Tips for first time visit

[Jason franks]

Hey looking for any recommendations or tips for our first trip to aulani in september. I am going with my wife and 2 and a half year old daughter. Thanks for any help we are very excited!

 

[abdgeek]

Hey looking for any recommendations or tips for our first trip to aulani in september. I am going with my wife and 2 and a half year old daughter. Thanks for any help we are very excited!

Congratulations on booking your first trip to Aulani. You will love the resort. One of the first decisions you will need to make is whether Aulani will be your vacation or if you want to see the island. You can rent a car at the airport or at the resort. Renting from Alamo at the resort allows you to only rent for the days you know you will leave the resort.

If you’re interested in seeing Waikiki or other areas of Oahu, plan on at least a 30 minute drive depending on traffic. Aulani offers several excursions, but you can also see the same things for less on your own. Probably my biggest tip is to decide what you want to do ahead of your trip (dinner, tours, sites) and make as many reservations as you can before you arrive. You will have a limited selection of restaurants where you can eat at Ko Olina marina where Aulani is, so make sure they fit your budget. You can view menus online by going to the individual restaurant websites. Aulani has daily activities and character interactions. I don’t have kids, but Aulani does have children’s programs at Aunty’s Beach House, but your daughter would have to be 3 to participate and online registration doesn’t guarantee a spot—parents line up in the morning to get kids in.

There’s a lot to do in Hawaii. Unfortunately, you can’t do it all in one trip. Good luck with your planning.

 

[cedricandsophie]

If you look st my response to tex71 question about his itinerary you will see my response about aulani toward the end. But a few more.

The characters at aulani are really wonderful with kids. Even little ones.

The koi pond right outside the restaurant is a marvel for kids. The fish are so well cared for and huge.

Also there is a large viewing area for the small snorkeling area where you can watch the fish.

The lazy river is just that, slow. A great place for kids.

The beach has very gentle waves because it is a lagoon. Boring for older kids but perfect for little ones.

You will see small kids at all the restaurants at aulani and around. Don’t be afraid to take your little one anywhere.

Not sure where your room will be but if you have a one bedroom there is a full kitchen and washer dryer which makes s huge difference to me.

If you have an ocean view you may be able to hear the music from the bar usually from about 530 to 930. We love to sit on our lanai with a drink and listen but if your child goes to sleep early and is disturbed by music you might consider that when you request a room. We were on 10th floor in may and it is easy to hear through the lanai door.

It’s our favorite place in the world. We have been there 7 times and akwYs go in may.

 

[cgattis]

We were on 10th floor in may and it is easy to hear through the lanai door

Just to clarify for OP, I think you mean the music is easy to hear through an OPEN door? Our room faced the volcano slide and we couldn’t hear a peep with the door closed.

 

[nkereina]

My best recommendation is to rent a car. You will need a way to get to and from the airport anyhow, and having a car to explore the island at your leisure or leave Ko Olina for a meal or groceries was really convenient and valuable for us. Ko Olina is a small, planned gated tourist community, so you really don't get much of a sense of true Hawaii unless you go out and explore, and having a car is the most efficient and flexible way to do this.

As for the resort, we loved Ama Ama breakfast and the spa. Beach chairs never quite reached capacity so they were easier to come by than pool chairs. Not sure what the pool chair situation will look like with the pool closure and construction in September, but in our experience, the chairs in front of Ama Ama had availability later on in the morning as well.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Is there a grocery delivery service? We will be staying 3 nights post cruise and will take a car service from port to Aulani.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Just to clarify for OP, I think you mean the music is easy to hear through an OPEN door? Our room faced the volcano slide and we couldn’t hear a peep with the door closed.

I I mean through the closed door. Not loud but you could still hear it. We were right over the music, 10 floors up.

 

[nkereina]

Is there a grocery delivery service? We will be staying 3 nights post cruise and will take a car service from port to Aulani.

Nothing like what is available at WDW, but I believe Instacart will deliver to Aulani. You'd likely just need to coordinate with your driver to meet them at the entrance to receive your groceries.

Otherwise, you could take an Uber to Target/Costco/Safeway in Kapolei which maybe an 8-10 minute drive up the highway. Uber/Lyft are not as frequent as they are in other parts of the island, but worth checking. You can also do a one day car rental through the on-site Alamo. Or you can shop at the Island Country Market across the street - not as large of a selection as a grocery store and prices are a little higher, but its walking distance and should have many of the things you might need on a 3 night stay.

 

[cgattis]

I I mean through the closed door. Not loud but you could still hear it. We were right over the music, 10 floors up.

Oh wow—sorry! Since we couldn’t hear anything, I assumed you meant the opposite. That’s still a pretty great spot for a room I’d think—it was so magical to hear the music drifting up and watching the torches flicker.......*sigh*