Hello, Jennifer!
What a great plan to celebrate your son's upcoming 13th birthday!
I am sure that either a family vacation at Aulani or the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa will be truly spectacular for the entire family, so this is a win-win situation!
Now, to compare the two options, consider if you'd like to center your vacation around a beach, then Aulani is the better choice. Your younger two children will truly enjoy this resort as well, as there are activities for everyone here...not to mention that beach! Here, there's even the option
to book an excursion in which your son can learn to surf, among other great family-friendly options. Be sure to check out the
activities that are available at Aulani, as well.
While Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa would be a great place for your celebration, it's not on a beach. My Moms Panel Disneyland Specialist buddies Ari and Amanda both concur that getting to the beach from Disneyland Resort will take quite a bit of driving, with lots of traffic in your way as well. If you decide NOT to try this as a beach vacation, then, of course, Disneyland Resort will provide your entire family with a truly magical vacation that no one will soon forget. Of course, this will be a park-centered vacation, so be sure to check out
all that Disneyland Park has to offer, as well as her sister,
Disney California Adventure Park.
Again, either way, you can't go wrong with these choices. Once you've decided, please be sure to send the Moms Panel additional questions based on what you've decided here. We'd all love to help!