Aulani closures...when will they end?

[DLgal]

Does anyone have any good intel as to when Aulani might be FULLY open? As in, everything functioning at pre covid levels?

We would like to take a trip to Hawaii, but it would likely be a "one and done" for us, so we want to go when we can get access to EVERYTHING we want to do. For us, this includes the spa, adult ONLY pools, gym, ALL restaurants open, daily housekeeping services, room service, etc.

I really don't want to pay Aulani prices for a half experience.

Are these closures largely due to state wide (government) imposed restrictions, or are these strictly Disney decisions at this point?

 

[aulanidreamer]

Maybe by 2023? They are limited by the state at this point and the resort was closed for 7 months so my guess is they will shave cost where they can until they are allowed to operate at full capacity and start pulling in conventions and such again. The breakfast will reopen next month but I’m not sure it will continue to be a buffet as I think that’s a ways away. Hawaii is more conservative because they don’t have the medical care needed and can’t rely on a nearby state as backup.

We are here now and enjoying lower capacity. I miss the spa and the early morning beach exercise classes, but it’s not ruining anything for me. The previously adult pool is mostly empty anyway as it is shaded and on the back side of the building. I’ve never seen it very crowded. I wish the drink stations were open or at the very least some water bottle filling stations but we are so happy to be here and the staff has been wonderful and so grateful for the business and their jobs again. My guess is we have the see how the fall flu season progresses before anyone really knows how things will be going forward.

 

[vacay77]

Does anyone have any good intel as to when Aulani might be FULLY open? As in, everything functioning at pre covid levels?

We would like to take a trip to Hawaii, but it would likely be a "one and done" for us, so we want to go when we can get access to EVERYTHING we want to do. For us, this includes the spa, adult ONLY pools, gym, ALL restaurants open, daily housekeeping services, room service, etc.

I really don't want to pay Aulani prices for a half experience.

Are these closures largely due to state wide (government) imposed restrictions, or are these strictly Disney decisions at this point?

My guess is that it will sometime in 2022. We love the Aulani - this year will mark our second visit, but I agree, if you plan on going only once, might be best to wait. It’s also a matter of what you consider a deal breaker. I don’t know if buffets will ever exist again but I was never a fan of buffets to begin with, so that isn’t much of a loss for me. My guess is that masks will be required for some time to come. I guess I don’t see any semblance of normalcy until next year although I think restrictions will start loosening in the next couple of months, similar to what we are seeing at WDW and Aulani (with the luau, then the character breakfast). I think the restrictions are a combination of government regulations and Disney. For example, CA is a lot stricter due to the local government. But Disney is also probably trying to minimize risks to their employees and guests.

 

[DLgal]

Yeah, I think 2022 will be a better bet. We had originally planned for spring break this year, but we will just move it out to next year instead. The deal released yesterday had me contemplating a week in August before school resumes, but without knowing what all will be open by then, I don't know if I want to take the chance.

 

[vacay77]

Those deals are tempting! That’s one of the reasons why I decided to book our trip, lol. But I live on the west coast (we can get a direct flight from Phoenix) and Hawaii is one of my favorite places to visit, so it’s highly likely we’ll return. Because the flight is comparable to flying to the east coast and Florida, it just seemed like we’d enjoy Hawaii more under the circumstances. We had a trip booked for DL for the end of May, but cancelled it because as non-CA residents, we can’t get into the park.

 

[jodybird511]

Yeah, I think 2022 will be a better bet. We had originally planned for spring break this year, but we will just move it out to next year instead. The deal released yesterday had me contemplating a week in August before school resumes, but without knowing what all will be open by then, I don't know if I want to take the chance.

I really think anything before late fall will be pushing it. Aulani has been pretty slow to add much of anything since they finally reopened. The fact that their almost completely open-air signature restaurant has not reopened to me indicates that those other things are still a ways off in the distance. As an Aulani owner, I would say wait until everything is back up if you plan a one-and-done. That said, MANY of us planned a one-and-done to Aulani, yet here we are. lol

 

[DLgal]

Those deals are tempting! That’s one of the reasons why I decided to book our trip, lol. But I live on the west coast (we can get a direct flight from Phoenix) and Hawaii is one of my favorite places to visit, so it’s highly likely we’ll return. Because the flight is comparable to flying to the east coast and Florida, it just seemed like we’d enjoy Hawaii more under the circumstances. We had a trip booked for DL for the end of May, but cancelled it because as non-CA residents, we can’t get into the park.

We live in Orange County CA. We could go back to Hawaii more than once but it is FAR more expensive to travel there than Florida!

 

[vacay77]

I really think anything before late fall will be pushing it. Aulani has been pretty slow to add much of anything since they finally reopened. The fact that their almost completely open-air signature restaurant has not reopened to me indicates that those other things are still a ways off in the distance. As an Aulani owner, I would say wait until everything is back up if you plan a one-and-done. That said, MANY of us planned a one-and-done to Aulani, yet here we are. lol

I read that they might not ever open that restaurant again. I’m not sure why. Do you know if any of the other restaurants serve Mickey pancakes, lol?

 

[DLgal]

I read that they might not ever open that restaurant again. I’m not sure why. Do you know if any of the other restaurants serve Mickey pancakes, lol?

Isn't that the one that is owned by an outside company? I feel like I heard that.

 

[jodybird511]

Isn't that the one that is owned by an outside company? I feel like I heard that.

There's been talk of that on this board, but Idk if it's actually been confirmed. Who knows.

 

[Kmk2]

There's been talk of that on this board, but Idk if it's actually been confirmed. Who knows.

I went deep one night and found that former head chefs of ama ama listed Disney as their former employer and Disney Park blog has an article from 2011 about the first head chef and the Disney “found” and “hired” him from San Francisco. Chefs that work for Patina group list Patina. Not definitive, of course. I really love that restaurant.

 

[OKW Lover]

I read that they might not ever open that restaurant again. I’m not sure why. Do you know if any of the other restaurants serve Mickey pancakes, lol?

If you are talking about Ama Ama, the likelihood of that place never reopening is near zero. No way will they tear down the structure or leave it vacant. At the worst, it will be turned into another restaurant with a different name.

 

[aulanidreamer]

I have to correct myself... I walked by the previous adult pool this afternoon and it was full of kids. I’m not over that way as often this trip with the drink stations closed, but today it was busy.

 

[OKW Lover]

I have to correct myself... I walked by the previous adult pool this afternoon and it was full of kids. I’m not over that way as often this trip with the drink stations closed, but today it was busy.

Thanks for the update. Hoping that by our September trip that restrictions will be back in place.

 

[floribr1]

Isn't that the one that is owned by an outside company? I feel like I heard that.

I believe that rumor was started here on this board, several weeks ago. No proof was offered, and the original poster eventually corrected himself/herself. So not correct -- Ama Ama is, indeed, owned and operated by Disney.