Just back from Aulani - thanks!

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Really just wanted to say THANKS to all DISers who provided info ahead of our first trip to Aulani! Everything from room views to restaurants to excursions, the advice was terrific and much appreciated!

While there, we did:

• Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving
• Manoa Rainforest Bamboo Hike
• Pearl Harbor Tour
• Hiked Diamondhead

Ate at:

• Ama Ama for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Makahiki buffet for breakfast and dinner
• Monkeypod Kitchen
• Fish House
• various quick service/poolside at Aulani

If anyone happens to have questions about recent happenings as they plan their trips, I might be able to help answer and would be happy to!

 

[pepperandchips]

Well... don't leave us hanging! Did you get your room request honored? What did you think about Ama Ama? (Worth it?) Anything you wish you had known? HOW WERE THE CHAIR HOGS?! (Haha) Sorry you are back from paradise but thank you for any input you can pass along!

 

[tukogirl]

Where is the Fish House and would you recommend?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Well... don't leave us hanging! Did you get your room request honored? What did you think about Ama Ama? (Worth it?) Anything you wish you had known? HOW WERE THE CHAIR HOGS?! (Haha) Sorry you are back from paradise but thank you for any input you can pass along!

LOL! OK... here's goes...

Room Request: We requested XX50, high floor or similar. On check-in we found they assigned basically the FURTHEST ROOM AWAY FROM THAT in the resort, XX03!! They said they had a couple of large parties that were taking that area up (seemed slightly implausible that they had ALL rooms that were closer to our request, but ok). Good news was that they were checking out the next morning. So we switched rooms after one night, and we thought it was well worth it -- loved out view!

Ama Ama: We just LOVED IT!! We would KILL for the macadamia vanilla pancakes for breakfast. The poke for lunch is AWE-SOME. Dinner was the least impressive to me, but still tasty -- maybe the value wasn't quite there for us like it was for the other meals.

Wish I knew: Not really, but I do wish we had started using the lazy river earlier in the trip... would have used it a lot more. A tip: really do GO EARLY if you want a relaxing experience. Once it gets crowded, it's a bit of a raft traffic jam and at that point some of the people started to really get on my nerves...

Chair hogs: Yup - they definitely exist! LOL!! We were not there at the busiest of times, but after a certain time (maybe 11am) just about every chair has something on it "holding" it -- most were just towels. One time, my daughter and I left our stuff on a chair just to go get a Dole Whip (yummy!!). We were gone maybe 5-8min and when we got back, our stuff was on the ground and someone else had put their towels on our chair to hold it. Really?!?! Yes. I put their towels on the ground, we sat there finishing our snack and then left. And I left their towels on the ground -- sorry not sorry. It's not like we had just left towels like SO MANY do, and it's not like we were gone long -- LIKE SO MANY DO. Anyway... irritating. We didn't really use the chairs that often, though. We'd use the pool, dry off, walk around a bit and then go hang out on our balcony.

Happy to answer any other questions!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Where is the Fish House and would you recommend?

Meh. It's right at the Four Seasons next door to Aulani -- you can walk right over across the beaches, basically. Everyone thought their food was ok, but it was our least favorite of the trip.

I can speak in detail to the tuna poke: I had this at every restaurant we went to, and the poke here was the worst -- sinewy parts, not the best color -- it wasn't inedible at all, just not nearly as good as the poke at Ama Ama or Monkeypod, for instance.

 

[alldiz]

Really just wanted to say THANKS to all DISers who provided info ahead of our first trip to Aulani! Everything from room views to restaurants to excursions, the advice was terrific and much appreciated!

While there, we did:

• Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving
• Manoa Rainforest Bamboo Hike
• Pearl Harbor Tour
• Hiked Diamondhead

Ate at:

• Ama Ama for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Makahiki buffet for breakfast and dinner
• Monkeypod Kitchen
• Fish House
• various quick service/poolside at Aulani

If anyone happens to have questions about recent happenings as they plan their trips, I might be able to help answer and would be happy to!

Thanks for your info!
How was the rainforest bamboo hike. Was it worth it? Was it a wide trail or narrow touching bamboos and bugs everywhere ? Of course I'm going in July so could be different .
Any activities that can't be missed on IWa?
Did u star gaze?
And what area did u request?
Thanks
Kerri

 

[JERSEY8CAR]

Really just wanted to say THANKS to all DISers who provided info ahead of our first trip to Aulani! Everything from room views to restaurants to excursions, the advice was terrific and much appreciated!

While there, we did:

• Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving
• Manoa Rainforest Bamboo Hike
• Pearl Harbor Tour
• Hiked Diamondhead

Ate at:

• Ama Ama for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Makahiki buffet for breakfast and dinner
• Monkeypod Kitchen
• Fish House
• various quick service/poolside at Aulani

If anyone happens to have questions about recent happenings as they plan their trips, I might be able to help answer and would be happy to!

how was the Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Thanks for your info!
How was the rainforest bamboo hike. Was it worth it? Was it a wide trail or narrow touching bamboos and bugs everywhere ? Of course I'm going in July so could be different .
Any activities that can't be missed on IWa?
Did u star gaze?
And what area did u request?
Thanks
Kerri

Sure!

Rainforest Bamboo Hike: We really liked it and felt it was worth the time and money. Our Disney CM, bus driver, and hike guide were all terrific. The trail is wide in some parts, VERY narrow in others, crosses 2 streams (balance on rocks required!), and there are some fairly big steps up/down. We were there during a particularly dry spell, so it wasn't very muddy at all -- but if CAN BE, and when it is, the trip back down can be slippery. Tradeoff: when it's dry, the waterfall at the end of the hike up is not as impressive... tradeoffs!!

Star Gazing: Not really, unless you count walking along the little Aulani beach, looking up for a while and spotting a few constellations! . It was a gorgeous sky, though.

Request: We had an ocean view 2 BR. We requested Ewa Short Building High Floor, and INITIALLY got Wainea Building basically facing AWAY from all the action -- the opposite side of the building. To see the ocean from there you had to go out onto the balcony and look way to the left. It was worth moving to the other room after one night and getting the view we wanted.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

how was the Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! It was DH, DD10, DS11 and myself -- and we ALL loved it.

• I chose this tour because they offered the longest time actually diving -- they give up to 30min as compared to 20min.
• Guides were great - informative, patient, funny, etc.
• Lots of shark activity -- Galapagos, Sandbar -- large, very cool, and not aggressive
• GO EARLY!!!!! Water is not as rough, so less chance of seasickness and cancellation due to conditions.

We would go on this same dive again in a heartbeat!

 

[alldiz]

Sure!

Rainforest Bamboo Hike: We really liked it and felt it was worth the time and money. Our Disney CM, bus driver, and hike guide were all terrific. The trail is wide in some parts, VERY narrow in others, crosses 2 streams (balance on rocks required!), and there are some fairly big steps up/down. We were there during a particularly dry spell, so it wasn't very muddy at all -- but if CAN BE, and when it is, the trip back down can be slippery. Tradeoff: when it's dry, the waterfall at the end of the hike up is not as impressive... tradeoffs!!

Star Gazing: Not really, unless you count walking along the little Aulani beach, looking up for a while and spotting a few constellations! . It was a gorgeous sky, though.

Request: We had an ocean view 2 BR. We requested Ewa Short Building High Floor, and INITIALLY got Wainea Building basically facing AWAY from all the action -- the opposite side of the building. To see the ocean from there you had to go out onto the balcony and look way to the left. It was worth moving to the other room after one night and getting the view we wanted.

Thanks . Ok that hike sounds amazing!
I also requested EWA building high floor for my ocean view. Is there 2 EWA?a shorter one? I bet the EWA building is full of Dis'ers
Kerri

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Thanks . Ok that hike sounds amazing!
I also requested EWA building high floor for my ocean view. Is there 2 EWA?a shorter one? I bet the EWA building is full of Dis'ers
Kerri

Yes indeed!! EWA - SHORT BUILDING - HIGH FLOOR. The view was awesome!! I'd bet you're right... should have put a lime green Mickey on our door!

And yes -- we REALLY like the hike! If you like that sort of thing at all, you'll enjoy it!

ETA: I have to get my act together and get some pics onto my computer -- then I'll post some.

 

[DCL fan]

Really just wanted to say THANKS to all DISers who provided info ahead of our first trip to Aulani! Everything from room views to restaurants to excursions, the advice was terrific and much appreciated!

While there, we did:

• Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving
• Manoa Rainforest Bamboo Hike
• Pearl Harbor Tour
• Hiked Diamondhead

Ate at:

• Ama Ama for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Makahiki buffet for breakfast and dinner
• Monkeypod Kitchen
• Fish House
• various quick service/poolside at Aulani

If anyone happens to have questions about recent happenings as they plan their trips, I might be able to help answer and would be happy to!

HI we are heading to Hawaii for the first time!! nervous about the cost I am hearing about -staying in Waikiki for 6 nights then heading to aulani- two adults and one 11 year old girl, any advice?

 

[PattiPB]

ETA: I have to get my act together and get some pics onto my computer -- then I'll post some.

Not to be pushy but......pictures please!! Thanks~

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Not to be pushy but......pictures please!! Thanks~

LOL! I forgot!! OK... will post some shortly...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Manoa Bamboo Rainforest Hike (I reduced pic quality just to get them to post here)

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

View from EWA SHORT BUILDING HIGH FLOOR

 

[pepperandchips]

View from EWA SHORT BUILDING HIGH FLOOR

View attachment 218061

Wow awesome!!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's always nice to have a scout

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Wow awesome!!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's always nice to have a scout

My pleasure! DISers certainly helped me out!

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

What room/tower request should I make for pool view 2 bdr?

 

[flinkerfrosch]

Really just wanted to say THANKS to all DISers who provided info ahead of our first trip to Aulani! Everything from room views to restaurants to excursions, the advice was terrific and much appreciated!

While there, we did:

• Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving
• Manoa Rainforest Bamboo Hike
• Pearl Harbor Tour
• Hiked Diamondhead

Ate at:

• Ama Ama for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Makahiki buffet for breakfast and dinner
• Monkeypod Kitchen
• Fish House
• various quick service/poolside at Aulani

If anyone happens to have questions about recent happenings as they plan their trips, I might be able to help answer and would be happy to!

Hi!

Really just wanted to say THANKS to all DISers who provided info ahead of our first trip to Aulani! Everything from room views to restaurants to excursions, the advice was terrific and much appreciated!

While there, we did:

• Hawaii Shark Encounters Cage Diving
• Manoa Rainforest Bamboo Hike
• Pearl Harbor Tour
• Hiked Diamondhead

Ate at:

• Ama Ama for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Makahiki buffet for breakfast and dinner
• Monkeypod Kitchen
• Fish House
• various quick service/poolside at Aulani

If anyone happens to have questions about recent happenings as they plan their trips, I might be able to help answer and would be happy to!

Hi!

Great info, thanks!

I'm curious about the Shark Encounter Cage diving??
My family is considering this for Nov. My kids will be 10, and 8.
What company did you use? I was looking at one but the name has lost me at the moment..

Also, was it far from Aulani?

I do suffer from motion sickness pretty bad so I'm a bit scared to go on the boat lol...any tips!?

Any other info you may have would be great, thank you