Kualoa ranch recommendations

[amystevekai&bump]

Hi all

Still busily planning our Aulani trip!

I've just been on the Kualoa Ranch website, as I'd been waiting for them to load the August 2015 booking options, and there have been some changes!

I had planned to book three tours (movie tour, jungle expedition and the ocean voyage). But looking now, it appears they have stopped doing the ocean voyage and now offer a zip line.

Unfortunately my boys are only 8 and 11, and the zip line only shows adult prices, so I assume (along with the ATV tours) that they won't be old enough.

For those that have been to Kualoa - what tours do you recommend with children (two active boys, who aren't hugely into just looking at scenery!)?

We definitely want to do the Movie Tour, but having read reviews now of the jungle expedition, I'm wondering if it will be quite 'samey' - basically like the movie tour but without the movie references?!

Would you go to Kualoa and just do the one tour? I'm not adverse to that, as it will mean less time away from Aulani, but equally don't want to go all that way and then miss out on a 'must do' activity!

Many thanks for any advice

 

[bianca]

We did the jungle tour and movie tour in May. The ranch tours were the highlight of our trip, but we are all movie buffs! That being said, for the age of your boys, it may be too much of the same for them. We were a party of 5 adults and all enjoyed. As for the ATV tours, we didn't go, as our daughter was pregnant at the time. After watching the ATV's we were much relieved that we had not done them. It was off-on raining that day and everyone on the ATV's looked miserable. Kualoa is the only thing we all agreed that we would re-visit if we return to Hawaii.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

We did the jungle tour and movie tour in May. The ranch tours were the highlight of our trip, but we are all movie buffs! That being said, for the age of your boys, it may be too much of the same for them. We were a party of 5 adults and all enjoyed. As for the ATV tours, we didn't go, as our daughter was pregnant at the time. After watching the ATV's we were much relieved that we had not done them. It was off-on raining that day and everyone on the ATV's looked miserable. Kualoa is the only thing we all agreed that we would re-visit if we return to Hawaii.

Thank you for posting - that's really helpful

I must admit, I think we'd enjoy the jungle one, but I think a second tour might be a bit much for the boys.

Is it worth spending some time looking around the ranch itself? At the moment I think our plan would be to do the 1pm movie tour, then go to visit the Byodo in Temple as we would already be over on that part of the island & then I want to get to Haleiwa joes for opening at 4.30pm as I want to try their famous prime rib!!

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

We are also currently debating what to do at Kualoa Ranch in March. I noticed that the prices for the Movie Tour and Jungle Tour increased, as well as the time (now 1 1/2 hours instead of just 1 hour). I think we will also choose between one of these two tours, and I'm leaning towards the Jungle Tour because I think my kids might find the vehicle a little cooler than the bus.

 

[Sir William]

We did the movie tour 3 years ago during the morning on the same day we visited PCC in the afternoon. Both my kids were college aged, so they were old enough to understand and have seen many of the movies and shows that were referenced (Lost and Jurassic Park locations were their favorites), but I'd seen more of the movies filmed their then they had so I thoroughly enjoyed it. DW had no interest so went on the boat ride and said it was good, but nothing great.

 

[bianca]

Considering the age of OP's boys, I think the jungle trek may be more fun. The vehicle for the jungle trek is much more rugged and they do some fancy maneuvers around the hillsides which would probably interest a boy more. For the movie set tour, it seems we got out of the bus more and were able to view the props up close (took a family photo at the Jurrasic Park sign and in Godzillas foot print). As for just hanging around the ranch and checking things out, we didn't find anything more to do (that interested us) than the tours we paid for.