Combining the magic of Disney and the beauty of the Hawaiian Culture, we are going to share with you our 10 Reasons You Should Stay At Disney’s Aulani Resort.
We experienced luxury accommodations with the magic of Disney all wrapped into one amazing vacation. Located in Ko Olina, which means “fulfillment of joy”, Aulani is perfectly placed on a lagoon just 30 minutes from Honolulu Airport.
To help you understand the extraordinary expertise this resort offers we are going to share with you our 10 reasons why we think you should plan your next trip to Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa.
- World-renowned Disney Hotel Service
On the top of our list has to be the service at this resort. It is like no other. We have stayed at many different Disney resorts and the service at Aulani has to be at the top of our list.
The very moment we walked through the doors, we were filled with love and kindness and we immediately felt like we were part of the Ohana (family). It was like we had transported our home to this beautiful island of O’ahu.
We have to give tremendous credit to all the cast members that help run this resort and make it the most magical experience for each and every guest.
From our dining experiences, spa services, to bell services, the amazing staff at Aunty’s Beach House and everyone in between we were beyond impressed.
2. Beauty of the resort
Inspired by the beautiful traditions of the Hawaiian culture this resort showcased the history and welcoming spirit of the island.
We loved that the resorts primary focus and design was centered around that of the Hawaiian culture first with a sprinkle of Disney magic to make this resort even more spectacular.
The perfectly manicured grounds, soothing pools and pristine beach make it the perfect recipe for relaxation and family fun.
3. Rooms
Aulani offers comfortable and spacious accommodations with an array of amenities. Each room features unique details that reflect the Hawaiian culture, while the subtle Disney touches leave kids full of wonder.
Available in all rooms is a dvd player, coffee/tea maker, hair dryer, mini fridge, microwave and more. To see these beautiful rooms and find out more about the rooms and what they have to offer check out Disney’s Aulani website.
4. Pools
Soak up the beautiful Hawaiian sun and enjoy several fun filled pools all with gorgeous ocean views. The Waikolohe Valley pool area within Aulani is the perfect area for a day of family fun.
We had so much fun speeding down the two different waterslides. From the top of Pu’u Kilo, looking over the aquatic valley, you will find Volcanic Vertical which is an enclosed body slide and Tubestone Curl, an open-air tube slide.
My personal favorite, outside of soaking in one of the many jacuzzis was floating down the refreshing lazy river. The natural looking rock formations, Hawaiian details, caverns and fountain springs screams relaxation.
Our kids favorite spot out of all the pools was Ka Maka Landing. The Grotto featured an infinity edge pool overlooking Ko Olina beach with stunning ocean views. Within the grotto is a whirlpool spa where we could enjoy a bit of rest after fun in the pool.
They also have the Rainbow Reef, which is a saltwater lagoon that is home to hundreds of tropical fish. With payment of a daily or weekly fee you can snorkel with colorful marine life. Snorkeling equipment is included with the fee.
5. Beach
The white-sandy beach of Disney’s Aulani Resort is perfectly placed on the shores of Ko Olina. We spent hours here enjoying the bright blue ocean waters.
The beach is placed on a calm lagoon providing smooth waters which made it the perfect place for our family to take advantage of the free boogie-boards.
You can also find loungers, umbrellas and a walking path that passes by the beach for those beautiful sunrise/set walks.
And, we didn’t have to worry about packing life jackets or sand toys as Aulani has them available for free at Maikiki Joe’s. There you can also rent snorkels, paddle boards and other equipment for an hourly fee.
For everything Maikiki Joe’s has to offer and pricing to make your day at the beach a breeze check out all the information here.
6. Laniwai Spa
Laniwai is Aulani Resorts full-service spa, salon, and fitness center. Honestly, we could write a full post on just how amazing this spa truly is.
During our trip we booked a couples message while the kids enjoyed a fun dance party at Aunty’s Beach house (details below).
My favorite part besides the amazing massage was the hydrotherapy garden that we were able to enjoy prior to our massage.
In the garden we were able to experience the power of ancient Hawaiian therapy to relax the body with baths of varying temperatures, unique waterfall rain showers, cold water therapy pool, reflexology path and much more.
They also provided light snacks and flavored waters and teas to enjoy during your time in the garden.
For more information on their services and to make reservations click here.
7. Food
At Aulani you will find a variety of dining experiences during your stay. From quick service to grab and go to a Lu’au with buffet style dining.
One our favorite places for a variety of foods for every meal was Ulu Cafe. There you can find fresh poke bowls, delicious açaí bowls, flatbread, sandwiches, hot meals and grab-and-go treats.
Tip: We recommend buying the reusable mugs found at Ulu Cafe. You can get unlimited refills of soft drinks, coffee and tea for the duration of your trip, plus they are a cute souvenir.
Some of our other favorite spots were Off The Hook adjacent to one of the main pools, PĀPĀLUA shave ice where you can find the famous Mickey shaved ice and Little ‘Opihi’s beachside kiosk where they have beach side beverages, and our favorite the pineapple dole whip.
And finally let’s not forget about the character breakfast at Makahiki restaurant. Unfortunately our daughter was not feeling very well so we didn’t stay long. We did however get to meet Max, Goofy, Mickey and Pluto during this experience and the food was fantastic.
8. Aunty’s Beach House
Our kids absolutely loved Aunty’s. This supervised activities club for guest ages 4 to 12 , gave us the chance to enjoy the spa while our kids had a blast playing with fellow guests and dancing with some of their favorite Disney’s characters.
We did pay for this special event for our kids during their time here however there are many complimentary experiences available.
I can’t say enough about how professional the Disney Youth Counselors are at Aunty’s. We felt at complete ease letting our children stay with the staff at Aunty’s while we enjoyed some adult time at the resort.
The most comforting part was how serious they were with our kids safety and allergies.
We had to register our children online prior to arrival. Once on property we had to check in at Aunty’s prior to the reserved event. There a counselor will give them a special Keiki (identity) band that a child must wear while at Aunty’s.
This band will be tagged with an allergy alert tag and they will also ask you to provide and epi pen to keep on hand while your child is present.
We should also note that these bands are super cute and can be kept as a souvenir or returned prior to your departure from the resort.
To find out all the details check out Aunty’s Beach House at Disney’s Aulani.
9. Pua Hana Room
If you’re looking for fun activities for the entire family outside of the pool, we would recommend you check out the Pua Hana Room.
Here you will find an array of activities, crafts, games and more for the entire family. You can book many of the activities up to 30 days in advance, however they also have many complimentary activities.
During this trip we booked a Make your own Mickey Ears experience and it was so much fun.
10. Photopass Service and Private Portrait Sessions
During your stay at Aulani you will find Disney Photopass photographers throughout the resort to capture those magical moments. The photographers will hand you a card that you can use throughout your stay. Later, you may view and purchase your photos at the Disney PhotoPass Imaging station.
You may also book a private photo session with one of the Photopass photographers. The sessions are 20 minutes and you get to keep all the photos via a digital download.
Now this is only scratching the surface on the top notch service and accommodations of this resort. We will go into more details on some of this in future posts.
If you are looking for more information on things to do around O’ahu check out our post Top 5 Things To Do In O’ahu Hawaii.