Aulani just informed me the following is currently closed...

[CampbellzSoup]

I expected some things to be scaled back or closed but not at the scale they said:

- No character breakfast
- No spa services at all
- No AMA AMA
- Weddings are not currently being performed
- Masks on when Photo pass photographers are around.
- There is no Luau performances
- Aunties Beach House is not currently online
- No firechat story-time

...what is left of Aulani? It sounds like a really gutted experience. I understand theirs a pandemic, but nothing that makes Aulani seems to be operational right now.

 

[Great3]

It's a hard judgement call. The problem is if you have points that are expiring and can't be banked, it's use it or lose it or rent it out. Yes, the experience won't be the same, but it's still better than paying MF's on points that goes unused otherwise.

You are right, at this point, you pretty much just paying for lodging for a room in Hawaii. Unfortunately, that the risks we as owners bear by being an owner at Aulani.

Great3

 

[mickeee]

I expected some things to be scaled back or closed but not at the scale they said:

- No character breakfast
- No spa services at all
- No AMA AMA
- Weddings are not currently being performed
- Masks on when Photo pass photographers are around.
- There is no Luau performances
- Aunties Beach House is not currently online
- No firechat story-time

...what is left of Aulani? It sounds like a really gutted experience. I understand theirs a pandemic, but nothing that makes Aulani seems to be operational right now.

We just returned from a great Aulani trip in December. The beach, the pool and to top it off the weather is unbeatable especially if you coming from a cold state. We are all adults and we don’t go to Aulani for DisneyWorld experience. We can get that cheap by heading down to FL. And you should too if that is your goal.

Aulani is an Hawaii vacation backed by Disney quality. Yes we missed the spa services and AMA AMA but considering the situation with the virus we were happy to be outdoors all the time. Plus AMA AMA is a little over rated anyway. Dinner usually sucks as it starts getting dark around 630pm and for the price it was not worth it. Lunches are always better due to the view and the pricing but again we didn’t miss it.

We have been to Hawaii once a year for over 12 years now so the luau doesn’t mean much to us. As a matter of fact it’s a tourist rip off. You have to do it once though.

Aunties didn’t apply to us so I can see that one being important but you don’t want your kids to exposed to other kids anyway so there. As for pictures of you take them yourself rather than the photographers and you can remove your mask and take them at the beach or the pools or at your chairs. They are accommodating on that front.

And you can drive the island and hike and go to the North Shore and Waikiki and enjoy yourself. With the lack of crowds we actually enjoyed the most this time compared to previous years as we always go in Dec and it is usually a zoo at the pool and the beach!

 

[DRussell83]

We had a great time over thanksgiving! It was just my husband and I so aunties didn’t matter to us - it was also our first time there so we didn’t really know any different - I was a little bummed about the characters and having to wear a mask for the photos (I think that has changed a bit since we were there) but that’s we what get for traveling during a pandemic - we loved the pools and the beach and the adults only hot tub - we drove around and went on a hike and ate at some food trucks - it was honestly just the best time. We did re book for October and I can’t wait to hopefully experience all Aulani has to offer! Counting down the days!

 

[Paul Stupin]

I expected some things to be scaled back or closed but not at the scale they said:

- No character breakfast
- No spa services at all
- No AMA AMA
- Weddings are not currently being performed
- Masks on when Photo pass photographers are around.
- There is no Luau performances
- Aunties Beach House is not currently online
- No firechat story-time

...what is left of Aulani? It sounds like a really gutted experience. I understand theirs a pandemic, but nothing that makes Aulani seems to be operational right now.

I disagree. And am leaving for Aulani tomorrow! I’ll miss Ama Ama, but with no kids, the absence of the character breakfast, the fire chat story time, Aunties Beach House, and the lua make absolutely no difference to me. Think about the forest instead of the trees. It’s Hawaii! Waterfalls! Beaches! Hiking! Sunset cruises! A great pool! We couldn’t be more excited.

 

[eMoneyBug]

Firechat stories is 1 of our faves!

 

[nkereina]

The problem is if you have points that are expiring and can't be banked, it's use it or lose it or rent it out. Yes, the experience won't be the same, but it's still better than paying MF's on points that goes unused otherwise.

True, but for the Aulani owner, it might be a good time to use those points at WDW. More options there so perhaps a better bang for your points in the current environment.

OP, it definitely sounds like a stripped down experience. DH and I would probably still choose to stay if we had a trip planned, but we don't have kids and don't spend the whole time at the resort. The value of what IS still being offered is going to be different for everyone, but I do think there are cheaper and possibly nicer resorts on the ocean where you can stay and get a similar experience as what's being offered there right now.

The only benefit I can see, and I'm not sure if this is even the case, but I presume the resort is very quiet? And perhaps pool chairs are easy to come by? Enjoying the pools and beach without lots of people and without having to "rope drop" the chairs would be a great, unique advantage there and something you couldn't do when those amenities are fully operational.

 

[DRussell83]

True, but for the Aulani owner, it might be a good time to use those points at WDW. More options there so perhaps a better bang for your points in the current environment.

OP, it definitely sounds like a stripped down experience. DH and I would probably still choose to stay if we had a trip planned, but we don't have kids and don't spend the whole time at the resort. The value of what IS still being offered is going to be different for everyone, but I do think there are cheaper and possibly nicer resorts on the ocean where you can stay and get a similar experience as what's being offered there right now.

The only benefit I can see, and I'm not sure if this is even the case, but I presume the resort is very quiet? And perhaps pool chairs are easy to come by? Enjoying the pools and beach without lots of people and without having to "rope drop" the chairs would be a great, unique advantage there and something you couldn't do when those amenities are fully operational.

We own at Aulani and for us personally decided that we do not want to go back to WDW till masks are no longer required and park hopping is back ( it is now but at Thanksgiving it wasn't) We also just honestly wanted to just sit on the pool chairs and do nothing. Targeting our return to WDW January 2023 for my 40th birthday!

 

[DRussell83]

I disagree. And am leaving for Aulani tomorrow! I’ll miss Ama Ama, but with no kids, the absence of the character breakfast, the fire chat story time, Aunties Beach House, and the lua make absolutely no difference to me. Think about the forest instead of the trees. It’s Hawaii! Waterfalls! Beaches! Hiking! Sunset cruises! A great pool! We couldn’t be more excited.

so excited for you! I remember seeing your posts last year in regards to testing and all - I hope it all worked out for you and you have a great time! Curious how the weather will be in January - we went back and forth on our re-book if we wanted to do January 2022 for my Birthday or October 2021 - decided on 10/21 as I want it to be really warm (we are from southern CA so low 70s/high 60s is cold for me )

 

[nkereina]

We own at Aulani and for us personally decided that we do not want to go back to WDW till masks are no longer required and park hopping is back ( it is now but at Thanksgiving it wasn't) We also just honestly wanted to just sit on the pool chairs and do nothing. Targeting our return to WDW January 2023 for my 40th birthday!

Makes sense. I was just responding to the poster who mentioned they were trying to decide whether it was worth it to visit a bare bones Aulani or lose/rent the points out. Those aren't their only options - WDW is certainly better than losing the points and may be a better option than Aulani for some owners in the current environment.

 

[Great3]

Makes sense. I was just responding to the poster who mentioned they were trying to decide whether it was worth it to visit a bare bones Aulani or lose/rent the points out. Those aren't their only options - WDW is certainly better than losing the points and may be a better option than Aulani for some owners in the current environment.

No, you are 100% right nkereina, WDW certainly an option, it's just something I normally don't consider, so kinda forgot about it. I definitely consider a stay in Hawaii (even with the tone down experiences at Aulani) to be better than any stay/experience at WDW, but that's just me, so my mind is skewed during my response. I am 100% bias towards Hawaii trips, that why I own my timeshares . For any other Aulani owners, if WDW fits the bill as an alternative, by all means, those are good options as well.

Great3

 

[happymommy]

so excited for you! I remember seeing your posts last year in regards to testing and all - I hope it all worked out for you and you have a great time! Curious how the weather will be in January - we went back and forth on our re-book if we wanted to do January 2022 for my Birthday or October 2021 - decided on 10/21 as I want it to be really warm (we are from southern CA so low 70s/high 60s is cold for me )

As someone who lived on Oahu for 3 years, January is still nice and warm. My first trip back after moving away was 11 days in January, and my kids spent every day splashing in the ocean in Waikiki (they were I think 4 and 6 but maybe 3 and 5 I forget) and swimming in the pool at the Hale Koa. When we lived there, though, I got thin skinned, and thought the ocean was a tad too cool for me to actually get in during the winter. I’m a wimp, though, as I like warm water. But January is perfectly fine! A couple years ago, in the summer, it was actually in the upper 80’s - first trip back that is was just downright HOT! We normally go for 2-4 weeks in the summer, but next trip is late fall 2021

 

[_auroraborealis_]

This is really a good case of "maybe not the time to do a once in a lifetime dream trip," just as is true with WDW.

But for an Aulani owner who bought there to go there (not sleep around points, but mostly for use at AUL), the service disruption is less of a big deal. You have 30+ years in contract and will be there again, and probably expect changes over time.

 

[Disney_Fan_01]

Firechat stories is 1 of our faves!

We like it too. We had to postpone our trip rescheduled from last may to last dec to this June. Our daughter wanted to have a Hawaii theme for Christmas, so we did a fire pit in our backyard and I you tubed one of the uncle videos from Aulani for us

 

[CateinPhoenix]

We just got back and had a great time. We wouldn't have utilized any of those services/restaurants/extras anyways so we didn't notice. I had thought about doing the spa but it wasn't a make it or break it for me.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

This is really a good case of "maybe not the time to do a once in a lifetime dream trip," just as is true with WDW.

But for an Aulani owner who bought there to go there (not sleep around points, but mostly for use at AUL), the service disruption is less of a big deal. You have 30+ years in contract and will be there again, and probably expect changes over time.

At the same time, if the pandemic has taught me anything it's that you don't want to delay things. There is always a reason to delay the "once in a lifetime" trip and it's easy for that to become "never in a lifetime."

We are going to be there in 2 weeks for the first time. We're doing a split stay with 3 night at Aulani. We know it's not going to be the "full" experience but we also don't know when the next time we'll be on Oahu is.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

At the same time, if the pandemic has taught me anything it's that you don't want to delay things. There is always a reason to delay the "once in a lifetime" trip and it's easy for that to become "never in a lifetime."

We are going to be there in 2 weeks for the first time. We're doing a split stay with 3 night at Aulani. We know it's not going to be the "full" experience but we also don't know when the next time we'll be on Oahu is.

It may come down to comfort level with payng premium cost for a partial experience. Some people would be disgruntled about it to a point where it would not be enjoyable. I think the initial post in this thread is a possible example.

 

[jves]

I expected some things to be scaled back or closed but not at the scale they said:

- No character breakfast
- No spa services at all
- No AMA AMA
- Weddings are not currently being performed
- Masks on when Photo pass photographers are around.
- There is no Luau performances
- Aunties Beach House is not currently online
- No firechat story-time

...what is left of Aulani? It sounds like a really gutted experience. I understand theirs a pandemic, but nothing that makes Aulani seems to be operational right now.

im right by there now, its pretty empty, and a lot of pools are closed

 

[CampbellzSoup]

im right by there now, its pretty empty, and a lot of pools are closed

So sad...let’s hope this turns around soon Aulani is truly magical

 

[jves]

The walking path in front of Aulani is about 50/50 people wearing masks.
Kind of bad, but a little reassuring with people taking covid tests before coming now