Disney Aulani - loved it! (pictures)

[littlestar]

We visited Hawaii last month and got a chance to stay at Disney’s Aulani resort. The resort was beautiful. If we lived on the west coast instead of the Midwest, we would visit annually. We had 27 people in our travel group and had units at Aulani, Marriott Ko Olina, Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk, and Hilton Kalia Suites. All the timeshares we booked were wonderful (even lucked out with ocean views at Hilton Kalia on RCI exchanges), but the ocean view units at Aulani were my favorite. The above picture was our 16th floor ocean view 2 bedroom at Aulani.

 

[littlestar]

Side view from our ocean view room at Aulani.

 

[littlestar]

Infiniti pool at Aulani.

 

[littlestar]

Beach side walking path from Marriott Ko Olina to Aulani.

 

[littlestar]

Another view from the Infiniti pool

 

[littlestar]

Lobby view

 

[littlestar]

Lobby with story pictures

 

[TheHolleys87]

Thanks for the photos. We stayed at Marriott Ko ‘Olina several years ago and visited Aulani. I was blown away by how gorgeous it is and how much effort Disney put into making it look Hawaiian instead of any other beachfront high rise in the world. Hope to stay there some day!

 

[littlestar]

 

[pedro47]

To the OP, thanks for sharing your photos, Hawaii is on our bucket list for 2020.

 

[alwysonvac]

Thanks for the pics.
How were the crowds during your December stay? Did you go before Christmas/New Year’s?

 

[littlestar]

Thanks for the pics.
How were the crowds during your December stay? Did you go before Christmas/New Year’s?

The crowds were not bad at the beginning on the 12th of December, but I could see an increase by the weekend. I booked 2 two bedrooms, a standard studio, and a couple of garden view studios with my Saratoga points. I booked the units at 8 am when the 7 month window opened and I booked the standard and garden views first because I knew ocean view goes last.

We only stayed at Aulani for 3 nights. Then our group moved over to units at Marriott Ko Olina, Hilton Kalia Suites, and Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk. It was a fun trip. We were able to watch the Billabong surfers on the north shore which was amazing! And we were able to see Hawaii decorated for Christmas for the first time. I liked the grass skirts on the Christmas trees.

I did get my niece a studio for December 22nd at Aulani, but the availability was definitely tighter. My niece joined DVC (bought direct thru Disney at OKW) about a month before our trip and she added a night to the 22nd by stalking the DVC site.

 

[lovetotravel77]

Gorgeous pics! We stayed at Aulani in 2014, 2 BR, had a view of the beach, such a beautiful resort! Especially loved the adult hot tub and adult more quiet pool; very memorable trip. LOVED it!

 

[TravelTime]

We stayed at Aulani for 5N last October after 7N at MKO. Aulani blew me away. The theming and use of natural finishes in the rooms was really nice. I have been to all the major islands of Hawaii about 8 times and have stayed at what some consider to be the best resorts like Fairmont Orchid on the BI and the Grand Wailea on Maui. Yet Aulani was so much nicer to me. I loved having a 1 bedroom with full kitchen as well as the long balcony with a head on ocean view. We are returning to Aulani around TG this year for a 4N stay following 7N at MKO. I assume it will be more crowded as the points go way up for TG.

 

[Bailey#1]

One day, one day...... Thank you for the pictures.

 

[tcm2362]

WOW - we were there a week later and maybe walked away not quite as enthused! I've been a DVC member since 2001 (though my points are all now in the process of being sold). Love Disney, love kids .... Aulani, not so much! I truly felt it was lacking the usual Disney touch/magic, staff was just not quite as smooth as we're accustomed to at WDW, and the beach/pool areas need additional facilities (yes bathrooms!), more staff monitoring things, etc. Trust me - the crowds at WDW never both me (in fact its often part of the fun), I love kids and can't wait for grandchildren, .... but this one fell short for us as a total experience. The area itself? BEAUTIFUL and plenty of dining options nearby. If you golf, go right across the street to Ko Olani - one of the top resort courses you'll ever play. Our trip was split and we by far preferred the HGV at Waikoloa.

 

[AnnaS]

Nice!! Thank you for sharing.

Maybe someday

 

[GregT]

Those are wonderful pictures, thanks for posting them!

Jack and I checked in here yesterday for three days, and then head over to Marriott Ko Olina to finish the week. This really is a charming property -- I love the combination of Hawaii and Disney, it is very well balanced and a pleasure to return here.

I economized on points and we have a 1BR Island Garden view -- they put us on the top floor and it is a spectacular view to the South. We can see Diamond Head and Waikiki from here, which was a very unexpected plus. It's great to be back!

Best,

Greg

 

[lovetotravel77]

Those are wonderful pictures, thanks for posting them!

Jack and I checked in here yesterday for three days, and then head over to Marriott Ko Olina to finish the week. This really is a charming property -- I love the combination of Hawaii and Disney, it is very well balanced and a pleasure to return here.

I economized on points and we have a 1BR Island Garden view -- they put us on the top floor and it is a spectacular view to the South. We can see Diamond Head and Waikiki from here, which was a very unexpected plus. It's great to be back!

Best,

Greg

Hope that you have an awesome vacation; Aulani was one of our best vacas back in 2014! Do you happen to know if there still are plans to build an Atlantis property next to Aulani? I had read about this over a year ago and I am curious. Supposedly it was planned to be a waterpark area similar to Atlantis Bahamas. Seemed pretty awesome to me. HOPING to get back in four years for our 40th anniversary!

 

[lovetotravel77]

View attachment 9856 Infiniti pool at Aulani.

The adult hot tub is amazing!

 

[alwysonvac]

Hope that you have an awesome vacation; Aulani was one of our best vacas back in 2014! Do you happen to know if there still are plans to build an Atlantis property next to Aulani? I had read about this over a year ago and I am curious. Supposedly it was planned to be a waterpark area similar to Atlantis Bahamas. Seemed pretty awesome to me. HOPING to get back in four years for our 40th anniversary!

Yes, Atlantis is still a GO.

There’s a thread in the TUG Hawaii forum - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/ko-olina-development-oceanwide-hawaii.277923/

From DVCNEWS - https://dvcnews.com/index.php/resor...er-glimpse-of-proposed-hawaii-atlantis-resort

 

[lovetotravel77]

Yes, Atlantis is still a GO.

There’s a thread in the TUG Hawaii forum - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/ko-olina-development-oceanwide-hawaii.277923/

From DVCNEWS - https://dvcnews.com/index.php/resor...er-glimpse-of-proposed-hawaii-atlantis-resort

H​

Thanks for the link. The water features look amazing. I would spend two nights here, prior to Aulani. Hoping to get back in 2023, hoping this comes to fruition!

 

[Lisa P]

The Aulani photos are beautiful! So are the Atlantis renderings. Hope the Atlantis building doesn't block too many ocean views from Aulani balconies, though the resort would certainly be its own pretty view.

 

[GregT]

All, we are checked out now of Aulani and checked in to Marriott Ko Olina. Both lovely properties and different vibes to each.

I found that I really liked the balcony at Aulani - it was modestly better then the “angled” balcony that we had the previous two times. We were in the ‘59 stack and were the last room in that section that had the full/straight balcony.

In the other building, I think the straight balconies started at ‘40 and wish I had confirmed. But for future Aulani visits, those are the room stacks I will seek out.

Great property and seeing so many families with very young kids made me realize how fast they grow.

But it’s great right now!! Jack and I went to Honolulu today and scuba’d out of Kawalo Boat Basin - amazing how good the diving was 500 yards off Waikiki.

Lovely time at Aulani and we will be back!

Best,

Greg

 

[littlestar]

I hope the concept art for Atlantis is not what gets built at KoOlina. It looks like a space ship - Star Wars style. Not very Hawaiian looking at all. The Atlantis in the Bahama’s has a better looking style building than the proposed one for KoOlina. Makes me wonder if it will pass Hawaii’s land use commission’s environmental impact rules.