Views at Aulani

[disneygal55]

Does anyone know what the different views are at Aulani? Ocean and pool views are pretty obvious but what are the S (standard) and I (island gardens) views? We would like to book a trip for next year but because we need two rooms, points are at a premium. My DH and I were at Ko Olina about 4 years ago, staying at the JW Marriott. Had a beautiful ocean view and the back of the hotel looked over the mountains. Next year, we would love to bring our sons and maybe their girlfriends, so we would need two studios.

 

[2disneydads]

I believe that Standard views will be views of other buildings on the property, such as the conference center, parking garage and hotel building. The Island Garden views, I believe, will be views of the grounds (but not of the pools). There is going to be substantial landscaping on premises. The ocean views will be great, as you probably remember from Marriott Ko 'Olina. We had a mountain view at Ko 'Olina and it was OK. We would have preferred an ocean view but could not get one.

 

[taaren]

Generally speaking in Hawaii, if you have an Island View you are looking up the mountain at a volcano. We use 'mauka' and 'makai' for 'towards the ocean' and 'away from the ocean' since East and West are kind of irrelevant for directionality when you're driving a) in a circle, and b) either uphill or downhill from the volcano to the beach. Island views are pretty IMHO, green and lush, but I can see the ocean from my driveway, so ocean view is definitely not worth extra for me.
Also properties are generally built to maximize the amount of rooms looking at the oceans and have not as many island view rooms so ocean will probably be easiest to get just like savannah views are easiest at AKV.