North Shore + Disney’s Aulani Resort = Hawaiian Getaway
Aloha! Oahu is part of the Hawaiian island chain located in the Central Pacific. It is an island of paradise, history, big waves and much more. The locals live a laid back life that reminds you there is so much more to life than the hustle and bustle back home. How good for the soul it is to sit back, feel the sand in your toes, listen to the waves crash and enjoy the wondrous world in which we live!
Wanting to have one more getaway before baby #2 joined our family, as well as escape the demands of Grad school during a one-week break between semesters, we chose Hawaii as our destination. At almost 30 weeks pregnant, with a 2.5 year old in tow, it was sitting on the beach that sounded nice! Hawaii was our beach choice of destination in case there was a problem with my pregnancy and being able to get medical help.
I had also seen a screaming airfare deal to Hawaii, but didn’t book right away because it takes me, us, me forever to make decisions. When we finally decided that yes, we would go, I checked the airfare again the next morning and it was still around $395! Deciding that after my Dr.’s appointment I would book it, I came home a few hours later to see it was gone.
Tip. Most airlines allow you to cancel within 24 hrs. of your booking. Always double check that is the case before you book, but if I would have done that we would have saved some money!
We still got a good deal, just not a screaming deal! Having done a cruise to Hawaii with my family growing up I loved the island of Kauai and that was my island of choice to visit. However, through further research we decided to stay on Oahu for our entire trip. Clint had lived on the island of Oahu for a couple years growing up and hadn’t been back since. We thought it would be fun to explore some of his childhood memories.
We had a direct flight to Honolulu which made for a faster arrival with Tonka-boy (our 2.5 year old) in tow. He was excited to pack his Lightning McQueen luggage full of swim attire and Hawaiian shirts. Click here for ideas on how to travel by airplane with children.
The first part of our trip we rented a VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) in Laie. We enjoyed the beautiful beaches on the North Shore as well as visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). We had debated whether or not to go to the PCC because of Tonka-boy but are so happy that we did. He loved it!
The second half of our trip we stayed as Disney’s Aulani Resort, which was beautiful and fun! Staying at Aulani can be quite pricey; however, if you plan it right, I think you can experience it without breaking the bank.
Tip. Book your stay so you can enjoy full days at Aulani without paying for extra nights.
Since we were already on the island we checked into the Hotel earlier in the day and were able to enjoy the pool area that day, and since our flight home was a red-eye flight we were able to enjoy the hotel that day without paying for another night. So in total we had 4 days at the resort and paid for 3 nights. Having been there and experiencing it, I think even if we only stayed 2 nights and had 3 days that would have been good enough for us. Even having 2 days and paying for 1 night would allow you to experience Aulani.
Transportation. We had booked a rental car from Alamo through Costco Travel. (More later about why we picked Alamo). We picked up our car upon on arrival in Honolulu. We drove to the North Shore and had our rental car during our stay there. This allowed us the freedom to tour the island on our own schedule and be flexible in what we did each day and Tonka-boy usually napped in the rental car while we drove around and explored the island. Since we were staying at a VRBO we didn’t have to pay the cost to park our car nightly as it seems most hotels required on Oahu. The reason why we went with Alamo is that they have a rental location right by Aulani. I figured if the last half of our trip we were just going to be at the resort it was silly to pay for the cost of having a rental car when we wouldn’t be using it as well has having to pay $37.00 a night to keep it parked at the hotel! Something nice that we didn’t know, is that upon our arrival at Aulani they returned the car for us! We thought once we checked in we would have to go return the car, but the valet returned it at no extra cost! Nice.
North Shore
VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner). As mentioned above we rented a VRBO for the first half of our stay in Laie. The VRBO was clean and exactly as advertised. Knowing we were staying in a VRBO I had made a list of things to pack (non-perishable items) so we could prepare meals each day to save money and upon arriving in Laie we stopped at a Supermarket to pick up our perishable items. We loved the place we stayed at and the best part was that it was located across the street from the beach! We also were able to interact with the Owner’s of the VRBO and they gave us advice on beaches, restaurants, local activities, etc that would be a good fit for our family.
Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) – Laie, Hawaii. We were able to spend two days at the Polynesian Cultural Center. As long as we went to the show our first night at the PCC we could come back the next day for free. This worked perfect for us with Tonka-boy as we were able to see a lot of the PCC but have it broken up into two afternoons. We would go to the beach in the morning when the weather wasn’t too hot and visit the PCC in the afternoon after Tonka-boy had a nap. The worker’s at the PCC were very personable which made for an extra special visit. One of my favorite memories from the PCC was during dinnertime, while Tonka-boy was busy eating his food, two workers came over and played a song on the Ukulele. Tonka-boy’s expression was priceless. The Hukilau Marketplace (shopping/dinning area outside of the PCC) was a fun place to check out as well.
Laie and The Laie Hawaii Temple. We walked around the temple grounds one night as a family. I am grateful for the knowledge I have that families can be together forever. We sang a song about how families are forever in the parking lot before walking around the temple ground. It was a great way to remind Tonka-boy about the importance of temples and families, as well as the beautiful world which has been created, by our Savior Jesus Christ for us to enjoy.
Dole Plantation, Shrimp Trucks, Sweets, and Treats and More. While on the North Shore we visited the shrimp trucks as I am a shrimp lover! The shrimp we got was a bit spicy but it was a fun experience to stop and eat shrimp off the side of the road. We also visited the Dole Plantation and got a famous Dole Whip. We also chose to do the train ride because of Tonka-boy. It was fun to ride along and see the pineapples growing. Since we were going to be in Hawaii over Mother’s Day I thought it would be fun to have Tonka-boy pick out a pearl for each of the grandmas and myself to bring home. We ended up doing this at the Dole Plantation. When Clint lived in Laie he remembered eating some yummy Chocolate Haupia Cream pie, so we had to stop at Ted’s Bakery and try some. Too bad it wouldn’t save so we could take some back to his family. A favorite diner of ours to eat at was Seven Brothers. They had really good burgers, fries, and shakes.
Beaches. There are many beaches to visit while in Hawaii. We chose to hang-out at Sunset Beach, Hukilau Beach and Turtle Beach. We loved Sunset Beach! The sand was gorgeous and it just stretched for miles and miles. We also had the beach almost all to ourselves which was a big plus as well. We packed along our “sun tent” (which we have loved so far). It is really easy to put up and take down and it fits inside our big luggage! This was a must for a pregnant woman and toddler at the beach. It was also a great place to eat our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches each day. We also enjoyed the openness of Hukilau beach. Tonka-boy loved all the crabs in the sand.
Sunset Beach
Hukilau Beach
Turtle Beach
Pearl Harbor. We decided to stop by Pearl Harbor on our way to Aulani from Laie. I had been to Pearl Harbor with my family when I was in high school, but Clint didn’t remember going there when he lived on Oahu. We knew it would be hard with Tonka-boy and so we decided to just walk in to the main area but not doing anything more. I had read ahead of time about not being able to take any bags in with you. But, pregnancy brain! I carried my purse in with me and so I would either have to get a locker before we could go in or take it back to the car. I decided to just wait outside while Clint walked around with Tonka-boy.
Disney’s Aulani Resort
We had a great time staying at Aulani. Upon our arrival we were greeted and received a presentation of gifts “makana”. My husband and I received leis (floral for women, kukui nut for men) and Tonka-boy received a Menehune necklace. Stepping foot into the lobby was breathtaking. What a beautiful hotel! The architecture, music, decor — all of our senses were immediately immersed in the Hawaiian culture! Before our trip I tried to research all I could about Aulani — to know the amenities and activities the resort offered. I would read about a daily schedule “the daily ‘IWA” you would receive (like cruise ships that list out all the daily activities) but wanted to know more, I wanted to see what it was like. So for those of you that are like me, I’ve included both the weekly ‘IWA and daily ‘IWA schedules below.
the weekly ‘IWA
the daily ‘IWA
Grounds. The grounds at Aulani were pristine and clean (that’s what I love about Disney). During the day laughter, screams, and splashes can be heard all throughout the grounds. The sun is out and it is hot (okay, sometimes it was a little chilly…it seems the way the hotel is built the wind would blow down between the two towers and make you cold some of the time). However, once the sun sets and the pool areas are not crowded the grounds are magical in a different way at night. They have a romantic vibe to them. It was fun to walk around and enjoy the nighttime ambiance with Clint (and Tonka-boy).
Pools. The pools at Aulani are amazing! The pool area is known as “Waikolohe Valley”. Each day you are given a wristband to wear in order to access the pool area. You show your room key to get the wristbands (which are different colors each day) and they give you towels, life jacket, etc. I love that the resort provides the kids with life-jackets to wear around the pool and beach. You don’t have to pay for it unless you forget to turn it in at the end of the day. We loved going down the watersides and tubing the lazy river. Sometimes as we lazily tubed along I would just smile as I thought about how we were in Hawaii! At Aulani! Just enjoying another day in paradise! As I’ve mentioned before, I love details and how Disney pays attention to “the details”. As you float along the lazy river it is fun to spot animals/creatures that are carved into the rock landscape as well as “Menehunes” that are scattered about. The pools are heated which was a nice plus for those of us that get cold easily. I had read ahead of time that it can be hard to find a lounge chair but we didn’t seem to have any problems (we were there in May though so it was not “busy” season quite yet).
Food at Aulani. I don’t have much to say about the food at the hotel except that it is expensive. Knowing this ahead of time we planned accordingly. We packed cereal from home as well as plastic bowls and spoons. When we arrived in North Shore, we picked up some groceries to use for the week (i.e., bread, milk, fruit, chips, etc.) Lunches – we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. One night for dinner we ordered pizza from Pizza Corner. I had read on TripAdvisor of others doing this during their stay at Aulani because the pizza place would deliver the pizza to the lobby of the hotel. The pizza tasted great and we actually got it for free because when I went down to meet the driver at our scheduled time and they were super late. The bellhop called the restaurant because they felt bad to see a pregnant woman having to stand around and wait for so long that the company said dinner was on them. One night we ventured off property and ate at MonkeyPod Kitchen located across the street from Aulani. Most of the restaurants in the area were busy and the wait was long to get in. The food wasn’t anything spectacular but it wasn’t awful. And our last night we at the Makahiki restaurant at the hotel which was buffet style food. The food (meat especially) was pretty tasty but it was also pretty expensive to eat here. Luckily tonka-boy was free.
Tip. If you do decide to eat on property make a reservation early. Times fill up fast and we were stuck eating dinner late.
Entertainment. If you love Disney and characters then you would love Aulani. It was fun to see Minnie, Mickey, Donald and Goofy in their beach/Hawaiian gear. We also saw Chip & Dale and Stitch. They had a few different ways kids could interact with the characters: meet & greet, pool parties, dance parties, luau, etc.
We went to the Luau performance which was good, but we are glad we went to the Luau at PCC because it was amazing. The had grass mats for each family to sit on for the Luau performance and before it began the had activities for the children to do. Tonka-boy made me a heart-shaped coconut filled with flower petals. After the Luau they had a dance party with the characters which Tonka-boy thought was quite fun. They also have an Outdoor Movie night which we did not make it to. We tried to go to the Mo’Olelo Fire Pit Storytelling but it kept getting cancelled or postponed which was a little frustrating because there was no communication by the resort to let people know. I know a lot of guests were frustrated by this. They had it printed in the daily schedule but one of the days Uncle (storyteller) was gone fishing. It seems they would have known ahead about him being gone fishing and put signs up or not advertise it in the daily bulletin for that day.
Another perk to Aulani is the free child care they have. You can drop your kids off and Aunty’s Beach house where they have several activities for the day. We never left Tonka-boy there because a) he was not 3 and potty-trained and b) we were on a family vacation. BUT, if I were going to drop my child off at a place this would be it! The kids were given wrist-bands so parents know their location, plus it is super strict to even get in the place to get your child. We tried to go in to check the place out but didn’t make it pass the front desk. They do have certain times when you can accompany younger children in there but we missed the time. Another fun activity is the Menehune Adventure Trail. Menehune are the legendary “little people” of Hawai‘i, known for their magical powers and mischief. You check out a special cell-phone that gives clues and takes you on a scavenger hunt adventure throughout the resort. Tonka-boy didn’t last too long, but if you have older kids they would think this is a blast!
Beach. The beach at Aulani was nice. In fact, it was pretty common to see a lot of Japanese weddings/photos happening on the beach. The beach is a man-made lagoon which was nice for Tonka-boy because the water was calm. The resort allows you to check out boogie-boards, sand toys, etc. One frustration of the beach however was that one afternoon it was super hot but a little windy. The workers at the hotel would not let the beach umbrellas be put up though. Being pregnant in the strong heat was not ideal. It was so hot to not have any shade protection. We enjoyed returning to the beach at night to watch the sunset.
Spa. I am not one to go to spas and so this was only my second time going to one. Since we were there Mother’s Day weekend, my mother’s day gift was to get a pre-natal massage. The massage was nice and so was the ambiance of the spa area. Aulani can be quite noisy with all the kids running around so it was nice to have some quiet “me” time. Part of the spa experience is that you get a rock with a focus word. This word is something you are suppose to meditate focus on while there. My word was “strength”. While at the spa I focused on “strength” to get through the rest of my pregnancy. (A month before we went to Hawaii, I had my first kidney stone. A then a couple weeks before we were to leave I started having vision problems. I was so worried about going to Hawaii and not being able to see anything. Luckily my vision improved the week before we left. So “strength” was a great word for me to focus on). Also included with your spa treatment is access to an outdoor hydrotherapy garden. This area was one of my favorites from the whole spa experience.
Returning Home. As I mentioned above, we planned our stay at Aulani so we could have an extra day of enjoying the pool/beach area. The resort has a room (Luana Lounge) for those with early check-in or late check-out. Since our flight was a red-eye flight home we enjoyed the pool area for one more day and then were able to shower/change in in the lounge before our flight. Since we had returned our rental car upon arrival we arranged for transportation back to the airport. I was little worried about Tonka-boy on a red-eye flight…worried that he would not sleep. However, he did great! We changed him into his pajamas at the airport and talked about how we would be sleeping on the plane that night. It seemed the dim lights and humming of the engine put him right to sleep and he slept the whole flight!
Tip. Wearing compression socks on long flights helps to reduce swelling in your legs which is especially important for pregnant women and older travelers. (They come in all different styles…mine just happen to be stripes)
I am so glad for the way we planned our trip. We loved the relaxing first part of our trip on the North Shore and seeing that part of the Island and just experiencing the people, culture, and beaches. I am so glad we did not stay at a resort the whole time we were in Hawaii. Aulani was super fun, but would have drove us crazy to have stayed there the whole week. There are quite a few people that just stay at Aulani for their whole stay, but to me, if we stayed there the whole time I would have felt we could not leave the resort to go see the rest of the island because of the cost you are paying to stay there; however, since we had already experienced Oahu, when we got to Aulani, we just stayed at the hotel and enjoyed all of the amenities that we WERE paying for with our stay.
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