Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

I was there for a wedding and reception, and the luau performances were a real highlight. The food, drinks, and service were all great, too. It feels magical and lovely, and the pool area and Mickey-shaped treats look especially fun for young kids. Getting around the resort took longer than I expected. Walking between our room, the pool, and the lobby felt like covering a good part of Waikiki. This kind of trip isn't really for me, and it was also outside my budget for a family of six.

We had a fun family vacation, and the location was beautiful, with little shops across the street and the option to eat at the Four Seasons next door. We loved the rooms, pools, and beach, and the character photo spots were fun. Aulani itself was beautiful, though everything felt expensive, much like Hawaii in general. We skipped most other activities because we hadn't realized how far in advance they needed to be reserved. Food quality and taste varied a lot across the resort, with some choices much better than others.

The rooms were well kept, and the hotel made good use of its theme. Food was pricey, but portions were generous, and most water activities came at no extra charge. The staff were friendly and always greeted us with “Aloha” or another warm hello. For its theming and the effort it puts into impressing visitors, this is one of Disney's best hotels.

The adults-only infinity pool and hot tub were my highlights, and I also liked having an enclosed toilet area in our room. Staff across the front desk, food service, parking, bell services, and other departments were all very friendly. We appreciated the after-check-in service and changing room area, too. Parking can be quite a trek, and the lazy river gets busy, so be patient if you're waiting for a tube. The resort was full of kids running around, just as we expected, and we didn't mind at all. This was our second visit. The first was when our kids were 7 and 4, and now they're 16 and 12. The resort is still very well kept and doesn't seem to have aged, though the kids enjoyed it more when they were little. The price is steep, so we expected bigger rooms, good bedding, a comfortable bed, coffee in the room, clean carpets, and smiling staff. The whole place smells like a spa. Ulu Cafe is superb. Get the made-to-order pizza. The meat lovers' version is among the best we've tasted, and the acai bowls are very good too. Refillable mugs make sense if you drink coffee or soda. I was disappointed they stopped offering free hot chocolate refills, which they had during the first few years. More food choices at Ulu Cafe would be welcome. We ate at AMA AMA, which was just okay. The steak wasn't bad, but we expected more at a high-end resort. MAKAHIKI no longer has buffet dinners, only plated meals, so we skipped it this time. We'd enjoyed its buffets on past Oahu trips. Plain malasadas were almost $5 each, which was hard to believe, so we passed. The alcoholic drinks were disappointing, too. Several tasted like dish soap, which made me sad. They should revisit those recipes. The gift shops disappointed us as well. It would be useful to have more food items there, like a small convenience store at the other Disney Resorts in Florida.