hodad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2015
We stayed at Aulani 1 night last week, and here's our trip report.
I, my partner, our 7yo child, and her grandmother rented $432 worth of DVC points and had a 5th floor room with a sofa bed looking out over the luau (mostly obscured by trees).
We arrived at 10am after flying from Kona, where we had just spent 5 days at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on a super-discounted timeshare presentation package. (We have no trouble saying no thank you during sales pitches.) We gave our luggage to bell services, and changed into our swimwear in the Luana Lounge. Most people who used the lounge were confused about the lockers, in which you are only supposed to put your things while showering, not while swimming or enjoying the day while you wait for your room.
I went to Aunty's Beach House to see if they had the info I had sent to register my kid several months ago. I was one of the first people to get a response that pre-registering was discontinued, and apparently that also means they threw the registration info away. I would have to bring everyone in the room with their room keys to register the kid again, I think. Because it was 10am, all that day's activities were already fully booked, so it didn't make sense to do all that work to register her for the day we were leaving the resort, so I didn't really pay attention to the byzantine instructions.
We found two chairs behind Little 'Opihi's, ordered some kid's chicken tenders and PBJ, then explored the pools. The room was ready around 1. I had forgotten to self-park the car, which is free even when renting DVC points, so I did that then went upstairs to pull out the sofa bed before calling bell services to bring up luggage.
Then more pool time.
Grandma and kid went to Ulu for a light dinner and early bed, watching the luau from the room and the Merrie Monarch on TV. My partner and I took the cultural tour of the lobby with Drew (awesome) and walked around, then got a flatbread and Dole whip swirl at Ulu a few minutes before it closed at 8:30. Plenty of people arrived for dinner after 8:30, disappointed that it was closed. QS dining should remain open later, imho.
The next morning we had character breakfast at Makahiki, which is the loudest meal I've ever eaten at a Disney resort or park. The food was above average as far as Hawaiian resort breakfast buffets go. I really appreciated the tiny loco moco portions.
After breakfast, I struck up a conversation with one of the cultural ambassadors in the lobby (Kaimani maybe?). We had been trying to identify the source of a very pleasant, leathery/earthy aroma that we associate with Hawaii and other tropical locations, and I had narrowed it down to the shower tree by the ramp before crossing Waikolohe Stream. Kaimani offered to walk down to the spot and see if she could help. She didn't know, but said it could have been the shower tree, since the only other aromatic plant in the area was the plumeria near the timeshare room. If anyone knows what the smell is, I'd appreciate help!
We requested and received late checkout, then stuck around, swimming and taking the self-guided garden tour and lobby Menehune tour on the tablet, before leaving around noon, headed for the Sheraton Waikiki.
Happy to answer any questions anyone has. The stay was a blast, and the perfect dose of Disney to fit into the middle of a trip to Hawaii. I don't know if we'll ever return, though. Hawaii is a wonderful place and doesn't need to be Disneyfied, in my opinion.
I, my partner, our 7yo child, and her grandmother rented $432 worth of DVC points and had a 5th floor room with a sofa bed looking out over the luau (mostly obscured by trees).
We arrived at 10am after flying from Kona, where we had just spent 5 days at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on a super-discounted timeshare presentation package. (We have no trouble saying no thank you during sales pitches.) We gave our luggage to bell services, and changed into our swimwear in the Luana Lounge. Most people who used the lounge were confused about the lockers, in which you are only supposed to put your things while showering, not while swimming or enjoying the day while you wait for your room.
I went to Aunty's Beach House to see if they had the info I had sent to register my kid several months ago. I was one of the first people to get a response that pre-registering was discontinued, and apparently that also means they threw the registration info away. I would have to bring everyone in the room with their room keys to register the kid again, I think. Because it was 10am, all that day's activities were already fully booked, so it didn't make sense to do all that work to register her for the day we were leaving the resort, so I didn't really pay attention to the byzantine instructions.
We found two chairs behind Little 'Opihi's, ordered some kid's chicken tenders and PBJ, then explored the pools. The room was ready around 1. I had forgotten to self-park the car, which is free even when renting DVC points, so I did that then went upstairs to pull out the sofa bed before calling bell services to bring up luggage.
Then more pool time.
Grandma and kid went to Ulu for a light dinner and early bed, watching the luau from the room and the Merrie Monarch on TV. My partner and I took the cultural tour of the lobby with Drew (awesome) and walked around, then got a flatbread and Dole whip swirl at Ulu a few minutes before it closed at 8:30. Plenty of people arrived for dinner after 8:30, disappointed that it was closed. QS dining should remain open later, imho.
The next morning we had character breakfast at Makahiki, which is the loudest meal I've ever eaten at a Disney resort or park. The food was above average as far as Hawaiian resort breakfast buffets go. I really appreciated the tiny loco moco portions.
After breakfast, I struck up a conversation with one of the cultural ambassadors in the lobby (Kaimani maybe?). We had been trying to identify the source of a very pleasant, leathery/earthy aroma that we associate with Hawaii and other tropical locations, and I had narrowed it down to the shower tree by the ramp before crossing Waikolohe Stream. Kaimani offered to walk down to the spot and see if she could help. She didn't know, but said it could have been the shower tree, since the only other aromatic plant in the area was the plumeria near the timeshare room. If anyone knows what the smell is, I'd appreciate help!
We requested and received late checkout, then stuck around, swimming and taking the self-guided garden tour and lobby Menehune tour on the tablet, before leaving around noon, headed for the Sheraton Waikiki.
Happy to answer any questions anyone has. The stay was a blast, and the perfect dose of Disney to fit into the middle of a trip to Hawaii. I don't know if we'll ever return, though. Hawaii is a wonderful place and doesn't need to be Disneyfied, in my opinion.
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