When I got engaged, I told my then-fiancé that I’ve always wanted to get married at Disney World. Ever since I was a little girl, I envisioned myself getting married at the Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Florida. However, he didn’t like that idea at all. Can you believe that?! Ugh. So we regrouped and compromised (because that’s what marriage is all about, right?) and decided to get married in Hawaii. And of course that meant going to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii. There are both pros and cons to Aulani, so let’s get to them!
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Cons |
- It’s gorgeous. Seriously. I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful this resort is. If you’ve ever been to the Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World, I would describe Aulani as the Polynesian on steroids. Get ready to see the most breathtaking sunsets of your life. Plus, the details Disney put into this resort is unlike anything I’ve seen before. And that’s saying a lot because it’s Disney we’re talking about!
- The food is amazing. If you know me, you know I love Disney’s all-you-can-eat restaurants and buffets, so I really loved Aulani’s buffet, Makahiki. The word Makahiki comes from a Hawaiian festival of abundance, and there is definitely an abundance of food and flavors. I highly recommend both the prime rib and the bread pudding.
- Scared that a Disney resort means you won’t be able to relax without screaming kids running around? Fear not. Aulani offers an adult-only pool and bar area.
- There are so many activities like being entertained by hula dancers, listening to stories around a fire pit and watching movies under the stars that you will certainly never be bored!
- Meet and greet with your favorite characters. Um, hello. This is Disney. Did you think you were going to fly all the way to Hawaii and not see Mickey Mouse and his pals? Come on! And they’re decked out in festive aloha gear.
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- It’s in the middle of nowhere. It takes about an hour to get there from anywhere or anything you’d want to see on Oahu. It’s on the leeward side of the island, which is not close to anything. It’s far from Waikiki (where all the action is), the North Shore (where the best surfing is) and the windward side (where all the best scenery is).
- It’s EXPENSIVE. Disney is expensive. Hawaii is expensive. A Disney resort in Hawaii is REALLY expensive. 14 of my family members rented this house on the water for the same it costs to get a suite in Aulani, and another six stayed in this house for the same as Aulani’s standard room. The cheapest room at the cheapest time of year is going to cost you $469 at Aulani, and it only goes up from there.
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As you can see, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Sure, there might be nothing to do outside of the resort and it is really expensive, but with everything there is to do at Aulani, you won’t need to go outside the resort and spend extra money to be entertained. But if you do want to get out and see more and save some money, you could always spend just a couple days at Aulani and spend the rest of your time on Oahu at another resort or rental house on a different part of the island. But I definitely think you need to at least visit Aulani once and experience the magic. And seriously, can you imagine a more beautiful spot for wedding photos?
What a great place to spend time with family!
