What are the options for Pearl Harbor from Aulani vs private tours

[claven123]

What are the options for Pearl Harbor from Aulani vs private tours.
We won't have a car, so included transportation a must. Does it include the Missouri?

Dennis

 

[abdgeek]

What are the options for Pearl Harbor from Aulani vs private tours.
We won't have a car, so included transportation a must. Does it include the Missouri?

Dennis

If you haven’t already, check out the Aulani Excursions page to see what your options are for excursions that will pick up at the resort. Read the fine print to ensure they do. There are two Pearl Harbor tours listed. One includes the Arizona, Missouri, Punch Bowl Cemetery, and downtown Honolulu. Keep in mind that only a couple tours pick up in Ko Olina, but most pick up in Waikiki. The tours that pick up in Ko Olina usually require a minimum of 10 people to run and only do so on certain days. The Excursion Desk can tell you how full a tour is so that you have an idea if it will run.

 

[kyton]

Years ago it used to be that the “tours” were really just transport to and from the site. That was because it was a National Park designation, external tour guides were not allowed to conduct tours. Not sure if that is still the case but is something you should look into ie do you still have to book the proper tours online separate to the transportation?

 

[PinkPaper]

I would book USS Arizona Memorial (tickets can go quickly). Recreation.gov

Uber, Lyft, Taxi, shuttle to Pearl Harbor.

 

[J-Dog]

Years ago it used to be that the “tours” were really just transport to and from the site. That was because it was a National Park designation, external tour guides were not allowed to conduct tours. Not sure if that is still the case but is something you should look into ie do you still have to book the proper tours online separate to the transportation?

I'm pretty sure that is still the case. The pretty much unanimous advice is to forego any "tour" of Pearl Harbor. Rent a car for the day or take an Uber/Lyft.

Or, even better, rent a car for your entire trip so you can experience Oahu. I would never go to Aulani without a car. But then again, we aren't "sit around the resort" kind of people.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

It really depends what you are looking for and how much time you have. We did a half day tour. Basically they provide round trip transportation from Aulani, you walk through the visitor center and take the boat out to the memorial. They provide the ticket. You only stay on the memorial 10-15 minutes.
You can check out Pearlharbor.org

You can also take an Uber and do it yourself. Advance tickets are required.

https://www.nps.gov/perl/uss-arizona-memorial-programs.htm

 

[claven123]

Which 'tours' at the government site are the same as the ones in the excursion from Aulani

See battleships that represent the start and end of US involvement in World War II, along with other poignant sites.
On this adventure you will…

• Depart from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, headed to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam—formerly known as Pearl Harbor Naval Base.
• Board a US Navy shuttle boat that will take you to the USS Arizona Memorial.
• View the nearby USS Missouri, the site where Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender to end World War II. Together, the Missouri and the Arizona have often been referred to as symbolic “bookends” of the war.
• Take the H-1 Freeway to the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Located at Punchbowl Crater, the cemetery honors men and women who have served in the US armed forces, drawing millions of visitors each year.
• Continue toward downtown Honolulu, where a fascinating tour will take you to historic points of interest in the city.

This is from the Aulani website.

I see the Missouri website has several different tours availble. Is one of those included in the excursion from Aulani?

D

 

[jimmymc]

There are several car rental places within walking distance of Aulani. I would check the price of a one day rental and getting your own Pearl Harbor tickets.

 

[J-Dog]

Which 'tours' at the government site are the same as the ones in the excursion from Aulani

See battleships that represent the start and end of US involvement in World War II, along with other poignant sites.
On this adventure you will…

• Depart from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, headed to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam—formerly known as Pearl Harbor Naval Base.
• Board a US Navy shuttle boat that will take you to the USS Arizona Memorial.
• View the nearby USS Missouri, the site where Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender to end World War II. Together, the Missouri and the Arizona have often been referred to as symbolic “bookends” of the war.
• Take the H-1 Freeway to the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Located at Punchbowl Crater, the cemetery honors men and women who have served in the US armed forces, drawing millions of visitors each year.
• Continue toward downtown Honolulu, where a fascinating tour will take you to historic points of interest in the city.

This is from the Aulani website.

I see the Missouri website has several different tours availble. Is one of those included in the excursion from Aulani?

D

Make sure you look at the National Park Service website and see what those things actually cost (i.e. USS Arizona tickets are $1.00 per person), and then factor in a reasonable transportation cost (such as the cost of an Uber - which I think is about $25 from Aulani), and compare that to the "tour" cost.

Most of the tours will include all that stuff in their "tour" and then add a significant price mark-up. And they can't actually give a "tour" - they are buying your tickets for you and providing transportation for a high price; there is literally no benefit compared to doing it yourself.

 

[abdgeek]

Which 'tours' at the government site are the same as the ones in the excursion from Aulani

See battleships that represent the start and end of US involvement in World War II, along with other poignant sites.
On this adventure you will…

• Depart from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, headed to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam—formerly known as Pearl Harbor Naval Base.
• Board a US Navy shuttle boat that will take you to the USS Arizona Memorial.
• View the nearby USS Missouri, the site where Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender to end World War II. Together, the Missouri and the Arizona have often been referred to as symbolic “bookends” of the war.
• Take the H-1 Freeway to the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Located at Punchbowl Crater, the cemetery honors men and women who have served in the US armed forces, drawing millions of visitors each year.
• Continue toward downtown Honolulu, where a fascinating tour will take you to historic points of interest in the city.

This is from the Aulani website.

I see the Missouri website has several different tours availble. Is one of those included in the excursion from Aulani?

D

If you haven’t already, I suggest calling Pleasant Activities at Aulani at (808) 674-6320 from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Hawai'i Time daily for more information. They should be able to tell you who the tour provider is so that you can call them. There appears to be a couple of tour operators who offer a similar tour. One tour company says that you’ll have about 4 hours at Pearl Harbor to see both sites. A tour of the Missouri is included in that Admission ticket. I would imagine that the tour would secure specific times for the group to see the Arizona (watch video and take boat to memorial) and go to the Missouri. There are other exhibits at Pearl Harbor that can be viewed if you have more time.

 

[WinterSolider]

There are several car rental places within walking distance of Aulani. I would check the price of a one day rental and getting your own Pearl Harbor tickets.

So many people here end up spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars extra on ubers and shuttles and excursions to "save" the cost of a rental car.

 

[jimmymc]

So many people here end up spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars extra on ubers and shuttles and excursions to "save" the cost of a rental car.

A lot of the excursions are really expensive. I think people also don't know that Aulani has a rental car counter, if you just need it for a day or two and don't want to pay the parking fee.

 

[WinterSolider]

Or, even better, rent a car for your entire trip so you can experience Oahu. I would never go to Aulani without a car. But then again, we aren't "sit around the resort" kind of people.

A perfect day at Aulani for me is out-the-door by 6am (easy to do with jet lag), explore something on Oahu all morning, and enjoy the resort in the afternoon. I'm happy to "sit around the resort" for a few hours, but I don't understand how people do it all day for their entire vacation.

Inevitably, I feel like those are the people who come back complaining that there's not enough to do at Aulani and it wasn't worth the trip. Well yeah, because "Aulani" is not a vacation. Oahu is a vacation, and Aulani is a hotel.

 

[Tigger's ally]

A perfect day at Aulani for me is out-the-door by 6am (easy to do with jet lag), explore something on Oahu all morning, and enjoy the resort in the afternoon. I'm happy to "sit around the resort" for a few hours, but I don't understand how people do it all day for their entire vacation.

Inevitably, I feel like those are the people who come back complaining that there's not enough to do at Aulani and it wasn't worth the trip. Well yeah, because "Aulani" is not a vacation. Oahu is a vacation, and Aulani is a hotel.

First trip is in a month and I am similar to you. Have golf, Raptor ride, Pearl Harbor, and a few other small things scheduled for mornings. Afternoon and evenings are free to be at the resort. Four door jeep to get around.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

I checked rental car prices at or near Aulani. Aulani had nothing available. The ones nearby in walking distance were over priced. I am getting one at the airport for a longer period at a lower price. The cost of the Ubers is covering it.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I checked rental car prices at or near Aulani. Aulani had nothing available. The ones nearby in walking distance were over priced. I am getting one at the airport for a longer period at a lower price. The cost of the Ubers is covering it.

My four door Jeep is $695 for 8 days. I will be at Aulani for 6 days so that is another $240 for parking. But the freedom I will have to get around where I want to go when I want to go is priceless to me.

 

[WinterSolider]

My four door Jeep is $695 for 8 days. I will be at Aulani for 6 days so that is another $240 for parking. But the freedom I will have to get around where I want to go when I want to go is priceless to me.

100%. We have a larger crew so we're at $314 for a midsize plus $531 for a minivan, also for 8 days.

People understand the concept of "rope drop" when we talk about Walt Disney World but they miss that this same concept applies to pretty much every other vacation they take also. Taking one of the big tour vans to the famous sights around Oahu is like getting to Magic Kingdom at 11am and wondering why all of the lines are so long.

Freedom of movement allows you to counter-program your itinerary around the crowds. Beating the crowds means you can do more stuff while waiting in fewer lines and have a much more pleasant experience all around.

 

[J-Dog]

My four door Jeep is $695 for 8 days. I will be at Aulani for 6 days so that is another $240 for parking. But the freedom I will have to get around where I want to go when I want to go is priceless to me.

100%. We have a larger crew so we're at $314 for a midsize plus $531 for a minivan, also for 8 days.

People understand the concept of "rope drop" when we talk about Walt Disney World but they miss that this same concept applies to pretty much every other vacation they take also. Taking one of the big tour vans to the famous sights around Oahu is like getting to Magic Kingdom at 11am and wondering why all of the lines are so long.

Freedom of movement allows you to counter-program your itinerary around the crowds. Beating the crowds means you can do more stuff while waiting in fewer lines and have a much more pleasant experience all around.

I agree 100% with both of you. Those rental prices are totally reasonable, and that's not even considering the cost savings against having to pay for Ubers if you don't rent.

 

[bwang123]

Anyone used Turo for car rentals in Oahu? I see good deals and reviews.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

I checked rental car prices at or near Aulani. Aulani had nothing available. The ones nearby in walking distance were over priced. I am getting one at the airport for a longer period at a lower price. The cost of the Ubers is covering it.

Just wanted to post an update. Went to pick up the car I reserved, by the time the dust settled the price went up to $960. Told them to keep their car.
Hello….. Uber…,