PARADISE LOST AND FOUND – Our family’s first trip to Aulani & Hawaii - updated 9/2/16

[DisneyAngel05]

I will say that the elevators at Aulani are delightful, which made an otherwise monotonous chore much more tolerable that morning. There is always fun music playing: special versions of Disney favorites sung in Hawaiian. Examples of songs I heard were “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “Be Our Guest,” and “it's a small world,” There was a lot of variety, which made it fun to try to “name that tune” whenever taking a ride during our stay.

Ooh, the music sounds lovely! I just love how Disney goes so far above and beyond for its fans - the many layers of details for every type of fan - the newbie, to the fanatic. Something for everyone! I wonder if you could buy the music in the stores?

Sam was not interested in spending time at Auntie’s Beach House (12 is the maximum age for it, and most kids there were much younger), but the twins wanted to check it out. There are two sides to Auntie’s: Uncle’s side and Auntie’s side. When we were looking around at the open house, a couple cast members stood in the doorway of one side, saying that we would not be interested in that side at all, and strongly discouraged our even coming near it, because it was “only for little kids.” They were firm about this (which seemed a little odd to me), so we didn’t spend more than a minute or so peeking into the area. (Benji would have plenty of time for a closer look on another day, as it turned out… More on that later.)

Were the children very young? I know you said it wasn't hugely busy, but did you still need to get there early to sign up for the daily activities?
That's so bizarre about the cast members! I wonder if they get overloaded in peak times and have started adjusting their attitudes because of it.

We ate breakfast at Ulu, since we had enjoyed the dinner there the night before. We all had either the breakfast platter or the French toast. Yummy & generous portions.

Sam with his French toast:


My breakfast platter:


I know there’s a lot of complaining about the (powdered?) eggs at Disney quick-service restaurants, but I really like their eggs. I may as well go ahead and admit something awful early on in the Aulani portion of our stay: we considered eating at Ama Ama and Makahiki, but did not. I had read some reviews in advance of the trip and found them to be really so-so. The cost of the meals for a family of five was a factor, but also we really felt satisfied with the other options at the resort and nearby. More on other food adventures later… There will be great news and terrible news on that front.

Bacon with french toast! That looks delicious and I've never had it together I must be out of the loop on that one.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on nearby places to eat. A lot of the reviews I've read on Trip Advisor have said the buffet is way overpriced. My kids pick at their food and I can't see them ever eating their money's worth at a place like that. Apparently there is an ABC store nearby? Did you go there at all?

We decided we should go to Target to pick up some essentials: more sunscreen, some food and beverages, a boogie board for Sam, a couple towels, etc. Before leaving, we dropped our twins off at Auntie’s, because video games apparently rank higher than boring errands.

On our way out, we grabbed a photo of the fun fruity water with the (not-so-very) Hidden Mickeys:

Love the water jug!! That looks delicious

This is going to sound so silly, but I'm actually excited to go to Target. I've never been to an American Target before, we have them here, but being a foreigner everything seems more exciting in America! Even just buying different brands of cereal and toothpaste is like a treat.
Oh dear, a bit embarrassing! How far is Target and Costco etc from Aulani?

What a great family photo! Were the lines very long for character photos?
Did you use the slides at all? I just wonder if maybe I should pack arm floaties for my twins to use, especially on slides etc - they are still very much learning to swim at this point. Can you buy floaties there?

Later the boys went up with Mickey and friends and they did the hula and some other goofy things:

The pool party looks like fun! Good on your boys for joining in. Did they do the Chip and Dale dinner surf party thing at all?

Thanks for the update! Waiting in anticipation for the next one!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Ooh, the music sounds lovely! I just love how Disney goes so far above and beyond for its fans - the many layers of details for every type of fan - the newbie, to the fanatic. Something for everyone! I wonder if you could buy the music in the stores?:

You cannot buy the music in the stores there, but I am happy to say other Hawaiian music recorded especially for Aulani (the music you will hear in the lobby and other areas of the resort as you walk around) was wonderful and is available for purchase on Amazon. I got it before the trip & love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Aulani-Music-...ie=UTF8&qid=1409168026&sr=1-1&keywords=aulani

Were the children very young? I know you said it wasn't hugely busy, but did you still need to get there early to sign up for the daily activities?:

Not super-young. Children need to be age 3-12 to be at Aunty's. I would grab a coffee at Ulu each morning and then go sign up for activities at Aunty's when they opened the door at 7am (just for that purpose; it does not open to drop off until 9:30). I was first in line when I went usually. No trouble getting into anything during our stay!

That's so bizarre about the cast members! I wonder if they get overloaded in peak times and have started adjusting their attitudes because of it.:

I don't know what the deal was. We normally have such wonderful service with Disney. They were polite. Just firm that boys the age of ours would not be interested in the area AT ALL. They did not care, but it comes up later, so I wanted to share it in advance.

Bacon with french toast! That looks delicious and I've never had it together I must be out of the loop on that one.:

Mmmm... It was yummy. You'll like the food there, I think!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on nearby places to eat. A lot of the reviews I've read on Trip Advisor have said the buffet is way overpriced. My kids pick at their food and I can't see them ever eating their money's worth at a place like that. Apparently there is an ABC store nearby? Did you go there at all?:

Yes, we would not have gotten our money's worth out of the buffet either. We did get to the ABC Store later. At least my husband did, twice. I went to many ABC Stores when we were in Waikiki, but not the one near Aulani. It has a slightly different name there, I recall, and a bit of a fancier touch to it.

Love the water jug!! That looks delicious :

Yes! Gotta love the details.

This is going to sound so silly, but I'm actually excited to go to Target. I've never been to an American Target before, we have them here, but being a foreigner everything seems more exciting in America! Even just buying different brands of cereal and toothpaste is like a treat.
Oh dear, a bit embarrassing! How far is Target and Costco etc from Aulani?:

Oh no, not embarrassing at all! I know what you mean. I was looking forward to going to a Hawaiian Target too, but didn't realize how strong the magnetic pull of the resort would be to bring me back... It is only one exit up on the freeway, I think. Not far at all. About 10 minutes away, if I recall correctly.

What a great family photo! Were the lines very long for character photos?:

No. They were easy to see.

Did you use the slides at all?:

Yes, the next day. (Jeff and Sam used the slides earlier.) They were fantastic!

I just wonder if maybe I should pack arm floaties for my twins to use, especially on slides etc - they are still very much learning to swim at this point. Can you buy floaties there?:

I am not sure. I do not know if they are allowed in the pools... You could use them in the ocean, but I am guessing they may not let them on the slides. The curvy slide is easy, but I hear the straight slide is fast for some people. We did not ride that one, but should have!

The pool party looks like fun! Good on your boys for joining in. Did they do the Chip and Dale dinner surf party thing at all?:

No, we did not do that one. I bet it is very cute.

Thanks for the update! Waiting in anticipation for the next one!

Thank YOU very much for reading! Mega-update on its way...

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

In the morning (between trips to the laundry room) I had signed up Benji for "Eruption Disruption," an activity at Aunty's Beach House. I had no trouble getting a spot for him, as the resort was not crowded.

Immediately after the pool party I took Benji to a restroom to change for Aunty’s. Two things to remember with Aunty’s (in addition to remembering that it is spelled with a “y” not an “ie” as I have been doing): 1) children must be checked in half an hour before any scheduled activities, and 2) they must arrive dry and in regular clothes and shoes. We worked quickly and got him there nearly on time.

We ran into this guy right outside Aunty’s. We saw the movie for the first time just before the trip, in the name of research.



On the way back to the main pool, I stopped a few times to take photos and look around and somehow along the way managed to lose my key card in the process. I searched everywhere I had been for about twenty minutes, eventually conceding defeat. I was told to go to the front desk and the cast member there issued me a new one, after canceling the old one (since there are charging privileges with the card). Next stop – on the way back – was to the Lava Shack, a cute little store that sold dry boxes (as well as shirts, ice cream, and lots of other things). This is something I considered buying before the trip, but neglected to do so. It was fantastic: just a small case on a strap that I could wear around my neck. The case was water-tight & big enough for room key, credit card, money, and other little items.

So… add that key card to our LOST tally.

While Benji was away, we snorkeled in Rainbow Reef, the manmade snorkeling lagoon. (Benji was not interested in going there.) Kevin took a picture of Jeff and me just before we got into the water.



It was not as cold as I expected. It was cool, but okay, and in my opinion was worth the cost of admission ($15 for adults, $10 for children). Compared to Hanauma Bay, it was a bit strange, more like swimming in a big aquarium.



The lighting was better than in a natural setting, but we were too busy enjoying it to take many photos. I hear that it is best to come during a feeding, and I am sure that would be better. Kevin and Sam liked it also, so we decided we would upgrade to length-of-stay passes. (I like that you can decide to extend after you have used your one-day pass.) Anyway, as it turns out, we never did make it back for another stay, so we should have passed on making that change. Whoops! Too many wonderful things to do, so ran out of time!

After the snorkeling, we picked up Benji and headed up to the room to get ready for a night out. He told us about the volcano activity on the way. Apparently Disney needs to improve their method of selecting cast members, because the professor they had running the show was insane. Lava hit the ceiling and was all over the place. He was quite ridiculous and had no control of his classroom. The kids were just howling! I am thankful the chaos did not extend past the doors of Aunty’s.





We drove just a little bit up the road to Paradise Cove Luau. We had spent a while researching luaus on Oahu. It was a tough call. We had originally wanted to do one that was hosted by Chief Sielu once per week in Ko Olina, but the show was canceled shortly before our trip. We had heard he was a great host and thought about another show he does, the Chief's Luau at Sea Life Aquarium, but did not want to drive all the way to the other side of the island for it. Anyway, we settled on Paradise Cove, which looked more family-friendly anyway, and was very conveniently located in Ko Olina. We were able to get a better price (about $15 per person cheaper) than the one listed on Paradise Cove’s website, by going to savontourshawaii.com. It worked great. No complaints!

Unfortunately, the luau was held on a night when rain was expected later in the evening. We enjoyed the festivities in advance of the meal, but observed that it felt rushed and a little chaotic. One highlight of the luau was an opportunity to see some beautiful birds up close and have photos taken with them. Sam adores birds, so we could not resist. They placed the birds on us for the pictures. We got several of our whole family and also one of just Sam with all the birds on him. He loved it!





We participated in the Games of Skill and Daring (TM) but fared poorly.



We took a bunch of pictures by the ocean:









Shortly after that we had to get to our tables for dinner. We had purchased the Orchid Package, so had seats in the middle section, but the back half. The front half is for table service, while we needed to go get our dinner at the buffet.

Benji was happy to find some healthy selections:



Here's my plate:



They're smiling because they have not tried much of the food yet.



I have to be honest - I thought the food was pretty awful. I am not picky, but really cannot think of anything good to say about it. Did not even like the desserts. In fairness to Paradise Cove, a few members of my family said they thought it was okay. Anyway, I hear that the food is often bad at luaus, because it is very difficult to make quality food for that large a group. It was our first one, so I have no personal knowledge of any other, but I found it to be true in this case. Now, I would say the show was very enjoyable. Nice variety, and the boys liked the fire dancing. Can't go wrong with fire!



During the show, out of the blue it seemed, the rain came. About an hour before we expected the show to end, it was over. We ran to the gift shop for shelter. Of course that is the only place available to get out of the rain. Anyway, I learned while there that apparently they had stepped up the pace of the schedule to get dinner completed early, in anticipation of the rain. That helped make sense of the quick pace to the pre-dinner events. We missed several things, because the events nearly overlapped and we could not get from one place to another in time.

Anyway, while we dried off in the store, we did a little shopping with the gift cards we received as part of our package. The boys found some cute items and Jeff even seemed to enjoy the store.

“Look! Honey, I found just what you were looking for!” he says:



We paid for our purchases (which did not include the above item) and then stepped out into a drizzly night to walk to the minivan.

It was delightful to get back "home" to Aulani early. There was a brief, but lively, discussion about which boy would get to stay in Grandma's room. Kevin tried to sway the jury with his most pathetic face…



…but somehow the prize went to Benji.



I do not recall how we decided. Anyway, we grabbed our mugs and went on a walk to get some pop, which seemed to cheer him up a bit.



Later that night, Kevin struggled with Benji being gone. He was extremely sad, because as he pointed out to us, it was the first time he had slept in a room "without his twin.” He decided later when it was his turn for Grandma’s that Benji could come with him. That worked well.

Next time: A drive to the legendary North Shore. Gorgeous!!

 

[torrey]

Did you use the slides at all? I just wonder if maybe I should pack arm floaties for my twins to use, especially on slides etc - they are still very much learning to swim at this point. Can you buy floaties there?

I haven't been, but from my research they have life vests that you can check out (for free) to use at the pool area for little ones. Just have to return them at night or there is a $45 fee.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

I haven't been, but from my research they have life vests that you can check out (for free) to use at the pool area for little ones. Just have to return them at night or there is a $45 fee.

Great tip! We did use the lifejackets for paddle-boarding and also on another occasion for our twins, so they could just relax and float in a deeper pool.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

On the way back to the main pool, I stopped a few times to take photos and look around and somehow along the way managed to lose my key card in the process. I searched everywhere I had been for about twenty minutes, eventually conceding defeat.

So… add that key card to our LOST tally.

D'oh! Sounds like it ended up on the LOST island, wherever that is. Look for a polar bear.

The lighting was better than in a natural setting, but we were too busy enjoying it to take many photos. I hear that it is best to come during a feeding, and I am sure that would be better. Kevin and Sam liked it also, so we decided we would upgrade to length-of-stay passes. (I like that you can decide to extend after you have used your one-day pass.) Anyway, as it turns out, we never did make it back for another stay, so we should have passed on making that change. Whoops! Too many wonderful things to do, so ran out of time!

Another D'oh! But I'm glad you enjoyed it. We were too cheap to try it.

Apparently Disney needs to improve their method of selecting cast members, because the professor they had running the show was insane. Lava hit the ceiling and was all over the place. He was quite ridiculous and had no control of his classroom. The kids were just howling!

Looks like a lot of fun.

They placed the birds on us for the pictures. We got several of our whole family and also one of just Sam with all the birds on him. He loved it!

Fantastic pictures! All of the ones from the beach are terrific.

They're smiling because they have not tried much of the food yet.

Uh oh.

Now, I would say the show was very enjoyable. Nice variety, and the boys liked the fire dancing. Can't go wrong with fire!

Agreed! Pyrotechnics are always welcome!

The boys found some cute items and Jeff even seemed to enjoy the store.

“Look! Honey, I found just what you were looking for!” he says:

We paid for our purchases (which did not include the above item)

Party pooper.

Kevin tried to sway the jury with his most pathetic face…

Wow. Bringing out the big guns there.

Later that night, Kevin struggled with Benji being gone. He was extremely sad, because as he pointed out to us, it was the first time he had slept in a room "without his twin.” He decided later when it was his turn for Grandma’s that Benji could come with him. That worked well.

Poor guy.

 

[DisneyAngel05]

I haven't been, but from my research they have life vests that you can check out (for free) to use at the pool area for little ones. Just have to return them at night or there is a $45 fee.

Great tip! We did use the lifejackets for paddle-boarding and also on another occasion for our twins, so they could just relax and float in a deeper pool.

Thanks for the great tips!!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

D'oh! Sounds like it ended up on the LOST island, wherever that is. Look for a polar bear.

You got that right! No polar bears were seen, though, fortunately.

Another D'oh! But I'm glad you enjoyed it. We were too cheap to try it.

I would not call it a Must Do, especially with so many other great options at the resort (which is why we only got to it once!) but it was nice, especially as another easy opportunity to try some snorkeling, since we were just learning.

Looks like a lot of fun.

Yeah. It was really nice to see the photopass photos after he had told me all about it. They did a great job entertaining the kids.

Fantastic pictures! All of the ones from the beach are terrific.

Thank you! Can't go too far wrong with a setting like that. So amazing...

Party pooper.

Yup. I'm sure he was not surprised. I do think he looks good with it, though.

Wow. Bringing out the big guns there.

He knows how to work a room!

Poor guy.

It was sad, but nice in hindsight, too, because sometimes they do get on each others nerves of course. Good to see how much he really likes him, if you know what I mean.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

So.... I am a bad DISer. Life sure got in the way of my Trip Report! I am sorry and plan to get back in the game now. One reason why I have not been posting is that I have been planning our next Disney World Trip. We leave in just a few weeks. (Woo hoo! ) It is our first time with MDE and FPP, and I have to say that this trip has taken way more time to plan than any previous one and has felt a little like a part-time job. Crazy! I made my FPPs at midnight 60 days out, have been working on our touring plans, working in a LEGOLAND visit, have changed resorts (due to a free dining PIN at Port Orleans Riverside! ), and am trying to get some elusive ADRs. Add school to the mix (we homeschool our kids, plus I am taking a class myself for the first time in a dozen years), a new binge-series on Netflix (Once Upon a Time) and that makes for a busy fall. (Wow. I need a nap after writing all that out...) Anyway, glad to be back! I am excited to get back to digging into others' trip reports again, too, because in my shame and chaos I have made myself stay mostly away.

So, where were we?...

On Monday we drove to the North Shore. We enjoyed using our GyPSy app on my iPhone to direct us on our travels and provide informative and entertaining narration. For example, during our drive we were instructed about the history of the "Shaka" hand-movement and how to do it, including cautions not shake your hand too quickly because that would make you look like a tourist, and not too slowly because that would just look weird. I remember the instructions because we got a bit lost and heard that segment of the tour a couple times.

Somehow, on our way to the North Shore we took a wrong turn and missed Haleiwa, a town well known for surfing that is a must-do on any trip to the area. We decided to visit it on the way back and instead made our first stop at Laniakea Beach, also popularly known as "Turtle Beach," due to the amazing green sea turtles that can be seen there. We joined a small crowd of people standing around waiting for one turtle several yards from shore to come on in for us to admire him. We waited a long time, but eventually gave up and left. I know others have had great success seeing turtles there, but unfortunately it just wasn't the case for us that day. This is the best photo I got:


Next we got back in the car to continue our coastal drive. We stopped at Waimea Bay Beach Park.




We loved this beach. It was beautiful! Soft, fluffy, deep sand. Sam tried boogie boarding, but was sad not to have any big waves. Jeff got in the water with the boys and then there was a strong series of waves in one portion of the beach. A bunch of people hung out there and rode them. The boys had a blast!




We continued up the road for a while until we reached Kahuku, where we visited an obligatory shrimp truck. Jeff, Sam, and my mom ordered shrimp from Giovanni’s and liked it.


The twins and I just had smoothies and watched them. I enjoyed the aroma of all the garlic and butter, but have to say it looked like way too much work to peel all that shrimp. I am a lazy eater. I do not eat things that make me work very hard or are really messy (no chicken wings or turkey legs or ribs or stuff like that). Anyway, the smoothies were stupendous. Mmmmm…. Easily the best I ever had.


Jeff made the mistake of saying that while he liked the shrimp, next time he would pass on it (partly due to the long line). Whaaaat? “Next time,” you say....?! We had been saying this was our once-in-a-lifetime-trip-to-Hawaii, but after about two days in paradise, I was secretly scheming about a future trip someday. I had to seize this opening... My mom and I went on and on a little bit, saying how "We have to go back!" Jeff scolded us, saying, "You guys are crazy!" In fairness, taking a family of five to Hawaii is an expensive proposition, so we must be responsible and cannot run back on a whim… So, he is not as mean as it first sounded.

We had planned to go to Ted's Bakery so the non-shrimp eaters could have lunch and we could all enjoy some pie. They are well-known for their pie, and we are big pie fans. Unfortunately, Ted’s Bakery is not known for comfortable indoor seating, or much outdoor seating at all. And a downpour hit just as we pulled into the parking lot, so eating outside was not possible. We all rushed inside and grabbed some treats to eat on the road as we drove back toward Haleiwa: chocolate mousse, pie, and pastries. Our snacks were tasty, but it would have been nicer to have visited on a sunny day.

One place we were excited to see on the North Shore was Waimea Valley and it did not disappoint. Gorgeous flowers, trees, birds for the kiddos, and a dreamy waterfall swim. Ahhh... So nice. I knew I would be taking many photos, so the twins helped me out by carrying my tripod. Funny how boys make everything into a weapon...








At the far end of Waimea Valley is a very nice waterfall that is seen in [geek alert!] LOST several times. We were not sure if we should swim under it (it was still a bit rainy), but could not resist. Sam and I slipped on the required lifejackets and got into the water. There is apparently a very abrupt and deep drop-off, so all must wear them. I loved it in the end, because it made is soooo relaxing and breezy. Very fun.






On the way out we happened upon this peacock. He was quite the show-off!


We ate dinner at the Grass Skirt Grill in Haleiwa. The skies had thankfully cleared up by then, enabling us to enjoy the outdoor seating. Our meal was delicious. I had a cheeseburger. Isn’t it pretty?


As you can see, Sam was happy with his meal.


I had read about this place online and it was as amazing as the reviews indicated. If you go, bring cash, as they do not take credit cards. After dinner, we happily drove back home to Aulani.

Next up: Aulani’s Starlit Hui and many Aulani photos

 

[alohamom]

I just love the last pic of your son and his hamburger and the truck with "Custom Surfboards" on it. It really captures how laid back and casual that area is as well as how ravenous one can get from a day of trippin' the north shore!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

One reason why I have not been posting is that I have been planning our next Disney World Trip.

Well, that seems like a legitimate excuse!

We waited a long time, but eventually gave up and left. I know others have had great success seeing turtles there, but unfortunately it just wasn't the case for us that day.

Well, at least you didn't totally strike out!

I am a lazy eater. I do not eat things that make me work very hard or are really messy (no chicken wings or turkey legs or ribs or stuff like that).

I get that. Ribs bother me. It seems like an awful lot of work and and awful lot of mess for not very much meat.

Jeff made the mistake of saying that while he liked the shrimp, next time he would pass on it (partly due to the long line). Whaaaat? “Next time,” you say....?! We had been saying this was our once-in-a-lifetime-trip-to-Hawaii, but after about two days in paradise, I was secretly scheming about a future trip someday. I had to seize this opening... My mom and I went on and on a little bit, saying how "We have to go back!"

Just like LOST! But I get it, believe me.

At the far end of Waimea Valley is a very nice waterfall that is seen in [geek alert!] LOST several times.

Beautiful spot!

 

[jwgm2012]

Yay! So glad you're writing again! We're at Aulani exactly one week from today, arriving on Halloween afternoon. I love to read everyone's island adventures as I'm still filling my days with must-do's... we won't be there long at all so I'm being very selective

Can't wait to read the rest.

gina

 

[OurDogCisco]

I'm loving the trip report so far. We go to Hawaii yearly (living in California makes that easy) but mostly to Maui and Kauai. I've been to many luaus but never Paradise cove. My favorite is on Maui at Old Lahainia. I liked the food there the best. I might of missed it but what tour company did you use for your photography class. I'd love to do that next time I go...

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

I just love the last pic of your son and his hamburger and the truck with "Custom Surfboards" on it. It really captures how laid back and casual that area is as well as how ravenous one can get from a day of trippin' the north shore!

Thanks! It really is a beautiful area. We loved it. Too bad we did not have more time there! There was so much to do and see.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Well, that seems like a legitimate excuse!

Thanks! I am sure people around here can relate! I don't know how people can just show up at DW with no advance planning. It does help. And now it is basically required... I woke up members of my family early on a recent Saturday to make them pick out their lunch orders for Be Our Guest a month later (because it just opened up for our travel dates). That is a new thing for us. Even a crazy planner like me has to wonder if things have gone too far. Oh, well. It'll be fun.

I get that. Ribs bother me. It seems like an awful lot of work and and awful lot of mess for not very much meat.

Thanks for understanding! This is one of my firmest convictions in life. Chicken wings, too. Why bother. There are endless examples. Plus, by skipping the less desirable items, there's more room for butterfinger cupcakes.

Just like LOST! But I get it, believe me.

Yes! Jeff played "Kate" well, dismissing us totally. She did cave in the end, though. We'll see what happens in our case... I can be patient.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Yay! So glad you're writing again! We're at Aulani exactly one week from today, arriving on Halloween afternoon. I love to read everyone's island adventures as I'm still filling my days with must-do's... we won't be there long at all so I'm being very selective

Can't wait to read the rest.

gina

You're so kind! Thank you so much for reading, Gina. I am SO excited for you. You will love it! And just a few days away... Wow! I can't withhold my exclamation points on your behalf apparently. I found trip reports so helpful, too, including Captain Oblivious's report of his family's vacation (he posted above and the link is in his post). Outstanding report.

How long will you be at Aulani? If you have any specific questions, please let me know if I can be of any help. We had four nights at Aulani, of nine nights total on Oahu. I understand wanting to make the most of it. It went fast, but was amazing. I would be sure to save enough time just to relax at the resort, but I expect you are already planning that. Have fun planning and counting down!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

I'm loving the trip report so far. We go to Hawaii yearly (living in California makes that easy) but mostly to Maui and Kauai. I've been to many luaus but never Paradise cove. My favorite is on Maui at Old Lahainia. I liked the food there the best. I might of missed it but what tour company did you use for your photography class. I'd love to do that next time I go...

Thanks so much for reading! You are kind.

Happy for you that you make it to Hawaii so often! Nice. I can see how it would be much easier (and harder to resist!) from California. I have heard that Maui and Kauai are gorgeous. I can see why you would keep going back.

I took my photography tour through Oahu Photography Tours. I'd highly recommend checking them out. Our guides were fantastic. Here's their website:

http://www.oahuphotographytours.com/

 

[AussieMumma]

Oh I'm in, I hope you've got more coming soon! We are headed to Aulani for our first visit in April

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Oh I'm in, I hope you've got more coming soon! We are headed to Aulani for our first visit in April

Thanks so much for reading, AussieMumma! Welcome! I am posting an update tonight. I really fell behind, in part because I had a major software problem that prevented me from accessing my Hawaii photos. It's all resolved now, so I am back in business and hope to post an update regularly, about once a week.

I hope you are enjoying planning! Yippee for you with a trip coming up so soon! Please send any questions you have my way. I would love to help in any way possible. You're traveling near the same time of year we did. I am sure you will have an amazing time.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

We reluctantly left the North Shore after dinner, because we needed to be back to Aulani in time for the Starlit Hui show. The resort was a welcome sight as we approached.



Ahhhh, so nice to remember on a cold night at home in Minnesota.

At about 7:00, we arrived down at the Halawai Lawn where the Starlit Hui is held. We were greeted by a cast member who provided us with a large mat for our group to sit on. We were directed to a spot and got settled. The mat was surprisingly comfortable. We left a few items there to mark our spot and wandered around the area, checking out the several stations set up with activities for the kids to do before the show began at 7:30.

We loved the show. There was singing and hula dancing. There were dueling ukuleles. There were Disney characters. There was fire. I think in hindsight that I personally would have been fine with passing on the luau we attended earlier, since this was an excellent, albeit shorter, show that was a nice substitute for the same general kind of entertainment you have at a luau. When I told my children this today, they disagreed vigorously. They enjoyed the luau (because there was food and much more fire) and did not see the Aulani show as a substitute. The fact that money is no object to them may also have been a small factor.









After the show we were pretty exhausted and went back to the room to get everyone to bed. My mother had passed on the Starlit Hui, but thankfully was awake when we knocked on her door to drop off her guest for the night.

I woke up bright and early Tuesday morning. Once I am up, I can't get back to sleep, so at about 5:45 I decided to go outside and take some photos while the resort was still quiet. I did not make it in time for the sunrise, but it was amazing. I saw just a few cast members, but mostly had the place all to myself. Aulani really is beautiful... Here are some of the photos, which hopefully give a sense of what I mean.

This is a view of the main building, including Makahiki to the left and the Olelo Room to the right.


We never ate here, but I think it's cute.
















The new (at the time) Infinity Edge pool:










I ended my little solo tour in a chair on the beach, reading my Daily 'Iwa.



Up Next: An almost perfect day of enjoying Aulani, so why does my face look like this?