Aulani on a budget...

[goofynut41]

Have you settled on a time of year to go? If not, we loved September. We were in Hawaii for 16 days and didn't see rain once. It was also a quiet time of year with school back in session. Worked out great for us.

If you decide to go with renting DVC points, most brokers will require full payment at time of booking. There may be a broker out there that doesn't but I don't know who. If you find an owner yourself, which I would not recommend for a first time point renter, you can usually work out a deal for 50% down and 50% closer to your travel dates.

Will one of you have a license before you travel? Having a rental car will allow you to see much of the island at a fraction of the price that organized tours would cost. You'd also get free parking staying on rented DVC points. And it would allow you to stop at a grocery store and get inexpensive snacks, drinks, and stuff for meals which will help save on your food budget.

WE wanted to go in July but I heard its crowded and expensive so looking at Sept. , what about Hurricanes?

 

[mevelandry]

WE wanted to go in July but I heard its crowded and expensive so looking at Sept. , what about Hurricanes?

Very low risk.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are at aulani now. We always come in mid may and stay for 10 nights using our dvc points. Air from Chicago runs anywhere from 600 to 800.

We always rent a car to go to store and church on Sunday but our daughter joined us for a few days and took an Uber from airport. It was about 50 for two people.

You can ask to stop in kapolei at the target or Safeway for groceries. There is Walmart and Costco too.

Food is expensive here. A gallon of milk is over $5. We always buy deli meats for lunch and cereal and eggs to make breakfast very day. restaurants cost about $20 to $40 or more for an entree for dinner. Lunch for 4 yesterday at the pool cost us over $50 and my husband and I shared a small pizza.

The fish house in the Four Seasons next to aulani as happy hour from 3 to 5 with certain cocktails; beer and wine very cheap and Half price on certain bar foods. Great views.

You can get tickets to Pearl Harbor for free on the National Park website and then take an Uber there instead of paying for a tour.

Aulani is very safe at all hours. We haven’t been to Waikiki for a long time.

 

[nkereina]

WE wanted to go in July but I heard its crowded and expensive so looking at Sept. , what about Hurricanes?

As PP mentions, very low risk. I think the chances are even less than you'd see that time of year in Orlando at WDW.

 

[mevelandry]

I just spoke with the family and everyone agreed that we would most likely do:

1 night in Honolulu-Waikiki.
5 nights in Aulani.
Possibly a 7th night on our way back.

 

[cgattis]

Why wouldn't you stay in Waikiki?

My FIL has problem with his knees so no hiking for us.

I just don’t enjoy the city vibe—shopping, crowds, high-rises, etc—in a place as beautiful as Hawaii. I want to see nature, not concrete. And while it was cool to spend one evening and one morning on Waikiki Beach, it was so crowded, it was more of a “just to say we’d done it” thing (except the surfing, which my kids loved).

I see now you’ve decided to stay mostly at Aulani; I think you’ll enjoy that vibe more, especially with parents who might need that slower pace.

 

[mevelandry]

I just don’t enjoy the city vibe—shopping, crowds, high-rises, etc—in a place as beautiful as Hawaii. I want to see nature, not concrete. And while it was cool to spend one evening and one morning on Waikiki Beach, it was so crowded, it was more of a “just to say we’d done it” thing (except the surfing, which my kids loved).

I see now you’ve decided to stay mostly at Aulani; I think you’ll enjoy that vibe more, especially with parents who might need that slower pace.

We do too but we're curious about Honolulu-Waikiki and thought that since the prices I've seen seem to be a bit lower than Aulani, it would be a good place for a first night.

Now, I need to inquire about a safe and cheap way to go to Aulani from Honolulu-Waikiki.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

I feel you should have a high budget and look for savings like getting a big villa so you can produce your own food. Have you tried onefinestay or Airbnb?

 

[mevelandry]

I feel you should have a high budget and look for savings like getting a big villa so you can produce your own food. Have you tried onefinestay or Airbnb?

We could do that but we really want the Mouse. Budget estimated between 6000 and 7000$ for 4 people.

 

[alohamom]

We could do that but we really want the Mouse.

@mevelandry I think you are very smart for all this pre-planning. I do want to let you know that even though Aulani is a Disney resort, it is has minimal Disney touches. I think you would be wise to warn your MIL ahead of time so that she isnt expecting it to be all Disney, all the time because it really isnt. Yes, there are characters you can line up to meet and at meals in the Makahiki restaurant. There are the Mickey lamps and towel figure ears on the bed but there isnt the overwhelming WDW feel that I thought there would be. The focus is really Hawaii and it culture rather than Disney. It isnt a bad thing, just different.

You may already know this but I would probably be telling my MIL this ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

 

[Lewisc]

We could do that but we really want the Mouse. Budget estimated between 6000 and 7000$ for 4 people.

I just got back. I wasn't going to bother posting but I think many of the suggestions are wrong. You can't do HI and think budget. Add Aulani and budget is out the window. You can plan for a great vacation. You can do things which give value. You can't get cheap, it's hard to even get reasonable.

You want to visit Vancouver. Have you considered an Alaska cruise? Fly into Vancouver a day or two before your cruise. Cruises from Vancouver are superior to cruises out of Seattle.

You want HI. Do you charge a lot on credit cards? You might try to get a reward card and hope to get free tickets for at least some of your group.

Airfare is going to cost $3500-$4000 for the 4 of you. Half your "budget" That's why many of us wouldn't plan a 5 night HI vacation. Too much of your money is going to airfare.

Are you planning on putting all 4 guests in one hotel room? There is an extra charge for more then 2 adults in the room. 5 nights with transfers could cost as much as 3314 for 5 nights. I booked Aulani through COSTCO during their promotion after Thanksgiving. I think 5 nights in a studio, 2 of us, was around $2100. You needed 5 nights to get the promotion. Renting points avoids the extra adult charges. Renting points 5 nights in September should cost around 1500 in a studio and around $3000 in a one bedroom. Rent points 11 months out and you'll pay a premium Wait until inside 7 months you won't pay the premium but the lower cost views may not be available. Renting points requires finding travel insurance which covers your needs. You'll probably have to buy it when you make your first deposit.

Your budget is basically gone with your flights and room. Nothing for tours. Nothing for food.

Car rental. PP are crazy. A newly licensed, or newly re licensed driver shouldn't be driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar area while sightseeing.

Suggestion. Go to Disney's site price Aulani for 4 and for 5 nights. Best case scenario would be a 30% discount. Discount might be some combination of discount, resort credit and extras. Make sure you list 4 adults. Even with an assumed, not guaranteed, discount you'll probably be above your budget.

A few nights in Waikiki? Most hotels in HI, Disney is the exception, add a resort fee of $30-$50 /night. You'll also have to add extra ground transportation. You'll lose almost a day in the process. I wouldn't do a split stay for 5 nights.

At a minimum you'll want to book an around the island tour. You can book a bus tour through Disney. For 4 people I'd spend the extra and price a private van tour. Google and get prices from a couple of licensed operators. You'll review your options. You'll stop when you want and for how long you want. No hour stop in a tourist trap gift store/restaurant/attraction.

"Budget" ideas. There is a twice hourly free shuttle that will get you to the shopping center and I think other resorts. It's walk able but you have a free alternative. There is a breakfast type restaurant opening in the shopping center. I don't remember the exact name Eggs Everything or Eggs Etc.

Ulu cafe in Aulani offered a pick 4 combo for breakfast. Scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, french toast....For my pick 4 I asked for double eggs and double french toast. I have no idea if that's normally allowed or if the CM was being nice. More then enough for 2 to share, maybe enough for 3.

In budgeting assume HI in general, Aulani specifically, will cost about double what you normally spend. Decide if you want to take one $$$ vacation or 2 "ordinary" vacations.

You want a real "deal" Owners who need to cancel their timeshare vacation at the last minute frequently dump weeks on ebay and redweek. Your best deals are with 60, and maybe even within 30 days. Frequently great deals at the Marriott next to Aulani. You'll need to book the entire week but you'll still have a great deal if only stay 6 nights.

 

[Zach Levon]

I stayed at Aulani last year (2017) and it was amazing! Right across the street is a little strip mall with a few small restaurants (mexican, american, etc) that are less expensive than on property. There is also a Luau just a few blocks away that was affordable, Buffett dinner, called Paradise Cove, arrive early as they do free little entertainment skits. Definitely visit the jaw-dropping beauty of the North Shore if you can, maybe Uber? HAVE FUN!! I wasn't super excited about Hawaii but turns out it's my absolute favorite island, ever.

 

[alohamom]

You want HI. Do you charge a lot on credit cards? You might try to get a reward card and hope to get free tickets for at least some of your group.

This is a great suggestion

A few nights in Waikiki? Most hotels in HI, Disney is the exception, add a resort fee of $30-$50 /night. You'll also have to add extra ground transportation.

I totally agree with this!!!! I tell people this all the time...a comparable resort in Waikiki can be more expensive than Aulani when you factor in resort fees/taxes/parking

I will say to the OP there a couple of less expensive options now for hotels in Kapolei, 5 minutes from Aulani. The new Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites are affordable options in the same area general area of the island as Aulani so if you wanted to add on a couple of nights to extend your stay affordably this is an option

 

[mevelandry]

@mevelandry I think you are very smart for all this pre-planning. I do want to let you know that even though Aulani is a Disney resort, it is has minimal Disney touches. I think you would be wise to warn your MIL ahead of time so that she isnt expecting it to be all Disney, all the time because it really isnt. Yes, there are characters you can line up to meet and at meals in the Makahiki restaurant. There are the Mickey lamps and towel figure ears on the bed but there isnt the overwhelming WDW feel that I thought there would be. The focus is really Hawaii and it culture rather than Disney. It isnt a bad thing, just different.

You may already know this but I would probably be telling my MIL this ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

That's what we are expecting... I think. Would you compare Aulani to a deluxe resort in WDW? (Disney but toned down) Because this is what I am expecting. I'm more than fine with the Hawaiian culture as it is what brings me to Hawaii.

 

[mevelandry]

I just got back. I wasn't going to bother posting but I think many of the suggestions are wrong. You can't do HI and think budget. Add Aulani and budget is out the window. You can plan for a great vacation. You can do things which give value. You can't get cheap, it's hard to even get reasonable.

You want to visit Vancouver. Have you considered an Alaska cruise? Fly into Vancouver a day or two before your cruise. Cruises from Vancouver are superior to cruises out of Seattle.

You want HI. Do you charge a lot on credit cards? You might try to get a reward card and hope to get free tickets for at least some of your group.

Airfare is going to cost $3500-$4000 for the 4 of you. Half your "budget" That's why many of us wouldn't plan a 5 night HI vacation. Too much of your money is going to airfare.

Are you planning on putting all 4 guests in one hotel room? There is an extra charge for more then 2 adults in the room. 5 nights with transfers could cost as much as 3314 for 5 nights. I booked Aulani through COSTCO during their promotion after Thanksgiving. I think 5 nights in a studio, 2 of us, was around $2100. You needed 5 nights to get the promotion. Renting points avoids the extra adult charges. Renting points 5 nights in September should cost around 1500 in a studio and around $3000 in a one bedroom. Rent points 11 months out and you'll pay a premium Wait until inside 7 months you won't pay the premium but the lower cost views may not be available. Renting points requires finding travel insurance which covers your needs. You'll probably have to buy it when you make your first deposit.

Your budget is basically gone with your flights and room. Nothing for tours. Nothing for food.

Car rental. PP are crazy. A newly licensed, or newly re licensed driver shouldn't be driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar area while sightseeing.

Suggestion. Go to Disney's site price Aulani for 4 and for 5 nights. Best case scenario would be a 30% discount. Discount might be some combination of discount, resort credit and extras. Make sure you list 4 adults. Even with an assumed, not guaranteed, discount you'll probably be above your budget.

A few nights in Waikiki? Most hotels in HI, Disney is the exception, add a resort fee of $30-$50 /night. You'll also have to add extra ground transportation. You'll lose almost a day in the process. I wouldn't do a split stay for 5 nights.

At a minimum you'll want to book an around the island tour. You can book a bus tour through Disney. For 4 people I'd spend the extra and price a private van tour. Google and get prices from a couple of licensed operators. You'll review your options. You'll stop when you want and for how long you want. No hour stop in a tourist trap gift store/restaurant/attraction.

"Budget" ideas. There is a twice hourly free shuttle that will get you to the shopping center and I think other resorts. It's walk able but you have a free alternative. There is a breakfast type restaurant opening in the shopping center. I don't remember the exact name Eggs Everything or Eggs Etc.

Ulu cafe in Aulani offered a pick 4 combo for breakfast. Scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, french toast....For my pick 4 I asked for double eggs and double french toast. I have no idea if that's normally allowed or if the CM was being nice. More then enough for 2 to share, maybe enough for 3.

In budgeting assume HI in general, Aulani specifically, will cost about double what you normally spend. Decide if you want to take one $$$ vacation or 2 "ordinary" vacations.

You want a real "deal" Owners who need to cancel their timeshare vacation at the last minute frequently dump weeks on ebay and redweek. Your best deals are with 60, and maybe even within 30 days. Frequently great deals at the Marriott next to Aulani. You'll need to book the entire week but you'll still have a great deal if only stay 6 nights.

If you read my original post, you know we want to go to Hawaii and why.

(On a side note: nobody in the group wants to visit Alaska except me. "We live in the north so why would we want to go where it's even colder is the answer I got every time I suggested it).

I have a credit card with points who can buy plane tickets and I do all my transactions on it... but I also have seen many tickets from Montreal to Honolulu round trip for less than 600$ which is why I think I can have it for less than 3500$ for 4 adults.

Good to know about the resort fees in Waikiki. Do they charge it just once you are on site or when you book?

I've done a dummy and I did not notice a extra charge for more than 2 adults in the room? Can someone give me more informations about it? When I priced out with the promotion, I got prices around 3000$.

We have no problems with split stays. In fact, we love them. Our two last trips were actually split stays (2-3 and 1-4, our next one will be 1-5). In WDW, my favorite thing to do was changing hotels every night or two.

Isn't Waikiki a 1 hour ride from Kapolei? Why would it take a whole day to switch? Unless there is something I don't know...

 

[mevelandry]

I stayed at Aulani last year (2017) and it was amazing! Right across the street is a little strip mall with a few small restaurants (mexican, american, etc) that are less expensive than on property. There is also a Luau just a few blocks away that was affordable, Buffett dinner, called Paradise Cove, arrive early as they do free little entertainment skits. Definitely visit the jaw-dropping beauty of the North Shore if you can, maybe Uber? HAVE FUN!! I wasn't super excited about Hawaii but turns out it's my absolute favorite island, ever.

I already heard about the nice Paradise Cove Beach and I was currently reviewing the Luau.

 

[keaster]

If you read my original post, you know we want to go to Hawaii and why.

(On a side note: nobody in the group wants to visit Alaska except me. "We live in the north so why would we want to go where it's even colder is the answer I got every time I suggested it).

I have a credit card with points who can buy plane tickets and I do all my transactions on it... but I also have seen many tickets from Montreal to Honolulu round trip for less than 600$ which is why I think I can have it for less than 3500$ for 4 adults.

Good to know about the resort fees in Waikiki. Do they charge it just once you are on site or when you book?

I've done a dummy and I did not notice a extra charge for more than 2 adults in the room? Can someone give me more informations about it? When I priced out with the promotion, I got prices around 3000$.

We have no problems with split stays. In fact, we love them. Our two last trips were actually split stays (2-3 and 1-4, our next one will be 1-5). In WDW, my favorite thing to do was changing hotels every night or two.

Isn't Waikiki a 1 hour ride from Kapolei? Why would it take a whole day to switch? Unless there is something I don't know...

Aulani does charge a Hawaii Transient tax, and it is added to your room upon check out. If you do a DVC rental, it's based on the number of points you use but we find it's not that much.

As with most hotels, rates are based on double occupancy. So when you have more than 2 adults in a room, they most often charge extra.

 

[mevelandry]

Aulani does charge a Hawaii Transient tax, and it is added to your room upon check out. If you do a DVC rental, it's based on the number of points you use but we find it's not that much.

As with most hotels, rates are based on double occupancy. So when you have more than 2 adults in a room, they most often charge extra.

I've done a dummy so if there was an extra, it must have been included in the total.

 

[alohamom]

That's what we are expecting... I think. Would you compare Aulani to a deluxe resort in WDW? (Disney but toned down) Because this is what I am expecting. I'm more than fine with the Hawaiian culture as it is what brings me to Hawaii.

I will first say I have never stayed at a Deluxe at WDW but I have seen pictures and read lots of trip reports so I would say it is very close to a WDW Deluxe, maybe nicer. Many people here on the Aulani thread compare the lobby of Aulani to the lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge as far as feel and architecture goes.

I think you have a great grasp on the whole Aulani thing but I just wanted to make sure your MIL would not be expecting a specific experience, travelling so far and spending so much and then getting let down.

I have read a few reports from people who prefer so the Disney cruising and they seem to be the ones most let down, there isnt the same amount of activities and the food is pretty darn expensive on the resort (where as with a cruise it is also expensive but it is rolled into your purchase price) so I think the secret to Aulani is to come with an open mind and let the beauty of Hawaii win you over.

I have a credit card with points who can buy plane tickets and I do all my transactions on it... but I also have seen many tickets from Montreal to Honolulu round trip for less than 600$ which is why I think I can have it for less than 3500$ for 4 adults.

I am in Canada too and you are spot on with your airfare from Montreal. the last 5 years or so we have had amazing consistently low airfare to Hawaii from Toronto



Isn't Waikiki a 1 hour ride from Kapolei? Why would it take a whole day to switch? Unless there is something I don't know...

It really doesnt take a whole day to switch but check out is usually 11 and then you need to schlep all your stuff between locations and you usually cannot check in until 3 or 4. Aulani has a wonderful bell service system to keep your things if you arrive early or are checking out late and a room you can change in if you wanted to use the pools etc but it kind of takes up your day and you are not really free to do as you please. I kind of write off a hotel switch day as a lost day and anything we do accomplish is a bonus.

I think that one day in Waikiki is good for a first time visitor or even a couple of nights just because it is so iconic but the beaches along the Waikiki stretch are busy and dirty. There are many homeless people and it can be very crowded with tourists so wait times at places to eat can be long. On the flip side my kids are older teens and the LOVE Waikiki. It has a Las Vegas or Times Square vibe. The nightlife is rocking and there is some fun shopping.

 

[Lewisc]

If you read my original post, you know we want to go to Hawaii and why.

(On a side note: nobody in the group wants to visit Alaska except me. "We live in the north so why would we want to go where it's even colder is the answer I got every time I suggested it).

I...

I read your OP. I also read a follow up post where you indicated at least one of your family wants to visit Stanley Park in Vancouver. Vancouver works with an Alaskan cruise.