What is Christmas Week Like at Aulani?

Primeval Princess

Momketeer
Joined
May 14, 2020
I'm considering going to Aulani the week after Christmas of 2021. Has anyone here been to Aulani around Christmas before, or even just late December/early January time frame? If so, what is it like? Is it decorated for Christmas? Are there any special events for New Year's? Is it warm enough to enjoy the pools? Is it very rainy? Is it a crowded time of year for Aulani? How busy is Oahu itself that time of year?
 
very very busy during xmas/new years weeks...there has typically been very minimal xmas decorations put up (and limited to the lobby, shops, and the dvc room). after new years crowd levels drop, so depending on length of stay...maybe plan for resort days to be later in your trip.

whether or not its warm enough for the pools varies from person to person (the water is generally heated when the weather is cooler)...but if there is a decent breeze (temps can hit mid 70's during the day...but this past dec/jan were well into the 80's most days) it can feel very cold after getting out of the pools.

there has also typically been a special dinner held on xmas and new years eve (have to book well in advance.). also, as is also tradition for disney...there has been a bunch of xmas themed resort merch...lots of it.

while it is not a guarantee that any of it will return for this year or next year...it seems unlikely that disney wouldn't continue to do so.

overall oahu can be very busy for new years eve/day (avoid driving on new years eve after 8pm if at all possible...firecrackers/etc. can cause roads to have very low visibility at times). on new years day avoid getting within 1 block of any/all buddhist/shinto temples. other than that crowds aren't significantly worse anywhere than they would be on a holiday weekend. ala moana (the large shopping mall near waikiki) has also run a fukubukuro "sale" on new years day (shops sell "lucky bags" with mystery products that total value is generally 2x or more the cost of the bag...you just don't get to pick what u get). crowds at some shops can get to maybe 1/2 black friday levels.

given that firecrackers in asian society are generally viewed/"used" to ward off "evil spirits"...its just as much about seeing stuff go "boom"...but given how this year is going, and that it'll likely continue in some form into next year...there is a good chance that more firecrackers will be burned than have been since y2k this coming new years, and the one after that.
 
very very busy during xmas/new years weeks...there has typically been very minimal xmas decorations put up (and limited to the lobby, shops, and the dvc room). after new years crowd levels drop, so depending on length of stay...maybe plan for resort days to be later in your trip.

whether or not its warm enough for the pools varies from person to person (the water is generally heated when the weather is cooler)...but if there is a decent breeze (temps can hit mid 70's during the day...but this past dec/jan were well into the 80's most days) it can feel very cold after getting out of the pools.

there has also typically been a special dinner held on xmas and new years eve (have to book well in advance.). also, as is also tradition for disney...there has been a bunch of xmas themed resort merch...lots of it.

while it is not a guarantee that any of it will return for this year or next year...it seems unlikely that disney wouldn't continue to do so.

overall oahu can be very busy for new years eve/day (avoid driving on new years eve after 8pm if at all possible...firecrackers/etc. can cause roads to have very low visibility at times). on new years day avoid getting within 1 block of any/all buddhist/shinto temples. other than that crowds aren't significantly worse anywhere than they would be on a holiday weekend. ala moana (the large shopping mall near waikiki) has also run a fukubukuro "sale" on new years day (shops sell "lucky bags" with mystery products that total value is generally 2x or more the cost of the bag...you just don't get to pick what u get). crowds at some shops can get to maybe 1/2 black friday levels.

given that firecrackers in asian society are generally viewed/"used" to ward off "evil spirits"...its just as much about seeing stuff go "boom"...but given how this year is going, and that it'll likely continue in some form into next year...there is a good chance that more firecrackers will be burned than have been since y2k this coming new years, and the one after that.
Thanks for the detailed information. I think we'll go in June instead. I really hate firecrackers, and the weather sounds less than ideal.
 
Thanks for the detailed information. I think we'll go in June instead. I really hate firecrackers, and the weather sounds less than ideal.
June is also statistically a drier month, with December having the highest chance for rainfall. I would also choose June over December, but bear in mind that June is starting the peak time of summer travel and is still a busy time. Unlike the parks, the resort is capped at the maximum occupancy of the rooms they have, so I would imagine Christmas week and the summer months both run at or near capacity. I always recommend people plan resort days for weekdays while doing outings/tours on weekend days, because weekends tend to be the busiest with locals staying at the resort and using resort amenities.
 


June is also statistically a drier month, with December having the highest chance for rainfall. I would also choose June over December, but bear in mind that June is starting the peak time of summer travel and is still a busy time. Unlike the parks, the resort is capped at the maximum occupancy of the rooms they have, so I would imagine Christmas week and the summer months both run at or near capacity. I always recommend people plan resort days for weekdays while doing outings/tours on weekend days, because weekends tend to be the busiest with locals staying at the resort and using resort amenities.
Thanks for the info! Yes, we do have to travel during some kind of a peak season no matter what as we're tied to a school schedule. June does sound a lot better than December, though. We'll book for early June.
 
Thanks for the info! Yes, we do have to travel during some kind of a peak season no matter what as we're tied to a school schedule. June does sound a lot better than December, though. We'll book for early June.

As someone who’s stayed at Aulani during both time periods, I really enjoyed visiting during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday.

Last year, I spent Dec 20-Jan 2 in Hawaii. I stayed at Aulani until a couple of days after Christmas and then flew to Maui. It was my first time being in Hawaii for Christmas/New Year’s and had been on my bucket list for a while. I enjoyed going to Waikiki to see Honolulu Hale, Oahu’s Christmas decorations. Aulani was full, but it wasn’t any fuller than it was in June/July when I’ve traveled previously. Just be sure to pack your patience because some things take longer.

In December, the weather on Oahu was mainly in the 80s with some days of rain. However, that didn’t keep me from doing any of my planned activities which I pre-booked. Remember, when it’s raining on one side of the island the other side usually has sun. I visited the North Shore, Waimea Valley, Kualoa Ranch, Byodo-in-Temple, took paddle board lessons, went shark diving, and took a helicopter tour among other things. At Aulani, I saved a couple of days to sit by the pool. Yes, they were crowded, but the adult pool had a lot of chairs available. The water was a little cool, but felt good after sun bathing. Aulani also had Santa Stitch on Christmas Eve for people to take pictures with. There was a special Christmas dinner on/near the beach you could make reservations for but it was very expensive and sold out early. You could also order Christmas dinner for your room that served four people. The resort had three different Christmas trees and garland, but that was it for decorations. I also did the luau and really enjoyed that. If you like football, the Aloha Bowl is played on Christmas Eve. I thought about going but ultimately decided against it since I had the luau that night.

I loved being on Maui for NYE. The weather was sunny everyday and I did snorkeling and whale watching tours. I did the Drums of the Pacific Luau on NYE and was able to see some of the fireworks from Lahaina. Unfortunately, the Maui airport was insane and really crowded coming and going.

The only difference in visiting during June/July is that there are typically more sunny days. The pools are still crowded. In general, Aulani has gained in popularity and you should count on the resort being busy. If you visit over July 4th, the Ko Olina resorts usually do fireworks in the lagoon which you can see from Aulani beach.

Have fun when you go in June. I’ve already booked my second Christmas/New Year’s trip for Hawaii for next year. If you’re ok with visiting Hawaii in June, visiting in December isn’t that different.
 
As someone who’s stayed at Aulani during both time periods, I really enjoyed visiting during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday.

Last year, I spent Dec 20-Jan 2 in Hawaii. I stayed at Aulani until a couple of days after Christmas and then flew to Maui. It was my first time being in Hawaii for Christmas/New Year’s and had been on my bucket list for a while. I enjoyed going to Waikiki to see Honolulu Hale, Oahu’s Christmas decorations. Aulani was full, but it wasn’t any fuller than it was in June/July when I’ve traveled previously. Just be sure to pack your patience because some things take longer.

In December, the weather on Oahu was mainly in the 80s with some days of rain. However, that didn’t keep me from doing any of my planned activities which I pre-booked. Remember, when it’s raining on one side of the island the other side usually has sun. I visited the North Shore, Waimea Valley, Kualoa Ranch, Byodo-in-Temple, took paddle board lessons, went shark diving, and took a helicopter tour among other things. At Aulani, I saved a couple of days to sit by the pool. Yes, they were crowded, but the adult pool had a lot of chairs available. The water was a little cool, but felt good after sun bathing. Aulani also had Santa Stitch on Christmas Eve for people to take pictures with. There was a special Christmas dinner on/near the beach you could make reservations for but it was very expensive and sold out early. You could also order Christmas dinner for your room that served four people. The resort had three different Christmas trees and garland, but that was it for decorations. I also did the luau and really enjoyed that. If you like football, the Aloha Bowl is played on Christmas Eve. I thought about going but ultimately decided against it since I had the luau that night.

I loved being on Maui for NYE. The weather was sunny everyday and I did snorkeling and whale watching tours. I did the Drums of the Pacific Luau on NYE and was able to see some of the fireworks from Lahaina. Unfortunately, the Maui airport was insane and really crowded coming and going.

The only difference in visiting during June/July is that there are typically more sunny days. The pools are still crowded. In general, Aulani has gained in popularity and you should count on the resort being busy. If you visit over July 4th, the Ko Olina resorts usually do fireworks in the lagoon which you can see from Aulani beach.

Have fun when you go in June. I’ve already booked my second Christmas/New Year’s trip for Hawaii for next year. If you’re ok with visiting Hawaii in June, visiting in December isn’t that different.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm sure it's a nice place at any time of year. I still will book for June as we want to maximize our sunny days, and I really, really don't want to encounter any firecrackers that locals might be setting off around New Year's. I have an ear disorder that makes loud noises problematic to me, so a surprise firecracker going off too close to me could ruin my whole vacation.
 


firecrackers are generally only going to be noticeable near residential areas and china town, but the smoke can travel quite a bit depending on how strong the wind is.

however if your objection to firecrackers is sound based, then you may also want to avoid waikiki on any friday night (fireworks).

other times to avoid would be chinese new years (its a lunar calendar thing so it varies from year to year), and to a far lesser extent july 4th.
 
if your objection to firecrackers is sound based, then you may also want to avoid waikiki on any friday night (fireworks).

other times to avoid would be chinese new years (its a lunar calendar thing so it varies from year to year), and to a far lesser extent july 4th.
That is very helpful. Thanks!
 
As someone who’s stayed at Aulani during both time periods, I really enjoyed visiting during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday.

Last year, I spent Dec 20-Jan 2 in Hawaii. I stayed at Aulani until a couple of days after Christmas and then flew to Maui. It was my first time being in Hawaii for Christmas/New Year’s and had been on my bucket list for a while. I enjoyed going to Waikiki to see Honolulu Hale, Oahu’s Christmas decorations. Aulani was full, but it wasn’t any fuller than it was in June/July when I’ve traveled previously. Just be sure to pack your patience because some things take longer.

In December, the weather on Oahu was mainly in the 80s with some days of rain. However, that didn’t keep me from doing any of my planned activities which I pre-booked. Remember, when it’s raining on one side of the island the other side usually has sun. I visited the North Shore, Waimea Valley, Kualoa Ranch, Byodo-in-Temple, took paddle board lessons, went shark diving, and took a helicopter tour among other things. At Aulani, I saved a couple of days to sit by the pool. Yes, they were crowded, but the adult pool had a lot of chairs available. The water was a little cool, but felt good after sun bathing. Aulani also had Santa Stitch on Christmas Eve for people to take pictures with. There was a special Christmas dinner on/near the beach you could make reservations for but it was very expensive and sold out early. You could also order Christmas dinner for your room that served four people. The resort had three different Christmas trees and garland, but that was it for decorations. I also did the luau and really enjoyed that. If you like football, the Aloha Bowl is played on Christmas Eve. I thought about going but ultimately decided against it since I had the luau that night.

I loved being on Maui for NYE. The weather was sunny everyday and I did snorkeling and whale watching tours. I did the Drums of the Pacific Luau on NYE and was able to see some of the fireworks from Lahaina. Unfortunately, the Maui airport was insane and really crowded coming and going.

The only difference in visiting during June/July is that there are typically more sunny days. The pools are still crowded. In general, Aulani has gained in popularity and you should count on the resort being busy. If you visit over July 4th, the Ko Olina resorts usually do fireworks in the lagoon which you can see from Aulani beach.

Have fun when you go in June. I’ve already booked my second Christmas/New Year’s trip for Hawaii for next year. If you’re ok with visiting Hawaii in June, visiting in December isn’t that different.
this is a great summary and appreciate you sharing. We have the exact similar itinerary that you had planned for this year. We head to Oahu and Aulani on dec 21st followed by Maui on dec 26th thru Jan 1st. Our initial plan was to head there next week, which we had to cancel and reschedule. We have been to Oahu and Aulani before around end of May and really enjoy the extra daylight and sunny days. We thought let’s try spending Christmas and New Years in Hawaii. I am encouraged by your post about the weather conditions in Hawaii during this time of the year. Some benefits to us as I factored were one hour less of time change to adjust to, escape winter for almost a couple of weeks; although, we don’t live in really cold weather states as well as the fact that the last couple of weeks are a great time for both me and wife to take off work and just destress without having any emails to follow up on. We hope that Hawaii is back and running until then!
 
@Primeval Princess when we went, it was June, and we really didn’t find the islands particularly crowded. I mean, parking at Diamond Head got tricky later, and things like that. But generally it wasn’t bad at all. Now, Aulani pool chairs were tricky some days, but I’d recommend doing your exploring on those days.

WRT weather, we only got rained on twice in 14 days (across 4 islands) and both times were really just drizzle—not umbrella-worthy. Of course, weather is always a crapshoot, but if you look at historical data, June is pretty much the sweet spot. (Of course, the Farmers Almanac said it’d be nice on the June day we got married (not in HI) and it rained like 23 out of 30 days that year!! So YMMV! But hey, rain makes rainbows!!
 
We’ve done Xmas 4xs and finally I said no more. By the 23rd it’s wall to wall. But mostly it was the weather. The first year we went to target about bought sweaters. Some years have been better but always some rain at some time and I don’t leave Seattle to get rained on if I can help it. That said, we went earlier this past year at Mid Dec and the weather was perfection. Sadly, most of the grounds were closed for renovations tho.

It’s still a lovely holiday trip. Subtle decorations but a real unwind from the earlier demands of Xmas seasons.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!






Top