Izzy will be just over 2 and the free babysitting doesn't kick in until age 3. And there is no paid babysitting, either. However, we can go to the kids' club (Aunty's) for the parent/child open house time in the mornings. My understanding is that there is a Disney Junior Aloha show with characters? Izzy will want to be at that!

*Character meets around the resort! We will have to meet them all, probably more than once, especially Minnie!

*I'm not sure this is a MUST-do, but it would be nice to check out - a couple times a week, there is a movie on the beach. Looks like Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:30pm for now. I think they are always Disney movies, so Izzy would like that. We'll see - it is on the late side.

*Uncle's storytelling around the fire pit. I'd like to catch at least a bit of this some night while we're there.

So, am I missing any on-site Aulani must-do items?

Off-site Oahu must do adventures (no particular order):

*Visit the Dole Plantation. Have some Dole Whip and ride the train.

*Make a Target run for meal/snack/drink supplies. We need to do this early on, but I don't want to do it on our arrival night. Maybe the next day, after our breakfast? Not sure. We want to make a fair amount of meals in our room, so we'll need supplies for that. Also snacks, especially for our days away from the resort. I think we are going to get the refillable mugs for our stay, but we will probably buy some pop/water for our on-the-road days. I'm thinking I might bring our soft-sided cooler for that. Also, we'll need milk for Izzy. And anything we may have forgotten or just realized we'll need. And I'll get my Target discounts, so that's good. Hoping they also have a stock of Disney Gift Cards, in case we don't bring enough with us. Also, if we need to eat around this time, Aloha Salads is highly recommended and right by Target.

*Diamond Head. I'd like to hike up it. Dug wants to, but we're not sure he will be up for it. Hope so, though. My understanding is that it's best to do this early in the morning. Maybe our third day? Not sure yet.

*Dug's sister insists that we need to visit the Turtle Beach Resort. I guess it's lovely and has been in several movies. Maybe we can eat lunch there? Not sure. It's on the North Shore, by the way.

*We also want to make a stop at Matsumoto's Shave Ice on the North Shore. Supposed to be a tasty treat!

*For a couple meals, we'll probably check out the happy hour across the street from Aulani at Monkeypod. Everyone seems to love it. As we get closer, we might make reservations, but it's unclear if we need them.

*I'm not sure this is a must-do, but dinner at Roy's is supposed to be very nice and kid-friendly. The menu doesn't really do much for me, though. We'll see.

*Somewhere on the DIS, someone said something about train rides. I looked into it and found that the Hawaiian Railway Society does 90-minute train rides at 1 and 3pm each day. Plus, the second Sunday of the month, they hook up the Parlor Car, which sounds fun. The second full day of our trip is that Sunday. So, might be fun to do that day - not sure if we'd pay the extra to ride in the Parlor Car or not, though.

*Waimea Falls Park - botanical gardens and a waterfall you can swim in. I think we'd enjoy checking it out, but neither of us is particularly interested in swimming under the waterfall. Looks pretty, though.

*Kualoa Ranch. This place has a TON of things to do, but we're most interested in the Movie Tour. It seems to be one of the only toddler-friendly things they offer. Riding a bus through LOST and lots of movies sounds neat. Not to mention the gorgeous scenery everywhere you look. I also saw something about the ranch having a petting zoo and pony rides, but I sure can't find much detail about that. I bet Izzy would love a pony ride, if she's old enough and they do that!

*Polynesian Cultural Center (North Shore). Not sure what all we want to do here, but probably not the full day, for Izzy's sake. I am also upset with myself because the Entertainment Book was $15 when I looked recently and it has a 2-for-1 admission coupon in it. I went to buy it a few days ago and apparently they only have the new ones now and they are $35. The old book went through the end of the year, so anyone know where I can find one of those for closer to the $15 price point? Wish I'd known they end their year in July, apparently.

*I'd like to do a catamaran ride. I looked into reviews/recommendations for ones to do with toddlers and it seems the best bet may be an early-day cruise (i.e. - not full of partying college students) with Na Hoku out of Waikiki. It's like $30 and includes free drinks! Not set on this and open to recommendations, though.

Again, I probably have forgotten some things, so just let me know what you think I'm missing. Or any feedback on the items listed.

I'll do separate posts on like-to-dos and dining thoughts some other time. But this gives you some framework of all the things I'd like to fit into our agenda, bearing in mind that we want to attempt most midday naps back at Aulani.

 

[Imagineer5]

Your plans look amazing!! I love how much time you'll have there, and it seems like for the most part you're keeping your days pretty open for enjoying the beautiful resort grounds and pool - I think having 1 fun activity in the morning or afternoon, and then the rest of the day at the resort is a really nice way to have fun but also relax. I think you have enough on your plate, but I'd suggest pouring over Trip Advisor reviews as they will have a ton of info on restaurants & attractions (if you haven't already done so). Can I tag along in your suitcase??

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Wow - there is so much to do! I am like the furthest thing from knowledgeable about things to do but I have heard that Matsumoto's Shave Ice is like a must do

I think your plans for seeing Pearl Harbor make a ton of sense. I know when we went to the Museum of Natural History I felt like I had no time to really take in the exhibits with handling the kids - and Pearl Harbor is much more of a serious tone

I love that you are planning/scheduling time for things at the resort like pool time and stuff. It's so easy to want to do everything and over schedule. I know when we went on a trip to an all inclusive in Nuevo Vallarta we tried to alternate days between doing activities / excursions and just hanging out at the resort and felt that worked out really well

 

[bamor]

So super jealous of your awesome airfare deal! We were at Aulani 6-24 to 7-4,if it's alright let me give you some advice and you can do with it what you want .
car rental. We booked through Costco, Alamo and includes free additional driver. $179 for a full size for 10 days. Keep checking. Alamo has self serve kiosks, the line had to be an hour to two hours long if you didn't use these. I've had great luck with Budget and the following BCD U072700 and coupon MUWZ023 Spouse drives for free also with Budget. You can join Fastbreak and bypass the line......do this.
Costco membership was $55.00. Gas is 30 cents cheaper a gallon than anywhere on the Island. Food court offers a huge pizza for $9.99, pair it with a prepared salad and we had enough leftover for a lunch the next day. Rotisserie chickens are $4.99. Huge bags of Hershey kisses with macadamia nuts are $11 compared to the small bags for $5.99 at the ABC Store. Made in Hawaii Aloha Shirts $19.99. We did a lot of souvenir shopping at Costco. For us it was worth it, but we have some stores within an hour from home. Target, bring your coupons and print the coupons from Target.com. Costco and Target are basically across the street from each other and One exit away from Aulani
Directions. The valet at Aulani has pre printed directions to Everywhere. That coupled with Google Maps on our phones and we had zero issues.
Pearl Harbor, you need to check in one hour before. If your ticket time is 8:15 then you must check in at 7:15, thinking you need to leave Aulani no later than 6:30. Fabulous idea to book on a Sunday, less traffic. Swap Meet has tons of vendors selling T shirts 7/$20. Lots of cheap souvenirs. We then had lunch at Nico's Pier 38 (Diners Drive Ins and Dives----super fresh fish and delish) Hilo Hattie's is 5 minutes from Nico's, more souvenirs, more upscale than the Swap Meet and they sell Dole Whip (at a fraction of the price at Dole Plantation).
Dole Plantation..total tourist trap, would not go again. You can stop on the way to the North Shore. Waimea Falls....FYI there are signs posted about bacteria in the water and swimming at your own risk. They do provide life jackets that must be worn but I would not do with a toddler. Cost us $37.50 and not worth it, IMO. Go to Turtle Beach, Lanikea Beach. AMAZING to watch the sea turtles. Sunset Beach is great, Ted's Bakery is right there too. If you then head towards Giovanni's Shrimp Truck there are vendors along the road selling fresh cut fruit for a couple dollars a bag (much better than the fruit from Target).
Diamond Head, this is a crater. A stroller won't work. The walkways, staircases and tunnel are narrow. It was drizzling the morning we went and very slippery. I would not do with a toddler on my back, IMO. We watched several people slip and fall. Guessing it isn't that slippery when not raining though. Leonard's is two minutes away though if you do go. For a PHENOMAL view, drive to the Punchbowl Cemetery.
Monkeypod was great. Try the pumpkin ravioli off the app menu (half off during happy hour). Homemade pies were incredible.
Catamaran, we did the Sunset Sail with Hawaii Nautical. They pick you up at Aulani. Price includes pupus (enough for dinner) and open bar. We enjoyed it.
We tried to do an every other day thing. You will need your down time and just relaxing and enjoy the resort. The days out are long days! Happy planning, hope this helps. It was a great vacation, you will LOVE it.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I wouldn't worry about the Discount Hawaii Car Rentals site. I had actually booked a couple through them until Costco came through with better deals, but I've heard good things.

Good call on doing Pearl Harbor on a weekend. That will definitely help with traffic.

You can definitely do Diamond Head. Parts of it are a tough climb, but it's not overly long and there are places you can rest. The view is totally worth it!

Good call on Leonard's Malasada truck too!

 

[Dugette]

Your plans look amazing!! I love how much time you'll have there, and it seems like for the most part you're keeping your days pretty open for enjoying the beautiful resort grounds and pool - I think having 1 fun activity in the morning or afternoon, and then the rest of the day at the resort is a really nice way to have fun but also relax. I think you have enough on your plate, but I'd suggest pouring over Trip Advisor reviews as they will have a ton of info on restaurants & attractions (if you haven't already done so). Can I tag along in your suitcase??

Thanks, yes, I'm really hoping to have plenty of time to enjoy everything Aulani has to offer. It's a struggle to not over-schedule us, though. So many things to do! I've been checking out the trip advisor and yelp reviews for things and they have been really helpful!

Given our ridiculous free bag allowance, you might be able to get in there!

Wow - there is so much to do! I am like the furthest thing from knowledgeable about things to do but I have heard that Matsumoto's Shave Ice is like a must do

Yep, I keep hearing it's worth a try!

I think your plans for seeing Pearl Harbor make a ton of sense. I know when we went to the Museum of Natural History I felt like I had no time to really take in the exhibits with handling the kids - and Pearl Harbor is much more of a serious tone

Exactly. It's hard to really focus on things like that when you have to constantly keep one eye on a wandering tot.

I love that you are planning/scheduling time for things at the resort like pool time and stuff. It's so easy to want to do everything and over schedule. I know when we went on a trip to an all inclusive in Nuevo Vallarta we tried to alternate days between doing activities / excursions and just hanging out at the resort and felt that worked out really well

Yes, I'm trying to do something like that, but having trouble cramming things in. Still a work in progress, I guess.

So super jealous of your awesome airfare deal! We were at Aulani 6-24 to 7-4,if it's alright let me give you some advice and you can do with it what you want .

and thank you SO much for all the awesome advice! Very helpful and just the kind of thing I need!

car rental. We booked through Costco, Alamo and includes free additional driver. $179 for a full size for 10 days. Keep checking. Alamo has self serve kiosks, the line had to be an hour to two hours long if you didn't use these. I've had great luck with Budget and the following BCD U072700 and coupon MUWZ023 Spouse drives for free also with Budget. You can join Fastbreak and bypass the line......do this.

Wow, that's a good rate you got! I am continuing to check. Down to $299 for the whole time in a standard (Enterprise). I tried the Budget codes, but still coming up higher. I'm currently doing regular searches on discounthawaiicarrental, costco, enterprise (work code), national (work code), and now I'll add the budget code.

Costco membership was $55.00. Gas is 30 cents cheaper a gallon than anywhere on the Island. Food court offers a huge pizza for $9.99, pair it with a prepared salad and we had enough leftover for a lunch the next day. Rotisserie chickens are $4.99. Huge bags of Hershey kisses with macadamia nuts are $11 compared to the small bags for $5.99 at the ABC Store. Made in Hawaii Aloha Shirts $19.99. We did a lot of souvenir shopping at Costco. For us it was worth it, but we have some stores within an hour from home. Target, bring your coupons and print the coupons from Target.com. Costco and Target are basically across the street from each other and One exit away from Aulani

I am keeping Costco in mind. We had a membership many years ago, when we lived close to one - gas savings were significant. However, we never go past them where we live now. There is talk of building one near us, but not sure yet. If the rate ends up low enough where getting the membership makes sense, that would be the way I'd go. And we could grab a few grocery items there too. And gas.

Directions. The valet at Aulani has pre printed directions to Everywhere. That coupled with Google Maps on our phones and we had zero issues.

Great, I will have to pick those up!

Pearl Harbor, you need to check in one hour before. If your ticket time is 8:15 then you must check in at 7:15, thinking you need to leave Aulani no later than 6:30. Fabulous idea to book on a Sunday, less traffic. Swap Meet has tons of vendors selling T shirts 7/$20. Lots of cheap souvenirs. We then had lunch at Nico's Pier 38 (Diners Drive Ins and Dives----super fresh fish and delish) Hilo Hattie's is 5 minutes from Nico's, more souvenirs, more upscale than the Swap Meet and they sell Dole Whip (at a fraction of the price at Dole Plantation).

Thank you for the time frame help. Wow, those are some cheap shirts!

Dole Plantation..total tourist trap, would not go again. You can stop on the way to the North Shore.

I don't think it's a must-do, but we'll try to work it in as a stop, if we can. Just for the Dole Whip and a train ride for Izzy. But, if not, there is Dole Whip at Aulani now and that other train ride option.

Waimea Falls....FYI there are signs posted about bacteria in the water and swimming at your own risk. They do provide life jackets that must be worn but I would not do with a toddler. Cost us $37.50 and not worth it, IMO.

Is the charge just for swimming? I was thinking maybe just hiking/watching. Neither of us cares to swim there.

Go to Turtle Beach, Lanikea Beach. AMAZING to watch the sea turtles. Sunset Beach is great, Ted's Bakery is right there too. If you then head towards Giovanni's Shrimp Truck there are vendors along the road selling fresh cut fruit for a couple dollars a bag (much better than the fruit from Target).

Definitely want to see the turtles. Thinking a breakfast at Ted's, if we can manage it. The fruit is a great idea!

Diamond Head, this is a crater. A stroller won't work. The walkways, staircases and tunnel are narrow. It was drizzling the morning we went and very slippery. I would not do with a toddler on my back, IMO. We watched several people slip and fall. Guessing it isn't that slippery when not raining though. Leonard's is two minutes away though if you do go.

I think we've decided that I am going to do Diamond Head myself (early in the morning) while Dug and Izzy sleep in and/or enjoy the resort. He doesn't feel like he can do it and I really want to. It will be much quicker on my own too, without worrying about Izzy.

For a PHENOMAL view, drive to the Punchbowl Cemetery.

I will see if we can work that in!

Monkeypod was great. Try the pumpkin ravioli off the app menu (half off during happy hour). Homemade pies were incredible.

Mmmm, sounds really good!

Catamaran, we did the Sunset Sail with Hawaii Nautical. They pick you up at Aulani. Price includes pupus (enough for dinner) and open bar. We enjoyed it.

Sounds fun, but more expensive and we don't really care to snorkel. I'd just like to get out on a boat and see some sea creatures. I will keep it in mind as an option, though.

We tried to do an every other day thing. You will need your down time and just relaxing and enjoy the resort. The days out are long days! Happy planning, hope this helps. It was a great vacation, you will LOVE it.

Thanks so much! I can't wait - it sounds so fun!!

I wouldn't worry about the Discount Hawaii Car Rentals site. I had actually booked a couple through them until Costco came through with better deals, but I've heard good things.

Thanks! I've seen a few DISers say the same thing.

Good call on doing Pearl Harbor on a weekend. That will definitely help with traffic.

Great - hoping to avoid the worst of traffic if we can.

You can definitely do Diamond Head. Parts of it are a tough climb, but it's not overly long and there are places you can rest. The view is totally worth it!

Sounds good. I used to hike quickly up Harney Peak (highest point in SD) when I lived near there - I'm not sure, but it seems like a similar climb, so I feel pretty good about it. Looks fun from the pictures I've seen.

Good call on Leonard's Malasada truck too!

Got that idea from you!

 

[Dugette]

Sorry I've been neglecting this poor PTR! Darn life and WDW trips getting in the way!

Izzy wore the "Hawaii" shirt I got her the other day. She also found one of our leis from the Poly and insisted on wearing that too. So, I guess she's ready:



Her daycare provider also told me that Izzy was saying "Hawaii" that day at daycare. (Side note - I have an awesome daycare person - she was texting me the other night for WDW advice. They went there on their honeymoon 20 years ago and she wants to go back for their anniversary in Feb. They have been several times with their kids, but she's excited to go as a couple. So fun to have a Disney-loving person caring for Izzy all day! )

I have had a hard time with this PTR because I'm feeling so unsettled on a schedule and what to do when. It's all such new territory. But I've been working on it. Still very much a work in process, but thought I should at least put out there what I have and see if there is any feedback/suggestions.

I'll just do a day-by-day walk-through.

Day 1: Friday, November 7th

Flight leaves at 11:30am, layover at LAX for 1:15, then land in Honolulu at 6:35pm (flight time changed a bit, so we're getting there slightly later now)

Rent car (currently at $299.75 for a standard size from Enterprise for the full stay), stop at Leonard's Malasada truck on the way, then arrive at Aulani

Check in, enjoy the malasadas, explore the resort, maybe unpack a bit. A lot of how we do things will depend on whether or not Izzy is asleep and how wiped out we are. It is a 4-hour time difference for us, so it will feel much later than it is.

Day 2: Saturday, November 8th

We'll probably be up early, due to the time change. We'll start with a 7am breakfast at Makahiki - this is a character buffet. So excited for Izzy to see Minnie (and some others) again! Also excited to try the food. There are interesting options, like traditional Hawaiian Loco Moco. By the way, this dish involves a hamburger patty and eggs and I think Izzy was trying to make it today in her play kitchen's oven:



Love it!

I think that breakfast will be a great way to start our trip. Let Izzy see some characters right away and let us have a nice breakfast, since we will not have made a grocery run just yet.

Speaking of, that's the other thing on this morning's agenda: Target. I'll need to assess the size of the fridge/freezer and the various items supplied and see what we'll need. I will be able to use my Target Team Member Discount (and Red Card discount), so that will be nice.

After the Target run, it will be lunchtime probably, so I have a note that Aloha Salads is good and right by Target. Dug mentioned to me last night that he's interested in doing a conveyor belt sushi place - I feel like I may have heard there is one near Target - anyone know? If so, we may stop at both places, since I'm not a sushi eater.

I left the rest of this day pretty open. Figured we'd need some time to get settled and just enjoy the resort and being in Hawaii. I'd like Izzy to nap in the room and we can switch off going down to the pool/slides/lazy river while the other stays with her.

I was thinking we could maybe use the grills for dinner this night. I'm sure we can pick up something at Target to grill and we never get to at home, since our grill is broken and we haven't gotten around to fixing/replacing it.

So, a fairly relaxed and flexible day to get us started.

Day 3: Sunday, November 9th

Breakfast in the room. I have a small list of studio-unit breakfast ideas. Maybe some breakfast sandwiches this day?

It will have to be early and quick, though, as we are headed to Pearl Harbor this morning. I've been advised to leave around 6:30am. I'm hoping the time change will still be working in our favor this early on and it will not feel crazy early.

You may recall our plan - splitting up and switching off between Pearl Harbor and the Swap Meet across the street. Our first PH ticket is at 8:15am and the second is at 10:00am. We'll need to be there at 7:15am to pick up the tickets. Swap Meet opens early on Sundays, so we should be all set for some souvenir shopping/Izzy amusing while the first person does the Arizona Memorial.

We didn't have a lunch planned this day, so I stole a page from Captain Oblivious' TR and pencilled in Kua Aina Burgers. Pineapple and bacon, mmmm. Depending on how Izzy's doing, though, we might just head back and eat in our room so she can get to napping. Or she could nap in the car on the drive back. We'll see.

If we're up for an activity, the Hawaiian Railway Society train ride is at 3pm. They will have the Parlor Car attached, but we will not be able to book that, as Izzy doesn't meet the minimum age. We can do the regular cars, though. I'm not positive we want to do this, as the reviews are so-so, but it seems like something we'd probably enjoy, as long as Izzy does. Mickey did teach her to say "choo-choo" on our last WDW trip, so she is all about that now and loves trains!

I have Monkeypod down for our dinner plans. This place gets rave reviews and I'd actually like to go a couple times, assuming we like it. We'll want to get over there early, during the happy hour, and enjoy some yummy apps, drinks, etc.

Day 4: Monday, November 10th

Planning for me to get up early while Dug and Izzy sleep in. I'll go to Diamond Head and try to get in early and do the hike. Super excited for this, actually. Afterwards, I'll stop at the nearby market for some highly recommended Blueberry Scones. I'll bring those back for breakfast/snacks.

If Dug and Izzy are up before I get back, it looks like Aunty's Beach House may be doing an Open House this morning, so they could go over there to check it out and maybe even see some characters. (Also, we will try to work in as many character meets as we can, once we get the schedules - Izzy could not get enough character hugs last weekend at WDW, so this is high priority).

We'll have a lunch in the room. Hang around and enjoy the resort this day.

I'm thinking we might try the Ulu Cafe for dinner. Quick service. Oh, and if we haven't yet, we need to get some Dole Whip.

I think the Starlit Hui show will be this night, so we'll watch that before getting Izzy to bed.

Day 5: Tuesday, November 11th

After playing around with this day a whole lot, here's what I've come up with for our general (no specific tourist places) North Shore touring day.

Breakfast at Aulani, maybe try the Ulu Cafe for a quick bite.

Drive up and see the sights, like Sunset Beach. Stop and get fresh fruit for a snack and to bring back (we'll bring a cooler with us).

Have lunch at Ola at the Turtle Bay Resort. We just re-watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall last night, since it takes place at this resort. Dug's sister insisted that we visit the place because it's been in movies. Looks nice! Obviously, we'll hope to see turtles on the beach too.

General exploration/driving. I am planning for Izzy to nap in the car this day. She generally is pretty good at that. I need to read up on North Shore touring, but I know there is a lot of beautiful stuff that we'll want to see.

On the way back, I'm thinking we stop at Matsumoto's for some of their famous Shave Ice. I think I might try the one with beans and ice cream, we'll see.

I also threw in a dinner at Hula Dog. I don't eat hot dogs often, but I do like them, and these look really good! And unique.

Then back to the resort, nothing scheduled.

Day 6: Wednesday, November 12th

Breakfast in the room. Maybe do some one-cup egg things in the microwave? And toast, if we can get a toaster. We'll see. Oh, and fruit from the previous day.

This is Kualoa Ranch day! Supposed to be beautiful and lots of fun things to do. However, with a toddler, the fun things are very limited, unless we split up. As much as people seem to love the ATV rides and all, we're not clamoring to do that, so we think we'll just stick together and do the Movie Tour, which Izzy can do too. There is also a small petting zoo that Izzy will check out, I'm sure. I had thought there were pony rides, but it looks like that is for ages 5+. However, I found another option for that on our next day.

After our movie tour and checking out the sights, we'll head back towards Aulani. I looked up lunch spots nearby and found a recommended one, Uncle Bobo's BBQ. Dug loves BBQ, so this seemed like a reasonable choice.

Izzy will nap at the resort. We'll enjoy the pool area while she does, etc.

We can have family pool time after her nap. Menehune Bridge play area for her, if we haven't done it yet.

We have dinner scheduled for 5pm this night at Ama Ama, the sit-down restaurant. Hoping to catch a sunset while we enjoy a nice meal. This is one of those times that it's a bummer Izzy is too young for the Kids Club. And the in-room babysitting is expensive and has a 4-hour minimum. But she is generally pretty good at meals, so I'm sure we'll still enjoy it.

Nothing else planned this day.

Day 7: Thursday, November 13th

Back to the North Shore again!

We'll start with breakfast at the local favorite, Ted's Bakery. I've read the omelet is good and so are the breakfast sandwiches. And the famous chocolate huapia pie, of course!

Then, I found a place called Gunstock Ranch that has pony/horse rides for kids as young as 2! All the reviews are great and they are supposed to be very good at dealing with toddlers - allowing them to pet the horse, brush the horse, feed the horse, etc. And it's a real 30-minute trail ride (parents can walk alongside). It's not super cheap ($39), but if Izzy seems interested, I think it would be fun.

I don't have a lunch planned this day, so suggestions are welcome. If nothing else, there is food available at our next destination: the Polynesian Cultural Center.

They don't open until noon. It seems to me that it's kind-of the World Showcase of Oahu. Going to the different "islands" that have shows and activities. We are just planning for general admission (still trying to get my hands on a BOGO Entertainment Book coupon for it!). They have a luau-type show at night, but we're going to leave before that. For Izzy's nap this day, I'm thinking she can nap in the stroller, much like she would in World Showcase.

If we have the time and inclination on the way home, we'll be driving by the Dole Plantation. The only things we'd want to do here are eat some Dole Whip and ride the little train (for Izzy). If it's too late or we're not up for it, we should have already had Dole Whip at Aulani and possibly taken a real train ride, so it's not the end of the world. Fun pit stop, though.

I didn't know what to do for dinner this night, so just scheduled a 6:30pm reservation at Makahiki. It's still a buffet, but no characters at dinner. It's not cheap ($43/each, but Izzy free), but there is quite a variety of food and even sushi for Dug. Not sure we'll keep this, but works for now. (I need to review all of our OOP costs and see where we're at vs. plan).

Then off to bed for Izzy!

Day 8: Friday, November 14th

I actually don't have ANYTHING written in for this day yet. Maybe I will just leave it as a free day to do whatever we didn't get to yet. Maybe this is when we go back to Monkeypod for dinner.

Day 9: Saturday, November 15th

Breakfast in the room. Not sure what. We may have to make another Target run partway through the week to refresh our food.

Heading out to the Waikiki area to see some sights, like the Punchbowl Cemetery and Ala Moana Beach. I think. Need to look into our options a bit more. We are doing this because we'll be nearby for our planned activity - a catamaran ride.

I can't imagine being in Hawaii and not going out on a boat and seeing some sea life. There are a lot of options, but many are costly and involve snorkeling. With a toddler, this is not something I care to do. Nor do I want to be out for 4 hours and have a meal on the boat, etc. And I see that Kualoa Ranch has a ride, but I'm not sure there is much sea life to be seen, from what I can find. So, I think our best bet is the $30/person "booze cruise" on Na Hoku out of Waikiki. 11:30am will probably be less of a party boat and more what we're looking for (with free drinks still, though!) Seems to have good reviews and will get us into Waikiki too.

The timing is kind-of awkward for lunch, but I have a note that the Rainbow Drive-in is in the area and people seem to love that. I suppose the "drive-in" part could be handy (if it really is), in case Izzy needs to nap.

Nothing scheduled the rest of the day and dinner wide open too. You can see how far I got with my scheduling!

Day 10: Sunday, November 16th

I was thinking we might want to do the character breakfast more than once, since Izzy seems to love them, so I scheduled another one this morning. I went later, since I assume we'll have adjusted more to the time by the end of the trip. It's for 9:15am.

Lunch, dinner, and the rest of the day is open. This is our departure day, but we don't leave until late. So, now is our chance to squeeze in any more must-dos. There are lockers and a lounge available for those who have checked out but still want to use the pools, etc., so that is an option.

We'll need to head to the airport after dinner, return our car, and our flight is at 10:12pm (moved up slightly from before). We have an early morning 1:16 layover at LAX and then home at 12:28pm, the next day (Monday).

We both are planning to have the day off work, so we can recuperate that afternoon. Maybe even bring Izzy to daycare for a few hours if we need to?

So, that's where things are at. I'm sure there will be changes and all, but at least I have an outline. Feedback welcome!

Oh, and on our last WDW trip, Izzy spotted something on It's a Small World:



See her pointing? This is what she was pointing at:



Nice! We also watched Lilo and Stitch with her yesterday and she was trying to learn the hula!

Can't believe our trip is exactly 2 months from TODAY! But, for now:

 

[Imagineer5]

Your plans seriously sound awesome!! I wish we could tag along in your suitcase. I think your first class seats might fit us all as well? Ugh so awesome to have a relaxing and fun vacation to look forward to.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

wow - so much planning and seems like you have a lot of fun things scheduled but also being reasonable with what can be accomplished with a toddler - plus, you are in Hawaii at an amazing resort - so erring on more downtime is probably fine

That's very cool you found the pony rides that take a toddler ... and given all they do and that it is a real 1/2 hour ride (plus, my insurance hat on here - the liability is probably pretty high) $39 really doesn't seem bad

aw, Izzy's first booze cruise

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Looks like a great trip! And I'm flattered you're stealing our itinerary. Just a quick update--it appears a new Kua 'Aina sandwich shop has opened in Kapolei, which is much closer to Aulani. Or so I've been told.

 

[bamor]

There will be a toaster in the studio cupboard. If it's not there, call housekeeping and they will bring you one. Freezer section of frig was big enough to hold a couple bottles of water and a box of Jimmy Dean Dlites breakfast sandwiches. Waimea Falls is inside the botanical garden, hence the entrance fee. Leptospirosis is the name of the bacteria they warn about. The sunset cruise we took with Hawaii Nautical did not involve snorkeling. They have a free shuttle from Aulani, so no worries about drinking and driving. Sushi Bay in Kapolei is conveyor belt sushi, it's in the Safeway Plaza. I believe there is another in the target plaza as well as the sandwich shop. Aloha salads is awesome, we got takeout twice. Ted's bakery had some great muffins that would be great to bring back for breakfast the next day. You can request the utensils for the grill at the community center. We did buy fresh chicken breasts from Target to grill. There's tons of options! Nico's Pier 38 in Honolulu and Duke's in Waikiki were both very good lunch options, wish we had made it early enough for the breakfast buffet at Duke's-supposed to be great!

 

[Jennifer48]

Your itinerary sounds great!

*Highly recommend the malasadas from Leonard's. They are very filling so we bought a large box and were able to eat them for breakfast for a few mornings.

*I do believe you can cancel ADRs at any time. When we were there last September, it was so empty that every time I went to make an ADR somewhere, the CMs were telling us it wasn't necessary. Always nice to have though as a Disney planner.

*I like your idea of the swap when you go to Pearl Harbor. It really isn't toddler friendly but in my opinion, a place where everyone should visit when on Oahu. Just remember, absolutely no bags allowed. So many people were sent back to their cars to drop off their bags, including purses. Because of this, they have a high crime rate of car break-ins even though there are security/police patrolling.

*We had dinner at Ama Ama once on our anniversary evening, watching the sunset which was nice. Very expensive, but nice. Make sure you request a table near the edge, since there are no windows, all open air. Gorgeous view. We also had breakfast there twice because the stuffed french toast was divine and kept DH & I full for most of the day!

*The Menehune Trail game was fun, very Kim Possible. They give you an iTouch so its a bit difficult to see in the direct sunlight but a nice fun distraction.

*If you want to make sure Dug gets a chair at the Starlit Hui, I recommend lining up about 20 minutes prior. There are a limited amount of chairs and you can just request to sit in it when you walk into the grass area. CM will escort you to the seat.

*We went to the Dole Plantation but only to eat a Dole Whip . We did buy some t-shirts but nothing else was appealing to us. Does sound like Izzy would love to ride the train though!

*Be prepared for long lines at Matsumoto's. They do a very good job at being organized though and have it down to a science with taking orders with one person and waiting for your number to be called. We were too chicken to get the beans on top (ew!) but the shave ice is so much cheaper and you get a much larger portion here than at Aulani. Plus its a landmark!

*We made it to Monkeypod one evening for happy hour. Nice walk down the street from Aulani. Also expensive but happy hour was reasonable for apps & drinks. Wonderful atmosphere even though its on a busy road. We never had to make ADRs.

*Waimea Falls Park is a historical botanical garden so there is an entrance fee, FYI.

*DH & I did the 2 hr horseback riding tour of Kualoa Ranch. It was AMAZING! Obviously Izzy won't be able to do it but there is so much to see on the ranch that even if you don't book anything, in my opinion, its worth a trip there just to visit. Such gorgeous grounds and you can walk around and see the horses. Wonderful staff there as well.

*If you are looking to try the Loco Moco, I've heard that Rainbow Drive-In has the best.

*When heading to Diamond Head in the morning, remember traffic. Traffic heading into Honolulu is insane but it moves. Unlike traffic here in MA, its bearable. Cars move, no one, I mean NO ONE beeps their horn and everyone is so laid back and friendly! If someone wants to change lanes they use their directional and then say thank you. Its awesome!

*We ate lunch at Uncle Bobo's BBQ one day. What a great hole-in-the-wall place! The pulled pork sandwich was delicious! Highly recommend if you have a chance to stop.

*The lounge inside Aulani to use after check-out is fantastic. Showers, lockers and even a spin-dry machine to dry your bathing suit prior to storing it in your luggage. There is a computer there as well to use and a TV displaying flight times out of Honolulu airport. They did a great job with it.

*We did a lot of driving around the island to explore. We are huge LOST fans so I made a doc of all the places they shot at. Let me know if you'd like me to share this with you.

*We went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay one day which was a lot of fun. There is an entrance fee pp here but I believe it was only like $5 and the money goes towards maintaining the area.

*Other place to check out is Pali Lookout. Gorgeous view from up there.

*Make sure you just enjoy down time at the resort. Its such an amazing place to walk around and take in all the details. I bet Izzy would have fun finding all the Menehune hiding around! There is also a nice path behind the resort that you can walk up and down the coast. Very nice to talk at your leisure in the evening when its cooler.

I hope that isn't too much information. I know how overwhelming it was when I was doing the planning so anything I can do to help others I'll try!