Military members, Aulani vs Hale Koa is it worth the price difference?

[darnheather]

Currently the military discount for Aulani is 30% and only at limited times. Hale Koa is less than $250 a night for the dates I'm looking to travel. I usually cruise with DCL and love that, but don't need the Disney "magic" to have a wonderful vacation. Would love to hear from anyone who has stayed at both places.

 

[monsterkitty]

This is where I would do a split stay. If we have Marriott points to burn, we stay at the Waikiki Marriott a few nights before moving to the Ko'Olina Marriott Vacation Club.

I personally like staying at Waikiki for a few nights just for the experience of walking around the area during the day and evening and then moving to Ko'Olina for the quieter beach. We use Ko'Olina as our homebase for sight-seeing around the island.

The Hale Koa is in a great location for sightseeing in the Waikiki area.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hale Koa wfor $250/night is great, and that's a quieter beach area than mpst of the Waikiki strip, although comparatively busy vs. Aulani. I suspect the gap on AUL pricing is pretty big. AUL is not worth twice Hale Koa.

 

[808blessing]

Hale Koa is nice!!

 

[Sir William]

Love both locations, but they have different vibes. The prices (rooms, bars, drinks) better at Hale Koa. Restaurants are more affordable as well. The small exchange is a great place to pick up snacks and souvenirs and anything else you've forgotten to bring along without having to pay the high Waikiki prices or drive to Pearl. The in-house MWR for discounted tours, etc is a great amenity. I like the Hale Koa luau as well - and I've been to quite a few venues on Oahu. When I stayed at the Hilton next door when TDY to Pearl/Hickam, I would walk over to the Hale Koa for dinner, drinks or to use the exchange. I also enjoy visiting the Army Museum of Hawaii next door.

 

[Iceman93]

When going to WDW, do you stay at Shades of Green or prefer the Disney deluxe resorts? That's not a perfect analogy, but will help you understand the difference in feel between Hale Koa and Aulani. Hale Koa is fantastic and an amazing benefit for those eligible when staying on Waikiki Beach, but it's ultimately just a mid-range, beachfront hotel. Aulani is off in a secluded part of the island without a whole lot to see and do around it, but is very much an upscale resort hotel.

I agree with @monsterkitty that a split stay may be the way to go.

 

[pmaurer74]

I do not remember being wowed by Hall Koa but it has also been 20 years. How much do you plan to be at the resort?

 

[WillGan]

Currently the military discount for Aulani is 30% and only at limited times. Hale Koa is less than $250 a night for the dates I'm looking to travel. I usually cruise with DCL and love that, but don't need the Disney "magic" to have a wonderful vacation. Would love to hear from anyone who has stayed at both places.

If you don’t need the “Disney” experience, Hale Koa is fine! Its location is right there on the edge of Waikiki. With all the additions Waikiki has put in the last 10 years (Beachwalk), I’d recommend Hale Koa. Hopefully the room size would satisfy the space your party would need to have a relaxing time while in your room. Have a great trip!

 

[darnheather]

I do not remember being wowed by Hall Koa but it has also been 20 years. How much do you plan to be at the resort?

Very little. I'm taking my daughter so we'll be doing lots of exploring on the island.

 

[darnheather]

If you don’t need the “Disney” experience, Hale Koa is fine! Its location is right there on the edge of Waikiki. With all the additions Waikiki has put in the last 10 years (Beachwalk), I’d recommend Hale Koa. Hopefully the room size would satisfy the space your party would need to have a relaxing time while in your room. Have a great trip!

It will be just my daughter and I, and while we prefer to queen beds we can survive with one king, but one queen is a bit too small as I kick. LOL

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Save the resort money and spend it on other experiences.

 

[cgattis]

Have you been to Hawaii before? Have you been to Aulani before? How many nights are you staying? If you’ve never done Aulani before, and you’re staying more than maybe 5 nights, I’d recommend at least one night at Aulani. If you’re good with one whole day of not exploiting the island, you can really experience a lot of Aulani, esp if you check in early and out Las late as you can the next day. It’s the most beautiful resort I’ve visited in Hawaii, (with the possible exception of the Andaz on Maui) and if you love Disney, you’ll love all the details. Like the hidden animals on the lazy river walls—I think there were in the high double digits of them! And the menehune….plus the artwork, the kukui nut torches, just all the Disney deluxe kind of details. But yeah, I just had to argue with my husband on Sunday that FREE Marriott nights trump ski-in-ski-out sometimes, so I’d definitely maximize my budget by staying at the Hale Koa most of the nights (and I detest Waikiki, so that’s saying something).