Is Aulani a good place to visit with a baby?

[FireflyTrance]

I'm current expecting and thinking about planning a trip to a DVC resort for when our baby will be about 6-9 months old. I keep thinking that maybe Aulani would be the most enjoyable place to visit with a baby. We are DVC members so I would either pick DL, WDW or Aulani. DL and WDW involve a lot of walking and rides the baby can't go on. Has anyone gone to Aulani with a pre-crawling baby? How was your experience? I also have an older daughter who will be 5 at the time. TIA!

 

[Douglas Dubh]

We took my daughter to Disneyland when she was about six months old and she did fine. I’d don’t know if I’d want to take a baby on the flight to Hawaii. We took my son when he was almost two and I had to read him “Animal Sounds” over and over to keep him entertained.

 

[FireflyTrance]

We took my daughter to Disneyland when she was about six months old and she did fine. I’d don’t know if I’d want to take a baby on the flight to Hawaii. We took my son when he was almost two and I had to read him “Animal Sounds” over and over to keep him entertained.

We live in Northern California so going to Hawaii is only about a 4 1/2 hour flight I think. Though Disneyland is only a little over an hour flight.

 

[owensamo]

My daughter's first trip was actually to Hilton Head (DVC) at 8 weeks old. It was a great beach experience with infants - we had 2 8 week olds in the extended family group, and still had a blast. We spent pretty much the whole time at the resort or the beach/beach house. I imagine Aulani would be similar with an infant - though much like Hilton Head, attractions outside the resort are probably mostly better enjoyed by older kids (though there is a zoo near Diamond Head and other kid-friendly options).

Our DD's first WDW trip was at 10 months, and that was fine as well - we mostly wore her while walking around the parks, and you'd be surprised the number of rides you can ride with an infant (all the dark rides, the safari ride at Animal Kingdom, etc - basically anything without a height requirement). There are tons of infants at the parks, so many parents must think those are reasonable vacations with them.

Something else to consider - you could use your DVC points (or rent them for cash and use that) for a DCL cruise. DCL is great with infants! Many say cruising on points isn't the best use of them, but if you purchase DVC to be able to vacation, and it works, then it seems reasonable to me. We've cruised on points twice in the past. The Wonder sails out of the west coast in the summer.

 

[nkereina]

I think Aulani itself would be fine with a baby, but I agree about the flight. We came from the east coast so our layover was in Atlanta, which meant we had about a 9 hour flight to Honolulu. I think it would be stressful to you and those around you with an infant on a flight that long, unless you can find a way to break it up. Maybe stop somewhere for the night and fly out from the west coast or something. But that also sounds like a hassle with a baby too.

As PP mentions, Hilton Head Island or Vero Beach are DVC beach resorts where you don't need to go off property and are easier to get to. I'd even consider a WDW DVC resort stay without parks.

 

[FireflyTrance]

We live on the west coast so for us it's only about a 4 1/2 flight to Hawaii. Florida is actually a slightly longer flight in the opposite direction. I would like to check out Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island sometime as well.

I think Aulani itself would be fine with a baby, but I agree about the flight. We came from the east coast so our layover was in Atlanta, which meant we had about a 9 hour flight to Honolulu. I think it would be stressful to you and those around you with an infant on a flight that long, unless you can find a way to break it up. Maybe stop somewhere for the night and fly out from the west coast or something. But that also sounds like a hassle with a baby too.

As PP mentions, Hilton Head Island or Vero Beach are DVC beach resorts where you don't need to go off property and are easier to get to. I'd even consider a WDW DVC resort stay without parks.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Something else to consider - you could use your DVC points (or rent them for cash and use that) for a DCL cruise. DCL is great with infants! Many say cruising on points isn't the best use of them, but if you purchase DVC to be able to vacation, and it works, then it seems reasonable to me. We've cruised on points twice in the past. The Wonder sails out of the west coast in the summer.

A DCL cruise is something I was also thinking about. We did one this year and my daughter loved it. It would be fun to go on one that visited Castaway Cay (our last one was a repositioning cruise).

 

[jlwhitney]

We went when our kids were 10 months and 3 yrs 10 months. We are from florida so it was a long flight. I would do it again.

I would totally do Aulani in your case your 5 year old will have a blast. Id go closer to baby being 9 months old so the can be put in the baby floats for the pool and lazy river. We found plenty to do on the island with a baby.

We did the hike that is a paved road (lighthouse trail) that you can take a stroller, it does get fun to push but nice that everyone could go.

 

[John-DVC]

I think Aulani is good for a family with a young baby. Enough around the resort to keep the whole family entertained and relaxed. The 5 year old will have a blast and you can be close enough to watch as there is lots of seating around pools.

Food isn’t great that’s probably the worst part of it. Other than that great for relaxing.

I would go DL or WDW if you don’t like to lounge around and more like to get out and about.

 

[adamak]

It's perfect for 5 year old. Actually I think Aulani is better than WDW at this age, and with babies. It's less overwhelming. You can rent a cabana and let baby sleep there with you. The flight OTOH is a different issue.

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

aulani does have some nice kid only play areas, theres an area with small squirting fountains that 2 yr olds and under seem to really enjoy (even after getting squirted in the face...repeatedly). the character breakfast is one of the best if not the best character buffets disney offers (granted food wise thats not saying all that much)

the lazy river is great for younger kids, and hopefully they keep moana doing photos around forever (was still doing meet n greets as of september of this year...don’t really see why they’d ever get rid of it, it’s very popular with kids, fits the theme, and costume wise...not much storage needed.) particularly on the weekends they rotate the character meet n greets so that theres almoat always one going during mid day (often times 2)...mickey is the hard one to get unless you do the character buffet.

I think aulani also is the only place in the US to get duffy/shellie may/gelatoni...haven’t been to the parks recently but duffy hasn’t done anywhere near as well in the US as he’s done in asia. (stella lou will probably come over as well in a few months...toys/merch only not the walkaround characters like the asian parks)

price tag wise aulani is actually right in line with the other hotels in the area...and depending on what sale/dvc is actually cheaper. room quality wise...its very close as well. “garden view” isn’t worth any extra pts or $$, but the ocean view ones are.

just be prepared to get down and grab a good chair to store your stuff early as the chairs get taken...fast and early.

photopass is available, but at least in my opinion...the photopass photogs in the park are quite a bit better.

 

[haydenlyle12]

If you had the choice to go to Disney WOrld or Aulani, where would you go?

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

DW vs. Aulani will always be a personal preference thing, if you live on oahu...aulani is a cheap way to get a disney fix (which is a huge reason why weekends are So crowded at aulani). Moana seems like she’ll be a permanent thing at aulani...which is a good thing, and wouldn’t make sense for her not to be.

If both were equal in price, personally I’d choose DW (tho I’d probably pick DL over DW), I live in Hawaii and have dvc, so aulani has been where I’ve ended up using my points the last few years (2 nephews, 1 niece all very young, and all love their yearly weekend at aulani).

 

[nkereina]

If you had the choice to go to Disney WOrld or Aulani, where would you go?

It's two totally different kinds of vacations so it depends on what you're looking for. For us on the east coast, Disney World is cheaper and faster/easier to get to. We can and do go often. Aulani is a rare, once in a great while type of vacation for us. Its a bigger trip. Aulani is all about the beach, pool, and relaxing. At Disney World we are constantly on the go and may get some pool time in. I also think that Aulani should be part of a Hawaiian vacation rather than Hawaii being part of an Aulani vacation - we definitely spend time at the resort while at Aulani, but are more interested in taking advantage of what Hawaii has to offer.