Aulani
About This Page: This is a discussion on Aulani within the Owning the Magic: Disney Vacation Club, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; My hubby and I are headed to Aulani in March to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I can't find much information ...
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My hubby and I are headed to Aulani in March to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I can't find much information on the resort, other than the same complaints on trip advisor around the food.
Has anyone stayed there yet?
My main concern is--do I need to rent a car? And if I do not, what's the cheapest way to get from the airport to the hotel?
I would prefer to not rent a car, just because I am not a big fan of driving in cities I do not know, but I don't know their public transportation is there, either.
Any tips anyone can provide will be much appreciated!
Unless you're planning on spending your entire trip around the resort, you'll probably want to rent a car. Oahu's roads are fairly straightforward. The highways are well marked. Going into Waikiki can be a bit of a pain, as there are lots of one way streets, and parking can be hard to find. That being said, there are things to experience that aren't in Waikiki.
Also, if you have a car, you can drive to the neighboring town where you'll find less expensive food, shopping, etc.
On the down side, I believe Aulani does charge a hefty daily parking fee, so you'll want to balance that into your decision.
Have a great time!
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Actually, I am sure I read in a post a few months back that parking is free for DVC members.
Correct. There is also an Alamo desk at the resort so guests can plan one-way rentals.
I couldn't see NOT having a car for an Aulani stay for two reasons:
1. Grocery shopping / dining
2. Sightseeing
The resort is around 40 minutes from HNL by car so you're looking at a heft cab fare if you go that route. And more if you ever want to venture out. Aulani isn't in the most touristy area so there isn't much within walking distance.
Honolulu does have a good mass transit system (buses) but you'll have to decide if you would rather drive in a strange city, take a strange city's buses or pay cab fare for every trip.
Also I'd suggest looking at resort food prices. VERY expensive. Like WDW +25%. The Aulani website has links to menus under the dining section. The main dinner buffet at the resort is over $40 per adult.
Everything on Hawaii is more expensive than the mainland. But unless money is no object, money can be saved by picking up some groceries and occasionally dining off-site.
We are definitely planning on doing groceries. I had read about the parking fee, but I haven't been able to find anything that says it's free for DVC members. We may go back into looking for a car. Unfortunately, the prices we found were about $100 a day, which seems quite hefty to me.
When we were in Hawaii, I used the public transportation a lot. It was convenient, easy to maneuver, and frequent. The concierge at Hilton (where we stayed) was more than helpful to guide me on which buses to take. We only rented a car on the last day, when we checked out and had a late flight.
I had read about the parking fee, but I haven't been able to find anything that says it's free for DVC members.
Here is the thread where this was discussed. About half-way down, someone posted a photograph of the actual parking sign which states that parking is free for DVC members.
As someone who lives on Oahu and followed the construction since the announcement, you want a rent a car. One of the main reasons is that The Bus, Oahu's transit system, has a stop that is 3/4 of a mile away from the resort entrance, they don't enter the Ko Olina resort. You also would have to cross a very busy 6 lane highway when going to the resort. The recommend stops that are next to a traffic signal with pedestrian lights is 1 and 1/4 miles away. The residents in the Ko Olina community do not want The Bus to enter the property.
About This Page: This is a discussion on Aulani within the Owning the Magic: Disney Vacation Club, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; My hubby and I are headed to Aulani in March to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I can't find much information ...
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