The Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort

We had the distinct honor of being hosted at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa for their Mahalo Season. The resort had been on our bucket list, so we were absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to travel there for four nights as a family. Without further delay, here is The Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort…

(My family and I were hosted by Disney Aulani, but all opinions are mine)

The Pools at aulani

There are so many fun pools and water slides at Aulani, there is truly something for every age! There are the bigger style family pools, infinity pools, adult only pools/hot tubs, a lazy river, single rider slide, double raft slide (both of these slides have no height requirement), splash pad, water structure with 2 more smaller slides, it really feels endless.

The hubby and I enjoying the adult only spa that overlooked the ocean.

On the lazy river, being well, lazy!;)

They even have a fresh water reef that you can snorkel in with over 1,000 fish. Our son, age 6, was a little nervous, especially since the water was pretty cool, but he did great and LOVED swimming with all the fish. Our daughter, age 4, loved watching from the viewing windows.

The Beaches at Aulani

If you want to step away from all the pools just walk a few feet down the stairs and you are at the most quaint beach. Tucked away in a little cove you will find warm Hawaiian waters, soft sand, plenty of chairs and lots of activities (if you want). There is paddle boarding, which we tried and LOVED. The kids were able to sit on the front and we got pretty good at paddling around the lagoon. 

They also have snorkeling, boogie boards and sand toys that you can rent for the day. There are also beach fitness classes you can sign up for in advance like ocean yoga, sunrise yoga, beach bootcamp and more. I tried the ocean yoga and absolutely loved it, so tricky, but such a cool experience.

The rooms at aulani

We stayed in a one bedroom Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Villa and it was perfect for our family! You do not have to be a DVC member to book these rooms, but they do give first priority to their members. We love that the kids slept in a different room from us! It allowed us some freedom in the evenings when they went to bed without feeling like we had to go to bed too (which often happens in most hotel rooms). At Aulani resort there are DVC villa’s that can sleep families with 4 to upwards of 12 people.

There was a full kitchen with all of the amenities that you would have at home in your own space. This allows you to cook in your room if you are staying for a longer amount of time and don’t want to eat out for every meal.

There is a nice living space which actually transforms into a queen size bed and could sleep two people.

There is also a fold out Murphy bed under the TV that sleeps another child. The kids thought this was so cool, so we asked for a bed railing, which they were more than happy to supply for us.

There was plenty of bathroom space as well. We had one large shower, toilet and sink, then in other area we had a jetted tub with another sink.

There is also a washer and dryer if you are staying for a few days and need to do laundry. This is really quite genius if you want to pack light!

But my favorite part was probably out on the balcony. Not only could we see the entire resort, but we could also watch the sunset over the ocean. The views were just breathtaking.

the views at aulani

Speaking of views, everywhere you went there was a beautiful view. Beginning as soon as we walked inside the lobby at Aulani I was in awe. The ocean, the pools, the rooms, they all had the most stunning scenes the eye could hold.

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Now that we have looked at the resort pools, beaches and rooms let’s continue with The Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort…

the characters

Of course what Disney vacation would be complete without a few character sightings?!? Make sure to call the number on your daily IWA (or your daily schedule) each morning to find out where they are going to be, not every character is out everyday.

The Food at Aulani

There are so many places to eat at Aulani, there is really no need to go anywhere else. I never had a problem finding gluten free options at any of the restaurants, which was so nice! One of our favorite walk up/to-go places was Ulu Cafe. It has awesome açaí bowls, poke bowls, flatbread pizza (with GF crust), pre-made salads and much more.

We were treated to the character breakfast at Makahiki one morning and the spread of food was pretty awesome! Again, I was super happy with the gluten free options and the kids loved that they even had a buffet short enough for them to reach.

Of course it wouldn’t be a Disney vacation without some Mickey shaped food, including the shaved ice.

The only place I have found Original Pineapple Dole Whip mixed with Vanilla is at Aulani. Let me tell you, it was absolutely amazing!

There are a few casual dining experiences like, Off the Hook, which has traditional “American” food (like burgers and fries). Bonus, it has views of the pool and ocean.

Then there is a place called Oleo Room, which has awesome tacos, sliders and live music. Oleo is super cool because all of the staff are fluent in Hawaiian and can teach you some of the words that are all over the restaurant.

We also had a wonderful dinner sponsored by the resort at Ama Ama. Everything was delicious, especially this steak and scallops, I highly recommend!!

the kids club at aulani

Kids ages 3-12 (and potty trained) can go to Aunty’s Beach House while the parents have a little alone time. There are endless amounts of things to do for the kids to stay entertained. From crafts, movies, dress up, board games, outside play, computer room, the list goes on. They do have an open house in the mornings from 8-9:30am so you can go and check it all out to get your child acquainted with the space. Then when both child and parent are ready, they can be left between the hours of 9:30am-9pm.

the laniwai spa at aulani

This is the perfect spot to go when the kids are visiting Aunty’s Beach House. I have been to quite a few spas, but I was so impressed with not only the services, but the space itself. We began with choosing rocks with words of affirmation and tossing them into the fountain.

There was a beautiful garden that you could spend hours just relaxing in the different pools, jacuzzi’s and showers. There were lounge chairs, lounge rooms and both a steam room and eucalyptus sauna.

Both my husband and I had the hot stone massage which was amazing! I highly recommend that for anyone, in fact is it too early to want to go back and do it again?!?;)

We’ve covered the food, kids club and spa, but there are still a few more important things to share. So let’s continue with The Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort…

Other Magical Experiences at Aulani

The Painted Sky

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, Disney just knows how to add little touches of magic to your vacation. The kids were both treated to makeovers at the Painted Sky studio and they were in heaven. So much attention to detail making sure that it’s not just a traditional princess makeover, but a Hawaiian experience. Both of our kiddos chose the Hawaiian looks, although they do have a few other options like Moana and Ariel.

The Disney Magic

Any Disney vacation is bound to have that special magic and Aulani is no exception to the rule. Here are a few of those “extra” magic moments that we thought were pretty special. Starting with a birthday cake waiting for our daughter who was turning 4 the day we arrived at the resort.

Movie nights

On the lawn, pull up a mat, order a pizza to go from Ulu Cafe and watch a Disney classic. All while under the warm Hawaiian night sky.

Story telling

By the fire pit you will find a Hawaiian tradition passed down from generation to generation. We loved getting a sneak peak of the Story Telling told by Hawaiian natives.

Live Hawaiian Music

We could hear live Hawaiian music every night anywhere from the resort.

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger Hunts on the Menehune Adventure Trail was a highlight for our kids. They loved spotting these special little Hawaiian creatures, getting clues along the way and even a few treasures.

The Lu’au

The KA WA A Lu’au is a wonderful evening for the entire family to share in traditional Hawaiian food, dance, music, and even some more character sightings. The kids got to learn some hula dancing and make lei’s while we feasted on a lavish buffet.

And 2 other mentions are the Pua Hana Community Room, which has board games, arts and crafts and DVD’s to rent as a family. AND the Luana Lounge, which is a wonderful location you can utilize before checking in or after checking out that has showers, lockers and a lounge area perfect if your room isn’t ready yet, or you had to check out but still want to use the facilities.

What did you think of The Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort? Do you have any questions after reading? Would you like more info on the Disney Vacation Club? Let me know in the comments below! Thinking about a Disney Cruise vacation? I have lots of helpful posts HERE.