I Went To Disney's Aulani Resort In Hawaii & Here’s Every Must-Do
“There's no place I'd rather be.”
Out of all the Disney vacation options out there, some of the best ones don’t involve a theme park at all. In fact, my favorite destination is Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii.
Not to sound too much like Stefon from Saturday Night Live, but this resort truly does have everything. Whether you’re looking to relax by the beach with a drink in your hand, immerse yourself in the Hawaiian culture, or experience a bit of Disney magic with Mickey Mouse, Aulani has it all.
As a foodie, I always try to enjoy all the exclusive snacks and treats you can only get at Disney’s Hawaiian resort, but each day, there’s a new schedule of free and premium activities to do like ukulele lessons, paddle boarding, and snorkeling in the Rainbow Reef lagoon. On my most recent visit to Aulani, I made it my mission to try almost everything to figure out what’s truly worth your time.
With just three full days (and plenty of Kona coffee in my system), here’s everything I did at Aulani that I recommend you add to your itinerary as well:
Māka‘ika‘i Guided Tour
The first plan on our itinerary at Aulani was a guided tour of the resort, which is included in your stay. This is a great way to get a lay of the land, and notice all of the details that Imagineers put into the design while learning more about Hawaii’s culture and history. There are two tours available each day — one for arts and culture and the other is about nature and wildlife you might see around Aulani.
Sunrise Yoga On The Beach
On my first morning, our group did yoga on the beach at sunrise. I’ve done yoga experiences with Disney before, like in front of the castle at Disneyland, but nothing is as beautiful as waking up by the water at Aulani. This class is for all ages, and a great way to get your body moving and start your day. Afterwards, my mom and I treated ourselves to acai bowls and macadamia nut mochas for breakfast — it was perfect.
This is a premium activity, though, so it’s $30 per person and not always offered every day. For more intensity, Aulani has a paddle board version for $30, or you can join one of the included fitness classes like the Beach Boot Camp for free.
Laniwai’s Hydrotherapy Garden
Later on, my group enjoyed some signature massages at Aulani’s Laniwai spa. This is definitely a splurge (~$200), but so worth it for the hydrotherapy garden that’s included in all treatments. Arrive with plenty of time before your scheduled appointment so you can take advantage of the outdoor space, which includes hot tubs, waterfall showers, a reflexology walk, and even a cold plunge that I was brave enough to try (and loved).
After your treatment, continue to enjoy the garden all day. I definitely took advantage of the steam room, sauna, and open-air relaxation area that had snacks like chocolate dipped coconut macaroons and madeleines. Instead of just regular water, you could also enjoy pineapple-infused water or a selection of hot teas.
Hiking Excursion
If you don’t want to stay at the resort the entire time, you can either rent a car from Aulani or book one of the excursions. On our second day, we decided to go on a hike at Camp Pālehua, which was exclusive for our travel group. However, Aulani has a similar experience that takes you through the Waimea Valley, which is where they filmed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. I loved my experience because we got to learn more about native plants and wildlife, and snap some really gorgeous pics along the way.
The Waimea Valley excursion is offered as a little adventure for around $105 per person, or a bigger adventure that’s $122 per person. Other excursions I would highly recommend include going to the North Shore, zip-lining at Coral Crater Adventure Park, or visiting Pearl Harbor.
Ohana Painting Class
When we got back from our excursion, my mom and I had time to attend one of the painting classes at the Pau Hana Room, aka the community hall. This is a paid experience for $50 per person, but you get to take home your artwork, so it’s like a souvenir. You also don’t need to have any painting experience to enjoy the class. The canvas and colors are given to you, so you just need to fill it in.
If you don’t want to spend money, the community hall also offers free ukulele lessons and you can rent a tablet to do a complimentary adventure trail experience around the resort. There’s also animation classes, where you can learn to draw some of your favorite Disney characters at Aunty’s Beach House for free.
Meeting Rare Disney Characters
While you can run into some of the classic Disney characters like Goofy or Donald Duck, Aulani also has rare ones you can’t always find in the theme parks. One of my favorite characters is 'Olu Mel, who is a ukulele-playing turtle exclusive to the resort. He’s a part of the Duffy and Friends group that’s popular in the Asian parks, and he’s basically like the Mickey Mouse of Aulani.
You can also find Max Goof (aka Goofy’s son), Angel from Lilo & Stitch: The Series, and the core Disney characters wearing special Hawaiian outfits.
The KA WA‘A Lū‘au
Aulani has its own luau called KA WA‘A, which is what my group did for dinner on our second night. The evening included an all-you-can-eat Hawaiian feast, cocktails, and a cultural performance with dancers, musicians, and storytellers. Before dinner was served, they had stations around the lawn where you could get a lei bracelet, temporary tattoo, ukulele lesson, or pound some taro to make poi. The delicious dinner and performance were well worth the cost of a ticket, which was about $219 for preferred seating and $190 for general seating.
Makahiki Character Breakfast
One of the main restaurants at Aulani is Makahiki, which offers breakfast and dinner. While the $80 three-course dinner is delicious and worth a reservation, I prefer the $55 character breakfast out of the two. Not only is this the easiest way to meet some of the characters and not have to wait in long lines, but you’re served a warm malassada (Portuguese donut) to start and that’s just the beginning of the three-course menu. As a foodie, this is a must-do.
Paddle Boarding
Our group was offered a chance to check out the paddle boards by the ocean lagoon. I was hesitant at first because I don’t have the best balance, but you can sit on your board the entire time. This was welcome news to me and I’m so glad I went for it, because paddle boarding ended up being one of my favorite activities of the entire trip. The views alone should make you rent a board, which is about $50 per hour. Just make sure to get a waterproof pouch for your phone, so you can bring it along and take pictures.
Feeding The Fish At The Rainbow Reef
While snorkeling at the Rainbow Reef lagoon ($30 per day) is a must-do at least once, I much prefer feeding the fish. This $7 activity happens throughout the day. All you need to do is sign up before all the time slots fill up, so get there early.
DIY Mickey Ears
Another paid activity at the community hall that’s worth the price is the DIY Mickey Mouse ears class. After selecting the items you want on your ears, you get to glue them on either a regular pair ($27) or light up ears ($37). This is such a fun way to make a souvenir you can’t get anywhere else.
Dinner At ‘AMA’AMA
To finish off the perfect vacation, we had dinner on our last night at ‘AMA‘AMA. Boasting gorgeous views, this open-air restaurant by the beach is the fine dining option at Aulani, and offers a $130 four-course, prix-fixe menu with dishes I’m still dreaming about. While everything is delicious, I highly recommend getting the lobster tail for your entree, which comes with gnocchi, white asparagus, snap peas, Hamakua mushroom, and truffle sabayon.
TL;DR: Aulani Should Be On Your Disney Travel Bucket List
Even though I felt like I was running around the resort, trying to do it all, I didn’t even get to scratch the surface of what’s available at Aulani. If I didn’t want to spend money and just relax, I could easily spend my entire day just chilling in the Waikolohe Stream, aka the lazy river, and be the happiest girl in the world.
If you consider yourself a Disney fan or just want to visit the islands at a resort with Hawaiian culture in mind, you must put Aulani on your travel to-do list. I can’t wait to plan my next trip, and enjoy more Dole Whips by the ocean and Mickey-shaped Spam musubi.
