Stay in Aulani?

[DVCfan7]

Hi, is it convenient to stay at Aulani? Are there organized tours or we must have a car to go to other places? It seems to be at a place far from all the other attractions.

 

[VGCgroupie]

You can rent a car to tour the island.
There are many tour companies that will pick you up and take you around.
The Aulani website also has excursion options.

We rented a car and did things, but we loved just being at Aulani and somewhat regret leaving to go do other things.

 

[OKW Lover]

No matter where you stay on Oahu, you'll need transportation to get to the attractions of the whole island.

 

[teawar]

We had plans to tour all over Oahu when we were at Alani, but we never left!!! We went to Pearl Harbor after leaving the airport and just enjoyed the Resort the rest of the time. Our rental car never left the garage, and we are people that love to explore. We did go visit the other beaches/resorts at Kolina…the Marriott had a great Mai Tai!

 

[DVCfan7]

You can rent a car to tour the island.
There are many tour companies that will pick you up and take you around.
The Aulani website also has excursion options.

We rented a car and did things, but we loved just being at Aulani and somewhat regret leaving to go do other things.

Thank you. Is driving easy? I saw somewhere said traffic was very bad.

 

[DVCfan7]

We had plans to tour all over Oahu when we were at Alani, but we never left!!! We went to Pearl Harbor after leaving the airport and just enjoyed the Resort the rest of the time. Our rental car never left the garage, and we are people that love to explore. We did go visit the other beaches/resorts at Kolina…the Marriott had a great Mai Tai!

I guess that's very relaxing. If I don't rent a car, does Disney have shuttle or contract a third party for a shuttle from the airport to Aulani?

 

[VGCgroupie]

Thank you. Is driving easy? I saw somewhere said traffic was very bad.

There was traffic yes, pretty much anytime is day we were out. Partly why I preferred to stay at Aulani. Not the stress of traffic but the time it took to go places.

 

[DVCfan7]

I plan to book a hotel room or a studio. Any rooms or buildings in particular better than the others to stay? There are many categories. Are they easy to get around 11 month out?

 

[Tigger's ally]

We are in the final stages of planning our trip for May. We are staying 5 nights and the only nighttime we have booked is the Luau right there on property. We will be driving to the Kualoa Ranch to do the Raptor tour.

For the OP- We also are looking at these two tours that actually pick up at Aulani.

https://www.pearlharbortours.com/tickets/memorial-missouri-battleship-tour/
https://dolphinexcursions.com/dolphin-excursion/

 

[DVCfan7]

We are in the final stages of planning our trip for May. We are staying 5 nights and the only nighttime we have booked is the Luau right there on property. We will be driving to the Kualoa Ranch to do the Raptor tour.

For the OP- We also are looking at these two tours that actually pick up at Aulani.

https://www.pearlharbortours.com/tickets/memorial-missouri-battleship-tour/
https://dolphinexcursions.com/dolphin-excursion/

These tours sound so cool! Thanks.

 

[starry_solo]

I guess that's very relaxing. If I don't rent a car, does Disney have shuttle or contract a third party for a shuttle from the airport to Aulani?

According to their website, Hele Hele transportation. It's a shared ride and $25 per person one way (plus whatever you tip).
If you have 3 or more people, it may be worth it for private transportation. We've used Honolulu Airport Transfer, private ride, $80 one-way (plus whatever you tip).

 

[DVCfan7]

According to their website, Hele Hele transportation. It's a shared ride and $25 per person one way (plus whatever you tip).
If you have 3 or more people, it may be worth it for private transportation. We've used Honolulu Airport Transfer, private ride, $80 one-way (plus whatever you tip).

Sounds good, thanks.

 

[rocketriter]

Thank you. Is driving easy? I saw somewhere said traffic was very bad.

The worst traffic would be from Aulani into Honolulu during morning rush hour. On the best days it's only terrible. Other times and in other directions its manageable and, in particular, a good way to get around the north shore. Do watch out for days in which turtles are hatching; traffic will stop almost completely to view the spectacle along many of the north beaches. Despite all this, with a bit of planning you can get good use out of a rented car as there is a LOT to see on Oahu. (And be sure to visit the Bishop museum, which is small enough to see entirely and full of history and artifacts.)

 

[J-Dog]

I would personally never go to Aulani without renting a car. Rental cars are relatively affordable and parking is free if you are DVC or staying on rented points. It's so much better than trying to schedule your vacation around the times that tours leave and come back.

I am from a town of 3000 people with no traffic, and I have never felt that Oahu's traffic was terrible. Certainly not bad enough to give up doing things for.

I would also not be happy just staying at Aulani and not leaving. Maybe for 3-4 days at the most, but then you are missing out on everything else that Oahu offers.

 

[jimmymc]

It is convenient to some things on the island, but to me the biggest advantage is that you're not in a loud city like Waikiki is.

You will need either a car or to book excursions to get around the island, since public transportation is limited and doesn't really cover Aulani. Renting a car will usually be cheaper if you're there with a family, but sometimes the excursions make sense. It depends on how much time you want to spend at the resort vs around town.

 

[abdgeek]

Hi, is it convenient to stay at Aulani? Are there organized tours or we must have a car to go to other places? It seems to be at a place far from all the other attractions.

Aulani is in Ko Olina, which is about 45 minutes from Waikiki depending on traffic. Traffic between Ko Olina and Waikiki is similar to any city traffic—traffic goes more slowly and there’s more of it during rush hour. When you’re not on the highway, you will be on two lane roads, which again can have lots of traffic (North Shore, Kualoa Ranch, etc.). Whether or not Aulani is a convenient place to stay depends on what you plan on doing. If you plan on going to Waikiki every day to do activities, you’re better off staying there. I’ve stayed in both places.

As OP have said, you will need a car if you plan to leave the resort. Uber that far from Honolulu isn’t a sure bet. Aulani works with Hele Hele Shuttle for airport transfers. Their contact information is on the Aulani website under Parking & Transportation. I always book them for my transfers to/from the airport when staying at Aulani. You can also rent a car at the airport or Aulani. I only book a car for the days I know I’ll be leaving Aulani to sightsee and only book from the resort. Be sure to book in advance because they do sell out.

Aulani offers excursions on their excursions page. Most of their excursions will pick up at the resort, but you still need to read the fine print. Some of them require you to go to Waikiki to get the tour. Keep in mind that there are very few tours that pick up in Ko Olina. You will need to research any tours you want to do to see where the tour meets.

I have done Aulani with and without a car. The times when I didn’t rent a car, I booked tours that picked up at the resort and ate on property or across the street at the local restaurants. The times when I did rent a car, I only rented it for the days I was leaving the resort and spent more time doing things in Waikiki, the North Shore, and the Kualoa Ranch area. Good luck with your decision.

 

[monsterkitty]

I would personally never go to Aulani without renting a car. Rental cars are relatively affordable and parking is free if you are DVC or staying on rented points. It's so much better than trying to schedule your vacation around the times that tours leave and come back.

I am from a town of 3000 people with no traffic, and I have never felt that Oahu's traffic was terrible. Certainly not bad enough to give up doing things for.

I would also not be happy just staying at Aulani and not leaving. Maybe for 3-4 days at the most, but then you are missing out on everything else that Oahu offers.

This!

I can't imagine flying all the way to Oahu and just staying at the resort. There are so many things to see, experiences to be had, and amazing food to consume.

We rent a car every time we go to Oahu, whether we're staying in Waikiki or Ko'Olina. It's a must!

 

[Budzooka]

This!

I can't imagine flying all the way to Oahu and just staying at the resort. There are so many things to see, experiences to be had, and amazing food to consume.

We rent a car every time we go to Oahu, whether we're staying in Waikiki or Ko'Olina. It's a must!

Agreed. Love Aulani but there is so much to see on the island! Nice to have some down time at the resort but we like to get up and explore and then come back to relax. Always have a car.

 

[WinterSolider]

Hi, is it convenient to stay at Aulani? Are there organized tours or we must have a car to go to other places? It seems to be at a place far from all the other attractions.

The attractions on Oahu are arranged in a giant donut around the outside of the island. No place is near "all the attractions."