Resort Review: Aulani Resort & Spa

Location: Ko Olina, Oahu, Hawaii

Rating:

 

Overview

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, is the perfect blend of Disney and Hawaiian culture that creates a fun, family-friendly vacation spot. We had the most magical time on our family vacation there over New Years Eve. The bar was set very high for the resort – everything I had heard, read and researched before the trip just blew me away. I can safely say everything about the resort and vacation exceeded my expectations!

This Hawaiian resort has touches of magic and provides the level of Disney service you would expect at the parks and resorts, without being “too Disney.” While there are occasional character meet and greets and a character meal, that’s the most Disney that it gets. There is so much to do on property that you could spend your entire trip without leaving, and you’ve never get bored! We did two excursions throughout the week – we visited Pearl Harbor for a day and did surf lessons one morning. Both were so much fun, in different ways.

The beach and pool areas were wonderful. I’m all about a good beach, and the lagoon area was picture perfect. A calm ocean and smooth sand – what more could you want?! We always got chairs at the pool area (facing the ocean) but spent time every day down at the beach and swimming in the ocean. We spent the most time at the water slides and lazy river – there was a water slide that you rode in an inflatable tube AND a body slide. Both were super fun. The lazy river was great, too, but we made sure to go before it got too crowded in the afternoons.

The food options were great at Aulani. As seafood and sushi lovers, everything was incredibly fresh and tasty! We never had something we didn’t like during the trip, so definitely a step up from the Disney park food 🙂

 

Disney Vacation Club Resort

Aulani is a Disney Vacation Club Resort. About 70% of the property is made up of DVC villas, and those accommodations are more spacious and have a kitchen space – great if you want to do some grocery shopping during your stay. Disney Vacation Club members receive the benefit of substantial savings by booking with their points. The villas that don’t fill up with DVC members are open to everyone else, so you do have the opportunity to book them. You can also rent points through the secondary DVC market to use for your stay, without being a full DVC member.  

 

Family Friendly Atmosphere

As you would expect from Disney, the entire resort is designed for families. That being said, as a group of 8 adults, we still loved it and had the best time. There’s something to do for adults, kids, and the kids at heart (our family!). Below are some of the highlights for kids and adults specifically.

Kid Must Dos:

Aunty’s Beach House is the club for kids ages 3-12. All activities, crafts, games and supervision are complimentary. Drop the kids off for some adults time at the beach or spa!

Keiki Cove Splash Zone is a water playground for kids 5 and under. Kids can enjoy this safe and fun space at the pool

Pool Parties can be enjoyed with all of your favorite characters – come dance and play games with Mickey, Minnie and Goofy in the main pool area! 

 

 

Adult Must Dos:

The Laniwai Spa offers relaxing treatments. I went for a traditional Hawaiian massage and had the most luxurious experience enjoying the extra amenities the spa offers. Plan to spend a few hours here so you can enjoy the hydrotherapy garden.

The pool scene is great at Aulani. There are tons of different options for whatever mood you’re in – from an adults only pool, to 2 high-speed water slides, to a lazy river, to whirlpool spas, to an infinity pool – Aulani has it all! And don’t forget to grab your poolside cocktail!

 

The fitness classes offered were great! We did a beach bootcamp one morning (classes cost between $15-$20) and it kicked our butts! It was so peaceful to workout on the beach while enjoying the sites and sounds of the lagoon. The gym was also really nice, even though it had no windows.

 

Dining Options

Ka Wa’a Luau

We went to this on-property (but non-Disney) luau for New Years Eve, and it was SO much fun. The event was extremely well organized from the moment you check-in for the night until the very end. There are tons of activities (temporary tattoos, lei making, photo opportunities, etc.) for the kids until the show begins. The quality of performers was so impressive and fun to watch, and the food was some of our favorite, especially for a buffet. This was worth the money for us!

Ama Ama

This is the “nicer” restaurant on property and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. We enjoyed dinner here our last night and it was delicious. Try to time it right so you can see the sunset while you dine in the open air spot! 

Makahiki

This casual, family friendly meal serves breakfast and dinner, buffet-style. This is the most “Disney” spot on property, as there are characters and a show (the characters are on select nights only for dinner). Great for the kids!

Olelo Room

This upscale cocktail and appetizer lounge was our favorite spot on property. We had dinner here two nights and loved the food (such good sushi!). You can enjoy live music every evening on the outdoor patio – a perfect way to end the day.

Ulu Cafe

Here is your perfect poolside cafe, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can walk up and purchase grab-and-go options as well as hot meals. This spot offers make your own poke bowls, too! We came here every morning for coffee (with our reusable mugs) and breakfast and snacks. Pricey, but very convenient. 

Off the Hook Bar

We spent the most time at this poolside hangout. The food was great, and the drinks were better! We had lunch here most days since we picked pool chairs close by, and we also enjoyed college football bowl games here (they had a few TVs). We loved it here!

WDW Park Planners’ Experience, Takeaways and Tips

Take advantage of the ABC Store and restaurants across the street from the resort. 

There’s a great little shopping area across the street from Aulani in Ko Olina, which is a quick five minute walk from the resort. The ABC Store was the perfect convenience shop to get snacks, coffee, toiletries, pool/beach toys, etc., and at a fraction of the price you’d pay at Aulani. There are some really good restaurants too – everyone loves Monkey Pod (get the mai tais!). 

Buy the Refillable Disney Mugs at the resort. 

 For $18.99, you can purchase your refillable mug (same as at Walt Disney World resorts) but with cute Aulani designs! We used our mugs every morning for coffee and other soft drinks and water throughout the day. If not everyone needs their own, just buy a few to share!

Get the pool chairs early!

Since we were jet lagged, we naturally were up very early each morning. We usually went down to the pool around 6/6:30am, and people were already starting to grab the “good” chairs. We quickly found our favorite spot and continued to get those same chairs every morning. Because they were “prime real estate,” we did need to save them early. You can’t leave chairs unattended with your belongings, so we would bring our computers down and do some work while we waited for the sun to rise 🙂

 

Other questions? Send me a message!