Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa Reviews

It's Disney. You can't go wrong! Everything is perfect and doesn't disappoint. You are guaranteed to love this place!

I would love to give aulani a higher rating but it's honestly hard to justify the cost. Even when you find a good deal, it's still at least $100 if not more than other hotels. The thing you come here for is there Disney touches and the Disney experience.
The customer service is amazing like you would expect at any Disney property. The food is almost outrageously priced with the cheapest meal being a kids PB&J for $9. If you go I would suggest packing some food. The rooms do provide a mini fridge so we brought lunchables for the kids and other snack foods then left the property for dinner.
Parking is also expensive $37/day for either self park or valet. And to be honest, if you want to do anything on the island besides the aulani pools, you need a car. Aulani is very far from other attractions that you should see when you come to Hawaii. It will take you between 45 minutes and 2 hours to get to downtown Honolulu depending on traffic.
The pools are amazing! We came for a staycation just to play in the pools. They will be closing a few pools in the fall for renovations which are needed for some. For example, one of the kids favorite pools was the bridge which has a couple small slides and water features like waterfalls. They used to have water cannons but they weren't working when we stayed and were roped off.
The pool chair situation is problematic. If you don't get a chair in the morning it can be hard to find one. They will come fold up and then place your towel over the back of your chair regularly. If they come back in an hour and it's still like that (showing that you haven't been using the chair) your belonging will be collected and stored at the towel area to free up the chair. This policy is posted all over but I still saw a couple that thought their belongings had been stolen.
It was a great splurge staycation at a property I'd been hoping to stay at but it's honestly just so expensive.

It is the disney experience you would expect when traveling somewhere disney.

Very fun and accommodating. I was pleased with the character breakfast.

Spent a week at Aulani with my 3 sons, daughter--in-laws and 5 grandchildren for my big birthday celebration. An amazing place, expensive but the kids loved it. We would definitely return in a heartbeat.

What a beautiful place for all ages. But my grandkids had a blast.

Funtastic resort..best vacations we had in kapolei ...this resort is outstanding...go !

Perfection for visiting Hawaii with kids! The staff and facility are "Disney" standards which means excellent.

The best resort
The night performance and atmosphere were great too!

Beautiful resort with delicious food and entertainment.

It is a great family fun experience. Snorkeling was a great time.

The beach is perfect..amazing views..horrible customer service..appliances in room dont work including tv... overpriced food in resort and off..lots and lots of people good luck getting a beach chair and shade...characters only come out twice a week .... excursions are pricey....uber and lift will probably cost you round trip 80 to 100 dollars (no shuttles)good luck with that..I gave it two stars for the beautiful beach and views....all inclusive resorts are the way to go...by the way Hawaii is awesome I'm just commenting on this particular resort...will not be coming back here ..next year Cancun

It's Disney service in tropical paradise form. I love it. Bring loved ones.

Amazing resort with world class service , highly recommend for family.

We have never been to Disneyland, but if Aulani is an indicator, our next vacation will most definitely be there. Facilities are beautiful, customer service is tops, and activities are fun and plentiful.

This is an amazing hotel. Here are a couple tips I wish I knew before I got here.
Tip 1- if you're signing up kids for Aunties Beach house, they start taking reservations at 7:30 am that day. You need to be there in person to sign up kids for specific activities (not free play). Only mom or dad needs to wait in line not kids. However, I got there at 7:36 and the line was already wrapped around the side of the hotel. Every activity including the wait list was already full. If u want to get your kids into special activities like Stitch's space goo where the kids make slime, get there to line up before 7am. At least when the hotel is full, we're on Fall break right now. Free play is open no matter what, my kids still had fun.
Tip 2- keep an eye on your stuff. When you put your towel down on a lounge chair, the staff will time how long you leave your towel. After an hour, they fold your towel and put it on top of your chair. My towel was covering my purse and cell phone, so when I got back to my chair, my cell phone and purse was exposed.
Tip 3- if you sign up for character dining, try to get seated closest to the entrance door side. That's where the shows were and where they hand out fun stuff for kids to play with and be part of the show. They hand stuff like fish puppets, banana shakers, coconut shakers, etc. for kids to play with during the show. If you're seated on the far side of the restaurant your kid might not get a toy because they only have a certain amount to hand out.
The food is great and the staff is wonderful. We had an amazing time here.

Our first family (Hawaiian vacation) and we loved it there. Welcoming and friendly staff. Beautiful grounds and quiet rooms. Safe and fun swimming areas. Child care a plus. Some vegan options. Hoping they expand plant based options. Will return!

Excellent location for the family, parking is limited in the area.

The best hotel to stay in Hawaii with your kids! !
The fulfillment of the lagoon is very high. It is very grateful that the Japanese rate is high and there is no problem with the son acting alone. Mickey's shave ice is kind of lost. And it is cute.
We thought that breakfast was satisfactory if we experienced it once. Staff, each character is very friendly, and from the staff during the meal, please check if the character came to the seat properly.
If you get used to staying, eating and drinking is recommended outside the hotel. We strongly recommend using a rental car to move.
Souvenir cookies were not good visual, but the taste was very well worth buying.

This place has been truely a delight people are just wonderful. So glad we came we will be back.

Great place for family and kids. Tip, research the resort and plan your stay.

Great if you have kids or you are an overaged kid. Pick some other resorts close by, if you want enjoy a quite beach with the sound of nature rather human noises.

Amazing! Great service and beautiful. Everything I would ever come to expect from Disney.

Very friendly staff. The facility is clean and very unique compare to nearby resorts.

We had such an awesome time! We arrived super early on a Saturday and spend the whole day there at the pool and the two slides and snorkeling and swimming in the ocean, even before our room was ready. First thing we did was enjoy the huge morning brunch buffet and Met Mickey and Minnie and Goofy too. We checked in at 3 and enjoyed the fire pit storytelling and the awesome sunset, had a super restful evening and the tubs there are huge with rain showers so make sure you bring your bubble bath for the kids and yourself because that's one thing they don't sell at the gift store. Checked out on Sunday and stayed for the rest of the afternoon before driving home to Hawaii Kai.

It's amazing, The kids love it, food is great, weather is fantastic

Go there almost every week to walk my dog on the side walk along the golf course. Love the architect and lush gardens and walkways. I can't find any place here on the west side to walk and feel safe and under very shaded areas with lots of trees.

Be very cautious to leaving your luggage with the bell clerks at the front desk... hopefully things have changed since my visit.
My husband and I arrived there on our honeymoon and left our bags with the hotel until our room was ready, we had gone across the street to get lunch for less than an hour. We arrived back at the hotel to bags outside of the hotel and there being no cast member around looking after our luggage.
We went to go get our keys for our room and asked them to bring up our luggage. It had taken them over 30 minutes to bring up our luggage. When they brought it up with 1 of our 3 bags missing. Someone had stolen it. The bell clerk who had brought it up to us was hesitant and told me I was wrong about the luggage being gone.. He then had looked at the ticket, still hesitant, and saw 3 written on it.
It took them over 30 minutes to find our luggage..
Someone at the hotel had stolen our luggage. (not sure if it was a cast member or just a guest, they have still not released the footage to the Honolulu police department or my husband and I. The police department has tired several times to receive it . They have even gotten a subpoena) The person who had stolen our luggage had cut into it with a knife and stolen $3,500. We were not told that they had a spot to hold out valuables.
Looking back i know i should have gotten more specifics about when to hold my valuables. I had figured at a VERY expensive, "secure" hotel that our valuables would be safe there.
We were told by the managers at the hotel that we would be completely refunded for what we had lost.. Which in the end happened not to be truthful.
I have spoken to guest claims and the managers multiple times and they have changed their word each time.
So please be cautious with your luggage and belongings.

Rooms are nice. "cast members" also nice. But definitely not worth the price. If you're a Disney fanatic, you will be disappointed. Rooms are not Disney themed and there's only two opportunities to take pictures of the characters and the lines are rediculosly long. Of course they have two Disney stores that are also over priced.

Nice resort. Only problem is that it is very crowded with so many people and there are small kids all over the pool, so it is not deep.the food is good and i recommend

Great place to take kids. Great atmosphere, just like any Disneyland. But pricey but definitely worth it.

Love love love. So very beautiful. Family friendly.

Like all Disney Hotels in Florida. Huge,beautiful, great service but very busy. Room is huge and comfortable. Full kitchen, living room very nice. Plenty for kids to do

Took my sons to the beach. The lagoons are beautiful and the water is clear and calm. Lots if reef fishes swim here so bring a nask and snorkel. The shower area and bathrooms are clean and tidy. This is one of my favorite places to take the younger ones!

We just stayed at the Marriott for 3 days prior, half the price twice the hotel.

Absolute rip off.

Overcrowded.

The situation trying to get a lounge at the pools are a joke. People reserve whole rows and are never there yet staff won t do anything. Our family had to sit on the floor like beggars.

Now they have closed half the park for Reno s and we get 50 usd credit per day... that s pretty much a burger and a beer at this joint.

Ko olina is great but go to the Marriott.

Went for breakfast and swimming at the beach. Parking is first come first serve but as long as your patient you can have a good time for a beach day and enjoying the sights

Did the couple spa treatment for my mom's birthday gift and it was amazing. Definitely will go back.

This is also the second night of stay.
There is really no excuse for one night.

Because it is December? Duffy and Sherry Mae goods were very cheaply sold.
Sherry Mae's clothes for about $ 38 have become about $ 7.

In addition, there was a sale of T-shirts and goods near the lobby early morning on Saturday!

It is cold in early December.
The pool looks like it's going to hang.
Swimsuits are not available in size or type, but are sold.

The ukulele class can be enjoyed by even one person.
By the way, I bought ukulele.
Some are cheaper for adults and $ 156 for children.

This is my family's favorite vacation spot! We have been here 4 times and have never been disappointed! Even rooms without a premium ocean view are beautiful!

Character breakfast was so wonderful. Great interactive songs for little kids.

Beautiful Location! Perfect for families. A slice of Disney in paradise.

Amazing place. Food was great and staff was the best. Can't wait to come back.

Exactly the service and amenities you would expect from Disney. Fantastic beach for our two year old - secluded and gentle but beautiful. Food is good from all sources, but expensive. Only complaint is that I was using a family member's vacation club package and we only had four towels for three people for every four days, but this did not include beach towels so was manageable.

Awesome experience! On the beach Supply Corps 224th Birthday Ball that was full of great timee, friends and food!

If your coming to Hawaii with Kids this place has it all. You can't go wrong. The staff is wonderful and it's holds to the quality of the Disney brand

One of the best Disney's resorts but very expensive

Wonderful staff food fun a must for a great resort experience

I wouldn t stay here if you want a Hawaiian experience but it s ok to go check out. The lagoon is a safe place for inexperienced swimmers

I really love the hotel, kids get fun the whole trip

It reminds me of an even-more-extravagent Animal Kingdom Lodge, without the animals. Instead there's very classy Hawaiian themes everywhere you look. My only complaint was that they couldn't accept my passholder discount at the gift store. The cast members were all incredible.

A resort that is unbearable for Disney lovers.

Duffy and Tsum Tsum in Hawaii ver and Oru (OLU) who became new Duffy's friend can only buy it here!

Amazing Disney hotel with great amenities. We stayed there all week and had plenty to do.

Absolutely wonderful. Our family, 11 of us, had a fabulous time. Highly recommend.

What a truly blessed experience! I have never been to a resort that the entire staff is just a joy to be around. The facility was amazing, the restaurant's and room services fantastic. The rooms are big , clean and flawless. I will come back. Thank you.

Had breakfast at the Makahiki Buffett. The cast members made the experience! Such a wonderful way to start your day with your family and the characters

Beautiful grounds, nice activities for kids. Suprisingly wasn't "too" Disney. A nice balance for a few days. I wouldn't want to spend longer than that however. Getting to another local in Hawaii would be good for exploring beyond a resort.

Perfect place to stay and enjoy with kids. They have a designated 21+ area as well so there is an option of escape. Plenty to do. Waterslides, lazy river, many pools and other activities will keep kiddos plenty busy.

The resort is so big, it's hard to see & do it all. Amazing location & the staff & service was top-notch. Disney sure knows how to do it right!!

Loved it! Best family getaway i've ever experienced. The place was jampacked with tourists and locals. I love the water playground, pool river and underwater adventure, i felt like a kid again. We got a family room complete with amenities such as kitchen and laundry. Its such a wonderful experience!

Rooms are a dream. Activities are a dream. I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this entire experience. It's a walking dream and my trip is only half over. I will be sad to leave

Excellent place. I really feel like a kid at this Disney hotel

I enjoyed the scenery but I wasn't delighted about the merchandise and there were not as much as the Disney store. I expected to see more.

Second time visiting Oahu, and this resort made our stay so nice.
We have kids, and so a Disney Resort on Hawaii is ideal. It's Disney, but it's also just a great resort.

The hotel and grounds are beautiful, and the beach is absolutely amazing. Very very soft sand, and very warm water.

We went in the rainy season, but even then it was warm mid 80's almost every day.
So many pools and fun activities to do.

About 200 yards up the beach is a small cove where sea turtles and other ocean life regularly can be found, the sand at this beach was very rough so wear foot protection if going there.

The food was really good, but at Disney prices, so be aware.

The children are really taken care of here. They're given their own room keys tied to them, and you can set up budgets for them if you like to allow them to spend. On top of that, Aunty's beach house treats them right, and there's a lot of fun interactive activities around the resort for them.

It's a bit away from the main Oahu hotels which was nice in my opinion, though still not far.

I loved the lazy river and the beach. The Rainbow Reef Snorkeling area was also a family favorite.

The room was large and spacious even for my large family, and the staff was the friendliest I've met.

Even though it's Disney, it doesn't feel theme park like. There were Disney touches here and there, but how they took care of the whole family was where the Disney touch was felt most.

I'd recommend this to any family thinking of traveling to Oahu.

We visited Aulani a week ago for 6 nights stay. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa that was designated as an "ocean view". To start with the positives, the hotel grounds were very well kept, and the surrounding areas had a lot to offer.

We paid approx 12K for a six nights stay. The room that we were given was supposed to be ocean view, but due to construction all we could see was a Crane blocking the view of the water. We spoke with management, Greg at the time, and asked if we could get a different room. However, the hotel was fully booked and he said that wasn't an option. His only solution was to give up our room for the day (which cost approx 2k) and be without a room from 10-6 and then possibly move to a room with a better view. Seeing as I was travelling with my wife and 4 daughters, that was not possible. This was also without any refund for the day we were given up our room. I kindly asked if they could charge us for a pool view or interior view for just a couple of nights to compensate for our room. He refused and said that the room had the "title" of ocean view and that's what we paid for....a TITLE. As it stood we were stuck in the same room the whole trip paying 2k a night to look at a crane with no resolution offered by the staff. It's sad that people work very hard for their money and have limited vacation time, and someone this arrogant and a corporation with such poor customer service doesn't take the time to consider that.

Besides the room, I felt that the food was well below average. The breakfast buffet is 40 dollars per person and honestly I get much better food at IHOP. The dinner buffet was about 70 per person, and the steak was overdone, the fish was dry, and the crab legs over cooked. Hence we chose to only eat there one night.

The beach was nice, but it was a fight to find an available chair and umbrella. We will NEVER revisit this resort and could have had a much better time, food, and accommodations at the next door Four Seasons.

The Disney customer service has rapidly declined over the years and corporate heads have ruined the experience. Dollar signs are all that matters to them. I don't expect to receive anything from this review, but sincerely hope that it helps prevent others like ourselves from getting cheated. If you have a trip planned there soon, demand that your room does not face the SW direction.

UPDATE:

Once we returned home from Hawaii I received a call from Disney Corporate and explained our whole experience. The manager was extremely apologetic and very helpful. They offered to refund us for one nights stay which was far beyond expectation. I told him my motivation for the complaint was to receive anything but to ensure other guests didn t get treated the same way, and that the level of customer service was addressed. I truly appreciate upper level management taking the time to listen to my concerns.

Definitely a Disney experience at this resort. Wonderful place for family.

Great atmosphere and a lot of food venues and awesome decor. Enjoyed the character moments and the water features.

2nd visit to Aulani. This time we had our 2 year old. We had some much fun. Amazing magical experience for kids. If you have kids i would strongly recommend.

So much fun. Took our 2 year old to the Character breakfast. Disney really knows how to treat their guests. Everyone was so friendly. They even put up with my dad jokes.

The breakfast buffet was awesome. For the price, you really can't beat it on the island, plus Minnie Mouse and Goofy go around making sure each child has some one on one time. A+ Will be coming back

We are at Aulani resort now for 7 days and it's been great! Everyone has been very awesome and accommodating! Special place. We'll be back next year for sure

We had an awesome staycation here at Aulani. Love the rooms, the friendliness, the Aloha Spirit. We try to go at least once or twice a year. If we don't fly to Disneyland. If u haven't been there you must go.

The resort is beautiful and it has so much to offer that you never have to leave (which is their intention). Private cove beach, spa, stores, restaurants, etc.

That said, if you're coming to Hawaii you should definitely explore the rest of the island, because it has so much to see!

Nice resort, slightly out of the way, food is $$$$ and not amazing.

Beautiful hotel. Take time to walk through the hotel and laggoons. Pool side is unbelievable, slides, hot tubs and food. There are a lot of employees which is usual for Disney properties. The staff are very friendly.

Went to the Aulani with my family for a character breakfast and it was an incredible experience. My son and daughter both had amazing times meeting and interacting with the characters and dining center staff.