Travel Mum
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 26, 2010
- Messages
- 1,508
Hi all. I have been asked by my long time ANZAC Disboard buddies to write a TR for our recent Waikiki trip even though the only Disney part of it was the quick half an hour I spent at Aulani doing a site inspection. Apparently, since others are contemplating visiting Hawaii, my TR might be useful for some. I still have my doubts it belongs here but never-the-less I will do as Ive been asked!
Most of you know me already but, if you dont, my family is made up of myself, DH, DD14, DD11 and DD8. We recently had wonderful and relaxing 17-night holiday in Waikiki.
We live in Wellington so our holiday began by flying up to Auckland on December 23rd to spend Christmas there with our extended family. Then we flew from Auckland to Honolulu on December 29th of course flying AustralianKarens kissy kissy Air New Zealand. I say of course because, until Hawaiian Airlines start flying here in March, Air NZ are, and have been for many years, our only choice to get direct from New Zealand to Hawaii.
On holiday with us for most of the time were my sister and her family including my brother-in-law, my nephew aged 15, my niece aged 12 and my nephew aged 8.
So it was lots of fun meeting up with them at Auckland Airport on the Saturday morning to board our flight and start our holiday. I had pre-seated us many months before and had got us seats in the first cabin.
The seating configuration was 2-3-2 so we had five rows of two seats on the right side of the cabin. We sat in our family groups except for my DD11 and my DN12 who sat together and had heaps of fun. Air NZ was good as always but I do get disappointed at their choice of movies. They have heaps to choose from by few new releases and lots of old ones. Our children were thrilled to learn they could order drinks for themselves off the in-seat screen and certainly made good use of it the poor crew! 
The 8.5 hour flight was a day time one so there was no pressure to sleep which I like since I dont really sleep on planes. So it was like a relaxing day at the movies really (although I was onto TV programs about two thirds of the way through because I had run out of movies that I wanted to watch).
We landed into Honolulu at 8.15pm local time and the value of our forward seats proved themselves further as we were towards the front of the immigration queue which only had two immigration officers working and moved very slowly. By the time we got down to the baggage carousels, our bags were there so we were out onto street fairly quickly. I popped my T-Mobile Sim card into my phone and called the transfer operator to tell them we were ready. They advised us where to go and, as we walked around the corner, our family got a big surprise. My sister and I had secretly booked a stretch limo to pick the ten of us up and there was a big white stretched Hummer limo!
The children posing for a photo outside the limo.
The Dads were pretty nonchalant of course but the children were pretty excited and even more so when the driver spent the ride recounting to them about all the famous stars that had previously ridden in his limo. I personally just enjoyed sitting back watching all the lights as we drove into Waikiki and feeling so happy to be back, after 20+ years, to the place Id holidayed lots as a child and from where I had so many happy childhood memories.
In the photo, that's my sister closest and then me sitting behind her, plus our children - on our way to our hotel
Most of you know me already but, if you dont, my family is made up of myself, DH, DD14, DD11 and DD8. We recently had wonderful and relaxing 17-night holiday in Waikiki.
We live in Wellington so our holiday began by flying up to Auckland on December 23rd to spend Christmas there with our extended family. Then we flew from Auckland to Honolulu on December 29th of course flying AustralianKarens kissy kissy Air New Zealand. I say of course because, until Hawaiian Airlines start flying here in March, Air NZ are, and have been for many years, our only choice to get direct from New Zealand to Hawaii.
On holiday with us for most of the time were my sister and her family including my brother-in-law, my nephew aged 15, my niece aged 12 and my nephew aged 8.
So it was lots of fun meeting up with them at Auckland Airport on the Saturday morning to board our flight and start our holiday. I had pre-seated us many months before and had got us seats in the first cabin.
The seating configuration was 2-3-2 so we had five rows of two seats on the right side of the cabin. We sat in our family groups except for my DD11 and my DN12 who sat together and had heaps of fun. Air NZ was good as always but I do get disappointed at their choice of movies. They have heaps to choose from by few new releases and lots of old ones. Our children were thrilled to learn they could order drinks for themselves off the in-seat screen and certainly made good use of it the poor crew! The 8.5 hour flight was a day time one so there was no pressure to sleep which I like since I dont really sleep on planes. So it was like a relaxing day at the movies really (although I was onto TV programs about two thirds of the way through because I had run out of movies that I wanted to watch). We landed into Honolulu at 8.15pm local time and the value of our forward seats proved themselves further as we were towards the front of the immigration queue which only had two immigration officers working and moved very slowly. By the time we got down to the baggage carousels, our bags were there so we were out onto street fairly quickly. I popped my T-Mobile Sim card into my phone and called the transfer operator to tell them we were ready. They advised us where to go and, as we walked around the corner, our family got a big surprise. My sister and I had secretly booked a stretch limo to pick the ten of us up and there was a big white stretched Hummer limo!
The children posing for a photo outside the limo.
The Dads were pretty nonchalant of course but the children were pretty excited and even more so when the driver spent the ride recounting to them about all the famous stars that had previously ridden in his limo. I personally just enjoyed sitting back watching all the lights as we drove into Waikiki and feeling so happy to be back, after 20+ years, to the place Id holidayed lots as a child and from where I had so many happy childhood memories.
In the photo, that's my sister closest and then me sitting behind her, plus our children - on our way to our hotel
So, change of plans and we went back across the road to The Food Pantry where there are vendors selling food as well as a supermarket. The girls and I each got a fruit smoothie and a donut while DH got a bagel and coffee. We took them back to our room and ate on our balconies. 
), DH lying on the bed watching a movie on his IPAD, DD14 and DD11 on Facebook and DD8 watching TV. Then probably there would be an afternoon swim in the hotel pool for the girls (with me lying by the pool reading my book) and in the evening wed go out to dinner somewhere in Waikiki enjoying the lights, sounds and hustle/bustle as we walked there and back. Also, wed most likely duck into a couple of shops on our way back as they are open late. 
So we left without buying anything but it certainly was an impressive place and one of the kind saleswomen gave each of my girls a New Years Eve party head piece. That was handy for them as we continued to walk around the streets which were full of New Years Eve revellers, many wearing festive gear like my girls now were. We had earlier asked the girls if they wanted to stay up to midnight and watch the fireworks on the beach which of course they wanted to. So had I wanted to but it was only about 9.30pm by this time and it seemed a long wait until midnight. So we went back to the hotel and the girls watched TV in their rooms while DH and I had a little nap! It has been years since weve stayed up until midnight to celebrate New Years so it was late for little old us.
