Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa

Always enjoy the lazy pool.

Really beautiful grounds, and beautiful resort with fantastic rooms. But be aware that if you book a “standard” view, there is a good chance it will be a mostly blocked view. Our standard view room is mostly just looking at the side of a building (two stories up from lobby floor) for the next two weeks. So keep this in mind when booking! On the positive side, since I now won’t spend the any of trip sitting on the porch enjoying the view, it will definitely encourage us to leave the resort a lot more and explore the rest of beautiful Oahu!

Prior to my visit, I was confident Disney’s top-notch customer service and attention to detail would be the factors that distinguished Aulani from other resorts. Though it goes without saying Aulani is a beautiful property, the amenities are worth nowhere close to the given price tag, and the Disney standard for hospitality / customer service was sorely lacking. The good things about Aulani (nice beaches, pools, and sunsets) could be found at an island resort at another destination for half the cost and significantly better customer service. I’m not joking when I say the Polynesian at WDW was more like what I expected an actual Hawaiian resort to be (and at least I got a complimentary lei there, unlike Aulani!). During my stay, I stayed in both a studio and one of the hotel rooms available to book with DVC points. The studio was cute and very similar to ones I’ve stayed in at other DVC resorts, both in the design of the room and amenities. The hotel room, however, was pretty beat and not worth the price tag at all (stained furniture, half-working shower head, dollar-store shower curtain, dust, etc.); it looked like it had been a while since attention was given to the room. It’s worth noting that, had I paid cash, both of these rooms would’ve cost $750 a night during the relative “low” season; to be blunt, the room didn’t feel like it was worth half that price. Though trivial details don’t make or break a vacation, they reflect the limited effort put into offering an experience that matches the premium price tag. In terms of resort offerings, the beach was one of the few places that had a “paradise” feel; likewise, the infinity pool overlooking the beach was an oasis. The lazy river was nice at times, though often became filled with debris and kids messing around with inner tubes as the day went on (which also made it hard to find a tube at times). Beyond the pools, room tours, and character spots, it was hard to find an activity that wasn’t a “premium experience” (i.e., extra money). The amount of adults who signed up for ukelele lessons admittedly because it was a free activity (pretty much the entire room) was hysterical and reflected the limited nature of complimentary offerings. I didn’t travel with kids, but I can’t imagine how much would’ve been spent if opting to do the various paid offerings (and before thinking you can just tell your kids “no” to all of these activities, the plenty of screaming/crying kids around the resort will tell you otherwise - the lifeguards were looking for a couple missing kids per day). Overall, I was disappointed in the staff at Aulani - the disdain for tourism was evident in quite a few, while others were friendly enough to play the game but seemed insincere. Across the course of my trip, I only had a handful of interactions with staff members that actually came off as genuine (gift shop and character attendants). The front desk staff was pretty stoic and not very welcoming or helpful. Weekend

Amazing hotel for the family - memories cherished. So many features of this hotel made the experience so unforgettable - Character breakfast - Lazy River tube ride - Beach - Lua’u (must book with hotel before 5pm) The resort has its own private beach access, this made the beach a special experience, Especially at sunset. Free body board hire for the beach. The character breakfast was so much fun. Professional photographers will snap your family and Mickey to remember the experience. Thank you will get a visit from Chef Pluto, Max and Chip n’ Dale. I recommend a Lua’u it’s catered for children with lots of activities from taro making to tattooing. Everyone is welcomed with beads and a wrist Lai. The show is incredible and the storyline is easy to follow and so enjoyable to watch. Get in early, the queue is long. The show is 3hrs (5pm-9pm) kids may fall asleep in your lap.

Family stayed here for a few night in December 2023 and we had such a fantastic stay. The hotel itself is absolutely beautiful, the rooms are well appointed and spacious enough, the bed are comfortable, and the food in resort is some of the best in the area. My wife and I were very pleasantly surprised to find out how many options were available to us when we told our servers about being gluten free, and how good the food and drinks were! The water park is a lot of fun and our 10 year old daughter loved playing in it everyday. The location is fantastic and I’d recommend that everyone make at least one trip over to the neighbouring paradise beach. Well worth it as we snorkelled with turtles all day the one day. The service at the hotel was fantastic, as you’d expect from Disney, all of the staff were very friendly, and we were well taken care of. Would highly recommend and were looking forward to returning!

What a special place done in a very Disney style. We booked a Oceanview studio and it was lovely. My only suggestion would be get rid of the tub shower and go with a modern up-to-date shower, the room and the overall property is extremely clean and well kept as you would expect from a Disney property. The facility is busy and there are lots and lots of families, however, you can find places to relax and even take walks on the beach undisturbed on a lovely walking trail. The pool area is definitely the most crowded and most of the restaurants on property you need reservations for although if you go at off times, you can usually get right in. The other thing to be prepared for is the pricing as nobody makes you feel better about parting with ridiculous sums of money than the good folks at Disney, so be prepared and just know going into it, you will be spending a lot of money ! Things are very expensive. The character breakfast is a must and I would strongly urge you to try the different restaurants as they all have a different vibe and feel. The highlight for me and our group was the luau on Friday night. In true Disney style they tell the story of the history of Hawaii and help you understand the amazing culture of this paradise. I strongly urge you to enjoy the luau and not only was the story and the acting great, but the food was wonderful. Lastly, the wonderful staff, they are happy and make you feel that way, clearly they enjoy their jobs and they project a great attitude for this facility.

The resort is beautiful. Definitely has that Disney up keep…. But for me, didn’t have that Disney magic. We came in around 11 and had to wait for our room to be done but you are allowed to use the park before check in. Rooms were standard and spacious for our family of 4. Characters walk around the pool area at certain times… we never really looked for them and ran into goofy, Minnie and Daisy Duck. Food on the resort is comparable to prices in Waikiki. However nothing was great, but also not bad.. Kids loved the lazy river and slide! Most pool levels is 3’-4-3” I think. Overall great experience.. but for the price tag and the lack luster Disney experience.. I can’t give the full 5 stars.