PARADISE LOST AND FOUND – Our family’s first trip to Aulani & Hawaii - updated 9/2/16

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

I'll be posting a real update later today (had some trouble with Photobucket), but wanted to say a bit about packing ideas. Here are some things we found helpful to bring along (or in a few instances, things we wish we had brought along!):

swim goggles
snorkel sets
waterproof case (for room key, credit cards, cash when at ocean or pool)
laptop or portable dvd player for airplane, movies on dvd
headphones for plane
auxiliary cable (to connect smartphone or iPad to car stereo)
2 swimsuits for everyone (so one can have time to dry when you wear the other)
swim-shirts
sunglasses
comfortable shoes for walking/hiking
flip flops &/or sandals
insulated bag and ice packs for bringing drinks for outings
large bag for outings to beaches
a few towels for the beach
fun stuff for kids on the plane
portable cell phone/ipad charger (I got a Jackery one and love it) – impt. especially for days when we were driving and using mapping apps
GyPSy Oahu driving app (not really a physical item you pack, but will share more on this item later)
travel book(s) with good maps
travel size packs of laundry detergent
quarters for laundry if staying in a room without a washer/dryer
cameras, including one for the kids
video camera
waterproof camera & floating wrist-strap (we picked up a Canon Powershot D20 for the trip and loved it)
waterproof camera bag for regular camera or one with a rain cover (it rained more than we expected, so this was important)
tripod &/or gorillapod
extra camera batteries, memory cards
extra cash (incl. enough for tips and places that only take cash)
sunscreen
bug repellant wipes
travel packs of hand-wipes
small container of aloe vera gel (in case of sunburns)

 

[alohamom]

Love your screen name, by the way. If you have not been to Aulani, you must go immediately. With a Mickey Hat with "Aloha Mom" stitched on it.

LOL! We are on our way in early August but we have been to the islands quite a bit including getting married on the Big Island many moons ago. I just LOVE your suggestion for the hat, think I will do just that!

 

[kelly3kids]

I'll be posting a real update later today (had some trouble with Photobucket), but wanted to say a bit about packing ideas. Here are some things we found helpful to bring along (or in a few instances, things we wish we had brought along!):

swim goggles
snorkel sets
waterproof case (for room key, credit cards, cash when at ocean or pool)
laptop or portable dvd player for airplane, movies on dvd
headphones for plane
auxiliary cable (to connect smartphone or iPad to car stereo)
2 swimsuits for everyone (so one can have time to dry when you wear the other)
swim-shirts
sunglasses
comfortable shoes for walking/hiking
flip flops &/or sandals
insulated bag and ice packs for bringing drinks for outings
large bag for outings to beaches
a few towels for the beach
fun stuff for kids on the plane
portable cell phone/ipad charger (I got a Jackery one and love it) – impt. especially for days when we were driving and using mapping apps
GyPSy Oahu driving app (not really a physical item you pack, but will share more on this item later)
travel book(s) with good maps
travel size packs of laundry detergent
quarters for laundry if staying in a room without a washer/dryer
cameras, including one for the kids
video camera
waterproof camera & floating wrist-strap (we picked up a Canon Powershot D20 for the trip and loved it)
waterproof camera bag for regular camera or one with a rain cover (it rained more than we expected, so this was important)
tripod &/or gorillapod
extra camera batteries, memory cards
extra cash (incl. enough for tips and places that only take cash)
sunscreen
bug repellant wipes
travel packs of hand-wipes
small container of aloe vera gel (in case of sunburns)

This is a great list. Thank you. I have a couple questions. I hope you don't mind. Did you use your snorkel gear at Aulani? I know they have gear to rent, but is the rainbow reef worth the money? Were the bug repellant wipes needed at Aulani? I didn't even think of that but if it is needed, I am getting some for the night movies and activities.

Does Aulani allow you to take towels to the beach or check them out for the beach? I know you stayed other places too so I just want to check on this for Aulani.

Also, this is probably a dumb question that I should know the answer to but how much is a good tip for bellman?

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

On the morning of our departure for Hawaii, my father-in-law picked us up at 6:30 to take us to the airport for a 9am flight. We were dropped off at the curb, said goodbye, and headed on in with our many bags (5 to check and everyone had their carry-ons). When we got to the Delta check-in area, I started to work at the computer terminal entering our information and printing our boarding passes. Then, my normally unflappable husband exclaims in a panic, "I don't have my wallet!" We searched everywhere and confirmed it was gone. I calmly declare that we'll be okay, because I have mine and we can just use my credit card if we cannot find it. "No. You don't understand. They will not let me on the flight without my ID." Ohhhhhh.... no....

More searching yields nothing, again. Jeff figures he left it in the car and his dad drove off with it, so calls his dad's cell phone. No answer. We’re starting to lose hope, but eventually I remember an announcement on the loudspeaker that we heard when coming into the airport, that someone with the same name as my husband should come to a particular security checkpoint to pick up a package. We have an incredibly common last name, so I remember laughing and observing the coincidence, certain it had nothing to do with us. But it was no coincidence at all! Jeff raced on over and returned triumphantly, wallet in hand. In hindsight, Jeff recalled he had set the wallet on top of some luggage he was wheeling in, so it must have fallen off right as he was entering the airport. His dad later said that a man approached him after he dropped us off to ask if he owned the wallet. He said no, but that it might belong to us, so the man then ran it inside. We were so thankful!

What a relief that everything worked out! Our flight to Salt Lake City went smoothly, where we were to connect with another plane to continue on to Honolulu. Unfortunately, there was a mechanical problem with that plane that required a new part that had to be flown in. We were delayed in the airport three hours, but the airline provided pizzas, drinks, pretzels, and cookies, which helped to blunt the frustration about waiting and also was a welcome distraction for the kids. The next flight went well also, with the added perk of individual video screens for each of us (I was careful to select a flight with a 767 for the long leg of our trip, because it was a larger plane with two aisles and had the personal screens). I watched Saving Mr. Banks (again). The boys had good choices, including Frozen and The LEGO Movie. When we fly, we always pack some surprises for the boys that I hand out periodically. Some things we brought this time: LEGO minifigure packs, Disney character PEZ dispensers, "you choose: history" books about World War II & Pearl Harbor, Mad Libs books, and little Hawaiian Luau LEGO set for each boy, complete with a few vacationing minifigures, surfboards, grass skirt, aloha shirt, palm tree, etc.





Loved the breezy airport in Honolulu. We originally were to arrive in the early afternoon, but with the delay we rode the shuttle to Alamo car rental in the dark. Funny story about the car. When we gave our name at the counter the man helping us said that our reservation had been canceled. Strange, but they had a minivan for us so would honor the price quoted and we would be good to go. It took a few moments, but as I was signing the rental agreement I remembered I had canceled the rental because I had found a cheaper price at another place, Enterprise. Whoops! I was periodically checking rates on discounthawaiicarrental.com in the months leading up to our trip & found a better one, but neglected to print the new confirmation. Oh, well. We were in Hawaii and so happy to be there.

We drove to Waikiki, where we would be staying for the first four nights. A mapping app on my iPhone led the way and would be invaluable for the duration of the trip.

We stayed in a junior suite in the Tapa Tower of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort. We had booked a mountain view room and requested an upper floor. We got a bit of pixie dust - a corner room near the top floor with a partial ocean view including a nice view of Diamond Head, our destination for the next morning.





We were tired, so ordered pizza and ate in the room. We had been up almost 24 hours, so sleep was our second priority. Our next day would be pretty jam-packed, because we had one full day with Jeff before the conference and wanted to make the most of it.

 

[disneypoor]

Loving the tips!!! Was the mapping guide you used on your phone the Gypsy guide? We used it in Maui for the Road to Hana, and it was great! Which app did you get? I looked for it for Oahu, but there seems to be a few different ones. Thanks so much!

Susan

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

This is a great list. Thank you. I have a couple questions. I hope you don't mind. Did you use your snorkel gear at Aulani? I know they have gear to rent, but is the rainbow reef worth the money? Were the bug repellant wipes needed at Aulani? I didn't even think of that but if it is needed, I am getting some for the night movies and activities.

Does Aulani allow you to take towels to the beach or check them out for the beach? I know you stayed other places too so I just want to check on this for Aulani.

Also, this is probably a dumb question that I should know the answer to but how much is a good tip for bellman?

Happy to answer questions! We did not use our snorkel gear at Aulani. We did snorkel in Rainbow Reef, where you use equipment Aulani provides. We enjoyed it and did not find is as cold as expected (perhaps only because I was warned about the chilly water in advance by a friend who went to Aulani previously). We used our own snorkel gear at Hanauma Bay (plus rented there, because not all of us have our own) and loved snorkeling there. After that, when we did Rainbow Reef it felt a little more like a big fishbowl, but still amazing. The fish were beautiful and we felt it was worth the money.

Bug repellant wipes were used outside of Aulani, for example at Waimea Falls on the North Shore. Very important there! You should not need them at Aulani, in my opinion.

We only needed our own towels when we drove to beaches off property. Thanks for helping me clarify! At Aulani, you can use their towels anywhere.

I am not an expert (and it is not a bad question to ask; I am always looking those kind of things up online ), but believe $1-2 per bag is recommended for tipping bellmen.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Loving the tips!!! Was the mapping guide you used on your phone the Gypsy guide? We used it in Maui for the Road to Hana, and it was great! Which app did you get? I looked for it for Oahu, but there seems to be a few different ones. Thanks so much!

Susan

We did use the GyPSy guide on the trip (not at this point in the TR yet; often we just used a couple basic mapping apps; we used Google Maps to get to the hotel, I think).

We loved the GyPSy guide and used it as much as we could. I heard the Maui one is very good! That Road to Hana sounds amazing... For Oahu, we bought the Full Island Tour, which was only $6.99, which includes all the tours for the island. The only thing I did not like was that it is a one-way tour, so I had to make sure we were going the right direction in order to use it. I expect the Maui one is similar. I loved the detailed narration that it provided though. Very interesting. That is why we bought the auxiliary cable, so that everyone in the family could hear the tour. It made the driving much more fun.

 

[disneypoor]

We did use the GyPSy guide on the trip (not at this point in the TR yet; often we just used a couple basic mapping apps; we used Google Maps to get to the hotel, I think). We loved the GyPSy guide and used it as much as we could. I heard the Maui one is very good! That Road to Hana sounds amazing... For Oahu, we bought the Full Island Tour, which was only $6.99, which includes all the tours for the island. The only thing I did not like was that it is a one-way tour, so I had to make sure we were going the right direction in order to use it. I expect the Maui one is similar. I loved the detailed narration that it provided though. Very interesting. That is why we bought the auxiliary cable, so that everyone in the family could hear the tour. It made the driving much more fun.

Thank you for all of the info!!! The Gypsy worked great for Maui, but it was actually something that plugged in to our car and went through the radio. I've never had it on my phone, but it sure worked great in Maui! We are getting pretty excited--six weeks to go!

Susan

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Then, my normally unflappable husband exclaims in a panic, "I don't have my wallet!" We searched everywhere and confirmed it was gone. I calmly declare that we'll be okay, because I have mine and we can just use my credit card if we cannot find it. "No. You don't understand. They will not let me on the flight without my ID."

Well, I guess you could promise to send him a postcard.

He said no, but that it might belong to us, so the man then ran it inside. We were so thankful!

I can only imagine the relief!

Funny story about the car. When we gave our name at the counter the man helping us said that our reservation had been canceled. Strange, but they had a minivan for us so would honor the price quoted and we would be good to go. It took a few moments, but as I was signing the rental agreement I remembered I had canceled the rental because I had found a cheaper price at another place, Enterprise. Whoops!

I hope you didn't get charged by Enterprise!

We got a bit of pixie dust - a corner room near the top floor with a partial ocean view including a nice view of Diamond Head, our destination for the next morning.

Awesome!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

As I was researching for this trip, I found a TON of amazing things I wanted our family to try to do. We are not really beach people per se, but are more the type of people who run around a lot and wear ourselves out on vacations. Having fun, being together, and all that, but not really leisurely in how we approach things… Anyway, I ran my ideas for Hawaii by Jeff, my mom, and the kids and prepared an itinerary and printed out copies for all the adults. It was a work of art, so lovely. Well, in reality, we needed to skip many of my “must-do’s,” for a variety of reasons, like underestimating the amount of time it would take to drive from one place to another (yes, it’s an island, but it still felt pretty large, plus there is traffic, construction, and the usual challenges of driving around in an unfamiliar place). Sometimes the weather got in the way of our plans, or a tour ran really long, or other things happened that could not be anticipated.

We got a later start than I had planned Wednesday morning, in part due to our late arrival the day prior. My itinerary had indicated that we would be at Diamond Head by about 6 for Rope Drop, but regrettably we ran about an hour and a half late. I had planned on everyone being up at about 5am, because of all I’d heard about the advantages of jet lag. Not so for us that morning. When we did make it into the minivan and onto the road, we dropped off my mom, Jan, at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee shop near Diamond Head and then a few minutes later were on our feet and beginning our hike.









The hike was great! The boys loved being “explorers” in a new place. The view at the top was gorgeous. Our twins are not in the photo, because they said it was too windy for pictures. Kevin wrote in his travel journal that “when the wind came, it was like a witch with a bad temper.” When we finished our hike, we treated ourselves to our first round of shave ice. Delicious! Sadly, Benji spilled most of his on this clothes, so - after picking up my mom - we had to drive back to the hotel to change before continuing on our drive up the windward coast.

The drive was amazing. We pulled over several times, including at the Lanai Lookout. Here we were amply warned not to go past the stone barrier and onto the rocks, but we ventured out after seeing others go ahead. Not the best example for the boys, maybe, but the ocean was calm and one of the safety concerns is waves breaking too far up shore. Sam, Kevin, and Benji loved running around there. I wish I had taken a wider view photo of the place, because it was stunning.





We were hungry, so decided to get a bite to eat. We went to Teddy's Bigger Burgers for lunch and to Agnes' Portuguese Bake Shop for malasadas for dessert. Lunch was so-so, but quick and that was important because we had to be at Kualoa Ranch in time for an afternoon tour. The malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) were fresh, hot, and very tasty. Just what we needed to carry us through the rest of our drive. We did not make as many stops as we had planned, but still enjoyed the view as we drove along. It was breathtaking, with the Ko'olau mountain range to our left and the ocean to our right.



We took a hummer tour through KOS Tours at the ranch. It was a beautiful place, but the ride was way too bumpy for my husband. The boys thought the rough ride was even better than the scenery. On several occasions I would say/think something like, "Are you going to go there?" or "You can't do that, can you?" and of course the driver could and did. And the boys would scream with glee. They loved the bumpiness. I had no idea Jeff was feeling as bad as he was, or I would have asked our guide to take it a bit easier.







We did not take as many pictures as intended during our tour, because it was rainy much of the time. It is a huge ranch with so much to see. I am very glad we made the visit.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Great update! Best laid plans. You can plan but still have to be prepared to go with the flow. I love hearing your son's thoughts fro his journal!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Well, I guess you could promise to send him a postcard.

I suppose - if I wanted to sleep with one eye open for the rest of my life - that would have been one solution to the problem!

I hope you didn't get charged by Enterprise!

We were not charged, thankfully. Love that about discounthawaiicarrental.com. No deposit or cancellation fee.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Great update! Best laid plans. You can plan but still have to be prepared to go with the flow. I love hearing your son's thoughts fro his journal!

Thanks! I find when I am planning our Disney trip for later in the fall, I am much more cautious not to overschedule. Admittedly, it is easier when I know we will be going back. Going into this trip, we approached Hawaii as once-in-a-lifetime, which had the unfortunate consequence of me trying to "do it all." Not possible. My husband is very relaxed and doesn't have that problem, which is good. Now, back in Minnesota (opposite of Hawaii), if I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat because we never did take that outrigger canoe ride in Waikiki or the macadamia nut farm tour, his sanity is a good counterbalance.

 

[disneypoor]

Your family sounds just like mine! Although I could just lay on the beach or sit by the pool for hours people watching, the rest of my family has to constantly be on the go. They wear me out on vacation! Lol! I already know that We likely won't spend the time that we should at Aulani cause they will want to see and do everything they possibly can while we are there. I'm just glad there are other families like mine. Thanks for the great update!

Susan

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Somehow I missed this update. Sorry about that.

As I was researching for this trip, I found a TON of amazing things I wanted our family to try to do. We are not really beach people per se, but are more the type of people who run around a lot and wear ourselves out on vacations.

No wonder we get along!

My itinerary had indicated that we would be at Diamond Head by about 6 for Rope Drop, but regrettably we ran about an hour and a half late.

This sounds familiar too.

The hike was great! The boys loved being “explorers” in a new place. The view at the top was gorgeous.

Such a great hike! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Our twins are not in the photo, because they said it was too windy for pictures. Kevin wrote in his travel journal that “when the wind came, it was like a witch with a bad temper.”

I wish I had taken a wider view photo of the place, because it was stunning.

So many gorgeous views around the island, it's hard to keep track of them all.

We were hungry, so decided to get a bite to eat. We went to Teddy's Bigger Burgers for lunch and to Agnes' Portuguese Bake Shop for malasadas for dessert.

Mmmmm...malasadas...

The boys thought the rough ride was even better than the scenery. On several occasions I would say/think something like, "Are you going to go there?" or "You can't do that, can you?" and of course the driver could and did. And the boys would scream with glee. They loved the bumpiness.

Sorry your husband didn't enjoy it, but it sounds awesome! With the Jurassic Park signs, you could have pretended it was the Dinosaur ride at WDW.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Your family sounds just like mine! Although I could just lay on the beach or sit by the pool for hours people watching, the rest of my family has to constantly be on the go. They wear me out on vacation! Lol! I already know that We likely won't spend the time that we should at Aulani cause they will want to see and do everything they possibly can while we are there. I'm just glad there are other families like mine. Thanks for the great update!

Susan

You never know... Aulani is so beautiful, with so much to do, your family might just slow down and surprise you! A vacation to Hawaii should probably be a balance of both - even though we admittedly tilt toward the busier side of things. Our son Kevin dreamily told me before the trip how he was so excited because this vacation would be all about relaxing. I had to straighten that misconception out a bit, of course.

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Somehow I missed this update. Sorry about that.

No problem! If that Father's Day picture is any indication, I am sure you are very busy these days with more important things.

I have been slow to post updates, but am getting back to it now. I have a new appreciation for all the work that you and others put into trip reports here on the DIS. I had no idea how to do it, so am learning as I go...

Mmmmm...malasadas...

They were excellent! We tried them at Leonard's, too, twice. Leonard's wins for me. I know your family liked them, too! I have a friend who went to Aulani before us and one of the first things she did was show me a picture of Leonard's red and white striped malasada truck and said, "You must find this!"

Sorry your husband didn't enjoy it, but it sounds awesome! With the Jurassic Park signs, you could have pretended it was the Dinosaur ride at WDW.

We rode that ride kind of by accident way back when it first opened. Wow, that is a scary one. No thanks on the pretending. My husband would not be helped by that!

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

During my research on Oahu, I heard consistently strong reviews of Oahu Photography Tours, so I decided to take some time out on my own for the Sunrise Tour they offer. I arranged for my mom to take care of the boys on Thursday morning, when Jeff would be busy with the conference. Jeff was not interested in doing the tour, and we wanted to do lots of other things as a family, so this seemed like a wise use of time. The boys were eager to have special time with Grandma, who is very sweet to them and allows them a few extra privileges that we might not.

Background on my mom: She and my dad are responsible for my family loving Disney World. Growing up, our family alternated between took two kinds of vacations: up north to a resort with pools, beach, paddle-boats, etc., or going to Disney World. This started when I was 7. We would stay at the same place every time, the Royal Plaza Hotel in the DT Disney area. Here we are at Cinderella's Royal Table (different name back then, though) back when one didn't need to make reservations 6 months ahead or put a second mortgage on the house to eat there. I'm on the right in the blue jacket.



We even went back as a big group for my 30th birthday. I won't say when that was, but we did not have any of the boys yet. This is a picture of my mom, my sisters, and me. Incidentally, even though my parents had divorced over ten years prior, they both made the trip and everyone had an awesome time.



My mom joined Jeff and I for our first trip to Disney World with our sons. The next picture was taken during that trip. Apparently she is not discriminating in the company she keeps (good thing for us!).



So... Thursday morning I got up early to get ready for the tour which would be picking me up at the hotel at 5:00. The tour was amazing. We went to a variety of places and stopped to take photos at each one, with our tour guides, Alex and Chris, giving tips and providing guidance as needed. I love taking pictures, but recently got my first DSLR, so having this kind of help was well worth the cost of the tour. It was also an opportunity to meet some cool people. There was a couple from Ireland, a woman from Australia, a woman from Orlando (excellent gateway to discuss WDW, with one person on the tour planning a Food & Wine Festival trip ), and lastly, a sweet mother and son from Texas. Such friendly people. Great conversation and lots of laughter between stops.

We started out with shots of the sunrise:


I turned to the right and took some of shots of this when I ran out of ideas for how to shoot the sunrise.


This is near Makapu'u Lighthouse, at the overlook area:




Waimanalo Bay Recreation Area:






Near some farmland on our way to Kailua:




At about 8:30 we stopped for breakfast. Good thing, because I was famished! We stopped at a cute shop with a little restaurant in it, called Kalapawai Market. Here's whole our group, except one guide who took the photo:

The only low-point of the tour was my breakfast burrito. It came highly recommended, but was loaded with piles of black beans, and I don't think there was any cheese in it. It did have bacon and eggs, but they could not overcome the abundance of beans. Oh, well. Others seemed to like them. I had to chase it with coffee and a pumpkin cookie, and then all was well.

Our last stop was Judd Trail. We needed insect repellant for this part. They brought enough for everyone.








When I got back to the room after the tour (which lasted about 7 hours) Sam, Kevin, and Benji were all grins. Their report of their time with Grandma: chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk for breakfast, swimming in the pool, and when they were hot and tired out from that, returning to the room to jump on the beds. I was happy they were so happy. I missed them while I was away.

Next up: We have lunch (at a tea room - what could possibly go wrong...?) and enjoy some beach time...

 

[alohamom]

WOW-your pictures are amazing! You should enter them in the Hawaii Magazine photo contest. They run it every year and the grand prize is a trip to Hawaii, here is the link, the deadline is early August.

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/photo_contest

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

WOW-your pictures are amazing! You should enter them in the Hawaii Magazine photo contest. They run it every year and the grand prize is a trip to Hawaii, here is the link, the deadline is early August.

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/photo_contest

Thank you for your very kind words, alohamom! I really have sooo much to learn and have to say the tourguides were amazingly helpful and patient. They get much credit for anything that turned out. Also, Hawaii's SO gorgeous, you kinda can't go wrong taking pictures, right?