Halloween, Hawaii and holiday celebrations - the Hawaii section THIS SECTION COMPLETED 1/13 - Page 7 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Very pretty gardens at the airport. I do appreciate it when airports try to be attractive and have a bit of local feel to them. The traffic and roads do sound like LA-area roads! You wouldn't see that deep tropical green there, but the congestion looks familiar! Aulani's lobby is spectacular. I love that mural. You can definitely already feel Joe Rohde's talent there. Interesting what you said about the check-in process. I think I'd feel the same way and other descriptions I've read about arriving there actually made me think I probably wouldn't like Aulani. I thought maybe I'd feel stifled, like when 4 waiters stand by your table and wait to fill your water glass.
I'm so excited to see your journey to Aulani! The road goes past my brother's town, so I know all those road signs so well!
Remind me where he lives...
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Love your new convertible! I'm glad you finally got one! Yes, those trunks/boots don't have much room since they need space for the top to go down! I had a convertible years ago...I miss it, but I don't miss the small space in the back!
You didn't mention anything about being "hit" with the humidity when you got off the plane, so I'm guessing it wasn't too bad at this time of year. If you had arrived a little earlier in the year, I'm guessing it would've been another story!
Humidity? Honestly, what humidity? It was hot, but never really humid out there - certainly nothing like Florida anyway. Good to know that Hawaii does suffer from that. I must admit I was assuming it was just pleasant, hot and sunny all year round...
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What did you think about your first sight of Aulani from the highway? Didn't it seem really huge and almost out of place? I mean it's beautiful, but I was really surprised by how much it "stuck out" in the landscape, if that makes sense.
I really didn't think it stuck out at all - I thought it blended into the landscape, much better than the other resorts at Ko Olina, which to me felt as if they'd just been plonked there, as they didn't fit it in at all...
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I really hope I can make it to visit my brother soon...and of course spend a night at Aulani!
You would absolutely love it, so I hope that works out for you.
The traffic in Honolulu looks worse than I remember so I guess it got even more congested! What a beautiful approach to Aulani and the lobby painting looks so beautiful!
Yay, you finally get your convertible!! And a brand new Camaro too, cool! I love the tropical airports. They incorporate their surroundings so well.
Very odd about the multiple CM's greeting you guys, but what the heck. You're at Aulani!!!
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I laughed when you talked about how big Texas is. You can be driving for 12 hours and still be in the state! We drove from Amarillo to South Padre Island at the very Southern tip and it took that long. I can't wait to hear more about Aulani. We would love to make it there someday.
Humidity? Honestly, what humidity? It was hot, but never really humid out there - certainly nothing like Florida anyway. Good to know that Hawaii does suffer from that. I must admit I was assuming it was just pleasant, hot and sunny all year round...
I really didn't think it stuck out at all - I thought it blended into the landscape, much better than the other resorts at Ko Olina, which to me felt as if they'd just been plonked there, as they didn't fit it in at all...
You would absolutely love it, so I hope that works out for you.
He lives in Aiea, up the hill from Pearlridge and not far from Aloha Stadium that you would have passed on the highway.
I probably notice humidity much more than the average person, but in the summer it can be brutal in Hawaii (for me, at least!). My brother has gotten used to it, so when he comes here to visit, he says it's incredibly dry here!
I agree Aulani blends in very well once you're there, and the other Marriott properties do look big and white. I just wasn't expecting it to be so huge, so when I caught my first glimpse at it from a distance, they looked like two huge brown imposing buildings from far away!
I'm already checking airfares, but for now I have no vacation savings yet!
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So exciting, you're there!!! For some reason I didn't realize that Aulani was within driving distance of the airport
It's about a half hour drive. To be honest, I don't know how else you'd get there - I guess a taxi, as I don't know if there are any town car companies. Although there are some excursions available at Aulani, really if you want to explore O'ahu at all, you really do need a car during your stay. Fortunately for DVC Members, parking is free - as otherwise it is very pricey... $35 a day!
At least with all the traffic it allowed you to get some great photos. The Aulani lobby looks amazing I can't wait to see the rooms.
I don't think I'm giving too much away to say they were amazing as well. During this trip, I was able to see a one bedroom villa, and three bedroom Grand Villa as well as our studio, so lots of room photos coming up during the course of this trip report.
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I really didn't think it stuck out at all - I thought it blended into the landscape, much better than the other resorts at Ko Olina, which to me felt as if they'd just been plonked there, as they didn't fit it in at all... 
Fortunately for DVC Members, parking is free - as otherwise it is very pricey... $35 a day! 
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