Is Disney’s Aulani Resort Actually Worth the Hype? (An Unfiltered Review)

We booked Aulani through Costco Travel and flew from Los Angeles to Honolulu on American Airlines using cash plus a leftover flight credit. We also rented a car from Hertz and used Presidents Circle status through Amex Platinum, which was useful because this is not the kind of trip where you necessarily want to be trapped on-property the whole time.

The biggest disappointment was the room and overall hotel feel. The rooms did not feel especially luxe, and the resort itself felt more crowded and less clean than we expected. For the price point and reputation, we wanted a more polished experience than what we got.

What we did genuinely like was Ko Olina itself and the beach directly at the hotel. The lagoon was very calm, felt safe for kids, and was one of the best parts of the stay. If you are traveling with younger children and want easy water access without rough surf, that part of Aulani really works.

Having a rental car made the trip better because it gave us flexibility to enjoy Oahu beyond the resort. We also liked having the Four Seasons next door as part of the overall area, which gave the Ko Olina side of the island a nicer feel.

The pools were a hit with the kids, and the beach was excellent. Ama Ama was also very good and was easily the best meal of the stay. The nightly rhythm around the resort could be fun, and for families who want a very Disney-specific Hawaii trip, that may be enough.

But a lot of the hotel-specific pieces disappointed us. The character breakfast food was terrible, the hotel felt crowded, and the water slide area was under construction during our stay. Those details made the property feel less special than it should have.

Overall, we would not recommend Aulani unless you are a total Disney fan and specifically want the Disney version of a Hawaii resort. If that is the goal, you may still love it. If the goal is simply a great luxury family resort in Hawaii, we do not think this is the best option.