Still Worth It?

[DCLCrazy64622]

We will be in Hawaii in December and I keep going back and forth with Aulani and Hilton Waikiki resort. There seems to be a lot of construction going on and many of the amenities are out of commission. Would it still be worth it to stay at Aulani? Has anyone been to both resorts? TIA!

 

[spacecanada]

The big question here is: what does your family want to do whilst on Oahu? Do you want to play on the beach, go adventuring around the island, visit the major tourist attractions, eat certain places, etc? The location alone may be your deciding factor, as Aulani is quite far from Honolulu if you want to be in town most days.

Honestly, all of our favourite pools and the lazy river will be open in December, and the adult pool will be made family friendly. The other construction will be fairly limited in that time by the looks of it. I'd definitely go to Aulani in this time, but we've been before and know what the highlights are for each of us.

 

[Version 6]

We will be in Hawaii in December and I keep going back and forth with Aulani and Hilton Waikiki resort. There seems to be a lot of construction going on and many of the amenities are out of commission. Would it still be worth it to stay at Aulani? Has anyone been to both resorts? TIA!

How long will you be in Oahu? It may be worth considering splitting between Aulani and Waikiki.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

How long will you be in Oahu? It may be worth considering splitting between Aulani and Waikiki.

Just 4 nights before we get on the NCL cruise ship.

 

[Version 6]

Just 4 nights before we get on the NCL cruise ship.

Okay - not long enough to split your stay in my opinion.

As @spacecanada has alluded to above, it really depends on what your family wants to do while in Oahu. Aulani is great for relaxing in the resort but wouldn't be an ideal base for exploring Waikiki for example.

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

if your going on a cruise after...the main pool being refurbed may not be that big of a deal (most cruise ships have normal pools I think)

if you're there while the pools are being refurbed...the room credits could provide a cheap character breakfast or spa visit...or both.

 

[nkereina]

Is the other resort you're considering the Hilton Hawaiian Village? There is a smaller Hilton property in Waikiki, so just wanted to clarify.

Assuming its Hilton Hawaiian Village, its definitely a beautiful resort but its at the far end of the strip making for a long-ish walk to the heart of Waikiki. Having a car during that time would make for parking fees and hassles, as well as having to contend with traffic around the area. IMO, its much easier to have a car at Aulani and its easy to go out on excursions and do sightseeing from there. It is in a more secluded area of the island, but with a car, it wasn't too inconvenient in our experience. With 4 days, I would still stay at Aulani. You will get the full experience and could opt to spend your last day in Waikiki to see that area before boarding your ship (I think the cruise port is closer to Waikiki).

 

[tankin]

@DCLCrazy64622 We're DVC members with Aulani as our home resort (so you know we love the place). I'm going to take the opposite view of @nkereina. With only 4 days (probably more like 3 1/2 once you factor in flight arrivals and boarding the ship), I'd stay in Waikiki. Most of that area is walkable (long walk but walkable). For the things that aren't (Pearl Harbor, PCC, Hanauma Bay), the transportation options to get you to the tourist spots are easy to find. Put it all together and there's no reason to get a car.

At Aulani, you'd have to get a car to see anything (plus worrying about dropping it off before the cruise), its definitely a longer drive to just about anything you'll want to see and with stuff closed, I'm not sure they'll be enough to do at Aulani to keep you entertained for 3 1/2 - 4 days.

Here's the ultimate cop out ... You really can't go wrong either way.

 

[nkereina]

@DCLCrazy64622 We're DVC members with Aulani as our home resort (so you know we love the place). I'm going to take the opposite view of @nkereina. With only 4 days (probably more like 3 1/2 once you factor in flight arrivals and boarding the ship), I'd stay in Waikiki. Most of that area is walkable (long walk but walkable). For the things that aren't (Pearl Harbor, PCC, Hanauma Bay), the transportation options to get you to the tourist spots are easy to find. Put it all together and there's no reason to get a car.

At Aulani, you'd have to get a car to see anything (plus worrying about dropping it off before the cruise), its definitely a longer drive to just about anything you'll want to see and with stuff closed, I'm not sure they'll be enough to do at Aulani to keep you entertained for 3 1/2 - 4 days.

Here's the ultimate cop out ... You really can't go wrong either way.

I don't necessarily disagree with this. I agree, you can't go wrong either way, and there are pros and cons to both. My main reasoning for saying Aulani would still be worthwhile is if they plan to enjoy the resort - I think Aulani would trump any resort in Waikiki. Plus, assuming they are Disney fans, its always nice to incorporate that on a trip away from the World or the Land.

 

[Rusty45398]

Id value not having to have a car pretty highly myself.

 

[nkereina]

Id value not having to have a car pretty highly myself.

If you don't have a car in Oahu but are staying in Waikiki, you could rely on organized bus tours to get you to the main tourist attractions. But the cons are that it comes at a cost (probably more than a rental car in some cases) and you're at the mercy of the tour schedule. Driving in Waikiki isn't optimal due to traffic and there is likely parking charges at most hotels, but this could be avoided with a one-day rental.

One of the greatest things about Hawaii is being able to take in the lush scenery. There were a few times when we were driving and came upon a beautiful site, or a little beach, or an interesting looking restaurant or food stand and we had the flexibility to stop and check it out. If staying at Aulani, a car is a must IMO, unless you plan to stay at the resort the whole time.

 

[pixiedustedme]

One of the greatest things about Hawaii is being able to take in the lush scenery. There were a few times when we were driving and came upon a beautiful site, or a little beach, or an interesting looking restaurant or food stand and we had the flexibility to stop and check it out. If staying at Aulani, a car is a must IMO, unless you plan to stay at the resort the whole time.

I haven't yet been to Aulani, but I have been to Maui, and I second this comment completely when it comes to a Hawaiian vacation. A car was very important to our trip, as it allowed us to explore the island at will. Even though we were staying at a wonderful resort with activities and great beach access, just staying there the entire time would have robbed us of half of the beauty and enjoyment of our trip.

 

[dizzneebabe]

We just came back from 4 nights in Waikiki. My husband was there for work and I tagged along. We were at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It is a fantastic resort and within walking distance to more restaurants/shops. We attended the Luau there and on Friday nights they have fireworks on the beach. There is also a National Car rental onsite, which we used for two days. Just note, they don't offer one way rentals; you have to return the car there. With the rental car, we did a driving tour up to the North Shore and down back, ending at Aulani, before heading back to the Hilton. We did run into some traffic that night, but I believe the drive was only about 30 min. Aulani is beautiful, but is definitely a drive from everything. The resort was booked, or I would have opted to stay one night, just to do it. However, even being fully booked, we saw snack/drink stands closed. We were surprised we couldn't see sunset, without climbing through bushes to get to the neighboring beach (we saw others doing it). This was my first time there and while I would normally opt for laid back, I was more content at the Hilton. As DVC members, you can valet at Aulani for 2.5 hours for free, with $50 in resort spending. That was easy! My DH found a Reyn Spooner Moana shirt that he couldn't live without.

 

[orion2185]

@DCLCrazy64622 We're DVC members with Aulani as our home resort (so you know we love the place). I'm going to take the opposite view of @nkereina. With only 4 days (probably more like 3 1/2 once you factor in flight arrivals and boarding the ship), I'd stay in Waikiki. Most of that area is walkable (long walk but walkable). For the things that aren't (Pearl Harbor, PCC, Hanauma Bay), the transportation options to get you to the tourist spots are easy to find. Put it all together and there's no reason to get a car.

At Aulani, you'd have to get a car to see anything (plus worrying about dropping it off before the cruise), its definitely a longer drive to just about anything you'll want to see and with stuff closed, I'm not sure they'll be enough to do at Aulani to keep you entertained for 3 1/2 - 4 days.

Here's the ultimate cop out ... You really can't go wrong either way.

We are also DVC members that own at Aulani and normally do long stays at the resort (14 nights)
However, we are 2 adults no kids.

With the current construction going on at the resort....we say give Aulani a miss a stay elsewhere.

There's plenty to do at Aulani...but don't feel this would be the ideal resort to stay at whilst is under construction.
Normally we would 100% say to stay at Aulani (it's amazing!) but feel that the construction will impact your stay and thoughts on Aulani

Keep in mind that no 2 people have the same expectations or thoughts on what a vacation should be.
so take any advice with a grain of salt