Aloha Jan!
Welcome back to planDisney! I am so excited by all these wonderful trips you are planning! My family is booked for our second visit to
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa this summer and we are beginning to look at excursions as well. While my husband is happy enjoying the beach every day, I love to explore the island’s culture and history.
It sounds as if you will have a rental car during your visit, and I highly recommend one if you’d like to explore the island of Oahu. If you are a
Disney Vacation Club Member staying at Aulani, you’ll enjoy
included parking for your vehicle, which makes it even more convenient. Overnight Guests who are not Disney Vacation Club Members should know there is an overnight parking fee for vehicles.
While you will find some tours that offer pick-up at Aulani, this varies by company, and in my experience, the majority of Oahu tours only offer Waikiki pick-up. There is a handy website called Parkopedia that gives very thorough parking information for downtown Waikiki. Most hotels in the city only offer parking to their guests, and in my opinion, that parking can be pricey. When we visit Waikiki, we park in garages located a block or two inland from the beach or attached to shopping centers as they tend to be more affordable. If you’d like to do a little shopping or dining before or after your tour at one of the businesses in the shopping center, you may be able to have your parking validated.
We would often park at the Ala Moana Shopping Center which is on the north part of Waikiki. We enjoyed shopping at the many retail locations, and parking was free. There are dining locations to get a meal or snack after your tour, and you can pick up essentials such as sunscreen or bottled water. It is approximately a 10-20 minute walk to the hotels on the north side of Waikiki, or you can use the Waikiki Trolley that services the mall for a small fee. Please know, that at this time, all services and tours, as well as retail and dining location availability are subject to change at any time. The Hawaiian Government is working hard to contain the spread of Covid-19, and may open and close things, or change guidelines at any time. I would verify what is open just before your trip to avoid any surprises.
Mahalo for stopping by with your question! Please let me know what other questions I can help you with as you plan your visit to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. I am always happy to help!
- Kate