Aulani: What's the One Thing You Wish You Knew?

[Disney Dreams]

The title pretty much says it all. What the one thing you wish you knew that you learned AFTER your visit?

Or... What's the one thing you are glad you knew about so you didn't miss it?

Excited to hear you Aulani "One Thing,"
Dreams

 

[mom2aidanNpiper]

1) to get in line a few minutes before 8:00am each morning your kids want to do a "premium" experience in Auntys Beach house (not the paid ones you can sign up prior, but the Stitch Goo, volcanoes, etc). The line gets long fast and there's limited spaces for those activities.

2) walk to the cove next to the other resort (when facing ocean, walk right, through trees to clearing and a beach) to see monk seals. A highlight of our trip!

3) monkey pod happy hour

4) use photo pass as much as you can (if you know you will buy the $99 cd). We saw photographers in tons of places other then character meet and greets- even in a tube in the lazy river.

5) skip the character breakfast. The few characters that are there are found at scheduled character meet and greets, we went during spring break and saw everyone more then once and with barely any waits (compared to DL anyway).

Ok that was more then 1 lol. Hope my tips help!

 

[Cinderpamela]

The one thing I wish I had known before our first trip August 2012 was:

How much "Island Time" would just take over after about 4 days... I had a whole list of places I wanted to see and things I wanted to do... such as the Bishop Museum, and hiking Diamond Head. But by around day 4 all we wanted to do was hang out and enjoy the resort and relax.

As a result, for our upcoming trip I have planned our first 4 days to be in Waikiki to get all the tourist stuff done and then the next 6 days will be spent relaxing at the resort.


...and I totally second all of "mom2aidenNpipers" pointers especially 2,3 & 5!!

 

[Bunless]

I wish I had done more research on the Polynesian Cultural Center before going.

 

[Meemoo]

As someone else mentioned, the little beach cove to the right of the Aulani beach. We visited on our last day and saw a seal on the sand, many people see turtles there too, if I had known I would have checked it each day! Oh well, will make that a priority in a few weeks time

 

[Alice Sr.]

Thank you OP excellent question.

 

[amym2]

I wish I had done more research on the Polynesian Cultural Center before going.

Can you elaborate? We're thinking about going there when we're in Hawaii later this month.

 

[DiznyDi]

If you are wanting to book excursions, stick with booking through Disney. We booked a tour of the big island through our local AAA that ended up being a nightmare. The actual tour was great. The airplane was over 2 hours late leaving in the morning and 16 of our party for the return flight were left on the island with no way home until maybe the next day. If doing inter-island flights, stick with Hawaiian Airlines. Go Airlines is horrible.

If going up the west coast, take only what you NEED. Our car was broken into, over $700.00 cash was stolen along with 3 cell phones and my friends entire purse along with my husbands wallet. Oddly they left 1 cell phone and an iPad. Park your car where you have clear vision of it at all times. Even more strange, about 2-3 hours after the incident everything except the cash and 1 credit card was dropped off at Aulani! Even the police were astounded that our belongings had been returned. Keep valuables, your cash and credit cards on your person at all times.

Despite the above, we enjoyed a fabulous stay at Aulani! I'm certainly looking to return some day.

 

[Bunless]

Can you elaborate? We're thinking about going there when we're in Hawaii later this month.

Because it is run by a large religious origination (doesn't matter which one to me, just the fact that it is). For someone like myself, who has PTSD from their religious upbringing, the under tones were there and severe enough that it sent me into a full blown panic attack. Because of who runs it, I couldn't even get a drink to help calm me down (it had been years since I had this sort of panic attack, so I haven't felt the need to carry meds in a long time). They offered me Hawaiian punch, like a healthy dose of red food dye and high fructose corn syrup was going to help calm me down. I felt bad for my poor husband, but he's a trooper.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Thanks, everyone!

Anyone have anymore?

- Dreams

 

[islandtimect]

As someone else mentioned, the little beach cove to the right of the Aulani beach. We visited on our last day and saw a seal on the sand, many people see turtles there too, if I had known I would have checked it each day! Oh well, will make that a priority in a few weeks time

What month were you there? Wonder if you can see them in June.

 

[gonzalj1]

The title pretty much says it all. What the one thing you wish you knew that you learned AFTER your visit? Or... What's the one thing you are glad you knew about so you didn't miss it? Excited to hear you Aulani "One Thing," Dreams

I second the island time comments of a pp. We literally ended up just lounging by the pool for much of our stay. The resort is spectacular and leaving is hard. Just so much relaxing that you end up not caring. The schedule goes right out the window.

But you almost have to leave for decent food. The food was not up to par. So we spent a lot of time at Monkeypod. We tried the Mexican place but in recommend staying away. Wasn't good IMO.

We did get out to the north shore and diamond head but it required willpower.

 

[JOANNEL]

The O'leo room has great food and it was reasonable. The character breakfast was delicious. The snack bar by the pools was also very good. Everything was expensive but good!!! Just don't get a pina colada from the pool bar. It was gross, it's the big machine drink. All the frozen drinks from the O'lea room were delicious!!! The Music there is also fabulous to listen to every night!!

 

[Neraj]

I would extend this to not only the west side, but any beach... Just don't give people a reason to think you have anything in the car. Rental cars are easy to spot, and you know the people will be home within a week or two.

 

[surfer_ed]

I wish I knew to goto Costco on day 1 not day 4, could have saved a ton on groceries.

 

[MPLsDad]

Anyone have Christmas week suggestions? Thanks In Advance!

 

[Cinderpamela]

Anyone have Christmas week suggestions? Thanks In Advance!

We will be there Christmas week as well. Don't have any unusual suggestions yet ... still researching. ... but would love to hear from those who have been during this time.

I am planning on packing a small Christmas tree for our room , but that's all I have so far...

 

[thewelts]

We were there for 1 week in December 2011.

I wish I could have known that my 7 year old son would refuse to go to Auntie's Beach House. It is a nice facility, but the kids seemed much younger and it really felt like "daycare". He tried it twice but "hated" it.

My expectation (and need) for the trip was to relax and have some down-time. The "mommy hat" never came off... There were no lifeguards in the lagoon, so rather than relax/read on the beach, My husband and I had to closely watch (or be in the water with) my son. It was not a relaxing vacation for our family.

 

[amym2]

We were there for 1 week in December 2011.

I wish I could have known that my 7 year old son would refuse to go to Auntie's Beach House. It is a nice facility, but the kids seemed much younger and it really felt like "daycare". He tried it twice but "hated" it.

My expectation (and need) for the trip was to relax and have some down-time. The "mommy hat" never came off... There were no lifeguards in the lagoon, so rather than relax/read on the beach, My husband and I had to closely watch (or be in the water with) my son. It was not a relaxing vacation for our family.

I think this will be the case for our kids too, since they are almost 12 and 9 and aren't usually fans of kids' clubs, even Disney ones. I'm hoping I can at least get them to check Aunty's out, but I am not expecting them to use it much. That's why I'm so glad Aulani provides family activities as well, because I am fairly certain we'll take advantage of some of those.

And I've never understood how beach vacations with kids are relaxing! Hopefully they'll be okay in the pool area without us constantly watching them, but I won't take my eyes off them in the lagoon. Our kids love playing in the sand, so hopefully they'll do that for a while so we can relax a bit.

 

[lovetotraveltx]

Where are you staying on Waikiki before Aulani?

The one thing I wish I had known before our first trip August 2012 was:

How much "Island Time" would just take over after about 4 days... I had a whole list of places I wanted to see and things I wanted to do... such as the Bishop Museum, and hiking Diamond Head. But by around day 4 all we wanted to do was hang out and enjoy the resort and relax.

As a result, for our upcoming trip I have planned our first 4 days to be in Waikiki to get all the tourist stuff done and then the next 6 days will be spent relaxing at the resort.


...and I totally second all of "mom2aidenNpipers" pointers especially 2,3 & 5!!