She's Saying Aloha, an April 2022 Oahu and Aulani Trip Report (Completed 7/7)

[GrandCalifornian]

Is that taking the H3 the whole way or going along Pali Hwy/61 as you get closer to Lanikai?

Our first time we took 61 all the way form downtown over the hill and down towards Lanikai. Later we came back over H3 and it was nice too, and quicker since it is all freeway. Either way is nice and both have cool tunnels, but we slightly preferred 61. You could go out one way and back the other to make a mid-island loop, or you could go around the coast one way like we did if you have a little more time. It's all good, and beautiful.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

With an early evening free, we had to choose between a boat cruise and visiting the Pearl Harbor area.

Surprisingly both kids wanted to go see Pearl Harbor and tour the submarine Bowfin.

We had looked at the different tour and museum options, and that one was a popular choice.


We hopped into the Jeep and headed for Pearl Harbor.


The parking and entrance area is shared in common for the Pearl Harbor memorial sites, but still wasn't super crowded being relatively late on a Sunday.


On the drive over we talked about Pearl Harbor with the kids, neither was super familiar with what had happened there so we gave a quick history lesson in the car stressing how sacred the site would be. I was very impressed with how both kids handled themselves while we were there.

They both did very well, and Marshall was super interested in soaking it all in. When we got there, we discovered that you could not take purses or backpacks into the park area. Not wanting to leave a purse in the car, we chose to store Melissa's purse at the commercial bag check area, where it was $6 to check the bag and have it stored safely outside the park gate. It meant we had to be beck there before they closed at 6:00 though.

Everything closes promptly at 6 though, they pretty much drag you out so there wasn’t too much risk of being late.

Once we were in the main gate, we walked toward the Bowfin and paid for our admission there.


The docent offered us headsets and audio players for the audio tour, which Marshall was really excited about. It turned out to be a great aspect of the tour, and was super informative.




Yes! They even had a kids version of the tour so it was age appropriate and interesting for the kids. He took the tour so seriously and I’m so glad we stopped and picked up the audio players. We learned so much more than we would have without them.

They served to set the pace of the tour, playing different audo explanations as we entered each room of the submarine. We toured the USS Midway aircraft carrier a couple of years ago, and this was similar but it was neat to see how different the inside of a submarine was.





The kids ate it up and really enjoyed it. I was surprised how much Allie even seemed to learn and enjoy.




After we finished up on the boat we walked across to the museum. The audio tour works there too and while we kinda had to rush through we got to see the whole thing and learn alot about submarines.





We were fascinated to learn that when submerged they had to run solely on battery power, and they would take measures to conserve power and air to extend their underwater stay to avoid detection by the enemy.

Marshall is definitely a "museum kid" and wanted to hear every story and read every sign. I was proiud of him, and felt bad for having considered going for a boat ride instead. I just figured that would be more exciting for hoim, but I was definitely wrong. He still talks about things he saw and learned on the Bowfin.

After we pulled both kids out of the museum I headed out to pick up my purse while Paul took the kids into the gift shop.

It is a central gift shop for all of the Pearl Harbor area, and there were a lot of items to see. Marshall at first chose a brick building set that included the Bowfin and Arizona memorials, but changed his mind and chose a set of memorial post cards instead.


He was so excited to get "his cards" and enjoys having us read and explain each one.

They are kinda graphic but just tell it like it is and he’s all into it.

I was surprised he picked them over the building set, but he liked them, and we bought them while Melissa picked up her purse from the bag storage spot.


After we were all back together it was time for dinner. Paul’s cousin had recommended Dixe Grill which is pretty close to Pearl Harbor so we headed that way.

My older cousin was a career Navy guy, and knows local hot spots everywhere, so we wanted to check out his recommendation in Hawaii. When we got there, we found what looked like a bar under a tattoo parlor.


It felt a little sketchy from the outside but we went inside anyway and it felt like we stepped into an episode of Hawaii 5-0.




He had said it was a great family spot, and the kids were great there. We were seated right away, and they brought us popcorn to get started.

It was a great little bar and bbq place. I ordered the brisket, Allie got pulled pork, and Marshall got his customary Mac and Cheese.




I really thought about a burger, but went with baby back ribs instead. They were really good, as were the sides we had to go with them including beans and cornbread casserole.


The food was amazing and the ambiance was great.

It was a grat local spot, and was exactly the type of place we wanted to find during our trip. Once we were done we hopped in the Jeep and went in search of a local ice cream spot for dessert.

We basically just used the phone to search for something close and ended up at Dave’s Icecream.


They make all of the their icecream in house which is super cool. I got my favorite flavor Butter Pecan.


I got mint and chip, while Allie got something odd like green tea and we're not sure what Marshall got. It was funny they asked us if we wanted a frequent visitor punch card after our purchase.

It’s definately another local spot but I would totally recommend as a hole in the wall icecream spot.

When we got back in the Jeep after icecream I decided that I’d drive back to Aulani. Driving isn’t my favorite thing in the world and I get nervous when I’m out of my comfort zone but Paul wanted me to drive the Jeep so he’d have a better chance of convincing me that we should buy one.


Since I enjoyed the Jeep so much, I wanted her to at least have driven it so we'd have some idea how it would work as a potential backup for her daily driver car at home. She agreed to do it and seemed to be enjoying it and we were on the freeway headed towards Aulani when Marshall remembered that he didn't have his cards.

It really drove nice, and now I got to get off the freeway, turn around and drive back to the bar to try and find his cards.

We drove about 15 minutes back to the restaurant, and Marshall and I went in. The hostess recognized us, and remembered that we had left the post cards. Our server had them, and he brought them out to us. Marshall was so relieved.


We were all glad that he got his postcards back. At this point I was done driving the Jeep and let Paul drive back home.

I headed back towards Aulani, and we watched the sun set as we drove. Soon we were back to Aulani and we headed to the gift shop one more time for a few more souveniers.


While we were waiting in line I asked if the coffee they had was the same coffee that they had served at breakfast and it was! So I got a bag of that. It’s really good.

It is good stuff, and unique to Hawaii. Allie got a spam musabi wishable from a blind package. The CM at the counter asked her whch one she was hoping for, and he agreed that she had chosen well.

She opened the package and had the toy she wanted.

Then we headed up to the room, tired from a long day of Hawaii fun.


Next up, we have to fit all of our stuff in our luggage,

I make a covert drone flight,

and we have to give back the Jeep.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Did Allie get a souvenir at the Pearl Harbor gift shop?

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

This trip report has been great so far, thank you!

 

[woody64]

Great report and can't wait for your drone flight. I also relate to the sign back at Dixie Grill!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

This trip report has been amazing! Sad to see it nearing its conclusion

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Did Allie get a souvenir at the Pearl Harbor gift shop?

She looked but decided to wait and get something else at Aulani. That's how she wound up with the Spam Musubi wishable.

This trip report has been great so far, thank you!

Thank you so much! We have enjoyed sharing all of the different things we got to do.

Great report and can't wait for your drone flight. I also relate to the sign back at Dixie Grill!

Thanks! I was looking forward to drone flying at Aulani, or at least as close as I could get to it without getting in trouble. The Dixie Grill sign was funny, and set the tone for a fun restaurant. It was actually way more family friendly than it looked from the street, and the BBQ was quite nice.

This trip report has been amazing! Sad to see it nearing its conclusion

Thank you so much. We have really enjoyed sharing it, and we had a great trip. Thanks for joining in.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I realize this is comparing pineapples and oranges, but overall did you guys like the Hawaii trip as much as your typical WDW trip?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Surprisingly both kids wanted to go see Pearl Harbor and tour the submarine Bowfin.

It was nice that you could get into the tour at the last minute instead of having to get reservations ahead of time. The submarine tour looks very interesting, especially for the kids who don't know a lot about the war.

Marshall is definitely a "museum kid" and wanted to hear every story and read every sign.

That makes the trip worthwhile.

It felt a little sketchy from the outside but we went inside anyway and it felt like we stepped into an episode of Hawaii 5-0.

It looks very sketchy from the outside.

They make all of the their ice cream in house which is super cool.

It sounds delicious.

We were all glad that he got his postcards back. At this point I was done driving the Jeep and let Paul drive back home.

I'm glad that they had Marshall's cards and that the "test drive" was over. I never really liked driving our Jeep, although I did like all the bells and whistles that my car lacked.

Next up, we have to fit all of our stuff in our luggage,

It looks like the gift shop is well stocked with extra large suitcases just in case.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

I realize this is comparing pineapples and oranges, but overall did you guys like the Hawaii trip as much as your typical WDW trip?

It is a tough comparison, but a valid one. I expected to much prefer WDW, but was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it was in comparison to a WDW trip. Not that it was better or more fun, but it was at least competitive. Melissa felt it was more relaxing than WDW, and I agree. The kids enjoyed it too, but would not trade WDW for it every year.

It was nice that you could get into the tour at the last minute instead of having to get reservations ahead of time. The submarine tour looks very interesting, especially for the kids who don't know a lot about the war.

That makes the trip worthwhile.


It looks very sketchy from the outside.
It sounds delicious.

I'm glad that they had Marshall's cards and that the "test drive" was over. I never really liked driving our Jeep, although I did like all the bells and whistles that my car lacked.


It looks like the gift shop is well stocked with extra large suitcases just in case.

We looked at trying to reserve the Arizona memorial tour but weren’t sure enough to schedule a day for it. The Bowfin worked out great, getting to experience the area and learn about the history and some submarine specific things. It was a great educational side trip and was totally worth it.

Dixie Grill worked out nice and had great food, we just had to get over the outside look to go on in. The ice cream place was neat too and a yummy dessert.

Melissa didn’t mind the Jeep itself, but wasn’t fond of driving a strange vehicle in a new place. It was more comfortable to ride, and I got more Jeep driving time.

The gift shop did have lots of unique Aulani luggage options, but fortunately we didn’t buy that much stuff in order to need an extra bag. They were cute though.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

On our last day, I got up about 6:30 and took the drone with me in a beach bag. I wanted to get some morning pictures and video of Aulani from the drone.

I was asleep so I had culpable deniability.

My first stop was the secret beach, but there were already a few different groups oif people there and I didn't want to draw attention or disrupt their morning.


I instead went off the trail near the inlet to the Aulani lagoon.


I was able to sit down on the rocks beyond a hedge, and I had room to take off and fly out over the ocean then rise up and get my shots.

My attempot to take off showed that I was in an authorization zone, where the location had to be unlocked by registering my information with local authorities. The DJI drones are super smart, sometimes annoyingly so. I jumped through the hoops though and soon was able to get airborne. It was not a Disney specific zone, rahter it was for the nearby airport, but I was able to fly where I wanted to.

The results were pretty neat, and I had fun flying over the entrance to the lagoon and up and down the shoreline.




He came back to the room so excited

I also flew over the secret beach, but at a distance that wouldn't bother the people there. I hoped to see animals in the water, but didn't quite get that lucky.



I was perfectly happy with my luck in making it back with the drone intact though, and I avoided being noticed or harrassed. I also got some morning resort pictures during my walk.




I even got a picture of a Mongoose, which we saw lots of all over the island, especially around Aulani.


I threw a last load of laundry in and took a shower while they were picking up breakfast. We had a lot to try and fit back in suitcases.

When I got back to the room, everyone was still asleep. We got the kids up and then Marshall and I went down to get quick service breakfast.




We both got breakfast sandwiches this time and the kids got bacon, eggs, and waffles.

It was a good breakfast, and we got to sit in the room and enjoy it.


Marshall also finished his piece of coconut cream pie.


We continued our packing, and made everything fit. We had thought we would just leave the beach toys we had bought behind, but we even found room for most of them and the empty cans of boba tea.

The only beach toy that got left was the bucket, I couldn’t believe it all fit.

Once all of the bags were packed we said goodbye to the room. Marshall hugged the fridge goodbye.



We loaded up in the Jeep and decided we’d just drive a bit before heading to the airport.



We didn't have to be at the airport till after noon, so we headed back towards downtown and cruised around a bit.

And then we all needed a bathroom so we thought we’d head over to Costco again. That was NOT a good idea.


The traffic was insane, and we wound up going through a not so great neighborhood where we definitely were not getting out of the car. Once we got to Costco, there wasn't a single open parking space. We wound up heading back out of the parking lot and going to a nearby Home Depot.

It took forever to get over to the Home Depot and even though it’s highly inadvisable we left the luggage in the car while we all ran in real quick for a bathroom.

We were parked right up front, and we didn't take any extra time shopping for any lumber or anything.

Lol, I made him promise that nothing else would come home because nothing else would fit.

That is true. The only shopping we did was filling up the Jeep at a gas station just before heading to the airport.


It was the saddest moment of the trip. The boys were not excited to say goodbye to our Jeep.

We headed to the rental car dropoff and reluctantly pulled in. We cleaned it out and said goodbye, with Marshall hugging it as well.


As soon as we parked the Jeep the sky opened up and it started pouring.


It was our first real rain of the whole trip and we were already on the way home. We got so lucky.

It was raining as we made our way to the shuttle bus back to the airport terminal.


It was a quick bus ride, but as we got off the bus we saw a huge line to get in.

We were super confused but realized we didn’t have to stand in it at first, there was no line to check in our bags and the lady that helped us was so very nice. Like the polar opposite of Orlando.

It was an easy checkin, and then we got right in the TSA Pre line which went very fast.

Super fast, we were the only ones in line.

It was just a couple of minutes and we were in the terminal. The strange thing was to get to a different area we had to go outside of security and get re-screened. I chose to avoid that and stayed in our terminal area and went in search of lunch.

I sat with the kids and worked on some picture editing for a wedding we did a couple days before we left.

Our options were a sandwich cart and a gift shop with some sandwiches. We picked the best of both, getting chips and Cokes at the gift shop and the sandwiches from the other place. It was all pretty good food considering the limited options.


Yeah the sandwiches were decent and fine enough for airport food.

Yeah, they were pretty good and we didn't have to walk anywhere far. We had about 45 minutes to sit and wait for the flight, but the time went by quickly.

Boarding went well and we had a fairly uneventful flight. I worked on editing pictures and Allie worked on her homework.

I sat with Marshalll again, and we played cars and planes.


As we were getting ready to take off we had to wait for military jets takign off ahead of us. It was a cool experience to watch F18s take off from the runway, and then follow them into the air.


It was very cool, Marshall was eating that up.

And that was before the whole Top Gun phase. He's even more into jets now...

Oh yes, obsessed. We picked up a new puppy last week and his name is Maverick…



Oh yes, that was the kids' favorite name choice. He's a seven month old German Shepherd and is fitting in well with the other dogs.

The flight went well, and we landed back at LAX fairly late in the evening. We walked the long walk from the remote terminal to bag claim, and didn't get to ride a shuttle this tme.


Luckily Marshall was awake but we were all tired and it was a long walk. We made it back to the car though and it was right where we left it and we made it out of the parking strcture without the fuss that we had getting parked.

Yeah, the rest of the trip home was uneventful, and soon we were home and headed to bed.

Overall we loved our Hawaiian trip much more than any of us expected to. It is a different vacation than WDW for sure, but can be nice and relaxing.

As for Aulani, it is a great resort and we are so glad we got to stay there. It has the best pool area we have ever seen, which we would rate as notably nicer than even Stormalong Bay.

Aulani was fantastic and I enjoyed our stay there in conjunction with our time in Waikiki. The two areas are so different and it was nice to experience both.

It was a great combination, and let us feel like we really exoerienced more of Oahu.

I really felt like we got to see the whole island but there’s still so much to explore. I for sure see a trip back while the kids aren’t gigantic.

Yes, they both would be super willing to sign up for another trip, and I bet we do one before too long.

In the next update, we look back and summarize our trip, so it's not done yet...

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Does Allie still have the empty boba tea cans? Did she add anything to that collection after getting home?

Did you guys actually look into buying a Jeep, after you got back?

Glad it's not quite done yet, and also glad you guys did this trip report. It's been so much fun to read.

What's next on your travel horizon? Is your next Utah trip happening soon?

 

[Wood Nymph]

The DJI drones are super smart, sometimes annoyingly so. I jumped through the hoops though and soon was able to get airborne. It was not a Disney specific zone, rather it was for the nearby airport, but I was able to fly where I wanted to.

The drone looks like a lot of fun. I'm glad to hear that there are rules in place for it.

I hoped to see animals in the water, but didn't quite get that lucky.

There are a few dark shadows in the water that might be more than rocks.
I can't remember if there was any snorkeling at Aulani.

I even got a picture of a Mongoose, which we saw lots of all over the island, especially around Aulani.

The mongoose picture is creepy. They have devastated the native bird population.

It was the saddest moment of the trip.

Traffic congestion is not exactly the most desired way to end a lovely tropical island vacation.

And that was before the whole Top Gun phase. He's even more into jets now...
That would be cool to see the jets. It's a good thing you picked seats on the correct side of the plane.
Oh yes, obsessed. We picked up a new puppy last week and his name is Maverick…

Maverick is a beautiful dog.

 

[AliceNDinah]

Your pictures are breathtaking and so postcard-worthy!!! What a great trip, so fun to read about. The kids are very adorable and I love Maverick Great read, thank you again!!!!

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Does Allie still have the empty boba tea cans? Did she add anything to that collection after getting home?

She does have them lined up on the top of her dresser. We haven't found any to add to it back at home.

Did you guys actually look into buying a Jeep, after you got back?

Actually we started looking before the trip. It is something I have wanted since I was a kid, and we looked seriously recently but didn't do it yet. Getting one as a rental was kind of a consolation prize for getting a more reasonable vehicle at home. We loved the newer JL we got to rent though, so it reignited the desire for one at home. They are still pretty expensive though, so it will be a bit, but we would love to have one.

Glad it's not quite done yet, and also glad you guys did this trip report. It's been so much fun to read.

Thanks for joining in and following along as always. We weren't sure this trip would be that interesting, but we really enjoyed it and writing about it.

What's next on your travel horizon? Is your next Utah trip happening soon?

Good memory! We are headed up to Utah again in late July, which is coming right up.

The drone looks like a lot of fun. I'm glad to hear that there are rules in place for it.

Yeah, it is neat to fly and a whole new way to get pictures and video. They are just completely banned in a lot of places, often justifiably, but it was neat to get to use it in such a beautiful place in Hawaii.

There are a few dark shadows in the water that might be more than rocks.
I can't remember if there was any snorkeling at Aulani.

I thought we might have captured a picture of something, but it's not as clear and obvious as it could be. They have a really cool snorkeling lagoon at Aulani that is basically a pool with ocean water and a lot of fish. It is the one that Marshall is standing by with the glass wall.

The mongoose picture is creepy. They have devastated the native bird population.

It was crazy to see them running around like rats or squirrels in other places. We may have done our part by running one over during our trip up the coast that night...

Traffic congestion is not exactly the most desired way to end a lovely tropical island vacation.

The sad part ws leaving the Jeep behind, but it just wouldn't fit in our suitcase... The traffic was just a brief introduction to what we would be facing at home.

Maverick is a beautiful dog.

Thanks! He is a new addition, and a goofy guy but we love him and he fits in well.

Your pictures are breathtaking and so postcard-worthy!!! What a great trip, so fun to read about. The kids are very adorable and I love Maverick Great read, thank you again!!!!

Thanks so much. The scenery there was just spectacular so it was hard to take a bad picture. We really did have a great time. We are glad you enjoyed reading about it and we sure had fun sharing it with everybody.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I think in a way, it's been even more interesting to read this trip report, because it was a different destination than the other ones. I'd even find a Utah trip report interesting, especially since I also like doing Utah trips.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Those drone shots were GORGEOUS!


Also ngl i would'e freaked at the sight of the mongoose....something about them always freaks me out.

PUPPY! I love shepards!


Thank you so much for this trip report-fantastic as always!

 

[GrandCalifornian]

I think in a way, it's been even more interesting to read this trip report, because it was a different destination than the other ones. I'd even find a Utah trip report interesting, especially since I also like doing Utah trips.

Ahh, thanks. We like sharing our experiences and what we do at Disney and other places. Utah is more unique, and sometime we may share some more of it, but we're not sure about a full report on it. It would be a tough trip for others to repeat on their own, but is a beautiful place to visit as you know.

Those drone shots were GORGEOUS!

Thanks so much. It was an unplanned addition to the trip that worked out great.

Also ngl i would'e freaked at the sight of the mongoose....something about them always freaks me out.

The first one we saw really surprised me, but soon we realized they are everywhere.

PUPPY! I love shepards!

Aww yes. Maverick is a great addition and has settled in and is showing his goofy personality. We have always wanted a purebred shepherd and now we finally have one.

Thank you so much for this trip report-fantastic as always!

Thank you for the kind words, and for joining in as well.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Thank you all for following along with this trip report! It’s kinda sad to not have anything firmly planned but we do have a WDW trip in the pipeline.

Yeah, we really enjoyed reliving this trip as we sat and wrote about it after work, and it didn't take too long to get through, but we finally made it.


We knew we would have some down time between WDW trips, and the Hawaii trip filled it nicely.


It was an incredible trip and I’m so glad that we got to go, I think it opened to door to more trips there.


It really did, since I went from not wanting to spend the vacation time and money on a Hawaii trip to enjoying it almost as much as a WDW trip, which is a pretty high standard.


We had some great highlights of the trip, two of my favorite things were Lanikai Beach and then our drive up the coast at sunset when you flew the drone.





Yes, I agree, and both of them were things that were off the beaten path. I really liked how we could go off and do some exploring beyond the regular Disney Aulani activities.

The Ka Moana Luau was also fabulous although I’d be interested in the Luau at Aulani maybe next time.


Yeah, I feel like we checked off a lot of Hawaii must dos this time, and next time we wouldn't have to pack as much in.

No, but some things I’d like to do that we didn’t have time for this time are visiting the Dole Plantation and some kind of boat cruise.


Yes, and maybe we could swing back by the Kualoa ranch and at least pick up a t-shirt. The Dole plantation stuff looked neat as we drove by, and as an Agriculture major it had to be pretty cool.


Yes, I’m sure we could do horseback riding or another ATV tour at Kualoa too, that was so much fun.

It was the best side event of the trip. I am so glad that we chose to book that. We also loved the Jeep, in part because it was cool, in part because I always wanted one, but mainly because of the freedom it gave us on the island. As people who don't rent a car at WDW, we couldn't see doing Hawaii without one.


Actually I really don't think I would change anything we chose to do for the first trip, and it turned out so well that there will definitley be a second one.

Circling back to Aulani, it really was as good as we hoped. The hotel room was truly the best we have ever stayed in, and that pool area was incredible.


The pools were awesome! I was surprised at how busy the resort was but it didn’t affect us too much. I would be very interested in the restaurants that weren’t back open after Covid.


That was one area it seemed to be lacking. There was one sit down restaurant and the busy quick service. Fortunately Monkey Pod was good and close, and we did lots of exploring elsewhere on the island.

I do think the one bedroom for just the four of us has us REALLY spoiled



Having the whole one bedroom was awesome, and the floor plan was so just perfect for us.

As much as we loved the Aulani room, we also enjoyed getting to see and experience Waikiki. It was completely different than Aulani, and while the room was nowhere near as cool as at Aulani, the area was nice to experience.




It really was, and it was so special to be there for Kathy’s wedding.


Yeah, there was that, and even Marshall is willing to share his Kathy...

Being able to walk to the beach was super neat too.

And it was a huge and beautiful beach, like truly straight from a postcard.


We really should take the kids to the beach here at home, I bet they would like it.



Yeah, we still aren't big time beach people, but that's ok. We can do it again in Hawaii, if not before.

Before that though, there will be another Florida DIsney trip. We are looking at September 2023, but are considering May since it comes up sooner and falls in the same DVC use year for us.

Stay tuned for that! We’ll be back soon and be sure to post a link to details here when we start planning.

Yes we will, and I'm pretty sure Copper Creek will be involved... Thanks for joining us as we vacationed in a different direction, and we'll talk to you all soon.

 

[Wood Nymph]

It was an incredible trip and I’m so glad that we got to go, I think it opened to door to more trips there.

Since you live approximately equidistant between Hawaii and WDW, I can see future Hawaii trips in your future. We loved island hopping since each of them had their own special features.

The Ka Moana Luau was also fabulous although I’d be interested in the Luau at Aulani maybe next time.

I bet Aulani would have a great show.

We also loved the Jeep, in part because it was cool, in part because I always wanted one, but mainly because of the freedom it gave us on the island.

The Jeeps are nice because they can handle the rough roads in remote areas.

I do think the one bedroom for just the four of us has us REALLY spoiled

That was a really nice room. A king bed is a big plus, too.