First Trip to Hawaii / Aulani - Our Trip Report
- Thread starter JM735
- Start date
DisneyPrincess88
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2017
We are following along too! We are from Chicago as well but going to Aulani in June. We have been watching the DIS to hear about the dining too. Right now, I'm planning the outings off of Aulani - so looking forward to what you did! Thanks for the AWESOME post & pictures! Looks like a PERFECT vacation!
alldiz
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2006
Lovin your TR..... feeling guilty I somehow never wrote mine from last July. Won’t be anywhere as amazing as yours..... but never too late for Aulani musings
Ahem.... I also thought Aulani was one and done....No doubt whatsoever we will be back! In fact DH was asking all kinds of questions about points as we were floating in the lagoon. He never asks those questions.... finally I’m like what’s the interest all of a sudden. That boy was thinking add on at some point!
Kerri
Ahem.... I also thought Aulani was one and done....No doubt whatsoever we will be back! In fact DH was asking all kinds of questions about points as we were floating in the lagoon. He never asks those questions.... finally I’m like what’s the interest all of a sudden. That boy was thinking add on at some point!
Kerri
Hi!! We were in aulani in may of 16. It was amazing. Im right along with you on the planning. My wife is amazed at how much patience i have for it but cant be put on hold for more then a minute..lol. i love to hear other peoples experiences. It gives me ideas on plans for my next trip. They kids absolutely loved it even though it was not a theme park. So much for them to do also. Aulani is really the only reason id consider becoming a dvc member. Hope to read more of your report.
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2004
I'm very much enjoying this trip report and looking forward to further updates. Some questions for the OP if you don't mind:
How long was the flight from Chicago? Do you have a picture of the lay-flat seats? We often do the non-stop ATL>HNL flight and its about 10 hours. Just wondering if Chicago is appreciably shorter.
How long was the flight from Chicago? Do you have a picture of the lay-flat seats? We often do the non-stop ATL>HNL flight and its about 10 hours. Just wondering if Chicago is appreciably shorter.
Minneapolis is Honolulu is 9 hours and change, so I would assume that Chicago is about the same.
JM735
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2015
Thanks to all of the followers! It's fun to write the trip report and keeps the memories fresh. I just wish I was still on the balcony at Aulani writing it!
As much as I love Southwest, it has been a difficult adjustment back after the first-class Hawaii flights - it was easy to get spoiled.
I plan to share some final thoughts, but I'd say we were happy to be at Aulani the entire time. However, I can see benefits to a split stay.
Brad gets credit for most all of the photos and creating the collages (with help from an app). We were pleased with how well they turned out since they were all taken with an iPhone 8 Plus.
I'm learning one and done may be a dangerous mindset, or else a test of willpower, for Hawaii/Aulani. Score on getting DH thinking about adding on points!
It hasn't come up in my trip report yet, but we added housekeeping services for our stay (mostly trash and towel service), so we expected someone in our room daily.
The flight from Chicago was scheduled at 9.5 hours. However, when I was tracking it before our trip, it was almost always 30-60 minutes early and we were 50 minutes early. The return flight is scheduled at eight hours, but was typically 20-40 minutes early and we landed 25 minutes early.
We were on a 777-200 Hawaii configuration (United uses a different layout for these routes). The weird thing about this setup is that half of the first class seats are rear-facing. Brad and I were in these seats on our flight to Hawaii and didn't notice much difference. However, those in an aisle seats may be staring at someone across the aisle. Here are a couple pics that I found online (not ones we took) of the seats in the upright position:
As much as I love Southwest, it has been a difficult adjustment back after the first-class Hawaii flights - it was easy to get spoiled.
I plan to share some final thoughts, but I'd say we were happy to be at Aulani the entire time. However, I can see benefits to a split stay.
Brad gets credit for most all of the photos and creating the collages (with help from an app). We were pleased with how well they turned out since they were all taken with an iPhone 8 Plus.
Ahem.... I also thought Aulani was one and done....No doubt whatsoever we will be back! In fact DH was asking all kinds of questions about points as we were floating in the lagoon. He never asks those questions.... finally I’m like what’s the interest all of a sudden. That boy was thinking add on at some point!
Kerri
I'm learning one and done may be a dangerous mindset, or else a test of willpower, for Hawaii/Aulani. Score on getting DH thinking about adding on points!
It hasn't come up in my trip report yet, but we added housekeeping services for our stay (mostly trash and towel service), so we expected someone in our room daily.
The flight from Chicago was scheduled at 9.5 hours. However, when I was tracking it before our trip, it was almost always 30-60 minutes early and we were 50 minutes early. The return flight is scheduled at eight hours, but was typically 20-40 minutes early and we landed 25 minutes early.
We were on a 777-200 Hawaii configuration (United uses a different layout for these routes). The weird thing about this setup is that half of the first class seats are rear-facing. Brad and I were in these seats on our flight to Hawaii and didn't notice much difference. However, those in an aisle seats may be staring at someone across the aisle. Here are a couple pics that I found online (not ones we took) of the seats in the upright position:
JM735
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2015
Our First Full Day!
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Warning: this is a long post. I probably should have made it two, but instead of doing that I give you this disclaimer!
I think we all woke up at some early hour, but most of us got back to sleep. Everyone was up and going by 6:00 a.m.
For our first full day we had made a reservation at Makahiki for 7:30 a.m. We figured the time change would be in our favor and we could make it to breakfast by then.
Makahiki was Pam and Dave’s first Disney character interaction. After the photo op, Dave said, “That was fun!” Dave can be sarcastic, but I think he actually meant it this time. During breakfast, the photo pass cast member stopped by our table to show us the photos available for purchase. There were some decent pics, but we decided the ones the cast member took using Brad’s phone were good and we didn’t need to purchase any.
I think starting with a buffet worked well for our first morning since we all seemed to be at different levels of hunger. We had a table on the outside edge of the restaurant veranda. Having breakfast outside in January while wearing shorts was ideal for all of us! The food was very good. Brad and I both felt it was comparable to the better Disney World buffets (i.e. Tusker House at AK). They didn’t have malasadas on the buffet, but that just meant we had to experience Leonard’s for our first ones – definitely not a problem. Dave and Brad both loved Loco Moco (sorry, we didn't get a picture of that).
The next stop was Royal Hawaiian for shopping. When we presented Pam and Dave the first draft of our schedule last summer there was the following exchange:
Pam: Bradley?
Brad: Yes, mom?
Pam: I don’t see time for shopping on here.
Brad: Ummmmm, John?
Dedicated shopping time was quickly added to the schedule.
The plan was for me to drop Brad, Pam and Dave off at the mall. I would then go to the airport to exchange the car and then rejoin them at the mall. Yes, it was a bit of backtracking but made the most sense since they, well at least Pam and Brad, were most interested in shopping. We easily found the mall - Brad was responsible for navigating most of the trip and used the Waze app which worked well.
When we arrived, we didn’t see a good place to drop them off so we decided to just park in the garage while they got out of the car. Remember, I said we had an Expedition? Well that hit the maximum clearance bar at the garage entrance, which also caused flashing red lights on said bar... But there was no good way to back out so we continued up, hoping for the best. I think Brad closed his eyes because he was sure we would take out the overhead lights or scrape the concrete supports. I stopped at the first exit option and had everyone jump out of the car so I could get out of the garage as quickly as possible.
Hertz called me while I was driving to the airport to discuss options and they suggested a GMC Yukon as those are some of the newer vehicles they had on hand. What they either didn’t say or I didn’t hear, was that it was a Yukon XL. That XL detail made it a decently long vehicle – at least longer than I drive daily. It ended up being a great vehicle, but parking was an adventure the rest of the trip. The actual exchange was quick and easy and I was soon heading back to the mall.
Somewhere along the drive I realized I’d likely have the same height issue with this vehicle so I was hoping to find another parking option. After passing the street where the garage entrance was, and seeing no other options, I decided to go around the block. I soon realized that I was essentially on the ocean. Needless to say, I wouldn’t be going around THAT direction! I finally decided I’d risk the garage again and didn’t hit the clearance bar this time so all was fine.
We spent a few hours shopping, including all four of us getting Hawaiian shirts to wear to the luau. Everyone enjoyed the mall and we would recommend it if anyone wants to do some shopping that isn’t just the main stores found at most major shopping areas.
One of the few stores Dave went in was Island Vintage Coffee. He and Brad are the primary coffee drinkers and they got a few different ones to enjoy in the room and extras to take home. In theory, it’s one of those associations that will hopefully bring back (positive) memories of the trip. They also got some cookie/biscuit type things that everyone enjoyed. We tried getting more but they did not have them at the location across from Aulani or the one in Haleiwa. I’m not sure if it was something being discontinued or if the selection varies between stores.
Once we finished shopping we headed to Kona Brewing Company for a late lunch. This was an enjoyable meal. For the most part it’s a brewpub similar to one you’d find in most cities on the mainland. But it’s in Hawaii so there is a lot of open air and views of the Koko Marina. Speaking of open air, this is a good time to mention that we saw birds. Everywhere. While not a big deal, Pam wasn’t always a fan of them joining us at nearly every meal. And occasionally Brad had flashbacks of the time a bird picked up his hamburger patty while we were at Castaway Cay. I think the bird underestimated the weight of the burger because it was soon dropped. Unfortunately, on Brad’s hat.
Anyway, there were several good seafood options on the menu. Pictured below are some of the things we had, including the Big Wave Shrimp Melt with Mac Salad, Naalehu nachos with Portuguese Sausage and a beer flight.
Brad wasn’t able to get the pub glass he originally wanted since “their shipment didn’t arrive.” This became a common phrase we heard and we humorously wondered if it was one ship that got lost, a common occurrence on an island or just the easy explanation for things being out of stock! So, he picked another glass that was unique and we got Dave the longboard-shaped bottle opener.
Pam, Brad and I had pedicures at 4:00 p.m. at Laniwai spa. We were a few minutes late because we hit more Honolulu traffic than we expected. We were watching the travel time and it literally jumped from 50 minutes to 75 minutes in under five minutes. I called the spa along the way to give them a heads-up and they said it wouldn’t be a problem as long as we were there by 4:15 p.m. It helped that these were technically salon appointments so we didn’t need to change clothes or even go to the locker rooms. I think it also helped we were the last appointments of the day for two of the technicians.
The pedicures were a relaxing experience and a good introduction to the spa. At $80 (plus tip and tax), it falls in the category of expensive compared to getting a pedicure at home, but in line with other resort spas. I think we all thought it was time and money well spent.
We had dinner reservations at Ama Ama for 5:30 p.m. We were fortunate to be seated at a table on the edge of the restaurant facing the water – which provided a view that was beyond words (see photo in collage below). We had breakfast, lunch and dinner at Ama Ama during the trip and we all agreed that dinner was our least favorite of the three meals. I want to stress that it was by no means bad, but the price point is higher for dinner, and we felt it didn’t stand up as well against some of the other meals we enjoyed on the trip. Service was strong at the beginning, but it slowed down towards the end (I think our server received one or two larger parties which I completely understand can upset flow). All things considered, we didn’t regret having dinner at Ama Ama. The meal was great and the view couldn’t be beat; it was an ideal end to our first full day on the island. Dave said he should have taken the server's advice to have the catch of the day sautéed instead of grilled; I had it sautéed and thought it was excellent.
Pictured below (clockwise from top right): A sweet chocolate and coconut accompaniment that was presented with the check, crab cake appetizer, sautéed catch of the day, grilled salmon and the side dishes we selected (Herb-coconut Rice, Potato Trio - Yukon, Sweet and Okinawan Sweet - and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts)
After dinner, Brad and I decided to go to Safeway and get the items we were not able to get at Costco. Since it was later, traffic was light and Brad decided he’d drive. He soon realized some of the fun I’d already experienced with our XL vehicle, such as getting in and out of parking spaces and the vibrating seat that felt the need to ‘alert’ you to anything within what seemed to be a five-foot radius of the vehicle. He was amused when I was cursing it in traffic earlier in the day. After he experienced it, finding a way to make it cease became a priority! The original plan was to divide driving 50/50 so we’d both be able to see things other than traffic. I think in the end he drove 5-10 percent of the time. Which was fine, but you can be sure I gave him grief about it!
Safeway was pretty empty when were there – I doubt we saw more than ten other customers. This is however, where we saw more of the sticker shock. I’m guessing it is because of resorts with kitchens in the area, but we were surprised how many of the smaller quantities were sold out of many items. One of the most shocking costs was Velveeta – the small size was sold out so we got the traditional-size block. It was $14.50! If you had a Safeway card (which I now do) the price came down to $10.50, which was better but still more than I’d expected. There were a few items that didn’t have much selection, such as raisin bread, but overall we found what we had on the list.
We finished the shopping and got back to the resort, unloaded the groceries and other packages from the day’s purchases and called it a day soon after. Besides, we had another early morning ahead of us at Pearl Harbor!!
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Warning: this is a long post. I probably should have made it two, but instead of doing that I give you this disclaimer!
I think we all woke up at some early hour, but most of us got back to sleep. Everyone was up and going by 6:00 a.m.
For our first full day we had made a reservation at Makahiki for 7:30 a.m. We figured the time change would be in our favor and we could make it to breakfast by then.
Makahiki was Pam and Dave’s first Disney character interaction. After the photo op, Dave said, “That was fun!” Dave can be sarcastic, but I think he actually meant it this time. During breakfast, the photo pass cast member stopped by our table to show us the photos available for purchase. There were some decent pics, but we decided the ones the cast member took using Brad’s phone were good and we didn’t need to purchase any.
I think starting with a buffet worked well for our first morning since we all seemed to be at different levels of hunger. We had a table on the outside edge of the restaurant veranda. Having breakfast outside in January while wearing shorts was ideal for all of us! The food was very good. Brad and I both felt it was comparable to the better Disney World buffets (i.e. Tusker House at AK). They didn’t have malasadas on the buffet, but that just meant we had to experience Leonard’s for our first ones – definitely not a problem. Dave and Brad both loved Loco Moco (sorry, we didn't get a picture of that).
The next stop was Royal Hawaiian for shopping. When we presented Pam and Dave the first draft of our schedule last summer there was the following exchange:
Pam: Bradley?
Brad: Yes, mom?
Pam: I don’t see time for shopping on here.
Brad: Ummmmm, John?
Dedicated shopping time was quickly added to the schedule.
The plan was for me to drop Brad, Pam and Dave off at the mall. I would then go to the airport to exchange the car and then rejoin them at the mall. Yes, it was a bit of backtracking but made the most sense since they, well at least Pam and Brad, were most interested in shopping. We easily found the mall - Brad was responsible for navigating most of the trip and used the Waze app which worked well.
When we arrived, we didn’t see a good place to drop them off so we decided to just park in the garage while they got out of the car. Remember, I said we had an Expedition? Well that hit the maximum clearance bar at the garage entrance, which also caused flashing red lights on said bar... But there was no good way to back out so we continued up, hoping for the best. I think Brad closed his eyes because he was sure we would take out the overhead lights or scrape the concrete supports. I stopped at the first exit option and had everyone jump out of the car so I could get out of the garage as quickly as possible.
Hertz called me while I was driving to the airport to discuss options and they suggested a GMC Yukon as those are some of the newer vehicles they had on hand. What they either didn’t say or I didn’t hear, was that it was a Yukon XL. That XL detail made it a decently long vehicle – at least longer than I drive daily. It ended up being a great vehicle, but parking was an adventure the rest of the trip. The actual exchange was quick and easy and I was soon heading back to the mall.
Somewhere along the drive I realized I’d likely have the same height issue with this vehicle so I was hoping to find another parking option. After passing the street where the garage entrance was, and seeing no other options, I decided to go around the block. I soon realized that I was essentially on the ocean. Needless to say, I wouldn’t be going around THAT direction! I finally decided I’d risk the garage again and didn’t hit the clearance bar this time so all was fine.
We spent a few hours shopping, including all four of us getting Hawaiian shirts to wear to the luau. Everyone enjoyed the mall and we would recommend it if anyone wants to do some shopping that isn’t just the main stores found at most major shopping areas.
One of the few stores Dave went in was Island Vintage Coffee. He and Brad are the primary coffee drinkers and they got a few different ones to enjoy in the room and extras to take home. In theory, it’s one of those associations that will hopefully bring back (positive) memories of the trip. They also got some cookie/biscuit type things that everyone enjoyed. We tried getting more but they did not have them at the location across from Aulani or the one in Haleiwa. I’m not sure if it was something being discontinued or if the selection varies between stores.
Once we finished shopping we headed to Kona Brewing Company for a late lunch. This was an enjoyable meal. For the most part it’s a brewpub similar to one you’d find in most cities on the mainland. But it’s in Hawaii so there is a lot of open air and views of the Koko Marina. Speaking of open air, this is a good time to mention that we saw birds. Everywhere. While not a big deal, Pam wasn’t always a fan of them joining us at nearly every meal. And occasionally Brad had flashbacks of the time a bird picked up his hamburger patty while we were at Castaway Cay. I think the bird underestimated the weight of the burger because it was soon dropped. Unfortunately, on Brad’s hat.
Anyway, there were several good seafood options on the menu. Pictured below are some of the things we had, including the Big Wave Shrimp Melt with Mac Salad, Naalehu nachos with Portuguese Sausage and a beer flight.
Brad wasn’t able to get the pub glass he originally wanted since “their shipment didn’t arrive.” This became a common phrase we heard and we humorously wondered if it was one ship that got lost, a common occurrence on an island or just the easy explanation for things being out of stock! So, he picked another glass that was unique and we got Dave the longboard-shaped bottle opener.
Pam, Brad and I had pedicures at 4:00 p.m. at Laniwai spa. We were a few minutes late because we hit more Honolulu traffic than we expected. We were watching the travel time and it literally jumped from 50 minutes to 75 minutes in under five minutes. I called the spa along the way to give them a heads-up and they said it wouldn’t be a problem as long as we were there by 4:15 p.m. It helped that these were technically salon appointments so we didn’t need to change clothes or even go to the locker rooms. I think it also helped we were the last appointments of the day for two of the technicians.
The pedicures were a relaxing experience and a good introduction to the spa. At $80 (plus tip and tax), it falls in the category of expensive compared to getting a pedicure at home, but in line with other resort spas. I think we all thought it was time and money well spent.
We had dinner reservations at Ama Ama for 5:30 p.m. We were fortunate to be seated at a table on the edge of the restaurant facing the water – which provided a view that was beyond words (see photo in collage below). We had breakfast, lunch and dinner at Ama Ama during the trip and we all agreed that dinner was our least favorite of the three meals. I want to stress that it was by no means bad, but the price point is higher for dinner, and we felt it didn’t stand up as well against some of the other meals we enjoyed on the trip. Service was strong at the beginning, but it slowed down towards the end (I think our server received one or two larger parties which I completely understand can upset flow). All things considered, we didn’t regret having dinner at Ama Ama. The meal was great and the view couldn’t be beat; it was an ideal end to our first full day on the island. Dave said he should have taken the server's advice to have the catch of the day sautéed instead of grilled; I had it sautéed and thought it was excellent.
Pictured below (clockwise from top right): A sweet chocolate and coconut accompaniment that was presented with the check, crab cake appetizer, sautéed catch of the day, grilled salmon and the side dishes we selected (Herb-coconut Rice, Potato Trio - Yukon, Sweet and Okinawan Sweet - and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts)
After dinner, Brad and I decided to go to Safeway and get the items we were not able to get at Costco. Since it was later, traffic was light and Brad decided he’d drive. He soon realized some of the fun I’d already experienced with our XL vehicle, such as getting in and out of parking spaces and the vibrating seat that felt the need to ‘alert’ you to anything within what seemed to be a five-foot radius of the vehicle. He was amused when I was cursing it in traffic earlier in the day. After he experienced it, finding a way to make it cease became a priority! The original plan was to divide driving 50/50 so we’d both be able to see things other than traffic. I think in the end he drove 5-10 percent of the time. Which was fine, but you can be sure I gave him grief about it!
Safeway was pretty empty when were there – I doubt we saw more than ten other customers. This is however, where we saw more of the sticker shock. I’m guessing it is because of resorts with kitchens in the area, but we were surprised how many of the smaller quantities were sold out of many items. One of the most shocking costs was Velveeta – the small size was sold out so we got the traditional-size block. It was $14.50! If you had a Safeway card (which I now do) the price came down to $10.50, which was better but still more than I’d expected. There were a few items that didn’t have much selection, such as raisin bread, but overall we found what we had on the list.
We finished the shopping and got back to the resort, unloaded the groceries and other packages from the day’s purchases and called it a day soon after. Besides, we had another early morning ahead of us at Pearl Harbor!!
luvmychaos
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2011
Excited to be following along! I have mastered WDW planning, and all the glorious spreadsheets that go with it, but Aulani will be a new adventure to plan! 
alohamom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2003
Oh I LOVE that you both jumped on that! Lucky mom to have you both respect the need to shop, I am going to have to figure out how to make my son understand the importance of this, LOL!
We usually rent a condo on the Big Island when we go there and it has a full, gorgeous kitchen but the prices in the grocery stores make it challenging to make a meal that doesnt cost the same as eating out. Years ago I started bringing many shelf stable kitchen supplies like spices, foil, baggies, oatmeal etc in my luggage so that I wouldnt have to purchase them in Hawaii. Obviously you cant bring Velvetta but I hear you on the pricing. I find now that Target and WalMart are invading the islands, you can sometimes get "on sale" prices for things like bread that are similar to mainland pricing.
Does this service allow you to use the spa areas like the pools etc?
JM735
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2015
Unfortunately, no. They designate services as 'Salon' or 'Spa' and only 'Spa' services are eligible for the lounge areas and pools/hot tubs/saunas.
alohamom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2003
Kind of what I thought, thank you for answering!
JM735
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2015
Pearl Harbor
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Another long post...
One of the must-do’s for the trip was to visit Pearl Harbor. I’d read online that earlier in the trip can be beneficial since your body likely has not fully adjusted to the time change and an early morning may be less ‘painful.’ We followed this recommendation and planned for Pearl Harbor to be our second full day.
We purchased the ‘Passport to Pearl Harbor,’ which included a scheduled time for the Arizona Memorial and access to the Missouri Battleship, Bowfin Submarine and Aviation Museum. Our scheduled Arizona Memorial time was 11:00 a.m., which was the earliest time available for advance tickets at the sixty-day mark. The week before our trip I was doing final checks on our plans I learned about an extended tour of the Missouri that sounded fascinating. It is a 90-minute tour exploring some of the engine and artillery areas. We decided to inquire about adding this on once we arrived.
Our goal was to leave Aulani by 6:30 a.m. Brad and I went to the fitness center for a short run which was definitely not long enough for all that we were eating, but it’s vacation and calories don’t count, right?! Regardless, while running I was watching the local news and saw that morning traffic was picking up, as expected, but it didn’t look too bad. Everyone ate something for breakfast in the room and we were out the door by 6:45 a.m.
Once we started driving, Waze offered an alternate route to avoid some freeway congestion and get us there 10 minutes earlier. I really don’t know where we were, but it showed us a ‘different part’ of the island that you don’t notice from the freeway. There were parked cars packing the driveways and streets and a few houses with bars on windows, but nothing that made us feel unsafe. We seemed to be in a parade of others taking the same route – at one point Brad said ‘just follow the car in front of you, they seem to be taking the same route.’ Thanks, Navigator! Along this detour may be where we first saw chickens roaming freely. I take that back, we first saw a family of them in the Costco parking lot. But we did see a lot of chickens wandering about when we took this detour, and randomly throughout the trip.
Once we got to Pearl Harbor I pulled into the first parking lot where we let Pam and Dave out while Brad and I found parking. That lot was full, but the next one over had quite a few spaces, so we quickly parked and met Pam and Dave at the entrance. Again following advice of others, we travelled lightly that day with only the basics that fit in our pockets and we didn’t leave anything in the car. I left the car doors unlocked, which was a very strange feeling. Apparently, in the past there have been patterns of break-ins there. This may not still be an issue, as we did not have any problems and felt plenty safe.
There was a helpful security person who greeted us and asked if we had tickets already. When I told her yes, for 11:00 a.m. she directed us to where to pick them up and suggested we ask about an earlier time since it was a light day. I’m glad she suggested this since it made our plan for the day much easier. I went to the counter and picked up our Passport tickets and inquired about an earlier time for the Arizona and I was given tickets for 8:30 a.m. Next, I picked up the audio devices for the narrated, self-guided part of the tour. Lastly, I went to another desk to inquire about the extended Missouri tour. The gentleman there initially discouraged me from doing this since he said it would take us 6-8 hours to do everything that was included with the Passport experience. We’d already decided that we wouldn’t go to the Aviation museum and I believed we would enjoy the guided tour on the Missouri more than the self-guided one. I told him I was sure it’s what we wanted to do and bought tickets (additional $25 per person) for Dave, Brad and me to join the 11:00 a.m. Heart of Missouri tour.
We all went to the restroom (for anyone not familiar, restrooms are not available for the 60-75 minute time during the film, tour and round-trip boat ride to the Arizona Memorial) and then waited with the others for our tour. As so many people have said, the film is very well done and provides a good foundational knowledge of the events leading up to the attack. The boat ride was quick and interesting to see the sites of an active base. The Memorial is a very somber place to reflect on that tragic day in our nation’s history.
Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and Arizona Memorial:
Upon returning to the welcome center, we explored the museum and several of the outside exhibits. We took the bus to Ford Island where the Missouri and Aviation Museum are located. Once there, we boarded the ship, checked in for the tour and then explored until it was time to meet for the tour. For anyone who may not want to climb the stairs to board the Missouri, a ramp entrance is available if you go to the right rather than the left when you get to the ship; we learned this after first going to the stairway entrance.
Battleship Missouri:
There is a disclaimer on the website about the Heart of Missouri tour being ‘physically strenuous’; which I’d say is an exaggeration. However, the warnings about ‘steep, narrow stairs, two-foot high obstacles, tight doorways and low overheads’ were accurate. These elements did not excite Pam so she chose to explore the upper decks of the Missouri on her own.
Pam assured us she’d entertain herself (and not fall overboard) while we were gone for the next hour and a half. It was an awesome tour and we were very glad we did it. The things we got to see and learn, and the knowledge of the tour guide, were amazing. There were only five of us plus the guide, so it was easy to converse with the guide. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who enjoys seeing ‘under the hood.’
Heart of Missouri Tour:
Once we finished the tour we found Pam had already disembarked and was waiting in the shade. She said she enjoyed wandering around and watched ceremonies taking place under a tent at the back of the ship.
Next, we took the bus back to the Arizona visitor’s center to see the Bowfin submarine. We were offered a narrated tour option, but we passed on that and just walked through the submarine; which was exciting to see up close.
Bowfin Submarine:
After this we stopped at the gift shop and then we were on our way to lunch.
As I mentioned, we all considered Pearl Harbor a must-do. There was a lot to see and absorb – it struck a balance of educational, emotional and entertaining. In hindsight we might have been fine not getting the Passport, but it did simplify things by giving us full access and letting us do what we wanted once we were there.
Our lunch plan this day was Honolulu Beerworks. It was an easy drive there; possibly a bit farther than we expected, but not bad. Street parking was the only option, but I was able to just pull into a spot – trust me I was not going to actually parallel park that thing! We then encountered a lapse in planning: change for parking meters. I’ve become so accustomed to using cards for parking meters that I didn’t even think to have some change. Luckily, they could change a couple bucks for me at the restaurant.
While still a brewery, this one was very different from Kona Brewing Company, where we ate the day before. Honolulu Beerworks is more rustic, including picnic tables and beer casks for seating; it was neat to have something themed differently. They also had board games for people to play – including Battleship! One thing that surprised us was that they didn’t have burgers or fries on the menu. This was not an issue for us and in fact was nice to have fresh options. It was a tasty meal and everyone enjoyed it. There are only two sandwiches pictured since Brad and Dave got the same sandwich and I got the same as Pam...
Honolulu Beerworks (top to bottom): Candied Beer Nuts (yum!), Muffuletta (sandwich special that day) and Italian Hoagie.
After lunch we headed back to Aulani, and while there was some traffic it was not nearly as bad as the previous day. We wandered through the shops before going to the room. Typically, I’d drop the other three off at the main entrance then go park the car. Probably half of the time I found at least one of the three in the gift shops. Even though they were not large stores, it seemed we’d often find things we hadn’t seen before. Walking by the shops and not being tempted to stop in every time you go to your room may be a reason to consider staying in the Waianae tower…
We needed a few items that we didn't get at Safeway the day before so Brad and I went to Target. Unfortunately, we found they were also out of all fresh peppers, so we improvised with some canned semi-equivalent. Side note: spices were much cheaper at Target than Safeway. Target had a much smaller selection, but for the cayenne and nutmeg we forgot to bring from home, they were half the cost of Safeway.
We got back to the room and made dinner and then just relaxed until each of us finally called it a day. Since we were not sure how much time we’d spend at Pearl Harbor, and consequently what time lunch would be, fixing dinner in the room worked well. Many evenings were spent on the balcony enjoying the weather, view, Olelo Room music and simply being on vacation in Hawaii. Having adult beverages in the room was both more convenient and economical for those evenings.
Next: Our first day spent solely at Aulani!
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Another long post...
One of the must-do’s for the trip was to visit Pearl Harbor. I’d read online that earlier in the trip can be beneficial since your body likely has not fully adjusted to the time change and an early morning may be less ‘painful.’ We followed this recommendation and planned for Pearl Harbor to be our second full day.
We purchased the ‘Passport to Pearl Harbor,’ which included a scheduled time for the Arizona Memorial and access to the Missouri Battleship, Bowfin Submarine and Aviation Museum. Our scheduled Arizona Memorial time was 11:00 a.m., which was the earliest time available for advance tickets at the sixty-day mark. The week before our trip I was doing final checks on our plans I learned about an extended tour of the Missouri that sounded fascinating. It is a 90-minute tour exploring some of the engine and artillery areas. We decided to inquire about adding this on once we arrived.
Our goal was to leave Aulani by 6:30 a.m. Brad and I went to the fitness center for a short run which was definitely not long enough for all that we were eating, but it’s vacation and calories don’t count, right?! Regardless, while running I was watching the local news and saw that morning traffic was picking up, as expected, but it didn’t look too bad. Everyone ate something for breakfast in the room and we were out the door by 6:45 a.m.
Once we started driving, Waze offered an alternate route to avoid some freeway congestion and get us there 10 minutes earlier. I really don’t know where we were, but it showed us a ‘different part’ of the island that you don’t notice from the freeway. There were parked cars packing the driveways and streets and a few houses with bars on windows, but nothing that made us feel unsafe. We seemed to be in a parade of others taking the same route – at one point Brad said ‘just follow the car in front of you, they seem to be taking the same route.’ Thanks, Navigator! Along this detour may be where we first saw chickens roaming freely. I take that back, we first saw a family of them in the Costco parking lot. But we did see a lot of chickens wandering about when we took this detour, and randomly throughout the trip.
Once we got to Pearl Harbor I pulled into the first parking lot where we let Pam and Dave out while Brad and I found parking. That lot was full, but the next one over had quite a few spaces, so we quickly parked and met Pam and Dave at the entrance. Again following advice of others, we travelled lightly that day with only the basics that fit in our pockets and we didn’t leave anything in the car. I left the car doors unlocked, which was a very strange feeling. Apparently, in the past there have been patterns of break-ins there. This may not still be an issue, as we did not have any problems and felt plenty safe.
There was a helpful security person who greeted us and asked if we had tickets already. When I told her yes, for 11:00 a.m. she directed us to where to pick them up and suggested we ask about an earlier time since it was a light day. I’m glad she suggested this since it made our plan for the day much easier. I went to the counter and picked up our Passport tickets and inquired about an earlier time for the Arizona and I was given tickets for 8:30 a.m. Next, I picked up the audio devices for the narrated, self-guided part of the tour. Lastly, I went to another desk to inquire about the extended Missouri tour. The gentleman there initially discouraged me from doing this since he said it would take us 6-8 hours to do everything that was included with the Passport experience. We’d already decided that we wouldn’t go to the Aviation museum and I believed we would enjoy the guided tour on the Missouri more than the self-guided one. I told him I was sure it’s what we wanted to do and bought tickets (additional $25 per person) for Dave, Brad and me to join the 11:00 a.m. Heart of Missouri tour.
We all went to the restroom (for anyone not familiar, restrooms are not available for the 60-75 minute time during the film, tour and round-trip boat ride to the Arizona Memorial) and then waited with the others for our tour. As so many people have said, the film is very well done and provides a good foundational knowledge of the events leading up to the attack. The boat ride was quick and interesting to see the sites of an active base. The Memorial is a very somber place to reflect on that tragic day in our nation’s history.
Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and Arizona Memorial:
Upon returning to the welcome center, we explored the museum and several of the outside exhibits. We took the bus to Ford Island where the Missouri and Aviation Museum are located. Once there, we boarded the ship, checked in for the tour and then explored until it was time to meet for the tour. For anyone who may not want to climb the stairs to board the Missouri, a ramp entrance is available if you go to the right rather than the left when you get to the ship; we learned this after first going to the stairway entrance.
Battleship Missouri:
There is a disclaimer on the website about the Heart of Missouri tour being ‘physically strenuous’; which I’d say is an exaggeration. However, the warnings about ‘steep, narrow stairs, two-foot high obstacles, tight doorways and low overheads’ were accurate. These elements did not excite Pam so she chose to explore the upper decks of the Missouri on her own.
Pam assured us she’d entertain herself (and not fall overboard) while we were gone for the next hour and a half. It was an awesome tour and we were very glad we did it. The things we got to see and learn, and the knowledge of the tour guide, were amazing. There were only five of us plus the guide, so it was easy to converse with the guide. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who enjoys seeing ‘under the hood.’
Heart of Missouri Tour:
Once we finished the tour we found Pam had already disembarked and was waiting in the shade. She said she enjoyed wandering around and watched ceremonies taking place under a tent at the back of the ship.
Next, we took the bus back to the Arizona visitor’s center to see the Bowfin submarine. We were offered a narrated tour option, but we passed on that and just walked through the submarine; which was exciting to see up close.
Bowfin Submarine:
After this we stopped at the gift shop and then we were on our way to lunch.
As I mentioned, we all considered Pearl Harbor a must-do. There was a lot to see and absorb – it struck a balance of educational, emotional and entertaining. In hindsight we might have been fine not getting the Passport, but it did simplify things by giving us full access and letting us do what we wanted once we were there.
Our lunch plan this day was Honolulu Beerworks. It was an easy drive there; possibly a bit farther than we expected, but not bad. Street parking was the only option, but I was able to just pull into a spot – trust me I was not going to actually parallel park that thing! We then encountered a lapse in planning: change for parking meters. I’ve become so accustomed to using cards for parking meters that I didn’t even think to have some change. Luckily, they could change a couple bucks for me at the restaurant.
While still a brewery, this one was very different from Kona Brewing Company, where we ate the day before. Honolulu Beerworks is more rustic, including picnic tables and beer casks for seating; it was neat to have something themed differently. They also had board games for people to play – including Battleship! One thing that surprised us was that they didn’t have burgers or fries on the menu. This was not an issue for us and in fact was nice to have fresh options. It was a tasty meal and everyone enjoyed it. There are only two sandwiches pictured since Brad and Dave got the same sandwich and I got the same as Pam...
Honolulu Beerworks (top to bottom): Candied Beer Nuts (yum!), Muffuletta (sandwich special that day) and Italian Hoagie.
After lunch we headed back to Aulani, and while there was some traffic it was not nearly as bad as the previous day. We wandered through the shops before going to the room. Typically, I’d drop the other three off at the main entrance then go park the car. Probably half of the time I found at least one of the three in the gift shops. Even though they were not large stores, it seemed we’d often find things we hadn’t seen before. Walking by the shops and not being tempted to stop in every time you go to your room may be a reason to consider staying in the Waianae tower…
We needed a few items that we didn't get at Safeway the day before so Brad and I went to Target. Unfortunately, we found they were also out of all fresh peppers, so we improvised with some canned semi-equivalent. Side note: spices were much cheaper at Target than Safeway. Target had a much smaller selection, but for the cayenne and nutmeg we forgot to bring from home, they were half the cost of Safeway.
We got back to the room and made dinner and then just relaxed until each of us finally called it a day. Since we were not sure how much time we’d spend at Pearl Harbor, and consequently what time lunch would be, fixing dinner in the room worked well. Many evenings were spent on the balcony enjoying the weather, view, Olelo Room music and simply being on vacation in Hawaii. Having adult beverages in the room was both more convenient and economical for those evenings.
Next: Our first day spent solely at Aulani!
princessbride6205
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 8, 2006
We leave in less than 6 weeks! Absorbing everything as I've just started planning in depth. ILooking forward to the next update!
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