Why Aulani?

[Lilsia]

I am a DVC member and use my points for our stays. This is the only way that I would be able to afford going to away since it makes it very affordable. I save up 3 years worth of points and stay for at least 2 weeks at Aulani for the cost of the room tax. We also then spend a few days in Waikiki to walk around, shop, and eat there. We fell in love with Aulani. It is quiet and secluded. Also having the protected cove to swim in is a big bonus. The ocean is scary. You can stay cheaper in the Waikiki area, but it is not the same feel. It is a city and all night you hear sirens and traffic noise. So depending on what you want out of a vacation, location does matter.

 

[Iceman93]

We don't stay at Aulani when on Oahu, we are those Marriott people.

I'm not sure how staying at Aulani makes it a true Hawaiian or Disney experience. We get just as good service at the Marriott.

A couple of thoughts on this, coming from a Bonvoy Ambassador member (so I do like my Marriott stays too). I guess the first question is, if you've never stayed there, how do you know you get "just as good service at the Marriott"? Popping in to buy a snack obviously does not expose one to the entire set of service experiences as an overnight guest. Aulani is, hands-down, one of the best-run hotels I've ever stayed at (and I've spent a total of over seven years of my life in hotels). It is Ritz-Carlton caliber, and on the better end of that scale as well. I'm not saying one can't have a perfectly acceptable stay at a Marriott or that one might choose a Marriott over Aulani if the cost/value proposition isn't there, but don't dismiss the customer service as being equivalent, because it just isn't.

In terms of a "true Hawaiian or Disney experience", I'll focus on the Hawaiian part. There are some great videos out there of Joe Rohde talking about the design process of Aulani; I challenge you to watch those and NOT come away with the sense it offers a much more genuine Hawaiian experience than any mass-market hotel or resort on the islands. In fact, that is the whole reason Aulani exists and it pervades tons of details, big and small, throughout the place. If you were paying attention, even when you popped over for a snack, you should have felt the difference. If not, and all that effort is lost on you, then I agree it's not worth paying Aulani's premium prices.

 

[wdw71]

We don't stay at Aulani when on Oahu, we are those Marriott people.

I'm not sure how staying at Aulani makes it a true Hawaiian or Disney experience. We get just as good service at the Marriott.

If we are staying for only a few days on Oahu, then we stay at the Marriott a block from Waikiki.

We are Marriott Vacation Club owners so we do stay at Ko Olina if we are staying on Oahu for more than a few days. We are going over Spring Break. I just priced the two resorts for those dates. If we were paying cash we would be paying almost $800 more for 1 bedroom villa Aulani Garden view than the 1 bedroom villa ocean view for the Marriott. Yes the Aulani pool is amazing, but it's just us two adults and the Marriott has a lap pool if if I decide I want to do laps instead of an open water ocean swim.

Would I love to stay at Aulani because it's Disney? If the prices were equal than yes. But I would rather use that savings to put back into the local economy. For example, we have a large wall going into our basement. We have an open concept house so you can see that wall from the kitchen/living are. We want to purchase a picture of some sort while on Oahu for that wall.

I think staying at Aulani or at another hotel or resort is a choice that is difficult to make. You have to weigh the location of the resort, what you want to visit while on Oahu, and the prices to see what is the best fit for you and your family.

Now am I that person who will walk down the beach from the Marriott Ko Olina to Aulani so I can have a Mickey Bar and purchase some Chip and Dale Mickey Cheesehead Crackers. Yup! I will even buy a shirt if I see one I like.

This is exactly what we did! Loved the Marriott Ko Olina, wonderful pool, and a lagoon not shared with another hotel. Aulani is nice to visit and maybe have dinner but we'd rather spend our money on other things while on Oahu.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

We are doing a split stay.........at the Marriott just across the street from Waikiki Beach for the first couple of days. That's when we'll sight see (Pearl Harbor, Polynesian Cultural Center, etc). Then moving to Aulani, to enjoy the resort and the amenities. I think Aulani is too expensive to stay at and be gone all day. JMHO.

This is exactly what we just did and for the same reason. 5 nights in the Marriott in Waikiki spending the day exploring Oahu and then 3 nights at Aulani exclusively spending time at the resort.

If we were DVC it would be easier to swallow the price but as a cash guest only using the hotel to sleep? We couldn't justify Aulani prices.

 

[TinkSassy]

I want to do Aulani but it has been too expensive or not on the right island for me. Oahu is a short stay for me - catch Pearl Harbor, see Waikiki, North Shore, Diamond Head (the must do tourist highlights) then get out. The other islands are much more my speed - I'm a Maui girl! If you have the budget and want significant resort time - or the amenities of the child care - it may be right for your family.

 

[Laurca1]

Forgive the ignorance. I've never been to Hawaii... What are the benefits of staying at Aulani when going to Hawaii vs staying at just a regular Marriott or something? Aren't most of the things you want to see in Hawaii not at the resort? Now, I do love Disney. I have been to Disney World twice in the last 6 months. But how much time do you actually spend at Aulani compared to everywhere else you want to see?

I think this is a great question. What makes it stand out compared to any other resort?

 

[monsterkitty]

A couple of thoughts on this, coming from a Bonvoy Ambassador member (so I do like my Marriott stays too). I guess the first question is, if you've never stayed there, how do you know you get "just as good service at the Marriott"? Popping in to buy a snack obviously does not expose one to the entire set of service experiences as an overnight guest. Aulani is, hands-down, one of the best-run hotels I've ever stayed at (and I've spent a total of over seven years of my life in hotels). It is Ritz-Carlton caliber, and on the better end of that scale as well. I'm not saying one can't have a perfectly acceptable stay at a Marriott or that one might choose a Marriott over Aulani if the cost/value proposition isn't there, but don't dismiss the customer service as being equivalent, because it just isn't.

In terms of a "true Hawaiian or Disney experience", I'll focus on the Hawaiian part. There are some great videos out there of Joe Rohde talking about the design process of Aulani; I challenge you to watch those and NOT come away with the sense it offers a much more genuine Hawaiian experience than any mass-market hotel or resort on the islands. In fact, that is the whole reason Aulani exists and it pervades tons of details, big and small, throughout the place. If you were paying attention, even when you popped over for a snack, you should have felt the difference. If not, and all that effort is lost on you, then I agree it's not worth paying Aulani's premium prices.

Yes, we have toured Aulani and did appreciate the thoughts going into the designs and the final product. One of my former students who is Hawaiian worked as a CM at Aulani and she gave us a tour. Yes I have watched the Joe Rhode videos and do appreciate the design process and the ties with the Hawaiian culture.

We don't get our Hawaiian experience in a resort. We get our Hawaiian experience by doing things. Can a resort give some of those experiences? Yes. However, I would rather explore the islands and distribute our money into the hands of locals by using their goods.

Frankly we usually only visit Oahu for a few days before going to Kauai or the Big Island. For us personally, Oahu is not the cultural or historical experience we prefer. We personally feel that Oahu is too commercialized at this point. I am not saying that you can't experience true Hawaii on Oahu, but we find the other Kauai and the Big Island fits our interests better. This time however, we were able to use the points from last year's vacation we didn't get to take and Ko Olina was available so we jumped on it.

Finally, Marriott, like Disney, is a family brand. We've stayed at many Disney World resorts and the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier. We've also stayed at many Marriott resorts and hotels in the US and in Europe. Both brands have amazing employees who go out of their way to make your stay memorable. Each family must decide what is best for their unit. Regardless of where one travels, we personally feel it's our responsibility to make sure we have the best experience we can. We don't feel the resort has to be responsible for how our vacation plays out or the experiences we seek. We expect a clean room and comfortable bed. We can still get these things outside of a Disney-branded resort.

It's what works for your family that is important.

 

[jimmymc]

The pool, hotel rooms, DVC villas, and beach amenities are all top quality. You have an almost private beach area that's good for swimming, and you aren't in the concrete jungle like Waikiki. It's basically a top-tier resort right on the beach, with Disney characters and design elements.

It is a little far from the main attractions on the island, which is why a lot of people do split stays. If you're at Aulani for a week, most people only do 1 or 2 days away from the resort, aside from quick trips to restaurants or the store.

 

[Halston]

Aulani pool(s) is like the best pool across all DVC and Disney resort properties.

 

[nkereina]

I'm not sure how staying at Aulani makes it a true Hawaiian or Disney experience. We get just as good service at the Marriott.

Well, staying at Aulani would make for a true Disney experience because its the only Disney resort in Hawaii. That's certainly a big draw for families and Disney fanatics, and one of the main "perks". But I do agree with you that no resort makes for a true Hawaiian experience and Aulani is not better or worse than any comparable resort. The Disney factor is the primary differentiator.

I think this is a great question. What makes it stand out compared to any other resort?

The Disney factor. That's really it. Beautiful resort, awesome amenities, great for families... but the same can be said across many resorts in Hawaii. But if you and your family are Disney fanatics (presumably so, since you're on the Dis) then having that underlying theme, the familiar characters, and knowing you'll get similar service/experience that you're used to at other Disney resort stays make it a good choice.

That said, its still important to remember Hawaii is the ultimate destination. Ko Olina is pretty isolated and there are likely cheaper resorts that are just as nice or may have different things that appeal to you. Aulani is not a theme park, so there's not as much to differentiate it in that regard.

 

[slpybeartx]

I see a lot of comment about Marriotts… Hawaii is home to some WONDERFUL Marriott properties. One's I would callout and recommend based on stays there include;

Marriott Wailea Beach Resort on Maui - Probably my favorite Infinity Pool
JW Marriott Ko 'Olina Resort on Oahu - We too walk over to the Aulani to visit when we stay there.
Westin Hapuna Beach Resort on the Big Island - Hands down our favorite Hotel in Hawaii. The best beach in al of Hawaii IMHO.
Mauna Kea Beach Resort on the Big Island

At these resorts the Service, grounds, bars, pools, food, golf, all are just great.

Also see a lot of comments about Waikiki vs. Aulani. We aren't crazy about staying anywhere in Honolulu since our first trip there. But since then we just go to the JW Ko 'Olina and limit visits to Oahu to a day or two at most.

 

[Twohsieh]

We are DVC members, so we try to use our timeshare as much as we can. We love staying at Aulani because the resort can accommodate all five of us in one room, comfortably. At most hotels, we have to book two rooms. In addition to the room space in a 1-2 BR villa, we just love the ambiance of the resort, the pools, the activities and the secluded feel of the area.

Also, the kids club is a big plus. When our kids were younger, we couldn't get them out of the kid's club. We loved that we could leave our three kids having fun and making new friends, while my husband and I go have lunch or dinner together after our daily outing on the island. Our kids fell in love with the kid's club when we were on our first Disney Cruise in February 2011, so when we found out that they had one at Aulani on our November 2011 visit, my kids were thrilled.

Now that our kids are older, they don't go to the kids club anymore but the resort still has a lot of free activities that our kids are still interested in.
Our family usually island hop on our Hawaiian vacations, so we know how hard it is to find a hotel accommodation for a party of five. On top of that, we don't get the luxuries of having a full kitchen, two baths and a washer and dryer in a hotel room.

Our family tries not to visit the same destination again because there are so many new places to explore in our limited time before our kids can't/won't travel with us anymore. However, our kids always ask to go back to Aulani, so we ended up buying a contract at Aulani last year. We're planning for our sixth trip next June-we always seem to squeeze in another vacation at Aulani.

 

[Van@Disney]

I have a fatigue based disability so I never know if I can go and do see the sights. Aulani is so full of things to do even though we stayed at the hotel my daughter loved every minute. And, I could truly relax and rest.