Must Have Items for Aulani

nandm92574

Mouseketeer
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
So anytime I am doing something new and it has "Disney" in the name I know where to get the best information....... ;-) So this will be a first trip to Aulani we are leaving soon (yes Spring Break). I have a problem with overpacking lol and I am going to seek an intervention. What are your must packs for a great trip to Aulani? Thank you in advance to all the Disney road warriors!!!!
 
These are a few of my must packs:

I always bring my own sharp knife and a cutting board in my checked bags. I find we eat a lot of fruit and veggies from local farmers markets and I need a sharp knife to prep papayas, mangos etc

I bring ziploc bags, large ones for wet bath suits for the return flight plus small and medium ones for left over food and snacks.

I bring my own spices, at the minimum salt and pepper but not so much for Aulani as we usually only stay in a studio. If I am in a condo somewhere else I bring all kinds of condiments and spices as buying these can really add up and then you end up leaving what you dont use there.

I know this sounds a little silly but I bring cheap bbq utensils like tongs and a flipper from the dollarstore so that I dont have to use the ones you borrow from Aunty's. I just find it saves time and I am a bit of a germaphobe. I know htey wash them but still... I also bring aluminum foil to cover the food I am bringing back up tot he room and my own paper plates

I used to bring my own sun screen but now I only bring a small one for when we land or the first morning because I find Target and Longs Drugs have good prices so I buy it once we get there.

Soooo idk if that helped you edit your packing or not, I probably added to your list, lol!

I know one thing we found was were really did not need to pack beach towels for Aulani, we just used the ones issued at the pool
 
I actually usually bring along just one personal beach towel, to make it easier to spot my chair, LOL. I have gone twice in May, and I find a sweatshirt or light jacket of some sort handy at night when I am sitting outside reading my kindle or listening to the story telling by the fire pit.
 
Will you have a rental car? I highly recommend one. It provides so much flexibility, but it also allows you to drive into Kapolei (less than 10 mins from Aulani) where there is a Target. We stopped there on the way to Aulani to get our grocery items for the week, but it also would have saved me time and valuable luggage space to pick up things like full size bottles of sunscreen and other toiletries there as well. We also bought goggles and floats from Target to use in the lagoon which was fun. I believe they carry them year round. BUT make sure you buy an air pump (one of the hand ones) for any floats or blow up items because Aulani has no way to inflate them for you. We ended up finding a pump to buy across the street at the Island Market place, but I'm sure they're cheaper at Target.

I bought these heavy duty plastic clothes pins/clips from the laundry section of the Dollar Tree. I use these to clip my towel to my lounge chair at the pool or the beach. Helps to spot it, holds it in place. There are actual pool towel clips for sale on Amazon, but the Dollar Tree has these for 4 for $1 or something like that.

I never wore the jeans or hoodie I brought. A light sweater/hoodie and leggings, shorts, or maxi dresses were all I wore, but we did not do any formal or higher end dinners. Most places (save for fine dining) are very casual.

If you're not staying in a DVC villa, the laundry facilities at Aulani are easy to use and the machines work very fast. Keep this in mind when packing clothes - you can always do a load if needed, its not as bad or as much of a hassle as you'd think.
 


These are a few of my must packs:

I always bring my own sharp knife and a cutting board in my checked bags. I find we eat a lot of fruit and veggies from local farmers markets and I need a sharp knife to prep papayas, mangos etc

I bring ziploc bags, large ones for wet bath suits for the return flight plus small and medium ones for left over food and snacks.

I bring my own spices, at the minimum salt and pepper but not so much for Aulani as we usually only stay in a studio. If I am in a condo somewhere else I bring all kinds of condiments and spices as buying these can really add up and then you end up leaving what you dont use there.

I know this sounds a little silly but I bring cheap bbq utensils like tongs and a flipper from the dollarstore so that I dont have to use the ones you borrow from Aunty's. I just find it saves time and I am a bit of a germaphobe. I know htey wash them but still... I also bring aluminum foil to cover the food I am bringing back up tot he room and my own paper plates

I used to bring my own sun screen but now I only bring a small one for when we land or the first morning because I find Target and Longs Drugs have good prices so I buy it once we get there.

Soooo idk if that helped you edit your packing or not, I probably added to your list, lol!

I know one thing we found was were really did not need to pack beach towels for Aulani, we just used the ones issued at the pool

Thank you great information
 
In addition to what others bring, we also bring Tupperware containers for food storage, copies of any recipes we might cook with, Tide pods, dryer sheets, insulated tumblers with lids for cocktails, a soft-sided cooler, binoculars (we like to bird-watch), and some favorite DVDs for our kids (they are 9 & 15 and are addicted to I Love Lucy--lol).
 
In packing for Hawaii , I learned early on to pack light as its gets costly to pay for each bag each way on interisland flights. We mostly brought two swim suits each and cover up,flip flops, three pairs of shorts and tops, pair of jeans for ziplining and hiking boots or a good solid pair of sneakers. Sun glasses, a hat, sweat shirt and wind breaker . I brought a large KYSS Bag that has a lock to secure stuff to chairs . I had a waterproof plastic neck piece to hold phone and other valuables. Do not bring anything but plastic bags for storage. Regular items you would bring on any trip including a hair dryer, cosmetics, toiletries etc. You aren't going to a third world country where supplies are limited. It's amazing what you can bring and never use and pay thru the nose for lugging it along . If you plan to go to fancy dinners than buy a sarong for the lady and a light pair of pants and aloha shirt for the man. I always buy them on the island as they are really nice and act as a treat.

I stop at Target for groceries and leave what I don't use behind. Cheaper than paying extra bags fees on Hawaiian airlines. I have to bring a computer for work . you have a washer , dryer...use it. Of course if you want to be a fashion plate then ignore all the advise above. When I was single six suitcases wouldn't have been nearly enough LOL
 


In addition to what others bring, we also bring Tupperware containers for food storage, copies of any recipes we might cook with, Tide pods, dryer sheets, insulated tumblers with lids for cocktails, a soft-sided cooler, binoculars (we like to bird-watch), and some favorite DVDs for our kids (they are 9 & 15 and are addicted to I Love Lucy--lol).

YES-Tide Pods and dryer sheets are a great idea

I forgot about that, we also bring our soft sided cooler. For me, there is nothing like an ice cold water after ocean swimming or snorkelling so we usually bring it right to whatever beach we head to.


Oh, one more thing (I don't think I saw anyone mention this)--you'll want to bring reusable grocery bags--one-time-use plastic bags are illegal in HI, so if you don't bring your own bags for groceries, you'll have to purchase them at the store.

@jodybird511 is correct and I remember when this was first introduced in Hawaii being slammed at Target as we had done a pretty big shop and ended up having to buy 5 or 6 reusable bags.

However, I do find the reusable ones in Hawaii are kind of like a gift I keep giving to myself because I use them at home and they are almost like a souvenir. Mine don't look quite like these in the image below (thanks google!) but similar and I love them LOL

upload_2019-4-6_7-26-59.png


Some other stores have nice ones too, like Island Country Market across the street from the resort, but theirs are kind of plastic-y. Foodland have really cute ones, with chibi style food images.
 
Wow!!! thank you all for your input sooooo helpful. Yes we are renting a car so I will keep my packing light. One question, we have a studio but I was told that because we are DVC members we can get tokens for the laundry. Is that true or is it some hazing thing that new DVC members ask for and everyone laughs.... :-)
 
Wow!!! thank you all for your input sooooo helpful. Yes we are renting a car so I will keep my packing light. One question, we have a studio but I was told that because we are DVC members we can get tokens for the laundry. Is that true or is it some hazing thing that new DVC members ask for and everyone laughs.... :-)

We haven't stayed in a studio there, so I can't say from personal experience, but from everything I've read, that is correct.
 
So my must-haves for Aulani:
-Our own snorkel masks (for fit and avoiding yuck factor)
-Soft side cooler
-“Tupperware” and Ziploc bags (a must for any trip IMO)
-Waterproof phone case and lanyard
-Reusable mug for making my own drinks (bought the Aulani ones but they are small) plus rum from home
-Tide pods
-Laundry clips (bought metal ones on Amazon that have a hook to go over a closet rod)
-40 pounds of photography gear (YMMV on this one LOL)

So basically noting that hasnt already been said. But the point is, like others have said, you really can pack light for Aulani if you want. Now we personally spent 14 days over 4 islands and I did NOT pack light, but we used most of of it. But looking back at just the Aulani portion, that’s all we really used there. Have a great trip!!!!
 
Wow!!! thank you all for your input sooooo helpful. Yes we are renting a car so I will keep my packing light. One question, we have a studio but I was told that because we are DVC members we can get tokens for the laundry. Is that true or is it some hazing thing that new DVC members ask for and everyone laughs.... :-)

Yes this is true. They’ll just ask you how many loads you plan on doing.
 
We always bring our own mask & snorkel and a soft sided cooler. The actual hit from our last trip was a big popsicle float we brought with us. I can't tell you how many people asked where we got it or if they could borrow and it made for some cute pictures. The sharp knife is also a great idea as well as some ziplocks and reusable shopping bags.
 
For those who have said carry a knife with you, no problems with checked baggage having one in it?

I have never had a problem with having one in checked baggage. What I do is take a small cheap plastic cutting board that I bought from the dollar store just for this reason. I have a sheath the knife goes into and I put both inside of a large ziploc baggie so it is obvious to any one who might open and inspect my suitcase what the intentions for the knife are.
 
Thank you to all who contributed...... I am so grateful for everyone that takes the time out of their day to help others!!!! Will be leaving soon and my anxiety is at a level 2 instead of a 5 (5 being greatest) thanks to your input...... much appreciation :thanks::love::flower1:
 

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