Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

I do not know how to start describing such wonderful and most beautiful Disney paradise. I spent Christmas 2015 in this resort by myself. This was a true get away from me. Many people asked me if I was bored or if loud children bothered me during my stay, not at all! This place is extremely peaceful, serine, and very quiet after9pm. The Cast Members are just beyond amazing And they made me feel like I was the only one there with there attention to detail and just awesome customer service, although it’s more than customer service to them. I stayed in a villa studio with a breathtaking ocean view. This resort is very expensive but it’s worth every penny! I recommend eating one meal a day in their restaurants and just having your own food in your room. There is an ABC store walking distance where you can get groceries. Their top 3 restaurants are worth the money as well really good food! The steak at the Ama Ama restaurant was the BEST steak ever.
I’m a huge Disney fan and I love that Aulani sticks to the Hawaiian culture with a touch of Disney! The character breakfast was so much fun! I had Chip and Dale sneak up behind me as I was drinking my passion fruit mimosa. And Stitch was literally the King of selfies with me!
I have so many favorite things about this place that I could just write forever! 3 – 4 days should be good for you to enjoy all they have to offer! Don’t forget to do the lobby tour this place is magical!
Aloha Mahalo!

It’s okay here lots of fun for the kids
It’s not a grand hotel
Like I thought it would be
Very nice and great service from the staff to dining
The beach is a Bay Area so water is calm
The food is good and mostly outside eating
Other than the buffet
Hard to find a lounge chair to sit as they are
All taken from then morning and not that many out

This is my family’s second time staying at this wonderful resort and so a review is way overdue. Our first time, they immediately upgraded us to a 2 bedroom Villa which was a nice surprise! The only catch was we had to attend their time-​share presentation which was totally fine with us since we’ve been thinking about becoming members for quite some time.
On our most recent trip, we just returned from a wonderful 2 week vacation and had the absolute pleasure of staying at Aulani for a total of 10 amazing nights as a DVC Member! The customer service from everyone to the front desk, concierge, bellmen, restaurant, photographers, shopkeepers, etc. were all top notch. You just get a sense of feeling that they will do everything they can to help you with any of your needs and always make you feel welcomed.
We had booked 2 different types of rooms in order to extend our stay and started out with a Studio Villa Room for the first couple of nights which was pretty cozy but got pretty tight towards the end with our two little boys. We then switched to a 1 bedroom Villa which was absolutely perfect for our family! The front desk and bellmen made sure the transfer of our luggages, water toys, grocery, etc. was done seamlessly and without any extra effort on our end. The full kitchen (stove, fridge, dishwasher), washer/​dryer, spacious master bathroom and extra beds made such a difference — and not to mention the amazing ocean views.
This place really has it all and I really appreciate the well thought out daily activities they have for every single person of the family. Not only did my kids enjoy all the water play (pools, slides, beach, snorkel, complimentary boogie board and beach toy rentals); there was also the complimentary canoe boat class making at the lounge center, other arts+crafts, the daily movie rentals, scavenger hunt, etc. Some more highlights were the Yoga at Sunrise, Star Lit Hui (Aulani’s version of a Luau, Storytelling by the firepit and Auntie’s Beachouse!
We also love this location. It’s much less busy on this side of the island and not as crowded, so its just so relaxing and I especially love hanging out at the beach lagoons. The temperature of the lagoon is always right and you don’t ever have to worry about big waves for the kiddos. And might I add, we never had a problem with finding lounge chairs in the pool area or beach. The other thing I appreciated was the very well maintained grounds. The restrooms by the pool area are always spotless and is constantly always being cleaned. They really take pride in this wonderful resort.
The only thing I would suggest is more food/​restaurant options. A little grocery shop wouldn’t hurt too! Any maybe even a basketball court (hubby’s suggestion!).

Bottom line is that Aulani, like all other hotels in Hawaii have too many rooms/​guests for the amenities they offer. I live 5 miles away from Aulani and have stayed there several times but I wont be returning. There’s just no point to paying $ 600 a night when you cant even find a single available lounge chair or enjoy the water features because they’re just too overcrowded. Their lazy river is the most aggressive violent lazy river I have ever seen with people rushing through it like its a race, bumping and thumping others with no courtesy. I know its primarily for children, but you can take your manners on vacation with you.
This place was great when it first opened and the staff was super friendly, but now its a joke like every other waste of pristine beachfront called a «resort» in Hawaii — victim to the culture of arrogance and greed by management, and the BAD employee attitudes.
Unfortunately this is the norm with all hotel/​resorts in Hawaii — Maximize the profit — add more and more rooms — care not about the quality of guest experience. «Just get the MONEY! If one guest doesn’t like it, screw em’, more will take his place»
The sad reality of all Hawaii resorts is this: Pools and lounge chairs don’t make money, rooms do. Offer just enough amenities to make the carefully crafted promotional advertising look good, but not enough reduce the dollar-​to-​square foot ratio. Cattle resort philosophy.

The Aulani is a great place to stay for family fun and adult relaxation. The rooms, resort amenities, and sense of ohana are all first-​rate.
We booked a one-​bedroom pool/​garden view villa for our family of four (kids are 12 and 7). Although the price tag (just north of $ 1,000/night) is steep, the room was perfect for us with a full kitchen, large bathroom, living room and separate bedroom. One of our kids slept on a full-​size sofa bed and the other on a twin-​size Murphy bed. The washer and dryer was a plus. The shower was exceptional.
We stayed on the first floor which is the way to go… direct access to the vast pool area and using elevators was unnecessary (totally helpful at a large 16-​story resort). I also recommend the Ewa building which also houses the kids club and family activity room. Ewa building also gets afternoon sun so it is brighter than the building on the other side of the pool area.
We booked the character breakfast a week or so in advance. I definitely recommend it, but $ 35 for everyone 12 and over will set you back.
There are a few shops within walking distance for Starbucks-​like coffee, quick-​casual restaurants, and mid-​range boutique shops. The ABC Store in particular carries everything you could possibly need while on vacation.
There is transportation to Honolulu shopping and Oahu excursions, but I recommend staying put — everything is at least 45″ away. We spent the first half of our vacation in Honolulu and the second half at Aulani. This way, we were able to explore much of what Oahu has to offer for several days and then chill at Aulani for several more.
My one gripe is the incredibly slippery outdoor surfaces. Within two hours of checking in, I slipped (even though I was walking carefully) and sprained my hamstring. Agony! Two lifeguards witnessed it, but neither offered any assistance. My son slipped later in the day, and another guest slipped and left a good deal of blood behind. It’s really dangerous, as noted by many other reviewers. Disney doesn’t seem to be too concerned about this which makes matters even worse. When my wife mentioned the incident to the front desk, the attendant offered to inform the Pool Director. He called me but didn’t want to know what happened. He only asked whether I wanted to go to the hospital or have a lifeguard check it out. No thanks to both. I bought a leg brace from Amazon and had it delivered the next day.
Regarding kids’/family activities, the kids club was a little young for our 12 year old, so it wasn’t really an option to offload either of our kids there. And to do some of the really cool activities, like snorkeling in the reef pool, you have to be 8, so we couldn’t do that as a family.
Perhaps the thing I liked best — which was completely unexpected — was the carefully cultivated sense of ohana (family). In a lot of ways, it feels like we are staying with a big, warm, extended Hawaiian family full of larger-​than-​life personalities. «Uncle» could be found telling stories around the fire, leading some children’s activities, and emceeing their big «luau» extravaganza (entertainment without the food). And there are «aunties» everywhere… emceeing the character breakfast, at the kids club, etc. I thought these were really thoughtful touches that simply cannot be found at any other Hawaiian resort.
Not sure when we will come back, but it’s definitely a place we’d like to return to… at least until my hamstring heals!

We are DVC Members and Aulani is the ideal choice for accommodations for us. We’ve always been greeted with a smile and the Disney professionalism that comes with many of our DVC stays. The atmosphere is authentic to keeping with the Hawaiian culture and very relaxing.
Rooms are always clean and one of the staff members offered our son a boogie board to play with for the time we were staying there.
The lagoon is beautiful and quieter than the water park, but our family spent hours just goofing around the lazy river. We had supper one night at the AMA AMA restaurant, and as always, the food was fantastic and fresh. We were able to watch the sunset while having dinner, so that was pretty cool. Service is top notch at the restaurant.
We also dined at the Makahiki, kids loved it and there was a huge variety of cuisine to choose from, so of course everyone goes for the seafood. Being a DVC member sure makes staying in resorts around the world easy.

Well… this is not the Disney I knew growing up. Clean, property well maintained (with one exception). Rooms great. Service… unbelievably lacking. The beach bar does not ‘have ice or water down here’. Rude. There is one woman trudging through the sand that does not make eye contact with anyone. Good luck getting a drink or water with ice near the beach.
The bar olelo… oh boy. It smells terribly of old wine. The bartenders were not very welcoming. Rather reactive and talking with each other. The sliders were dry with stale bread.
Had a terrible experience at Ama Ama on 6.12 at lunch the light haired hostess was very rude. She said I hear we are out of dress code?!? Me and my friend are professionals in dresses. We had talked to the other dark haired hostess who was about to seat us about two things… we requested a lanai seating and commented that we are not completely dry, that our hair was damp while not dripping. Should be expected at a beach resort I hope. We showed the light haired woman we were in fact dry and in dress code. All of a sudden it was going to be a 15 – 20 minute wait for. ¾ empty restaurant. Unbelievable. We left. Went to get a chicken sandwich from the beach menu. It was not a breast but two chicken tenders on a bunch so dry it crumbled in my hand.
Again, facilities generally good. Families will probably overlook my complaints… But for me the guild is off the Disney lily. Hire people who care about your guests like your founder would like and clean that bar.

The resort is nice & kid friendly as expected but there’s a a lot of things that they should definitely improve. Mainly, they’re lacking the Disney enthusiasm. Most of their staff didn’t even smile or greeted the guests .
I was impressed and very satisfied with the following:
1. The receptionist that greeted us was very friendly and accomodating. She helped us understood the aulani policies such as the wrist bands, chair etc.
2. The cashiers at the Ulu Café were awesome. They always serve everybody with a smile.
3. The barista at the coffee shop was friendly and makes great coffee!
4. The lifeguards were great! They did a good job watching the kids in the pool!
5. The Starlit Hui show was good. The kids enjoyed it.
6.The beach is clean and there’s a lot of chairs and complimentary beach toys and boogie boards.
7. The kids love the rainbow reef experience. There’s a lot of fishes plus the staff there were helpful.
Negative experiences:
1. The Makahiki Buffet food was average. They charged $ 47 each person but the food they serve were plain. Nothing special about it. Disappointing. Plus our table server was too slow. We waited 30 minutes waiting for our cards/​receipt.
2. The TV cable broke down twice in our room. They are supposed to be a newer hotel right?
3. The staffs that gives out towels/​wrist bands lack the disney enthusiasm. They don’t smile at all. Again– so disappointing.
4. They charge $ 39 just for star gazing!
5. The paddle board rental is ridiculously expensive– $ 39 an hour!

3^rd time here, was at 4 now at 3 stars. Nah, let us make that a 2 when considering value for money.
Observation: I don’t see anyone resembling management anywhere. Need them, pronto.
Arrival, no lei greeting. My wife knew to expect this from previous visits.
Conference check in: Parfaite. Thank you.
Off the hook: hit and miss on service. See 2^nd check in. Disgraceful.
See my review of Makahiki character breakfast. Supreme disappointment nearly a week in advance locked out from reserving both weekend mornings.

Went in for a polish change with my friend, we sat next to each other, as the service started I noticed that my service was going way faster then hers. We had a scheduled apt for 30 mins and Yumiko was done in only 15, when she was done she just left me in the chair! All she did was trim my nails and polish! The other service was done by Sally and she gave my friend the works (as much as you can for a polish change) basically if you want to get a pedicure book with Sally! Or you run the rush of getting cheapened out!
UPDATE: They automatically add a 20% tip, so regardless of the quality of your service they’re getting their money!

My friend is a member of the Disney Vacation Club and gifted me a 5-​night stay! My husband and I have no children and had some misgivings about going to a Disney Resort. We were surprised that there weren’t a whole lot of Disney characters roaming around. I can definitely see the draw for families, but this resort is decent for those without children.
The property is decently sized with three/​four towers for their rooms. I never got to tour the deluxe suite, but our villa overlooking the garden/​pool was nicely appointed. The bed was pretty stiff and it would have been nice to get back to a comfy bed after a day of water sports, etc… Anywhoooo, there are a couple of areas that are 18+ and older. We didn’t go there as they were somewhat small areas with a good amount of people, so we just hung out in the general pool/​activities area to soak up the sun. There are a good number of chaises/​chairs set out for everyone and umbrella’d seats here and there, as well as rentable cabanas. I noticed that most folks get out there at about 8 a.m. to snag seats of their choice. If you go to the pools mid-​day, you’ll have to hunt/​stalk for open seats.
The lazy river is slow moving so that it can accommodate the little ones. The water slide lines move quick — there’s a slide for single, innertube-​less riders and a slide for people who want to single ride with a tube or ride tandem innertube. The slides are fun and easy to ride numerous times throughout the day before they close at 6 p.m.
The gym is appointed fairly well. There were cardio machines, weights, yoga mat, foam roller, etc. The only negative I found was that it was not ventilated well.
The family activities, tours, staff, rooms, convenience, private lagoon get 4 stars.
The food, gets 3 stars. Nothing was really outstanding. A lot of the food at the breakfast and dinner buffets are overcooked and blah. The restaurants don’t provide any food with flair or originality — nothing was outstanding. The prime rib was decent, that’s what stood out the most.
The star of this resort is the Laniwai Spa! If you don’t care about being pampered or getting a massage, you can skip this section. Read on if you’re interested. You are advised to show up in swim wear so that way you can use the spa amenities. You also get to lounge around in their spa slippers and lush robe.
As soon as you near the doors leading into the spa, you can smell the aromatherapy. The front desk is right ahead and their mini-​boutique is off to the right. The staff here is very nice and patient with any questions you may have. I booked a couples massage for me and my husband. A ‘cast member’ told us we could take our time and hang out at the spa for how ever long we wished and took us on a tour of the spa — locker room, rest rooms, private showers (with shampoo/​conditioner, body soap), changing room, relaxation room, waiting room, steam room, sauna; then you go outside. There are three small pools, each with differing water temperature. The warmest of the three is like a jetted hot tub, while the other two are still waters. There is a shower outside the women’s and men’s sections and then an open air shower with your choice of ‘shower head.’ There is also the cold water plunge pool. I think we were told the water was around 50 degrees F. It was bone chilling cold, but a positive, invigorating experience. It worked wonders on my almost sunburn too! I took the plunge twice. There are a couple of outdoor cabanas and the rest are uncovered chaise loungers. The massages were very relaxing and the therapists definitely take your comments/​requests to heart. There’s also fruit infused waters for you to drink, because they stress hydration here. There are also a couple of pastries laid out, as well as fresh fruit for you to eat. Our experience there was more than relaxing and it can be quite decadent depending on how you look at it. We took advantage of all of it. They also provide you with body lotion, deodorant, hair blow dryer, combs/​brushes. It was nice to shower before and after the massages and just relax in the pools outside or on the loungers.
Yes, the majority of my review is on the spa, but I was blown away by the experience and really, I just wanted to stay at the spa for another day or two. I think Laniwai is THAT good! Hands down, 5-​stars. My husband and I have looked for a spa like this at ‘home,’ but we haven’t found one yet. If any of you Unilocalers know of one in the DC area, please let me know!

EXPENSIVE AF! Those guest ID cards they give you that allow to charge everything from a bottle of water, a trip to the spa, or to a fancy dinner at AmaAma is dangerous lol. Didn’t realize the damage we did until I checked out.
But 2.5 months later and my 3 year old is still talking about our time here. He’ll see a commercial and say «I went there! I saw Mickey’s house.» He still carries around this green goo that he made at Aunties Playhouse and he loves wearing his Aulani bracelet that he got when we checked in.
At the end of the day, you just can’t put a price tag on the memories and experience we had here. That Disney magic is as alive here in Hawaii as it was for me when I first experienced Disneyland as a little kid. The moment you walk into that lobby… you’re completely transported to an enchanted place. This is the ultimate family vacation destination… it just doesn’t get any better. Just the small details like the bathroom stool for the kids and the pack n’play that came standard with our villa all helped to make our stay that much more comfortable.
This is definitely a place we see ourselves coming back to for many years to come…

What can we possibly say? Our family of 4 love AULANI!
We had reserved a 1 bedroom garden island view (386 sq ft sleeps 4) and when we checked in — we were offered to upgrade to a 1 bedroom villa (almost double the sq ft and sleeps 5) for a small up charge fee which we happily took w/​o hesitation (only offered based on availability)! Check out the pictures!
Living life poolside, lifeguards at every corner of the pools, staff members at each location to help guide guests… tubing was awesome! Pools were clean and the set up with the aloha sun was breathtaking!
Our 6 year old loved aunties beach-​house — it’s a spot for you to leave ur kids (3 and up) at and they will cater to watch and play with the kids! There’s a game room set up with every console you can think of, computer games, huge touchscreen stations, there’s a movie room with dress up costumes that plays only Disney movies, a crafts/​art room and there is the activities room…(we only did the reserved activities — stitches space goo and aloha party) we wanted our son out and about with us poolside and not be stuck playing games in a room that he can do at home. Insanely a kids gaming heaven!
The reason for the 4 star rating is there is only 2 restaurants in the entire place! Both are upscale prices and so-​so in food. It’s hard to be secluded and not have a ton of options. Everything else is snack shops (hotdog/​chicken tenders) or lounges with appetizer food options or grab and go sandwich/salads…there is pizza offered after 5pm but no in between places without leaving the premises.
We stayed 4 days here and it was perfect! We stayed 6 days in Waikiki before coming here… There is only so much to do and if given the option to do it again, we would probably do the same amount of time here. Until next time aulani!

We came here for a wedding and spent some time around the resort as well. Met up with our friends who rented a villa for their family of eight. They were raving about the living quarters and essentially didn’t leave the resort throughout their entire 8 day stay. They did make a trip to Costco to pick up groceries for the week — there’s a BBQ station in the resort for guest use.
On the other hand, a number of other wedding guests who also stayed at the resort, in both the regular rooms and villas, expressed general dismay at the hit on their wallets and overall lack of anything out of the ordinary that could justify the price. At $ 300+ per night for the most standard room, it’s just a bit much to ask for a man-​made lagoon and the occasional Disney character appearance.
Not that the resort isn’t beautiful and well-​maintained. There are multiple restaurants, an epic play area for the little kids (and big kids), and it is a beautiful location to host your outdoor destination wedding. Apparently the pricing for weddings at this resort is very competitive with the others on the island.
Bottom line: if you’ve got a big group with which to share the cost of a villa, or you’re just bursting with excess cash, and especially if you have little ones to take advantage of the play areas… Go for it!

I can here with my wife, two toddlers and mother in law for four days.
The room had lots of little details that I appreciated! The bathroom had a step stool for my toddlers, the bathtub was extra deep, there was a rain shower head, the Ac controls were simple to use, Disney junior was available on the tv, free wifi throughout the resort and the décor just made it feel fresher than other rooms.
The character breakfast was amazing! Book it ahead of time but call once you are checked in (and the restaurant is open) to try to get a better time slot.
The pools were excellent. We got our bands and towels and tried to find a seat. Seats were super tough to come by but the pools and water features were great. My kids had fun in the main pool, tide pool splashing area and the lazy river .
The major downside I had was around getting my room cleaned:
The first morning the guy skipped our room because we had the sign up. I told him we’d be out of there in 30 minutes. 3.5 hrs later we return from the pool and nothing was done. I called housekeeping and asked for our room to be cleaned asap. 30 minutes later and nothing yet, I walked down the hall and the guy tells me that he would head to my room soon. So an hour after my call to housekeeping I was able to back in the room and give my kids a bath (we had put the towels on the floor so we weren’t going to reuse those).
The second morning my son was sick so I took him to the Kaiser in Kapolei@. We missed cleaning but my mom saw the cleaner and told her that she could go ahead and clean. A few hours later nothing was done so she went up to her again and asked her to clean the room now.
The third morning I don’t know why we were skipped. My mother in law saw the cleaner before she left for lunch and said that they could go ahead. We got in 90 minutes later and didn’t see any work so we have the kids a bath (we saved the towels this time) and took a nap. Before we left the cleaner asked us what time to clean the room and we told him 430pm and he said OK he’ll have the room cleaned at 430. We got back at 830−9pm and nothing was done.
If I didn’t have such problems with housekeeping, this would have been five stars, but I was just so peeves on my final night that it reflects in my rating. I would still come back but I would be extra vigilant with house keeping earlier on (calling down to the desk, talking to a manager).

Thank goodness we decided to add Oahu and Aulani to our honeymoon. This hotel made our trip and it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that it was our honeymoon and we might or might not get special treatment. Nope, the staff here and the services available are top notch in all areas.
The big show stopper is the pool/​beach area. You could literally be there all day switching between the lazy river, dance parties with Mickey and friends, or paddle boarding on the beach. We had a lot of activities going on in Oahu but once we arrived at Aulani we also made it a point to get back to have some resort time.
It’s hard to leave this man made paradise. The food alone is incredible. Loved the quick service offerings at the multiple bars and Ulu Café was one place we made sure we visited at least once a day because of the huge pastry wall and the hot meals that changed daily. When you want sit down food Ama Ama is gorgeous and Makahiki is a buffet that will satisfy any craving because it’s jam packed with a huge variety of food!
We kept saying if only we had one more day at Aulani but I think I would live in that pixie dust paradise forever if I could.

Aloha!
One for the books! My family and I had the time of our lives here. They have so MANY things to do, both for the kids and adults. They even have a daycare so that the parents can enjoy a few hours alone, whether they have lunch/​dinner or relax at the spa.
The amenities are out of this world! The pool is designed perfectly. Everything is spread out and they have more than enough chairs to accommodate everybody. If you don’t feel like hanging out by the pool, you can head down to the beach. They have towels, toys, chairs, umbrellas, cabanas (reservation needed), etc. all available to rent.
My favorite part about Aulani was the meet and greet breakfast buffet at Makahiki. We made reservations a week prior to arriving. *Make sure you do this, it can get booked up the day of*. Before getting seated, you will have a chance to take a photo with Mickey and Minnie (if she’s there), then you’ll be escorted to your table. Throughout your breakfast, the characters will walk around to greet you and your family, and give you the opportunity to take pictures with them. It’s a dream come true for the little ones. The food was another reason why I enjoyed this part of the trip. It was DELICIOUS! I probably had 4 – 5 trips at the buffet. I was pregnant at the time, so everything looked appetizing. :)
‘AMA’AMA was my other favorite, we had our last meal here. I ordered filet mignon with a side of asparagus and garlic pecorino fries. It was good, but not as good as the breakfast buffet in my opinion. The view was spectacular, though! A hula dancer was also there to entertain the crowd — the perfect way to end our vacation in Hawaii! Can’t wait to come back!
Mahalo!

Wow! The rumors are all true! This place is freakin amazing! Even though my son is 2 and not old enough to do most of the daily events, we couldn’t have had more fun! There is still plenty to do and being by the amazing pool options is enough!
You must do the character breakfast and bring your own floaties, don’t really like the ones they provide. Rooms have a kitchen so if you wanted to save money, stop by the grocery store on the way and you’ve got everything you need here. Even a rice cooker!
When I come back, because believe me I will be back, I’m going to make sure to get down to the pools early to reserve a chair. They go quick!
There’s also cheaper food options across the street as well, try Monkeypod! So kid friendly!
Oh, and you must budget for time at the spa… hands down the best spa I’ve ever been to, and that’s saying a lot…
I’m from Hawaii and they really honor the Hawaiian culture, it’s not cheesy or too touristy!
Go Aulani!

I guess my expectation was too high for Aulani…
Aulani is good, but not as good as I’ve imagined. The property is located in Oahu, about 20 minutes away from Honolulu.
I was surprised to see there were only 2 stores inside Aulani. One of the stores caters to younger crowd and the other one targets mature visitors.
The swimming pools are pretty cool. They have water slides, a lazy river, a private lagoon for snorkeling and an infinity pool. There are so many workers at the pool area making sure your kids are safe :)
Take a, picture with the king of Aulani, Stich :)
QUICK TIPS: $ 37 DAILY PARKING FOR REGISTERED HOTEL GUESTS. DISNEY VACATION CLUB MEMBERS GET TO PARK FOR FREE.
3.5 stars!

I’m probably going to get murdered for this not so awesome review but for a «Disney» resort, it’s not as magical as it’s counter parts. We stayed here a little over a month ago — for a mini stay-​cation and I left unimpressed with the resort, the food selection and the amenities. Prior to our stay we had a difficult time booking our hotel room because you have to call this number — which is based on the mainland and had odd hours. We stayed in the deluxe room which has a queen bed with a queen pull out that takes up all the space when opened up. The room did have a mini fridge and small kitchenette which is great if you had kids and wanted to store drinks, etc. I pre-​ordered their Veuve Clicquot and a two tier celebration cake — which was as small as a credit card as well as their Keiki Treats for my son (total $ 226.00) crazy I know. I also ordered two pbj’s keiki meals, one hamburger and a patty melt — $ 100 — room service.
On our first day, we found out that we had to line up pretty early to get into the children’s activities. Despite lining up early, we were still wait listed for a lot of the activities and the activities were held in two different locations, far away from each other. (You have split up in two to handle both lines!) They had other fun activities which included using a loaned out iPad but again you have to wait in line for it too and despite being there at 9:59, they would not release that iPad until 10 or whatever the time was and even though I was standing there waiting for that darn iPad, the worker continued to help two other families that cut in front of me.
Another bad thing that happened was that we saw a lot of poop in the splash area — that area that has all that water, rope, etc. So, there’s water flowing over this poop and no one is stopping the kids or parents from running in and out of the water. The worker was just standing there and Cam and I were screaming, POOP… They finally closed the area and it was opened again a little later. That was gross and parents should really be watching their kids! Someone had to have seen two kids pooping on the stairs!!! We didn’t get to use the pool area so we stayed at the beach for the most part. The best thing about our trip was the character breakfast which included a very small amount of characters but really good food. I’d come back for the food alone. Logan had a good time so that’s all that really matters. It’s not what I was expecting so I don’t see myself shelling out $ 400+ a night for a room in the future.

My 200^th Unilocal review was for Disneyland, so it would only be appropriate that my 300^th Unilocal review will be for Disney’s Aulani. After a couple of Disney cruises and becoming a Disney Vacation Club member thereafter; my family & I decided to use our Disney points to stay at Aulani. Maybe our expectations were really high since we really enjoyed our Disney Cruise experiences, so we were kind of expecting the same type of entertainment at Aulani. I was slightly disappointed, but the resort was still very good.
I did not stay at any of the other resorts nearby; but from hearing the other people that did, they mentioned that Aulani was slightly better but that they were much more expensive. My recommendation about Disney cruises is that they are worth the extra cost because they have a lot more entertainment features compared to other cruises. As for Aulani, they didn’t have much more.
They are known for their Lazy River (Waikolohe Stream) & water slides (Waikolohe Pool), but those are my only favorite unique attractions that this resort has over the others. There are the local beaches that is open to the public, and other excursions that you’ll need to pay extra for. The pools, Lazy River & water slides are for Aulani guests only, so you’ll need to wear a different wristband every day during your stay at their resort. There are some other attractions & activities that are at Aulani, but you’ll either have to pay extra for them, or sign up early. Most of these activities are aimed for younger children.
They do have adult pools, spas and a couple of infinity pools. The problem is that they all closed early by either 6pm, 8pm or 10pm. I don’t understand why at least their adult pools doesn’t stay open 24 hours or at least till midnight. It seems like there’s nothing to do at Aulani after 10pm. As least they have a decent gym and is opened 24 hours, but it isn’t too big.
I was disappointed that there aren’t that many gift shops at the resort, so you’re limited on what you can purchase. The food is also overpriced, hence why a lot of guests will either purchase food from the local stores and bring them back to their rooms, or they’ll go to the local restaurants across the street. I actually loved the dinner buffet (Makahiki) at Aulani, but they are extremely overpriced. I would definitely go back, but only once per visit.
I would go back to Aulani, but only by using my DVC membership points. I don’t think it would be worth spending extra money to stay at this resort. The room was superb, but there are also many other excellent hotels in Hawaii that are more affordable.

I have no idea why I never wrote a review for this oasis when I wrote some for its restaurants two years ago. Feeling Disney inspired.
Be careful not to pass by the entrance if arriving by rental car. The sign is so small. Ko ‘Olina itself has its own road. Get lei’d upon arrival (fresh orchids for ladies, kukui nut/​candle nut necklace for men, Menehune necklaces for children) with lemon lime iced water ready to quench your thirst. Since we booked through AAA/​Pleasant Holidays, we didn’t even have to stand in line to check in. A staff member merely asked for our name and brought over our keycards and map momentarily.
The high ceiling lobby was already breathtaking, but you ain’t seen nothing yet. Walk forward and onto the balcony where paradise awaits. Tropical. Relaxation. Tranquil. BLUE water. Disneyfied. I’ve never been on a vacation where all I’ve done is do nothing but eat, sleep, and enjoy family time away from work + more stress.
Left tower consists of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom fully equipped kitchen Villas. Lots of timeshare folk stay there. The right tower has the studio king and basic 2 queen rooms. While the studio room wasn’t ideal for the four of us sleeping on a king bed, pull out queen sofa sleeper, and space invasive twin rollaway, we had a kitchenette that came in handy.
*Extra sink, fridge, microwave, coffee maker
They have a lazy river with plenty of single/​double tubes to borrow, kiddie pools, 18 & older hot temp. pool overlooking the ocean, water slide, and kids water playground. Obtain a wristband daily with your keycard at the towel shack for fresh towels.
Shaved ice stand nearby. Can’t believe I didn’t eat a single shaved ice in Hawaii SMH. Not enough time.
The bridge looks amazing lit up at night. Photo op when no one’s in the way!
PRIVATE LAGOON except the right side belongs to JW Marriott next door. Blue is their signature color. Sunblock! I learned the hard way. Hawaii’s got some serious sun. Beautiful beach and WARM water. Ahhh.
*Make a reservation for the restaurants up to 180 days in advance! From my experience, a credit card may be required at booking, with no show fees of $ 10/​person if not cancelled at least 24 hours before. Check online for details.
*Character breakfast to meet Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy at Makahiki buffet. You get to take a souvenir photo with Mickey while waiting for your table.
*Ama Ama Oceanside dining– go for breakfast AND sunset dinner. Worth. It. Order the Hawaiian bread basket (2 each of mini guava fans, coconut creams, orange macadamia muffins, buttery croissants). Yum. Do NOT eat the whiskey infused kurobuta pork chop on an empty stomach (if it’s still on the menu). I was out like a light and scared dizzy beforehand. You have been warned.
*Laundry room! We decided to wash a load and dry them before our dinner reservation at Makahiki. During dinner, sis and I picked up our laundry, brought it back to the room, and resumed eating with mom & dad, in under twenty minutes.
*Take a stroll around the paths at night. Listen to the crickets, ocean waves. Unwind.
The Independence Day fireworks were out of this world. Synchronized with what else? Disney music. Let it go!
2 gift shops. Smaller one has usual pricey souvenirs. The bigger one includes snacks. Yah, we bought some Tostitos and microwaved some queso dip.
Take a look at the daily newsletter with bookmark.
*Starlight Hui luau dancers 2x a week
Enjoy paradise.

It’s Aulani the Disney of Hawaii. So there is no Disney Land or Disney World in Hawaii so I guess this is the closest you can get. It is definitely one of the top five resorts on Oahu whether you’re in Ko’olina or Waikiki. There is a lot to do at this resort especially if you have kids. They have multiple pools, a cool lazy river, and a large fish tank you can actually go snorkeling in. Disney also has a few nice dining options which make it very accessible to get food.
After hitting up the pools walk down the steps to their beach and enjoy they lagoon which helps to protect swimmers and snorkelers from the large surf.
Also there are a couple of restaurants and shops only one block down from the resort.
Overall this place is very expensive but if you’re looking for a great stay for a few days then I recommend it.

Spent the weekend here for the 10 year anniversary of my husband and I. The first night it was just us, and the second night we brought the kids along.
We got an unexpected upgrade both nights thanks to a friend. We definitely enjoyed our mini staycation!
We spent most of our days in the lazy river just going around and around. My older kids also loved the slide! There is actually a ton of stuff to do here. There is the Aunties playhouse for the kids, small little gym to get your fitness on, and different places to eat-​from fine dining to grab and go foods. They also have a gift shop.
We loved how spacious the 2 bedroom villa was. It came with a full sized kitchen, washer/​dryer combo, 2 twin sized beds in one room, king sized bed in the master bedroom. Master bathroom consisted of a stand alone shower and a whirlpool bathtub. A small sliding door opened up above the tub to overlook the bedroom. Living area also had a couch that opened up into a bed and a lazy boy recliner that also opened into a bed! Say what?! The villa was huge! Too bad we didnt spend much time in there.
I took away one star because everything was pricey. Yes, its has much to do with it being a resort on koolina. But also because they carry the Disney name.
It was a great staycation, the kids cried because they didnt wanna leave. We will try to come here again. But it may not be for a while mainly because it is pricey!