November brings Disney’s latest movie princess, ‘Moana,’ to the Hawaiian resort.
Located on the leeward side of Oahu, the resort was built to let the beachfront in.
Disney could have placed Aulani in the middle of a godforsaken desert, and it would be considered a world-class resort, and millions would come, so great is the artistry of the company’s fabled imagineers. After all, Walt Disney World Resort, which opened 45 years ago this fall, was built on Florida swampland, bought by Walt for $180 an acre.
But it wasn’t built on a desert, or a bog, or an iceberg. The setting for Disney’s Aulani, which opened five years ago, is 21 acres of some of Oahu’s most beautiful beachfront, situated on the leeward side of this Hawaiian island, far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, but not far from the island’s main attractions. And this location makes a world of difference.
I stayed at Aulani with my ohana (Hawaiian for “family” as any fan of Lilo and Stitch knows), my 80-year-old father and my 21-year-old son, earlier this year. Though it felt at times like a theme park, as we floated the lazy river or got hugs from Mickey, Aulani was for the most part very different from a theme park, and more like a Disney-made paradise connected to a paradise formed by nature.
Aunty tells Hawaiian stories at the resort’s themed childcare center.
The third property of Disney’s Vacation Club Resorts, located outside of a theme park, Aulani is considered the best family hotel in the world. It blends the magic of Disney with the spirit of Hawaii.
The resort itself casts such a spell that we were confronted each day with the pleasant dilemma of choosing between Aulani’s paradise or nature’s paradise. Should we spend the day on the two water slides and in the artificial snorkeling pool, swimming with the fishes, or venture off property, onto the Pacific on a catamaran to snorkel with the green turtles in a cove? We did resort days and Oahu adventure days alternately. There is no shame in staying on the property the whole time, in fact be sure to indulge at Laniwai, the award-winning spa. We could have spent all day at the 5,000-square-foot outdoor hydrotherapy garden.
The marriage of Hawaii and Disney was inevitable, as both cultures place family first, and the Polynesian pairing grows stronger this month. With the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ film “Moana” sailing into theaters November 23, Moana, herself, will arrive at Aulani to share her stories of adventure with guests. Also arriving this month is KA WA‘A luau, a traditional Hawaiian luau, with buffet, music and dance; part of the resort’s fifth anniversary celebration.
Rainbow Reef is like a swimming pool shared between guests and fish.
Central to the ohana spirit at Aulani is Aunty’s Beach House, a meticulously themed childcare center, where keikis (children) are celebrated and catered to with island hospitality. The house interior feels like a movie set, carefully propped to resemble a modest Hawaiian seaside home. Even the garage has the look of your uncle’s garage, with vintage tools and old license plates hanging on the walls. In Hawaiian culture, to be called Aunty or Uncle is a title of respect and family bond, even among those who are not blood relation.
Aunty’s house is for kids, ages 3 to 12. Programs for tweens also take place at the Beach House. The care is free, as are most activities.
The genial character of Aunty, dressed in flowered muumuu, welcomes the children each day. She entertains them with Hawaiian music and stories and leads them in games and play. This is not some stuffy luxury resort where kids are expected to fade into the background. In Hawaii, “it takes a village to raise a child” is more than an expression; it is woven into the society.
By Randall Tierney
The USS Arizona Memorial straddles the sunken battleship below it.
Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration
When you are ready to venture off the property, take the whole family to Pearl Harbor for a history lesson, and to honor those who lost their lives during the surprise aerial attack on December 7,1941 by the Empire of Japan.
This is the 75th anniversary year of that attack, which caused immediate involvement by the U.S. in WWII. You can spend an entire day here at Ford Island and at the USS Arizona Memorial, a poignant salute to the 1,177 sailors and marines who lost their lives aboard the Arizona. The stark, white memorial, reached by shuttle boat, straddles over the sunken battleship that now serves as the resting place for 1,102 of those servicemen and officers.
Do not miss the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. It occupies two hangars, which still bear the scars of the attack from 1941. During our visit, we took the “Aviator’s Tour,” which includes special docent-led access to the restoration area. For more information on Pearl Harbor’s 75th Anniversary Commemorations, visit www.pearlharbor75thanniversary.com
By Randall Tierney
The River Pool is a serene place to wile away the afternoon.
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
There are few places on this earth more lush and drenched in flowers than the “Garden Isle” of Kauai, and few spots on this incredibly beautiful island more satisfyingly perfect for a family recharge than the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. Set along the white sands of Poipu on Kauai’s sunny south shore, the property is tucked between the dramatic craggy mountains and the startlingly azure sea. What makes this resort such a winner is the wealth of options for each visitor, young and erm, not-as-young, to make the experience their own personal paradise.
The experience starts as the smiling valets approach your vehicle and place a fragrant ring of plumerias over your head, with a warm and genuine “Aloha”. (In our case, Roberts Hawaii www.robertshawaii.com convenient airport shuttle saved a lot of hassles after the long flight and swept us right to where our toes could meet sand posthaste!) Somehow the feeling of those tropical flowers actually takes the weight off your shoulders. Even coming from OC beauty, it’s tough not to be impressed by the awe inspiring panoramic view.
You sip the fresh chilled juice placed in your hand and look out over 50 oceanfront acres bordered by endless water features, waterfalls, saltwater lagoons for those red-flagged ocean days, lazy rivers, with cave hideaways, and fun-packed kid pools (with kid minders, whoohoo!). Although you could certainly spend the day zip lining, surfing, kayaking, hiking through an immense canyon, scuba diving with endangered sea turtles and reef critters, or playing 18 holes on the adjacent championship golf course…no one will blame you if you just kick back and soak up the awesome.
For the Keikis
Camp Hyatt is a fun, active program for children ages 3 to 12. Camp counselors fit the day’s schedule to the group’s interest with activities from Koi fish feeding to lei making. Integrating play with culture, kids learn through art about endangered Hawaiian monk seals and Nene (Hawaii’s state bird), and through crafts about palm frond weaving and Native Hawaiian wearble art. A cool off session at the pool and waterslide might be in order before shell bracelet making, hula lessons, volcano making, or Parrot Talk (an interactive session with resort parrots).
For the Active Family
The beauty of this resort is you can pack as much, or little, into your time as makes you happy. Premade hourly schedules akin to a cruise ship round up of endless culture, sport or culinary experiences are laid out in the weekly flyer. (We kind of had a look, got overwhelmed at the number of options, stuck it in our beach bag and went to find pina coladas and cushy pool lounger.) Between live music, yoga and zumba, games, watersports, lawn games, poolside contests, botanical garden tours, eco-talks with local nature experts, and, well you get the idea. You name it, you got it. If you can’t name it, the concierge probably will be able to, and arrange things seamlessly for your adventure.
For the Spa
Anara Spa, the largest on the island at 45,000square feet, blends ancient traditions with the soothing powers of nature to inspire lokahi – balance or harmony. Outdoor massage thatched-roof cabanas dot the lush tropical gardens, with waterfalls, peaceful pools and private outdoor lava rock showers offering serenity on demand. Full food and beverage service is available around the spa pool, while indoor/outdoor relaxation rooms beckon power-nappers.
For the VIP
This tip will serve you QUITE well. Pop for a $35 nightly Grand Club upgrade for the entire room and enjoy a peaceful and extensive breakfast spread that equals most hotel’s fine dining buffets. (Sans the omelette stations, but the platter upon platter of freshly cut local fruit more than makes up for that.) But wait, there’s more! The upgrade also includes afternoon snack, unlimited soft drinks, evening cordials and desert presentation and a three hour hors d’oerve and honor bar each evening — all in a beautiful space with a front lanai overlooking the manicured landscape and crashing waves.
For the Foodies
Tidepools On Property
Feast Hawaiian-style on the freshest of fish and steak amidst tiki-torch lit tropical gardens and koi-filled lagoons. (Great for entertaining the little ones during dinner!) The thatched-roof bungalows at the base of a waterfall offer privacy for a romantic vacation date night if you score babysitting. Opah with volcano candy sauce, lump crabmeat and papaya habenro sauce is NOT to be missed.
Keoki’s Paradise
This Happy Hour spot is happenin’, especially on days when it is chased by live entertainment and a hula show (not the cheesy coconut bra type, but a lovely expression of dance to Hawaiian slack key tunes and IZ favorites by a talented singer/guitarist). Drinks are tasty, as are the plates of pupus and fresh fish entrees, at this popular Hawaiian and somewhat kitschy chain. The setting, however, is anything but mainstream. Waterfalls, a massive banyan tree and glimpses of sunset through the flowering vines make you forget you entered through a concrete parking lot.
www.keokisparadise.com
Poipu (within three miles/$8 cab)
Red Salt
This modern upscale restaurant overlooks the ocean through the Ko’a Kea courtyard and is known as the place to go for special occasions, with artsy preparations of the freshly caught treasures. Vanilla bean-seared mahi and macadamia nut-crusted pork loin are tempting, but one should not pass up the Red Salt Poke, a unique checkerboard of ahi and ono sashimi.
meritagecollection.com/koakea
Poipu (within two miles/$7 cab)
By Sascha Zuger
Hawaiian Airlines
Flying like Ohana
Sold on Hawaii, but dreading the long flight? Pick wisely and you’ll not only tolerate those hours in the air, but look forward the experience as the warm up to your vacation and a gentle Aloha (it means hello, and goodbye, sigh) on your way home.
This airline of serenely smiling flight attendants, the women FA’s sporting a fresh flower behind one ear, has spent nearly 90 years injecting the Aloha spirit into every aspect of their flights. Hawaiian is Hawai’i’s biggest airline, offering non-stop service from US Gateway cities along with a host of international connections resulting in about 160 flights into the islands each day. Fortunately for SoCal travelers, that’s about to increase.
Knowing how popular the “mele kalikimaka” season is, they have increased winter service for LA travelers. The airline is bringing back its seasonal non-stop service between LAX and Lihu Airport (Kaua‘i) from December 17 – January 8, making a trip to the Garden Isle one step closer for Orange County parents not wanting to schlep their kids through Honolulu Airport. They will also be adding a second daily flight between LAX and Kahului Airport (Maui) from December 16 – January 7.
One of the very best perks of opting for Hawaiian, according to my kiddo, is the fact that it is the only domestic airlines that still serves complimentary meals during flight for all passengers. Not only do they serve something to stop your belly from grumbling, for those riding in First, the taste of the islands starts on take-off thanks to Hawaiian Airlines’ new Featured Chef Series.
Five of Hawaii’s top chefs take on a six month rotation dishing up the best of the best to show off the islands’ talent, at 30,000 ft. To kick it off, the chef of Honolulu’s renowned Pig and the Lady restaurant, Andrew Le, will use his Vietnamese roots to inspire menus which include coconut tapioca with Kona Coffee glazed macadamia nuts, fresh mozzarella with kim chee puttanesca, grilled Portobello mushroom sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls, and guava cheesecake for dessert. Up next, from March through August, the program will rotate to former Top Chef finalist and the chef of Maui’s popular Tin Roof, Sheldon Simeon.
The airlines also adds a little culture to their in-flight entertainment:
- Unique documentaries on the scenes and sounds of Hawaii
- Curated music channels by Hawaiian locals
- Ukuleles on interisland “Ohana by Hawaiian” flights
- Flight attendant-led tours of the islands upon takeoff and landing
But as parents, what we’re really worried about is how the kids are going to handle their time in the air! Well, if they are Disney fans, you should avoid any sort of toddler turbulence. Hawaiian Airlines’ new collaboration with The Walt Disney Studios means planes will feature all Moana-themed amenities including luggage bins, inflight entertainment, welcome video, movie trailer, casting videos, and limited-edition blankets, towels, and apparel for purchase. A special Keiki Pack channel plan also provides plenty of distraction. Kids might even get lucky enough to score a ride on one of four planes featuring the characters.
Keep an Eye Out
Hawaiian’s lie-flat seats debuted this summer as a surprise-and-delight experience for guests traveling on the airline’s North America network. The Premium Cabin will arrive in additional markets as the company retrofits its fleet of 23 wide-body A330 aircraft through 2017.
By Sascha Zuger
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