

#1 Arrival and Rooms
The check-in process was just like an experience at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. It could be handled online or by a cast member in person upon arrival. There was both valet and self-parking for a daily fee; however, if you are a Disney Vacation Club member, self-parking was free. The layout and amenities in the rooms were totally recognizable, right down to the H2O products in the bathrooms.


#2 The Resort’s Atmosphere
As you’d expect, Aulani’s atmosphere is very much like the Polynesian Village Resort; however, it also feels very much like the Animal Kingdom Lodge. When a cast member told me the creative lead for Aulani was Hawaiian native and Animal Kingdom mastermind Joe Rohde, that feeling made total sense.
#3 Cast Member Service
No matter where we visited in Hawaii during our trip, we had wonderful service — friendliness just seemed to be ingrained in the culture. But at Aulani, we got it in spades. There were so many cast members on hand, and on several occasions they approached us just to talk. Cast members were very knowledgeable about the art and architecture of Aulani and Hawaii. We learned a lot.
#4 Dining
Eating on property was familiar and easy. Ulu Café is the quick service location and navigating it was the same as it would be for all other Disney resorts. If you have a sweet tooth and like cinnamon doughnuts, try the Malasadas here. They are great with coffee or a hot cup of Earl Grey. This was also a location to purchase refillable mugs, just like at “home.” On our first day, we enjoyed eating poolside at Off The Hook. Tables were first-come, first-served and we lucked into one right away. After a half day of travel, we appreciated the location’s proximity to the umbrella drinks and its sit-down table service. The menu is good: street tacos, flatbreads, burgers, hot dogs, and tenders. The kids got mac and cheese, the grownups ate pork quesadillas and fish tacos. Everyone was happy. Aulani also has a lovely signature restaurant, ‘Ama ‘Ama, located with a beach and ocean view. The menu looked like a dream for the surf and turf lover. Most popular was the resort’s buffet restaurant, Makahiki. It served several Hawaiian dishes and offered lots of seafood choices. The staff did a tremendous job of swapping out the food. We rarely ate anything lukewarm, a major achievement at a buffet. In the morning, Makahiki is the site of a wildly popular character breakfast with Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy.
#5 Excursions
So how is Aulani like a cruise ship? It’s the excursions. There was pretty much an excursion for every interest. We saw options for dolphin encounters, zip lining, day cruises, horseback riding, island tours, rainforest visits, kayaking, surfing, and lots more. One of the main reasons we chose to visit the island of Oahu was to see Pearl Harbor. We used the excursion desk staffed by Holoholo Desk Tours and Travel to book our tickets and transportation. Now, Pearl Harbor does not charge for tickets to see the water memorial, and we could have done this on our own for free; however, there are only a limited number of tickets available each day. This was a “must do” for us and we didn’t want to miss it. By booking the tour we were guaranteed a spot, a time convenient for our family, and transportation to and from Aulani. For us, it was worth the $52 per person price.


#6 The Pool
Aulani’s pool was definitely the most popular spot at the resort during the day (snag a lounge chair early, because they go cruise-ship-fast). It was a pretty sensational set-up, almost like a mini water park. It featured a lazy river, two slides, a water playground, and the snorkeling pond. It doesn’t have a wave pool, but the world’s original wave pool — the ocean — is just outside the pool’s gates.