Pearl Harbor time crunch

ebenmax · Jan 20, 2018

Our family considers a stop at Pearl Harbor as essential to our trip, however we are limited to a few hours (3-4). Plus we have a 1 yr. old who would not withstand the 6-8 hrs. others have mentioned. That being said, aside from the Arizona Memorial, what else should we not miss? After the memorial we would have about 1 1/2 hrs. to 2 hrs. remaining.

Thanks for your help!

czmom · Jan 20, 2018

I'm curious as well! We want to just see the Arizona, but no audio tour. I had no idea it took awhile!!

Karlan29 · Jan 20, 2018

czmom said:
I'm curious as well! We want to just see the Arizona, but no audio tour. I had no idea it took awhile!!

I'm with you on how long this visit actually takes. I've posted the "1 day tour" and the "ammendment to 1 day tour" . There is a lot of input about Pearl harbor from others that are in the know, in those posts. At this point, we have 2pm tix and it looks like We will get there early and spend the entire day there. I thought we could just stop in -tour- and go...but with traffic and distance to anywhere else, it's all we can do. The web site says the Arizona tour alone is 75mins.

owensamo · Jan 20, 2018

Karlan29 said:
I'm with you on how long this visit actually takes. I've posted the "1 day tour" and the "ammendment to 1 day tour" . There is a lot of input about Pearl harbor from others that are in the know, in those posts. At this point, we have 2pm tix and it looks like We will get there early and spend the entire day there. I thought we could just stop in -tour- and go...but with traffic and distance to anywhere else, it's all we can do. The web site says the Arizona tour alone is 75mins.

The Arizona tour includes a pre-tour movie, a boat ride to the memorial, time at the memorial, and a boat ride back. You can stay on the memorial as long as you like, so it could be more than 75 mins. I'm pretty sure we started lining up for the movie about 15 minutes before the ticket time as well - which puts it at about 1.5 hours total. Add to that parking, walking to and from the parking lot (it's a pretty large lot), time at the entrance - without drive time to and from and doing nothing more than the tour would probably be a minimum of 2 hours. And that's without any time at the museum or the gift shop.

ebenmax said:
Our family considers a stop at Pearl Harbor as essential to our trip, however we are limited to a few hours (3-4). Plus we have a 1 yr. old who would not withstand the 6-8 hrs. others have mentioned. That being said, aside from the Arizona Memorial, what else should we not miss? After the memorial we would have about 1 1/2 hrs. to 2 hrs. remaining.!

Without spending more money for additional attractions, there's a museum and a gift shop, as well as some overlook areas and grounds and I think a food service area near the Bowfin. There's probably enough there to keep you occupied for that amount of time.

If you want to see more, the Bowfin (submarine) is in the same area as the Arizona, and is pretty cool. Everything else you'd need to take a bus over to Ford Island to see. We enjoyed the Missouri and the aircraft museums - but we had 9-69 year olds, and no infant/toddlers. Just be aware that all of the other attractions are an additional cost.

buffettgirl · Jan 20, 2018

It's free to park and walk into the park area of the Arizona. There is a museum, a lot of static displays showing the history from that day, and a remembrance area. You're looking at the Arizona memorial the whole time. It's extremely moving, without ever stepping foot on the Arizona itself. You should always skip actually going out to the Arizona Memorial itself and just pay your respects from the shore. You could get in and out in about 1 hour doing that. Or less. Also, I know everyone believes their 1 year olds are perfectly behaved, but I've been in the movie area with yelling kids and crying and it's an extremely horrible distraction. And then especially out on the memorial, it's meant to be a quiet and reflective place.

As for what else, it really depends on where you need to be afterwards .

Karlan29 · Jan 20, 2018

buffettgirl said:
It's free to park and walk into the park area of the Arizona. There is a museum, a lot of static displays showing the history from that day, and a remembrance area. You're looking at the Arizona memorial the whole time. It's extremely moving, without ever stepping foot on the Arizona itself. You should always skip actually going out to the Arizona Memorial itself and just pay your respects from the shore. You could get in and out in about 1 hour doing that. Or less. Also, I know everyone believes their 1 year olds are perfectly behaved, but I've been in the movie area with yelling kids and crying and it's an extremely horrible distraction. And then especially out on the memorial, it's meant to be a quiet and reflective place.

As for what else, it really depends on where you need to be afterwards .

If we stay longer..is there decent lunch available?

buffettgirl · Jan 21, 2018

on property, it's just sort of crappy stuff. In the general area you can find a lot to eat within a few mile drive.

Karlan29 · Jan 21, 2018

buffettgirl said:
on property, it's just sort of crappy stuff. In the general area you can find a lot to eat within a few mile drive.

Well that bites. Once we are there , we aren't leaving for lunch and then come back.

lorenni · Jan 22, 2018

buffettgirl said:
It's free to park and walk into the park area of the Arizona. There is a museum, a lot of static displays showing the history from that day, and a remembrance area. You're looking at the Arizona memorial the whole time. It's extremely moving, without ever stepping foot on the Arizona itself. You should always skip actually going out to the Arizona Memorial itself and just pay your respects from the shore. You could get in and out in about 1 hour doing that. Or less. Also, I know everyone believes their 1 year olds are perfectly behaved, but I've been in the movie area with yelling kids and crying and it's an extremely horrible distraction. And then especially out on the memorial, it's meant to be a quiet and reflective place.

As for what else, it really depends on where you need to be afterwards .

DH is going solo to Pearl Harbor because I don’t think there is any good reason to bring DS(6) and I certainly would not expect him to use his whisper voice for 10 minutes, 20 minutes etc. From what I have read, folks expect near silence on the memorial and I can’t deliver that.

If OP can keep a one year old silent for long stretches of time, then great and enjoy. If not, then I second the suggestion above that maybe someone stays landside with the baby and saves that part of the trip for another year.

nkereina · Jan 22, 2018

We did a tour that got us there around 7:15am. Our tour time was 9:30am and we had to line up 15 minutes prior. We stored our bags at bag check and then checked out the free museum/memorial areas, gift shop, bought a drink and a snack, etc. By then it was 9:15 and we were lining up. We finished up at the memorial and were back at the main gate by 11am. So the timing worked out perfectly for us.

newdeal · Jan 22, 2018

With a 1 year old I would do the missouri and skip the rest. Especially don't do the bowfin its super cramped in there to carry a kid with you

ebenmax · Jan 22, 2018

It sounds like the Arizona, museum and gift shop is about all we will have time to do. Now I’m concerned about the baby though. There’s no way to guarantee how a 1 yr old will act. Is it possible to do a “baby swap” like at Disney? Could we all get a timed ticket and then my daughter stay back with the baby while her husband tours the Arizona and then she goes when he returns? Or would we need separate timed tickets to do that? And how far apart are the timed tickets?
Just a thought...

Thanks for the advice on the submarine and close quarters! We were considering that tour!

kiford · Jan 22, 2018

Karlan29 said:
Well that bites. Once we are there , we aren't leaving for lunch and then come back.

It all depends on what you consider to be acceptable food. I'm fairly picky about my food quality; we went to the CS restaurant at the air museum (there's a bus that takes you there from the main area - you don't need tickets to get on the bus or go into the restaurant). I thought it was pretty good. I had grilled cheese and fries. Not fancy but nicely done and I'm particular about my grilled cheese.

lorenni said:
From what I have read, folks expect near silence on the memorial and I can’t deliver that.

It's more like speaking in low voices or whispers. It certainly wasn't silent when we were there but people were respectful and not loud. The movie had such powerful imagery and narration that it was very quiet; most people were extremely moved by it. How a one-year old will act it's impossible to say but I wouldn't say it was near silence at all at the Arizona. And there was a guide who came by at one point to talk about the diesel fuel that continues to exude from the wreck as well as some other information about what you were looking at.

buffettgirl · Jan 22, 2018

lorenni said:
DH is going solo to Pearl Harbor because I don’t think there is any good reason to bring DS(6) and I certainly would not expect him to use his whisper voice for 10 minutes, 20 minutes etc. From what I have read, folks expect near silence on the memorial and I can’t deliver that.

If OP can keep a one year old silent for long stretches of time, then great and enjoy. If not, then I second the suggestion above that maybe someone stays landside with the baby and saves that part of the trip for another year.

I don't think anyone would have a problem with a 6 year old talking on the Arizona, especially if he was asking questions about it. It's not entirely silent on the memorial itself. The park rangers often hold little gatherings, in normal voices. A child asking questions related to the site is sooooo ok. A child yelling about something else, wouldn't be.
It's the movie that you see before boarding the launch to the memorial that really needs quiet. It's showing actual footage from Dec 7, with some very graphic photos. I can't get through it without crying, and I'm not a crier. I look around and usually half the place is crying. It's so powerful.

And for that, you might want to decide if your 6 year old can handle the images.

NancyDVC · Jan 22, 2018

You can spend as much time as you want at the World War 2 Valor in the Pacific National Monument. You can tour the USS Arizona Memorial which is preceded by a movie. The entire movie, boat trip, visit and return is about an hour. The interesting parts are the museums and exhibits which tell the story from before the attack through the result and how the attack was not just in the harbor but all over the island. The various exhibits and the maps etc. along the waterfront really bring the day to life. You can also tour the USS Bowfin (submarine) and the USS Missouri (where the surrender was signed). Often there are Pearl Harbor survivors just outside the gift shop meeting and talking to visitors. We met 2 gentlemen at there when we visited. I especially like how they responded to the children who asked questions.
You do not have to do the audio tour but for older children/teens and adults I feel that you get much more out of the visit. The younger ones won't be as interested. There is a fee to visit the USS Bowfin and the USS Missouri as well as the Pacific Aviation Museum. The USS Missouri and the aviation museum are both on Ford Island which is still part of Joint Base Peal Harbor so you are bused over there.
As for taking a commercial tour I feel that they are overpriced and from what I saw it was go here, go there and leave. Not a very enjoyable experience.
Yes you can talk on the USS Arizona Memorial and the rangers and volunteers welcome questions and discussion. As for a 6 year old there are age appropriate books that tell the story and may help prepare the 6 year old for the visit. Also going to www.nps.gov and reading the information on the World War 2 Valor in the Pacific National Monument pages are also of help.

Pearl Harbor time crunch

ebenmax

DIS Veteran

czmom

DIS Veteran

Karlan29

Earning My Ears

owensamo

DIS Veteran

buffettgirl

The whole tag thing, so 1990's internet.

Karlan29

Earning My Ears

buffettgirl

The whole tag thing, so 1990's internet.

Karlan29

Earning My Ears

lorenni

DIS Veteran

nkereina

Last chance to lose your keys.

newdeal

DIS Veteran

ebenmax

DIS Veteran

kiford

DIS Veteran

buffettgirl

The whole tag thing, so 1990's internet.

NancyDVC

DIS Veteran

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