By now, we were pros going through airport security and were on another short flight to the next island. We chose not to rent a vehicle on Oahu since we were planning on spending most of our time near the resort - we planned to rent a car for maybe a day or two when we would venture farther. We had pre-arranged with Charley's Taxi for a transfer to the resort (Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa) from the airport. They offer a fixed rate, are reliable, and have clean vehicles. If you pick up a taxi from the airport, you may be stuck with a metered taxi and you'll be paying for the time that you're sitting in traffic (Honolulu rush hour traffic can be just as bad as the GTA).
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| I liked the open air terminal at Kona airport |
The transfer to Disney Aulani was about half an hour from the airport, which wasn't bad at all, since we weren't in rush hour. The resort is located in Ko'Olina which is on the west side of Oahu - the area is not crowded like the popular Waikiki Beach area - there are just a few neighbouring hotels, a golf course, and a harbour. The nearest town (also the closest gas station) with more restaurants and stores is Kapolei, which is just a few minutes east of Ko'Olina. The resort itself seems to get a little busier on weekends since locals are also drawn here for the stay and the character breakfasts.
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| arriving at the resort |
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| entrance to Aulani's lobby |
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| part of the lobby |
The Aulani Resort opened in the Fall of 2011, so this is a relatively new property. As soon as we arrived at the Aulani resort, they made us feel like royalty and Ohana (or family) and it genuinely seemed like they wanted to. The first words we heard were "Aloha! Welcome Home" as they gave me a fresh flower lei; Nigel, a kukui nut lei; Evan, a menehune pendant necklace; and Elliot, palm fronds fashioned into a fish. We were offered some fruit infused water, which seemed to be the best we'd ever tasted; this place is just amazing! The atmosphere is simply magical as you enter the lobby, from the music to the decor - this resort is not like other Disney resorts (get Disney World and Hawaiian Pavillion out of
your head) and doesn't focus on the Disney magic, but integrates it
into the focus of Hawaiian culture. The music you'll hear all around the resort was written by a local artist, Kealii Reichel specifically for Disney, and it is so beautiful, making you feel like you are in a classic Disney movie.
The video below is from the Disney Parks Blog (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XDEDTa0ejYo), and highlights the choice of music for the Aulani resort.
Check in was as easy as any hotel, and like other Disney properties you can use your room key to charge any purchases on the resort (eliminating the need to carry your wallet). Each of us got a room key card customized with our names on them (even the baby) which we could keep at the end of our stay. We would be staying in a Partial Oceanview Parlor Suite for the next 5 nights.
Keep in mind Disney Aulani is a bit more expensive than most of the other resorts or hotels in Oahu, but provides a great value for the experience (and I would stay there again) - at the time we were there, the Parlor Suite we were in was close to $1200 per day, and a standard room was around $450 a day. What many people do to experience this resort, is stay at Aulani for a couple of nights and then at some other hotel for the remainder of their time in Oahu, but I would stay here for the full duration of your time on the island especially if you have kids because there is also an included daycare (Auntie's Beach House). Of course, there are other ways to save on the cost of your stay, such as finding out if there is space in a group we are arranging your own.
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| washroom |
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| sink, cabinet storage, mini-fridge, kettle, & coffeemaker |
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| the parlor- eating area |
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| there's a pullout bed in the cabinet |
We had a king size bed suite and in the parlor there was a pull out bed from the couch and another pull out bed from under the tv. There were tv's in both rooms and they are set up so that in addition to watching tv, you can view and purchase pictures taken of you on the resort (photopass, character meet and greets). There is access to the lanai through unusually heavy patio doors either from the parlor or the suite, and the lanai stretches across both entrances.
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| our lanai |
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| view from our lanai |
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| view from our lanai |
Disney really knows how to make things convenient - every room has a playpen which you can set up for the baby, and they also provide both a large coffee maker, and a large kettle (not the small 4 cup ones found in most hotels).
If you're thinking this resort is for families only, think again, we observed a lot of romance. The distribution appeared to be about 50/50 for couples and families and we even saw a wedding finishing up on the resort near the beach. The grounds are very well maintained and there a lot of pools, a couple of water slides, a children's water play area, and a lazy river. There are a few restaurants scattered around, snack bars, drink refill stations, and a gift shop in the lobby which also has some grocery type items (like milk, salads, etc.). Food can get very expensive, there so an alternative is to walk across the street where there is a selection of more affordable restaurants, or buy groceries at the Country Island Markets.
We spent the evening exploring the resort and the area around us.
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| a view of the pools, lazy river, children's play area, and gardens from our floor near the elevators |
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| where the resort looks on to the beach |
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| sunset on Oahu from Aulani |
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