The Amazing Aulani

by Ray on November 25, 2011

Where can you find the most amazing pool on the Island of Oahu?

Ask any Disney Imagineer and the answer you’ll get is, “At Aulani, of course!

That was one of the goals: to build the best pool. But Disney didn’t stop there, although it certainly is the focal point of the entire resort.

We found this to be true when Disney invited us to visit Aulani last month. Bringing additional fun to the pool are two water slides in a Thunder Mountain Railroad inspired design, one of which dumps out into the winding river. The other is a pitch black tube that delivers you into the pool. And if you arch yourself, you’ll fly through the darkness at top speed!

“But, where do you go to relax?” you ask. There are three strategically quiet hot tubs in which to enjoy your cold drinks while hidden away.

There is no need to leave Aulani for meals. There are two full service restaurants serving classic American and Hawaiian dishes, and three bars with all of your favorite island libations – one of which looks like a Hawaiian fisherman’s shack – next to the pool.

The kiddos have tons of stuff to do, too. A big hit with the tykes is the water park, complete with spinning water wheels and buckets. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Stitch will occasionally make appearances and there is a Disney character breakfast, but the best thing for the kids is Aunty’s Beach House. Aunty will keep your young ones busy with fun Hawaiian-themed activities and games from 9am to 7pm every day!! Check out Julia’s post about what she thought of Aunty’s Beach House.

Oh, I almost forgot… The mischievous “little people” of Hawaiʻi lead guests on an interactive journey along Menehune Trail. You won’t find Mickey on this adventure, but you can expect lots of Disney magic at every turn.

One of our favorite reasons to visit Aulani is the private lagoon out back and the amazing sunsets you’ll see there.  When you visit be sure to catch a gorgeous Hawaiian sunset while dining at ‘Ama’Ama. There is nothing quite like it.

We were on a quest to find the best place to snorkel on Oahu. We discovered that it’s best to skip Hunama Bay. While it offers gorgeous views, the water is crowded and cloudy. And they charge $7 and make you watch a silly video before accessing the beach. At Aulani’s Rainbow Reef, however, you will be quite satisfied, as it’s complete with tropical fish and beautiful coral.

We didn’t leave Aulani for four days straight…and only then it was to see Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head.

At Aulani you will find lots of the Disney magic that you love, but you will find it as you learn about Hawaii and the culture that makes the islands so unique. Uncle and his fireside chats about Hawaiian culture bring an added element of authenticity. Only at Aulani will you find this particular type of magic.

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Exploring Oahu

by Ray on September 29, 2011

While we loved staying at Aulani (more to come on that soon) we also got to explore the island of Oahu a bit. Here is a recap of some of our favorite adventures:

Diamond Head – a 3/4 of a mile hike up the inside of a old volcano. The views of the ocean and Honolulu are amazing from more than 700 feet above sea level!

Here’s the view from inside the mountain where the US Army used to have fortifications.

The waves are so much fun…

Here is beautiful Hanauma Bay. The snorkeling is ok, but the views are fantastic.

Pali Lookout has absolutely gorgeous views of the lush windward side of Oahu.

And it’s where King Kamehameha decisively conquered the people of Oahu by pushing their warriors over the cliff!

And what visit to Oahu is complete without Pearl Harbor?

We only visited the USS Arizona Memorial, but you could spend a whole day visiting the now expanded WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. It includes the USS Missouri on whose decks WWIi ended.

She’s still leaking oil 70 years later!

You can even Skype with a survivor.

The Dole Pineapple Plantation has tons of stuff to do.

We chose to explore the garden maze, which happens to be the world’s largest!

And we ended up with a beautiful sunset over the North Shore.

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Disney’s New Hawaiian Resort Aulani at Night

by Ray on September 21, 2011

We arrived on Oahu yesterday just before noon. We walked around Aulani for a bit, but all were exhausted. The kids and Christine crashed around 7 pm for the night, so I wondered around and took a few photos… This place is even more beautiful at night!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

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Time Away

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on April 15, 2011

We just had a fantastic six days.
Away from home. Away from house work. Away from the computer and telephone.


Six days in the snow.
Snow ball fights. Sledding. Lots of good food.


Most of the last six days were spent with Great Grandma Gerrie and Mimi.
Smiles. Laughter. Joy.

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Celebrate the Holidays at Disneyland

November 16, 2010

Tweet November 12th marked the official beginning of the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Ray and I had the pleasure of spending the start of the season at the Disney parks in Southern California with Ben, Noah and Tiny Tim, courtesy of Disney. It was three days full of fun rides, good food and royal [...]

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Polar Bear Plunge

November 11, 2010

Tweet On our recent vacation to Southern California, we asked the kids what they wanted to see. “The Zoo!” they emphatically responded. It never fails, we always enjoy the world famous San Diego Zoo.  They have the most animals, the best new exhibits and are always improving old ones.  And the Polar Bear Plunge is [...]

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Sunset on the Pier

September 29, 2010

Tweet We witnessed some of the most beautiful sunsets, while vacationing in San Diego, last month. This picture was taken on the pier in Ocean Beach – A rare and golden moment of silence, inspired by awe. Visit more Wordless Wednesday participants at 5 Minutes for Mom and Angry Julie Monday. Visit Wordful Wednesday participants [...]

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On Vacation :: Cabrillo National Monument

August 24, 2010

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On Vacation :: Ciao Bella

August 23, 2010

Tweet I had a hankering for spaghetti, the kids were begging for pizza, and Ray wanted to head down to Ocean Beach. So off we went. It just so happens that there is a fabulous little Italian restaurant right in Ocean Beach, called Ciao Bella. Magnifico!

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On Vacation :: The Griffith Observatory

August 22, 2010

Tweet . Ever watch a movie on the ceiling? At the Planetarium in the Griffith Observatory you can do just that. Only this time, it’ll be about the stars and planets of our galaxy, answering the question “How did we get our understanding of the cosmos?” Centered in the Universe begins with Ptolomy in 2nd [...]

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The Importance of Family Vacations

May 9, 2010

Tweet We try to take a family vacation at least once a year. Whether we’re spending a day exploring Lake Tahoe, or a week in Hawaii, many of our most treasured memories have been created on a family vacation. I suppose you could say that Ray and I started this tradition, if you will, when [...]

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The Bay and the Point in San Diego

April 7, 2010

Tweet Just past Point Loma Nazarene College in San Diego lies one of our family’s favorite hidden gems – Cabrillo National Monument. It’s got great views of San Diego Bay, the downtown San Diego skyline and Coronado Island, but that’s not the best part. Named for Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo who was the first European to [...]

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San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey Proves to be Sticky

March 30, 2010

Tweet No trip to San Diego is complete without taking the kids and heading into Balboa Park to visit the world famous San Diego Zoo. The many exotic plants, birds, winding tree covered trails and unique animal enclosures always provide a great family atmosphere.  And it’s a great place to eat.  My favorite is lunch [...]

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The Magic of Disney (times 11!)

October 27, 2009

Tweet "Our Trip to Disneyland" Create a free slideshow with Picnik! Our visit to Disneyland this month was one exciting adventure. We had the privilege of going with the Kuczykowski clan and, boy – did we have fun with our eleven kid entourage! The park was just a bit more crowded than I remember it [...]

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Cruisin’

September 7, 2009

Tweet There is no place like home. But boy, did we have fun on our anniversary trip! The days we spent in the ports of call were certainly the most exciting. With zip lines and a river raft tour in Jamaica, snorkeling in Grand Cayman, and an Everglades safari in Miami, we had loads of [...]

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Hello from the Middle of the Caribbean!

August 30, 2009

Tweet I have finally gotten over my fear of cruising over the deep, but gorgeous, blue waters of the Caribbean and am enjoying relaxing here on the Carnival Destiny. Ray and I are having a fabulous time as we eat, drink, and are merry! Over the next few days I have some fabulous guest posts [...]

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Kissimmee: the heart of Florida

April 20, 2009

Tweet With so many kiddos, it’s important for us to find lots of variations in the activities we plan wherever we go on vacation. I think I found the ultimate family vacation destination in Kissimmee, with so much to do it’s mind boggling. Let me tell you why I would love to take my family [...]

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Things you should know if you ever plan to take your six kids to Las Vegas for a week:

March 31, 2009

Tweet . Being on vacation is more work than “working” If one of your younger kiddos starts crying in his sleep, while you’re driving through the middle of the desert, pull over as soon as you can, unbuckle him, drag him out of his seat, and make him walk around for a few minutes. Unless, [...]

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The Youngs in Sin City?

March 26, 2009

Tweet This post written by Ray, aka Daddy! Enjoy! Las Vegas doesn’t seem like a family friendly place to vacation and in many ways, it isn’t. But if you’re selective (and bring someone to watch your kids when you go out at night) you can have quite a fun and enjoyable trip with your little [...]

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Adventures in LEGOLAND

December 28, 2008

Tweet a guest post by Ray (my hubby) VIDEO After arriving later than expected at our condo in San Diego, we decided that the best way to relax with five boys (and Julia) would be to go to LEGOLAND the next day… Turns out we didn’t do much relaxing, but we did have a great [...]

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Catching Up

December 8, 2008

Tweet Thank God we made it home very early this morning after a very uncomfortable, albeit short, flight home. We were all so happy to be home in our own beds, and were out before our heads even hit our pillows! The kiddos slept until well after 11am, catching up on much-needed sleep, but as [...]

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We’re heading home

December 7, 2008

Tweet We’re just not sure if we’ll get there tonight! Sitting here at the airport is proving to be a bit more than my kiddos can handle at this point. Our plane has already been delayed an hour, and just as Zach was freaking out because Julia was playing with his Rubix Cube, we got [...]

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