There is no doubt that Disney’s Aulani is a relaxing resort
perfect for adults and couples looking to get away from the hustle of everyday
life, but don’t let the romantic ambience and five-star like atmosphere fool
you. As with anything done by Disney, Aulani is catered toward the family. And
children (or keiki as the locals call them) will find plenty to keep them busy.
Pools, waterslides, a lazy river, a beach, and snorkeling are just a few of the
things ready and waiting for your family.
Lazy River
Water, water, water! By far our son’s favorite place to be
was the Waikolohe Stream, and when you get a look at the lazy river you’ll be
just as eager to jump in. Relax on a double or single tube while the water
gently pushes you along. Heck, you don’t even need a tube, you can swim with
the current. Of course there has to be a little bit of excitement, it’s not all
relaxation! Watch out for the occasional dancing water, and be prepared to
dodge the leaky roof when you enter the cavern!
Waterslides
The lazy river not exciting enough for you? Then climb the
volcano to head down one of two amazing slides! On the Tubestone Curl slide you
can climb aboard a single tube, or go with a friend in one of the double tubes,
ending up near the lazy river. Don’t want a tube? Then go down the Volcanic
Vertical slide where you’ll be dumped unceremoniously into the Waikolohe pool. Although
far from intense, these are not delicate and easy slides, and you may end up
going underwater at the end. Life vests
are available all around the pool areas for children to use for both their and
your comfort.
Pools
Inevitably your children will end up in the pool for most of
their stay and Aulani does not disappoint where water activities are concerned.
Both family pools are zero entry which makes sitting and splashing easy for
children of all ages. If your child can’t swim well, not only are there
lifeguards constantly surveying the outdoor areas, but free life jackets are
provided as well.
Aulani’s main pool is called Waikolohe and this large pool
is hard to miss! Can’t find it? Just head to where the music is playing and the
children are splashing! Not only is where most of the children’s parties and
activities happen, but it’s also where you might run into a Disney character or
two.
Ka Maka Grotto, Aulani’s newest addition, is a gorgeous
infinity edge pool that looks out onto Aulani’s private beach and bay. Although
there are no slides or parties around this quieter pool, children still love
the infinity edge that makes them feel as if they will slide right off into the
ocean. Even cooler are the underwater speakers that send out the occasional
sound of shrieking whales, dolphins, and even submarines! Make sure to
encourage your children to duck their heads underwater to count how many
different sounds they hear.
Wailana Pool, for guests 18 and up, is where Mom and Dad get
to relax (yes, there is a bar nearby) while the kids are having a blast at
Aunty’s Beach house.
All Aulani pools and water areas require a wrist band. These are free to guests; be sure to stop at
Kāwele Korner and present your room key to get your towels and wrist band. Make a game of it! See how many wrist bands
your children can collect and take a guess at which color might come next.
Aunty’s Beach House
What is Aunty’s Beach house, you might be wondering? The
perfect place for your children to have fun…without you! You might feel guilty
over leaving your kids at Aunty’s at first, but when they start begging you to
go you’ll realize it’s the perfect time to relax while someone else watches
your child. Everyone has fun, no guilt needed! Aunty’s Beach house is for those
potty-trained kids ages 3-12. Children can play video games, watch T.V., play
outside in a fenced-in yard, or do activities with the staff. They might even
get a visit from a Disney character! Most activities don’t cost extra, and
parents must fill out safety forms, so come prepared. While at Aunty’s your
child will be cared for by trained Disney staff. And to put your mind at ease,
all children wear a censored wrist-band and can only leave with an adult and
password.
The Beach
Aulani isn’t just about pools and Aunty’s beach house.
There’s a reason why people visit Hawaii…the beaches! Aulani has the perfect
beach! It’s clean and rather well protected. You can rent gear to snorkel,
splash in the waves or rent kayaks and paddle around the bay area. The only
complaint is that it’s so protected that if you rent snorkeling gear be
prepared to see very little fish and lots of sand. If you want to actually see
fish during your snorkeling experience, then pay the extra fee and try out
Rainbow Reef. Be warned…the water in Rainbow Reef is cold, but the fish are
beautiful!
Splash Zones
If your children aren’t quite ready for the pool or beach,
don’t fret, there are two splash areas for young ones. Menehune Bridge is an
amazing combination of platforms, bridges and slides, all while water shoots
from tubes and dumps from buckets! You’ll be wishing you were short enough to
play! And the new Keiki Cove Splash Area
is for children of all ages to enjoy the jumping water and small
fountains. No one will leave the area
dry.
Evening Activities
When the evening has grown cooler and your kids are tired of
the pool, fear not, there’s still plenty to do! Children can head into the
lounge and pick up a scavenger hunt called the Menehune Adventure Trail. Or just walk around the pool area and check
out the volcano, are those animals carved into the rock, just like the Tree at
Animal Kingdom? Why yes, I do believe that’s a hermit crab! Count how many
animals you can find! That’s not the only thing they can count. Check out all
of the Menehune, the legendary little people hiding all over Aulani! You’ll see
hundreds of these little statues inside and outside of the Aulani building.
Every night Aulani offers night shows on the North lawn,
Disney Movie nights and story-telling near the fire pit. In particular the
Starlight Hui on the north lawn is an amazing show offering traditional dancing
and story-telling, while interacting with the children in the audience.
Food
One of the main complaints about Aulani when it first opened
was the lack of inexpensive food. But with the opening of Mama’s Snack Shop and
Ulu Café, families can pick from a variety of meals. Even your picky eaters will
be sure to find something. Yes, you will
even find chicken fingers and fries. If
you’re not interested in sitting down to eat, head to the Lava Shack for grab
and go style sandwiches and snacks that are easy to throw in your bag for the
beach. And make sure to try a shaved ice!
They are not your standard shaved ice; these come 4 different ways and
you get to pick your three favorite flavors of over 12 to select from. If you want a sit-down meal Aulani also offers
meals with the Disney Characters!
Planning
For those of you who like to plan, don’t be afraid you’ll
miss something. Every night you’ll find a newsletter in your room at turn-down
time. This newsletter will tell you what is going on, what time it is happening,
and if it costs extra for the next day. Many of the events at Aunty’s Beach
House require sign up so get there early in the morning if there is anything
your children would like to do.
Accommodations
It’s plain to see that Disney does an amazing job catering
to families, and that doesn’t stop with activities. Each guest room at Aulani has a portable
crib/playpen, bedding and mini refrigerator to store those must needed
snacks. If you forget something at home
there is also a great selection of baby care products at the Kalepa Store,
including disposable diapers, baby wipes, formula and more. Aulani also has a selection of items that
can be checked out with a deposit for the length of your stay, such as: bed
rails, bottle warmers, outlet covers, booster seats, and high chairs. And, don’t try to get that beach bucket into
your luggage, Aulani supplies sand toys that can be used at the beach, you just
have to return them when you’re done.
This is just a sample of the things you can do at Disney’s
Aulani, but there is so much more! We heard more than one visitor say that a
family could stay at the resort the entire week and never get bored. As with
anything Disney the staff is there to make sure your stay is wonderful, and
they go out of their way to make Aulani a truly magical experience. Just send
an email, or give Aulani a call before your visit to make sure they have what
you need!
Thanks Sean for this wonderful review of Aulani! I hope to be lucky enough to visit one day myself. Visit Sean's website at http://disneydaybyday.com/ and like him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DisneyDayByDaySite
Thanks Sean for this wonderful review of Aulani! I hope to be lucky enough to visit one day myself. Visit Sean's website at http://disneydaybyday.com/ and like him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DisneyDayByDaySite
Aulani is on my bucket list! I would love to spend some time relaxing on the beautiful beaches.
ReplyDeleteMy teenager would love the lazy river, my toddler would love the splash zones, and my husband and I would love the food! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids so I think I would like the bar the best. haha
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous of all the WDW posts. We have yet to visit WDW.
ReplyDeleteLazy river of course.
ReplyDeleteI would love it ALL! I would start my day at the lazy river, head to the beach and then let the kids play at Auntie's Beach House while I enjoy a drink at the bar ;)
ReplyDeleteMy son would love the splash area!
ReplyDeleteWe would like the beach and the lazy river
ReplyDeleteWe would love the water slides and lazy river!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to go there one day!
ReplyDeleteThat all looks awesome! The Menehune area looks amazing!
ReplyDelete<3 duffy.. cant wait to go to this resort!
ReplyDeleteWe have a pipe dream of going to Aulani in 2015. I think we'd mainly be found at the pool or drifting down the lazy river.
ReplyDeleteWe'd enjoy the pools the most!
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Aulani one day...I'm thinking that lazy river looks pretty amazing!
ReplyDeleteI would love th beaches and character greetings
ReplyDeleteThe nightly Starlight Hui event sounds like something my family would love!
ReplyDeleteWe'd love the Menehune Bridge Splash Zone - perfect for our toddler :)
ReplyDeleteLiza C.
oh wow, my family would LOVE relaxing by the pool while the little ones play in the water! they LOVE waterslides & water play areas!
ReplyDeleteI love Disney! Hope to experience Aulani some day!
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