I have wanted to visit Disney’s Aulani ever since it was announced and was thrilled to have the opportunity to go there last fall. Visiting Aulani can be very expensive but there are ways to save on a trip. I was working for the Walt Disney Company when I went there which is one way to save however, if you are not a cast member you can also keep an eye out on their website for any deals and search the web for other discounts. Be sure to check out the Disney Parks Blog as well because they are great at mentioning if the hotel is offering any specials. If you are a member of the Disney Vacation Club Aulani is a DVC property so that might be an option for you as well. I wanted to visit Aulani before I left my job with Disney so when I found great airfare I decided to book a trip there.
My friend and I flew into Honolulu where we were greeted by a very sweet lady who led us to our van which would take us to Aulani. Depending on the length of your visit and what you would like to do while on the island you might consider renting a car since Aulani is far some several other places on the island. For my trip paying $32 roundtrip for the hotel shuttle was the right choice because with my short amount of time I wanted to stay at the resort as much as possible. When we arrived at Aulani we were greeted with beautiful lei’s and led inside the gorgeous lobby to check in. During check in you have the option to link your room key to your credit or debit card which can work out great since it means one less thing that you need to carry around with you. We arrived at Aulani around 1pm and were pleasantly surprised that they were able to give us a room at that time. At check in they will give you an activity paper for everyday of your stay which mentions all the various activities that you can take part in during your stay. The room was was very nice and had more of a Hawaiian feel than a Disney feel which was great. It had a comfy bed, a pull out couch, a balcony, a kitchenette, and a bathroom that was pretty incredible as well.
As nice as the room was we were ready to explore Aulani and find some food. We ate at Off the Hook right by the pools which provided a relaxing atmosphere. If you really want to add some fun to your lunch you can order any drink inside of a pineapple! When you want to go in the pools at Aulani you will need to go to the towel stand and show them your room key and an id in exchange for a wristband. The colors of the wristband change everyday and you will need the correct colored wristband to get towels and access to the pools. We decided to start with the water slides and made our way over to that area. When we were putting our stuff down on some chairs we saw that Goofy was in the water posing for pictures with guests in their inner tubes. Only at a Disney Resort will you find a character in the water to take a picture with you and this is one of the many things that makes Disney so special.
There are two water slides in the pool area, one is a body slide that will let you into a pool and the other is a inner tube type slide which lets you into the lazy river. The lazy river, or as they call it Waikolohe Stream, is very relaxing and offers great views of the resort. There is also an adults only pool, a beautiful infinity pool with a hot tub, a separate adults only infinity hot tub, and rainbow reef where you can rent snorkeling gear and swim with some fish. They have a really cute water play area that my friend and I found out the hard way is only for children. If you get hungry for a snack while at the pool they have a shave ice shack with several options. We chose guava shave ice with sweet condensed milk poured over it and I would highly recommend it. There is a also a small shop where you can buy candy bars or dole whip pineapple soft serve.
How delicious does the shave ice look?
As amazing as the pools are if you come all the way to Hawaii then you will probably want to spend some time in the ocean. Aluani has a small beach that is only shared with one other hotel. The area is so beautiful and you have quite a few options if you want to do more than swimming. I rented a kayak and my friend rented a paddle board. For an hour I paid $15 and she paid $20 and the Aulani cast members on the beach were so amazing. I asked if they wouldn’t mind taking some pictures for us and they were so great at taking plenty of pictures for us. You can also rent some water toys from the Marriot hotel next door or even bring your own inflatable rafts or floats.
Once we had our fun in the sun it was time for us to get ready for dinner. We had made dinner reservations for the Makahiki restaurant which offers a dinner buffet. Typically I am not a huge buffet person but the selection of food here was incredible. I also really enjoyed the live music but of course my favorite part was the dessert. The buffet is pricey but it’s Hawaii and you are on vacation so you might as well enjoy it right? After dinner we headed out to see the Starlit Hui show which is a fun family friendly event. If you arrive early you can grab the mats that the cast members give out and get a stop towards the front. Once you get your spot you can visit different stations where you can learn to make a flower bracelet or play some games. The show is closest thing that Aulani has to a luau and is really good. The best part of the show is when the Disney characters came on stage to dance. The end of the show marked the end of a great day but we decided to try and go to sleep early since we booked a sunrise yoga class the next day.
For part two please visit: http://mybelleelle.com/adventures/my-visit-to-disneys-aulani-part-two/
Find out how I got a great deal on airfare to Hawaii: http://mybelleelle.com/adventures/how-i-find-great-deals-to-hawaii/
For more information on Aulani be sure to check out their website: http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/
This looks like a great place to visit! Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’ve always wanted to visit Aulani! I visit WDW a lot, and we take mini vacations there. Part of the magic are the Disney touches everywhere! I would really miss it if the hotels didn’t have the hidden mickeys and such. I’m going to go read about the rest of your trip now!
I have always wanted to go there. I am so jealous.
Sounds like a great time! I would love to have time on a private beach like that. I had no idea they had cast members ON the beach! How cool!
The water looks so wonderful. i love beach vacations.
There are so many things to do there! I have always wanted to go to Hawaii, this looks like a great destination!
Sounds like you had a great time!
I have always wanted to visit Hawaii it looks magical and look how clear the waters are!
This is beautiful! I have been wanting to go to Hawaii and what better way than with Disney?
That sounds like an amazing place for a Staycation. To be honest this is the first time I’ve heard of Aulani. I think it’s awesome!
Looks like a great trip! It’s great that there are so many things to do and places to visit! Never a dull moment on a trip like this!
I really need to go back to Disney! I haven’t been since I was eight!
Another great experience for you and thanks for sharing with us all!
Such an amazing experience. I love Hawaii.. pretty expensive to spend holiday in Hawaii but worth it
Wow I had no idea Disney had anything in Hawaii! My brother works for Disney, I’m going to have to tell him about this and get him to bring me along! haha
What an amazing place to stay. I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii. I will definitely stay there when I get the chance to go there.
Looks like so much fun. I would love to take the family there.
This looks like a ton of fun and a great trip for the family. i’d love to visit Aulani someday. My wife nor kids have ever been to Disney. So it would be a great treat for her and the kids too.
I literally live right down the road from Aulani and have yet to visit there! Looks like you had a fun time! Great choice on the shave ice with condensed milk~ that’s the best way to have it!!
This looks like so much fun! Paddling looks incredible.
You had me at the word buffet- I love myself a good buffet! It sounds like you had an amazing time!
Jodie @ Jodetopia x
Oh wow this looks fantastic!
What yummy looking shaved ice I love the container. This looks like a fabulous trip I hope it lives up to your expectations!
I have been looking into going to Aulani this year so this post came at a perfect time! It sounds perfect! Thank you for sharing your insight!
I have been SO interested in checking this place out! I’ll definitely check out your other posts on Aulani too. It’s on my Must Visit list, as I think the kids -and my husband and I- would really love it!