Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii
Located in Kapolei, Hawaii on the island of Oahu, Disney’s Aulani resort is a Disney Vacation Club Resort that brings the magic of Disney to the islands of Hawaii. Nestled on the beautiful Ko Olina beaches on Oahu’s leeward coast, Aulani is perfectly positioned to enjoy all the island offers but far removed from its crowds (the resort is approximately 40 minutes from Diamond Head). Find out what it’s like to stay at this magical resort!
What is a Disney Vacation Club Resort?
Disney Vacation Club is a timeshare program and to become a member you purchase real estate interest directly from Disney (or from a third party on the resale market). Your interest is represented as a yearly allotment of vacation points. Points are used to book vacations at Disney Vacation Club properties like Aulani, Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, and Disneyland Resort Hotels. DVC members also receive special perks like discounts, the option to purchase unique merchandise, and DVC member-only events.
For Your Inner Disney Adult
You can still stay at Aulani even if you’re not a DVC member. Rooms can be booked for cash prices on Aulani’s website with rates starting around $500/night. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, consider renting DVC points. We rented DVC points by booking our trip through DVC Shop and saved $660 on our three-night stay at Aulani. #notsponsored
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As someone who lives in Orlando, I’ve never rented points before and the process was simple and safe! Once our reservation was booked, we were able to add the confirmation number to the Aulani Resort app and so we could make dining reservations and take advantage of all the app features.
Where You’ll Sleep
Aulani has a variety of rooms to suit groups of various sizes. The Deluxe Studio is great for smaller groups and includes a kitchenette, a queen-size bed, and a queen-size sofa bed. One-, two-, and three-bedroom villas are ideal for larger groups and offer separate bedrooms, full kitchens, living and dining areas, as well as a washer and dryer.
I traveled with a friend and we booked a deluxe studio, so we had a queen bed and a queen sofa bed. Even with the sofa bed open, the room was fairly spacious with a small table and two chairs, a dresser, and a kitchenette complete with a coffee maker and mini fridge. We had a balcony with a resort view and spent some time one afternoon watching a Moana show in the courtyard that our room overlooked.
Things You Should Know
Self-parking at Aulani is $40/day. Parking is free for DVC members, but if you rent points or book a room the traditional way, parking is not included.
Whether you pay cash, are a DVC owner, or rent DVC points, all stays at Aulani are subject to Transient Accommodations Tax. TAT is essentially a hotel tax and is based on the number of points used for the stay and fifty percent of the current year’s maintenance fees.
You can use the following formula to determine the amount of TAT, which will be paid on-site at Aulani: Transient Accommodations Tax = 9.25 % x # of points used for reservation x 50% of the annual maintenance fee
Aulani means “messenger of a chief”
Ko Olina means “place of joy”
Dining at Aulani
Whether it’s breakfast with the characters at Makahiki or fine dining at AMA‘AMA, Aulani offers a variety of restaurant options. And with in-villa kitchens, you can enjoy home-cooked meals and save a little money if you choose.
We enjoyed a delicious character breakfast at Makahiki, where we met with Mickey and Minnie before being seated and were visited by Pluto and Stitch at our table. Since the food at Aulani can be pretty pricey, we grabbed groceries at the market across the street and enjoyed breakfasts in our room. We also walked across the street and enjoyed a Happy Hour dinner at Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman. There’s also a Starbucks and a Black Sheep Ice Cream Co. near Monkeypod if you’re looking for non-Disney dining options.
Aquatic Paradise
In addition to Ko Olina Beach, Aulani offers a variety of pools including a slide, lazy river tubing adventure, saltwater snorkeling lagoon, and kid’s splash zone. Hot tubs and cabanas (available for rent) complete the aquatic experience. We spent the bulk of our days floating in tubes on the lazy river and in the infinity edge pool that overlooks Ko Olina Beach. The infinity edge pool is a bit more tucked away and we found it less crowded than the main pool.
Activities
While Oahu has numerous cultural and beach activities to fill your days, Aulani Resort has a host of included activities to enhance your trip. Aunty’s Beach House is a kid’s club that celebrates local culture with its activities, and the Pau Hana room is a community hall that offers crafts, games, and more. Pool parties, Disney movie nights, Disney characters, and live music performed by location musicians are also frequent occurrences. Spa treatments, a luau, and island excursions are available for additional fees.
Staying at Aulani is not a budget experience by any means, but if you’re a Disney fan who is planning a trip to Oahu, it’s worth considering! While the resort is not super Disney-themed like some of the Walt Disney World Resorts are, it’s respectful of Hawaiian culture and traditions with a touch of Disney magic. My friend and I very much enjoyed our stay at Aulani and I would absolutely stay there again!
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Lori Barbely
Hi, I’m Lori. But you can call me Lors. I’m a middle-aged New Jersey-born gal, currently based in Orlando, Florida. My background is in editorial travel photography and writing and I've been to more than 30 countries. I’m obsessed with tropical locales and my favorite city is Tokyo. Have camera, will travel! I’m a Disney adult, Lord of the Rings fan, certified crazy cat lady, and sushi addict! I hope this blog inspires your wanderlust. Feel free to follow me on Instagram for snippets of daily life on and off the road.
