Disney's Aulani

[Frikitiki]

Will anyone be heading out either for the opening or the next six months?

[innerSpaceman]

Um, what is it?

[Kevy Baby]

Um, what is it?Sounds like something one needs to take penicillin for.

But apparently, it some swanky new place in Hawai'i (http://www.huliq.com/10061/disneys-aulani-resort-first-its-kind)

[Frikitiki]

Their new swanky DVC location. Opens up 55 days from this post.

http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/

[innerSpaceman]

It looks very pretty. But it's likely the last place I'd stay if I ever make it to Hawaii. 1) Near Honolulu - not gonna be where I spend much time; and 2) Disney, Disney, Disney - sorry, don't want Disney when I'm someplace "real." (Arguably, Honolulu is not - but see point 1.)

[RStar]

I wish. Unless I win the trip, it won't be any time soon....

[Moonliner]

Their new swanky DVC location. Opens up 55 days from this post.

http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/

I've heard the Disney cruise line is over the top in your face Disney but how "Disney" are DVC locations like Aulani which are located far from any of the parks?

[katiesue]

Actually we just got off the Disney Wonder and remarked on how much less "Disney" it was than we expected. The hotels at WDW and Disneyland definitely have much more themeing than the ship did.

[Chernabog]

BJ and I went to the Aulani property with GC in April. It looks REALLY pretty, and is probably about as "Disney" as any other company-owned hotel at the DLR.

[innerSpaceman]

I dunno, looks pretty Disney to me. Characters in the restaurants, surfer Mickey figures in the woodwork. But the main building looks gorgeous, and it seems like they're going to have a fun water parklette in the middle - if it's anything like the one at Epcot's BeachClub/Yacht Club, that will be fantastic.

I guess if I were on a dream trip to Hawaii, and were spending a couple of nights in Honolulu, I'd like to stay here - and save my more romantic resorts for the island locations I'd like to linger at.

[Alex]

If I'm on Oahu, can't say that I have any real interest in staying out there*. It is simultaneously not far enough out int he middle of nowhere and not in far enough in the middle of things.

Kidn of like taking a vacation into the suburbs.

*though it also loses out in that I have no real interest in the isolated resort experience. I don't travel for the hotel, I travel for where the hotel is.

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, mostly I do, too. Which is why I find Las Vegas such an oddity that strangely appeals to me - all the places tourists visit are the other hotels. There's no "There" there.

In something tropical, however, I like a mix. My hotel is going to be my most usual slice of beach and water, so I'm going to be spending more time there vs. out seeing the sights and experiencing the culture directly than I would in practically any other type of tourism environment.

[Cynthia]

Were I to go to Hawaii, I would l want to stay in a little place, family run, with a near empty (maybe black sand) beach and nothing to do but walk under the trees and swim in the ocean. I live in So Cal, I have all the tourists, plastic and crowds I need, don't want to travel for them.

[Alex]

I lived in Hawaii for a bit more than 2 years. I think I went to the beach (for purposes of just lazing about at the beach) maybe 3 times. So that isn't a bit appeal for me either (I certainly want to snorkel and stuff, but I doubt I'd want to do it at the Aulani, and when I'm done snorkeling I'm done being at the beach).

So it is a multifaceted bad match. But if I were picking a destination resort for whatever reason I'd still go to the North Shore (or a neighbor island) and get away from Honolulu.

[Frikitiki]

Here is my blog post: http://thetikioutpost.com/2011/07/july-disney-aulani-update.html

And here is a link to all the pictures that I took yesterday (7/13) http://www.flickr.com/photos/frikitiki/sets/72157627065253963/with/5936033944/

[Morrigoon]

Were I to go to Hawaii, I would l want to stay in a little place, family run, with a near empty (maybe black sand) beach and nothing to do but walk under the trees and swim in the ocean. I live in So Cal, I have all the tourists, plastic and crowds I need, don't want to travel for them.

Ah, you'd love Kawaii then.

[Alex]

Kauai. Kawaii is a very different thing, though I'm sure parts of Kauai are kawaii.

[Morrigoon]

LOL, I thought it looked wrong when I typed it. I've been making so many kawaii references to cute stuff I totally got them mixed up. Thanks!

[Not Afraid]

Kauai is not terribly Kawaii. Beautiful, lush, wet, tropical, lots of bugs, completely different from the other islands. But, I haven't been there in a very long time. Maybe they banished the bugs by now.

[Morrigoon]

I don't recall it having any more bugs than Maui (which has a healthy population of no-see-'ums). I do recall the distinct impression that it was a bit slower than I really wanted. Nice, but awfully slow. I'm more of a Maui person.