The Best Things to Eat and Drink at Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa
From Mickey Shaped Treats to fresh Poke Bowls, discover The Best Things to Eat and Drink at Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa.
A HUGE thank you to Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa for hosting our family; as always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Hi friends! I hope you’re following along with our coverage of the amazing vacation we had to Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa this past November! It was the most magical adventure, combining the beauty of Hawaii with the magic of Disney. One of my favorite aspects of a Disney vacation is of course the food (see 50+ of the Best Things to Eat and Drink at Walt Disney World), and Aulani is no exception. But even outside of fan favorites like Dole Whip and the Mickey Shave Ice that they’re now known for, there is amazing food throughout the resort! So I wanted to share some of our favorites with you so when you’re planning your Aulani Vacation you know what to put on the top of your wish list.
The Best Things to Eat and Drink at Disney’s Aulani
1. Mickey Shave Ice from Pāpālua Shave Ice. Shave ice is a must-have when you’re in Hawaii, and not only does Aulani fulfill this local specialty, they do it with Disney style with this Mickey Shave Ice! Right near the Rainbow Reef in the heart of the Waikolohe Valley, stop by the Pāpālua Shave Ice stand to order yours with your selection of flavors!
2. Mickey Shaped Treats from Various Locations. Mickey treats are a must-have on any Disney vacation, right? Well lucky for you there are PLENTY to choose from at Aulani! You’ll find a majority of the packaged sweets, cookies, brownies and more at Ulu Cafe, but you’ll also find them on the menu and on the buffet at the other restaurants too. There are plenty of ways to get your Mickey treat fix!
3. Pineapple Soft Serve (Dole Whip) from Little ‘Opihi’s or Ulu Cafe. Dole Whip is always TOP on my list of treats to get while at Disney, and Aulani is no exception! In fact, it just feels so natural that you enjoy a pineapple treat on the home island of the Dole Plantation. I personally loved getting the delicious soft serve at Little ‘Opihi’s by the beach and enjoying the sweet treat with the most spectacular ocean view.
4. Malasadas from Ulu Cafe. I’m thankful to my new friend Lindsay for suggesting I try the Malasadas from Ulu Cafe! Malasadas are Portugese doughnuts that are now a staple in Hawaii. You can find them across the island, but true to the Hawaiian culture you can also find them at Aulani! They’re perfect to pick up for a little breakfast snack to take back to your room. My tip? Grab some malasadas from Ulu Cafe and grab an espresso from the Wailana Pool Bar for an easy early morning bite.
5. Kalua Pork Flatbread from Ulu Cafe. I feel like Ulu Cafe was our go to for a quick meal. It’s the place where you can fill up your refillable mugs throughout the day, snag a quick Dole Whip or order up a warm and toasty flatbread for a light lunch. We asked for the locals’ opinion and they suggested the Kalua Pork Flatbread and we were not disappointed! Packed full of local flavors, we were able to split a flatbread between 2 of us for an easy, tasty meal.
6. Poke Bowl from Ulu Cafe. First off, I have to thank my friend Rob from 2 Travel Dads for providing us with this picture. While we didn’t try the Poke Bowls while at Aulani (we opted for the flatbread above), I heard rave reviews so I wanted to be sure if you were a poke fan that you knew this was an option! The Poke Bar was so fun and had plenty of add-ins and options for you to customize your creation.
7. Aulani Special from Wailana Pool Bar. Pro tip: the Wailana Pool Bar doubles as a coffee bar in the mornings! So if you’re missing your coffeehouse fix while at Aulani, be sure to stop by for your specialty brews. I particularly enjoyed the “Aulani Special” – a mocha macadamia nut blended coffee. Another tip? If you’re lining up early to sign your kiddos up for Aunty’s Beach House, stop by and grab a brew before you get in line. You’ll be the envy of all the parents in line that morning.
8. Piña Colada in a Pineapple from Off the Hook. When we were looking up things to do and eat at Aulani before we left for our vacation, my 7 year-old Alex took note of folks drinking out of pineapples. This sounded like such a fun idea for him so it was tops on his bucket list for the trip. So one day we headed over to Off the Hook, over by Aunty’s Beach House and ‘Ama’Ama, to cross that off his list. We ordered up a virgin piña colada and took at stroll on the beach with our pineapple drink in hand. It was not “cheap” but a fun bucket list item for your vacation and it made for some FUN photo opps for sure!
9. Traditional Loco Moco Breakfast from Various Locations. I tend to be the one who’s a little more obsessed with food when we travel, but my husband Andre found his foodie fix with the Traditional Loco Moco Breakfast. We first had it at Makahiki during the Character Dining Breakfast, but then he consequently ordered it at multiple locations throughout our stay. At Aulani, the Loco Moco was fried rice topped with a hamburger patty, eggs and vegetables, served with a warm gravy. I have to say I was a fan as well and it’s definitely worth a try during your stay!
10. POG Juice from Various Locations. When Andre found out they had POG (Passion Orange Guava) Juice at Aulani, we ordered it for every breakfast and even grabbed a carton at Kalepa’s Store (near the lobby) to keep in our room. We first had POG in Hawaii during our honeymoon years ago and the last time we probably had it before Aulani was at Ohana’s in Walt Disney World. If you’re a fan of tropical flavored juices, you need to give POG a try!
11. Macadamia Nut Pancakes from ‘AMA ‘AMA. The next few foodie finds I’m sharing are from ‘AMA ‘AMA, which I highly recommend that you visit at least once during your stay. The food here is phenomenal and the ambiance (it’s right next to Ko Olina Beach) is fantastic. If you’re there for breakfast, order the Buttermilk Pancakes with Macadamia Nut-Vanilla Sauce. They’re great for sharing!
12. ‘AMA ‘AMA Breakfast Sandwich from ‘AMA ‘AMA. OH MY. I think this might be the one meal I was most impressed with during our time at Aulani. With lobster claw, bacon, a sunny side up egg, avocado, heirloom tomato, butter lettuce, and truffle oil served on a brioche bun – it will be unlike a breakfast sandwich you’ve ever had but it is in one word exceptional.
13. ‘AMA ‘AMA Chopped Salad from ‘AMA ‘AMA. I was also highly impressed with our lunch at ‘AMA ‘AMA! The boys were hungry but I had a few Disney treats so I was looking for something a little lighter and this ‘AMA ‘AMA Chopped Salad fit the bill! Beautiful and delicious, it was everything you’d want in a chopped salad.
14. Lava Flow Cocktail from The ‘Ōlelo Room. Now let’s get to the cocktails! The piña colada from Off the Hook was delicious, but given my choice I’d opt for this Lava Flow Cocktail which is a version of a piña colada with strawberry “lava”! I enjoyed this one at The ‘Ōlelo Room, but you can also order it at any restaurant as well.
15. Sunrise Sangria from The ‘Ōlelo Room. Also a great sip to grab from The ‘Ōlelo Room is the Sunrise Sangria. I enjoyed this drink on the patio as the sun was setting, ironically. If you have time during Happy Hour, this is a great spot to visit to enjoy drinks and light bites and the soothing sounds of Hawaiian music, performed live each night on the patio, weather permitting.
Well there you have it, friends! I hope this list helps you while planning for your Aulani vacation! Let us know if you have any follow up questions, we’d be happy to help!
READY TO BOOK YOUR VACATION?
- Give the Gift of Aulani: For the first time ever, guests can select from a full portfolio of Disney destinations and experiences to gift — all in one, easy-to-navigate place. Guests can explore GiveDisneyVacations.com and open a dedicated feature page profiling each Disney destination available.
- Winter Offer: Enjoy winter in paradise with savings up to 30% on select ocean view rooms when you stay 5 consecutive nights or more at Aulani Resort most nights January 7 through March 22, 2018. Rooms must be booked by February 12, 2018.
- Mahalo Mama Month: Aulani celebrates moms for the whole month of May with Mahalo Mama Month! It’s the Hawaiian resort’s way to say “mahalo” – or thank you – to moms staying at Aulani. During the month of May the resort offers specials to treat moms — breakfast in bed, spa treatments, chances for kids to create mom-mentos and more!
If you’re headed there, be sure to let us know. Or if you’ve been, we’d love to hear about your favorite foodie finds!
Read more from my friends:
- Finding the best places to eat on Oahu: poke to pork and everything in between by 2 Travel Dads
- 5 Ways To Experience Aloha at Disney Aulani by City Girl Gone Mom
- 11 Aulani Tips for an Incredible Hawaiian Vacation by Someday I’ll Learn
- Disney Aulani Splurges: 9 Extras Totally Worth Your Money by Trips with Tykes
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