Trip report PoA And Aulani October 7-23

[NancyDVC]

Sorry for the delay in posting my trip report but life has been very busy since we got back. Our party consisted of myself age 67 and my DBFF age 75-2 'senior' women who love Disney. We left on October 7 and flew Hawaiian Airlines nonstop from NYC to HNL. We did get the extra comfort seats and they were well worth the extra cost. Our seats were bulkhead as well. Great flight, wonderful service and real food!
We arrived about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. My friend has some mobility issues and we had to wait for the requested wheelchair until everyone had left the plane. Our wheelchair porter was wonderful and offered to watch our carry ons while we visited the Ladies room. FYI if you fly Hawaiian or most airlines from the mainland your plane will be at a gate in a different terminal from where you get your luggage so you have to take the Wiki Wiki shuttle to another terminal to pick up your luggage. There is a "HandiVAn" that our porter called for that takes wheelchairs. Our luggage was easy to retrieve and the luggage carousel was right in front of the Speedi Shuttle desk. While I was waiting to check in at their desk my name was called and we only had to wait a short time fro the representative to find everyone on his list. He took everyone's luggage on a large cart and escorted us to the van. The van driver checked us in again and asked which hotels we were going to. Hw then got a call to pick up additional passengers from another terminal. Soon we were off to Waikiki. By this time it was about 4:00 PM and Friday afternoon rush hour. My friend kept asking me why was there so much traffic. I replied "Just think of it as New York with palm trees!" We were the last ones dropped off at our hotel the Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki. It is not near the beach but had a decent room rate. I had requested a handicapped accessible room but was told that is a higher category. ???? It was clean and neat and only for one night. We ate dinner at the IHOP across the street from the hotel and got our first 'sticker shock' at the prices. $10-12 for a meal that is $7.00-9.00 at home. We also visited our first ABC store for a few things. We were in bed by 8:30. (Six hour time difference from the east coast.)
We woke up about 4:30 AM surprised that it was so early. We called a friend in NY about 5:30 AM (11:30 NY time to check on some things.)We had breakfast at IHOP, checked out and waited for our Speedi Shuttle pick up for our ride to the pier. There was a multi generational family leaving from our hotel, going to the airport. The grandfather was on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese signed the surrender. When he visited the ship at Pearl Harbor he was able to point himself out in the pictures.
we arrived at the pier easily but had to wait for an ECV/scooter to be delivered to us at the pier. It soon arrived and Hugh from U-Go Mobility was wonderful showing us how to use it including dismantling it and putting it back together. Great company that I an highly recommend for DME rentals. We dropped off our luggage, filled out required forms (medical/health), went through security and soon went into the main terminal. We were presented with lovely leis, checked in easily, got our ship IDs had some pictures taken and went up to the ship. They had a 'bag drop off' in the East-West restaurant where you could leave carry ons until 2:30 PM. great idea! We ate lunch in the Liberty dining room because we were too tired to wander around the ship. They started to announce cabins ready on the upper most decks (suites etc.) about 1:30. We were on deck 8 and our cabin was ready about 2:45. We hadn't previously booked any tours on Maui so we booked at the shore excursions desk when we boarded. My friend did not want to do the road to Hana so we booked Lahaina on Your Own and the Maui Plantation tours. We had wanted to see the Iao Valley but it was closed due to heavy storm damage and won't be reopened until sometime in January or February.
We had booked a handicapped accessible cabin and it was great with plenty of room for the ECV/scooter and a roll in shower. When we were getting settled in our cabin a crew member came to the door and said he was a member of the Special Needs Team and that they were aware that one of the guests had some mobility issues and might need help during the muster drill. I asked if she could use the elevator during the drill and was told yes. I was also told that in the event of an actual emergency she would be assisted by that team. Great service! (As a retired physical therapist I can appreciate how they were aware of the special needs of some passengers and ready to assist! Kudos NCL!) As a matter of fact my friend was searching for the switch for the over bed light and pulled an emergency call button instead. We had a telephone call within 1-2 minutes saying that they had received an emergency alarm and asking if anyone needed assistance. Again a great response. The muster drill was good with no problem using the elevator. There were even ship's officers standing by an open lifeboat to answer any questions after the drill.
We opted for any early dinner at the Aloha Café buffet. Lots of choices. We discovered alter in the week that the hot menu items changed daily usually with a different theme each day. There was always pizza and hamburgers and a deli bar. Again off to an early bedtime.
Sorry to be so wordy but I will continue this report with the rest of our cruise. To sum it up the Pride of America is a beautiful ship. The service was wonderful, the crew very friendly, the food was great and we had a great time.

 

[cgattis]

We like wordy, @NancyDVC!! Look forward to hearing the rest of your review as you have time!

 

[OKW Lover]

Looking forward to the rest of your review! We did Aulani and PoA in 2015. A couple of comments on things in your first post:

FYI if you fly Hawaiian or most airlines from the mainland your plane will be at a gate in a different terminal from where you get your luggage so you have to take the Wiki Wiki shuttle to another terminal to pick up your luggage.

This doesn't happen for all airlines from the mainland. We fly Delta and no Wiki Wiki shuttle is needed. The gate and luggage are both in the same section of the terminal.

Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki. It is not near the beach but had a decent room rate. I had requested a handicapped accessible room but was told that is a higher category. ????

I hope you refused to pay the extra charge. There's no way they are allowed to charge extra for a HA accessible room. You should write to the Marriott home office about this treatment. Totally unacceptable.

The grandfather was on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese signed the surrender. When he visited the ship at Pearl Harbor he was able to point himself out in the pictures.

Wow - that must have been awesome for the rest of the family to see that.

 

[disnygirl55]

Looking forward to your adventures! Sounds like a marvelous start. Some day, we'd like to do the Pride of America combined with a stay at Aulani. I am eagerly awaiting the rest of your report. And yes, wordy detail is a BONUS in my book, as well.

 

[NancyDVC]

OKWLover No we didn't pay an extra charge and took the room they had reserved for us. When I had gone online to the Marriott website to check our reservation before we went I had to chat with a Marriott rep. I could not find any reference to our request for a HA room. He could not find it on the hotel's webpage either but assured me that he also put in a request for the HA room. I do have to email Marriott. I did leave a comment card at the front desk when we checked out and asked for a response but to date I have heard nothing back.
I will be posting more about our trip soon.

 

[NancyDVC]

Okay Part 2. We arrived in Maui on Sunday. We chose to do "Lahaina on Your Own" because my friend did not want to do the Road to Hana (way too long a day). The tour bus company Polynesian Adventures was very receptive to my friend on her ECV. As soon as the dispatcher saw her she asked which tour we were on and escorted us to the area near the boarding. They had a ramp to put the scooter under the bus and we were given priority seats up front that were reserved for folks with mobility issues. On the ride to Lahaina our driver was very friendly and informative about Maui, history and landmarks. We dropped off the folks who were going on the Atlantis submarine tour first. Then ere dropped at the outlet shopping center. We did some shopping and took lots of pictures. Lahaina is a picturesque tourist town with lots of shops devoted to local crafts, jewelry and art. Plenty of places to eat from chain restaurants (Bubba Gump's) to local pubs and restaurants. We had a big breakfast so we chose to have ice cream for a snack instead of a meal. Pick up was at the outlet center. Lots of passengers probably because many of the Atlantis submarine folks chose to walk back to the outlets for pick up. Our driver on the way back was also very pleasant and informative. We had dinner at the Liberty Restaurant (main dining room). some items are there everyday while there are daily specials. On Monday we had wanted to see the Iao Valley but it is closed due to heavy rainstorms and washouts. We were told it may not be open for visiting until next Spring. So we took the Maui Plantation and Hoopia Beach tour. The driver again was very informative and we saw several turtles on the beach. The Maui Plantation was nice but not spectacular. The train ride gave us more insight into the native plants and local agriculture The last working sugar mill in Hawaii is on Maui and due for closure before the end of the year. One thing that I liked was that the gift shop sold locally made items and crafts. I hate to buy things that are not made locally when I am visiting. (When my parents visited Hawaii for the first time my mother fell in love with Mai Tais and brought home some Mai Tai mix. When I looked at it I asked her where she had bought it. She replied in Hawaii of course. It was made about 5 miles from her home!) When we got back to the ship we cleaned up and had lunch and then joined the Kakui nut lei making class. Great fun. we each made a Kakui nut lei and bought some kits to bring home. The Hawaiian cultural ambassador was wonderful and gave lots of history and cultural background. (I am having trouble with the computer/internet so I will close for now and continue later.)

 

[NancyDVC]

Part 3 We arrived on time in Hilo. We had booked a private company for our 2 days on the Big Island-Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. We met Mary Lou on the pier and after the remainder of our group arrived (3 gentlemen from New York) we were off in her mini van. Mary Lou was very informative giving us some history and highlights as were went. Our First stop was Rainbow Falls where we saw feral cats (Mary Lou warned us not to get too close or offer food because they can be aggressive about food) She showed us Kukui nuts that had dropped from the trees and explained some of the many ways they were used by native Hawaiians. Then we were off to Volcanoes National Park. Mary Lou and her husband Ken took a course to be certified VNP guides and have to take an update refresher course every year. She pointed out local flora and animals. We saw a Nene (Hawaiian goose) at the military camp in the park. They are the sate bird and are banded and well protected. We did not get out but watched it from the van to avoid disturbing it. Then it was off to the Jagger Museum where we were able to see lava and Mary Lou explained about the lava, volcanoes and more history of the area. It was much nicer than a large group tour because was small and we were able to ask questions. We also made stops in the park at a lava tube (my friend and I did not walk into the tube but the others did and said it was great. We also stopped at a steam vent. Very interesting with lots of information about the volcanoes, the park and the island in general. We then stopped at an orchid farm, a coffee plantation and the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory. When we got back to the ship we were off to a ribbon lei making class. It was great fun and easy to do. we of course bought more ribbon to make leis fro friends and family! That evening we met up with a couple we had met a few days earlier. They were celebrating their first anniversary (second marriage for both of them after being widowed) and asked us to share their anniversary cake. The four of us had a great time in the atrium watching all the people taking 'formal' portraits. Why is it that the women were all dressed very nice but some of the men looked as if they had just come from working in the garage? That night we sailed past the volcano where the lava was flowing into the ocean. Our Hawaiian cultural guide gave a wonderful talk as we sailed past. The ship had put out the outside deck lights on the starboard side so that we could see better. What a great experience. The next morning we were in Kona which is the only port where we had to tender. We saw a pod of dolphins in the bay as we tendered into the pier. Mary Lou's husband Ken was waiting for us on the pier. We were his only guests. He had another group that had contacted him with a maybe but they did not show and had not confirmed so it looked like we were going to have a private tour. While Ken went to get the mini van we spotted the couple we had cake with and asked what they had planned. They had nothing planned so we told them what we were doing. We had discussed our great experience the day before and invited them along. Ken was very agreeable to adding 2 more guests so off we went. Ken was just as informative as his wife. we stopped briefly at the Kona Farmers Market while Ken looked for some white pineapple. Then we had a great day. We stopped at a Bee farm and learned about bees. Then Pu'uhonua O Honauhau Historic Park which is the place of refuge for Native Hawaiians. Very interesting park. We stopped at the beach that overlooks the Captain Cook monument. The only way to get to the monument is by a very steep trail or via a small boat or kayak. The monument is maintained by the British government and they have an annual ceremony commemorating his 'discovery'. Ken suggested a local place for lunch-Keokis. Great lunch. We all had the specialty-fish and chips. It was not your usual deep fried battered fish but had a light coating and was delicious. We chose to skip another stop because we were all hot and tired. We ended up back at the Kona Farmers Market and did some shopping. Ken found some white pineapple for us to try. It was delicious. (And this is after 3+ days of eating wonderful pineapple at every chance on board the ship!) When we returned to the ship we went to the orchid lei making class. We had been warned that it often fills up very fast and if they close the doors that means they were out of flowers. It wasn't crowded at all and we were able to make double flower leis! The Big Island was wonderful and I can highly recommend Mary Lou's Big Island Tours to anyone visiting the Big Island whether by ship or staying over. Both Mary Lou and Ken were friendly, professional and knowledgeable. That's all for now. More to follow.

 

[Beachmomma3]

@NancyDVC I'd love to hear the rest of your trip, if you have time! Especially about Aulani!!

 

[alldiz]

I would like to more also. I am taking the POA after Aulani this summer so this is very interesting.
Thanks
Kerri

 

[NancyDVC]

Sorry for the delay! Part 4 Wednesday night we sailed for Kauai. It is the longest overnight sail of the trip so they do put on speed and it can get a bit rocky. On Thursday we arrived at Kauai. Because of the long trip overnight the ship doesn't get into port until 10:00 AM. We had booked a private tour company whose owner was soliciting customers just off the pier in Kona. It was a disapponiting day. Small mini buses which were very comfortable. We visited Waiamea Canyon, the blowhole known as the Spouting Horn. There is a craft market by the Spouting Horn whose vendors sell lovely things many of them locally made. We also visited a waterfall. The canyon was lovely. The Spouting Horn was great. The tour guide/owner was not very good. On all our other excursions whether the ones through the ship or private the drivers/guides were great giving us lots of information, pointing out sights, history and answering questions. This guide was mostly hinting for tips by referring to the fact that he travelled to Kona by plane every week to solicit customers for his tour the next day. If I get the chance to do this cruise again I might choose the 'movie location' tour instead whether through the ship or a private one. Thursday night most of the passengers go off to a luau so the ship is very quiet. We had already booked the Fia Fia luau at the Marriott Beach Club in Ko-Olina (we were at Aulani after the Starlit Hui was finished and before the new luau had started) so we chose not to go to the one offered by NCL. We had a quiet dinner and went to thecrew talent show. It was great. Lots of very talented people work on this ship.
Friday is a short day in port so we opted to stay on board. We read, caught up on some writing and enjoyed a leisurely morning on the ship. We had lunch with some folks we had met onboard and had a few laughs. The ship leaves port at 2:00 PM for the sail along the Napali Coast. Our stateroom was on teh port side so we had a great view from our balcony. We left the door to teh balcony open and put the TV on the ship informaiton station to hear the commentary by the Hawaiian cultural guide. It was magnificent. The commentary, the views all wonderful. As the ship turned to head back to Oahu we were able to see a lovely sunset. We had a nice dinner in teh main dining room and packed our luggage.

 

[NancyDVC]

The Pride of America is a great ship. Wonderful crew who are very responsive to requests and helpful. The food was great, the stateroom was very roomy. We had a handicapped accessible stateroom that had plenty of room for the ECV/scooter. We ate in several of the restaurants and the buffet. The buffet menu changes every day. The main dining room has regular items that are on the menu every day as well as daily specials. The food was very nice. We only had one disappointing meal and that was the meatloaf at the diner. The 'mashed' potatoes had lumps and were cold and the meatloaf was also cold.
It was a great cruise. I have cruised on Celebrity and DCL and loved them both (DCL is still my favorite cruise line) But this ship is wonderful. One of my favorite things was being able to drop off our carryons off the lobby and pick them up later. Great idea and most definitely an idea for other cruise lines to adopt.
The tours that we took on Maui through the ship were great. The bus drivers were very responsive to the scooter, stowing it under the bus and retreving it easily. They were also very knowledgeable about the island, the local sights, history and culture. I can't say enough about Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. Both Mary Lou and Ken are superb guides, friendly, open to questions with knowledgeable answers and it was definitely worth the money. All theislands are beautiful and I think that taking this cruise is a great way to see more of the islands without having to fly, unpack/pack and fly again from island to island.
If anyone has any particular questions about the POA or the islands/ports please feel free to post them.

My Aulani report will follow soon!

 

[NancyDVC]

Part 5 On Friday I called Hertz to confirm our pick up at the pier for our rental car. I was told that their shuttle was under repair and we would have to take a taxi. The nice gentleman on the phone also gave us the address of where to pick up the car so I could give it to the taxi driver. More on that later.
We arrived in Honolulu on time. Went to breakfast and returned to our stateroom. took our carryons to the lobby to wait for our disembarkation. Checked off the ship and walked up the gangway. As my friend rode the scooter up the gangway it was a lower tide and the gangway was rather steep. Several of the activities staff unlocked the motor and pushed her off. A quick reset and we were into the terminal. We got a porter to help us with the bags and off to the taxi line. (There were shuttles from a number of other rental car companies picking up lots of passengers.) The porter helped load the scooter and bags. I gave the taxi drier the address that I had been given but he chose to drop us off at the rental car return at the airport! A call to the local Hertz office and the same nice gentleman apologized again and sent one of his staff to pick us up in the SUV we had reserved. (Only one more transfer of luggage and scooter!)
Off to find the H1 highway and Aulani. It didn't take long until we arrived probably because it was Saturday.
We drove up to the check in area. The valet CMS helped unload and set up the scooter and took our luggage. (Hint: If you are a DVC memebr staying on points and have a valid handicapped parking pass you get free valet parking! It was a big help!) We were greeted by Pihana from Bell Services who gave us each leis and escorted us to the check in desk. She asked where we were from and if theis was our first visit. She also answred some questions. I had checke din online and because it was only about 11:30 AM I didn't expect our room to be ready. At the check in desk we were asked if we really needed the HA 1 bedroom with a roll in shower.I said yes and we were told that it was occupied (There is only one 1 bedroom HA unit with an ocean view and a roll in shower. So we were 'upgraded' to a 2 bedroom HA ocean view with the roll in shower! And it was ready! Off to our room. What a view! It is a great unit. So we each had our own bedroom! I called down to Bell Services and they delivered our luggage. I asked if it was busy with checkins so early. I was told that because of the guests coming from all over the Pacific as well as stateside guests checked in at all hours unlike WDW. We unpacked and then walked/rode around the resort. I was looking for the Ulu cafe and got turned around. One of the CMs at the DVC desk asked what we were looking for and then took us! This happened more than once. Ask a CM for directions and they take you where you need to go! Best service ever. We had lunch and then went to get the car to go for some food. The valet brught the car and we left the ECV/scooter with Bell Services. Off to the nearby Island Market and sticker shock! A loaf of Arnold bread that retails for $4.50 at home (and I buy for 3 loaves for $4.00) was $7.99! We picked up some quick things for breakfast and salads for supper. Back to the unit and a quiet supper and checking out the Daily Iwa for the next day.
More to follow!

 

[alohamom]

Love all the details in your report! The complimentary valet for a handicapped sticker is a great idea. I find bread and milk to be very expensive in Hawaii, one of the reasons I try to make it to a target or Costco but obviously not every one chooses to do so.

 

[blondietink]

Interesting about the handicapped valet parking. We have been there twice now and were told that it is not free, so we parked in the handicapped spaces in the ramp. Humm......

 

[NancyDVC]

Interesting about the handicapped valet parking. We have been there twice now and were told that it is not free, so we parked in the handicapped spaces in the ramp. Humm......

If you have a valid Handicapped Parking pass and are a DVC member staying on points then valet parking is free. You must have the valid HA parking pass from any state. We brought my friend's HA pass and used it all over Oahu. We showed it to the valets when we checked in, and mentioned it at the valet desk as well. We did receive a phone call on or second afternoon telling us that the valet parking was not free for DVC members. I told the lovely cast member that we had a HA parking pass and had shown it to the valets when we checked in. She apologized and marked it on our room that we had the HA pass and removed the first day's charge. We were not charged for valet parking. And the valets were wonderful. They helped me take down/put together load and unload the ECV/scooter. We did tip them every time for the scooter. It was well worth it. By the end of our stay both the valets and I were very adept at taking it apart and putting it together.
It does state this on the Aulani page of DCVmember.com. That's where I found the information. The idea of getting the car, bringing around to the front door and doing all the work with the scooter and the reverse when we came back is a bit overwhelming.
My advice is if you have a valid HA pass show it to the valet, mention it at the valet desk and mention it when you check in.

 

[NancyDVC]

Part 6 Pearl Harbor and shopping. We were up early to leave for the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument (it is much more than just the USS Arizona Memorial). We left before 7:00 to allow for traffic. it was a Sunday so traffic was light. We arrived and found a handicapped parking space near the entrance. Unloaded the scooter and off we went. You can not bring any bags into the monument so I checked our bags. ($4.00 fee per bag. Bring a large bag that you put all your bags in and then you only pay for 1! Take your wallet/credit card in your pocket. (Thanks for both these tips to the lady at the bag check! The gift shop is inside.) Cameras are okay. I left my large camera bag at the resort. You can also bring a clear water bottle and a small clear bag if you wish. I saw one woman with a small clear 'handbag' with her medication in it. DO NOT leave anything in the car or trunk! That advice is for anyplace you go that is a tourist site! Unfortunately there are people who watch the parking area and break into cars. They also have a snack bar that sells water, soda, snacks, sandwiches etc.
We went to the ticket desk and picked up our tickets fro the USS Arizona that I had reserved at the 60 day mark. Then we picked up our audio tours. The audio tour costs $7.50. It is wonderful and I highly recommend it. You get the digital player, headphones and a map with the tour stops marked on it. it is digital so all you have to do is stop at one of the markers, enter the number and it plays the piece for that stop. You can do the stops in any order. We did 2 or 3 of the stops and it was time for us to line up for the presentation before the USS Arizona tour. The park ranger placed us and some other folks with wheelchairs in a special area and told us where the accessible spots were in the theatre. He then made an announcement about the presentation and trip to the memorial. What really stuck in my head was his reminder that the young men who run the boats are active duty Navy/Marines and not kids and this is their current duty assignment which they take very seriously and they will not take any nonsense from passengers so please treat them with respect. (Yes they do look about 12 years old but are very nice.) Remember the boats re run by the Navy. The we were let into the theatre to see the movie which is an overview of the December 7 attack and the USS Arizona. Remember the attack occurred all over Oahu at all the military installations. After the film we proceeded to the boat dock. We were assisted onto the boat for the short trip. The audio tour has 'stops' at the theatre, on the boat and at the USS Arizona Memorial itself. It was very moving to approach the memorial across the harbor. Once we landed we proceeded up the gangway and into the memorial itself. with their shipmates. You can bring flowers/leis to leave in the shrine room. You cannot throw anything-flowers etc into the harbor. I wish that I had known this before we went because I would have brought the leis we received at check in. It was very moving to visit see the ship just under the memorial and watch the oil still seeping from it. The memorial does not actually touch the ship but spans it. There is a park ranger and a Pearl Harbor volunteer there to answer questions. There is a 'map' of the ship comparing the ship before and after the attack so that you can orient yourself. The stay at the memorial is about 20 minutes. Then you board a boat back to the visitors center. If you want some good pictures take a seat at the back of the boat and you can get some good pictures as you leave the dock. Please be aware that the boats sometimes stop running especially alter in the day if the wind is high. This is decided by the Navy, which runs the boats, not the National Park Service. The memorial is jointly maintained by the Navy and the NPS and the USS Arizona is still a commissioned vessel in the US Navy.
When we returned to the visitors center I thanked the young sailors on our boat for their service. Then we proceeded to follow our audio tour. As you exit the boat dock you can get a good view of the memorial and read the interpretive exhibits along the shore. We took our time stopping to listen, read and contemplate what happened there. One of the most moving places is the Remembrance Circle with the names of those lost in the attack men, women and children both military and civilian. There is also a topographical map of the island showing where the attack took place at many points on the island. We took a break for some water and a snack and then toured the exhibit galleries "Road to War" and "Attack". The audio tour had stops inside and there are interactive kiosks where you can hear from survivors both military and civilian. It was very moving. The audio tour is narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis with commentary by NPS historians, and PH survivors both military and civilian.
As we went to the gift shop there were 2 Pearl Harbor survivors sitting out front. One was at Scofield Barracks and the other was on a ship in the harbor itself during the attack.Both men answered questions and allowed us to take pictures with them. There was a sign next to them that said 'We value and honor our Pearl Harbor survivors. They are very fragile. Please don't touch them." They were both in wheelchairs and 'signed' autographs with an automatic stamper. The gentleman who was art Scofield Barracks passed away this January. Remember these men are over 90 years old.
We bought a few items at the gift shop and I got my NPS 'Passport" stamped and spoke with another PH volunteer who answered some questions.
You can also visit the USS Bowfin and the USS Missouri (where the Japanese surrender was signed) and is anchored near the USS Arizona Memorial as well as the Pacific Aviation Museum. Access to the USS Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum is by bus because they are on Ford Island still an active military base. We chose not to do those because we were tired. You can book them all at recreation.gov 60 days out. if you don't know what you want to do book the USS Arizona to get your reservation in and then you can add the audio tour etc when you get there.
My tips for the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center are: Book your reservations for the USS Arizona 60 days out, Get the audio tour, Leave yourself enough time to get there especially if you are going on a weekday.
If you have kids who may be studying this in school soon you can get a wealth of information for free as well as books and DVDs in the gift shop. There is a FB page "World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument" that has good information too. And read the NPS website for more information about the entire monument.
I saw several 'commercial' tour groups that seemed rushed. They went to the USS Arizona and then seemed to be rushed off to another stop. Remember this is not what I call 'Do Disney World in a Day' rushing from attraction to attraction so you can say you did it all but you really missed a lot.
We had originally planned to go to the Swap Meet at Aloha Stadium but we chose to return to the resort. We had a quiet lunch and then went to shop for food and other needed items.
We went to a new grocery store in Kapolei-Foodland recommended by several CMs. It is near Target and Costco and the new shopping mall. If you sign up for their shopper program-just give them a phone number that you can remember (no they won't call you)-you then get all the sale prices. Great savings. Still definite sticker shock but much better prices. Good selections and prepared foods. We stopped at Longs Drugs for necessities. Longs is owned by CVS so my CVS Extracare card worked for sales and I was able to use one of my Extracare Bucks coupons too!

More tips: Ask the CMs for recommendations for places to shop, visit, eat etc. away from the resort. They are locals and they know lots of good places to visit eat etc. Also they have preprinted directions for all the sights at the Valet Desk by the front entrance. One side has how to get there and the other side has the return trip! And check the Daily Iwa every evening for the next day's activities. It is available by the front desk between 5:00 and 7:00 PM for the next day.

More to follow! Please feel free to post any questions!

 

[blondietink]

If you have a valid Handicapped Parking pass and are a DVC member staying on points then valet parking is free. You must have the valid HA parking pass from any state. We brought my friend's HA pass and used it all over Oahu. We showed it to the valets when we checked in, and mentioned it at the valet desk as well. We did receive a phone call on or second afternoon telling us that the valet parking was not free for DVC members. I told the lovely cast member that we had a HA parking pass and had shown it to the valets when we checked in. She apologized and marked it on our room that we had the HA pass and removed the first day's charge. We were not charged for valet parking. And the valets were wonderful. They helped me take down/put together load and unload the ECV/scooter. We did tip them every time for the scooter. It was well worth it. By the end of our stay both the valets and I were very adept at taking it apart and putting it together.
It does state this on the Aulani page of DCVmember.com. That's where I found the information. The idea of getting the car, bringing around to the front door and doing all the work with the scooter and the reverse when we came back is a bit overwhelming.
My advice is if you have a valid HA pass show it to the valet, mention it at the valet desk and mention it when you check in.

Yes, we always bring my son's valid HC parking permit with us on vacation and we always have it hanging on the rear view mirror. He uses a fold up wheelchair, so this is helpful information. We are also DVC members. Not sure if we will really use valet since the ramp is so close, but if we have a lot of groceries to lug up to the room, we might. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[NancyDVC]

Yes, we always bring my son's valid HC parking permit with us on vacation and we always have it hanging on the rear view mirror. He uses a fold up wheelchair, so this is helpful information. We are also DVC members. Not sure if we will really use valet since the ramp is so close, but if we have a lot of groceries to lug up to the room, we might. Thanks for the clarification!

Remember Bell Services can help with your groceries. Sometimes if you have a lot of bags it makes it so much easier. We had Bell Services bring up our groceries when we did our initial 'stock up'.

 

[cgattis]

Love hearing all the details What time did you schedule your ticket to the memorial? We will be going on a Sunday also, and we don't want to have to leave crazy early but also want time to hit the swap meet after. We will probably only do the Arizona and the Bowfin.