Your Second Choice to Aulani

[CaptainAmerica]

Your post gets to the heart and confusion of where to make a home base on Oahu for a short stay. In reality, Aulani is probably not the smartest move. Our stay on Oahu will be a blur — Pearl Harbor, North Shore, Cultural Center are the goals of the group. I'm a Diamond Hilton Honors and your mention of Embassy Suites and the Hampton Inn -makes a lot of sense.

In terms of a short stay, the hiccup in your itinerary isn't where you're choosing to stay, it's the attractions you're trying to visit. Those three destinations are about as far as imaginable from one another. The idea of a "home base" that's centralized to Pearl Harbor, the North Shore, and the PCC doesn't really work no matter where you're staying. Waikiki isn't really going to put you any closer to those things than Aulani would.

Polynesian Cultural Center - 1:12 from Aulani, 1:04 from Hilton Hawaiian Village
North Shore (using Giovanni's Shrimp Truck as a proxy) - 0:41 from Aulani, 0:51 from Hilton Hawaiian Village
Pearl Harbor Visitors Center - 0:32 from Aulani, 0:27 from Hilton Hawaiian Village

This meme that "Aulani is far from everything" and "Waikiki is close to everything" is nonsense unless you plan to spend your entire time in and around Honolulu.

If your focus is getting a lot done in a short amount of time, I'd consider replacing the Polynesian Cultural Center with the Bishop Museum, and replacing the North Shore with Diamond Head. With that itinerary, staying on Waikiki would save you a ton of driving. But if you're dead set on PCC and the North Shore, Aulani isn't any further than staying on Waikiki.

 

[alohamom]

I'd consider replacing the Polynesian Cultural Center with the Bishop Museum,

I was actually going to suggest this as well.

 

[SteveH]

Do you have a Tiki Bar recommendation?

Just wanted to toss out a great resource; Kevin Crossman's The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai site is a good guide, click on the Tiki Travels menu and he has info about "Tiki" Bars in Honolulu and The Big Island. From all I've read in perpetration for our trip I would suggest Skull & Crown or as Kevin wrote "Skull & Crown Trading Company – Tiki Meets Vintage Hawaiiana"

 

[OKW Lover]

From all I've read in perpeartion for our trip I would suggest Skull & Crown o

We've actually been to Skull & Crown. Be warned that its in a fairly seedy location. Once inside though its a fun experience. Be sure to try their Mai Tai's made with Ko Hana rum which is distilled right there on the island. In fact, a tour of the Ko Hana rum factory can be a fun adult experience.

 

[KELLY]

Well we paid 2500.00 for 7 nights ocean view. But we booked yesterday and leave in 2.5 weeks. So no we aren't rich.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

The Four Seasons in Ko Olina has quite possibly the BEST hospitality I have ever received. I felt like an earthbound goddess being waited on hand and foot. We only stayed for 2 nights at the start of our 10-day honeymoon and I almost cancelled the rest of our itinerary just to stay planted there.

 

[FroZone the Pirate]

Just wanted to toss out a great resource; Kevin Crossman's The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai site is a good guide, click on the Tiki Travels menu and he has info about "Tiki" Bars in Honolulu and The Big Island. From all I've read in perpetration for our trip I would suggest Skull & Crown or as Kevin wrote "Skull & Crown Trading Company – Tiki Meets Vintage Hawaiiana"

thank you for the resource…

 

[vacay77]

Let's pretend that everyone on these boards aren't filthy rich and for some reason can't afford to go to Aulani when the visit Hawaii. Again, hypothetical. If you had to choose another Oahu or Hawaiian Island resort, which one would you choose. And since you're sharing in this dream scenario, go ahead and tell us why.

The Grand Hyatt in Kauai. My family went several years ago and got a great package through Costco which included breakfast and a rental car for the week. We had a great time relaxing at the resort - there's a lazy river plus a lagoon. And we had a great time touring around the island. My family would return there in a heartbeat.

 

[vacay77]

Well we paid 2500.00 for 7 nights ocean view. But we booked yesterday and leave in 2.5 weeks. So no we aren't rich.

That's awesome! For the OP or others reading this, 2 days ago I received an email from Disney regarding a discounted stay at the Aulani: Save up to 20% on 5 night says or 15% on 4 night stays when you book through 2/6/22 and arrive between 5/10/22-6/1/22. Stay of 4 more more nights includes a $150 resort credit. These are the types of offers that I have taken advantage of in the past.

 

[Willow1213]

That's awesome! For the OP or others reading this, 2 days ago I received an email from Disney regarding a discounted stay at the Aulani: Save up to 20% on 5 night says or 15% on 4 night stays when you book through 2/6/22 and arrive between 5/10/22-6/1/22. Stay of 4 more more nights includes a $150 resort credit. These are the types of offers that I have taken advantage of in the past.

Just to add, there is also a Disney Visa offer to up that discount 25% for 5+ nights or 20% for 4 nights. Includes the same $150 resort credit if booked by 2/6

 

[GatorChris]

That's awesome! For the OP or others reading this, 2 days ago I received an email from Disney regarding a discounted stay at the Aulani: Save up to 20% on 5 night says or 15% on 4 night stays when you book through 2/6/22 and arrive between 5/10/22-6/1/22. Stay of 4 more more nights includes a $150 resort credit. These are the types of offers that I have taken advantage of in the past.

My wife's a teacher. And our anniversary is mid-June. So the offer doesn't work for our time schedule unfortunately.

Plus now, several of the islands are issuing mandates that you have to be vaccinated and boostered just to get into restaurants and stuff. I'm in the clear, though I didn't get boostered since I got Delta after the vax. My wife can't take it because of the preservatives in all vaccines - it does bad stuff to her. We can do the testing before the trip. That seems reasonable. But having to continue to test throughout the trip just to eat is not very magical. We've already had the Delta - wishing they had an antibody test for her because of her condition.