glassslipper2004
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2004
We just returned from five nights in a two bedroom suite at Aulani, following three nights in Waikiki.
Aulani is beautiful, and has all the detail and care you would expect of a Disney resort. There are a few things it may help to know in advance:
The room (suite) was amazing - large and with every amenity. However, the entertainment system clearly has not been updated in many years, and was severely lacking - no Netflix access, no on demand movies, just whatever is on tv, complete with commercials. If you are still using DVD's you could bring those to help. We went to the trouble to buy cables and hook up our laptops to get Netflix access, but the wifi was so slow and intermittent we couldn't watch a whole tv show without it hanging up.
That's fault #2 - the wifi in the room is sluggish and goes in and out. A real problem for two adults who were hoping to have at least some connection to work obligations, and a giant pain for our two college age students who were also hoping to spend a few hours doing schoolwork - as well as the interference with our entertainment desires!
The pool area does close oddly early - most pools close at 8 pm, and the very nice bar near the adult pool closes at 5, which is strange since that's the adult area where we found people going at the end of the day for a relaxing dip- would have been nice to keep that bar open for socializing and drinks. But the adult pool itself was lovely, and it was much easier to get chairs there - even in the middle of the day.
The rest of the pool area was very, very crowded. There were times when we couldn't find even one chair on which to set our things down. Be prepared. If you are planning on spending the day at the pools, send one member of your party down before 8 - he or she will have to stay there, at least until 8, but at least you'll get some chairs.
Don't miss floating on boogie boards in the lagoon - this is one way to get a little space between yourself and the crowds, as most of the parents and younger kids stay in close to the shore. We only tried this on our last day and wished we had done it earlier.
The food at the Ulu Café (quick service) is the most interesting and best we've seen at any similar Disney resort, complete with acai bowls and poke. A real favorite. The Olelo room was also a very nice place to go in the evening for live music, apps and drinks - and desserts too. We had a complete dinner there of the apps and desserts, quite pleasant. We did Ama Ama for breakfast - lovely, but honestly our fav breakfast spot was My Café, in Kapolei - the most amazing pancake flight (lilikoi and chocolate haupia and cookie batter), and malasada pancakes, and kalua pork hash. Cheaper than Ama Ama by a long shot, more interesting, and the friendliest service around.
On our drive from Waikiki to Aulani we stopped at Leonard's, and then Liliha Bakery, and brought malasadas and coco puffs (as good as they say) to the hotel.
At check in, be prepared for a crowd. The lobby isn't that big, and there isn't much space to wait unless you go out into the pool area - which is very lovely, so it's no hardship, but it's much smaller than, say, the Wilderness Lodge lobby.
Finally, if you have a late flight, they will offer you the use of the lounge to shower and change. But it's not a place you can hang out - it is a one entry key, and it is packed to the brim with parents and children all trying to use the facilities - just two showers in the women's room. We gave up as it was so loud in there we didn't want to all leave with pounding headaches.
I'm happy to answer any questions you may have - we had a lovely time, mostly using Aulani as home base for exploring Oahu, but also enjoying the beautiful Disney atmosphere.
Aulani is beautiful, and has all the detail and care you would expect of a Disney resort. There are a few things it may help to know in advance:
The room (suite) was amazing - large and with every amenity. However, the entertainment system clearly has not been updated in many years, and was severely lacking - no Netflix access, no on demand movies, just whatever is on tv, complete with commercials. If you are still using DVD's you could bring those to help. We went to the trouble to buy cables and hook up our laptops to get Netflix access, but the wifi was so slow and intermittent we couldn't watch a whole tv show without it hanging up.
That's fault #2 - the wifi in the room is sluggish and goes in and out. A real problem for two adults who were hoping to have at least some connection to work obligations, and a giant pain for our two college age students who were also hoping to spend a few hours doing schoolwork - as well as the interference with our entertainment desires!
The pool area does close oddly early - most pools close at 8 pm, and the very nice bar near the adult pool closes at 5, which is strange since that's the adult area where we found people going at the end of the day for a relaxing dip- would have been nice to keep that bar open for socializing and drinks. But the adult pool itself was lovely, and it was much easier to get chairs there - even in the middle of the day.
The rest of the pool area was very, very crowded. There were times when we couldn't find even one chair on which to set our things down. Be prepared. If you are planning on spending the day at the pools, send one member of your party down before 8 - he or she will have to stay there, at least until 8, but at least you'll get some chairs.
Don't miss floating on boogie boards in the lagoon - this is one way to get a little space between yourself and the crowds, as most of the parents and younger kids stay in close to the shore. We only tried this on our last day and wished we had done it earlier.
The food at the Ulu Café (quick service) is the most interesting and best we've seen at any similar Disney resort, complete with acai bowls and poke. A real favorite. The Olelo room was also a very nice place to go in the evening for live music, apps and drinks - and desserts too. We had a complete dinner there of the apps and desserts, quite pleasant. We did Ama Ama for breakfast - lovely, but honestly our fav breakfast spot was My Café, in Kapolei - the most amazing pancake flight (lilikoi and chocolate haupia and cookie batter), and malasada pancakes, and kalua pork hash. Cheaper than Ama Ama by a long shot, more interesting, and the friendliest service around.
On our drive from Waikiki to Aulani we stopped at Leonard's, and then Liliha Bakery, and brought malasadas and coco puffs (as good as they say) to the hotel.
At check in, be prepared for a crowd. The lobby isn't that big, and there isn't much space to wait unless you go out into the pool area - which is very lovely, so it's no hardship, but it's much smaller than, say, the Wilderness Lodge lobby.
Finally, if you have a late flight, they will offer you the use of the lounge to shower and change. But it's not a place you can hang out - it is a one entry key, and it is packed to the brim with parents and children all trying to use the facilities - just two showers in the women's room. We gave up as it was so loud in there we didn't want to all leave with pounding headaches.
I'm happy to answer any questions you may have - we had a lovely time, mostly using Aulani as home base for exploring Oahu, but also enjoying the beautiful Disney atmosphere.
