pepperandchips
[melinda]
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2014
- Messages
- 3,499
Aloha, Mahalo for joining me and
to my first big trip report like this. I'm Melinda, a disneyphile with a larger travel bug. I have been wanting to write this report for a while - ever since we returned from the trip, actually, but it's been a whirlwind of a year for me. I'm going to go ahead and totally spoil the early posts of thTR, but many of you may know me from around the boards anyway and it's been so long that I will 'fess up that this is the trip on which I got engaged to my partner (and now fiance) "R". We don't want his students to find my reports so I don't use his full name. Here we are blissed out, all freshly engaged and what not:
We are an early thirties couple and hail from Atlanta, Georgia. In fact, I asked R to take this trip in celebration of my 30th birthday. While I wouldn't actually turn 30 on the trip, R was unable to travel over my actual birthday in August due to the academic calendar, so we opted to celebrate a bit early by leaving just before Memorial Day, 2017. This Memorial Day weekend (2018) will be our wedding weekend, and I really want to share our experience and also document the memories so I can look back on the trip report and the photos in the future.
R has begrudgingly become a Disney fan (like he has a choice ) but tells me that he won't admit it if I tell anyone else, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I can't remember exactly why I had my heart set on Hawaii for my 30th but I knew I wanted to visit Disneyland, and when I researched in earnest I set my sights on Aulani (for obvious reasons) and Kauai after seeing photos of the Na Pali coast.
We're DVC and I also had the good fortune of a friend who transferred us some points for that use year, so we were able to book Aulani on DVC points in November when the 7 month window opened. I also waitlisted Grand Californian on a hope and a prayer for our Disneyland stay, and eventually (in January, when I'd just about given up hope) our Grand Californian waitlist matched for 2 of the 3 nights we needed. We spent the last night in Anaheim at the Park Vue Inn just across the street from the Esplanade.
Mind you, it's now a full 9 (almost 10) months after this incredible vacation, and my note taking waned throughout the trip, but I have a plethora of photos and hope to help some other folks planning Aulani stays. If this report devolves into a photo dump, you can't say you haven't been warned!
Our itinerary: (will try to come back later to link posts, no promises)
Day 0: May 26 - fly to Seattle, stay in airport hotel
Day 1: May 27 - fly from Seattle to Honolulu, check in at Aulani, get groceries, enjoy resort
Day 2: May 28 - Island day, Diamond Head, brunch, hang around resort
Day 3: May 29 - Resort day, dinner at Kona Brewing
Day 4: May 30 - North Shore, Haleiwa, Shave Ice, Beach House Lunch review
Day 5: May 31 - Resort day, Ama Ama dinner
Day 6: June 1 - Travel to Kauai, Pink's Creamery
Day 7: June 2 - Kalalau Trail hike, lunch at the Hanalei Gourmet, Jojo's shave ice, beach, Dinner at Tahiti Nui
Day 8: June 3 - helicopter tour, lunch at Kountry Kitchen, fly to LA
Day 9: June 4 - arrive at Disneyland, more Disney fun, Lunch at Cafe Orleans, Trader Sam's, Uva Bar
Day 10: June 5 - More Disneyland fun, Tortilla Jo's, Soundsational, Napa Rose Chef's Counter
Day 11: June 6 - Even more Disneyland fun, switch hotels, famous Whitewater Snacks nachos, pool time, our first ever churro, World of Color dessert party
Day 12: June 7 - last Disneyland day, lunch at Royal Street Veranda/French Market, go home
So join us, if you like, for a report retelling of our engagement and absolutely amazing trip to Aulani, Kauai, and Disneyland!
to my first big trip report like this. I'm Melinda, a disneyphile with a larger travel bug. I have been wanting to write this report for a while - ever since we returned from the trip, actually, but it's been a whirlwind of a year for me. I'm going to go ahead and totally spoil the early posts of thTR, but many of you may know me from around the boards anyway and it's been so long that I will 'fess up that this is the trip on which I got engaged to my partner (and now fiance) "R". We don't want his students to find my reports so I don't use his full name. Here we are blissed out, all freshly engaged and what not:
We are an early thirties couple and hail from Atlanta, Georgia. In fact, I asked R to take this trip in celebration of my 30th birthday. While I wouldn't actually turn 30 on the trip, R was unable to travel over my actual birthday in August due to the academic calendar, so we opted to celebrate a bit early by leaving just before Memorial Day, 2017. This Memorial Day weekend (2018) will be our wedding weekend, and I really want to share our experience and also document the memories so I can look back on the trip report and the photos in the future.
R has begrudgingly become a Disney fan (like he has a choice ) but tells me that he won't admit it if I tell anyone else, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I can't remember exactly why I had my heart set on Hawaii for my 30th but I knew I wanted to visit Disneyland, and when I researched in earnest I set my sights on Aulani (for obvious reasons) and Kauai after seeing photos of the Na Pali coast.
We're DVC and I also had the good fortune of a friend who transferred us some points for that use year, so we were able to book Aulani on DVC points in November when the 7 month window opened. I also waitlisted Grand Californian on a hope and a prayer for our Disneyland stay, and eventually (in January, when I'd just about given up hope) our Grand Californian waitlist matched for 2 of the 3 nights we needed. We spent the last night in Anaheim at the Park Vue Inn just across the street from the Esplanade.
Mind you, it's now a full 9 (almost 10) months after this incredible vacation, and my note taking waned throughout the trip, but I have a plethora of photos and hope to help some other folks planning Aulani stays. If this report devolves into a photo dump, you can't say you haven't been warned!
Our itinerary: (will try to come back later to link posts, no promises)
Day 0: May 26 - fly to Seattle, stay in airport hotel
Day 1: May 27 - fly from Seattle to Honolulu, check in at Aulani, get groceries, enjoy resort
Day 2: May 28 - Island day, Diamond Head, brunch, hang around resort
Day 3: May 29 - Resort day, dinner at Kona Brewing
Day 4: May 30 - North Shore, Haleiwa, Shave Ice, Beach House Lunch review
Day 5: May 31 - Resort day, Ama Ama dinner
Day 6: June 1 - Travel to Kauai, Pink's Creamery
Day 7: June 2 - Kalalau Trail hike, lunch at the Hanalei Gourmet, Jojo's shave ice, beach, Dinner at Tahiti Nui
Day 8: June 3 - helicopter tour, lunch at Kountry Kitchen, fly to LA
Day 9: June 4 - arrive at Disneyland, more Disney fun, Lunch at Cafe Orleans, Trader Sam's, Uva Bar
Day 10: June 5 - More Disneyland fun, Tortilla Jo's, Soundsational, Napa Rose Chef's Counter
Day 11: June 6 - Even more Disneyland fun, switch hotels, famous Whitewater Snacks nachos, pool time, our first ever churro, World of Color dessert party
Day 12: June 7 - last Disneyland day, lunch at Royal Street Veranda/French Market, go home
So join us, if you like, for a report retelling of our engagement and absolutely amazing trip to Aulani, Kauai, and Disneyland!
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