We went on Sunday. We also had an 8:00 tour time. We left about 6:45 and had plenty of time despite making a wrong turn. The valet desk has directions printed out for almost everywhere you might want to go! We arrived about 7:30. Sunday is the least traffic. Do Not leave anything in the car! We put some small items under the cover in the rear of the car (small SUV) at Aulani before we left. So we only took our bags, camera and the scooter out.
My friend is using an
ECV/scooter so we brought her HA pass. Even with unloading and setting up the scooter we were at the bag check by 7:40. The bag check fee is $3.00 per bag. If have a bag such as a backpack you can put smaller bags inside and then only pay for one bag. There are restrooms outside near the bag check as well as inside near the gate and by the snack shop.
Yes only clear water bottles are allowed. Cameras are okay but no camera bags. I did see one lady with a small clear bag that they let through. She had a wallet and some tissues in it.
Take your wallet and ID if you want to shop. They will ask for ID if you use a credit or debit card. The lady at the bag check told me this. We took a camera (DSLR), wallet with ID and credit card, cell phone, some tissues (because I tear up a lot at memorials) and some cough drops. I put everything but the camera in my pocket.
We stopped at the ticket desk and got our tickets and then picked up our audio tours. I highly recommend the audio tour! It made the entire experience so much more meaningful and informative. We listened to the first 2 stops on the tour and then headed off to the theatre. There are audio messages for as you exit the theatre and again as you ride the shuttle boat.
The audio tour is not continuous so you can listen to one stop and then go to another one. You get a map with the audio tour locations and there are markers as well. And you can listen to the stops in any order you wish.
It is narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis with remarks by Daniel Martinez, WW 2 Valor in the Pacific, Historian and includes remarks by survivors-military as well as civilian. The museum also has a brief movie about the attack. We took our time at the stops, rested, used the restrooms and got some drinks. Actually the snacks at the visitors center were priced better than almost anyplace else we have visited!
They will ask you to turn off your cell phone and use it only as a camera. The Park Ranger outside the theatre reminded us that the Navy runs the shuttle boat to the memorial and though the gentlemen on it look to be about 12 years old they are active duty Navy and this is their assigned job. They also will not take any nonsense.
And when we were nearly done we met 2 Pearl Harbor survivors. One was on the USS Pennsylvania and the other was born in Honolulu and was drafted into the Army in June, 1941 and was at Schofield Barracks during the attack. The survivors were just outside the gift shop. There is a sign that says our survivors are fragile so please don't touch them. They each had a sheet with a brief bio and were 'autographing' books etc. with a rubber stamp.
We did see several tour groups who seemed to be on a tight schedule. We felt that we needed to time to see and reflect on what we were learning. I learned a lot about the impact on the local civilians and there is a remembrance circle that includes the names of all who died military and civilian.
My advice is get there early and get the audio tour. It was the best $7.50 for a tour I have ever spent.
