Just Checked Into Aulani!

[lizard1]

Sounds like things are going well so far. We are scheduled to go late May and have been contemplating if we keep our reservation or not. Are there enough things open and happening? (sounds like some things are definately open... ) Also wondering how the mask situation is when in public and on the beach when outside. Any insight you can share?

I agree with Paul. When I was there 2 weeks ago, everything seemed pretty much normal, except people were wearing masks and there were limited capacities. At Dole they were monitoring the number of people permitted inside their building, had a temp screening and only 1 entrance open (that part was inconvenient). We got SCUBA certified (they were limiting the number of people permitted in a group). We went on a whale watching tour and out in a shark cage, both of whom said they were limiting their capacity to 50% and were requiring masks. The Swap Meet was requiring masks be worn and only had a couple of very spaced out seats for sitting to eat food, and though I don't believe there were as many vendors present as during my last visit there (and I missed one or two that I was looking for) there were certainly enough there that there weren't holes present on one trip around the stadium. Pearl Harbor was not showing the movie prior to going out to the Arizona, but I didn't really miss it (though I think it could have been beneficial for my kids to see, since they were more able to understand than during our last visit).

I would advise to make reservations if there is something you want to do, because of the limited capacities. We drove up the East coast to the North and stopped at Kauloa Ranch. They said they were booked solid for that day and the following two weeks. It wasn't a must-do for us, and just on a whim that we stopped, so it wasn't a bid deal. I believe some places were offering more flexible cancellation policies due to Covid, so you may also want to check those out before you book with a particular company.

 

[JC1984]

Any update on MagicBands and the use of them at Aulani?

 

[lizard1]

Any update on MagicBands and the use of them at Aulani?

YES!! You CAN use them there, even if the staff need some guidance at times. We used them to get into our room, while my mom was still in line checking in (they sent a text with a room number, so the rest of us went to try). We used them to get bands at the pool, to pay for food at Ulu, and buy drinks at Oleo. You might need to be prepared to remove your band to use it, though, because some of the touch points (like at the pool and Oleo) were out of reach for the customer, so the staff had to walk it to the point.

 

[tidefan]

YES!! You CAN use them there, even if the staff need some guidance at times. We used them to get into our room, while my mom was still in line checking in (they sent a text with a room number, so the rest of us went to try). We used them to get bands at the pool, to pay for food at Ulu, and buy drinks at Oleo. You might need to be prepared to remove your band to use it, though, because some of the touch points (like at the pool and Oleo) were out of reach for the customer, so the staff had to walk it to the point.

We were there last month and none of our bands (which are active and linked) would work...

 

[lizard1]

We were there last month and none of our bands (which are active and linked) would work...

We left on 4/3. All of our bands worked for getting into the room (kids included). My band and by mom's worked for parking (no one else tried there). My band and my daughter's both worked at Ulu. I don't know that anyone else tried using them elsewhere for purchases. These were bands that were originally for a trip to WDW that was cancelled and never taken, but are the most recent type of band (don't know if that makes any difference).

 

[JC1984]

We left on 4/3. All of our bands worked for getting into the room (kids included). My band and by mom's worked for parking (no one else tried there). My band and my daughter's both worked at Ulu. I don't know that anyone else tried using them elsewhere for purchases. These were bands that were originally for a trip to WDW that was cancelled and never taken, but are the most recent type of band (don't know if that makes any difference).

How did you link them to your reservation? Or do you have to do it at check in at the hotel?

 

[lizard1]

How did you link them to your reservation? Or do you have to do it at check in at the hotel?

I didn't have to do anything. They were active in our MDE account. They just worked when we got there.

 

[tidefan]

We left on 4/3. All of our bands worked for getting into the room (kids included). My band and by mom's worked for parking (no one else tried there). My band and my daughter's both worked at Ulu. I don't know that anyone else tried using them elsewhere for purchases. These were bands that were originally for a trip to WDW that was cancelled and never taken, but are the most recent type of band (don't know if that makes any difference).

We left on 3/20. Our bands were active in MDE and were the ones we got this past November at WDW, but they didn't work.

 

[alohamom]

Internet on beach surprisingly ok! Am writing this on the sand right now.

Great to know, thanks! Last time we were there I didn't even think to try it on the beach.

and then drove over to Kailua, a nice little town nearby. Not sure its worth the drive from Aulani, but its warrants checking out if you're nearby. Nice tree lined main street, a few fun shops.

Side note-If any one staying at Aulani makes the trek over to Kailua be sure to check out the incredible soft white sand beaches and not just the town itself. Kailua and Lanikai beaches are simply amazing!

 

[Paul Stupin]

Hey everyone!
Re the magic bands, no one seems to be wearing them, talking about them, suggesting them, or using them. When we checked in, they were not brought up, nor are they being sold on property. When we were hopeful they might be a part of the Aulani experience before we arrived and called from home to check, the girl I spoke to did no even know what they were! That said, I would love a cool Aulani magic band, but they don't exist! Maybe the tech just works on the card readers if you already have one and its tied to one's account, but I haven't seen a single one. And if Aulani spent the money to upgrade, you'd think someone would have mentioned it or offered to sell us one, which we would totally buy. Right now!!!!

Yesterday was a fun beach day. Loungers on beach easily found at 11:30 AM. And those special ones, wooden with cushions, two together with a canvas canopy, were still available for rental in the afternoon.

So, yesterday night, Mina's Fish House! A fun new experience for us, but also a bit of a mixed bag. So, lets talk about the good first! Beautiful location overlooking the beach, with patios on multiple levels, torches and string lights. Its all outdoors...stunning and magical. Great service. The bread is delicious. Its homemade, fresh out of the oven, kind of like a small round pita bread, with a small container of hummus to spread on top. Great! The appetizers we had were also really good. We had two: charred brussel sprouts with green apple bits and feta, and something called "Hot Chicken," which were small deep fried pieces of chicken with three dipping sauces. Both were delicious, though we don't usually go for fried stuff because its a bit unhealthy but wanted to splurge last night.

Ok, now a few negatives, alas. We ordered two "compressed watermelon" salads, which were small cubes of watermelon (nothing compressed about them), small tomatoes, and a huge mass of mixed salad with a slightly off-putting dressing with a touch of mint. Hardly inedible but a bit pricey and not that good.

Now, the fish. First, there are so so many fish choices: fillets (ono, ahi, yellowfin), whole fish (with the head and tail for two), some with very little sauce (served so you can appreciate the "fishy taste," as we were told), and then their signature fish dishes, for which the restaurant is known. We always like fish, but are far from experts, so we asked what their most well known, popular fish dish is, and ordered that. The black garlic miso cod, served on a bed of fried black rice. I've had the dish elsewhere, and know its delicious, so it seemed like a safe choice. My wife and I both ordered it.

It was really good, but was it $50 good? Not sure. It wasn't incredible, or transformative. And I truly don't mean to complain about the price because this is par for the course in Hawaii. Maybe my expectations were just too high. No doubt! But, it did not arrive to the table hot, either. It was lukewarm at best, which was weird because we didn't have to wait that long. Maybe its just me, maybe thats how the fish is supposed to be served, but I was a bit disappointed. My wife's was the same, but she didn't mind. I would have sent it back, but at the time didn't feel like going through the inconvenience. My wife also had the mashed potatoes with bits of blue crab. It was thin and runny, almost like a bowl of thick soup. I had the broccolini which was charred, seasoned well, and good.

So, as I mentioned, a mixed bag. It was definitely a memorable experience, and we always have fun, and it was great sitting on that patio looking out at the lagoon! I mean, we're in Hawaii! Just not sure if it will be on our must visit list next time.

Today, we're off to Pearl Harbor to check out that WW2 submarine, then back to the beach! Then we're going to walk down the beach and have a light dinner at the Marriott's version of "Off The Hook," a counter service restaurant called "Longboards."

Later!

 

[towels]

I just noticed a couple days ago that when you look at the Aulani section of the shop disney site they do mention Magic Bands coming soon

 

[JC1984]

I just noticed a couple days ago that when you look at the Aulani section of the shop disney site they do mention Magic Bands coming soon

That’s true it’s still there.

 

[JC1984]

Hey everyone!
Re the magic bands, no one seems to be wearing them, talking about them, suggesting them, or using them. When we checked in, they were not brought up, nor are they being sold on property. When we were hopeful they might be a part of the Aulani experience before we arrived and called from home to check, the girl I spoke to did no even know what they were! That said, I would love a cool Aulani magic band, but they don't exist! Maybe the tech just works on the card readers if you already have one and its tied to one's account, but I haven't seen a single one. And if Aulani spent the money to upgrade, you'd think someone would have mentioned it or offered to sell us one, which we would totally buy. Right now!!!!

Yesterday was a fun beach day. Loungers on beach easily found at 11:30 AM. And those special ones, wooden with cushions, two together with a canvas canopy, were still available for rental in the afternoon.

So, yesterday night, Mina's Fish House! A fun new experience for us, but also a bit of a mixed bag. So, lets talk about the good first! Beautiful location overlooking the beach, with patios on multiple levels, torches and string lights. Its all outdoors...stunning and magical. Great service. The bread is delicious. Its homemade, fresh out of the oven, kind of like a small round pita bread, with a small container of hummus to spread on top. Great! The appetizers we had were also really good. We had two: charred brussel sprouts with green apple bits and feta, and something called "Hot Chicken," which were small deep fried pieces of chicken with three dipping sauces. Both were delicious, though we don't usually go for fried stuff because its a bit unhealthy but wanted to splurge last night.

Ok, now a few negatives, alas. We ordered two "compressed watermelon" salads, which were small cubes of watermelon (nothing compressed about them), small tomatoes, and a huge mass of mixed salad with a slightly off-putting dressing with a touch of mint. Hardly inedible but a bit pricey and not that good.

Now, the fish. First, there are so so many fish choices: fillets (ono, ahi, yellowfin), whole fish (with the head and tail for two), some with very little sauce (served so you can appreciate the "fishy taste," as we were told), and then their signature fish dishes, for which the restaurant is known. We always like fish, but are far from experts, so we asked what their most well known, popular fish dish is, and ordered that. The black garlic miso cod, served on a bed of fried black rice. I've had the dish elsewhere, and know its delicious, so it seemed like a safe choice. My wife and I both ordered it.

It was really good, but was it $50 good? Not sure. It wasn't incredible, or transformative. And I truly don't mean to complain about the price because this is par for the course in Hawaii. Maybe my expectations were just too high. No doubt! But, it did not arrive to the table hot, either. It was lukewarm at best, which was weird because we didn't have to wait that long. Maybe its just me, maybe thats how the fish is supposed to be served, but I was a bit disappointed. My wife's was the same, but she didn't mind. I would have sent it back, but at the time didn't feel like going through the inconvenience. My wife also had the mashed potatoes with bits of blue crab. It was thin and runny, almost like a bowl of thick soup. I had the broccolini which was charred, seasoned well, and good.

So, as I mentioned, a mixed bag. It was definitely a memorable experience, and we always have fun, and it was great sitting on that patio looking out at the lagoon! I mean, we're in Hawaii! Just not sure if it will be on our must visit list next time.

Today, we're off to Pearl Harbor to check out that WW2 submarine, then back to the beach! Then we're going to walk down the beach and have a light dinner at the Marriott's version of "Off The Hook," a counter service restaurant called "Longboards."

Later!

Thank you for the MB update. Maybe with the mobile technology being implemented at WDW, Aulani decided to wait and see. I would prefer the MB in the pool as I don’t trust the AppleWatch to be waterproof

 

[vacay77]

It is much of a hassle to keep showing your negative COVID results? I read that we’ll have to show them when we arrive at the Honolulu airport, when we pick up our car rental, at the Aulani upon check-in, and at certain excursions. Is it a matter of just showing the same QR code? Out of everything, this is the part that stresses me out the most.

 

[misterrandom]

It is much of a hassle to keep showing your negative COVID results? I read that we’ll have to show them when we arrive at the Honolulu airport, when we pick up our car rental, at the Aulani upon check-in, and at certain excursions. Is it a matter of just showing the same QR code? Out of everything, this is the part that stresses me out the most.

The qr code was required at the airport. For car rentals and hotel check in it has been either a copy of the negative result that was uploaded or logging into the safe travels page and showing the status. Just save all related documents and logins and be prepared to show whatever is needed. It wasn't a big deal but it also hasn't been consistent what is needed.

 

[JC1984]

It is much of a hassle to keep showing your negative COVID results? I read that we’ll have to show them when we arrive at the Honolulu airport, when we pick up our car rental, at the Aulani upon check-in, and at certain excursions. Is it a matter of just showing the same QR code? Out of everything, this is the part that stresses me out the most.

IMO kind of stupid that they require you to show it at the rental car and Aulani. Do they really think you arrived in Hawaii via stowaway or someway you couldn’t be tracked. I know I will catch some heat for this thinking but really seems like overkill to me.

 

[lizard1]

Hey everyone!
Re the magic bands, no one seems to be wearing them, talking about them, suggesting them, or using them. When we checked in, they were not brought up, nor are they being sold on property. When we were hopeful they might be a part of the Aulani experience before we arrived and called from home to check, the girl I spoke to did no even know what they were! That said, I would love a cool Aulani magic band, but they don't exist! Maybe the tech just works on the card readers if you already have one and its tied to one's account, but I haven't seen a single one. And if Aulani spent the money to upgrade, you'd think someone would have mentioned it or offered to sell us one, which we would totally buy. Right now!!!!

I think we were the only ones I saw wearing them while we were there. I liked them because the kids could use them too (I swear the kids used to get a card, but mine didn't this time?). There was a DVC rep out by the pool one day, and he seemed surprised that they actually worked there. A couple of employees also asked for our card when we presented the band. We just told them that we had been using the band with no issues, and then they would try it (with no issues on the end). Like you, when we called before we went, we were told that they weren't in use, but we were definitely able to use it while we were there! I was totally hoping that they would have a Aulani Magic Band available, but was disappointed that they did not.

It is much of a hassle to keep showing your negative COVID results? I read that we’ll have to show them when we arrive at the Honolulu airport, when we pick up our car rental, at the Aulani upon check-in, and at certain excursions. Is it a matter of just showing the same QR code? Out of everything, this is the part that stresses me out the most.

We never had to show ours after the hotel. Aulani wanted to see the person in-person with the negative before they would let them have their room key. Aulani didn't want the QR code, they needed to see something else. However, after the airport, no need for the negative results or QR code.....at least at the places we visited.

 

[Paul Stupin]

It is much of a hassle to keep showing your negative COVID results? I read that we’ll have to show them when we arrive at the Honolulu airport, when we pick up our car rental, at the Aulani upon check-in, and at certain excursions. Is it a matter of just showing the same QR code? Out of everything, this is the part that stresses me out the most.

Yeah, it is a bit of a hassle. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is annoying. If it were just a request to see the QR code, it wouldn't be a problem. But some places, like the Kualoa Ranch, ask you to actually login to the safe travels website with your phone (which means logging in to the establishment’s internet if cell coverage is lacking), scroll down to the trips sections, click on it, then show them a page with additional details. But DO NOT be stressed out. It’s not difficult at all, it just takes a minute or two. This policy wasn’t in effect when we were here in January, and with things being so much better now I don’t fully understand why it’s necessary.

But, good news! Its been unseasonably chilly these last few days, and it’s much warmer today! Excellent for hanging out at the Aulani Lagoon!

 

[Paul Stupin]

Quick update:

At the lagoon now, but this morning we went to Pearl Harbor to explore the submarine. It’s very very cool, walking through this perfectly maintained relic, with dials, levers, torpedoes and steering wheels all polished like new!

We didn’t make reservations to go out to the Arizona Memorial, since we didn’t want to be held to a specific schedule and I had read that you have to make them months in advance. Amazingly, at least for us, there was a standby waiting area with only a 15 minute wait! So we did in fact take the boat to the memorial. It really is a special, sacred location, and I would recommend everyone visit it.

 

[JC1984]

Quick update:

At the lagoon now, but this morning we went to Pearl Harbor to explore the submarine. It’s very very cool, walking through this perfectly maintained relic, with dials, levers, torpedoes and steering wheels all polished like new!

We didn’t make reservations to go out to the Arizona Memorial, since we didn’t want to be held to a specific schedule and I had read that you have to make them months in advance. Amazingly, at least for us, there was a standby waiting area with only a 15 minute wait! So we did in fact take the boat to the memorial. It really is a special, sacred location, and I would recommend everyone visit it.

The sub is cool. Makes me really appreciate personal space