Part
2 of a 3 part series on Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa (in Hawaii) by
DreamFinder Travel Agent, Kim Merrill
To continue
from my last blog post, Transportation from Honolulu International Airport
(HON) to Aulani is an aspect of your vacation planning that may not be first
and foremost on your mind once you have made that all-important resort
reservation. However, I encourage you to
think about this sooner rather than later as there are a few different options
when it comes to transport around Hawaii.
I just returned
from Aulani and want to provide a few insights I garnered from my experience
that may help you with your vacation planning.
My family chose spring break as a way to escape the rain and gloom of
the Pacific Northwest. Knowing that my
husband would be joining us a few days into our vacation and that we had a few
day excursions planned, I opted to reserve a car to make transportation easier.
I ended up with
a car rental through Alamo. In case you
were not aware, Alamo is Disney’s preferred rental agency and Aulani has an
Alamo reservation desk at the resort. As
I am a DVC member, I did not book my car as part of a resort package and
instead did so directly with Alamo, please be aware that you are able to book a
car as part of an Aulani package.
As this was my
first visit to Aulani, I found out on my arrival at HON that the Alamo rental
location is actually located a short shuttle ride away from the airport
terminal. The shuttle stop is a quick
walk from baggage claim and we only waited a short time before an Alamo bus
arrived to take us to their off-site location.
The Alamo site was well staffed and we were at the rental counter after
only a small wait. We were greeted and
well notified that the return location for our car was as this off-site
location and were given a brochure that had not only instructions in it but
also an address available that we could plug into our map app on our phones.
I had reserved
a convertible, and as I walked out to the lot, I saw that there were 5 cars in
the lot, but both of the Mustangs had clients already in them. Dismayed (as I really wanted to relive my
teenage Mustang days), I inquired whether there were any other Mustangs being
prepped for rental. I found out that there
were a few waiting for washes, so I waited for one to arrive. As my 10-minute estimate elapsed into 25
minutes, I received profuse apologies and they actually apologized and waived
my having to fill up the gas tank on my return.
I feel the need to note: my
request was simply me being picky. There
was a Camaro and VW Beetle convertible sitting in the parking lot ready to
go. I did actually sit in both of them
and found that the Beetle has zero legroom in back and that the Camaro had such
a sloped windshield that my short little self had issues seeing out. Another observation to note: consider your luggage when reserving your
car. While I personally had no issues, I
have to admit that I snickered a bit at a family of 3 trying to cram 3 large
suitcases into a small Mustang trunk.
Unlike most
rentals that I have done recently, this Alamo site really emphasized your
checking and notating any damage to the car.
A staff member PRIOR to your departure reviews this and it is noted on
your paperwork and in their computer system before you drive away. I also received a tutorial on operation of
the convertible top.
Some interesting
things to remember: this airport has not
been renovated in years and the surrounding signage is sub-par, in my
opinion. Take a look at your phone’s GPS
and get an idea what you’re doing before you leave. My daughter was my copilot, and we had a few
wrong turns and re-routes before we were on our way. There is a lot in the way of road
construction throughout Oahu, so pack your maps, charge your batteries, and
pack your patience.
Another thought
to consider: Flight times. We arrived
into HON about 1:30 in the afternoon. We
made decent time to Aulani (about a 35-40 minute drive at that time of day),
but as our room was not ready, we headed 2.5 miles away and went to Costco and
Target to get supplies. By the time we
left, that 2.5 miles took us 25 minutes to conquer.
Parking at
Aulani is complimentary for DVC members, but there is a charge for non-DVC
vacationers. This is fairly standard
across Hawaii, and there is no real way to avoid this. This fee may impact your decision to rent a
car while staying at Aulani. There is a
current promotion for summer vacation dates that includes round-trip transfers
to Aulani with a one-day Alamo car rental.
This may be ideal if all you are doing during your vacation is a day
trip to see Oahu sites. Some of these
sights can also be managed using the excursions bookable thru the resort as
well, negating the need for a set of wheels at all. There is an ABC store across the street from
Aulani where basics can be acquired.
As you can see,
some thought does need to be put into logistics for your vacation, but with the
help of your Dreamfinder Vacation Planner, you can come up with a package that
works for your family’s needs. Car or no car, you’re going to have a fantastic
stay!
Part 3 of this 3 part series will follow soon.
If you would like
a quote on a stay at Aulani, or any other location, please contact your
DreamFinder Travel Agent today.
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