How to explore Disney's Aulani Resort without staying there

In this blog post, I’ll breakdown how you can visit Aulani without actually staying at the pricey resort. You’ll also find my honest opinion of the resort along with a guide to figuring out if this is the place to stay for you.

When I first started planning my trip to Hawaii, of course one of the first places I looked at staying was Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. Then… I looked at the price tag. For a standard room, it’s about $500 a night without fees and parking. Uhm, WHAT?! Is Aulani actually worth that? What’s even there? Do I need to actually stay there to get some of the experiences?

The answer to that question is… no. You don’t need to stay at Aulani to get a really decent Disney experience. If you’re planning your trip to Honolulu, just plan a day to be at the Aulani resort. Here’s how to spend it:

Ka Wa’a - A Lu’au at Aulani

Can’t stress enough how cool going to a Lu’au in Hawaii was. It was the only thing I really wanted to do while in Hawaii, and through my research it seemed like dinner and this show would cost (on average) about $85-100. The Disney way is of course more expensive, but it was a great show.

You’ve got to book this at least 2-3 months in advance. I highly recommend the VIP experience which is $179 per person. Okay, it’s a lot. I know. I didn’t break the bank on where I was staying so I didn’t feel too bad splurging on my experiences. Regular admission is $139. That $40 difference you can easily make up with alcohol. The VIP experience gets you in early, all-you-can-drink, and priority seating. Well worth it IMO.

Before everything starts, there are plenty of Hawaiian activities to partake in. You can learn to play a short tune on the ukulele, create fresh flower bracelets, get temporary kakau tattoos, and do some taro pounding. If you don’t know what that is, it’s totally okay. During this time, you’ve got to take all the photos because when it gets dark you can’t see that much other than the show.

The food was superb. It was arguably the best meal I had during my entire stay in Hawaii. You can find fresh poke, short rib, salad, fresh fruit, Hawaiian mashed sweet potatoes, chicken, and so much more. There’s also all you can drink coffee and tea on the side that stays out longer than the food.

Okay now I should probably get to the actual show of the Lu’au. These Lu’au’s are to showcase the history of the Hawaiian culture. Disney spins this into a more family-oriented storyline with the 2 emcee’s being “brother and sister” that can sing incredibly. I’m serious, their singing alone could have been the show and I wouldn’t have been upset. It did bother me a little that I knew they weren’t brother and sister, but it was a family show. The Hawaiian dancers were pretty unbelievable and you’ll get a surprise visit from Mickey, Minnie and Moana!

Afternoon at the Beach

Anyone can walk right through the resort and hang out on the beach at Aulani. And, it was really gorgeous. You might not be able to take advantage of the pool chairs, but bring a towel and enjoy. You might see some signs that “Aulani guests should being their keys because they might be able to get in the resort” but I saw the door to the beach open the whole time I was there.

Grab a bite to eat

I’ll forecast this section by saying that I didn’t get a chance to eat anywhere else besides the Lu’au even though I definitely wanted to. There’s a character dining option, Makahiki, where you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with select Disney characters.

There were a good deal of options by the pool area. Although I snagged this photo of how much pizza costs…and it’s outrageous. No way am I paying for $25 pizza.

Shopping

I love a good gift shop. And sad to say, this department was completely underwhelming compared to other Disney resorts. There’s one main shop that has your Aulani themed clothing, a ton of Duffy & friends items, and some typical Disney treats. There’s also a small high-end store around the corner from this store that has Alex & Ani bracelets, Dooney & Burke purses and nicer adult clothing for purchase.

If you’re feeling risky, try the pool

I’m solely basing this on how easy it was for me to the pools. From the lobby, you could easily walk to/into a few pools. Currently there were a handful of pools and children’s play area that are under construction. But, no one was checking or asking for a room key. You just have to look the part. There’s a bathroom located outside one of the pools where you can change, just make sure to bring a towel!

If you’re not apart of the Disney Vacation Club, you’ll need to pay for parking. If you go to the Lu’au, you’ll get a 4 hour validation, but honestly you won’t get to do much else other than a quick walk through the gift shop after. You can also do a timeshare presentation for the Disney Vacation Club which should be approximately 90 minutes, and you’ll get 4 hour validation with a free $50 Disney giftcard.

I had to split up my Aulani adventure into two days, and here’s my honest opinion of the resort: I was underwhelmed and this might only be something I do with kids…once. It honestly didn’t feel as big as other Disney resorts, and really had less to offer unless you plan to spend all day everyday at the pool.

After leaving my adventure at the Aulani resort I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Is it actually worth staying here?” Here’s my little breakdown to better help answer your question:

If you’ve got a few energetic kids that like the sun, this might not be a bad option. They’ve got so many kid friendly options to do which would allow for you and your significant other to have your own time.
If you’re dying to stay there without kids, rent Disney Vacation Club points. We met a couple at the Lu’au that did this, and had no complaints. You’ll get a discounted rate that should be closer to $350(ish) bucks a night. You will also get less fees and free parking with this. Here’s a great, reliable website to do so: https://dvcrentalstore.com/
If you’re a sucker for having multiple pools and a beach within minutes of your room, this is the place for you.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of renting DVC points, it’s probably not worth the money. There are a ton of 5-star options on Hotels.com that are $300 or less a night that have pools and beaches.
If you’re looking to maybe adventure the island, this isn’t the place for you.