We spent a couple days at the Aulani Disney resort. The theme was Moana – there was a 40 foot “Volcano” with 2 slides coming down from it. We also went around the lazy river no less than 30 times. Susan and I were able to sit and talk for a bit while the kids did laps around it.
They also made t-shirts and learned about Hawaiin art.
Staying a Disney is a study in psychology for me. Disney is expensive and largely artificial, so why in a place like Hawaii, where there is natural beauty all around, would you stay at Disney? I prefer making my way around the ‘real’ places, but a couple of days at Disney are entertaining. Regardless, here is my answer:
- Great Customer Service: Disney’s customer service rivals the best in the world. The staff know your name and your kids name, even if you’ve never seen them. Not sure how they do that, but it is amazing. Need ketchup, a knife to cut pineapple or a framed photo of Jeff Goldbleum to adorn your nightstand? Disney will bring it to you within minutes. I have stayed at luxury hotels and I’ve never felt as comfortable or as taken care of as with Disney.
- You can have adult time: I don’t go on vacation to do adult things, but there are plenty of people who do. Disney kid club will take your kids for as long as you want them to – all day, or all night, or both. From what I can tell the kids love it. We spent our entire time with the kids, so it’s not for us, but I talked to plenty of adults via hot tub or while waiting in line for the slides whose kids were MIA.
- The Disney Story / Dream: Disney as a brand does one thing that no other company can do as well as them – tell a story. The top of the hotel is shaped like a canoe. At check-in girls get lays and boys get large beaded necklaces. The lazy river is covered in references to the Moana movie. Humans love stories, and Disney tells them like no other and then builds physical worlds that reflect those stories.
