Here at Aulani now….

[JC1984]

Just an FYI to anyone coming soon. The grills are still closed.

Marriott's are open down the path...

Yes my biggest complaint about this all. Give me a can of Clorox wipes and I will wipe down myself. Upstairs on the 12th floor making Salmon on the stove.

 

[pixieprincess925]

Yes my biggest complaint about this all. Give me a can of Clorox wipes and I will wipe down myself. Upstairs on the 12th floor making Salmon on the stove.

Watching the fire pits going over at the four seasons while our fire pit remains cold also upsets me ...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Aren‘t all of the kids clubs shut down at Disneyworld and Disneyland? I believe That happened pre-Covid. It makes sense that this one would close too.

No, this is COVID. Whether it's a staffing issue, general cost cuts, unwillingness to comply with whatever reopening conditions Hawaii would want them to follow, or something else is anyone's guess. But it's expected to be temporary.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Watching the fire pits going over at the four seasons while our fire pit remains cold also upsets me ...

The weirdest part is that Uncle is back, so it's not even like they're saving entertainment money by doing this. They're doing Poolside Stories every night, three or four times per night, but they won't do fireside stories because it's not sufficiently social-distanced (among an entirely vaxxed-or-tested population, outdoors).

 

[Inga]

For our trip in February we are keeping expectations low for the entire trip, our week in Waikiki and our week at Aulani. We have been to Aulani a number of times before but have travelled no where (not even outside our province) since Jan 2020 so I am looking for the simple pleasures:
- beautiful weather in the middle of the Canadian winter. Know not every day will be beautiful but I am assuming no parkas required
- a number of opportunities to see some sunsets
- drinking good Hawaiian coffee
- getting some Hawaiian gear at the Aloha Market
- maybe hearing some outside music from a ukulele

I know the flight, the accommodation, the vibe will be different. We won’t move as freely about without some caution. But we’ll be out - somewhere, doing something! At least if we, in the end, are able to travel with this latest Omicron. That is still unknown to us. it may all just cease to happen because of the current wave. I work in healthcare and there is a good chance all of our vacations will be cancelled due to staff shortages, even the vacations that we planned and paid for!

I feel like keeping our goals simple will help prevent a disappointing vacation. Because the world has changed, and so have we!

Inga

 

[monsterkitty]

OP, I hope your trip got better as it progressed. Let us know how it was.

 

[La2kw]

I think this is a temporary closure. If that closes for good people will freak.

No, this is COVID. Whether it's a staffing issue, general cost cuts, unwillingness to comply with whatever reopening conditions Hawaii would want them to follow, or something else is anyone's guess. But it's expected to be temporary.

I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised if this one never reopened since they seem to have gotten out of the kids club business.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised if this one never reopened since they seem to have gotten out of the kids club business.

Except they haven't. Aulani has always operated more like a cruise ship than a Walt Disney World hotel. It will ABSOLUTELY reopen, it's one of the primary selling points of the resort. And it helps them sell spa treatments and signature dining to mom and dad.

 

[Lilsia]

Except they haven't. Aulani has always operated more like a cruise ship than a Walt Disney World hotel. It will ABSOLUTELY reopen, it's one of the primary selling points of the resort. And it helps them sell spa treatments and signature dining to mom and dad.

I agree that Aunty's is a big part of their appeal for many families and that it most likely will come back. I belong to other Aulani specific groups and there are plenty of families saying that they won't go back unless Aunty's opens back up. Granted, kid's are only young enough for it for a few years anyway so if you wait long enough, your kids won't need it anyway. LOL But the funny thing is, is that they don't seem to need to have it open to fill the resort. So you have to wonder if it is really hurting them to not have it open and if they will take that into consideration. I imagine that they are probably still having staffing issues. This should be interesting to see if and how long they take to reopen it and what, if any changes they will make.

 

[Kmk2]

I agree that Aunty's is a big part of their appeal for many families and that it most likely will come back. I belong to other Aulani specific groups and there are plenty of families saying that they won't go back unless Aunty's opens back up. Granted, kid's are only young enough for it for a few years anyway so if you wait long enough, your kids won't need it anyway. LOL But the funny thing is, is that they don't seem to need to have it open to fill the resort. So you have to wonder if it is really hurting them to not have it open and if they will take that into consideration. I imagine that they are probably still having staffing issues. This should be interesting to see if and how long they take to reopen it and what, if any changes they will make.

Do you think they would get rid of the kids club on the cruise lines eventually? Or that Aulani will not reopen an upscale oceanfront restaurant? There are lots of things Disney can do - but lots of them would be penny wise and pound foolish.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I agree that Aunty's is a big part of their appeal for many families and that it most likely will come back. I belong to other Aulani specific groups and there are plenty of families saying that they won't go back unless Aunty's opens back up. Granted, kid's are only young enough for it for a few years anyway so if you wait long enough, your kids won't need it anyway. LOL But the funny thing is, is that they don't seem to need to have it open to fill the resort. So you have to wonder if it is really hurting them to not have it open and if they will take that into consideration. I imagine that they are probably still having staffing issues. This should be interesting to see if and how long they take to reopen it and what, if any changes they will make.

Are you under the impression that the resort is full? It isn't.

 

[Lilsia]

Do you think they would get rid of the kids club on the cruise lines eventually? Or that Aulani will not reopen an upscale oceanfront restaurant? There are lots of things Disney can do - but lots of them would be penny wise and pound foolish.

No, I think that the cruise line is a completely different ball game. It's not like you can just wander off of the ship in the middle of the ocean. Cruise ships ARE the destination, whereas Aulani is a hotel on a destination Island. So it's not like there is nothing for kids to do. I think that this is going to come down to labor and how the Island covid rates are doing. There are still schools that are closing down because of outbreaks. So I can't imagine that they want to deal with a bunch of kids getting sick being traced back to Aunty's.

 

[Lilsia]

Are you under the impression that the resort is full? It isn't.

It's pretty darn close and people are having trouble booking, especially in the busy times. I don't see them having issues filling up when they go back to full capacity. Many more locals are booking staycations because they don't want to or can't fly to the mainland right now.

 

[Kmk2]

No, I think that the cruise line is a completely different ball game. It's not like you can just wander off of the ship in the middle of the ocean. Cruise ships ARE the destination, whereas Aulani is a hotel on a destination Island. So it's not like there is nothing for kids to do. I think that this is going to come down to labor and how the Island covid rates are doing. There are still schools that are closing down because of outbreaks. So I can't imagine that they want to deal with a bunch of kids getting sick being traced back to Aunty's.

You were talking about how Disney may be including in their calculus re reopening the kids club that they don’t (currently) need it to to fill the resort $. (I would guess that has more to do with people swimming in DVC points, fewer current international options, and maybe staycationers). But with ports to explore, their own private island, tons of dining options and the desire to get parents to go out to dinner, book spa appointments or just have some adult time I think the ship is more alike than you give it credit. Honestly any good resort aims to give people good self contained options and amenities.

But I think Aulani is either making the conscious, long term decision to offer fewer “luxury” amenities (kids club, beachfront dining restaurant) or they are just so far down on the DVC priority list that inertia has set in.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's pretty darn close and people are having trouble booking, especially in the busy times. I don't see them having issues filling up when they go back to full capacity. Many more locals are booking staycations because they don't want to or can't fly to the mainland right now.

It's not close at all. People are having trouble booking because 1) DVC members have piles of extra points because travel has been stalled for two years and 2) Disney isn't making all of the rooms available. DVC rooms are taken out of inventory for refurbishment, and cash rooms are taken out of inventory because they don't have the staff to clean them.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Aren‘t all of the kids clubs shut down at Disneyworld and Disneyland? I believe That happened pre-Covid. It makes sense that this one would close too.

We were at Old Key West at DW in December. The kids programs at the pool and inside the community center we’re going strong.

 

[Lilsia]

You were talking about how Disney may be including in their calculus re reopening the kids club that they don’t (currently) need it to to fill the resort $. (I would guess that has more to do with people swimming in DVC points, fewer current international options, and maybe staycationers). But with ports to explore, their own private island, tons of dining options and the desire to get parents to go out to dinner, book spa appointments or just have some adult time I think the ship is more alike than you give it credit. Honestly any good resort aims to give people good self contained options and amenities.

But I think Aulani is either making the conscious, long term decision to offer fewer “luxury” amenities (kids club, beachfront dining restaurant) or they are just so far down on the DVC priority list that inertia has set in.

I guess that you can have whatever take on it that you want. For us, it only made sense for kids clubs on cruises since there was limited options for activities. A lot of people do not enjoy getting off at ports for a number of reasons, safety being one of them. In Hawaii, it is not as if you are limited to activities or "stuck" at the hotel like you are on a cruise ship. And not every parent wants to drop their kid of at daycare, even on vacation. Or you will have the children that don't like it. You are acting as if I personally am saying not to bring it back. I don't care since it does not affect me at all. I am just giving other view points on why they might not bring it back.

 

[Lilsia]

It's not close at all. People are having trouble booking because 1) DVC members have piles of extra points because travel has been stalled for two years and 2) Disney isn't making all of the rooms available. DVC rooms are taken out of inventory for refurbishment, and cash rooms are taken out of inventory because they don't have the staff to clean them.

And you are saying that after everything is open, that the majority of people will refuse to book if Aunty's is not open? I think that you underestimate how many people go without little kids in tow. Yes, there are people who wont' vacation there unless Disney watches their kids for them. But for the majority of people, that is a non issue.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

And you are saying that after everything is open, that the majority of people will refuse to book if Aunty's is not open? I think that you underestimate how many people go without little kids in tow. Yes, there are people who wont' vacation there unless Disney watches their kids for them. But for the majority of people, that is a non issue.

I never said anything about what "a majority" of people will do. But MANY people love Aunty's Beach House and it's in Disney's interest to reopen it.

 

[La2kw]

We were at Old Key West at DW in December. The kids programs at the pool and inside the community center we’re going strong.

The kids clubs I was referring to are the babysitting clubs like Sandcastle Club, Neverland Club, Cub’s Den, Pinocchio’s Workshop, etc. Those were similar to what Aunty’s is. The pool activities and community hall activities are different.