TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We were a family of 10 and decided to splurge for one night at Aulani on our last night for the grandkids (ages 7, 5, and 1). We were able to use the facilities in the late morning as our room wouldn't be ready until after 3pm and they had a family lounge area to change and were also able to stay for the majority of the day after checkout. However, for two villas (a 2br and a 1br) I feel that the $2,000 wasn't well spent - at least I didn't pay full retail due to DVC Rental Store. Yes, the staff is amazing and extremely helpful, but not sure what I was paying for as there weren't the amenities in the rooms that you would expect for this price. The pools were great, even though the lines were pretty long for any of the slides and in the late afternoon it was very crowded. We were lucky to find 4 chairs together, but most of the chairs around us that had towels we never saw anyone in them! The kitchen was well appointed and the in-room washer/dryer was great and the views of the pool from the two lanais were amazing. I really wanted to love it more than I did and while it was a great experience for the kids, I would not stay here again.

WARNING...if you have a trip planned during the week of January 25th to the 31st of 2026, American Idol will be taping during that entire week. DVC members received an email notification confirming these dates. If you have a trip planned during this time, you can expect a HUGE stage on the beach, blocking your views and taking up guest beach space. You can expect loud rehearsals and sound checks from early morning until after dark. You can expect crews blocking pathways around the pool area. You can expect the parking garage to be full. Don't expect nightly storytelling or pool entertainment, that will all get cancelled. Don't expect Aulani staff to care about your discomfort or complaints, there is nothing they can do. Don't expect any compensation or consideration for the inconvenience! Idol week at Aulani is not ideal!

This is the greatest place on planet earth!! It truly is the perfect place!! Beaches, pools, lazy river, constant cool breeze, amazing staff——it’s just perfect!!

I have mixed feelings about Disney Aulani. On the positive side, the staff is excellent. Everyone—from valet and front desk to the bellhops and grounds crew—was consistently helpful and warm. Where things broke down for us was the pool area. It’s extremely overcrowded. Guests reserve lounge chairs with towels and, in many cases, never return, making it tough to find a spot. I know chair-saving happens at many resorts, but it was surprisingly frustrating here. If you want a seat, you basically need to claim it around 8:00 a.m. After that, the lines start forming for the two tube-channel slides. Also check ahead to see if all pools are open. During our stay, the main pool with the ocean view, hot tub, and waterfall was closed for repairs, which added to the congestion. Overall, Aulani can be a great experience, but the pool area gets intensely crowded. If you’re comfortable navigating that, you’ll likely enjoy your stay.

Aulani as any Disney resort is spectaculor. The outside area is so nice. A lazy river, slides, kid pools, adult pools and jot tubs. Snack shacks and restaurants. I only went on lazy river once because there were so many kids in to without a tub. The beach area had plenty of seats and servers for food and drink. There is 3 sit down resturants. 2 very expensive. There a take and go or order food cafe and a lounge that offers food too. The rooms are great. Service was excellent.