DVC2004
06-22-2012, 02:25 PM
So for the week we mostly hung at the beach and the pool and relaxed. We didn't dine at the resort except for the pool bar and one day we had lunch at Ama Ama. Ama Ama is the nicer sit down place. I had a crab cake sandwich and it was very good. Prices for lunch weere $20 and up. The pool bar served some of the same items, for example the burger. I believe it was $15 at the pool and $20 at the restaurant. But you pay for the environment like any Disney dining. There was a buffet restaurant called Maka Hiki I think and we did not go there.
We usually got something while we were out where ever we were. For my husband's irhtday we ate at Alan Wong's in Honolulu. It was a very high end restaurant. Honolulu is very crowded and congested. We also stopped at Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu. We visited the Ala Moana Shopping Mall there, which was also very high end (Gucci, Jimmy Choo, etc). Nice to look but certainly didn't have the "spare change" to indulge there. They had a Mai tai bar restaurant that had great appetizeres though.
We did drive to the north shore, about 45 minutes away from Aulani. The waves that are legendary are in the winter months so we didn't see that. We did stop at beach known as a sea turtle hang out. There were 2 there relaxing and we saw several in the water. They are protected so there were volunteers who put a red rope around them as a perimeter in the sand because it is illegal to get too close or touch. They are very mellow, super large (one was over 200 pounds!) and amazing. We got some great shots of us. We also did a North Shore Shark experience, we took a boat 3 miles out and got into a shark cage. We were given snorkels and about 20-30 minutes cage time. The cage floats partially submerged and you grab on then go under and see the sharks. Holy cow- there had to be hundreds no joke. Some were next to the cage, but when you looked down all you could see was sharks and blue. It was amazing! They were mostly galapagos sharks they said. And large. Wow, What an experience. We all loved it. The water was surprisingly warm. Word of advice- the water was choppy. Go as early in the morning as possible. We were not prepared to be thrown around the cage like we were. That took a lot of strength and stamina to just hold on. Also, we were fine but one lady on the boat was extremely sea-sick from the choppy water.
Another excursion we did and had not planned was a helicopter tour. We took a 45 minutes tour from the Honolulu airport. I don't like to fly and have never been in a helicopter. It was also amazing. We saw things you could never see from the ground. We saw the inside of the famous Diamond Head Crater, Sacred Falls (a huge long waterfall no longer open to the public because it is so dangerous) Pearl Harbor from the air, the valley where Jurrassic Park was filmed. We also saw a huge hammerhead shark from up there, a 10 foot wide Manta ray, serveral sea turtles and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Did you know it takes 18 months to grow a pineapple???
We got to Pearl Harbor too late in the day and they were all out of tickets to to Arizona Memorial. I guess we will have to do that some other time. If you go, go early and also parking at Pearl Harbor is HORRIBLE. No spaces, and people don't leave. Wow. I would even consider paying for a bus to take me just to make sure I git a ticket and didn't have to worry about parking (tickets are free but what a hassle).
There was plenty offered at Aulani. There was story telling by "Uncle" at the firepit most nights, Aunty's Beach house for kids 3-12, lots of daily activites most free. There is a Starlit Hui show a couple nights a week and they dance, play the ukelele. It was OK. The kids were bored so we had to go. It's on the quieter side at night but that is really all of Hawaii, things close early and not a big nightlife scene. The charcaters are there- there is a daily pool party with them around 2 pm and they come out for meet and greets at various times. They do offer a character breakfast as well. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Stitch, Chip and Dale and I think Daisy.
The sunsets are like no other. And the resort is perfectly positioned for you to walk out a little way off the beach for a perfect view.
We did do a luau, Paradise Cove which was actually super close to Aulani. We drove but you could probably walk it was that close. The food I did not expect to like, and I didn't (sorry) but the show was great. Again you are paying for the experience.
This is a fantastic and beautiful place and if you can go, you should. It is worth the time and money. There are hotel rooms and DVC there. Obviously, if you are a member that is the way to go because it's pretty pricey otherwise. There were people of all ages and I think all ages would enjoy it. We saw many families that had several generations with them.
Thanks for reading and feel free to ask any questions. I will try my best to answer.
We usually got something while we were out where ever we were. For my husband's irhtday we ate at Alan Wong's in Honolulu. It was a very high end restaurant. Honolulu is very crowded and congested. We also stopped at Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu. We visited the Ala Moana Shopping Mall there, which was also very high end (Gucci, Jimmy Choo, etc). Nice to look but certainly didn't have the "spare change" to indulge there. They had a Mai tai bar restaurant that had great appetizeres though.
We did drive to the north shore, about 45 minutes away from Aulani. The waves that are legendary are in the winter months so we didn't see that. We did stop at beach known as a sea turtle hang out. There were 2 there relaxing and we saw several in the water. They are protected so there were volunteers who put a red rope around them as a perimeter in the sand because it is illegal to get too close or touch. They are very mellow, super large (one was over 200 pounds!) and amazing. We got some great shots of us. We also did a North Shore Shark experience, we took a boat 3 miles out and got into a shark cage. We were given snorkels and about 20-30 minutes cage time. The cage floats partially submerged and you grab on then go under and see the sharks. Holy cow- there had to be hundreds no joke. Some were next to the cage, but when you looked down all you could see was sharks and blue. It was amazing! They were mostly galapagos sharks they said. And large. Wow, What an experience. We all loved it. The water was surprisingly warm. Word of advice- the water was choppy. Go as early in the morning as possible. We were not prepared to be thrown around the cage like we were. That took a lot of strength and stamina to just hold on. Also, we were fine but one lady on the boat was extremely sea-sick from the choppy water.
Another excursion we did and had not planned was a helicopter tour. We took a 45 minutes tour from the Honolulu airport. I don't like to fly and have never been in a helicopter. It was also amazing. We saw things you could never see from the ground. We saw the inside of the famous Diamond Head Crater, Sacred Falls (a huge long waterfall no longer open to the public because it is so dangerous) Pearl Harbor from the air, the valley where Jurrassic Park was filmed. We also saw a huge hammerhead shark from up there, a 10 foot wide Manta ray, serveral sea turtles and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Did you know it takes 18 months to grow a pineapple???
We got to Pearl Harbor too late in the day and they were all out of tickets to to Arizona Memorial. I guess we will have to do that some other time. If you go, go early and also parking at Pearl Harbor is HORRIBLE. No spaces, and people don't leave. Wow. I would even consider paying for a bus to take me just to make sure I git a ticket and didn't have to worry about parking (tickets are free but what a hassle).
There was plenty offered at Aulani. There was story telling by "Uncle" at the firepit most nights, Aunty's Beach house for kids 3-12, lots of daily activites most free. There is a Starlit Hui show a couple nights a week and they dance, play the ukelele. It was OK. The kids were bored so we had to go. It's on the quieter side at night but that is really all of Hawaii, things close early and not a big nightlife scene. The charcaters are there- there is a daily pool party with them around 2 pm and they come out for meet and greets at various times. They do offer a character breakfast as well. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Stitch, Chip and Dale and I think Daisy.
The sunsets are like no other. And the resort is perfectly positioned for you to walk out a little way off the beach for a perfect view.
We did do a luau, Paradise Cove which was actually super close to Aulani. We drove but you could probably walk it was that close. The food I did not expect to like, and I didn't (sorry) but the show was great. Again you are paying for the experience.
This is a fantastic and beautiful place and if you can go, you should. It is worth the time and money. There are hotel rooms and DVC there. Obviously, if you are a member that is the way to go because it's pretty pricey otherwise. There were people of all ages and I think all ages would enjoy it. We saw many families that had several generations with them.
Thanks for reading and feel free to ask any questions. I will try my best to answer.