Aulani, It’s in the Details!
One of my favorite parts about Disney is the attention to details in everything. Disney is a company that is an expert at storytelling and that expertise doesn’t just end with great movies it overflows into all aspects of the company, you see it in the parks and the resorts even on the cruise lines. The same is true at Aulani, A Disney Resort, and Spa on the great Island of Oahu. The word Aulani translates to “messenger of a chief,” It expresses a connection to tradition and deep story-telling. Join me as I can only skim the surface of the beauty and wonders of this amazing resort and culture of the Hawaiian people.
Let’s start the shape of Aulani, that is one of the first things I noticed it doesn’t look like other resorts around Hawaii, or anywhere really. The curved arch is based on a traditional Hawaiian canoe house as echoed in the framing of the Maka‘ala lobby as well as in the resort’s physical layout. You will see pictures of this throughout the resort.
The thatched roof also reminiscent of a traditional canoe house.
Designed to resemble an old canoe house with all the arches and curves you can see the shape of an overturned canoe.
From the moment you walk into the Maka’ala (lobby) You are transported to a beautiful culture that engages all of the senses and pays homage to both ancient and modern culture. Maka’ala is the Hawaiian word for watchful, and with so many sights to take in in the lobby you will want to keep your eyes open to take it all in. Your eyes will be drawn straight out towards the Ocean, but don’t stop there look around, the mural you see above the grand doors leading you out is a picture representing current and future culture.
The Ocean is a picture of present Hawaiian culture and economics.
Turn around and look behind you and you see the doors which you came in and a view of the Mountains which represent ancient Hawaiian culture. Just as water flows you will notice the images flow on the mural from past which is the mountains to future which is the ocean.
Looking back to the mountain Side of the resort and also the past culture which is represented by the Mountains.
The Mural representing the past Hawaiian culture.
In Hawaiian culture men and women had their specific roles and responsibilities and each of the two towers at Aulani pays homage to the cultural differences in those roles. The ‘Ewa tower or the feminine tower, will be to your left and all the murals and imagery will be those of the women and their traditional roles. The water features on this side will be soft and tranquil.
The Wai’anae Tower will be to your right before you head to the front desk. Murals and imagery on this side will depict traditional males in their roles in Hawaiian culture. Water features on this side have rough and jagged sides and the water is moving more aggressively.
Wai’anae tower is the masculine tower and the murals and imagery on this side will depict men in traditional male roles in Hawaiian culture.
The water feature on the masculine side has jagged edges and sides and the water moves more aggressively.
At the front desk, you will notice the beautiful artwork behind the desk. It is beautiful and memorizing but each picture was taken by a child who was told to take a picture of something that you think represents Hawaiian culture in a specific color. So pay attention to each picture because it tells a story that a child wanted us to see about Hawaiian culture.
Each picture was taken by a child, who was told to take a picture of something that represents Hawaiian culture in a particular color
The Mischievous Menehune is an especially fun part of Hawaiian culture. Menehune live in the Hawaiian valleys and come out at night, and although they only come out and play and cause mischief at night they can sometimes be spotted around the resort. They are hiding all over the resort and waiting for you to find them, they are truly weaved into many aspects of the resort from obvious areas like the Menehune Bridge splash pad area, to interactive games like the Menehune adventure trail (interactive scavenger hunt) and of course in more not so obvious locations so keep your eyes open.
Before we leave the Maka’ala let me mention that if you have any questions about the Hawaiian cultural experts that are situated in the lobby most of the time they will be dressed differently than the other cast members.
Now it is time to head to your room and quickly unpack as you will want to head back out to do some more exploring. At Aulani you can stay in the resort in a standard room or a studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom villa, so you have plenty of room to bring the whole family.
If you are wanting to do a little shopping at the resort there are two main shops and they are near the lobby going towards the masculine towers. The Kalepa’s Store is inspired by mom and pop stores around Hawaii, and to pay homage to them you will notice pictures of them all around the store.
The Kalepa’s Store pays homage to mom and pop stores around Hawaii with pictures displayed around the shop.
Now it’s time to get serious… Let’s talk food. So at Aulani, there are two main (or table service in Disney language) restaurants, Makahiki and ‘AMA‘AMA we will look at each of them in detail because this is a blog about storytelling and each has a story to tell, and well, I like food so here we go.
Makahiki is named after the Makahiki season which is a time to celebrate the harvest. Makahiki is located on the first floor of the main building and as you look around you will notice vibrant colors, an abundance of food, the harmonious use of resources and you will really feel as though you are celebrating a bountiful harvest. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served here all buffet style. Aunties Breakfast celebration is held here and features some of your favorite characters including Mickey Mouse.
The wall as you enter Makahiki is made completely out of the inside of coconuts.
We all know how much Walt loved trains and the tracks running though Makahiki are a small tip of the hat to him.
‘AMA‘AMA, named after a local mullet fish, the restaurant itself is inspired by fishing settlements on the coast of O‘ahu that date back to the 12th century. ‘Ama’Ama was a small fishing hut built by Auntie and Uncle but as their family grew so must the house you will notice the different sections of the restaurant look as though they were built at different times and the materials used changed and became more modern for each addition. ‘Ama’Ama offers more than just a great story the food here is so fresh and so good, and the whole restaurant being open air provides some unparalleled views.
Besides those two restaurants, there are numerous other quick service spots to grab something quick to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Although I have some favorite dishes from each my favorite for the storytelling is The ‘Ōlelo Room although really this is more of a lounge/bar you can get some appetizers which are big enough for a small dinner. ‘Ōlelo (pronounced oh-leh-low) is Hawaiian for “word,” or “to converse”—and this lounge truly celebrates the Hawaiian language. If you don’t come out of this place knowing at least a little Hawaiian maybe you drank a few too many of those amazing cocktails they serve there.
You will not go hungry at Aulani, although I won’t go into them all here there are many other quick service food options available.
Let’s talk about some of the activities, again I won’t go into details here because well let’s face it I am getting pretty long winded with this post already, but I will touch on some options. Obviously, there is the beach which is a beach right? WRONG Did you know that Aulani is the ONLY beach in Hawaii which allows alcohol to be served on the beach? There are a ton of things going on around the beach throughout the day with exclusive things for teens, kids, and families.
The vibrant heart of the Aulani resort is the Waikolohe Valley, an exciting and colorful oasis filled with thrilling experiences, creative designs and a magical invitation for guests: Come and play! At 7 acres in size, the Waikolohe Valley is the main recreation area for Aulani, and all kinds of activities take place there. “Waikolohe” means “waters of mischief” and the waters in the valley more than live up to their name. Here you will find the Pu’u Kilo, pu’u means “hill” and kilo means “observe” and when you really look closely at the Pu’u Kilo you may notice some things hidden into the giant hill located at the center of Waikolohe Valley take a look at the pictures and let us know in the comments or over on Facebook if you see any of the hidden things. There are two slides that go out of Pu’u Kilo the Tubestone Curl and the Volcanic Vertical. Menehune Bridge is another key part to the Waikolhe Valley, if you remember earlier we talked about the mischievous little Menehune, well they definitely are up to their tricks on this play structure as they can be spotted all over the bridge, dumping water from gourds, pipes and other water containers onto those below.
Besides Waikolohe Valley there are some great pools and other recreational areas for both families and adults only.
Recreation goes beyond pools and beaches at Aulani, and it all helps tell the story of Hawaii and Aulani. The Pau Hana or the community hall is one option. Pau Hana means “work is over” and this hall is filled with games and movie rentals, but my favorite thing that goes on here is almost every day a local Hawaiian artisan teaches some kind of traditional Hawaiian art such as making leis or kukui nut necklaces, or feather work. There are also classes on the hula and the ukulele.
Pau Hana means “work is over”.
Pau Hana
Pau Hana learning the Ukulele.
Auntie’s Beach House is a very popular option at Aulani. I’m not going into a lot of details, but it is a phenomenal children’s area and most of the activities are included at no charge.
The evening time brings more opportunity for storytelling through details. The KA WA’A is a new nighttime Luau at Aulani. KA WA’A is an additional cost and includes a pre-show, buffet dinner, and breathtaking show. During the pre-show, you can learn traditional crafts, such as flower arranging, kapa printing and much more. “Uncle” hosts another evening activity you will not want to miss. Mo’Olelo Fire Pit Storytelling every night, join Uncle as he shares traditional Hawaii legends and stories.
Laniwai Spa,”Laniwai” means “freshwater heaven” in Hawaiian. At 18,000 square feet indoors, and 5,000 square feet outdoors the Lanai Spa certainly lives up to its name. A full slate of spa and salon services and outside is the Kula Wai hydrotherapy garden, which includes two warm aromatherapy pools, hot and cold whirlpool spas, and six different warm outdoor rain showers – everything from a gentle mist to a pounding waterfall.
Hawaii offers some of the most amazing views, and Aulani doesn’t disappoint, so make sure you leave some free time in your schedule to relax and enjoy the views.
At Disney everywhere you look you can see details & a story, Aulani is no different. Next time you visit any of the Disney properties take a few moments to look for those details and those stories I promise you won’t be sorry you did. I could spend a whole lot more time going through even more of the amazing details and storytelling that takes place at Aulani, but some things you will just have to experience for yourself. We would love to hear how you put yourself into the stories at any Disney property, feel free to share on our Facebook or the comments below!
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