Moxie and ‘magic’ make Disney’s Aulani a success

Vacations are by nature escapes from reality, but Disney getaways have always been more so — and the new Aulani resort at Ko Olina is no exception.

One of the first things that struck me during a stay at Aulani last week with visiting family is that very little is real.

From the fake mountain to the fabricated snorkeling reef to the imported beach, it’s an artificial world intended to give visitors an authentic Hawaii experience.

That it succeeds on some levels is testament to what Disney describes as the "magic" that makes its theme parks must-see visitor attractions around the world.

As a resort hotel Aulani is spectacular, with more than 800 beautifully appointed hotel rooms and time-share units.

The spacious standard room for $399 a night ($299 kamaaina) had a king-size bed, large sofa and all the amenities you’d expect.

The villas of up to three bedrooms are apartments you’d die to live in, with full kitchens and dining nooks, washer/dryer and separate rooms for the bath and toilet.

The grounds are basically an upscale water park, with mountain slides, river rafts, the snorkeling reef and elegant pools and hot tubs scattered around the property.

I mostly sat around catching rays while catching up on family news, but my grandkids never got tired of playing in the water attractions. I felt comfortable letting them run around for hours without supervision because of the attendants and lifeguards at every turn.

Employees (called "cast members" because in the Disney worldview it’s all a show and they’re all in it) were unusually attentive and seemed to genuinely like their jobs.

The music and storytelling — some local and some Disney-themed — was good as far as it went, but there was little in the way of grown-up entertainment after dark.

Food choices were scant and expensive, leading many guests to make frequent trips across the street to a taco restaurant, plate lunch place and country market with an excellent deli.

Disney goes for authenticity in its interpretation of the Hawaiian culture, and there’s nothing glaringly off-kilter, although I imagine many Hawaiians would argue it’s a filtered view that hardly portrays the whole of the Hawaiian experience.

Disney does unreality better than anybody, and it seems appropriate for Ko Olina, a tropical oasis carved, blasted and transplanted out of some of Oahu’s least attractive scrubland and most raggedy coastline.

Which isn’t a bad thing; better to find creative ways to make our lesser real estate appealing to visitors than to develop our most beautiful country beaches.

Disney was one of the few companies with the guts to build something new during the recession, and it’s a good bet it will pay off nicely.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.