Aulani

[pamlvt]

Hi everyone,
We're booked and ready to go to Aulani and have a few questions for anyone who's already been there. We are going in September and want to book dining. Any suggestions, comments, ratings? Which restaraunt do you like best and why?
We are Midwesterners without much culinary diversity so we're not super brave. We are afraid to order something we've never had before when spending alot to eat out for fear of disappointment.
Thanks in advance for your help

[lawgirl]

We did the character Brunch at Makahiki and LOVED it. Everyone in our group was raving over it, and my toddler loved it as well.

They have a nice selection of standard brunch buffet items, as well as a nice assortment of Hawaiian influenced and Asian items. The service was outstanding, and we got to spend so much time with the characters.

I believe they do dinner as well, which Im sure is wonderful! I think there are only 2 restaurants at Aulani, plus the pool bar / cafe, so you don't have too many choices.

If you are venturing into Honolulu, Zippys is a very popular "IHOP/Perkins" local restaurant that has very standard breakfast / diner food items. For fine dining, Roy's is a great choice. It is owned by the same company that owns Flemings steak houses, and they have a nice menu with "safer" choices for picky eaters. Check out the menu online.

If you are scared of trying new cuisine, there are tons of taco bells, wendys, mcdonalds, CPK, and subway's all over Honolulu. The food court at Ala Moana is also a great choice when you are with a group because it offers a wide selection of different cuisines to suit everybody's tastes...its a pretty large food court, and the mall is super ritzy. Also Red Lobster is a safe choice for picky eaters.

But I hope you'll be able to enjoy some local Island cuisine! There are so many outstanding local restaurants.

[TinksPixieDust]

I have another question about Aulani


I know at the pool the lounge chairs and umbrellas are free of charge... on the beach... are the chairs free and you have to pay to rent an umbrella orrrr do yo have to rent both an umbrella and chairs???

[DVC2004]

We're leaving for Aulani in just about 2 weeks... I'll report back when we return.

From what I am reading I believe there is a rental fee for chairs, umbrellas or loungers on the beach.

[Disoriented]

Originally Posted by pamlvt

Hi everyone,
We're booked and ready to go to Aulani and have a few questions for anyone who's already been there. We are going in September and want to book dining. Any suggestions, comments, ratings? Which restaraunt do you like best and why?
We are Midwesterners without much culinary diversity so we're not super brave. We are afraid to order something we've never had before when spending alot to eat out for fear of disappointment.
Thanks in advance for your help

I haven't been to Aulani but I have been to a some restaurants that have served foods that I wasn't familiar with.

I have found that I am much more open to trying things that I have not had if the restaurant is known for its food as opposed to it's decor, location or atmosphere, and I have found that Disney hotels have some of the finest restaurants in the country e.g. Cali Grill, Victoria's & Albert"s, Jiko etc. etc. and I'm sure Aulani is no exception.

One thing that I have done at restaurants whose menu's have pushed me towards the outer limits of my comfort zone is ask our server what they would recommend and if it was something that I was not familiar with I would politely ask what would happen if I didn't like it and the response I have gotten every time is that they would be more than happy to bring me something else.

Now it's never come to that. Everything that has been recommended to me has been excellent and I can't say that you will get the same response at Aulani, but my guess is that you will, and it never hurts to ask and you just might find yourself loving something that in your wildest dreams you never thought you would have eaten.

Have a great trip and live on the edge a little. The views are wonderful.