MarbleBob
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2003
Aloha everyone! Welcome to my latest trip report. My family and I are pretty big Disney fans, and while we've visited Walt Disney World and Disneyland lots of times (and even been on a couple Disney Cruises), we sure didn't think we'd be getting to Aulani any time soon! Well that was until my in-laws announced that they wanted to take their entire family to Hawaii to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. 15 of us in total!
So, in June 2016, we spent six nights in Kihei, Maui and then island hopped over to Oahu for six nights in a condo at the Ko Olina Resort (next door to Aulani.) And then after the rest of the extended family headed back home, we spent a final three nights enjoying Aulani by ourselves (DW, DD16, DS13, DD9.)
So yeah, a total of 15 nights... this was our first time visiting Hawaii and we were pinching ourselves the whole time. Memories for a lifetime!!!
Since we only spent three nights at Aulani, I questioned whether or not to write a traditional trip report here on DISBoards. (Especially over six months afterwards!)But after thinking about it for a while, I think it's worth sharing our experiences because while Aulani was fantastic and we don't regret it in the least, the resort does have room for improvement (value and service wise) when compared to other flagship resorts like the Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, Disneyland Hotel, etc. And those who are interested in exploring the island of Oahu while staying at Aulani may find some of our island experiences interesting too. (We spent a total of nine nights on Oahu.)
They say a picture is worth a thousand words… no clue what the how many words this collage is worth, but I hope it gives you a decent glimpse at some of the highlights from our trip. These photos are just the tip of the iceberg... as I'll be sifting through over 5,000 of them for this TR. In the meantime, here are a few other highlights:
Maui:
If I've piqued your interest enough to continue, then I guess you can "choose your own adventure." Either start with our fantastic experiences on Maui, or feel free to skip ahead to our arrival in Oahu. (See the table of contents below for links.)
So, in June 2016, we spent six nights in Kihei, Maui and then island hopped over to Oahu for six nights in a condo at the Ko Olina Resort (next door to Aulani.) And then after the rest of the extended family headed back home, we spent a final three nights enjoying Aulani by ourselves (DW, DD16, DS13, DD9.)
So yeah, a total of 15 nights... this was our first time visiting Hawaii and we were pinching ourselves the whole time. Memories for a lifetime!!!
Since we only spent three nights at Aulani, I questioned whether or not to write a traditional trip report here on DISBoards. (Especially over six months afterwards!)But after thinking about it for a while, I think it's worth sharing our experiences because while Aulani was fantastic and we don't regret it in the least, the resort does have room for improvement (value and service wise) when compared to other flagship resorts like the Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, Disneyland Hotel, etc. And those who are interested in exploring the island of Oahu while staying at Aulani may find some of our island experiences interesting too. (We spent a total of nine nights on Oahu.)
They say a picture is worth a thousand words… no clue what the how many words this collage is worth, but I hope it gives you a decent glimpse at some of the highlights from our trip. These photos are just the tip of the iceberg... as I'll be sifting through over 5,000 of them for this TR. In the meantime, here are a few other highlights:
Maui:
- Breathtaking sunrise at the summit of Haleakalā
- Lots of beach time around Kihei (but mostly Keawakapu Beach)
- Checking out the ʻIao Needle at ʻĪao Valley State Park
- Experiencing the amazing Old Lahaina Luau
- Driving the amazing Road to Hana
- Exploring the Lava Fields at the southwest corner of Maui
- Lots of good food and tasty treats!
- Taking the boat out to see USS Arizona Memorial and then exploring the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor
- Hiking to the top of Diamond Head crater and swimming at Waikiki Beach
- Shopping at the LeSportsac outlet store and Ala Moana Center in Honolulu
- Exploring the lagoons in the Ko Olina Resort area
- Going on the Jungle Expedition Tour in the Kualoa Ranch
- Wandering through the beautiful grounds at the Byodo-In Temple
- Exploring the North Shore (with a stop at the Dole Plantation)
- More food and tasty treats…
- And of course Aulani!!
If I've piqued your interest enough to continue, then I guess you can "choose your own adventure." Either start with our fantastic experiences on Maui, or feel free to skip ahead to our arrival in Oahu. (See the table of contents below for links.)