Aulani Review - Part 1

Aloha friends!

As many of you know, I recently got married to my high school sweetheart! A few days after our BEST DAY EVER, we hopped on a (long) plane ride to Hawaii to celebrate our honeymoon at where else? Aulani!

I somehow convinced my then-fiance, Nick, to book our big trip at a Disney resort! I was certain he would say no, given the hefty price tag and the fact that a Hawaiian character breakfast was a thing, but it didn’t take much effort to get him onboard. Nick is a Disney fan, no doubt, but not the same degree as I am. In his words, he has always liked Disney, but he loves it now because I so obsessively do. It is very sweet! So, this Aulani review (broken into a couple of posts) will be sure to capture both of our opinions on things, as I think it will help to get both our thoughts into a more well-rounded review for you guys to use. So here we go…

What package I booked: I booked our June trip in November before Thanksgiving. I actually was prompted to do so by a Disney Visa cardholder promo email.The email subject was “Enjoy special room rates and a Character breakfast at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa!” and contained two offers - one with an early booking window and one with a standard booking window. Both offers included the free character breakfast per person (a $34.99 value each!) and if we booked early, we also received a $50 per night resort credit. We booked a 5-night stay right away (hellooooo $250 in resort credit!), again somehow Nick magically agreed! When I booked via phone, I also received the free shuttle to and from the airport and a complimentary one-day car rental. We booked our trip at the very end of this offer window - which were travels dates of April 13-June 13 and our trip was June 8-13. Our rooms were also more affordable (I booked the cheapest rate, standard view of nothing!) because this was the period between Spring and Summer breaks. I highly recommend planning your visits to avoid school breaks (a general Disney tip of course, ha) to save and to potentially get offers like this. Again, I got this offer as a Disney Visa cardholder, which meant I had to at least book the deposit on my Disney Visa. I also opted to add on Aulani’s version of a dining plan, which included one meal per person, per day at the quick service restaurant, Ulu Cafe (more on that in a later post).  

Also, I highly recommend using a travel agent (free services!) if you are interested in getting the best deal. For a big trip like Aulani, it is especially helpful! My personal fav TA is Ashton with Zip a dee doo dah Travel - follow her on insta or shoot her an email to help you get planning any magical trip (you may also know her as the candle lady from Walter and Rosie Candle Co.)!

Birks are my best friend.

How we got there: We live very close to Chicago’s O’Hare airport and fly United (Nick’s mom works for them, which means cheap standby flights for us! Another reason Hawaii and a pricey hotel was do-able for us, we pay a very small fraction of a normally expensive flight). We made it onto United’s one nonstop flight of the day, which left Chicago at 9:30am and we landed (after almost 9 hours) in Honolulu at about 1:30pm local time. The moment we stepped out of the terminal, the Hawaiian breeze immediately brought us to honeymoon mode! We headed to the complimentary shuttle near the baggage claim and were off to Aulani. The drive was only about 25 minutes and rather scenic, well I mean it IS Hawaii after all.

As we neared Ko Olina, the resort and residential community on the leeward side of the island (fancy talk for the “downwind” side of the island, which in this case is 17 miles northwest of Honolulu and Waikiki area), I could spot the iconic architecture of Aulani. I squealed with glee as we got closer and closer. Disembarking from the shuttle, a troop of cast members (I actually don’t remember if they were called that there... ) were waiting for us with orchid leis for the ladies and kukui nut leis for the men. They also had tasty fruit infused water ready to hand you at that time, which was dearly needed after a long journey.

The resort lobby: As you enter the lobby, you feel the ocean breeze coming right in and are instantly immersed in the beauty of the resort. The heart of the lobby is open-air and covered with beautiful details from floor to very tall ceiling, including stunning murals and really cool lighting fixtures. I couldn’t help but stand in awe and twirl around to get a 360 degree view every time I stepped foot in the lobby, it was stimulation-overload but enthralling. From one side (the side you enter the hotel from) you can see mountains and lush greens. From the other side you peer out into the lively resort and can even see the beautiful ocean. I could’ve spent my entire trip hanging out in the lobby. But I am glad I didn’t ;)

At first, when we stepped off the shuttle, one of the greeters took our name and promptly told us our room wasn’t ready. I was a little concerned, as it was definitely check-in time by that point (though I saw others waiting around with luggage), but off we went to the front desk to get formally checked in. The lovely CM told us our room was ready and they actually upgraded us to a partial ocean view. Then she handed us Aulani’s version of “Just Married” celebration pins. I nearly sobbed - blame it on the long plane ride or my natural sentimental vibes.

Details ;)

The room: Our room was in the Waianae Tower, which if you are looking at Aulani from the ocean, it is the tower on the left where the spa is. It was a really quick walk down the hall and up the elevators to our 8th floor room. The room itself was really top notch - the simple, yet authentic decor was very comforting, clean, and luxurious. Definitely my favorite Disney room I’ve stayed in (disclaimer, I’ve only ever stayed in the All Stars, Pop, and AoA… bar was set low). The bathroom was huge and the rainfall shower was perfection after a long day at the beach (and if you have sunburn… ouch). My favorite Disney touch was the Mickey lamp!

Our view from the room was pretty spectacular. Every morning, we drew the curtains to see mountains and ocean… it doesn’t get better than that. Yes, there was also a view of the top of the parking structure, but if you didn’t look down you didn’t see it ;) It was also nice to be facing the north side of the resort, as it was very quiet and serene. While it may have been nice to be facing the inside of the resort, the predictably loud atmosphere wouldn’t be worth a fuller ocean view for us. We are kind of old and crotchety when it comes to that sort of thing.

Aloha Minnie tee from Pretty Little Monograms use code WISH10 on all purchases, shorts from Lilly Pulitzer

After getting settled in (and me doing my hair and makeup, because I need instagram photos, duh), we set out to explore the resort. It was hot, but luckily that ocean breeze made it comfortable. We quickly ate at Ulu Cafe (reviews on all dining to come), got my refillable resort cup (because, of course), and then kept on exploring. Overall, the resort seemed really quiet, which was a pleasant surprise! This was on Thursday afternoon, around 3-4pm. We passed by the vibrant pools and lovely lazy river, we ventured over to the beach to check out the lagoon/ocean, and then the shave ice called to us. Some may say the ocean calls them, but for us it is the shave ice that does the calling. We got the signature Mickey ears and continued to soak in the resort atmosphere.

Since this is getting trip report-y, I will now just give review-syle information about the resort. Stay tuned for more play-by-play experiential deets in a future post!

The beach: We spent a good part of each day at the Aulani beach, which is split between Aulani guests and Four Seasons guests. Ko Olina is comprised of a few man-made lagoon areas, each with white sands and calm water - there are a handful of other resorts that have their own lagoons, as well as public access too. Rumor is that Atlantis is headed next door to the south!

I have seen conflicting reviews on the beach being too choppy for swimming, but in early June it was as calm as a pool and absolutely perfect for fun in the sun. We would start each day off with breakfast then headed straight to the beach. Aulani has rows and rows of lounge chairs, umbrellas, and little cocktail tables set up along the beach for guests to use. We never had an issue finding a great spot at any time (morning or afternoon, weekend or weekday). The beach was moderately crowded but never felt chaotic or too busy. The rental shack also provides beach toys and boogie boards at no cost, as well as nicer cabanas or casabellas, stand up paddle boards, and snorkel gear rentals for a cost. We only paid for the snorkel gear and that was on our last day at Aulani - you can rent the snorkel gear for $20 one day or $39 for your entire stay. That sounds crazy for one day, but it also includes snorkeling at Rainbow Reef (the manmade, poolside snorkel experience). The $39 option for your whole stay is a great deal, and I highly recommend if that is your cup of tea. We didn’t feel the need to snorkel more than once, so we just rented gear for Nick and switched off using the gear in the ocean, I did not want to partake in the Rainbow Reef experience anyway (Nick enjoyed that!). You can’t see much in the ocean, but if you venture out farther towards and slightly beyond the buoys, you can see fish! We saw an array of tangs and even angelfish. It was really, really cool!

All in all, we love Aulani’s beach and ocean. They have the perfect sized beach and lagoon! While I wouldn’t have minded a few more waves, it is a safe and private feeling slice of paradise.

Bathing suit from VS Pink, hat from Target

The pools:  Now, I could go into detail about the various pool areas by name and location, but I would feel like a big fat phony. We “swam” in the pool areas a total of 3 times. Each for a super short amount of time. We are not big pool people to start and we truly just had no desire to swim in the pools. That probably sounds crazy, but we just truly loved the beach and spent most of our swimming/laying out time there.

We checked out the adult-only pool, the Wailana pool, for 15 minutes. The pool is super serene and was not crowded on the Friday that we went. However, it was so serene that it felt like you were too tucked away from the action. I feel like it requires a delicate balance to have an adult-only pool - you want to be away from screaming children but you also still want to feel like you are a part of the resort. This didn’t cut it for us. We dipped in and out pretty quick.

We also checked out the only other 18 and over area, the ‘Alohi Point infinity-esque whirlpools. These whirlpools are more in the action, looking over the beach in stunning fashion! However, they are hot tubs, and not something you should really chill in for too long when it is 90 degrees out. They are rather small, so they feel crowded very easily. We went on the Sunday of our trip and a baby was in there (ummm, 18 and over people… there are like 3 other family hot tubs to choose from!), and Nick was sunburnt so not ideal for a hot tub. Overall, the location for this 18 and over spot was much better and really lovely, but we didn’t feel the urge to stay for long.

Hat customized from Tootles by the Sea

Nick enjoyed snorkeling in the Rainbow Reef, which is the man made vibrant reef pool in the main pool area. He spent about 15 minutes enjoying the colorful coral and fish, while I watched from the underwater viewing area. I get a little anxious when using a snorkel mask and not a huge fan of fish touching me, so I was more comfortable when we used the snorkel gear in the lagoon (the fish swam deeper in the coral/rocks that were at least a few feet below us). If you like snorkeling and are staying a few days, I do recommend paying the $39 length of stay cost - that way you can snorkel whenever you want in both the ocean and Rainbow Reef.

The Aulani fan-favorite is the lazy river. As a kid and teen, I was obsessed with lazy rivers! They are relaxing and great for getting a tan, and Aulani’s lazy river is no exception. It is nice and long, with multiple entry points, and beautifully designed. There are probably a few too many waterfalls or water spouts to get you wet (I don’t want that ice cold water harshing my mellow!), but overall it is a great lazy river. However, after one trip around, we were done. Not sure if we are just weirdos, but we weren’t into it as adults. The kids LOVED it, though! For most people, this is a highlight of the pool options, so make sure to enjoy it more than we did on your trip!

The Entertainment: Another thing we didn’t take too much advantage of was the entertainment or programs. For us, exploring on our own and relaxing is what we wanted to do on this trip. For others, they really enjoy and rely on programs, activities, and entertainment provided. I saw plenty of guests participating in the pool or beach games and definitely heard a lot of kids and their families talking about how awesome Aunty’s Beach House is. For Aunty’s, kids aged 3-12 can be registered for free or paid experiences and it seems safe and fun.We saw so many kids pumped up to go to Aunty’s, I am sure it is amazing and we definitely would use this amenity if we return with kids someday :) We also did not end up booking any of the excursions Aulani facilitates, though we were very tempted. I will say though, research the same experiences off on the interwebs, as you can almost always book the same thing for cheaper on the direct sites.

Nick's shirt from Redbubble, mine is from Happily Ever Tees

My favorite Disney touch at Aulani, other than high levels of hospitality and magic, is the character meet and greets! To me, there is no age limit to enjoying meet and greets - I have no shame in waiting in lines solo or with other “adults” to meet my favorite Disney characters, be it at WDW or at Aulani. I met a good portion of Aulani’s characters: Moana (met her 3 times ha!), Mickey & Minnie, Donald Duck, Stitch, Pluto, Goofy and of course Duffy! I was truly sad to not find Shellie at all during my trip, they say she is a rare sighting, which is pretty annoying since she has a ton of merch at Aulani. I saw Chip & Dale and Daisy, but did not end up meeting them either. At Aulani, you call a special extension from your room each day and hear the times and locations of various character meets that day (I also asked a couple CMs and they usually had a handy answer for me). Despite being bummed about missing Shellie, I was really impressed with the character greets at Aulani! If you are lucky, you can also find random characters doing “strolls” through the resort, which basically means they walk around and sometimes stop to take pics… which is how I met Duffy! This reminds me of roaming characters in WDW back in the day, which can lead to some magical moments. Nick really doesn’t like meeting characters, but he indulged me a couple times as he usually does :)

Shorts from Zara, ears from Darling Mouse Studio

Shirt from Happily Ever Tees, ears from The Mad HattEar, sunnies from Loft

Aulani also recently debuted their own nighttime event, which I believe replaced a free option they hosted at the resort nightly. KA WA‘A – A Lū‘au at Aulani is Disney’s take of the Hawaiian classic dinner spectacular, which comes at a Disney price ($129 per adult, $169 for a VIP ticket). We had no desire to partake, but I am sure Disney’s enhanced luau is great.

Overall, we didn’t make much use of the entertainment options at Aulani, though we certainly appreciate the offerings they have! If we return someday with a family of our own, we will definitely be having a different kind of trip and that is wonderful.

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I will stop here for now and tackle all dining reviews in my next post. Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any questions so far. Have a magical rest of your day!

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