Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa Reviews

We visited the lagoons and drank from the bar outside. Best lagoon in Ko 'olina.

Spending one week on Oahu with a four year old, and could not recommend Aulani more. From the character meals and meet and greets, the water activities, to Aunty's Beach House activities, this place is amazing for kids. The food is good, but a little expensive for some fairly basic items. The rooms are nice, and most provide a great view of the ocean.

Nice family fun lots of great staff but the price of EVERYTHING is so high and the rooms need to be updated a bit carpet shows wear and some other small things

If you do stay here walk across the street for amazing coffee and Mexican food for a very fair price!!

The location is not on the best side of the island but the ground are exceptional. There is an attended water park that is great fun for the kids as well as a man made lagoon that is calm and somewhat private which is nice when the ocean is rough. The bar is beautiful and comfortable. It's upscale but relaxed, a perfect place for a family vacation. We loved every minute of it.

It's great fun. I went with my child (also baby) but I can enjoy it all day.
3 nights or more is recommended to enjoy enough. It is feeling such as 1 day in pool play, 1 day in the sea, 1 day in the in-house facility. As it is the opposite direction to Waikiki, it is good to go at a fixed rate by a rental car or Charlie's taxi. You can also shuttle to Waikele Shopping Center and take a taxi from there.

Great place wirh kids. With the Disney theme characters, the little kids are in heaven.
The hotel is huge and will be easy to get lost.
The restaurant food is quite good.

Totally awesome experience. Kids and adults all loved it.

We ate at the buffet here. It was great, but about $50/person. A bit crazy expensive, but still top shelf. If I ate there every day I'd be 400 lbs and broke :)

Best Hawaii Accommodation for Families with Children

Horrible service for a company that is all about service. Came here for the day to go to character dining. Made us wait for over 2 hours and ended up not having space for us. Asked to allow my 3 year old to take a picture with Donald Duck as she is a huge fan. They said no. Broke my heart to see her sad.

We were at Aulani for a wedding. The event was well organized and the location was beautiful. The facilities were in great shape and the staff super friendly and helpful. We didn't stay there, though, because it was too expensive and there were too many little kids running around.

Went to shop at the gift shop. Unique Hawaii themed Disney merchandise. A bit crowded but what do you expect for a Disney store.

Location is a little out of the way but it's not a bad thing because there's less traffic. The resort itself is nice and clean with friendly staff on hand to assist in whatever way. Prices are a bit steep but to be expected.

Though beginning to show it's age, Aulani is wonderful vacation resort for families, and not just those that are Disney fans. From food to entertainment to environment, Aulani has something to offer everyone.

The area is about 40 minutes east of Waikiki by taxi, but it is a calm resort. The flowing pool and restaurant can be photographed with characters such as Minnie and Donald.
The building was brown and it was a great old-fashioned Hawaiian interior.
The atmosphere is different from that of Waikiki.

Fun for kids and adults... But be prepared, it's VERY expensive!

I took my mom to Makahiki for a belated Mother's Day and it was amazing! The buffet is not a very large spread, but it makes up for that with quality. The seafood was so delicious and the prime rib was honestly the best prime rib we've had. I would highly recommend Makahiki to both visitors and locals!

Top notch family resort. Great rooms, excellent service and amazing views. Everything one would expect from a Disney resort.

Great place for family vacations. You will learn the lyrics to Marco Polo

Beautiful place. Everything was as expected for a Disney hotel. Wish it was less crowded but it didn't take away from experience. Just make sure to have reservations for buffet dining or you probably won't get in, especially if it's character dining day

With Aulani you know what your going to get. It's a Disney resort so plenty of activities for the young ones and older ones alike. The food is decent, everything looks great. If that is what you are looking for look no further. You can however save a lot of money booking elsewhere but you won't get the same kid oriented entertainment.

Beautiful place.. Heaven on earth! Once you go Disney you cannot go back. A bit pricey but well worth the money. Will be back again, no questions!

Always had a great time visiting with the characters!

Most amazing time ever. I recommend everyone try and get here.

Looks nice as with much of Disney's holdings. Other hotels that disney hold more attraction.

Pretty great. Comfortable rooms and friendly staff. Food choices are limited... Especially those with covered seating.

We just stopped to checkout the grounds and eat lunch. The grounds are nice. The only thing that stood out or was unique were the Disney characters. If you were looking for a place to hang out and relax, this is NOT it! This place obviously markets toward kids, and every area we visited was extremely loud and busy. In comparison, we stopped by the Marriott Vacation Club. MVC has an area for adults that doesn't have the kiddie features that is much quieter and another with a water slide, etc, which was busy and full of kid noises.

Our lunch was good and our server, Rayan, was nice and attentive. We just ordered two Caesar salads and chicken fingers. It took about 40 minutes from the time we ordered until our food arrived.

Very fun vacation! So many things to do right here on the resort, and many delicious food options.

Great service, clean pools and surrounding areas. Way too many trees on site and they block view of pool from upper floors

Amazing for kids but be ready for regular disney crowds and chaos

Character meet and greets, whimsical pool themes, and great customer service.

Prices in Hawaii are already high, but then again, it IS Disney.

Great resort. Too pricey and way too many people crowd the pools though.

I LOVE the Disney theme in anything... And to have a resort at home (we live in Pearl City) makes me feel great especially when it's hard for us to leave the island all the time for Disneyland or World. Just the ambiance and the cast make this 100% 5 Stars. Visiting the spa was a highlight for my wife and I. Matt helped us feel so amazing and relaxed as he guided us through our spa experience. Aunty's Beach house saved us numerous times as parents so my young children can be supervised in a safe and fun place while my wife and I enjoyed alone time at the spa, strolling the resort, and a quite romantic dinner. Our room was comfortable and room service was great. Please notice I don't mention price as the value is definitely there for what was paid. Bringing that Disney feeling home saves us a trip... One thing that'd be awesome is if Aulani offered park churros and turkey legs.

If you've stayed at a Premier Disney hotel and liked it, then this is right up your alley. It's in a "secluded" part of the island where the beach isn't too crowded. There isn't a lot around, so stop at Target on the way in and save a few bucks. It's expensive once you're there... but you're a captive audience.

What an amazing resort. Great service. Love being a dvc member.

A wonderful experience. Well maintained, clean, modern, and friendly staff. Really the only place for improvement is the coffee maker. Every other place I've stayed in the last 15 years has Kuereg or similar. You have to walk several blocks to get a decent cup of coffee. What's the deal?

An amazing experience. Have gone twice now because of how much fun my family and I had the first time.

We had an excellent stay here - we got a deluxe ocean view studio on the 6th floor- anything lower and it wouldnt have been an ocean view- the pools are great - service is friendly - resort is wonderful- however they seriously need to come up with some system to better manage pool chairs- it was a big struggle to find one and we spent an hour looking for one - other than this hiccup - they have a very good bay and lot of amenities for children.

I would give this 4.5 stars out of 5 but really need them tl address pool chair situation

It is a perfect resort hotel for those who want to relax in the hotel grounds. Those who want to enjoy shopping in Waikiki are far away, so it's tough if there is no rental car. Don't forget to book breakfast and dinner with Mickey before your stay.

Our first day didn't go well but the rest of the time there made up for it. When we arrived, we asked if there was special parking for DVC members and apparently the guy didn't understand and pointed to the next building over (which was not even part of Aulani). After we figured that all out, our room key did not work. After getting new room keys, they would not open the gate for the parking garage and we were constantly holding people up behind us. After they figured that out, we had a great time! I'm not going to comment on the prices because everybody knows Disney prices and you either accept it or not. The resort is beautiful as well as the lagoon. You can walk to the end of all of the lagoons and it really is breath-taking. We were able to have our pictures taken with some characters. People will start saving beach chairs super early so make sure you get yours! Disney doesn't really enforce taking the towels off (as they claim to) so once someone has a chair they basically have it for the entire day if they put a towel there, whether they actually use the chair or not. This was a little frustrating but we learned quickly. There were kids in the "adult only" pool, and that was also frustrating, but Disney had them removed (only after a guest complained and not because they noticed on their own).

Despite all of this, the food and drinks were good. The luau was booked up so we couldn't experience that. Make sure you book it ahead of time before you arrive! They have Jacuzzis and a fire with a story-teller at night. You can snorkel right on site and see the array of fish (lots of Tangs). The location is away from Honolulu so you don't have the hustle and bustle of the city. There is a plaza across the street with food but there's not much else around so I'd recommend renting a car if you don't want to stay on site the entire time. The lazy river was fun as were the slides. The rooms were nice and they come collect the trash daily ( although if you don't hear them knock, they will just come in which startled us once when we were on our deck).

Overall, still five stars because the experience was great and the place was beautiful. Nobody can "fix" disrespectful guests all of the time.

This resort is beautiful! But be prepared to WALK! It's spread out over acres and acres, and not very well laid out. We didn't see much of a Disney theme except in the gift shops. There were no statues or murals or things of the like.
The resort's website shows photos of people snorkeling with a Mickey Mouse statue...no such thing. The "snorkeling area" was about the size of a regular swimming pool. We got just as much viewing from above and the viewing window.
The website states there are "several" smoking areas... there is one.
The "private" lagoon is shared with the hotel next door. It is all sand and there is nothing interesting to see.
Having to make reservations for a meal was really annoying...especially for "character" meals. And the cost for meals was about 4x of what we expected.
All this said, we did get some serious relaxation in and had some fun too! The staff, or cast members as they are called, were all very friendly and helpful. The resort is clean and kept up and nicely decorated.
We're glad we won this trip...otherwise the money sink isn't worth it.

The wifi is TERRIBLE! Every other hotel, coffee shop, etc surrounding the property has great and fast wifi. They claim the wifi is "high speed" but I couldn't even get the wifi to upload an attachment to an email, it is that bad. When we asked the IT staff, they said "they are looking into the problem and creating a solution." Ironically if you read other reviews about the wifi from 2-3 years ago, the IT staff has said the same exact thing, which means they aren't doing anything about the Wifi. So plan on bringing a wifi hotspot if you need to use wifi.

The family had a fun time at the resort. Our 1 bedroom suite was great! The rainbow reef was a big hit with the kids! There were issues with the pool a couple of days that led to intermittent closures, which was upsetting. But the lagoons are fantastic! The kids play steady is phenomenal and would make many adults jealous! Would like to see more control/policing of foot traffic st the pools as there are alot of idiots in the world. All in all a great time and we would definitely go back!

These rooms are very big and can accommodate my family of four very well. There are plenty of utilities like a dishwasher washer and dryer. The whole experience was very welcoming fun. We had plenty to do and keep the kids occupied and the family fun. When we come back this is the best option available.

I only came to pick up some Aulani Exclusive Tsum Tsums. Came in, had only 30 minutes worth of free parking. Found the greeter who kindly showed me to the store where they were located. I quickly picked up all that I needed, got my validation and left. Otherwise it was a very pleasant, even stopped to see the view, which was beautiful!!!

My all time favourite place to go to in the world. Upon arrival my family and I were greeted with lei necklaces, bag service and deliciously infused water. The rooms are spacious, clean and well designed with tropical decor. The lobby and corridors are beautifully designed and very welcoming for guests. The pool area is massive and so never feels busy. There are many hidden spas and pools to choose from and the lazy river is not only relaxing but also exciting as it contains a volcano area. Rainbow reef, a snorkelling pool with tropical fish, was an amazing experience and very well priced! The private beach within Aulani has soft sand and calm warm waves to swim in along with plenty of beach chairs for guests. The activities for children to do are fun, I did a scavenger hunt and ukulele class on my first trip here and found them great opportunities to meet others children from around the world. On my second trip, I tried the stand up paddle boarding which was a great experience and also well priced. The food I d say is the only let down as it s very take away inspired and more on the pricey side. None the less the food is enjoyable however more healthy options on the menu would be great! Overall I recommend Disney Aulani to everyone and anyone who asks about my trips to Hawaii

Love Aulani! Top 6 favorites: the service/people, the ambiance, lagoon/beach, water slides, Aunties Beach House, the gift shop. Top 3 disappointments: others hogged the pool chairs and NEVER used them (they need a better system for storing items & towels while guests are in the pool), character appearances were brief, shower was hard to figure out. We'll be back!

Most Cast Members are incredible from the valet, to the bellmen, front desk, housekeeping, restaurant servers to poolside service.

We've stayed there many times, in fact we LOVED it so much we became DVC members after getting married there in 2016.

Prior to becoming DVC members, all of our visits there were memorable, fun, and very relaxing.

If you plan on staying, do your research prior to your arrival. If staying in a villa, grocery shopping is a must. You can hold all your items with bell desk and can have it delivered later, once your room is ready.

Families with younger children can take advantage of their complimentary day care at Aunty's Beach House. Space may be limited so inquire ahead if time.

Character meet and greet, character dining, dinner luau show, etc. and just a plethora of things to mention.

There's so much to add but just do your due diligence and you'll enjoy so much more without missing out.

Everything was nice and beautiful. The staff was extremely friendly. They were able to accommodate all of the dietary needs within our party. The character breakfast was awesome! All the kids loved it including the adults. Rooms not as spacious as we would've liked but they were still nice. Next time we'll opt for a villa just to give the kids a little more elbow room. The gift shop offered a wide range of gifts and there were eateries nearby that offered a variety of options. The pools, lazy river and lagoon were a hit with our kids. There was a beautiful wedding taking place on the beach which was wonderful. Although there was construction nearby at another hotel, it was not as loud as we expected. Also, they had pool games that the characters played with the kids. However, I think the adults were having just as much fun; I know ny party did. We were close to Waikiki and Pearl Harbor which was nice since we rented a car. Being there for a week alowed us to explore tge island. All in all, if you plan it right, adults and kids can enjoy what the resort and nearby activities have to offer. We will definitely stay again.

I enjoyed greetings with many Disney characters. The facility was good with a view of the world of Disney.

We are new DVC Members, and our home property is Aulani. A fabulous resort with single room suites to double room suites. So much to do on property from a lazy river, water slides, beautiful beaches, and Auntie's House, the days are endless fun. We are only on our 2nd day and having a blast.

Disney magic at its best! Staff was phenomenal. One guy at the check in desk gave us a lei when we told him it was our anniversary. Can't wait to go back!

My family's favorite place to vacation! Never want to leave when we are here!

Aulani is past Kapolei and near pristine beaches. The cons are that it's near residential areas thereby commercializing an already touristy island. The plus is Aulani went the furthest in capturing Hawaiian culture. It's spacious and filled with swimming accommodations for all ages. When I say spacious we have muscle tenderness from the activities. The 2 bedroom villa was perfect and worked out when you want to get your own food and not pay or eat "park" food.

It's the same without the characters walking around for pictures. But the resort is still great both for kids and adults.

Disney but without the rides. Well done, as usual for Disney. Not really Hawaii tho.

We spent one night there but it felt like 2 nights. We arrived early 8am on check in day to utilize the resort. They had a place where we could leave our bags and they also have a comfort station that provides hot shower with towels, shampoo, conditioner & soap...Being local we packed our lunch and ate in the lobby... kids had a blast with the lazy river, slides, jacuzzi, & the menehune bridge water play. We had the breakfast buffet with Mickey & Friends which was awesome!

We celebrated my MIL's bday at the character breakfast. My son enjoyed the interactive entertainment. The characters came around often to take pics. The food was great. The service was great. The only complaint we had was that it was HOT!!! I wish there were fans or AC to keep us cool. Other than that, no other complaints here!!!

The pools do not open until 8 AM and promptly close at 8 PM. On top of this, the adult "bar" closes at 4:30 PM. For the price you pay and the cost of food (3x) I expected more. There is not too much that is majical about this place. Better elsewhere.

Gorgeous Resort with lots of subtle Disney influences. Nothing too in your face. The pools are amazing with little hidden caves and a lazy river. It's an incredible experience as a family or couple. Food on the resort is delicious with seating inside outside and in between. Lots of Disney character visits. Room was large and clean almost like new or newly renovated. Typical Disney service always helpful and with a huge smile.

Enjoyed the stay, friendly and helpful staff. Overall great Disney experience for kids and adults. Skip the overpriced Luau, performances were great, but food was average. Try to get a room overlooking the Luau courtyard for the best (free) experience.