6 night Stay - Guidance Please

[ECMD2018]

Our family will be at Aulani for 6 nights in early August. Based on the DVC site and lack of room availability it looks like it will be crowded as heck. I want to make sure i make the necessary reservations and/or understand the processes/hacks for making it memorable for family. Can use some guidance please --

Here are our details:

• 6 of us: 2 adults and 4 kids, ages (6,8, 9 and 15).
• We will have spent 7 days on the Big Island prior to visiting Aulani
• We have a 2 bdrm island view
• I've reserved a pool cabana for 2 days, one on a weekday and one on a Sunday. I'd like to pare to 1 day.
• I want to make sure to schedule a Pearl Harbor Tour (any hacks?)
• Explore the Stars, Fire Pit Story telling are of interest. What else? Do i make reservations months in advance or at resort?
• Luau, i'm less excited about following a less than impressive Polynesian Resort experience.

Again, your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[vikequeen]

I don't think you can compare the poly and the Aulani luau. The Aulani luau is very impressive. If you search the forum, there are a bunch of threads on the various luaus in the area to help you decide which one works for you. We've done the one at the marriott (short walk from Aulani) and Aulani. They are very different. We thought VIP at aulnai was worth it and it was a good show.

If you can and are planning on two pool days, I would keep the cabana both days. it makes it much much more relaxing. Jockeying for pool chairs there is a challenge. Look at the locations and call ahead with a specific request if you haven't already done so. at least two are by the kiddie area and are (IMO) less favorable.

 

[ECMD2018]

Thank you for that. I'll take a look at the alternative luau events. Thoughts on Explore the Stars and Fire Pit story or non-resort activity? Trying to build out an itinerary. I suspect there are related postings and threads. I've searched some, including suggested rooms, but it can be daunting.

Thx Again.

 

[vikequeen]

I don't know about explore the stars or fire pit, but activities that we have enjoyed on Oahu outside of the resort:

• visit the northshore, and zip line at climbworks. must be booked ahead. they sell out. but they do a great job (and I am afraid of heights). I think we've done this 3 times now? the first time was when my kids were 7 and 10. so you might be a little young yet.
• On our way back from ziplining, we stopped at the Dole Plantation. It is ok to skip IMO, as it is a bit of a tourist trap. But kids like stopping there. They liked the pineapple garden maze and dole whip (even if they can get it aulani)
• We did pearl harbor but I don't remember how we got tix. I think we booked once we got there. Had trouble ahead of time, but more opened up. We were there much longer than I expected because my kids really got into it. (I have two boys, and they were 8 and 11 when we were there).
• Honolulu Zoo/visit Waikiki beach. Its a small but cute zoo, good for little kids who are animal lovers. We went first thing in the morning, then had lunch nearby and saw the beach. The beach is so packed its of very little interest to us, other than we wanted to say we saw it.
• Waimea valley/falls -- this was a very pretty and easy walk/hike. The kids sawm in the water fall at the end. This is another time we made sure we were there before it opened. Our walk in was pleasant and relatively lonely. But people were streaming in behind us, and parking became a challenge.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

PS, we are planning on visiting the big island for the first time so if you have any tips for me, I'm interested (even though it has nothing to do with disney)

 

[dachsie]

PS, we are planning on visiting the big island for the first time so if you have any tips for me, I'm interested (even though it has nothing to do with disney)

My coworker and I are going to the Big Island as well before the Aulani trip for a conference. We will be in Waikoloa. We won't have much tour time but plan to go to Greenwell Farms coffee farm and Hamakua macadamia nut farm and do a whale watching tour. We are going in Jan.

We were originally thinking of going to this farm: https://www.ucc-hawaii.com for the roastmaster tour - you get to roast your own beans, but we decided to spend the money on the whale watching tour.

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

for the luau have you considered trying one on the big island? since you’ll be there prior to aulani should definitely consider a luau there.

for reservations...should book them as early as you know what your schedule will be especially for character breakfast/dinner, luau, or ama ama at sunset.

if you have to drop 1 cabana day...the weekday one is probably the best choice...week days in august can be crowded...but weekends will be worse.

for pearl harbor...if your kids aren’t that into museums you may want to have a backup activity...but if they love museums then you could spend a ton of time there. hard to say how kids will react...and museums are probably the most similar type of thing to pearl harbor in general.

if you’ve never been on oahu before waikiki is worth spending at least half a day checking out. polynesian cultural center and kualoa ranch could also be good (both can take 1/2 a day to a full day)

diamond head, hanauma bay, and manoa falls are also common tourist spots as is kailua beach...these can all have issues with parking depending on when you try them.

 

[Jperiod]

Skip hanauma bay, there's much better snorkeling to be found on Big island and the north shore of Oahu (in summer). You will be disappointed. Our favorite snorkeling was 2 step on big island. On the north shore, we loved 3 tables, shark's cove, and waimea (which is a lovely beach too!). Arrive early for parking (before 10 am).

 

[nkereina]

I've reserved a pool cabana for 2 days, one on a weekday and one on a Sunday. I'd like to pare to 1 day.

Keep the Sunday cabana. The resort is noticeably more crowded on weekend days due to locals coming in for long weekends. And those people come for the resort, so they are at the pools making chair availability difficult.

I want to make sure to schedule a Pearl Harbor Tour (any hacks?)

Aulani offers organized Pearl Harbor tours I believe, but I can't speak to that. We did one from our hotel in Waikiki which worked out wonderfully. They facilitated getting our tickets and Arizona tour time for us, so we didn't have to worry about it. If an organized tour is not for you, I would recommend logging onto the Pearl Harbor site 60 days in advance to secure a tour time if the Arizona tours are running then. Also, you cannot bring bags inside and its recommended not to leave anything in your car due to high crime in the area. You can store bags just outside Pearl Harbor for $5 a bag. Its secure.

Luau, i'm less excited about following a less than impressive Polynesian Resort experience.

I can't speak to the Aulani luau, but there are several offered elsewhere on the island. Paradise Cove is walking distance down the street, and the Marriott up the road (also walkable) has one as well. Only one I'd steer clear of is Polynesian Cultural Center, mostly because its a long-ish drive in the dark and they do not serve alcohol.

 

[jodybird511]

No one has spoken to the fire pit storytelling. This is not something you'll need a reservation for. It happens several times per day, every day, I believe. This is short (maybe 15 mins?), but enjoyable--esp if you have children. You just walk up and grab a seat a few mins ahead of time. There are a few different stories that "Uncle" tells, so you can attend multiple times without a repeat if you're lucky.

In terms of other activities at the resort, there are multiple things going on daily, and there is a daily schedule that comes out the night before--you can pick it up in the lobby in the evening to know what all will be happening each day. You can view it on the website as well--it's under the activities tab and called the Daily Iwa.

 

[keishashadow]

OP you can reserve tix at Pearl Harbor 60 days prior. There are other packages available on the website that offer access to the other attractions or you can add them the day of arrival there. They do have a number of walk up tix available each day. Note that the USS Arizona memorial will remain closed for some time but there is a boat that will go close to it with your ticket.

https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/233338

I can't speak to the Aulani luau, but there are several offered elsewhere on the island. Paradise Cove is walking distance down the street, and the Marriott up the road (also walkable) has one as well. Only one I'd steer clear of is Polynesian Cultural Center, mostly because its a long-ish drive in the dark and they do not serve alcohol

Germaine’s, a bit south, has a loyal following. I’ve received more than a few negative reviews about Paradise Cove having a bit of a spring-break, party atmosphere with large groups bused in from Waikiki area. Have decided to spend more time at the resort & do a luau on another island.

Skip hanauma bay, there's much better snorkeling to be found on Big island and the north shore of Oahu (in summer). You will be disappointed. Our favorite snorkeling was 2 step on big island. On the north shore, we loved 3 tables, shark's cove, and waimea (which is a lovely beach too!). Arrive early for parking (before 10 am).

Hanauma Bay, rope drop, seems to get stellar recommendations. We’re going to hit it when doing a few days in Waikiki first, then drive up the coast a bit to poke around. I like idea of having a bit of beach to relax

You mention 2 steps on big island, doesn’t fit the bill for us since no sand beach. Will have a rental car there. Have you tried Kauna’oa Bay/Mauna Kea beach or Waialea bay?

 

[Jperiod]

Hanauma Bay, rope drop, seems to get stellar recommendations. We’re going to hit it when doing a few days in Waikiki first, then drive up the coast a bit to poke around. I like idea of having a bit of beach to relax

You mention 2 steps on big island, doesn’t fit the bill for us since no sand beach. Will have a rental car there. Have you tried Kauna’oa Bay/Mauna Kea beach or Waialea bay?

Well, I guess I should preface that a bit. If you're looking for snorkeling (which our family loves), 2 step is amazing, as is much of big island. Hanauma is supposed to be super for snorkeling, but it's very popular for tourists. We found the water is murkier, the fish/turtles aren't as plentiful, it costs money, and it's very busy compared elsewhere. If that's all you know, then it's just fine. But if you're going there after snorkeling big island, it might be a disappointment.

If you want a sandy beach, then Hanauma works for that too (though packed), but there are better beaches on Oahu like Waimea, Kailua, and Lanikai, even ala moana. Waimea had great snorkeling too, and it's closer to aulani.

On big island, we enjoyed the sandy beaches of hupuna and mauna kea. We didn't make it to Waialea.

 

[keishashadow]

Well, I guess I should preface that a bit. If you're looking for snorkeling (which our family loves), 2 step is amazing, as is much of big island. Hanauma is supposed to be super for snorkeling, but it's very popular for tourists. We found the water is murkier, the fish/turtles aren't as plentiful, it costs money, and it's very busy compared elsewhere. If that's all you know, then it's just fine. But if you're going there after snorkeling big island, it might be a disappointment.

If you want a sandy beach, then Hanauma works for that too (though packed), but there are better beaches on Oahu like Waimea, Kailua, and Lanikai, even ala moana. Waimea had great snorkeling too, and it's closer to aulani.

On big island, we enjoyed the sandy beaches of hupuna and mauna kea. We didn't make it to Waialea.

Oh, i’m With you. Nothing quite like getting hit in the face with a pair of flippers when the areas are packed to the gills lol.

With the 6 hour time difference we have, plan on being the early birds at most snorkling spots. Hoping we can get a few hours in before all the sand gets kicked up & crowds really start to build.

 

[ECMD2018]

Thank you all very much. Extremely helpful.

 

[Stitch&co]

The character dining is nice. We have typically done the breakfast, but did the dinner last time and enjoyed the food offerings much more. The character part is cute, they come around to your table. However, there are several opportunities a day to meet and have a photo op with characters (you can find times and locations in the daily ewa, which you can collect by 7pm night prior at front desk, or anywhere same day).
If you have a garden view, I would request the ewa tower and specifically the halawai lawn view. This way you can watch the luau from your balcony and decide if you want to book it Also, in my opinion it’s a more relaxing place to sit out then the other towers, with no chance of overlooking air con units.
If you do book the luau, be mindful that if it rains and they cancel, they won’t refund. As long as you have checked in before they cancel, the fine print states that they don’t have to. A staffer shared her discomfort in being made to check people in when she knows it will be canceled. However, I don’t know how often that happens, just a heads up.
I agree with the other poster regarding keeping the Sunday cabana, if you had to choose one. Also that you are mindful of location. My first choice would be at the ka maka grotto pool area. My kids love the “cave hot tub” with the pool directly attached. And the view from that pool is so beautiful.
If I think of anything else, I will add...
Have a wonderful time

 

[Stitch&co]

Oh, I did think of more... aunties beach house is fantastic for kids. I did find that my oldest kid was less enthusiastic last time until we learned that (at least during our stay) the older kids tended to go in the afternoons and evenings. They do have teen program offerings every day but I’m not sure if there is a teen hang out spot- we are quite there yet.
One of my sons loves to snorkel but is scared of the ocean (hoping for his sake that changes as he grows, cause that’s a rough combo, haha)-
The rainbow reef allows snorkeling and he was in heaven. We got him a weeklong pass so he could come and go as he desired and he went a few times a day, it was great and totally worth it for us to see him enjoy it so much. Plus we could watch him through the windows and one of the diver staff taught home how to make air-hearts. This delighted my youngest to see his big brother throwing air hearts at him through the window!

 

[alohamom]

My coworker and I are going to the Big Island as well before the Aulani trip for a conference. We will be in Waikoloa. We won't have much tour time but plan to go to Greenwell Farms coffee farm and Hamakua macadamia nut farm and do a whale watching tour. We are going in Jan.

Anyone going to the Big Island should do this. It is so great. It is a little off the beaten path, about 15 minutes north of the Waikoloa resort area but we really enjoyed it. The prices are excellent for very fresh nuts too. There is a great little quiet beach right around there called Spencer Beach so if you take snacks or a picnic you can make an afternoon out of it

 

[ECMD2018]

So helpful. Thank you ---- love the planning but also want to make sure I know what questions to ask. Really appreciate the thoughts from all.

 

[cgattis]

Just wanted to chime in with a slightly different experience. We did Hanauma Bay around 1:00, following Diamond Head and lunch. We snaggged a front-door spot as someone had left. There were others there, but it wasn’t packed by any means (this was in June). We stayed all afternoon and when we were best from snorkeling, DH and I just lounged on the beach and watched the kids (.teens) play in the sand. It was sooooo relaxing and one of my best memories. We also saw a ton of colorful fish but no turtles. We caught the last tram back up and hit Kona Brewing for dinner.

We enjoyed Sharks Cove, which has lots of little sandy spots to sit. Felt pretty private even with quite a few folks there. We didn’t see as many fish (but still good) and no turtles. Was much harder to maneuver around all the sharp rocks. Overall enjoyed Hanauma Bay much more.

 

[jillt2ph]

Regarding activities at the resort...I enjoyed the Ukelele class and also painting a cel. And I like to go to the fire pit storytelling multiple times. Also make sure you do the menehune trail to see all the little suprises you might normally just walk past.

I did the character breakfast by myself for my 50th birthday, but this year I am making my 83 yo mother go with me

 

[ECMD2018]

Will add to the list of things -- thank you.