My Dream to Travel to Disney’s Aulani in Hawaii

At the end of February, I traveled to Hawaii with my sister and my mom. I was so excited to go to Hawaii because I had not been since I was really young. This trip came about because I have been wanting to go specifically to Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa while I was still somewhat walking, so I started a GoFundMe to help me get there! Many generous people supported this goal and I’m so very, very grateful for their help in fulfilling my dream. This fund, along with my sister and my mom made this trip possible.

For the first 3 days in Hawaii, we stayed at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel as we wanted to get a taste of Waikiki. When we drove up to the front entrance we were surrounded by beautiful gardens and saw the signature pink hotel. We were greeted by the friendly staff who welcomed us with an Aloha and pretty orchid leis. Suddenly I felt like I was truly in Hawaii. We explored the hotel and noted all of the pink details everywhere. The grounds and hotel are truly stunning. Our room was awesome with a view of the pool and the ocean. We really lucked out. We were able to watch the sun go down from our balcony. We celebrated the end of our first day with fun cocktails and sharing a delicious dinner at Mai Tai Bar at the hotel. The next day was a beach day, and we had reserved two lounge chairs and an umbrella so we could tan and relax near the ocean. Because I have to walk with a walker and it does not work in sand, my sister piggybacked me to the chairs (thanks Shannon) because it’s hard for me to walk on sand even with help. At 1:00 we went on an outrigger canoe ride, which was one of things I wanted to do most. My mom and my sister paddled along with the outrigger team. The canoe was so much fun as we got to ride a couple of waves. We had a picnic on the beach for lunch, read books, chatted and enjoyed the amazing day and views. On that night at sunset, we went on a catamaran cruise where they served mai tais and beers. The mai tai was so tasty, and the catamaran was a special and exciting experience. It was fun looking at the sunset on the ocean and we had a blast. Music was playing and some people danced while we moved along the water.  

That Friday we went to Kualoa Ranch, where they filmed Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. We took the Movie Site Tour first, where we got to see where all the movies and TV shows were filmed. We went to the bunker where they filmed Pearl Harbor. It was really cool to see that, and they also had a bunch of other movie and TV show sites that were really interesting! At the end of the bunker, we saw the actual Jeep from the Jurassic World movies! Our tour guide took us in our bus to see Jurassic Valley where they filmed Jurassic World. It is so beautiful and the mountains are awesome. We then saw where they filmed Jurassic Park (I love the Jurassic movies clearly). Did you know that Nicky Minaj filmed her video for Starships in the Jurassic Valley?! 

Next, we went on a Jungle Jeep tour, and it was really, really bumpy but still so much fun. We saw different sites and movie sets and lots of pretty views including the Chinaman’s Hat Island. We saw where they cultivate oysters which was very cool. My mom and my sister got to hike up a small path to see the other side of the valley. It was a great drive to and from Kualoa Ranch along the coast. That night we went to Duke’s Restaurant in Waikiki at sunset looking over the water. We had a perfect table and ordered tropical cocktails to toast an incredible day. First, we all split the unlimited salad bar which truly had everything you could want in a salad. Next, we shared the sautéed macadamia nut and herb-crusted fish and kushiyaki kabob. They were so delicious to eat, but my favorite was the fish because it was nice and buttery, which contrasted nicely with the macadamia nut crust. After we ate our yummy entrees, we couldn’t resist some dessert- the Twisted Hula Pie with coffee ice cream and Oreo crust. The pie was so big that we couldn’t finish it, but it was heavenly to eat. 

On Saturday we spent the morning on the beach to enjoy our last hours in Waikiki. We did a little shopping to remember this amazing hotel and experience. We checked in to Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa in the afternoon. We were welcomed in true Disney fashion with gorgeous leis and hospitality. As we entered the lobby we did not know where to look first. It is gorgeous. The lobby has a lot of Hawaiian culture with a bit of that Disney magic. Music was playing and we knew we were in a very special place. We were lucky that our room had a great view of the luau. After we got settled in, we went to explore the resort. We went down to the beach area, got a look at the 3 swimming pools and the Lazy River. We did not want to leave this great place so we got yummy dinner at Ulu Cafe on the resort grounds and enjoyed our beautiful evening.

The next morning we got up and got some coffee in our refillable Aulani mugs from Ulu Cafe, along with a blueberry scone for the three of us to eat in our room while we got ready to go down to the beach. When we got down to the beach we checked out a beach wheelchair so my sister didn’t have to piggyback me down the beach. It was helpful but it took both my mom and my sister to push me in the sand! We secured a perfect spot near the gorgeous lagoon. People were playing in the water and swimming, using paddle boards and floats. Since it is a lagoon, the water is calm and easy. It was nice and refreshing to be standing in the ocean. But when my sister pushed me back to the chairs in the beach wheelchair it was so hard that she decided that a piggyback would be my transportation in the future on the beach. That afternoon we went to the Pau Hana Activity Room to make our own Mickey ears. Shannon got black ears with pink and red flowers. My mom did the same color ears as Shannon but with all white flowers. For me, I chose rose gold ears with pink and white flowers. It was a super fun activity and they all looked great! That night we went back to the Ulu Cafe and ordered the pizza of the day to eat in the room. We could open our balcony door and hear the beautiful luau music!

Monday we went drove up to the North Shore. First, we stopped at Leonard’s food truck that serves different types of hot malasadas, which are like donuts. My favorite was the coconut creme-filled one. It was incredible and shouldn’t be missed! Later we drove to the Green World Coffee Farm and tried different kinds of coffee which was really fun. My and Shannon’s favorite one was hazelnut flavor so we bought some to take home and remind us of our trip! After coffee, we went to the Dole Plantation, where pineapples are grown and Dole Whips are made. We explored the plantation before we went to share a Dole Whip, which was topped with pineapple. Did you know Dole Whips are dairy free!? It was so refreshing. We then drove to have lunch at Giovanni’s shrimp truck in Haleiwa which is a quaint town with lots of food trucks and shops. The shrimp platter was worth the wait in line and we also shared amazing tacos from another truck, too. After we ate our delicious lunch, we went to various shops and found some souvenirs. It was a bit of a rainy day and it would pour for a few minutes, then drizzle, then stop but it was always warm Hawaiian rain. Lastly, we went to see the beach where there were many surfers and the ocean and coastline were so beautiful. When we got back to Aulani, we went to happy hour at The Olelo Room bar, where we drank wine, played cards, and listened to incredible live music. The Olelo Room ended up being our favorite spot to spend our evenings as they had different music every night that always had a tropical feel.

The next day was another resort day and we relaxed at the amazing main pool. We went into the pool several times to cool off - they had great access for me which always makes me appreciate the accessibility from Disney resorts. We ventured on the lazy river, which was calming, relaxing and so much fun! Floating down the river on our tubes ended up being a favorite activity at the resort. You float and there are unexpected places where you are sprayed with water or under a water fall. So great! We decided to go across the street in Ko Olina to go to Monkeypod for happy hour. We shared Kauai Shrimp & Hamakua Mushroom Potstickers and Wood Roasted Free Chicken Wings. Both Shannon and my mom got  Monkeypod Mai Tais that they said were incredible with foam on top and I got a delicious Strawberry Smoothie.

On Wednesday we had made reservations for spa treatments at the Laniwai Spa within Aulani. Shannon and I got a “sisters massage” because I need help getting on the massage bed and flipping over halfway through. When we first walked into the spa that morning, we got to pick a stone with a word on it from an indoor pool. We were meant to think about the word during treatment and then throw it back into their little pond. My word was “Dream”; perfect for me since this was my dream trip! After the stones, we got a tour of the Kula Wai: their Outdoor Hydrotherapy Garden, where there are multiple rain showers that all feel different including a waterfall.  They also have three pools with different types of water- an ice bath, a hot tub, and one with room temperature water. Then they showed us different types of quiet rooms with healthy snacks and a bunch of waters flavored with fresh fruits. When we went to the room for our treatment, it was so relaxing and peaceful. I chose a LomiLomi massage. Massages are incredible therapy for my muscles but this one was amazing. I got to choose a scented lotion and I picked coconut since it is so tropical. After the treatments were done we wrapped ourselves in the Spa’s cozy robes to enjoy the Hydrotherapy Garden and rehydrate with cool waters. I will always remember those moments with my sister and mom as it was truly special. I can’t recommend the Laniwai Spa highly enough!

That evening we had tickets to the Aulani Luau, KA WA'A. Wow. We were greeted with a shell lei and lots of activities. We got temporary arm tattoos with authentic designs, made orchid wristlets and enjoyed a tropical drink. We got there early so we could get great seats, and ours were awesome. There was an all-you-can-eat buffet with fish, chicken, beef and pork; salads, vegetables, breads and of course many desserts to choose from. Much of the foods reflected the Hawaiian culture such as roasted pork and poi. It was delicious. Then the show began with music from the fabulous band. Moana made an appearance and sang some songs. Any children in the audience were welcomed near the stage to get a closer view of a favorite Disney character. After that, the show continued with all different types of Hawaiian dances and songs with music, fire, and drums. The costumes were beautiful and it is a favorite experience on my trip. What a night!

My mom and my sister went to the gym most days to get in a workout. I also did some exercises there and rode the stationary bike. My mom and my sister took a fitness class on the beach one morning which they said was challenging in the sand. It was a great workout and they wished they’d tried some of the others earlier in the week. Our last days were all about just enjoying the resort and going in the water. This included going on the water slides. It was very tough to go up the stairs to the top, but I was determined to not let my disability prevent me from enjoying this fun activity! It was so worth the effort. I went on a tube with my sister and it was a total blast. My mom and my sister went down the one with no tubes, also, and said it was a little scary as it was completely dark but super fun! One day my mom and my sister rented paddle boards and loved paddling around the lagoon. That was a windy day so they really got a workout! We also wanted to try some new things to eat. We got some Mickey-shaped food such as a shaved ice which was so refreshing. I also wanted to experience the traditional Spam Musubi (with sushi rice and seaweed) which at Aulani is, of course, shaped like Mickey - so fun and really yummy. I also had to try the tasty coconut shrimp that we shared by the pool. Of course, we shared another Dole whip; this one with some Disney flair. On Friday we walked over to the Four Seasons that was next door to Aulani to eat at the Mina’s Fish House happy hour for dinner. It was a beautiful spot to enjoy one of our last evenings. Shannon and my mom got the red wine Sangria that they said was one of the best they’d ever had. I’m not a fan of red wine so I got the white wine Sangria which was really delicious! The three of us split the fish sandwich and the burger. Incredible. Our table had a great view of the ocean to enjoy while we sipped our wine and it was such a fun time. 

It was an amazing trip and everything I dreamed of. I am happy I could go while I am still walking a little bit, and loved spending time with Shannon and my mom. I bought a wooden sign that says Ohana, to always remind me of this special vacation. This trip was a great start to 2020 and maybe I will get to go back someday.