Aloha, Denise!
What can I say except you're welcome here at planDisney! How exciting that you are dreaming of a Hawaiian holiday at
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. See where the line in the sky meets the sea? It calls me, Denise, and that's why we have visited Aulani three times. Because when the spirit of Aloha meets Disney, magic happens!
Denise, the closest airport to Aulani is Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. It's about 45 minutes from the Resort. While Disney doesn't offer complimentary transportation, they do recommend a
few shuttle options on their website. Our family prefers to rent a car so we can come and go as we please. While there is a lot to do at Aulani, from dining to waterslides and pools to activities like learning to play the ukulele and the
Menehune Adventure Trail, you really want to explore the island to
experience Oahu and Hawaiian culture. Some activities can be booked through Aulani via the Holoholo Desk where transportation may be included. But some of them would require you to have a car.
My top recommendations would be to visit the
Polynesian Cultural Center, snorkeling in
Hanauma Bay, visit
Kualoa Ranch for horseback riding, a gator tour or a movie tour,
Pearl Harbor, and
Waimea Valley. Swimming in the sacred Waimea Falls is very special indeed.
There are
laundry facilities at the Resort for the hotel guests but these are fee-based and will be charged to your room. If you book one of the Disney Vacation Club one-bedroom Villas or larger, you will get a full-sized kitchen, dining, and living room area, and included washer and dryer in your room. We stayed in a one-bedroom villa this past August, and having the home away from home amenities was perfect for our 'ohana. There are also grills on site and local grocery delivery via Instacart is possible as well.
I hope this helps you, Denise! If you have any further questions about Aulani, surf back here to see me and I'll be so happy to help you.
A Hui Hou (it means "until we meet again" in Hawaiian,)
Keri