Should I go to Aulani?

[cheerbaybee]

Hello everyone!!

The family and I are going to Hawaii for the very first time in July 2019. Yes, I have heard the weather is hot a miserable in July. However, I was born and raised in Florida and we usually conquer Disney World during the same time.

We will be staying at Hilton Hawaiian Village for 9 days and I am considering extending the trip to include Aulani. Airfare has not been purchased (hoping for southwest) therefore I have extra time to plan.

We are already including everything we want to during the 9 days. However, I love all things Dinsey and can't shake off the feeling that we will be missing out by not staying at Aulani. Is it worth it for a few days?

We absolutely cannot stay at Aulani full time. We are staying at the village on points.(travel a lot with my job) and are not Disney Vacation Members. Also, Aulani is not budget friendly in July.

Any advice is welcomed!

 

[Lilsia]

It is worth staying at Aulani. My daughter and I had our first trip ever to Hawaii this summer and spent a few nights in Waikiki and the rest at Aulani. We explored the whole island during our stay and had an amazing trip. But Aulani is a beautiful resort with that Disney pixie dust. I could have just sat there on the beach the whole trip. It is worth it if that is what you want to do. No one can quantify what staying at Aulani will mean to you. Some will tell you not to because it is too expensive, too far away, etc, etc. But you need to decide what you want to do. I don't think that you will regret staying there. You will probably want to stay longer. Have fun.

 

[wendlle]

It is worth it.
We spent 5 nights at Aulani and 9 nights at the Illikai which is next door the the HHW where you are staying.
We really did not like Waikiki at all! Not our scene, we live at the beach where we are from so it was not a priority for us and there was nothing else to do after 2 days. We were bored to death. However, Aulani was magic. We had the most amazing time there and If I went back to Hawaii it would ONLY be to stay at Aulani and i'd rent points to make it cheaper.

 

[alohamom]

Since you are already considering a stay on Oahu I think you might always regret not having stayed one or two nights at Aulani.

It is pretty busy in July but there are bonuses to it as well, like the pools staying open longer and the ocean being warm for swimming.

 

[cgattis]

Can you use your Marriott points to stay at the vacation club property next to Aulani? I didn’t care for Wakiki at all (not to say you might not), so I’d opt for the KoOkina area over Waikiki, with at least a couple of nights at Aulani.

 

[jodybird511]

We love Aulani, and you'd never get me to Oahu without a stay at Aulani. Might I recommend looking into renting points for your Aulani stay? It will say you a bundle off cash rates, and you'll also get free self-parking!

 

[orion2185]

so worth a stay at Aulani for any amount of mights. We are DVC owners at Aulani and we run into a number of other guest who either split stay at the Hilton or come to Aulani for day visit. Have even meet a 2 couples who were booked at the Hilton and came to visit Aulani and ended up canceling the rest of their stay at the Hilton and ended up booking a moving the rest of their stay to Aulani. Disney really did it right when they built Aulani. Full disclosure we don't have kids and love Aulani more and more each time we stay. Hope you can get a few nights stay at Aulani on your upcoming trip.

 

[kdonnel]

Hello everyone!!
Yes, I have heard the weather is hot a miserable in July. However, I was born and raised in Florida and we usually conquer Disney World during the same time.

Hawaii does not really have a hot and a cold season. It has a wet and a dry season.

It won't be much warmer in July then in April.

 

[Amw1064]

I am from Florida as well and yes you need a few nights at Aulani. You will not think it is hot. It is nothing like here in the summer. (although we always go in June not July)

 

[cheerbaybee]

It is worth staying at Aulani. My daughter and I had our first trip ever to Hawaii this summer and spent a few nights in Waikiki and the rest at Aulani. We explored the whole island during our stay and had an amazing trip. But Aulani is a beautiful resort with that Disney pixie dust. I could have just sat there on the beach the whole trip. It is worth it if that is what you want to do. No one can quantify what staying at Aulani will mean to you. Some will tell you not to because it is too expensive, too far away, etc, etc. But you need to decide what you want to do. I don't think that you will regret staying there. You will probably want to stay longer. Have fun.

That's what I was thinking. I know the Aulani will be a completely different experience than the one I will get at the village.

It is worth it.
We spent 5 nights at Aulani and 9 nights at the Illikai which is next door the the HHW where you are staying.
We really did not like Waikiki at all! Not our scene, we live at the beach where we are from so it was not a priority for us and there was nothing else to do after 2 days. We were bored to death. However, Aulani was magic. We had the most amazing time there and If I went back to Hawaii it would ONLY be to stay at Aulani and i'd rent points to make it cheaper.

What made you dislike the Waikiki area. I did a ton a of research and google said Waikiki was the best area. Minus Aulani of course!

Since you are already considering a stay on Oahu I think you might always regret not having stayed one or two nights at Aulani.

It is pretty busy in July but there are bonuses to it as well, like the pools staying open longer and the ocean being warm for swimming.

Thats all we could afford. The prices in July are insane!!!

 

[cheerbaybee]

Can you use your Marriott points to stay at the vacation club property next to Aulani? I didn’t care for Wakiki at all (not to say you might not), so I’d opt for the KoOkina area over Waikiki, with at least a couple of nights at Aulani.

I have no Marriott points only Hilton. I will be staying at a Marriott in April, but I will not have enough points to cover a stay.

We love Aulani, and you'd never get me to Oahu without a stay at Aulani. Might I recommend looking into renting points for your Aulani stay? It will say you a bundle off cash rates, and you'll also get free self-parking!

I never thought about that!! If I could rent points it could possibly be the same price as a hotel room. Not the $700 a night they are currently asking for.

so worth a stay at Aulani for any amount of mights. We are DVC owners at Aulani and we run into a number of other guest who either split stay at the Hilton or come to Aulani for day visit. Have even meet a 2 couples who were booked at the Hilton and came to visit Aulani and ended up canceling the rest of their stay at the Hilton and ended up booking a moving the rest of their stay to Aulani. Disney really did it right when they built Aulani. Full disclosure we don't have kids and love Aulani more and more each time we stay. Hope you can get a few nights stay at Aulani on your upcoming trip.

Based on everyones feedback, I think I am going to do 2 nights at Aulani. I have the budget for it and can make it work. It just sounds like it is the best idea.

I am from Florida as well and yes you need a few nights at Aulani. You will not think it is hot. It is nothing like here in the summer. (although we always go in June not July)

Thank you!! all the post you read on online makes it seem that it is miserable in July and you can barely survive. I know heat! I think we will be fine.

 

[Jperiod]

We're from Phoenix and have done Oahu twice in July without issue. We think the weather is great. My husband is from Waikiki so we love the city, but it's def a different vibe. Make sure you explore. Oahu has so much to offer. We love the north shore for the snorkeling during the summer. HHV is more in honolulu, not so much waikiki (which is on the east side). We stayed there for a week last summer and didn't like it. WAY too big. I felt like I was at WDW. My family wasn't impressed. The "lagoon" is totally fake and cold (smells like chlorine too!). We did one night at Aulani for cash and my family is dying to go back. Though the lagoons are man-made in ko'olina, they're actually connected to the ocean.

Don't get me wrong, HHV was fine and we were thankful to be in Hawaii, but Aulani was amazing in comparison, definitely worth a couple days.