Location – This seems obvious, right? Aulani is in Hawaii, so how could it be anything less than fantastic. To me, one of the best things about Aulani, is that it is Ko’Olina. This is on the less touristy, less busy side of Oahu. You’re 27 miles away from Waikiki, 26 miles from North Shore, and 17 miles from Pearl Harbor. This means that you feel very secluded and private, but you’re not far from lot of other activities.
Food – The food available at Aulani is wonderful. Ama Ama is the perfect beachfront setting for a special dinner. Try to schedule it so you’ll be able to watch the sun go down as you dine. There is an incredible buffet at Makahiki, complete with Disney characters at breakfast. In the pool area, there are plenty of quick service options, including Dole Whips and shaved ice!
Water – The pool areas and beach at Aulani are incredible. There is a manmade, inland snorkeling lagoon. This means that kids can snorkel without having to worry about waves or swimming out too far. The family pool area has a lazy river, two water slides, zero entry pools, and a splash area for younger kids. There are family hot tubs as well as adult only hot tubs and an adult only pool. The beach has complimentary body board, boat and kayak rentals (for a small fee) as well as one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Hawaii and the potential to see plenty of wildlife. It’s netted so while there may be small fish swimming, you don’t have to worry about anything larger.
Fun – There is plenty to do at Aulani! And if you want to visit the rest of the island, there are excursions available to book for an additional fee. They include hiking through the rainforest, surf lessons, and more. At Aulani, there are plenty of complimentary fun activities available around the resort. Check your daily Iwa for more details. The activities include drawing Disney characters, lei making, learning Hawaiian words, ukulele lessons and more. It almost feels as if you’re on a cruise with all of the choices you have! And kids have their own special area, Auntie’s Club House. This area is similar to the Oceaneer Club on Disney Cruise Lines in that it is a secure space parents can check their children (ages 3 to 12) into. The kids have access to games, movies, dress up, books, and more. There are fun activities that happen throughout the day as well. Some of these are complimentary but they do require registration the morning of. (Check the Iwa for more information).
Disney – And of course, the best thing about Aulani, the Disney. Disney has created a resort in paradise with attention to details that only they can offer. They have taken so many aspects of Hawaiian culture and included those in the design of the resort. Be sure to check out Painted Sky, the teen spa. There is a unique photograph display on one wall, but there is a story behind this display. What looks like simple pictures of patterns are actually pictures of the unique tattoos from Cast Members in the resort. These tattoos are a huge part of the Hawaiian culture. The pictures behind the front desk that form a rainbow of colors are actually photographs submitted by Hawaiian children of things they think best represent that color in Hawaii. Menehune are hidden around resort. Leis are given at check in. All of these little details are what create the Disney difference in Hawaii.
Explore the Disney difference in Hawaii when you’re visiting Aulani! Email me at Amy@TravelWithTheMagic.com or you can find me on Facebook. You can also call me at 1-800-670-4312, ext 129. I can’t wait to plan your MAGICAL Hawaiian vacation
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