We are so grateful for our amazing fans!
Just after Thanksgiving, a fan family visited Aulani and sent us a quick review and some pictures of their stay in a one bedroom, ocean-view villa – enjoy!
So clearly the trip to Aulani was incredible. It way exceeded our expectations. It was one of the best memories I will have of our family, no doubt.
I’d say the best part was the fact that they have activities and options for young kids and families all day long, and through the night. So if you have a very active child, like we do, it was really a relief. Because we didn’t have to plan things for her to do all day, they were just there. In fact, so many that we honestly only caught about half of what they offered. It was crazy.
The worst part wasn’t anything on the Aulani’s part – it was just me being on vacation on being in the mind-set to maximize our experience in terms of the villa. While I knew we had a full kitchen and laundry, I just wanted to keep things easy. So I certainly could have saved us money cooking meals and washing clothes to ease the transition back home, I just didn’t want to. Though I never felt like we chose the villa by mistake… we absolutely NEEDED that extra space. Having that living room and kitchen area – and it was really like two bathrooms – was incredible. We felt like we were at a resort, for sure. My parents (who stayed in a typical resort room, with an ocean-view) often came over to enjoy the extra room. We would have gone stir-crazy in a regular hotel room.
The most magical moment was when we had waited in line to meet Mickey and Minnie – and when Quinn (thier daughter, who is 4 years old) finally got to the front of the line and looked at me – it was like Christmas morning times one thousand. I have a video that says it all. It was so awesome. I honestly don’t think there was a least magical moment, really. The least magical I guess was maybe that one day they didn’t make up our room while we were out for several hours – super minor, to say the least. 😉
The best part of the resort for me personally was pool-side. Incredible. Sitting by the pool, in a comfy lounge chair, under an umbrella… ah! Heaven! Quinn would say that they had a water/play structure for little kids, with a water slide – that was pretty cool. And then a big person’s water slide, in the dark all the way down, that was pretty great too. I honestly can’t think of a worst place of the resort. Really.
Our favorite restaurant – was just the little casual walk-up place near the pools. Can’t even remember the name. It was extremely reasonable and simple. We loved One Paddle Two Paddle, too. One night Kevin and I got the night out and we went to the buffet, and that was amazing… though we acknowledge very special.
I can’t tell you enough how much we loved it!
For more information on a vacation to Disney’s Aulani and how you can stay 6 nights for the price of 5 at Aulani with $150 One-Time Resort Credit- please contact Castle Dreams Travel.