Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa Remains Open During COVID-19 Pandemic and Waives Change Fees

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa located in Ko Olina, Hawaii has announced its decision to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic whilst amping up its cleaning and sanitation schedules and taking other precautions to mitigate the spread of disease. The Disney Vacation Club has also waved the change fees associated with travelers looking to reschedule their vacations until further notice.

Aulani has released this statement regarding the virus:

“Aulani Resort remains open. We are carefully monitoring the situation related to COVID-19 and are in regular contact with health agencies for information and guidance. We will continue to implement preventive measures in line with their recommendations and the input of our company’s medical teams. For example, we have increased the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing high-touch surfaces, and we are providing information about illness prevention to our Cast Members.”

The Aulani Resort has already expanded upon its strict health and safety guidelines with protocols such as:

• Ongoing reinforcement training for Cast Members
• Defined cleaning and disinfecting cycles for target areas
• Accessible handwashing facilities
• Scheduled cleaning and sanitation of high-touch surface areas like guest telephones, elevator buttons, doorknobs, and handrails
• Scheduled cleaning and sanitation of children’s programming which includes children’s hand-washing before and after meals and snacks.
• End-of-day sanitation for kitchens, restroom, and other facilities.
• Frequent cleanings of outdoor locations such as walkways and queues
• Fast response to trash, spills, and other cleanliness situations

The resort adds:

“The CDC recommends everyday health and safety actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, such as staying home when sick, washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, following proper respiratory cough etiquette, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. We continue to communicate these recommendations to our Cast Members.”

Currently, all Disney Vacation Club properties are closed aside from the Aluani location and the company has also announced its temporary change fee adjustments for guests who are looking to reschedule their vacations. These specifications include:

• Waising the Disney-imposed $50 change fee for Aulani packages until further notice
• The ability for guests to move their reservations to a future date in 2020
• Reservation changes being subject to availability. Guests are responsible for paying any increased prices resulting from this change.
• Change fees assessed by other suppliers must be paid and some products and service might not be refundable. Guests are also responsible for any increase in airfare prices and exchange fees determined by the airline.
• DVC has updated their travel insurance policy which is in effect until further notice. Up until 24 hours before check-in, guests with insurance can modify their arrival dates/maintain coverage under their policy as long as there is not a claim on their original travel dates.
• Events and dining experiences may not be available on the news and and maybe be nonrefundable
• These temporary changes do not apply to meetings, groups, and other room block bookings
• If a guest is to cancel their vacation, all applicable cancellation fees still apply

To learn more about Disney’s Aulani Resort, the DVC, and the company’s updates regarding COVID-19, please visit their official website.