Here now...complete mad house

[Maddysdaddy]

Agree that there are few organized activities in the evening. My wife and I were happy to sit on our balcony and read/listen to podcasts and have a glass (or two) of wine while our daughter was at the teen activity.

Actually happy to have an early evening, so I could get up early, go to the gym and then grab my book, phone and a coffee and be down poolside at 6:30 so I could plunk down and grab three loungers located under an umbrella - lots of loungers still available after that, but those under umbrellas were usually all gone by 7/7:30.

 

[94bruin]

Agree that there are few organized activities in the evening. My wife and I were happy to sit on our balcony and read/listen to podcasts and have a glass (or two) of wine while our daughter was at the teen activity.

Actually happy to have an early evening, so I could get up early, go to the gym and then grab my book, phone and a coffee and be down poolside at 6:30 so I could plunk down and grab three loungers located under an umbrella - lots of loungers still available after that, but those under umbrellas were usually all gone by 7/7:30.

The pools don't open until 8am, right? I didn't know that you could save loungers before the pools open. Trying to get loungers is always my least favorite part about staying at tropical resorts.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Pool staff is supposed to remove towels and items from unattended chairs and loungers before 8. I stayed with the loungers from 6:30 on.

 

[auteur55]

Loungers are really tough today almost nothing available down at the beach. Only two pools stay open till 8 everything has been closing at 6 this week which is just crazy as it’s a packed resort during spring break.

On a lighter note we saw a Sea Lion today at the Paradise Cove beach!

 

[94bruin]

Pool staff is supposed to remove towels and items from unattended chairs and loungers before 8. I stayed with the loungers from 6:30 on.

I think I am just resigning myself to being in the sun for my resort stay in June! I hate having to camp out early for loungers. Esp since we have a kitchen, I was imagining leisurely breakfasts before heading down. Why can't resorts ever figure out the lounger issue is beyond me!

Loungers are really tough today almost nothing available down at the beach. Only two pools stay open till 8 everything has been closing at 6 this week which is just crazy as it’s a packed resort during spring break.

On a lighter note we saw a Sea Lion today at the Paradise Cove beach!

Is there at least space to lay down a towel? Is that allowed? Also, do you see anyone with their own umbrellas? Debating if we should buy a cheap one for our 13 night stay (split between Aulani & Waikiki).

 

[auteur55]

I actually don’t. Usually you can find lounger by the beach but you have to get lucky to get an umbrella. I can’t imagine them telling you you can’t put an umbrella up on a crowded day.

This is definitely the busiest day we’ve been here (other then the Easter Saturday) the pool area sounds like a packed water park.

 

[nkereina]

I've said in other threads that from everything I've heard and read (Dis Unplugged being one source) that Disney underestimated how many people would stay at Aulani solely for the resort, never leaving. Disney expected Aulani to be a home base for people touring Oahu, but it's turned into a destination people travel to just for the resort itself. This probably explains why activities are limited and also the pool chair issue occurs - Disney expected people to be off doing other things around Oahu, but its not worked out that way.

 

[94bruin]

I've said in other threads that from everything I've heard and read (Dis Unplugged being one source) that Disney underestimated how many people would stay at Aulani solely for the resort, never leaving. Disney expected Aulani to be a home base for people touring Oahu, but it's turned into a destination people travel to just for the resort itself. This probably explains why activities are limited and also the pool chair issue occurs - Disney expected people to be off doing other things around Oahu, but its not worked out that way.

If they wanted people to leave the resort they should have made a less inviting pool! Pools like theirs are not so common on the islands! It's one of the main reasons we chose to try the Aulani! The only other Hawaiian resort we've stayed at with a good pool was the Grand Hyatt on Kauai. (On Maui, we usually stay in condos, and they usually don't have great pools.)

 

[nkereina]

If they wanted people to leave the resort they should have made a less inviting pool! Pools like theirs are not so common on the islands! It's one of the main reasons we chose to try the Aulani! The only other Hawaiian resort we've stayed at with a good pool was the Grand Hyatt on Kauai. (On Maui, we usually stay in condos, and they usually don't have great pools.)

The pool and amenities at Aulani are comparable to other resorts in Ko Olina, of course with Aulani having the family appeal. I don't think its a matter of them wanting people to leave the resort, so much as they thought it was inevitable.

 

[vikequeen]

The pools don't open until 8am, right? I didn't know that you could save loungers before the pools open. Trying to get loungers is always my least favorite part about staying at tropical resorts.

When were there last week, towels left with no one there before 8 would be removed. But people were definitely staking out there space earlier by staying and occupying it. It was slightly better than our previous trip, when we would see people scurry out at 6 to save space with towels, and not return for hours . . .

 

[Midoria]

On a lighter note we saw a Sea Lion today at the Paradise Cove beach!

Monk Seal?

 

[auteur55]

Sorry Monk Seal,

The other thing with activities is that the daily Iwo is supposed to be the days activities which I thought would be like a navigator on a cruise. But there is hardly anything on it except for kids club stuff (that mostly comes at a cost now). All the other activities are at a premium charge and are things like t-shirt stamping and private photo lessons. I can’t imagine people paying a premium admission to stamp t-shirts. So they cancel most of the included in stay stuff they advertise (like nightly movies on the lawn) and then make everything else a paid activity. The few activities that are included in the stay are storytelling around the fire pit (which which takes almost zero effort from Disney, is 15 minutes long at best and my ten year old was bored before it even ended) and the scavenger hunt which you could do one night you are here.

Not trying to be overly negative but at extremely high prices Disney could include a few more things that are common in other resorts.

 

[princessbride6205]

“I’m surprised the Aulani doesn’t do similar things.”

So are we. We did not come here for nightlife we came for beach life during the day but when it’s 7:30 and the pools are closed and there literally is not one activity to do except eat dinner that’s a problem. If the resort was hopping at 6 in the morning then you could say go to bed early and wake up early but they don’t open till 8. I just expected something. A fun family party at night, movies on the lawn etc. They advertise the movies and then don’t play them at peak time it’s didappointing. My kids are 10 and 13 and aren’t ready to turn in at 7:30

We were there in mid-March and had similar weather.
I think the age of the kids is key as well. I didn't feel like the resort is set up to cater to tweens. There was plenty for the under-10 crowd, a variety of teen activities, but not as much for the 10-12 age. Although to be fair, tweens are just a tricky age. Too cool to hang out with younger kids, but not ready for teen or adult activities. My daughter had a good time at Aunty's the 1 or 2 times she went, but at almost 11 years old, she was the oldest one in there, and didn't want to go back except for the specific activity we had booked. We did a lot of the Pau Hana Community Hall activities together.
We had a fabulous trip and want to return, but I very much sympathize with your sentiment about lack of activities in the evenings. It felt lame to be in our room - in HAWAII! - and just watching a movie at 8pm. On the plus side, we are used to being commando park people, so forced relaxation wasn't a bad thing.

 

[Littlelulu01]

Sorry about the crowds. When we visited in late January we did have a couple days of rain but obviously not the crowds so we still enjoyed our time at the Resort. I think I’d definitely steer clear of high demand times.

 

[janfelcie]

Is your wifi working, cuz it was down last week? so i'm curious if they got it fixed. On the plus side, we went to the new luau and loved it.

I was told that Hawaii is for The Newly Wed or The Nearly Dead! lol

 

[Midoria]

I was told that Hawaii is for The Newly Wed or The Nearly Dead! lol

That’s a bizarre statement. Hawaii is one of the most family friendly destinations in the country.

 

[cgattis]

That’s a bizarre statement. Hawaii is one of the most family friendly destinations in the country.

I think that means because either way, you're in your room by 7 pm....

 

[Midoria]

I think that means because either way, you're in your room by 7 pm....

Aulani may be dead at that time, but that doesn’t necessarily go for the rest of Hawaii. Live music performances, street festivals, an evening movie, night dives, luaus, sunset at Haleakala, stargazing, or even just a whole evening spent at Ala Moana (which closes at 9 on most days) can keep someone out well after 7pm. Hawaii and Aulani are not interchanable.

 

[94bruin]

I was told that Hawaii is for The Newly Wed or The Nearly Dead! lol

I always heard that about Kauai, not Oahu.

 

[Midoria]

I always heard that about Kauai, not Oahu.

I’d agree that Kauai is the closest to the phrase. Lol But the resort areas generally have some evening entertainment.