“FUN....But.....important reminders!”

Stayed here for 5 nights during spring break and why not 5 start review.....Here's why. get up early and save your spot! Im not kidding, people wake up 5:00am to pick their fave spot pool chair! yes! I repeat 5:00 including me (good thing CA time is 3hrs ahead) coz after 6 or 7am you will get th... lisää

Stayed here for 5 nights during spring break and why not 5 start review.....Here's why. get up early and save your spot! Im not kidding, people wake up 5:00am to pick their fave spot pool chair! yes! I repeat 5:00 including me (good thing CA time is 3hrs ahead) coz after 6 or 7am you will get the no shade, off area or close to no spot! and yes! 10 people (the guest) around 7am we all witnessed 2white dude fighting for good 20mins arguing over a pool chair! pulling taking out towels and shouting back and forth! technically you can't reserve chairs, somebody must be there or else they will take away your stuff and other will take over. ohhh it's sooo stressful watching them! and sad at the same time coz one dude is with his kid. But this will not hinder our amazing experience, my Daughter had a blast with all the activities oh my, is just that you wanna have smooth sailing vacation right? sad to say I saw the downside and I am sure this is not everyday situation but it gets lil toxic to see those people fighting over petty things. We want to come back and we'll surely will, this time I know what to do now and prepare pocket money! coz everything cost you a fortune! holy molly! treats here and there adds up! people buy costco or stacked up but still money. There is a ABC store at marketplace it's easy walk like 10mins, they have good amount of food selections! we tried garlic shrimp, korean beef and some wraps! it was decent and filling + smoothies and local flavored ice cream. Breakfast with characters was very good experience, make a mickey ears was a hit for my Daughter but the becoming the sea creatures activity is her favorite. I hope this review help you and made you have idea....again we will surely come back.

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“Nice landscapes, average rooms, and poor customer service for an outrageous price”

Prior to my visit, I was confident Disney’s top-notch customer service and attention to detail would be the factors that distinguished Aulani from other resorts. Though it goes without saying Aulani is a beautiful property, the amenities are worth nowhere close to the given price tag, and the Di... lisää

Prior to my visit, I was confident Disney’s top-notch customer service and attention to detail would be the factors that distinguished Aulani from other resorts. Though it goes without saying Aulani is a beautiful property, the amenities are worth nowhere close to the given price tag, and the Disney standard for hospitality / customer service was sorely lacking. The good things about Aulani (nice beaches, pools, and sunsets) could be found at an island resort at another destination for half the cost and significantly better customer service. I’m not joking when I say the Polynesian at WDW was more like what I expected an actual Hawaiian resort to be (and at least I got a complimentary lei there, unlike Aulani!). During my stay, I stayed in both a studio and one of the hotel rooms available to book with DVC points. The studio was cute and very similar to ones I’ve stayed in at other DVC resorts, both in the design of the room and amenities. The hotel room, however, was pretty beat and not worth the price tag at all (stained furniture, half-working shower head, dollar-store shower curtain, dust, etc.); it looked like it had been a while since attention was given to the room. It’s worth noting that, had I paid cash, both of these rooms would’ve cost $750 a night during the relative “low” season; to be blunt, the room didn’t feel like it was worth half that price. Though trivial details don’t make or break a vacation, they reflect the limited effort put into offering an experience that matches the premium price tag. In terms of resort offerings, the beach was one of the few places that had a “paradise” feel; likewise, the infinity pool overlooking the beach was an oasis. The lazy river was nice at times, though often became filled with debris and kids messing around with inner tubes as the day went on (which also made it hard to find a tube at times). Beyond the pools, room tours, and character spots, it was hard to find an activity that wasn’t a “premium experience” (i.e., extra money). The amount of adults who signed up for ukelele lessons admittedly because it was a free activity (pretty much the entire room) was hysterical and reflected the limited nature of complimentary offerings. I didn’t travel with kids, but I can’t imagine how much would’ve been spent if opting to do the various paid offerings (and before thinking you can just tell your kids “no” to all of these activities, the plenty of screaming/crying kids around the resort will tell you otherwise - the lifeguards were looking for a couple missing kids per day). Overall, I was disappointed in the staff at Aulani - the disdain for tourism was evident in quite a few, while others were friendly enough to play the game but seemed insincere. Across the course of my trip, I only had a handful of interactions with staff members that actually came off as genuine (gift shop and character attendants). The front desk staff was pretty stoic and not very welcoming or helpful. Weekend pool staff was generally friendlier than the weekday bunch. Another area of disappointment was the outrageous cost of things around the resort, especially food. I completely understand that, to some degree, the cost of things in Hawaii is more than the contiguous states… but $15 for a cupcake at a quick service? WHAT? There’s a difference between prices reflecting cost of living and price gouging. As a DVC member, I think it’s unrealistic to say I’ll never come back to Aulani; however, it would be at least five years minimum before I’d consider it again. It wasn’t hard to say goodbye to Aulani at the end of the trip; I didn’t pull away with an immediate yearning to come back, like I have at other resorts. If you’re not a member and paying cash, the resort is a horrible value. Overall, if you’re dead set on going to Aulani, I would lower your expectations and raise your budget.

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