Trip Report -- just got back from a 10 night stay

[vikequeen]

Just got back from a 10 night stay at Aulani and thought I would share a few of my observations (some of which I’ve posted elsewhere, so apologies for redundancy). It was DH and I, and our 2 boys (11 and almost 9). We stayed in a 1BR DVC unit.

• The rooms and grounds are even more beautiful than pictures can convey. And all the service we had was very good.
• The Pool chair situation is ridiculous. By 845, chairs were pretty much gone. The CMs try, but there are just too many people for the facilities available. If you want a chair before noon, particularly at a busy time, plan on being at the pool at 730 am and staying there. We saw many (sad) families looking for chairs at 930 -10 am. We also had success with offsite morning excursions, and finding chairs in the afternoon (3 ish). But around 4 pm there is another spike in activity since that is check in time and many people run to the pool then. We ran into lines for towels, shaved ice etc at that time.
• Renting a Beach Casabella was a good option on mornings when we wanted to take our time getting to the pool. DH went down right when it opened, we pulled a beach chair next to us and had seating all day. It’s close to the pool and our kids are old enough to manage a bit on their own so we liked having convenient access to both the pools and beach. Personally, I like the beach casabella location better than the pool/veranda option and they are half the price.
• I was not able to book a character breakfast online -- all reservations taken. But I went to the restaurant in person on our first morning and was pretty much able to have any time or date I personally wanted (and got a res for the following day). So don’t worry too much if you can’t find a reservation online.
• We did not try Ama Ama. Off the hook was ok. And the quick service options at Uli and Little Opihis were much better than what we had available at the Marriott the prior year.
• Refillable mugs were worth every penny.
• LOVED the photo pass. We took full advantage and got pics on the beach, by the pool, in the lazy river and elsewhere. Ended up with 150+ pics without trying very hard. I’m finally in pictures instead of just behind the camera!
• We purchased groceries at Safeway in Kapolei and covered several meals that way (most breakfasts, and several dinners and lunches). We figured that saved us a few hundred dollars over 10 days compared to eating at Aulani restaurants.
• 11 year old is too old to really enjoy Aunty's beach house (unless you want them to play video games, which I did not want to be a focus of their vacation). 9 year old liked it more. On average, it was relatively young kids I saw there.
• There was more pin trading available then I expected. We did not bring the kids trading pins and ending up buying some at the gift shop. Its only DVC people who have them, but they were plentiful and my kids enjoyed that aspect. I wish I had saved money by bringing some from home.
• Characters are very accessible. Call the toon line in the morning to find out where they will be. Lines were generally very short. Only disappointment was that they rarely had a photopass person there.
• Highly recommend ziplining at Climbworks on the northshore. That was a great excursion.
• Other outings included the Dole Plantation, Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor and Waimea Valley, so happy to answer questions about those locations if I can help anyone else.
• We had a redeye flight home. The access to the lounge at Aulani is a fantastic option for late departures. It was busy, but not overly crowded. Essentially gave us another full day of Hawaiian vacation at no extra cost to us.
• In the future, we will not spend this much time at Aulani. The resort is beautiful, but given how crowded it is, we think our vacations will be better spent with a few days at Aulani and several days on another island.

Thanks to all who answered my questions and posted on this board – you helped us have a fantastic trip that, in the words of my youngest, we will all “always remember”.

 

[cmph]

Thanks for posting this! I saw you mention Climbworks in another post and looked it up. Sounds awesome, but I'm afraid my DD (who will turn 11 right before we go next month) will freak out. She's not great with "drops". Any chance either of your boys were nervous but ended up loving it? I hate to talk her into it and then spend that money for a freak-out.
What did you do in Waikiki? I keep reading negative things about the area, and it's not that convenient to Aulani, so I'm not sure if I should cross that off our to-do list. We were originally going to spend part of our time at a hotel in Waikiki, but Aulani ended up being cheaper per night, so we're staying there the entire time. I think it'll be more relaxing, ultimately, but it does make us less likely to see much on the other side of Oahu. I don't want to miss anything the kids will like a lot, though.
How did the kids like Waimea? How long did you spend there? That's on my list too.
One last one - how long did you spend at Pearl Harbor? Other than the DD I mentioned above, we have a 7yo son. He's very into WWII right now, so I know he will be very interested in everything there, but I still question how long a 7yo boy is going to last there.
Sorry for all of the questions!! Your kids are close enough in age to mine that I value your input.

 

[Mom2disneygirls]

@vikequeen Would love to hear more about the late departure and lounge and did they still give you a band for pool access. We have a red eye out and doing the same thing so any helpful hints and what you learned about using the lounge etc would be valuable information and much appreciated thanks!!!! Also how much time did the zip-lining etc take? Thanks for your post was very helpful! Going in july this year and finishing up final reservations etc.

 

[ktlm]

Very Helpful! Glad you had a fantastic trip! Note to self- bring pins. How was the Dole Plantation? That is on our list. Waimea Valley is the place where you hike to waterfalls isn't it? How long did that drive take you? What are your thoughts on taking time from Aulani to have a day trip there if we have a shorter Aulani stay?

 

[Mamapapa]

I'd love to hear more about the zoo - is it worth a visit, or is it small?

 

[vikequeen]

@vikequeen Would love to hear more about the late departure and lounge and did they still give you a band for pool access. We have a red eye out and doing the same thing so any helpful hints and what you learned about using the lounge etc would be valuable information and much appreciated thanks!!!! Also how much time did the zip-lining etc take? Thanks for your post was very helpful! Going in july this year and finishing up final reservations etc.

@Mom2disneygirls the lounge worked great. When you do online check in, you will be asked to pick a departure time. Check out is 11, but you can select a time up to 1 pm. I picked that, and then followed up with the front desk after arrival. Late checkout is not guaranteed (esp at busy times), but we were able to keep the room through 1 pm. We decide to rent a beach casabella that day (because of pool chair shortage). That gave us flexibility to get packed in the morning and go to the pool/beach when we were ready without worrying about a place to sit. We had lunch in the room and officially checked out after that. Bell services will take your bags. We put everything we would need to get ready for the airport in one bag. But, because the lockers are the gender specific shower areas, you may want separate bags for men and women in your group. (We use ebag packing cubes to separate our stuff, so one bag worked well for us). The lounge lockers are large enough to hold a small bag. I ended up using two lockers while I got ready because I had all the family pool stuff, plus other stuff. it wasn't that busy and so not an issue. You can get a wristband and use the facilities all day on departure day without any issues -- it is expected you might do that. Your belongings can only stay in lockers while you are showering (30 minutes) or will be removed by staff. It is not an all day storage facility. Use bell services for storage. Your room key card allows room charges during your stay, and you can continue to use it throughout your day of departure even after checkout if you want to. The lounge requires key card access. They gave us two keys for the day, but I was told you could get more if really needed. You would need to go to concierge to request it. We only needed one. There were a few other families using the lounge at the time we did, but it was not unduly crowded. The lounge has an community area with couches at TVs (playing only DVC sales videos though), and separate mail and female shower/locker areas. We used the pool all day, showered and had dinner on site before heading to the airport for our flight. It gave us another day at the resort with no extra cost, so I think this lounge is a great feature at Aulani and worked really well for us. Let me know if you have any other questions about the lounge.

 

[vikequeen]

Thanks for posting this! I saw you mention Climbworks in another post and looked it up. Sounds awesome, but I'm afraid my DD (who will turn 11 right before we go next month) will freak out. She's not great with "drops". Any chance either of your boys were nervous but ended up loving it? I hate to talk her into it and then spend that money for a freak-out.
What did you do in Waikiki? I keep reading negative things about the area, and it's not that convenient to Aulani, so I'm not sure if I should cross that off our to-do list. We were originally going to spend part of our time at a hotel in Waikiki, but Aulani ended up being cheaper per night, so we're staying there the entire time. I think it'll be more relaxing, ultimately, but it does make us less likely to see much on the other side of Oahu. I don't want to miss anything the kids will like a lot, though.
How did the kids like Waimea? How long did you spend there? That's on my list too.
One last one - how long did you spend at Pearl Harbor? Other than the DD I mentioned above, we have a 7yo son. He's very into WWII right now, so I know he will be very interested in everything there, but I still question how long a 7yo boy is going to last there.
Sorry for all of the questions!! Your kids are close enough in age to mine that I value your input.

My boys were not nervous about ziplining, but I was! I am very afraid of heights, but ended up loving the experience enough that we went last year and came back this trip. The staff does a great job making people feel comfortable. You start out on a baby zip and progress to more challenging lines. There are a couple of other things that involve drops more challenging to me than the zipping was -- particularly two times when they attach a rope/bungee cord and you have to step off the platform to be lowered about 15 feet(?) to the ground. They say that there is a bailout option if people freak out, but it is almost never used. They work very hard to talk people through challenges/fears. They are very clear that part of their mission is to help people overcome those fears, as they think it translates to other areas of your life. Our first time, DS (then 7) didn't make it fully across one of the lines. He got stuck hanging in a driving rainstorm over the highest line.When that happens, the guides go out on the lines to bring you back in. he was NOT happy and desparately wanted to quit (I didn't blame him, as I would have wanted to as well -- it was a pretty miserable low point). but we all talked him through it and he ended up liking it enough that he was super excited to go back this year and loved it even more. @Mom2disneygirls , tours leave every 20 minutes and take about 3 hours. I'm happy to answer any other questions about our zipping experience if it is helpful, including sharing pics if you want to see them just let me know.

For waikiki, my kids are big animal lovers so we went to the Honolulu zoo first. it is just off of Waikiki. I am not a fan of the area but wanted my kids to see it, so after the zoo we walked over the area, had lunch and let them see the beach. That was enough for them (and frankly for me). They couldn't believe how crowded it was. I personally think there are many many better ways to spend time on Oahu -- so much beautiful area to explore that this is not a priority for us.

Waimea was fantastic. A highlight of our trip. We got there right when the park opened. This was great because on our walk up, we felt like we had the park to ourselves. And not many people at the waterfall (yet). There were many, many people walking in behind us. I think it took us about 2 hours to walk in and out. My kids loved it - I was surprised by how much. Pay attention to the side paths -- there is a lot to see if you step off the paved path. Then we went to haleiwa for lunch (the bombers at Kono's were really good!) @ktlm, I think the drive was about 45 minutes? Its between the dole plantation and ziplining, and I know it takes about an hour to get to Kahuku to zip.

At pearl harbor, our original intention was to spend about 2 hours with only the Arizona memorial. We thought that was all the kids would manage. Once we got there, they were fascinated and we bought tickets for Bowfin and Missouri tours. So to my surprise, we were probably there about 6 hours? We had an 8 am start time. I'm a believer in rope dropping WDW, and it works just as well on Oahu. My kids interest frankly outlasted my own, but DH was also super into it. So maybe get just the Arizona ticket, see how they are doing once you get there and add on if they want to see other stuff (although I can't remember if that is more expensive than purchasing ahead).

I hope that helps!

 

[vikequeen]

Very Helpful! Glad you had a fantastic trip! Note to self- bring pins. How was the Dole Plantation? That is on our list. Waimea Valley is the place where you hike to waterfalls isn't it? How long did that drive take you? What are your thoughts on taking time from Aulani to have a day trip there if we have a shorter Aulani stay?

I would definitely take a day trip to Waimea or someplace else, even if I had a relatively short stay at Aulani. the resort is lovely, but there is so much to see and do on Oahu I would be personally be sad if that was all I saw. Waimea gives you a chance to see some lovely scenery and is a relatively easy drive. Yes, it is the place with the waterfalls. Water is very cold but my kids went swimming. DH and I did not bring our suits, but it was a hot day and I regretted not having mine and taking the chance to swim there when I could.

I would go to Waimea before Dole, but you drive past Dole on the way to Waimea and could do both in the same day. Dole is much more touristy. It was a fun diversion for a couple of hours (my kids really liked the maze and the dole whip!), but it would not be my first choice to see Oahu.

 

[blondietink]

I think the problem with the pool chairs is that you went at probably one of the busiest times of the year. If you go at something other than school breaks, I think you will find that it is much easier to find chairs. We have purposefully researched west coast and Hawaii school breaks in order to avoid them.

 

[vikequeen]

I think the problem with the pool chairs is that you went at probably one of the busiest times of the year. If you go at something other than school breaks, I think you will find that it is much easier to find chairs. We have purposefully researched west coast and Hawaii school breaks in order to avoid them.

I hope you are right! It was the only time when we could go. someday I hope to go at a non-peak time. CMs told me it is even worse in the summer. I can't imagine how bad that would be!

 

[vikequeen]

I'd love to hear more about the zoo - is it worth a visit, or is it small?

The Zoo is small. My kids are huge animal lovers, and we wanted to take a brief trip to Waikiki anyway so for us it was worth it. But it wouldn't be a top priority for me, and I wouldn't skip other activities to go there. I think it took us about 2 - 2.5 hours to tour it.

 

[alohamom]

I hope you are right! It was the only time when we could go. someday I hope to go at a non-peak time. CMs told me it is even worse in the summer. I can't imagine how bad that would be!

We were there in mid August 2014 and one day was just so crowded we had to put our flip flops beside the lazy river edge by a planter. Having said this, the pools themselves were busy but not so crowded that you couldnt enjoy yourself and truthfully, we are not the types to just sit by the pool, we want to be in it or on the beach so the lack of pool chairs didnt really effect our enjoyment. We are going back this August too so I will be able to let you all know what the crowd levels were like.

 

[wfgamble]

Thank you so much for this report! I've made lots of notes. We are going over Thanksgiving break!

 

[crystal1313]

Great report! Thanks! I got super excited about the zip lining, but my youngest won't quite be 7 yet. Bummer! Good excuse to go back again when he is old enough =)

 

[cmph]

My boys were not nervous about ziplining, but I was! I am very afraid of heights, but ended up loving the experience enough that we went last year and came back this trip. The staff does a great job making people feel comfortable. You start out on a baby zip and progress to more challenging lines. There are a couple of other things that involve drops more challenging to me than the zipping was -- particularly two times when they attach a rope/bungee cord and you have to step off the platform to be lowered about 15 feet(?) to the ground. They say that there is a bailout option if people freak out, but it is almost never used. They work very hard to talk people through challenges/fears. They are very clear that part of their mission is to help people overcome those fears, as they think it translates to other areas of your life. Our first time, DS (then 7) didn't make it fully across one of the lines. He got stuck hanging in a driving rainstorm over the highest line.When that happens, the guides go out on the lines to bring you back in. he was NOT happy and desparately wanted to quit (I didn't blame him, as I would have wanted to as well -- it was a pretty miserable low point). but we all talked him through it and he ended up liking it enough that he was super excited to go back this year and loved it even more. @Mom2disneygirls , tours leave every 20 minutes and take about 3 hours. I'm happy to answer any other questions about our zipping experience if it is helpful, including sharing pics if you want to see them just let me know.

For waikiki, my kids are big animal lovers so we went to the Honolulu zoo first. it is just off of Waikiki. I am not a fan of the area but wanted my kids to see it, so after the zoo we walked over the area, had lunch and let them see the beach. That was enough for them (and frankly for me). They couldn't believe how crowded it was. I personally think there are many many better ways to spend time on Oahu -- so much beautiful area to explore that this is not a priority for us.

Waimea was fantastic. A highlight of our trip. We got there right when the park opened. This was great because on our walk up, we felt like we had the park to ourselves. And not many people at the waterfall (yet). There were many, many people walking in behind us. I think it took us about 2 hours to walk in and out. My kids loved it - I was surprised by how much. Pay attention to the side paths -- there is a lot to see if you step off the paved path. Then we went to haleiwa for lunch (the bombers at Kono's were really good!) @ktlm, I think the drive was about 45 minutes? Its between the dole plantation and ziplining, and I know it takes about an hour to get to Kahuku to zip.

At pearl harbor, our original intention was to spend about 2 hours with only the Arizona memorial. We thought that was all the kids would manage. Once we got there, they were fascinated and we bought tickets for Bowfin and Missouri tours. So to my surprise, we were probably there about 6 hours? We had an 8 am start time. I'm a believer in rope dropping WDW, and it works just as well on Oahu. My kids interest frankly outlasted my own, but DH was also super into it. So maybe get just the Arizona ticket, see how they are doing once you get there and add on if they want to see other stuff (although I can't remember if that is more expensive than purchasing ahead).

I hope that helps!

SUPER helpful, thank you! Honestly, your reporting sounds just like something I would have written based on my family and our vacation style. I didn't want to miss something in Waikiki that was awesome, but I have very little interest in an overcrowded place when there is so much else on Oahu to see during our first trip to Hawaii. Waimea sounds wonderful, glad that was on our list, and good to know about the swimsuits! It didn't occur to me that we could swim there. And I guess I should plan to be at Pearl Harbor most of the day, it seems!

 

[twodogs]

I wonder what constitutes "summer" in Aulani terms?

 

[vikequeen]

My boys were not nervous about ziplining, but I was! I am very afraid of heights, but ended up loving the experience enough that we went last year and came back this trip. The staff does a great job making people feel comfortable. You start out on a baby zip and progress to more challenging lines. There are a couple of other things that involve drops more challenging to me than the zipping was -- particularly two times when they attach a rope/bungee cord and you have to step off the platform to be lowered about 15 feet(?) to the ground. They say that there is a bailout option if people freak out, but it is almost never used. They work very hard to talk people through challenges/fears. They are very clear that part of their mission is to help people overcome those fears, as they think it translates to other areas of your life. Our first time, DS (then 7) didn't make it fully across one of the lines. He got stuck hanging in a driving rainstorm over the highest line.When that happens, the guides go out on the lines to bring you back in. he was NOT happy and desparately wanted to quit (I didn't blame him, as I would have wanted to as well -- it was a pretty miserable low point). but we all talked him through it and he ended up liking it enough that he was super excited to go back this year and loved it even more. @Mom2disneygirls , tours leave every 20 minutes and take about 3 hours. I'm happy to answer any other questions about our zipping experience if it is helpful, including sharing pics if you want to see them just let me know.

For waikiki, my kids are big animal lovers so we went to the Honolulu zoo first. it is just off of Waikiki. I am not a fan of the area but wanted my kids to see it, so after the zoo we walked over the area, had lunch and let them see the beach. That was enough for them (and frankly for me). They couldn't believe how crowded it was. I personally think there are many many better ways to spend time on Oahu -- so much beautiful area to explore that this is not a priority for us.

Waimea was fantastic. A highlight of our trip. We got there right when the park opened. This was great because on our walk up, we felt like we had the park to ourselves. And not many people at the waterfall (yet). There were many, many people walking in behind us. I think it took us about 2 hours to walk in and out. My kids loved it - I was surprised by how much. Pay attention to the side paths -- there is a lot to see if you step off the paved path. Then we went to haleiwa for lunch (the bombers at Kono's were really good!) @ktlm, I think the drive was about 45 minutes? Its between the dole plantation and ziplining, and I know it takes about an hour to get to Kahuku to zip.

At pearl harbor, our original intention was to spend about 2 hours with only the Arizona memorial. We thought that was all the kids would manage. Once we got there, they were fascinated and we bought tickets for Bowfin and Missouri tours. So to my surprise, we were probably there about 6 hours? We had an 8 am start time. I'm a believer in rope dropping WDW, and it works just as well on Oahu. My kids interest frankly outlasted my own, but DH was also super into it. So maybe get just the Arizona ticket, see how they are doing once you get there and add on if they want to see other stuff (although I can't remember if that is more expensive than purchasing ahead).

I hope that helps!

I wonder what constitutes "summer" in Aulani terms?

I wish I had asked! I want to make sure I avoid it.

 

[twodogs]

Found this link to Hawaii public schools. Look like they get out just befor Memorial Day weekend (and our arrival, UGH). https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE Forms/2015-16 School Calendar.pdf

My quick look at California schools looks like they end around 6/8-6/9 this year. Hopefully that means most of our trip is before California gets out at least. We can only hope for the best!

Vikequeen, your posts have been incredibly helpful for me personally so thank you for taking the time to do them!

 

[jtba]

Found this link to Hawaii public schools. Look like they get out just befor Memorial Day weekend (and our arrival, UGH). https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE Forms/2015-16 School Calendar.pdf

My quick look at California schools looks like they end around 6/8-6/9 this year. Hopefully that means most of our trip is before California gets out at least. We can only hope for the best!

we are in california but we get out on june 3, whereas the elementary and middle schools in the next town over get out on the 8th and the high schools on the 11th, so it depends on the school district.

in any case, i hope it won't be too crowded while you are there. have a great time and i look forward to reading your TR!

 

[twodogs]

Thank you!!!