Aulani Resort (Honolulu, HI)

An upscale beach resort choice for generations vacationing together.

Oahu isn't my preferred choice in the Hawaiian Islands. But Aulani is away from the commotion of Honolulu, very secluded and has so much to offer. You never feel the need to leave the property.

Our original planning was focused on Maui, but the 2023 fires led us to find an alternative. This was a family trip, which meant finding a place that worked for all ages from 80 to 3. The idea of spending a week with a Disney theme is not my definition of paradise. Even the idea of "kid friendly" doesn't seem all that relaxing. But despite Aulani being a Disney property, it is surprisingly easy to forget the brand at times and appreciate what Disney does well: cover all the details in a guest experience. Aulani is perfect for a Hawaii trip for the whole family.

Duration: 7 days/ 6 nights

Budget: $8,000 plus airfare for a 2-bedroom unit with kitchen and common space

Getting (there and Around)

You will be flying into the Honolulu airport and the resort is only about a 20 minute (12 mile) drive without traffic. Parking at Aulani is nearly $40 per day. Because you really do not need to leave the resort, it is likely more budget friendly to do some sort of ride share transportation unless you are just staying for a couple days or have an agenda that involves going to specific sites in Honolulu on multiple days.

Staying

With most destinations, I recommend a hotel or neighborhood. But this post is about the resort, so my recommendations are on the types of rooms. I opted for the two-bedroom villa because we had age ranges from 80 to 3 needing their space. It had two separate bedrooms (each with their own bathroom and shower). One bedroom had a king size bed and the other two queens (free bed rails for kids safety are available upon request). In the common space, there was a couch and large chair (both which also folded out to be a bed) and a TV in a living room. For eating, the kitchen had a full size refrigerator, stove and cabinets full of cups, plates, cutlery and other utensils needed. It is even equipped with dishwashing soap, paper towels, and other things you can forget about buying. There was also a small dining room table and separate common bathroom. While it was more expensive than a traditional room, it was worth it for the space and flexibility and much of the price was off-set by the savings on not eating at the Disney restaurants.

Normally I fall victim to the temptation of a nice view. But in this situation the ocean view is not worth the extra money. You will be spending nearly all the daylight hours outside at the pool and such, not in your room balcony staring out. The garden view rooms are a bit quieter but also isolated. We chose the poolside view which really wasn't loud and gave us something to look at (think of a city view) because all the restaurants, pools and walkways were below- in addition to a slight view of the ocean. The two bedroom villas are the first five floors and it is best to work to get at least a few floors up for reducing noise and increasing privacy (otherwise people are walking right next to your room).

Doing

There is so much to do (or relax and not do) at the resort- young or old. There are three major pools. The Waikolohe Pool is the largest and most busy. It is at the center of the resort and surrounded by the most chairs, as well as the snack shops. The Ka Maka pool is the most picturesque with a small grotto, hot tub and infinity edge. It is the place to get a chair if you want a nice view over the ocean for the day. The Wailana pool is the quietest and has the most shade (while kids are allowed and a few will be swimming, is the most adult-friendly of the three). Both the Ka Maka and Wailana pools are near the Ulu Cafe, a small bar and the beverage stations. There is also a child wading pool and an adult-only pool (though the later is really a large infinity-edge hot tub). The adult only pool gets popular toward the end of the day where people enjoy watching the sunset (there are only a few chairs at that pool).

Expert tip: About 6 am is the time the first folks will come to the pool to reserve their preferred chair for the day (easier than you think if you are still on a time zone in the continental US). You should plan this time if you really want a specific spot, like the first row overlooking the ocean at the Ka Maka pool. Also, someone in your group must be actively on it until about 8. Volunteer for this role and your family will be happy while you also get a couple hours of peace and quiet. You can generally get a good spot anytime before 7:30 and still shouldn't have a problem getting a few chairs somewhere for your entire family until after breakfast. After then, it gets more challenging.

About half the main pool area is dedicated to the lazy river, two water slides and Menehune Bridge (a large outdoor water playset). The lazy river was my favorite activity in the entire resort. It's hard to tell but a full trip around the river likely takes between 30-45 minutes depending on how much work you are putting into it. There were many days that I went around and around for hours. It is especially relaxing with young kids because they are happy floating in a tube while it's also relaxing for adults to just sit back. While the main pools close at 8 pm, the lazy river and complex closes at 6 pm. All the pools except for the adult pool have a large number of lifeguards. They are very serious and focused, do not speak to guests and provide an extra level of safety and peace of mind.

The resort is right on the beach and is shared with the Four Seasons resort, so you know it is a very nice beach. The beach is technically public but it feels like it is just an extension of the resort. Aulani has beach and water equipment that can be rented (some free and some for fee). It is protected from waves due to the rock structures farther out and is essentially a little lagoon connected to the ocean so it is much easier and safer for swimming.

There is one additional pool-related activity for kids. For a fee, you can do snorkeling in a controlled pool environment stocked with tropical fish. If you want to do the Rainbow Reef, you need to go to the towel hut at the entrance and reserve a spot for the day and pay. People tend to start reserving at 8am and while it is not a rush, the spots do fill up. If you do not wish to get in the Rainbow Reef, there are glass windows where you can look at the fish.

If you are staying at a Disney resort, there is a very good chance you either have kids or love Disney yourself. In which case, take advantage of meeting the characters. A couple of the main characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto) will be out each day for pictures and hugs. We found that there was usually one near the lazy river and another in the luau area (a grassy area to the side of the hotel). Usually one is in the late morning and the other in the early afternoon. They are usually away from the main common pool areas so Disney characters are not in your face or constantly around. The Aulani app has a schedule or announces what characters will be where and you can follow it to plan, check it off your list to make everyone happy, and get back to the pool. Sometimes there is a line of about 15 people but if you go when scheduled you tend to get through at a pretty good pace and you are safe to make sure that you get your turn.

Eating

Eating at anything Disney is expensive, and Aulani is no exception. Even a casual meal (think hamburger and fries) is going to cost about $35 per person with tax, tip, etc. Luckily there are some ways to save quite a bit.

The post popular and easiest way to save money is to buy into the all-inclusive beverage deal (non-alcoholic). For about $20, you can purchase an Aulani travel mug that can be reused throughout your stay. There are three locations the pool areas where they have fountain drink stations. They are the machines you can get just about any flavor and variety of soda (Coca-Cola products), as well as seltzer, Vitamin Water or PowerAid. You can also use it for water, coffee or tea (you'll likely pay for it in just a few morning coffees). It is available for purchase at the Ulu Cafe between the main pools. Another advantage of having a kitchen in your room is the ability to clean your mug.

The biggest way to save money is to bring food and beverage (especially beer or wine) from outside the resort. There is a Costco, Target and major grocery stores like Safeway about 10 minutes from the resort (toward Honolulu). Eating even snacks and beverages you bring in will save you a lot of money. I bought a box of six Mickey Mouse ice cream bars at the grocery store for the price of one at the resort. Sure it took me 10 minutes to go up to the room and get them for everyone when we wanted one, but that trip saved me $50. If you have a suite or villa room with a kitchen, you will save a lot by even having a few dinners in the room. It also easy and time-saving to prepare while people clean up from a day at the pool. It beats waiting for everyone to get ready and trying to collect everyone to make it back out in time.

Expert tip: Because the only thing worse that spending a day of your vacation at a time share seminar is spending a day grocery shopping, consider stopping on your way to the resort. Better yet (especially traveling with kids), Aulani allows you to have Instacart and other grocery delivery at the hotel's main entrance. Create your grocery/ Costco list before you leave and have it delivered as you get settled in.

If you do want to eat out at the resort, there are a few options. Ama Ama is a fine dining restaurant where you can sit outside (still undercover- it's more of an open wall concept) and watch the sunset. It's a prix fixe (set price) menu with four courses for $125 per person (kid's price is $75). The food is very good and reflective of what you'd expect in fine dining, but if you were eating in a typical city it would be over priced. However, since all the food at the resort is overpriced, it is expected. The service was less than average (actually really disappointing for the level of restaurant and price) and more in line with what would be expected at your neighborhood casual restaurant. What you are really buying here is the view. The restaurant sits at the edge of the beach and you get fantastic views of the sunset. As a tip, there really is only one seating per night if you want to catch the sunset. The restaurant opens at 5 pm, so make your reservations close to then and get seated (first come; first served). Have a beverage if you are sitting a little earlier than you want to eat. If you do a 6pm arrival, all the good seats with views will be taken and it will be a wasted opportunity. However, you can eat later if you wish. It's a good option for a celebratory dinner or special occasion, but you can likely find better options (and perhaps a better value even for fine dining) if you want to leave the resort.

There is another casual outdoor restaurant for lunches and dinners called "Off The Hook." It ranges from pastas and sandwiches and similar to a casual pub. There is even a bar if you want to watch a game or get out of the sun a bit. It sits along one of the main walkways and pools, which can be convenient. There are also tables a bit away from the commotion if you prefer.

There are three other main restaurant options that I did not experience. One of the popular choices is the "character breakfast." It is a breakfast restaurant where some of the traditional Disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto) join in for entertainment and pictures. Another is Makahiki, a sushi restaurant. Finally, there is a luau that is offered as a buffet with entertainment.

Finally, there are a few small food shacks and cafes spread along the pools offering snacks, take away meals, shaved ice and desserts and beverages.

When you check in, your registration staff will provide you key cards. They will be assigned to specific persons in your group. In addition to entering your room, they can also be used for food. The nice thing is that your bill will break out who bought what so there is no mystery on who spent a bunch of money at the bar.