Aulani

 Aulani is located on Oahu.  It is a gorgeous property, located on the west side of the island in Ko Olina.  There is so much to do at the resort.  There is a beautiful pool complex with a winding river, infinity adult's only pool, and lounge chairs galore.  You just never know which Disney characters might stop by and say hi in their pool gear.  There is also the Rainbow Reef, which is where you can snorkel on property.  There is a lagoon with plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas if you want to be by the ocean.  If you want a dole whip... you've got it!  

This would be the kids' reaction when we pulled up.  After a day of long flights, they were so happy to finally be there!

This is the pool area.  You can see that there are two towers with rooms that overlook the pool on one side.  The higher up you are, the more likely you are to see the ocean from your balcony.

A view from our balcony.  It overlooked the pool.

The lagoon is the beach area at Aulani.  It doesn't have good snorkeling but it is perfect for the littles.  Sunsets are incredible in Hawaii.  The colors can't even be captured for their full beauty.  

Another view of the lagoon during the day.  You can see the chairs and umbrellas in the background.

The lazy river was one of my favorite things to relax in.  This is my husband and daughter floating through it.  Notice in the background the Mickey is waving!

You just never know who you are going to run into.  I was lounging in a chair and suddenly Goofy walked by.  Of course I had to get a picture with him!

Dinner at Ama Ama's.  This is an air open restaurant.  The food was fantastic but the view was even better.  I just could not get over the colors of the sky while in Hawaii.

The sunset there was one of my favorite things at Aulani.  It was so beautiful and peaceful.  This is definitely a place I plan to return some day.  

While you are in Oahu, you can plan to tour Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, Waikiki, Diamond Head, or just drive around the island.  

Contemporary Resort

 Disney's Contemporary Resort is one of my favorite resorts to stay at.  It is so convenient- you can walk to the Magic Kingdom or you can hitch a ride on the monorail.  It is also one of the original resorts which makes it feel extra special.  

If you choose a Main Tower Theme Park view, this is what you get to look out at!  I could have just sat on my balcony all day and looked at the view.  It is great for viewing the fireworks as well.

This is the view when you walk in the room.  It has been recently renovated and feels very clean and spacious.  

Our room had two queen beds.  The room configurations can be either a King and a daybed, or two queens and a daybed.  

This is the couch that turns into a bed.  It's a nice sitting area.

This is the closet.  It has a safe in it as well.  The Incredibles theming is adorable!

This is the hall to the door with the closets on one side and the bathroom across from it.  I love the little area with the Keurig.  Again, the theming is very cute.  There is a refrigerator in the cabinet under the Keurig.

The bathroom is beautiful and large.  It has a nice shower with and double sink.  

If you are interested in staying at the Contemporary, you have a couple options.  There are two types of Main Tower rooms.  One is the theme park view and the other is a view of Bay Lake.  If you want to stay at the Contemporary and keep the cost a little cheaper, you can stay in the Garden Wing.  It is a little behind the main tower.  These rooms are just as spacious and a little quieter since they aren't in the main tower.  

Beach Club Resort

 

Disney Beach Club Resort

Disney Beach Club Resort is located within walking distance to the back gates of Epcot.  It is one of my favorite locations because it is so close to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, the Skyliner, and across the water from the Boardwalk.  It is a very convenient location.  If you want to be near Epcot (which you really should during Food and Wine Festival),  this is a great spot.  We were able to enter early because we were staying at a Disney resort and went straight to Ratatouille.  It was a great way to get to ride it without having to pay extra for it.  We were on the ride within 20 minutes of the opening of the park.  This resort has wonderful food options, an ice cream shop, a fun pool, and beautiful theming.

When you enter the room, you will see the bathroom to one side and the closet on the other.  The closet is a nice size and holds the safe.

Are you a fan of coffee?  You will also find a Keurig next to the closet and a refrigerator under it.

One thing I loved about these bathrooms is that with a family of four, you could have some people using the sink while someone else was in the shower.  It felt very clean and bright.

Who doesn't love a little extra Disney magic?           

Two queen beds were perfect for our family.

This is the view from our room.  It was categorized as a water view room.  Not all rooms have a balcony but I did put down as my preference that I wanted a balcony room.  When my kids were little, I always preferred a balcony because my husband and I had somewhere to sit at night when the littles were asleep.  Now, the kids are up as late as us (if not longer!) so it doesn't matter.  I do still love sitting out on the balcony at night and relaxing.

The pool area is very big and has lots of different places to hang out.  There are pools, sandy areas, lounging areas, food, and drinks.  We had an overcast day when we were there, but it was still nice to relax for a little during the day.  There are also "quiet" pools around the property that are smaller but more quaint.

This is the view across from the Beach Club.  You are looking at the Boardwalk, which is another one of my Disney favorites.  It has fun entertainment, good food, and a quick walk from the Beach Club.  I love their pizza walk up window!  This dock is also where you would get on the water taxi that would take you to Hollywood Studios.  The water taxi goes to the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin, and Hollywood Studios.  It is a great way to get transportation there.  You can also walk to Hollywood Studios but it would be about a 20 minute walk.

Disney Cruise Dining Attire

 I have had clients ask what the attire is for evening dining on the ships.  I have found that Disney is a little more laid back with their dinner attire.  It is recommended that you dress a little nicer in the evening for dinner than you would on the ship throughout the day.  Think business causal.  Guys can be found in khaki/dress pants and a nice shirt (polo or button down).  Women often wear nice bants/capris and a nice top or a sundress.  I have seen people wear nice shorts as well at dinner.  There is often a semiformal night where you may want to be sure to dress in nice pants or dresses.  There will be photographers in the lobby taking pictures by the stairs and it is a wonderful family photo opportunity.  Here are some pictures of my family throughout the years so you can get an idea of what we wore for dinner.

Hanging out with Captain Mickey- Emma had already changed out of her dinner attire

This was at the sail away party.  We went to dinner right after this so this is what we wore that night.

This was semiformal night

Door Magnets

 On the Disney Cruise Line, the doors on the ships are magnetic (with the exception of concierge level rooms).  A lot of people decorate their doors with magnets.  It is a fun and creative way to show your Disney love to the world but to also find your door!  You can find door magnets on Etsy, Ebay, or you can be creative and make your own! 

Our door on one of the cruises

Another example of a cruise door

Pirate Night on Disney Caribbean Cruises

 

Most Caribbean cruises on Disney Cruise Line will feature a Pirate Night.  It will depend on what cruise you book.  If you book an ordinary Caribbean Cruise, you should have pirate night.  The exception is for some specialty cruises, like Marvel Day At Seas cruises.

So what is Pirate Night?  It is a night where the entire ship becomes a pirate ship!  You are encouraged to dress in your pirate gear and will find a special bandana in your room.  Mickey and his friends also get dressed up so be ready to take pictures as you will only see them in these costumes on the ship!  We have seen people who go all out to dress up for pirate night and we also have seen people who just will wear the bandana they get.  It really is up to you how much you want to put into it. 

Max and Emma in pirate gear when they were younger

When my kids were much younger, they loved getting in pirate costumes.  As they got a little older, we opted to get matching shirts made and just use the bandanas we got with them.

Matching shirts

Pirate night is a lot of fun because they have special shows and events around the ship.  Just make sure to check your navigator for times so you don't miss out.  There is a special fireworks show on deck towards the end of the night.  Following that there are special Pirate's Night snacks in Cabanas.