Aulani: the newest Disney Vacation Club property, Ko Olina, Oahu, Hawaii
by Mary Kraemer, Contributing Writer
Construction is well underway for Aulani, the newest DVC property, which is located on the southwestern side of Oahu, in the Ko Olina area. This region already has some nice resorts and timeshare properties, such as the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club, where my family vacationed recently. Hawaii is a dream destination for so many people, and when people heard that Disney was planning on building a resort, there was, understandably, considerable excitement.
As a Disney travel agent, I was enormously excited at the prospect of seeing Aulani during its construction phase. I’d seen the concept art, which looks fantastic. The first day I was on Oahu, I took the short walk up the street from the Beach Club to Aulani with the purpose of taking as many photos as possible. The second day, I discovered that I could take the seaside path from my resort all the way to the Marriott Ihilani Ko Olina Resort and Spa, which is the property that shares the same lagoon beach with Aulani. Perfect! I could take photos that also show the beautiful beach and lagoon, as well as get a different perspective on the resort.
Construction is well underway for Aulani, the first Disney Vacation Club property in Hawaii. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Aulani is located on the southwestern side of Oahu, in the Ko Olina area. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Aulani will feature 359 hotel rooms, including 16 suites, and 460 DVC villas, including 21 three-bedroom Grand Villas. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Things got better: as I got to the far side of the decidedly unmagical plain-green wall that surrounds Aulani’s construction, I saw a lone person sitting on a chair under an umbrella. Not being able to resist, I asked the person what she was doing, and it turned out, she was a DVC representative. Talk about Disney’s “Best Kept Secret”: there was no signage, not even a table, by this person’s station. But she was friendly and told me that DVC was open for business at Aulani and if my husband and I participated in a sales presentation, we’d get to see model units. I signed up for a presentation immediately, and the DVC salesperson graciously let me take as many photos of the model unit as I wanted.
Aulani will feature a water park, under construction between the resort’s two towers. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Units have angled windows to get a better view of the ocean. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
My first impression of the resort is its huge size. Looking larger than any of its neighbors, Aulani is an imposing set of structures. It looks bigger than the 359 hotel rooms (including 16 suites) and 460 DVC villas (including 21 Grand Villas, which will have prime oceanfront locations, with enormous balconies and exceptional views). In Hawaii, different resorts have raised the bar considerably for amazing pool experiences, with water slides, caves, waterfalls, free-form pools that seem to appear out of the lava rock…heck, we even enjoyed a hot pool that had its own waterfall! Disney, of course, is up to the challenge of building an amazing water play area with a great slide, adventurous river (not to be called lazy!), and construction has begun on the Waikolohe Pool and Stream, located between the two large structures of DVC units. For little ones, the Menehune Bridge and Trail water play area will provide lots of fun. There’s also a calm pool, Wailana, planned for those seeking a more tranquil vacation experience.
The in-resort water experience doesn’t stop there. Have you ever wished you could pop into the tank at the Coral Reef restaurant at Walt Disney World and snorkel? (Actually, there is a dive you can do there, but that’s not my point.) Well, at Aulani, you’ll be able to snorkel among amazing sea creatures at the Rainbow Reef snorkel lagoon. For those who would prefer to remain dry and watch their keiki (kids) snorkel, there will be windows on the lower levels of the lagoon that let you see what’s happening in the water.
This construction wall surrounds the site, but persistent visitors can find a DVC guide gladly offering tours of the model units. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The Aulani is a DVC resort without a nearby theme park, but there is a lot to explore on Oahu, so there will be offsite (and off-land) excursions available to guests. Unlike kids’ clubs at deluxe properties at Disney theme-park resorts, the Aulani kids club, Aunty’s Beach House, will offer childcare services during the day, as well as the evening. Like the kids’ clubs at theme-park resorts, Aunty’s Beach House will have an hourly rate per child (so don’t think it’s like the kids’ clubs on the Disney Cruise Line, although that thought would be tempting!).
Hawaii is a popular wedding destination, and Disney plans to help many couples have a magical start on their marriage with a wedding pavilion (presently the location of the DVC model units), which has a fabulous ocean view of the lagoon area. This has the potential to be a very busy aspect of the Aulani’s business, considering its strategic location between the U.S. mainland and Japan.
The model DVC units are built near the resort’s future wedding lawn. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Couples who come to Aulani to get married will have a lovely view of the ocean. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
And you want to know what I saw in the DVC units, don’t you? Of course! I’ll tell you, I could barely contain my excitement at the opportunity to walk through these model units, and the permission to take photos was magical! For those of you who’ve stayed in DVC units, the Aulani units have the standard set of features in approximately the same footprint as already-constructed units in Florida and California. For those of you who haven’t had that experience, I’ll go into more detail.
We first saw the studio unit, which had a kitchenette (sink, small refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker), as well as the more hotel-style accommodations with a queen bed and a sleeper sofa. The sleeper sofas are somewhat different than those uncomfortable things you might have endured at your Aunt Tillie’s house; these babies unfold to provide a firm sleeping surface without that dreadful metal bar across the middle. There’s a flat-panel TV and DVD player built in to the dresser, a clever coffee table that doubles for storage, a table and two chairs for eating, and a balcony, which are lovely accommodations for four people. The bed has a Hawaiian-style quilt, with cute Mickeys integrated into the pattern.
The view from the model studio room at DVC’s new Aulani property. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Studio units include a queen bed and a sleeper sofa. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The bed linens feature a familiar icon amidst the Hawaiian pineapple motif. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The sofa converts to a bed. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The dresser has a built-in flat-panel TV and DVD player. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
DVC studio units feature a kitchenette with a sink, small refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The studio unit is furnished with a small dining table and chairs. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
This unintentional self-portrait shows the studio unit’s bathroom. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Adjoining the studio, we stepped into the one-bedroom unit, which sleeps five (combine the two for a two-bedroom unit that will accommodate nine comfortably). The living room has another sleeper sofa and the same coffee table that provides abundant storage, and an especially clever single Murphy-style bed that pulls down from the wooden unit that houses the flat-screen TV and DVD player. I was especially wowed by this clever bed, which would work well for a child, but probably not a grownup. There’s a dining area with built-in bench seating as well as stools, so it is functional and not bulky at all. The open-design allows easy “pass over” access from the kitchen to the table, and this unit boasts a full kitchen and a stackable washer/dryer. There’s balcony access from the living room as well as the bedroom, creating a very nice outdoor space for the unit.
The one-bedroom unit features a full kitchen with built-in dining area. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The one-bedroom unit features a full kitchen with built-in dining area. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The one-bedroom unit features a full kitchen with built-in dining area. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The entertainment center in the living room of the one-bedroom unit features a hidden fold-down bed. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The entertainment center in the living room of the one-bedroom unit features a hidden fold-down bed. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
A convertible sofa provides extra sleeping area, and a clever ottoman provides additional storage. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The balcony is accessible from both the living room and the bedroom of the one-bedroom unit. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The bedroom has a king-size bed (with the adorable Hawaiian quilt Mickeys). If you want to use your own video game equipment, there’s a handy panel built in to the dresser, underneath the flat-screen TV. Adjacent to the bedroom, there’s a whirlpool tub that has privacy shutters between the bedroom and the bathroom. In the next section of the bathroom (yes, you read that right), there’s a large shower with a regular showerhead and a “rainfall” showerhead, as well as a little bench in the back of the glassed-in shower. Naturally, there’s a sink area, which is really nice, but somewhat anticlimactic after that shower.
The one-bedroom unit includes a king size bed. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The bedroom has its own entertainment center . Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The entertainment center includes a panel that accommodates a variety of video and audio inputs. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The master bath includes a whirlpool tub. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
The master shower has standard and “rainforest” shower heads. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
We felt really privileged to be able to see the Aulani DVC units, and are excited to be able to share this experience with you. With the first phase of the property opening in late August 2011, and the second phase opening in December 2011, planning a trip to Oahu seems like a great idea! One other nice thing about the Aulani: in an area where other timeshare properties charge $30 per day for parking, DVC members who stay at Aulani are entitled to two free parking places. Hotel guests, unfortunately, will have to endure parking fees.
Hidden Mickeys can be found in many decor elements around the new Hawaii resort. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Not all of the Mickeys are hidden, as this light fixture demonstrates. Photo by Mary Kraemer.
Mary Kraemer is a travel consultant with CruisingCo/MouseEarVacations, and loves to travel with her husband and four children. She is an avid Disney fan who visits Disneyland several times a year and Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line as often as possible. You can contact Mary at 650.520.7688, or send her e-mail to maryk@cruisingco.com.
