HGVC Hawaiian Village or DVC Aulani

[joeyb1180]

Hi, going to Hawaii for the first time. Decided on Oahu and trying to determine to use my HGVC or a DVC I have access to. Thoughts on the 2 resorts compared to one another. Thanks.



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[Luanne]

It may depend on where you want to be. Do you want to be in Honolulu amid all of the bustle there? Or do you want to be a little more remote?

 

[presley]

I stayed at Grand Waikikian and then did one night at Aulani. Aulani was a let down for me on that trip. The beach was closed, the resort was extremely noisy all the time, there were no pool chairs open anywhere.... If you have small kids who would enjoy the resort, Aulani would be good. If not, stick with Hilton.

 

[jestme]

Hilton Hawaiian village is on the edge of Waikiki, large complex, large beach, lots of shopping and lots of restaurants (both onsite and offsite which are much cheaper). The beach narrows considerably as it heads eastward into Waikiki, but is very wide at the HHV. There are typically more rooms available there than Aulani as well.
Aulani is next to the Marriott, and those two places are pretty well all that is out there at Ko Olina. It will be resort restaurants, cheaper restaurants are not in abundance. You should be able to walk to the Paradise Cove Luau, but the bus trip from Waikiki is also a fun part of the experience.

For Aulani, you will probably need a car, for the HHV you can probably rent one for one day of sightseeing and shuttle or taxi to and from the resort from the airport. Shuttles from the airport to Ko Olina cost between 53 and 70 each, each way. That goes a long way towards renting the car but beware of parking costs. (HHV is about $25-30 each, return). I know HHV is about $29 / day to park, I'm not sure what Aulani is. If you have more than 2 people, a taxi might be a better route to either place, but HHV is much closer to the airport and a cheaper taxi ride.




From a crowd or noise standpoint, they are about the same.

 

[alwysonvac]

Hi, going to Hawaii for the first time. Decided on Oahu and trying to determine to use my HGVC or a DVC I have access to. Thoughts on the 2 resorts compared to one another. Thanks.

Your choice really depends on what you're planning to do during your 1st visit.
I own DVC and HGVC. I love both locations for different reasons. Keep in mind, both are high demand resorts within their timeshare systems. As an owner, you'll want to book as soon as the booking window opens with DVC and HGVC.

Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) is a great resort for Honolulu sightseeing, shopping and dining options. Since DVC points are more expensive (compared to HGVC) and it cost a lot of points to stay at Aulani (compared to Orlando), I only use my DVC points at Aulani when I plan to spend most of my time hanging out at the resort and taking advantage of the resort amenities and beach.

If you're planning to stay on Oahu for more than a week, I suggest splitting your time between the two resorts. Since it's your first time to Hawaii, I'm assuming you'll want to spend some time sightseeing therefore I suggest doing that while you're at Hilton Hawaiian Village and spending a couple of days at Disney's Aulani.
TIP #1: In general, avoid coming to Oahu during major holidays and peak summer. The resorts will be crowded (no chairs by the pools).
TIP #2: Avoid staying at Aulani over the weekends and anytime the schools in Hawaii are out. Aulani will be crowded here. Locals gets a discount.
TIP #3: If you're restricted by a school calendar, I suggest visiting in late August since the majority of kids are back in school and airfare from the East coast is typically lower starting in mid August before NY/NJ kids head back to school in Sept. Avoid going to Aulani over Labor Day Weekend. I made that mistake

NOTE: With Aulani, a car is required but there is no parking fee for DVC stays. With HHV a car is not required (walking, bus transportation and taxis) however if you decide to get a car there is a $29/day parking fee.

Aulani is located in Ko Olina, a 642-acre master-planned vacation and residential community on the leeward coast of Oahu, 17 miles northwest of Honolulu. Other resorts in the area - Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club timeshare and Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina (which replaced the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa next door).

Aulani Information
Pictures from our Disney Aulani resort stay in Hawaii (2012) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167462
There are least 15 restaurants within walking distance - http://www.yesterland.com/disneykoolina26.html
Here's a link to additional Aulani resort info - http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-resorts/aulani-hawaii-resort/
Ko Olina Resort Map - http://www.koolina.com/Portals/1/Files/ko-olina-directory-map-20150508.pdf
Ko Olina Resort Site - http://www.koolina.com/
Ko Olina is within Kapolei - http://www.hawaiilife.com/articles/2012/06/kapolei-overview/
Aulani: What's the One Thing You Wish You Knew? (long thread) - http://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-whats-the-one-thing-you-wish-you-knew.3180904/
Going to Aulani -- Let's list places to eat (long thread) - http://www.disboards.com/threads/going-to-aulani-lets-list-places-to-eat.2858912/

HGVC threads
For those who are not familiar with the Hilton Hawaiian Village (2013) -http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1563081&postcount=31
Oahu HGVCs - Help me decide which one to stay (2013) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194183
Best HGVC in Hawaii for first timer? (2014) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212842

 

[Southerngirl528]

Excellent post, Alwysonvac!

I agree that these 2 are very different options, no doubt wonderful in their own right. I have not stayed at HHV, but I HAVE stayed at Aulani for 3 different trips and no just one nighters either.

We did not find it overcrowded, nor were there any issues finding pool chairs unless we would have been set on having them in one specific area only. And even when busy there were always lots of great options on the beach. The beach was never closed while there. It is a relatively busy resort but so are most other Hawaiian deluxe beach resorts for that matter. And there actually are quite a few options for eating out. Between the newly opened Four Seasons next door, and the options like Monkeypod Kitchen and Roy's and the little fast food places in Ko'Olina Station, and restaurants at Marriott Vacation Club Ko'Olina, there's a lot more than some would think. Plus, Kapolei is about 5 minutes away with some nice options as well, though no fine dining that I am aware of.

Though we much prefer Maui or other neighbor islands, we think Aulani is outstanding. But as others have said, it is away from the big city, so it depends on what you want. For DH and I, we have zero interest in flying to Hawaii all the way from FL and staying in the middle of an urban area with all that goes with a very large city. But that is our preference. We loved being able to drive in to see Pearl Harbor or for a day of shopping/sightseeing and then going back to the relative quiet of Ko'Olina.

I've heard lovely things about HHV from folks that have stayed or own there.

 

[joeyb1180]

Your choice really depends on what you're planning to do during your 1st visit.
I own DVC and HGVC. I love both locations for different reasons. Keep in mind, both are high demand resorts within their timeshare systems. As an owner, you'll want to book as soon as the booking window opens with DVC and HGVC.

Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) is a great resort for Honolulu sightseeing, shopping and dining options. Since DVC points are more expensive (compared to HGVC) and it cost a lot of points to stay at Aulani (compared to Orlando), I only use my DVC points at Aulani when I plan to spend most of my time hanging out at the resort and taking advantage of the resort amenities and beach.

If you're planning to stay on Oahu for more than a week, I suggest splitting your time between the two resorts. Since it's your first time to Hawaii, I'm assuming you'll want to spend some time sightseeing therefore I suggest doing that while you're at Hilton Hawaiian Village and spending a couple of days at Disney's Aulani.
TIP #1: In general, avoid coming to Oahu during major holidays and peak summer. The resorts will be crowded (no chairs by the pools).
TIP #2: Avoid staying at Aulani over the weekends and anytime the schools in Hawaii are out. Aulani will be crowded here. Locals gets a discount.
TIP #3: If you're restricted by a school calendar, I suggest visiting in late August since the majority of kids are back in school and airfare from the East coast is typically lower starting in mid August before NY/NJ kids head back to school in Sept. Avoid going to Aulani over Labor Day Weekend. I made that mistake

NOTE: With Aulani, a car is required but there is no parking fee for DVC stays. With HHV a car is not required (walking, bus transportation and taxis) however if you decide to get a car there is a $29/day parking fee.

Aulani is located in Ko Olina, a 642-acre master-planned vacation and residential community on the leeward coast of Oahu, 17 miles northwest of Honolulu. Other resorts in the area - Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club timeshare and Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina (which replaced the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa next door).

Aulani Information
Pictures from our Disney Aulani resort stay in Hawaii (2012) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167462
There are least 15 restaurants within walking distance - http://www.yesterland.com/disneykoolina26.html
Here's a link to additional Aulani resort info - http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-resorts/aulani-hawaii-resort/
Ko Olina Resort Map - http://www.koolina.com/Portals/1/Files/ko-olina-directory-map-20150508.pdf
Ko Olina Resort Site - http://www.koolina.com/
Ko Olina is within Kapolei - http://www.hawaiilife.com/articles/2012/06/kapolei-overview/
Aulani: What's the One Thing You Wish You Knew? (long thread) - http://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-whats-the-one-thing-you-wish-you-knew.3180904/
Going to Aulani -- Let's list places to eat (long thread) - http://www.disboards.com/threads/going-to-aulani-lets-list-places-to-eat.2858912/

HGVC threads
For those who are not familiar with the Hilton Hawaiian Village (2013) -http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1563081&postcount=31
Oahu HGVCs - Help me decide which one to stay (2013) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194183
Best HGVC in Hawaii for first timer? (2014) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212842

This post was amazing, thank you so much!!


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[joeyb1180]

Excellent post, Alwysonvac!



I agree that these 2 are very different options, no doubt wonderful in their own right. I have not stayed at HHV, but I HAVE stayed at Aulani for 3 different trips and no just one nighters either.



We did not find it overcrowded, nor were there any issues finding pool chairs unless we would have been set on having them in one specific area only. And even when busy there were always lots of great options on the beach. The beach was never closed while there. It is a relatively busy resort but so are most other Hawaiian deluxe beach resorts for that matter. And there actually are quite a few options for eating out. Between the newly opened Four Seasons next door, and the options like Monkeypod Kitchen and Roy's and the little fast food places in Ko'Olina Station, and restaurants at Marriott Vacation Club Ko'Olina, there's a lot more than some would think. Plus, Kapolei is about 5 minutes away with some nice options as well, though no fine dining that I am aware of.



Though we much prefer Maui or other neighbor islands, we think Aulani is outstanding. But as others have said, it is away from the big city, so it depends on what you want. For DH and I, we have zero interest in flying to Hawaii all the way from FL and staying in the middle of an urban area with all that goes with a very large city. But that is our preference. We loved being able to drive in to see Pearl Harbor or for a day of shopping/sightseeing and then going back to the relative quiet of Ko'Olina.



I've heard lovely things about HHV from folks that have stayed or own there.

Thanks southerngirl528!!


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[zentraveler]

Amazing post as always, alwaysonvac. My 2 cents, for what it is worth, is that all of these responses are dead on. We have come to Oahu many times and are usually staying at the Marriott Ko Olina, just down the walking path from Aulani. But also have stayed in Waikiki and have toured the Hilton there (including inside the units), and have explored Aulani but not stayed there. Love both areas for different reasons. Ko Olina area pretty peaceful with weekends being busier as there is local beach access. But quite beautiful. Really depends on what you want or if you have enough time to do both!

 

[MichaelColey]

We've done both. Our preference would be to stay at Marriott's Ko Olina. Second would be HHV. Third would be Aulani. BUT, Aulani is fun to see and do. Have you considered booking a Studio for one night, to get two days of access to Aulani sometime during your trip? We've done that, as well.

The problem I have with Aulani is that it's packed. There are lines. You'll have a hard time getting loungers. The pools are crowded. And everything is expensive. There's Disney Magic to help you forget about all of that, but it's just not as enjoyable to us as a relaxing resort.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Hi Alwaysonvac,

Thanks so much for a great post and the addition of the maps were a big help.

Thanks again.


Richard

 

[lynne1956]

Turtles in the lagoons

Another vote for Ko 'Olina-we were at the Marriott. Some of the small lagoons you see on the map provided by Alwaysonvac have sea turtles residing there. We had great fun playing with the turtles every day! We also did a boat trip where we snorkeled with dolphins-very cool.

 

[alwysonvac]

Observe sea turtles from a distance

Another vote for Ko 'Olina-we were at the Marriott. Some of the small lagoons you see on the map provided by Alwaysonvac have sea turtles residing there. We had great fun playing with the turtles every day! We also did a boat trip where we snorkeled with dolphins-very cool.

For those who don't know...

From http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/wildlife/#horizontalTab2

Hawaiʻi’s sea turtles are protected species’, and persons are strongly advised to maintain adequate distance (minimum 50 yards/45 meters) so as not to disturb them. Though they spend most of their time in the water, they frequently haul out to rest or ride out storms and this is normal behavior. Approaching a resting turtle may cause it to re-enter the ocean and compromise its safety. For more info, visit http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/species/sea-turtles/


From http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/species/sea-turtles/

Q. How close can I get to sea turtles?
A. There is no law specifying the minimum distance people can approach a sea turtle. However, getting close to these animals may constitute a federal or state violation if the animal is disturbed or if your action has the potential to disturb its natural behavioral patterns. NOAA and DLNR recommend, for your safety and the animals’ protection, that everyone stay at least 150 feet from all sea turtles. If maintaining this distance isn’t possible, keep safety in mind and move away from the animal as carefully as possible, avoiding sudden movements and other actions that might disturb the animal. For wildlife viewers, please enjoy from a distance – use binoculars and telephoto lenses to get the best views without disturbing the wildlife.

More info on the Hawaiian Sea Turtles - http://malamanahonu.org/sheets.asp

From the Malama na Honu (Protect the Turtles) non profit organization's brochure - http://malamanahonu.org/English_brochure.pdf

Sea turtles are protected by international, federal and state laws.

Green sea turtles, known locally as honu, are part of the identity of the islands and hold a special place in the minds and hearts of the people of Hawaii. The species was nearly depleted during the 1960s, but the population is now on the road to recovery.

In late 1990s, honu began basking on Hawaii beaches, providing increased wildlife viewing opportunities.

Please give basking honu space. They do not need a helping hand from humans. Never try to push a sea turtle back into the water or pour water on it. Allow them a clear path and do not block their access to land or water.

Feeding or attempting to interact with sea turtles can habituate them to humans, cause stress, and adversely alter their behavior and long-term survival.

Please treat turtles respectfully… observe, but do not disturb.

 

[frank808]

Basically come down to if you are sightseeing I would choose HHV or Hokulani. If you will be staying at the resort and just laying in the sand or want pool options then Aulani would be the winner. The only problem with HGVC would be the parking charges of $29-$35 dollars a day if you have a vehicle. But you can mitigate it somewhat by renting for the days you need a vehicle or using a ride service for short trips or even our bus system.
If staying at Aulani I would not be on the freeway Mon-Fri between 6:30am to 8:30 and 3:30pm to 6:30pm rush hour. Traffic on H1 is worse than the I5 in california!