We just got back from the most magical vacation to Disney Aulani! I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you are traveling with young children!! We definitely will be going back. But next time we’re bringing all our friends and fam because we can’t keep this place to ourselves.
Soak up our tips, share with your friends and pin for later!
Do: Take advantage of all the pools!
On day one we hung out at the lazy river, water slides and kid water park. The water slide was surprisingly fast and fun. On day two we hit the splash pad, infinity pool and hot tubs. We made sure we played in all the pools we hadn’t played in on day three. On our last day we spent time in our favorites. My kids loved the Lazy River, hot tubs and water slide most!
Do: Share a Mickey Shaved Ice
Do: Spend time on the beach.
It’s a short walk away from the pools. There are so many chairs and umbrellas to lay under. The sand is like sugar instead of rocky.
Do: Check out a bag of sand toys and boogie boards for your family.
They are free, and super fun to play with.
Don’t: Rent a Car!
Instead, book a shuttle to and from the airport. They even provided carseats for all three of our kids so we didn’t have to pack their seats. Not only is it cheaper, but more convenient and overall a better experience.
Do: Grab the schedule of activities for the day!
Everyday they have activities for families and for children. Some cost extra, but most are included. Our favorites were the pool party with the Disney characters, making Space Goo with Stitch, the kid’s comedy show and though we fell asleep before it started our kids would have loved the Disney Movie on the lawn.
Do: Take advantage of Aunty’s Beach House aka Free Babysitting.
Aunty’s Beach House is filled with activities, games, arts and crafts, iPads, movies, dress up and more! And it’s absolutely free or rather, included in your stay. They have activities you can sign up for throughout the day or you can just drop them off at anytime. Our kids BEGGED to go to Aunty’s!
Don’t: Eat all your meals at Aulani.
I mean…if you’re a high roller, go for it! It does add up pretty quick though. On the first day, Luke and Piper took an uber to Target and loaded up on groceries for breakfast and lunches. I packed SO many snacks in my suitcase and our Yoli protein powder. We walked out of the resort and across the street for most of our meals. There are great restaurants close by.
Do: Splurge on two or three meals!
Character Breakfast was incredible. It was a breakfast buffet, but what was even better was the character entertainment. We got to hang out with Mickey, Goofy and Pluto. They had songs, games and then they each visited the table. Our kids LOVED it.
We also had dinner at Ama Ama right at sunset overlooking the ocean. This was our anniversary dinner. We dropped the kids at Aunty’s. It was a beautiful view and delicious, fancy meal.
Lastly, we did one poolside meal. You sit in your pool chair and waitresses come by to check on you all day long. On our last day we decided to try it. My mouth is watering thinking about it. And the Virgin Mango Mojito was incredible.
Do: Buy the refillable cups for the soda drinkers
And bring a reusable water bottle for the water drinkers. Unlimited refills at the drink stations all around.
Do: Watch for Character sitings all around the resort!
We saw Minnie, Mickey, Moana, Chip & Dale, Stitch, Goofy and Pluto!
Do: Splurge on a spa service
Not only was the actual service the best we’ve ever had, but you get to spend hours in a private garden. Rain showers of seven types. Hot tubs. Chairs in the sun and under cabanas. A steam room. A sauna. Pineapple water. Handmade exfoliation. The amenities of the spa alone are worth the price. Luke and I used our anniversary as an excuse to spoil ourselves. Our big kids hung out at Aunty’s and we took turns in the garden.
Don’t: Plan on leaving Disney Aulani for a day trip or excursion.
The nightly rate is expensive, but it includes all our activities for the day as well. If you plan on leaving, I would recommend staying somewhere cheaper. If you book Disney Aulani, plan on soaking up all the amenities.
Do: Take it at the kid’s pace.
It’s literally the only vacation with kids I’ve felt completely relaxed on, which seems CRAZY since I had a newborn, three year old and five year old. We took it at a kid pace, and just enjoyed every part. If we were tired, we walked to our room for naps. I loved that everything was so close together so we could do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted and the kid’s had freedom to change their minds.
Do: Take your family on a once of a lifetime trip.
We’ve done Disneyland and we’ve done road trips, but this was the best kid-friendly vacation yet!
Kylee started Kylee Ann Photography 9 years ago, and has since grown from a one woman amateur show to a full associate team. We shoot 50-75 weddings a year, and thrive on kindness and service. After a year of teaching Intro to Photography at the local technical college, she discovered that helping other entrepreneurs create thriving businesses is what fires her up! She hosts semi-annual Kylee Ann Sleepovers all over the US, speak at conferences and teach online courses about running a small business and marketing.
March 13, 2018
Kylee Maughan
