For many, staying at Aulani is a once-in-a-lifetime trip due to the high price point. I have stayed at Aulani as a guest previously, and ever since, I have wanted to go back! (READ ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE AS A GUEST HERE) We got the opportunity to return to Hawaii once more, but were not able to stay at Aulani. Instead, we decided to make a day trip to Aulani as non-guests to get a taste of Disney on our vacation. Here is what you can expect as a non-guest visiting Aulani!
Pools
Pools are off limits for non-guests and are strictly monitored with lifeguards watching to ensure everyone in the pools, hot tubs, and splash areas has a current resort band. Although you can walk through these areas, you cannot use the space to swim or lounge.
Gift Shop
As a day visitor, you are able to browse all of the Aulani gift shops, which we really enjoyed! Aulani has a ton of exclusive merchandise that we were really excited about. Be prepared for high prices, and leave room in your suitcase!
Restaurants and Quick Service
All of the Aulani Restaurant and Quick Service Locations were open to non-guests. Ulu Cafe is great for a quick service lunch, and dole whip! We loved their poke bowls the last time we stayed.
We chose to go to Off-The-Hook for dinner and loved our meal! My steak was top-notch. As someone who manages multiple allergies, I am always confident dining on Disney property.
Lagoon
Disney’s Aulani Resort is situated adjacent to Ko Olina Lagoon 1. While you cannot use the beach chairs set up at the Lagoon, all beaches in Hawaii are public. It was a bit chilly, so we did not go into the water, but we brought our own small blanket from the car and stretched out on the beach before dinner in the sun!
Walking Paths
We loved taking the walking paths and looking at the coast line. This trip, we were delighted to see that there were endangered monk seals sunning themselves on the beach. We were sure to keep a respectful distance, zooming in with our cameras and staying behind the temporary fence set up to protect these seals!
Restrooms
There are restrooms near the lobby of the hotel, by the pools, and by the lagoon. We were able to use all of those bathrooms easily. Quite the line built up by the pool restroom, though, with many using it to get into and out of swimsuits.
Activities
This one is a bit of a given, but the resort activities are off-limits to non-guests. This includes character photo opportunities and activities at Aunty’s Beach House.
Parking
To park, we used the on-site lot just before you pull up to the lobby. Parking cost us $12 an hour, but we were able to get 2.5 hours taken off for our merchandise purchases. Please note, you cannot get additional time taken off once you validate once!
Well, there you have it! If you are visiting Hawaii and want to check out Aulani, don’t be shy! We had a great time on our excursion as non-guests, squeezing in a bit of Disney magic into our Hawaiian vacation.