Spirit Of Aloha

[Disneyaddictz]

Hey all!! I am really struggling with the thought of going to Spirit of Aloha, the reviews are so mixed! Usually we will try anything once despite reviews because there plenty of our favorites that people have bad reviews on. We have done the other dinner shows and almost all the character meals, the Luau has been something we have just kept putting off because of the cost. Well here i am again, just about to book it! I will say we have spent some $$ on disney dining but for some reason i am really caught up about the cost of this thing imagining walking out disappointed and hungry! Please help me decide, any experiences please! We are easy to please family, were not foodies or picky eaters and typically enjoy disney dining for overall experience vice quality of food. the other issue is seating, one hand i like to save a bit by sitting back but on the flip side i always wish i was in the action and paid a little more when i get there! LOL does it really matter??? thanks!!

 

[yooperfan]

Actually the food is pretty good. We have always booked right when we hit our date as it is similar to Hoopdeedoo as far as assigning seating. Seating is teired by price but beyond that, the earlier you book, the closer to the stage in your section you will be. One thing to be aware of, this show goes on rain or shine unless it is VERY bad. It's open air but the tables and stage each have their own roof with open air between the stage and seating. We went once when it was raining and blowing pretty hard and I probably would have skipped it if we could have gotten our money back.
We would go back, but not yearly.

 

[mchelle77]

Funny, ours was canceled the first time we booked due to threat of rain, and we got our money back, but it never rained. I agree, the food is good. But I despised the seating (category 2, yet was in back row with a pole in front of us, and a server's station right next to it), and the show was (with exception to the dancing and fire-guy) pretty awful. I would NOT go back, but would try a different show in a heartbeat.

 

[yooperfan]

are they still doing most of it like a fashion show of Island wear through history followed by male dancers and fire dancer? I never liked the switch to fashion show, it's lame. That said, I do enjoy sitting outside with the lit torches and a good island cocktail.

 

[ellie05]

We didn't like it or thought was worth the money. We will not go back.

 

[sullyfam]

We do the Aloha show every time. The last time we went in Sept 2014, we had great seats up close which definitely made a difference. DH does not enjoy the food here but I think it's really good. If you have picky eaters, you might have a problem. Although, you can let them know ahead of time and they will do pizza, chicken nuggets for the kids. I find the show to be entertaining and the kids especially love the fire part! It's a tradition for us but if it was up to DH we would drop it from our list.

 

[dunangst]

We thought food was fine, although I think service at Hoop De Doo is better. Seating was weird, we were also in the second tier and had a pole partially blocking us. The traditional parts of the show (fire acrobatics and dancing) were great, but the storyline is a little disappointing. I love the idea of a luau at the Poly, but unless they revamp, I won't go back.

 

[senadler]

I think it is a must do at least once. I agree with the PP the food is fine although the storyline is a bit lame. We have probably been 4 or 5 times, the kids are always requesting this one. The show does start to drag but the fire guy at the end is great. If possible I would definitely recommend tier 1 and booking right at 180 days. We have been at the very front tables a couple of times and it makes a big difference.

 

[Felipe4]

Question: what does the category mean associated with this? Is this based on how close to the stage it is? Like category 1 is in the front or 2 and 3 are in the back or on the sides?

 

[Jadyreen1282]

The Tiers are based on closeness to the stage and floor. We go every time we've stayed on property. Go to dining reservations and check out the seating chart to see where the seats are to get a better idea. We enjoy the food and the cheesy show.

 

[the guardian]

We went to a luau in Maui for our honeymoon and there is no comparison. Actually, Disney's is quite silly and amateurish and you will not be impressed. However, the food is decent and the kids will have a good time which is what the trip is all about.

 

[Disneyaddictz]

So only tier 3 is available now.... I'm reconsidering all together! If the seating is less than appeasing I'm afraid it will just set a negative mood considering I'm already questioning...ahh the struggles lol I didn't realize this was a 180 day adr

 

[jacksgirl]

My whole family loves SOA. I know the reviews are mixed, and I was iffy too because of that. It's true that the storyline is a bit bland, but the traditional dancing/fire dancer (I wouldn't expect a storyline in a traditional luau anyway) are great. And we love the food. By contrast, we don't care for Hoop De Doo. Nothing wrong with it, I guess. It's just that we live in the southern Appalachians so there's nothing unique about slapstick humor and bbq for us. I would probably feel the same way about SOA if we lived in Hawaii.

 

[mchelle77]

So only tier 3 is available now.... I'm reconsidering all together! If the seating is less than appeasing I'm afraid it will just set a negative mood considering I'm already questioning...ahh the struggles lol I didn't realize this was a 180 day adr

If you go for the food and atmosphere, you may enjoy it. I personally think you may have a difficult time seeing/hearing much from tier 3. We weren't able to hear the show from the back section of tier 2 (right next to 3) with the banging of the metal plates (kids love banging their silverware against them!).

 

[Monykalyn]

We did this last trip -our first experience. We were in Cat 2 but it was right beside Cat 1 seating so was very good. Lots of food and the kids loved all the food and asked for more of their favorites. The show was delayed starting due to possible weather blowing in so it made the evening long, and the show does drag a bit but the end with the fire dancer is really worth it. Was planning HDD this trip until we switched from FW to CBR/BC. IMO-it is one of those things that we are glad we did once, but probably won't be back as we want to keep trying new things.

 

[Disneyaddictz]

Thanks for everyone's advice, somehow I found a cat 1 and just booked it! We're easy to please so It will take a lot to really disappoint and if the kids have fun that's all I care about, money is already spent months and months in advance too so I don't have to see the $$ amount that day lol!!

 

[MomForFrozenAddicts]

I had the premium dining plan a few years back, so I took advantage and went to the luau. The luau is not bad. However, I was comparing it to Hoop Dee Doo and the luau at Polynesian Center in Honolulu and therefore the Spirit of Aloha didn't get a good grade in my book. The food was not bad by itself, but it is not as good as Hoop Dee Doo. The show was good but not as entertaining. The Catg 2 seating was not great and I didn't like the long table set up in the theater. If I go again, I would pay out of pocket to get Catg 1 seating. I doubt I will go again because my money would be better spend at Hoop Dee Doo.

If you never experience a luau before, Spirit of Aloha is a great place to have the experience.

 

[Disneyaddictz]

Thanks!

 

[Baklava]

How long does the show/dinner last? I'm planning around other events and want to get my timing right.

My daughter (5) really wants this one, and her concept of "luau" at this point comes from Lilo and Stitch, so no serious authenticity is required for the target audience in our family. (Her teenage brother is racking up sooooooooooo many points this trip by letting a lot of it be all about her.)

 

[angierae]

We really enjoyed it. Yes, the story line is a bit weird but the dancing and the fire were very good. The food was amazing, and the wine didn't hurt.