What are the DOWNSIDES to staying at Aulani?

[WinterSolider]

I debated whether to post this because it's controversial, but I think it's true and worth saying so I'll try to say it in as polite a way as possible.

There is a segment of DVC owners who are "overly frugal" to the point of being cheapskates. They bought DVC so that they could take subsequent Disney vacations with as little out-of-pocket cost as possible, and by golly they're not going to spend a single penny more than they absolutely have to. These are the folks who do things like putting a margarita blender in their checked luggage so they don't have to buy cocktails, or pull out grocery bags full of bread and lunch meat to make sandwiches in the middle of the pool deck. It happens at Walt Disney World too but it sticks out much worse at Aulani.

I'm not rich, and there are things I buy at the grocery store so I don't have to spend all of my money at resort prices, especially when I have a villa with a full refrigerator and kitchen. But there's a difference between grabbing a beer in your room and walking down to the pool with it versus filling a styrofoam fishing cooler with an entire case of Coors Light and parking yourself for a whole day while a pile of empty cans grows around you.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Can everyone please light up Disney in the surveys that non-guests get the same dining booking window as guests.

 

[Minniesgal]

The main downside is the food. Luckily with a DVC villa we can mostly eat in the room

 

[AstroBlasters]

I debated whether to post this because it's controversial, but I think it's true and worth saying so I'll try to say it in as polite a way as possible.

There is a segment of DVC owners who are "overly frugal" to the point of being cheapskates. They bought DVC so that they could take subsequent Disney vacations with as little out-of-pocket cost as possible, and by golly they're not going to spend a single penny more than they absolutely have to. These are the folks who do things like putting a margarita blender in their checked luggage so they don't have to buy cocktails, or pull out grocery bags full of bread and lunch meat to make sandwiches in the middle of the pool deck. It happens at Walt Disney World too but it sticks out much worse at Aulani.

I'm not rich, and there are things I buy at the grocery store so I don't have to spend all of my money at resort prices, especially when I have a villa with a full refrigerator and kitchen. But there's a difference between grabbing a beer in your room and walking down to the pool with it versus filling a styrofoam fishing cooler with an entire case of Coors Light and parking yourself for a whole day while a pile of empty cans grows around you.

Did you really see someone with a styrofoam cooler full of outside beer by the pool or something similar at Aulani?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Also, I really don’t understand the food is “meh” comments….

Ulu cafe has good food, Off the Hook has good food…

Olelo room, Mamma’s snack shop….good food….

Ama Ama…. very good food…

I can’t figure out if the complaints want it to be more like the 4 seasons next door because they want it to be fancier or if they want it to be more bland because they are “picky eaters” (which has become an acceptable code word for adults that are allowed to act like 8 year olds with their food selection).

 

[J-Dog]

The main downside is the food. Luckily with a DVC villa we can mostly eat in the room

So, I guess I'm just curious as to why.

Is it that you don't like the food because it is "too Hawaiian/exotic", so you would rather just eat boring, run-of-the-mill home-cooked food on vacation? Or are you a high-end chef by trade and only eat gourmet food all the time? Or is it that the food is too expensive, rather than poor quality?

Also, I really don’t understand the food is “meh” comments….

Ulu cafe has good food, Off the Hook has good food…

Olelo room, Mamma’s snack shop….good food….

Ama Ama…. very good food…

I can’t figure out if the complaints want it to be more like the 4 seasons next door because they want it to be fancier or if they want it to be more bland because they are “picky eaters” (which has become an acceptable code word for adults that are allowed to act like 8 year olds with their food selection).

100% agree.

 

[cruisehopeful]

After reading a few trip reports and watching a few YouTube videos, my guess is the benefit of eating in the room is $$$$$.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Because I much preferred this view just 12 miles (though a lot longer driving time) up the coast from Aulani



From the side where you can see the condo (white shorter building)


From the back (the side you enter the front door into the property)


I liked our day trip to Aulani (our Hawaii trip was in 2016 so obviously things have changed since then and Ama Ama not the same) but we were glad to have just visited there and the Marriott next door a different day for breakfast.

I can't call it a con about the car because you would have needed a car where we stayed anyhow (a more residential part) and to explore the island. For us the manmade lagoons were a con. Granted where we stayed at would not have been for the little kids as the riptide was strong so if you have little kids manmade lagoons become a positive. We went in the month of September which was getting closer to surf season, not quite but getting closer to the tail end of non-surf season.

I do think Ko Olina is a beautiful place but there's also other places in Hawaii that are also beautiful too.

 

[bakofarmgirl]

we are the opposite of most posters in this thread and i guess my opinion might not belong on this exact one but we just went in september and have been multiple times and cannot wait to go back! we stayed 8 days (10 technically due to plane problems) and never left the resort just did the pool and food at disney every day and had the best time ever! weve done a lot of the other stuff around oahu but just prefer staying at aulani, we love the character breakfast and dinner at makahiki, and we never got bored!

 

[WinterSolider]

Did you really see someone with a styrofoam cooler full of outside beer by the pool or something similar at Aulani?

That specifically, yes, a couple of times. Similar types of behavior, yes, all the time.

Potato chip crumbs blowing in the wind because people brought Costco-sized Lays and were careless with the bag. McDonald's large soda cups left on lounge chairs. People fighting with the towel attendants because they tried to stick six adults in a Studio and were now demanding wristbands for everyone.

 

[AstroBlasters]

That specifically, yes, a couple of times. Similar types of behavior, yes, all the time.

Potato chip crumbs blowing in the wind because people brought Costco-sized Lays and were careless with the bag. McDonald's large soda cups left on lounge chairs. People fighting with the towel attendants because they tried to stick six adults in a Studio and were now demanding wristbands for everyone.

Not cool……

 

[Smugpugmug]

Tbh I have to agree with those that said the food. It's definitely not bad but it's not amazing either. Just meh, middle of the road. But it didn't bother me the last time I went to Aulani as my group had a car so we could just drive around the island and eat at better restaurants. I had family that went to Aulani last year and I don't think they ate at a single restaurant on property the entire time they were there.

 

[CastAStone]

Ok finishing a stay and I have a few:

Everything opens late and closes early.

• It’s silly that you can’t get a pool or beach adult drink until 10 or after 5.
• Its silly that the tube slide closes at 6
• It’s even sillier that the bridge across the slide area closes at 6 adding several minutes to a walk to Off the Hook from half the pool area.
• It’s silly that the last kids club for the day starts at noon
• It’s really, really silly that the little kids area and snorkeling are only available for 5 hours a day
• It’s silly that only Uma Uma way in the corner of the property has a drink station available after 8.
• It’s silly that the main towel stand closes several hours before the pools

The food is mid and overpriced

The character breakfast is really poorly executed from top to bottom

there’s not enough blankets in a 1 bedroom for all of the beds, requiring a call and a tip

If the refillable soap / shampoo dispensers run out you have to call for more requiring a call and a tip

All of the ocean views are really partial ocean views

There’s a huge amount of undocumented or poorly documented things:

• signs to restaurants that haven’t existed in years
• Activities listed in the app in the wrong spot (pretty much every free activity listed as community room was actually at aunty’s beach house)
• No documentation of any ability to cancel things online (turns out you can just reply to the confirmation email but that isn’t documented anywhere)
• Launa lounge no longer is reservation based despite what it says on the website.
• I could go on on this topic for pages. There’s so little documented and I had to google so many things that should just be on the website or in the app.

Overall Aulani is a 9/10 (at least) and I don’t want to pretend it isn’t, but you asked for negatives.

 

[ozliz]

limited food options and they’re not as good at dietary requirements or as flexible with them as I’m used to with DCL and WDW.

location - to see the best sights on Oahu you need to leave the resort and drive somewhere but at the same time it’s not fully isolated with views of the neighbouring Four Seasons on one side

 

[JennyDrake]

Not meaning to discount any of your opinions, but the prevailing opinion seems to be the opposite of this. Makahiki is one of the stand-outs as far as food at Aulani, and possibly one of the best character meals that Disney provides on any of their properties.


Did you leave Aulani? Seems like it would be very hard to get bored on Oahu in just a few days. There is easily at least 10-14 days of stuff to do just on that one island.

Yes, we left and enjoyed our trips! What I meant by *bored* was at the resort after a few days.

We went to the Dole Plantation, knowing it was a tourist trap and enjoyed it, especially the maze. Went to Kuoloa ranch and did the 2 hour trail ride, which was fabulous (we are both horse owners) and the scenery was stunning even in the rain.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Everything opens late and closes early.

• It’s silly that you can’t get a pool or beach adult drink until 10 or after 5.
• Its silly that the tube slide closes at 6
• It’s even sillier that the bridge across the slide area closes at 6 adding several minutes to a walk to Off the Hook from half the pool area.
• It’s silly that the last kids club for the day starts at noon
• It’s really, really silly that the little kids area and snorkeling are only available for 5 hours a day
• It’s silly that only Uma Uma way in the corner of the property has a drink station available after 8.
• It’s silly that the main towel stand closes several hours before the pools

Maybe the hours vary by season? I had waaayyyy too many adult drinks after 5pm when we were there in August.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Maybe the hours vary by season? I had waaayyyy too many adult drinks after 5pm when we were there in August.

They definitely will not turn you away at the bars

 

[CastAStone]

Maybe the hours vary by season? I had waaayyyy too many adult drinks after 5pm when we were there in August.

They definitely will not turn you away at the bars

No they won’t, I was referring to people walking around and the bar at the beach.

And the pool food stands for that matter.

 

[that1jeff]

Launa lounge no longer is reservation based despite what it says on the website.

For use on check-out day only still? (Or can you use it on check-in day as well?)

 

[CastAStone]

For use on check-out day only still? (Or can you use it on check-in day as well?)

AFAIK check out day only.