It’s been a lifetime dream of mine to go to Disney’s Aulani ever since I was a kid and saw the promo for the resort on a Disney Vacation Planning DVD. The beaches, incredible looking food, gorgeous scenery, and perfect weather, mixed with the magic of a Disney vacation – what could be better? It seemed like a far-fetched (and costly) dream, but after eight days on property, I’m ready to answer the question every Disney fan asks before booking — is Disney’s Aulani actually worth the price?

About Disney’s Aulani Resort

Aulani was built in 2011. Its construction was led by legendary Imagineer Joe Rhode whose design expertise has helped craft some of Disney’s most ambitious projects, most notably Disney’s Animal Kingdom. 

Location

The resort is located on the southwest side of the Island of Oahu, about a 30 minute drive to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and the capital city of Hawaii, Honolulu. 

Layout

Similar to that of Animal Kingdom Lodge, the resort’s rooms are divided into two towers, Waiane and Ewa. The towers form a U shape around the inner courtyard of the resort, looking out onto the beach. The layout is easy to remember and I didn’t get lost once during my stay. 

Disney’s Aulani Atmosphere & Theming 

The first thing I have to talk about is the attention to detail at this resort. It’s noticed immediately on the drive up to the property as its arches tower above the Hawaiian hills. As you step into the Maka‘ala lobby, you are greeted with a gorgeous mural detailing the history of the islands. It’s open air, immediately offering a stunning view to the courtyard and its easily accessible beach.

Disney’s attention to detail continues throughout the resort as you’ll encounter several more amazing art pieces and nods to Hawaiian culture with small amounts of Disney sprinkled in. You can tell that they wanted the resort to truly honor Hawaiian culture, while still incorporating Disney touches that fans expect. This is where the resort stands out compared to its neighboring luxury resorts. 

Personally, I loved the emphasis on the culture of Hawaii itself, but those looking for a resort that screams “Disney” similar to something you’d find at the theme park resorts like Disney’s Art of Animation, you may be slightly disappointed. I’d compare it to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; it’s absolutely Disney, but more subtly. 

Aulani Accommodations

Disney’s Aulani Resort has several different options for rooms and views based on what you’re looking for. All rooms do include basic amenities like a private balcony, wifi, a flat screen TV, and toiletries, but beyond that it varies based on what room type you choose. 

Views 

• Standard View
• Island Gardens View
• Poolside Gardens View
• Partial Ocean View
• Ocean View

Standard Rooms (sleeps up to 4)

A Standard Room includes 2 queen-size beds or 1 king-size bed with a queen-size sleeper sofa, along with a full bathroom and shower. For food storage, you are accommodated with a smaller, mini-fridge. There’s a coffee maker provided as well. 

Deluxe Studios (sleeps up to 4)

The Deluxe Studios come with all the amenities listed above, but with a few more kitchen-based amenities like a microwave, kitchen sink, and a set of glasses and plates. Extra amenities like a blender are available with a call to the front desk free of charge. 

Villas (sleeps up to 9) 

The Villas provide the largest floor layouts for larger groups and longer stays. Along with the extra space, you get all the same amenities as the other rooms, but with a full kitchen and a washer and dryer. The kitchen includes a stove, full fridge, rice cooker, and more storage space.

Suites (sleeps up to 6)

The Suites offer the most luxurious stay possible at Aulani. The rooms are nicer and have the best views. They also have some added perks like a whirlpool tub and a washlet in the master bathroom. The odd thing with these rooms though is the lack of a kitchen in the parlor suite; there’s no stove, microwave, or refrigerator. The signature suite has all these amenities so I do find it a bit odd that one of the most luxurious options here lacks things that even the cheapest room has. 

Pricing 

The pricing of the rooms at Aulani fluctuates pretty wildly based on when you visit, much like resorts at Walt Disney World. It seems to trend cheaper in the pre- and post- holiday seasons when the resort runs deals. Currently, they are running a 30% off deal if you visit during the spring season. 

• Standard Room ($600 – $900)
• Deluxe Studio ($650 – $1,000)
• Villas ($1,100 – $4,700+)
• Suites ($1,200 – $5,000+) 

Prices are subject to change.

Is the resort all inclusive? Aulani can function as an almost all-inclusive resort if you choose — food, excursions, spa, and golf are all available on property. It comes at a cost, but for travelers who prefer everything handled in one place, that convenience has real value.

My Experience 

My group of six stayed in a two bedroom villa, and it was perfect for our size. We had a great view of the Waikolohe Valley pool area and a partial beach view. It’s hard to imagine a smaller option without the included amenities. Given the amount of time we were there, the full fridge, kitchen, washer/dryer, and extra bathrooms came in handy. It also helped to reduce some dining costs.

Disney’s Aulani Dining Options

With that said, it’s hard to go all the way to Hawaii and not try the local food options. Fresh Poké, shaved ice, and of course Dole Whip are all staples of the islands. From fine dining to quick service, all of these options and more are available right at Disney’s Aulani! 

Ulu Cafe 

The Ulu Cafe is a grab and go quick service venue. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with selections like breakfast sandwiches, a made-to-order Acai and Poké Bowl bar, pizza, sandwiches, and pastries. For dinner, hot entrees like short ribs, a catch of the day platter, and a traditional Hawaiian meal plate are available as well. I recommend the Poké and Acai bar as I ate there frequently and the variety and freshness kept me satisfied throughout the week. 

Mama’s Snack Shop

The snack shop is located right by the Ko Olina pool. Its central location is perfect for a quick snack or meal. It offers items like cheese sticks, corn dog nuggets, and more substantial meals like fish and chips and an ono fish sandwich. 

Pāpālua Shave Ice

Shaved ice is an iconic Hawaiian snack and one you definitely do not want to miss. Pāpālua Shave Ice is located right by Mama’s Snack Shop and hosts a variety of flavors and combinations. Traditional flavors like pineapple, strawberry, and mango are here, but I recommend trying some of the more unique flavors like green tea and haupipa (a coconut pudding). You can also add condensed milk or ice cream for an upcharge. 

We frequented this restaurant often as not only was it delicious, but the portion size was quite large for the price. 

Little Ophi’s 

Steps away from the beach sits Little Ophi’s, a quick service snack and bar stop that can deliver orders right to your beach chair (an incredible option might I add). They serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including dole whip! 

Table Service at Aulani, Disney’s Hawaii Resort

Makahiki – The Bounty of the Islands

Makahiki is located right below Aulani’s lobby and provides a more traditional sit down service. They have a character breakfast and a three course dinner option. Both have local Hawaiian cuisines along with some Americanized classics. They hear you Disney fanatics: if you want mickey waffles, this is your place! 

‘AMA‘AMA – Contemporary Island Cooking

‘AMA‘AMA is the premier dining location at Aulani. Resembling a beachside house, its open design provides gorgeous views of the beach while you dine. Its 4-course, prix-fixe dinner menu features local delicacies like pork loin, Okinawan sweet potato, and their in-house pastry chef cooks up fresh local pastries daily for dessert. 

The hours are more restricted than the other options, as they are only open Wednesday through Sunday so plan accordingly. Additionally, I advise you to book early as reservations may fill up quickly based on when you visit. 

Bars

Disney’s Aulani Resort includes two full service bars. Although there are other places to grab a drink at the resort, these two options are the best for custom cocktails and a more traditional bar experience with snacks and quick food options like sushi, sandwiches, and more. 

• Off The Hook
• The ‘Ōlelo Room

KA WA‘A Lū‘au

If there’s one thing I would recommend above anything else at Disney’s Aulani, it would be the KA WA‘A Lū‘au, a full dinner experience. Taking place on the Hālāwai Lawn, the festivities begin as soon as you check in. A Hawaiian band plays as you explore the activities set up including photo ops with the performers, ukulele lessons, lei making, and a traditional Poi making experience. 

It’s buffet style, with incredible dishes like pork belly, chicken, Poké, rice, desserts, and other local options. The buffet also includes an open bar with unlimited drinks as well. 

As dinner wraps up, the show begins and you are treated to a full performance highlighting the history of the first explorers of the island of Ko Olina. There’s hula dancing, stories, and fire dancers. The performance was incredibly immersive and gave me a ton of insight and respect for the history of the island. 

As this is possibly the most popular event at the resort, I highly recommend that if interested, you reserve a spot as soon as possible. It’s something you will not want to miss! 

Disney’s Aulani Amenities & Recreation

Aulani has tons of activities for all ages, well beyond what you will find at any Disney World or Disneyland resort. No matter if you are traveling alone, with family, friends, or kids – this resort has you covered! 

The Beach 

What I assume to be a main draw of the resort, Aulani has a secluded beach located in one of five coves on the coast of Ko Olina. While not a private beach, the amount of coves for neighboring resorts and the distance from downtown Honolulu have me convinced that finding a spot would never be an issue. 

There’s plenty of complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas, but you also have the ability to rent a premium casabella lounger. Speaking of rentals, you can rent items like snorkeling gear and paddle boards as well. 

In my experience, the beach snorkeling wasn’t too great, as the cove is man-made and the imported sand caused pretty consistent low-visibility compared to the other natural beaches I visited on the island. Luckily, there is a much more unique snorkeling experience in the middle of the resort. 

Closeby, make sure to walk to the secret beach for a more private experience. You may end up seeing some wildlife like beached seals, mongooses, and sea turtles! 

Pools

Disney’s Aulani hosts nine separate pools throughout the resort. It’s a pretty diverse line up with a variety of recreation activities scattered throughout. 

The Waikolohe Valley is the largest pool on property. Alongside the pool is a lazy river that rounds the large rock formation overlooking the area. Atop the rock formation are two water slides, a solo or double tube slide and a body slide. At the pool itself, there are regularly scheduled dance parties and character appearances. 

Along with the Waikolohe Valley, there’s an assortment of other pools including: 

• Ka Maka Grotto
• Menehune Bridge & Keiki Cove Splash Zone
• Wailana Pool
• Adults only whirlpool spas

Rainbow Reef 

Another highlight of my trip was the snorkeling at Rainbow Reef. Nestled in the Waikolohe Valley, it’s a full recreation of a natural Hawaiian reef with over 40 species of fish and over 1000 fish total. It’s $30 for adults and $25 for children, but if you want unlimited access throughout your stay, it’s only $50 for adults and $40 for children. 

I highly recommend getting the unlimited pass as I snorkeled here almost every day. In addition to Rainbow Reef, you are allowed unlimited access to the snorkeling gear for the beach as well. 

Along with the snorkeling, they do several daily fish feedings for an additional cost. If interested in the feedings, book first thing in the morning as they tend to fill up. 

Laniwai Spa 

What’s a tropical vacation without a spa day? Disney’s Aulani has you covered. With a full service spa and hydrotherapy garden, here you’ll unwind with massages, skincare, body treatments, and more. 

Access to the spa starts at $45 but that price quickly climbs into the hundreds depending on what services you choose to receive. 

Other Recreation Activities

In addition to what I’ve already mentioned, Aulani includes so much more to keep you busy at the Resort:

• Guided Resort Nature Tours 
• Full 18-hole golf course 
• Children’s Activity Room 
• Storytimes 
• Adventure Trail Scavenger Hunt 
• Character Meet and Greets (Moana, Mickey, and Stitch were seen constantly, along with some rare international Disney characters like Duffy, ShellieMay, and the resort’s exclusive mascot ‘Olu Mel)

Excursions

To explore the island beyond the resort, Disney’s Aulani has a diverse range of paid excursions. Starting prices are relatively affordable considering transportation is included. The cheapest I could find was $75 for a self-guided kayak tour with the most expensive option capped at $300 for the Zip & Adventure Tower Tour. The excursion options include: 

• Kayak Tours 
• Zip-Line Tours
• Tubing
• Jet-skiing
• Historic site tour
• Surf Lessons 
• Adventure Tower 
• Off-roading Adventure 

I’d also recommend price comparing these excursions with local, non-Aulani options. You may end up saving some money!

Disney’s Aulani Shops 

Disney’s Aulani Resort hosts three distinct shops for clothing, souvenirs, beach attire, and snacks. Kālepa’s Store, located in the lobby, is the most holistic and notable shop as it has a great variety of items to choose from. Across the hall, Hale Manu has more high end goods like jewelry. Near Waikolohe Valley, you’ll find more beach-centric merchandise and snacks. 

Nearby Conveniences 

Within 5 minutes walking distance of the resort, you’ll find Ko’ Olina center, with a variety of shops and restaurants. In Hawaii, the ABC store is a chain around the island. They have fresh food that was surprisingly really good for a convenience store alongside a variety of cheap souvenirs, snacks, and drinks. 

Personally, I recommend stopping here for any daily needs or snacks as the price is much cheaper than that of the resort for the same or similar products. 

A highlight of the shopping center is Monkeypod Kitchen, a farm to table restaurant that was probably my favorite meal on the island. I was told upon arriving in Hawaii that they had the best Mai Tais and these did not disappoint! 

Transportation Options

One area I believe is lacking at Aulani is transportation. Unlike traditional Disney resorts, there is no free transportation anywhere. You can pay an upcharge for transportation to and from the airport, but outside of that you are on your own for transportation. 

Ubers, taxis, and shuttles do service to the resort, but it became clear very early on in our stay that the best option is to rent a car. As mentioned above, the resort is pretty far from the rest of the island, so it made much more sense for us to book our own car instead of using ride share services. That being said, I did use Uber to get to downtown Honolulu one night, and the price was around $60 round trip. Traffic does get pretty intense and we faced delays frequently. So if you need to be somewhere at a set time, plan accordingly! 

Parking

Disney’s Aulani has a singular parking deck attached to the resort. I never ran into any issues finding a spot but it does get filled pretty quickly and late nights usually meant I was parking on the top level. I visited during a slow period so I do have to wonder what it looks like during peak season. 

Pricing for parking at the resort was another issue. It’s $40 per night, and personally I found that to be a little steep considering the price we were already paying to stay on property.

That being said, Disney Vacation Club members get free parking for their entire stay. 

In Conclusion, A Vacation of a Lifetime 

Disney’s Aulani Resort surpassed many of my expectations. They’ve fully designed a resort to accompany any vacationer’s desires with the added Disney details you would expect from the company. The theming was second to none and accompanies the natural scenery of the island very well. 

The food options were diverse and delicious. We ate at the resort many times and never ran out of new things to try. The pools and entertainment were all top notch and had enough variety to keep all ages busy. 

The beach, while not natural, was still picturesque with plenty of seating for our entire group. That being said, you are doing yourself a disservice by visiting only the resort beach and not the sprawling beautiful natural beaches you get only in Hawaii. 

This criticism extends to the excursions, many of which we did outside of Disney for a fraction of the price. But if you do not want to deal with the logistics of renting a car, parking, research, and scheduling, then this is an option for you.

Who Should Stay at Disney’s Aulani? 

All in all, I loved my time here and am already planning on returning to the resort in the (hopefully near) future. Although there are cheaper options that are more central to Oahu, it’s the extra details here that shine. If you’re looking for a beautifully themed resort that’s true to its Hawaiian roots with tons of entertainment, and a touch of Disney magic, I don’t think there’s a better option. 

Is it cheap? Absolutely not. But if you’re a Disney fan looking for a resort that over-delivers on theming, entertainment, and atmosphere, the price is hard to argue with.

Stay at Aulani if…

• You care about theming, attention to detail, and vast entertainment options at the resort 
• You want a secluded resort away from the hustle of Honolulu 
• You want your vacation fully taken care of with excursions and on-site entertainment 
• You don’t mind ubering or renting a car for off-property adventures
• You want some added Disney magic to your Hawaiian vacation

Don’t stay at Aulani if… 

• You want to be in the central, most accessible part of the island 
• You’re trying to vacation on a budget 
• You’re expecting a theme park adjacent, fully “Disney” experience 
• You don’t want to rent a car or constantly pay for ride share services

Comments

Have you stayed at Disney’s Aulani? What are some of your pros and cons of this Disney Hawaii resort? Let us know your experiences in the comments!