May be headed to Aulani About This Page:

[cal2net]

We think we might be headed to Aulani in 2013. We have the points to go in any direction but we've been wanting to get back to Hawaii but the airfare....oh my Lord. Even with DH airline discount we are looking at over $3,000.
We've also haven't been to DL and would like to try that too but that would use up more points than Aulani. Then again with the expansion of Fantasyland we would love to see this too.
What to do, what to do??? We shall see what happens.

[HakunaMatata]

Well, it's nice to have so many possibilities

I can't wait to see Aulani, but waiting for DS2(4) to be get a bit older so he can better handle all the traveling.

If I had your choices, I would definitely pick Aulani, though I can understand the airfare being a deterent.

Happy planning!

[Shari2137]

We leave next week for a 10-night stay, so excited! We have had this planned for over a year. Keep an eye on airfares as they were having some great sales in the fall, especially from East Coast. Keep checking Hawaiian Airlines. Good Luck in your decisions, it's great having so many options.

[tjkraz]

Depending upon when you wish to travel, availability may already be an issue. We are already into 7 month bookings for dates through July '13. Aulani is proving to be very popular during the summer months and Disneyland's Grand Californian is always challenging given the small number of rooms available.

Given a choice between WDW, DL and Aulani, personally I would put WDW at the bottom of the list. Especially if you've been there multiple times, which I'm guessing is the case. The Fantasyland expansion is nice...but nothing to schedule a trip around, IMO. And it will remain a bit of an eyesore for the next year+ until the Snow White coaster is done. That construction site is right in the middle of the land expansion so you're still looking at construction walls, cranes, structural steel, etc.

We visited WDW a couple weeks ago and personally I found Fantasyland to be a disappointment. Again, the construction remains an eyesore. Tons of people congregating in that area. Long waits for rather modest attractions. Wait until mid 2014 when the last attraction is open and some of the hype has died-down and I think you'll enjoy it a lot more.

Disneyland has its own version of the Voyage of the Little Mermaid ride plus Cars Land and a host of other unique experiences. If you can get a room at the Grand Cal, I'd go there over WDW any day.

Aulani looks very nice but I think you have to be primed for a laid-back beach vacation. No theme park attractions nearby at Aulani.

[Luvsun]

I hope the airfare comes down and you are able to go to Hawaii!!!
We were hoping to go to Aulani in 2013 as well, but it looks like it will have to wait.
Our oldest son is getting married in September and our vacation funds will now be helping out with the wedding.

[chezp]

I hope the airfare allows you to go to Hawaii as (availability at seven months out allowing...) we're hoping to go in November. I have to say though, if you can't make it there, Disneyland wins for me hands down. Cars Land is just amazing, whereas we could've taken or left the Fantasyland expansion - nowhere as good as the hype would have you believe.

[Brad]

I would definitely try for Aulani. For my money, it truely is the gem in the proverbial crown of the DVC resorts (although, I haven't been to the VGC yet... going there in May!). As has been said, you have to be ready for a different, more laid back type of vaction, but there is plenty to do and you can be as active as you like.

[WishIwasinDisney]

Keep checking on the airfare. We were able to get tickets for less than $600pp round trip from Orlando to Honolulu for this month (booked in September).

If you are unable to go to Aulani, we love the Villas at the Grand Californian, its no Hawaii, but certainly a wonderful second choice.

[cal2net]

Well, we're booked into Aulani. We didn't get the total number of nights we originally set out for but we will plan a couple of nights at the Hale Koa (military) ending vacay at Aulani.
We've been to Oahu before so we are most definitely ready for laid back type of vacation being that Aulani is pretty secluded. We plan on hitting some key points during our stay at the Hale Koa and taking in some chill time with a little golf at Aulani.

[chezp]

Congrats on getting into Aulani!

[Shari2137]

Congratulations on Aulani.