Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Review

We ended our Hawaii adventure with a 4-night stay at Aulani Resort, so here’s our full review.

Check-In

As expected from Disney, the check-in process was very personable and smooth. The bell staff took our bags as soon as we arrived and then the greeter came and got our details and offered us refreshing fruit infused water and guided us to the appropriate front desk staff. The staff was very courteous and kept calling us “ohana” which was so lovely. She also asked if it was our first time and if we’re celebrating any special occasions. We were then given pins to reflect our answers which were nice momentos. Of course the little one was given some Disney stickers which she was ecstatic about.

App

We were able to access the Aulani app prior to the check-in but it seems like the reservation can be only linked to one Disney account. It’s the same login credentials as those used for our Disney cruise so that was convenient. If you aren’t linked on the app, then you can always look at the web version for the schedule of activities. On the app, we were able to look over activities and sign up for ones we were interested in. Unfortunately, as first timers, it seems like we were too late to the game because many of the activities were filled up. Note: booking for the character breakfast and luau were not on the app so you would have to do that separately. Those also definitely fill up quickly so try to do that in advance. I was able to sign up for one of the last remaining spots for the Character Breakfast when I looked 1 week prior to our check-in date. I did not try to do an online check-in prior to arrival because I never found that it saved much time when we did so for other hotels. They did ask us at check-in whether we did online check-in so maybe it would’ve helped speed things up? One helpful feature of the app is that you can use it to unlock your room without a roomkey. It cannot be used to pay for things however, so you would still need your key for purchases. One thing I wish I had purchased was a MagicBand. It would’ve been very convenient to wear that around my wrist as I was explore all the pools instead of worrying about my roomkey.

Room

We were very impressed with our room. It was spacious and we we had booked ocean view room which had a beautiful view of the main pools and ocean. They had many different classes of rooms here and we just booked the regular hotel rooms. For example, they had villas with kitchen and dining areas. That would’ve been nice if we were to have stayed for a longer time or staying with a larger family. Our checked baggage and pack and play arrived shortly. The bathroom had a bathtub which was helpful for those with little ones. There was plenty of space under the bed for luggage storage and a large sitting area to relax and to situate the crib. Unlike the cruise, they did not have a curtain separator. Luckily, our little one is ok with sleeping in the same space as us now, so it wasn’t a problem for us. Note: we booked our stay as a regular hotel stay. Apparently, 70% of their guests are part of their Disney Vacation Club where you sign up for membership up front and earn points for your stay. You could also try to rent points from people who are members. It all seemed very complicated and required too much commitment for us.

Dining

Before our stay, the general consensus we got was that the food was terrible. This was a not all-inclusive resort, so we were prepared to eat most of our meals off-site. To our surprise, the food was actually not bad so I’m not sure why it was rated so negatively. Was the food overpriced and not necessarily authentically Hawaiian? Most definitely. Was it mind-blowingly good? No. Would I come here just for the food? No. Was it still tasty food that I would gladly consume? Yes! 

For our first meal, we just wanted something easy so we went to the takeout cafe (Ulu cafe) and ordered a pizza with some chicken fingers with a side caesar salad. The pizza was actually much bigger than we expected and we couldn’t finish it between the 3 of us. We also got some beer/canned cocktail which were definitely marked up but tasty. Actually, we ended up getting most of our meals from Ulu Cafe during our stay. It was just an easy grab-and-go option. It was nice to just pick up and enjoy in our room or by the pool. They have pre-made options (salads, yogurt cups, etc.) as well as a breakfast menu, custom pizza option, hot dinner options and a poke bar. They had enough options to keep us fed and happy. 

There were 3 sit-down restaurants. For our first breakfast, we signed up for the Character Breakfast at the Makahiki restaurant. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty sugar donut and loco moco. They, of course, have the Mickey and Minnie shaped waffles which my preschooler loved. When we checked-in, we had a meet and greet with Mickey and photos were taken. Then we were seated and throughout breakfast, various characters will stop by our table. We saw Pluto, Max, Minnie that morning.

For other meals, we also got takeout from Mama’s Snack Stop (think fish and chips, burgers, etc.) and Off the Hook (less casual than other sit down options but not as grab and go as Ulu Cafe). My only wish is that they had room service because it was pouring rain one day and it would’ve been nice not to have to trek outside to pick up food. (Note: they also did not provide umbrellas or rain gear so be prepared!). Mobile ordering was available at Ulu Cafe and Off the Hook but only during certain times of day so we did not use it.

We (read I) was too lazy during this stay so we didn’t get to trek off-site to eat too much. There was a shopping complex across the street with some restaurant options. Another option is to pick up groceries and cook in your villa. They even have BBQs on side for grilling. We did not do that but what we did do was pick up a few drinks at the store as it was much cheaper than onsite. We did manage to eat dinner next door at the Four Seasons: Mina’s Fish House one night and it was truly one of our best meals of this whole trip. Highly recommended.

Speaking of drinks, there was an option to purchase a tumbler ($22 USD for plastic one and $38 USD for stainless steel one) during your stay. This allowed for unlimited refills of fountain drinks, as well as coffee, tea, hot cocoa. I liked the look of the tumbler so I got one as a souvenir, even though I don’t drink that much soda. I was disappointed they don’t have more water refill options. I saw maybe 1 or 2 through the whole resort. Even the one at the cafe at the ice dispenser was labelled as only for those who purchased their tumbler, although I saw many guests were filling up their personal water bottles with this since water should really be free. For such a reputable resort, I feel like they shouldn’t be so stingy.

Service

Service was excellent during our stay and we had no complaints. Did they go out of their way to go the extra mile to make our stay special like on the Disney cruise? No, but it was still very good.

Ambiance

All the facilities on the ship were very clean and organized. It also didn’t feel too crowded or noisy. There was always somewhere to sit at the pool or beach. There is Disney branding on everything just like on the cruise.

Activities

Other than the Character Breakfast, we attended the luau one night. It was quite pricey ($700+ CAD for the 3 of us) but it was a lovely experience and our little one really enjoyed the pre-dinner stations (floral bracelets, ukulele playing, poi making, tattoos etc.) and the fact that Minnie and Mickey joined for the show for a bit. She wasn’t a fan of the show once it got dark and loud so we had to leave. It was a 3-hour event so I’m not surprised we couldn’t stay for the whole thing with a 3-year-old. The food itself was served buffet style and was quite delicious. We particular enjoyed the meat. The drinks were surprisingly unlimited. I particularly enjoyed the welcome drink. The bento box for the little ones was nice and they were served first so they didn’t have to wait in the buffet line.

One of the main attractions of Aulani were the multiple pools. We spent most of our time enjoying pool-hopping. They had an infinity pool, a zero-entry pool, a water playground area with small slides as well as bigger slides you can go down in a tube. Our little one particularly enjoyed floating around the lazy river that spanned the entire resort. You had to get a new pool bracelet and check out towels daily. They also had life jackets that you must return by the end of the day. 

The beach was nice as well. It was in a lagoon so the waves were gentle. There was plenty of seating and umbrellas. You could rent out equipment like paddle boards. We also saw people go on Aulani-branded boat out somewhere to explore.

One interesting feature they had was a man-made area for snorkelling. You would rent out the equipment and could snorkel amongst many fishes. If snorkelling is not for you, there was also a fish feeding option which we opted for. These sell out so it’s important to sign up early in the morning to not miss out.

For a great rainy day activity, my toddler really enjoyed the character experiences. These are updated in the app the morning of. They were sometimes out and about by the koi pond for example but when the weather is bad, this took place in one ballroom where multiple characters can be present at the same time or back-to-back so you can meet up with a few friends quite easily. We felt it was less busy than the cruise so we did not have to line up for very long. Like the cruise, they had a photographer but were also willing to take your phone and help you take photos on your phone. They did try to sell us the photos during the Character Breakfast and luau but we declined. I felt this wasn’t as well thought-out as the cruise where all the photos were linked to our room key. They didn’t provide us any photopasses/cards at these special events. When we did character meetups they did provide us with photopasses (although multiple since we forgot to give it to them sometimes as we would’ve left in the room as don’t usually bring them). When we stopped their photo services booth to inquire, they said we could see the photos (only the ones on the cards) on the Disneyland app (but not the Aulani app) and can order it directly there. We did end up early 1 day’s worth of photos for $35 CAD since it was a photo-heavy day when we met many characters. I understand that the special events would be attended by guests who were not staying at the hotel which complicates things; however, I felt like it really was more complicated than it needed to be and this was a missed opportunity to streamline the whole process.

One of my favourite activities at the resort was the morning fitness classes on the beach. They had high intensity circuit classes as well as lower intensity stretching/yoga classes. One class I wish I had done was the “ocean fitness” class where you would do exercises while trying to balance on a paddle board. Many classes were full when I checked on the app, but they were easily able to accommodate walk-ins since many guests would no-show. They had water, mats, equipment and towels (dry as well as nice cold ones) available, so you just need to show up. Shoes are also optional as most class involve going into the sand. For those who would prefer to do their own workouts, their fitness center is also very nice and not busy.

They also had a community hall with various activities such as a scavenger hunt, Mickey ears making, t-shirt stamping, stargazing and painting but we didn’t get the chance to participate in any of these activities during our stay. Some were free and others required a fee. We did visit the hall on a rainy day and they kindly provided us with some complimentary crafts and colouring pages to keep our little one entertained.

Overall

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at Aulani. Our little one had the a very memorable experience and it was so nice seeing her having so much fun. We were a skeptical about the food given the reviews but in general, we were pleasantly surprised. We stayed here as the last leg of our Hawaii trip and I would highly recommend doing that as it was relaxing way to end our travels. We actually had such a great time, that we didn’t want to leave. We were even seriously considering extending our stay here by a few days! If you’re going to Oahu with little ones, I recommend that you stay here for a few days, in addition to exploring the rest of the island. Hope you will have the chance to experience this magical place with your family!

Happy travelling!