PRE-TRIP Report & TR Mother/Daughter Hawaiian Adventure

[JFox]

5/14/18-5/25/18
Cast: me and my 18 yo daughter. This is her special trip.

Airline: Delta

Home to LAX
LAX to HNL​

HNL to ATL (overnight)
ATL to Home​

Hotel: Although we are DVC members all our points are already allocated towards other WDW trips. We are staying on Waikiki the whole time.

Transportation: We have a car booked through https://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com for the first 4 days. The total for this rental is $84.79. Pick up and return from HNL. I'll figure out the transportation from HNL to our hotel later. Parking at our hotel is $40 night!

Background
We were originally taking a trip to Abu Dhabi. I won a trip from a silent auction. The host hotels would not commit to the free vouchers and refused to pay for lodging when I had free lodging available. We cancelled that trip and I asked her to pick anywhere she wants to go. She picked Hawaii. Booked tickets and hotel the next day. We are going to see/do/eat as much as we can and enjoy the time we have on the island. 2 weeks seemed like so long until I started booking our tours. This is my first time back in 30+ years, her first time.

Proposed itinerary. I would say it's mostly done.
5/14 - Arrive, pick up car rental. We have tickets for Pearl Harbor at 2:30pm. Will drive Tantalus and pick up groceries at Costco on the way to the hotel. I'm concerned about having all our luggage in the car so I would like to drop it off ASAP. Explore/beach the remainder of the day.

5/15 - Counter clockwise circle island tour. We are going this direction so the coast is on our right side and we are not looking across the car for the view. Hitting all the stops along the way.

• Kailua Beach Park
• Rainbow Crackseed store
• Chinaman's Hat
• Crouching Lion
• Hau'ula Beach Park - snorkeling and tide pools
• Sharks Cove - snorkeling
• Waimea Bay - snorkeling
• Laniakea Beach - sea turtles
• Hale'iwa - Giovanni's Shrimp Truck and Matsumoto Shave Ice

5/16 - All day at Aulani. DVC tour at 10:30am.

5/17 - Explore and return rental car

• Dole Pineapple Plantation
• Kukaniloko Birthstone State Monument

5/18 - Pick up at 10:20am for all day at Polynesian Cultural Center. We booked the Ambassador package. I considered doing this when we had the car to save the transportation fee but I did not want to be driving so late halfway around the island back to the hotel.

5/19 - Free day to explore.

5/20 - Aloha Swap meet and explore.

5/21 - 8:10am pick up for 5 hr. Kailua Kayak tour. http://m.kailuasailboards.com. Explore/ beach the remainder of the day.

5/22 - 9:00am Turtle Canyon Adventure Sail from Waikiki with snorkeling. https://sailholokai.com/activities/turtle-canyon-adventure-sail/ Explore/beach the remainder of the day.

5/23 - 8:45am pick up for Hanauma Bay snorkeling. https://hanaumabaystatepark.com Explore/beach the remainder of the day.

5/24 - Explore/beach day.

5/25 - Explore and prepare to leave. 4:50pm overnight flight back home.

 

[olafLover]

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[JFox]

6 weeks. Eek.

 

[JFox]

I'm curious what you're going to do at Aulani all day, except for the tour? I thought you could only use the amenities if you're a guest?

We are going to enjoy the resort and the lagoon. Take our tour. Have B/L/D. Explore.

 

[Midoria]

I'm curious what you're going to do at Aulani all day, except for the tour? I thought you could only use the amenities if you're a guest?

You can eat, enjoy the spa, shop, and use the lagoons.

 

[JFox]

We are 2 weeks tomorrow!!

I finally updated my Hawaii google map and there are 120 saved places. 50% food and 50% things to do. Actually is probably more like 75% food & 25% things to do.

I FINALLY found the perfect 2 piece swimsuit at www.venus.com. I tried on a total of 17 suits, from 4 different companies and placed 6 different orders. I loved it so much I bought a second in a different color.

I'm still trying to get organized. I've dissected my travel books every which way and got lists cross referenced by region, type, etc. The last thing I want to do is look like a tourist carrying a map but I'm going to need to have a cheat sheet with me so we don't miss anything.

Still need to place one last Amazon order for snorkel sets and a waterproof phone case. Any recommendations for a reliable phone case?

I'm going to try to finish my packing this week. I'm not wearing any of my planned Hawaii clothes now, it's really just procrastination. I have a rough idea of what I will be taking.

I really don't feel myself unless I'm planning a trip somewhere. I'm usually carrying around my next Disney vacation spreadsheet making plans. Planning this trip has been just as involved. While we are there our ADR window opens up for November. I guess that would be midnight Oahu time for 6:00am Florida time...uggh.

 

[NancyDVC]

Your trip looks like fun. We used Speedi Shuttle for our transfers to our hotel in Waikiki and for transfer to the pier for our NCL-PoA cruise before we stayed at Aulani. Great service, easy to find their desk in the baggage claim area because the staff wears red Hawaiian shirts. They took our bags from us at the desk and escorted us to the shuttle! Very well informed drivers. You will have to take a Wiki wiki shuttle from the gates to the building where the baggage claim is located or a long walk.
Yes we flew Hawaiian Airlines nonstop from NYC and the time difference was challenging. We were ready for bed when we got to the hotel about 4:30 in the afternoon but stayed up for dinner and went to bed about 8:00. We were wide awake at 3:30 AM!

 

[JFox]

Leaving tomorrow. Yeah. Already checked into flight & hotel. Taxi picks us up at 3:45am and we will arrive HNL at 11:16am.

 

[JFox]

We are back and had an amazing time. I am EXHAUSTED and sore all over. So glad we have the long weekend to recover. The jetlag on the way back sucks.

Did I mention I was EXHAUSTED?

 

[OKW Lover]

Looking forward to a trip report once you've recovered!

 

[JFox]

I want to get a TR completed while it is still fresh. Hey, I haven't fully recovered from from the jetlag yet so I can use my time wisely.

Just a few changes from above before we get started,

1. My husband decided to go with us. He was able to book the same flights as us. No change to the hotel room. I did make an adjustment to the car reservation but more about that later.
2. Some minor changes to the schedule that I will address on the daily reports.

 

[JFox]

5/14/18 - departure

3:00am alarm. The taxi was picking us up at 3:45am for our 6:00am flight. The bags were all packed, changed the sheets on our bed and kissed the other kids good bye as we left for the airport. No time for breakfast so we would get something at the airport. The taxi ride was quick and uneventful.

We were all "upgraded" to Delta Comfort seats for our SAT to LAX leg. Honestly I don't remember much of that flight. When we arrived to LAX we had enough of a layover to freshen up, pick up some snacks and then head over to the gate. The gates were all super crowded. Spent that flight watching movies and playing games with my daughter. I was really impressed with the back of the headrest in flight entertainment. Kids now a days will not know the struggle of those crappy airplanes headphones, the dial a channel that played the same songs on a continuous loop or the one screen/movie selection per cabin. Arrived HNL almost 3 movies later.

Picked up luggage and made it to the car rental shuttle location. FYI, there are 2 shuttle locations and you are directed to one one or the other depending depending on your baggage claim location. We were at G and all the shuttles were arriving FULL. It finally dawned on me that there was another location earlier in the alphabet. We finally made it onto a shuttle for Thrifty.

I made my reservation through Discount Hawaii Car Rental and was nervous about there actually being a car for us. We got a car with no problem. The agent was amazed at the rate and confirmed that we could keep it one additional night with no change. When I first booked the reservation it was just the 2 of us so I selected a small compact after my husband decided to go I canceled/rebooked the trip for a mid-size. We were given the small compact. I didn't gripe because we only had the car for 4 days and the space was only an issue since we had our luggage with us.

Left Thrifty to find the Lei stands. I couldn't find them to save my life!! I could see the signs but for whatever reason would miss the turn, etc. I finally have up. My daughter and husband kept asking me where I was was going. I had wanted it to be a surprise and finally gave up. Wound up on a highway entrance ramp which happened to be the way to Pearl Harbor. That was our first stop anyway so I just went with it.

We got to Pearl Harbor 1.5 hours before our 2:30pm time. Looked around and had a snack. I was worried the whole time about our luggage piled in the back of the car in plain view. The boat tour took us around the harbor. I was disappointed that we were not able to disembark into the memorial and will make a return visit another trip.

From Pearl Harbor we decided to check into the hotel so we could ditch our luggage. Followed google maps for directions and had no problems getting to the hotel. Checked in and made it to our room. By this time we had been up a long time and were beginning to feel the effects of getting up so early. We walked to a nearby restaurant, Me BBQ 151 Uluniu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815 and had dinner. Delicious, reasonable and cash only. Walked 2 blocks down the street to Kuhio Beach park. This was where we would spend most of our beach time. Back to the hotel to unpack and fall into bed.

 

[OKW Lover]

Picked up luggage and made it to the car rental shuttle location. FYI, there are 2 shuttle locations and you are directed to one one or the other depending depending on your baggage claim location. We were at G and all the shuttles were arriving FULL. It finally dawned on me that there was another location earlier in the alphabet. We finally made it onto a shuttle for Thrifty.

The HNL airport car rental options are funny. Some agencies have their cars right at the terminals while others require a shuttle to their facility. Can't remember which ones though.

 

[JFox]

So I never finished my trip report BUT I did make everyone in my family Hawaiian themed stockings.

I've been making my family a new set every year since 2002.