Get Ready for Disney

It's still one year until the official opening, but Disney’s Aulani resort in Ko Olina in West Oahu is about to start taking reservations.  It's a vacation planner's delight!

This is the first Disney hotel that is not located near a Disney theme park. If you want to be one of the first to stay at the resort, mark your calendar on August 2, and you can get a piece of Disney history in Hawaii. The resort is scheduled to open on Aug. 29, 2011.

When completed, the resort will have 360 hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom Disney Vacation Club villas. It also will include an 18,000-square-foot spa, two restaurants, a 14,545-square-foot conference center, and 48,685 square feet of outdoor venues including pools, hot tubs, a snorkeling lagoon and a variety of programs for children. While Waikiki has a lot of great options for children, this is sure to be a treat for kids and adults alike.  See you soon Mickey!

Ko'Olina Lagoons

If you are looking for an alternative to Waikiki Beach, look no further than Ko'Olina Lagoons. Located in the Ko'Olina Resort Area, these four man-made lagoons are perfect for swimming at any time of the year. Each lagoon has a different name: Kolola, Hanu, Nai'a, and Ulua. You will need to rent a car or catch The Bus to get there, but the 20 mile drive west of Waikiki is worth the trip. Every time I have been there, the lagoons have been almost isolated; very different to the crazy hustle and bustle always present at Waikiki Beach. The lagoons make a great place for a picnic, perfect for families, with grass areas surrounding the lagoons and plenty of shade to relax. Two things to be careful of: slippery rocks that separate the four lagoons, and the current - it can be strong enough to suck you out to sea depending on the weather conditions.

If you prefer to avoid Waikiki completely, and you have a Timeshare, you can stay at the Mariott Ko'Olina Beach Club, which is in walking distance of the lagoons.