Disney’s First Hawaii Timeshare Welcomes Guests

This past week, Aulani, Disney’s only property in Hawaii, opened its doors and welcomed guests and timeshare owners for the first time.

Aulani is about an hour’s drive from Waikiki, on the west side of the island of Oahu. Throughout the development of the resort, Disney has worked to maintain the spirit of Hawaii in all details of the property. The word, Aulani means “a messenger of a chief – one who delivers a message from a higher authority.” Joe Rohde, senior vice president, Creative for Walt Disney Imagineering, explains, “The name Aulani was chosen to position the resort as a messenger of the “higher authority” that is Hawaii, its spirit and its culture.”

Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and the company’s former chief financial officer, says Aulani “… captures the very best of the rich Hawaiian storytelling and culture with a touch of Disney.”

Disney Vacation Club and Disney Timeshare

Aulani Disney Resort & Spa is the first property Disney has built in Hawaii and is the eleventh Disney Vacation Club Villas resort (timeshare) for Disney. With 481 Vacation Club timeshare villas and 359 traditional hotel rooms, Aulani is the first hotel/timeshare combo Disney has launched that was not in close to proximity to one of its theme parks. Disney Vacation Club does offer two resorts not at parks, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort timeshare in Hilton Head, Georgia and Disney Vero Beach Resort timeshare in Vero Beach, Florida, but neither of these properties provides hotel accommodations.

Take a few moments and watch this video that tours the Aulani Resort, just before its opening, and then check back in tomorrow at The Timeshare Authority blog where we take a closer look at the amenities you will find there. Many, like the in-room rice cookers, may surprise you!