Movie Review: The Descendants

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At the 2011 Hawaii International Film Festival the closing film was The Descendants. The film screened and director Alexander Payne received the Vision Award to recognize him for his broad insights into all facets of the film trade. The screening had sold out and the word of mouth was very good. I was looking forward to the general release of the film. When it did release, the movie was not showing at the main theater, the Regal Dole Cannery which is the home to HIFF. Instead, Regal pushed it out to a smaller theater. This was surprising considering all the positive buzz the movie has been receiving. Instead of heading out a dozen miles to Regal’s location, I once again headed just 3 miles to the competitor’s location.

The movie was well worth the effort to try to figure out where it was playing and the effort to get there. Starring George Clooney as Matt King, it tells the story of a man navigating through turbulent waters. The opening sequence to set the mood for the story has Matt talking in a voice over about the mainland perception of Hawaii vs the realities of living in paradise. As he talks, somewhat of a controlled rant, images of the beauty, dirt and yet ordinary everyday scenes of life in and around Honolulu backdrop the narration. As a twenty plus year resident of Hawaii, I could fully understand where he was coming from. Hawaii and the cultures here play a very important role in the movie setting the framework in the world of the King family.

Matt is being squeezed from different sides. He is the lone controlling trustee for a large tract of land from the estate of a Hawaiian Princess who married a white businessman that has been handed down through several generations. The trust which currently holds the property will dissolve in seven years and local residents and family members fall on both sides of the coin to retain the land in its pristine condition or to sell it to developers for shopping centers, marinas and housing. Either decision will have an impact on the people in the state of Hawaii but a direct impact on the relatives.

Matt and his family live a comfortable life style. He works as a real estate attorney and lives in what I call an established home, a house that has been around for decades in one of the older neighborhoods of Nuuanu or Manoa. He lives off of his lawyer income and not the money from the trust. He doesn’t want to squander the money that he has. He wants to provide enough for his kids but not so much that they don’t have to work. He’s trying to find the balance between modern day necessities and what having the trust could provide.

His wife Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie) has just had a terrible boating accident and lies in a coma. While everyone tells Matt she’s a strong woman, she’ll pull through, the doctors have said otherwise. They have no hope that Elizabeth will recover and have recommended disconnecting her from life support equipment as instructed in a living will. Matt now has to struggle with this decision. The woman who he married lies there in the bed and he’s unable to receive a response to his statements about how he has treated her and his two girls over the past several years. He says he’ll be more attentive and responsive, but it doesn’t matter now.

His youngest daughter, Scottie (Amara Miller) is acting out in school. His older 17 year old daughter Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) has been sent off to boarding school on the Big Island. Matt needs to pick her up at school and bring her back to Honolulu and break the bad news to her. He wants to try to keep the younger daughter shielded from the bad news as long as possible. He’s challenged because he was never really close with his daughters, as he says he was the backup parent to them.

Matt tries to talk to Alexandra about her behavior and her anger but she won’t listen. He shoots straight from the hip about her mom dying. After a breakdown in the pool festooned with floating leaves she knocks Matt in the gut by letting him know that the reason she is upset and angry is that she had caught her mom cheating. So now the knowledge of an affair adds to the turmoil sending Matt into a further state of shock.

In the end, this is not a total feel good movie. You know early on that Elizabeth is not going to make it so no bright flowers and rainbows let’s watch the couple sit on the beach in each other’s arms as the sun sets on the Pacific Ocean. The acting all around was superb. You are drawn in as Matt and the kids go to talk to her parents. The dad’s gruff exterior with the feeling that Matt wasn’t good enough for his daughter or the dad trying to explain to his dementia afflicted wife are not played in a goofy or over the top manner. Matt takes the kids over to Kauai to show them the land that he has been entrusted. While both Matt and Alexandra talk about the times they have spent camping there Scottie pipes in pointing out that if the land is sold she’ll never be able to have the family camping experience. You feel for them all the way around. In the end you see a family that has some fractures and splits and has to try to heal if they want to stay together.

I think the biggest compliment that could be given to the movie I heard in the restroom afterward. One man was talking to another and saying “I knew this was a George Clooney movie, but I forget it was George Clooney”. If you have a chance to see this 115 minute R rated for language including some sexual references movie, make the effort I think you'll enjoy it.

The Movie Monkey

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Disney's Aulani Maka'ala

Took a number of pictures out at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, in the lobby called Maka'ala. Over 200 photos have be stitched together using Microsoft Photosynth to give you a 3-D view of sorts of the incredible details in the entrance to your Hawaiian experience at Aulani. Take some time, keep your eyes wide open as you explore and look around Maka'ala.

Aulani opening day detailed trip report

My trip started at 6am as I hopped the bus out to Ko Olina. At my second transfer point, there was some rain that concerned me but by the time I needed to get off the bus to walk in, it had cleared up. The driver was nice enough to drop me off across from the driveway into Ko Olina rather than another tenth of a mile at the actual stop. It was greatly appreciated. I understand that during the morning there was a nice rainbow that graced the opening ceremony.

This is a rather long report so here’s what I’m covering:

Background Music
Photopass
Logo merchandise
General Excise Tax
Car Rental
Menehune Adventure
Aulani Trivia
Rainbow Reef and Makai Preserve
Mickey Float
Alcohol on the Beach
Aunty’s Beach House and the Adventure’s Club
One Paddle, Two Paddle
Quiet Area
Conference Center and Nani
Loungers and Cabanas
Second Recommendation
The Daily 'Iwa
Aloha, Welcome to Aulani
Water Coolers
The Spas-Painted Sky and Laniwai
The Lava Shack
Shave Ice
Hidden features
Na Menehune
Disney Characters
Oahu Ohana Disney Pin Traders & 10th floor Three Bedroom Suite
Kamaaina Rates
Last First Day Thoughts

Background Music

As I walked into Maka'ala, as I've said in previous, my mouth was on the floor. The activity, the costumes and details I've mentioned in another post. Something that I didn't talk about was the background music. The news was released a few days before the opening that Kealii Reichel has produced several mele (songs) to serenade guests. When I walked in there was one that had some chanting that just gave me total chicken skin (goose bumps) with the vocals and beats blending into the environment creating an exciting aura around what will be for many their first time exposure to Hawaiian culture. I didn't think to check at Kalepa's if there was a CD with the soundtrack available, but will the next trip out.

Photopass

In Kalepa's there is a photo pass available. There are a number of nice overlays that can be added to your pictures. The photopass card for Aulani has a nice plumeria picture on the left side. For the slides and such around Waikolohe Valley, at this time there are no automated cameras like on Splash or Space Mountains. If you want a picture on the slides, you'll need to get a photographer to try to take one and apparently the cameras at the moment can't do the bust photography so it's one at a time shots.
Photopass front Photopass back

Logo merchandise

There was a sign limiting purchases of the Aulani logo merchandise to two items. A Cast Member told me that none of the Aulani merchandise will be available at the Disney Store at Ala Moana Center. No option for mail order either. So, if you want the Aulani pins and Vinylmation items contact me and we can talk turkey about pricing and shipping! I visited the store three times during the day and it was crowded each time. When I purchased some pins, I was offered a nice sturdy folded bag with rope handles and topped with tissue paper. I have not seen this sort of bag at any other Disney resort. This was another example of upping the experience at Aulani. I turned it down as I didn't want to carry it around for the day but did accept it when I purchased two of the Vinylmation figures before I left for the day. A 20 oz Coke Zero cost me $2.59 and with General Excise Tax and deposit, total cost was $2.77.

General Excise Tax

One item that surprised me on the General Excise Tax is how Disney is collecting it. This paragraph could get boring so you might want to jump ahead to the next paragraph if you’re not into those details. Hawaii has a tax that is a tax on the business and not the consumer. The GET is NOT a sales tax. The company is not required to pass it along, but they almost all do. Any money the business collects the State of Hawaii wants a portion so if the business passes along the GET to the consumer, that tax is taxed. Long story short, in order for the company to break even on the tax collection, they should collect 4.712%. Disney is collecting only 4.71%. That is an unusual move not to collect the full 4.712%. On larger purchases, that could be a little bit of money but with the total number of transactions, it could add up. If you made it this far in this paragraph, bless you....now go read some more fun stuff in the paragraph next door!
Receipt

Car Rental

In the Holoholo tour area is where you will find a desk for Alamo rent a car. Archie, Jesse and Savanah are the CMs responsible for the desk. One feature they pointed out is that the Leaf is available for rental and there are charging stations at Aulani. They quoted $59.99 per day not including any taxes. I joked around asking if I needed to bring it back with the battery drained! They laughed. They recommend keeping it less than 80 miles before charging. They are now listed on the Alamo web site, but here is a heads up. They are NOT listed as Kapolei for either the city or using the zip code; you need to look up either Honolulu or Aulani. As another heads up, for Oahu, I'm not aware of any public charging stations. I'll still need to do some more research to see if I can find anything. The number for them directly is 808-676-5924.

Menehune Adventure

Make sure that you check out the Menehune Adventure. If you are familiar with the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot, it is similar. You will have a device that will give you clues and activate special animations around the property. I was told there are a number of animations already in place and that more are planned. That sounds exciting!

Aulani Trivia

I spoke with Janice who is a life guard supervisor dressed in red. The funny thing is, her name tag had a different name. Apparently there is a back log on getting the name tags made. She's been in Hawaii for about two years and really excited about Aulani. My question for her was about a bridge that crosses the Waikolohe Stream and has the date of 1923. I asked her what the significance of the date was. When she answered, I said "Ahhhhhh". I will let you find out for yourself when you visit what it means.

Rainbow Reef and Makai Preserve

I ended up walking around the valley for a while checking out the Rainbow Reef where people can snorkel with tropical fish. There is a nice viewing area where you can see into the waters with signs posted with pictures of the fish that you'll find inside the viewing area. Viewing into the window, there are some hidden surprises there as well! From what I could see, the people were not going underwater, but snorkeling while floating on the surface of the water. In the Makai Preserve there are sting rays in a pool. There are sessions where guests can get up close and personal with the animals under controlled conditions.
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Mickey Float

There are several people with whom I've been communicating with about Aulani. One of them works in recreation services. It was great to finally me him in person after corresponding for several months. They are dressed in blue. The waterfront of the lagoon has transformed with the opening of Aulani. With the number of loungers and cabanas available, the beach has more activity. One of the activities is the rental of a float in the Aulani version of Mickey. The standard corporate three circle logo has been transformed for Hawaii. If you look at some of my pictures from around the resort, you'll see the modification! You can use that to enjoy time in the lagoon. The stand on the beach is homage to Joe Rohde thru its name of Makiki Joe’s.

Alcohol on the Beach

For the beach activities, there is something that has totally surprised me. While exiting the property to the beach there is a sign saying "no alcohol allowed beyond this point." But yet, you can have a server bring alcohol out to you on the beach. Now this is where I don't understand the law fully at Ko Olina with their agreement with the State of Hawaii. There is public access to the shoreline. Ko Olina created the lagoons and has provided access to the beach. Alcohol is not supposed to be allowed on public beaches. So, I’m not totally sure under the conditions by which alcohol is not allowed to be brought out, but yet they will serve you alcohol on the beach.
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Aunty’s Beach House and the Adventure’s Club

The keiki (children) that are 3-12 years old are going to have a blast at Aunty's Beach House. The activities that are set up at Aunty's with costume dress up, computers, games, science experiments, nap time and snacks will keep kids occupied! I asked to visit and see the Adventurer's Club items. They allowed me in, I had to sign in, be escorted, allowed to take pictures of props and had to wash my hands upon entry. There is an Aunty's side and an Uncle's side to the location. It's over on Uncle's side where the Adventure's Club items are located. It was fun to see how Aulani has been tied to Pleasure Island over at Walt Disney World *and* to the Tokyo DisneySea theme park. It was a very nice touch! I did talk to the CM about the significance of these items and why they will probably have a number of requests to view them. This was a second reference point back to Joe Rohde.
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One Paddle, Two Paddle

Over at One Paddle, Two Paddle, there was a line for the counter service food. They had items from wraps to burgers and tacos and a number of sides as well as a keiki menu. The prices seem a little on the high side. A delicious smell was floating in the air from the grill cooking the Angus burgers as you stood in the area. This is located at the base of the Ewa Tower next to Aunty's Beach House next to 'Ama'ama restaurant.
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Quiet Area

Over by the base of the Waianae Tower is the Wailana pool bar which is next to the quiet pool that is called the Wailana Pool! How convenient! It is very nice over there, very tranquil as compared to the pools that are part of Waikolohe Valley. A couple of cabanas are available for rental at this location.
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Conference Center and Nani

At the Conference Center, I met Nani. She was kind enough to let me into the ballroom. She was very excited to share about the location and what it offered with its Hawaiian touches. She pointed out the “chandelier” in the room which looked like a lei that they could computer control for the lighting and color control. She also pointed out a beautiful floral pattern woven into the carpet which in many cases will probably be covered with chairs or tables for events and missed by guests. We talked about a bit more which I mentioned in another post. I really want to thank her for taking as much time as she did on the busy opening day to share and talk story with me. She mentioned the 4:15 Aloha, Welcome to Aulani event at would take place at the Maka’ala lanai.
Lights Carpet

Loungers and Cabanas

All around are places to relax. The valley abounds with lounge chairs for use as well as cabanas that can be rented. There were signs identifying the ohana (family) that had rented the locations in front of each cabana. Having a place that you can call "home" while at the pool and knowing that you have ability to have walls to allow or block the sun or wind gives that extra touch for your pool time.
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Second Recommendation

At one point I had found a plug to charge my batteries. It was in the Ewa tower not too far away from the Makahiki restaurant where I could sit down in shade and use the outlet. It was here I met a couple who are big Disney fans, Storm and Bently, who live in Waikiki that had come out for the day. They were enjoying the resort. I did have my copy of The Daily 'Iwa out to see the schedule. One cast member came over and suggested the Aloha Welcome to Aulani event. So that makes twice it was mentioned to me.

The Daily 'Iwa

The Daily 'Iwa is a schedule for guests. It is printed daily and lists all the activities going on around the resort. It is similar to the Personal Navigator that can be found aboard the Disney cruise ships. For guests, this will be a valuable piece to pick up and know what’s happening where and when. This newsletter gives the daily pulse of the events around the resort that guests can take advantage of during their stay if they choose to be active or they could just hunker down in Waikolohe Valley with their towels and sun screen all day.
Front Page

Aloha, Welcome to Aulani

I did attend the first public Aloha, Welcome to Aulani. Cast members started handing out post cards to people who had gathered on the Maka’ala lanai. At the appropriate time, a cast member called the people to order and we had an ice breaker exercise. We had to find someone who had the same postcard that had been handed to you. If you couldn’t find an exact match, then find someone with a similar card. We were asked to share our name, location and something we’re proud of. I met Vincent, a Brigham Young University student who had come over to Hawaii on his own to study at the Laie campus. He worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center as a food vendor.

After the ice breaker, we were introduced to Uncle who then talked more about the resort. Now, Uncle sported a beard which was weird because usually CMs are clean shaven. Actually, I had seen Uncle a couple weeks prior while I was on the lagoon as he was rehearsing lines. It was the first day and he made a little, but understandable mistake by calling one of the towers by the incorrect name. Not a biggie. As he talked he used a few Hawaiian words, gave their definition and pointed out other cast members who briefly talked about activities available that fell into their department. The meeting got cut a little short due to people standing out in the direct sun who were starting to break up. Afterwards I heard him pointing out mistakes that he made. The jitters will go away and the presentation will be refined.

By the way, in case you’re wondering, aunty and uncle in Hawaii is a term of respect and endearment. They don’t necessarily need to be blood relatives, but people who are generally older than you, will share themselves with you, and will let you take the first taste of the poi before they do. They really might be Aunty Leilani or Uncle Kimo, but you don’t always call out their name, just the title will do. They are ohana.

Water Coolers

Something that I noticed around the resort are insulated clear water coolers. I've seen this type of cooler before when I've attended events at hotels or convention centers. There were small plastic cups next to it. Some were just plain water and others had fruit in the water. I personally don't remember seeing this at any of the resorts in Florida including the Grand Floridian. This is one of the aspects of Aulani that I saw and why I say that Disney is raising their game.
Pool area

The Spas-Painted Sky and Laniwai

Inside the Waianae tower are the spas. Painted Sky is the first spa on Oahu for teens and next door is the big spa Laniwai for adults. Painted Sky has the Rip Swirl yogurt bar that's open to anyone in the resort. Teens can get pampered with facials and mani-pedis in a semi-private area. Just outside the door by Painted Sky are the Wailana pool area and the Laniwai hydrotherapy area. As you look up you'll see clouds that will change color giving the idea of the painted sky. Game consoles and computers for the teens are included in this area.

The main spa Laniwai is spectacular. I entered and started talking to the staff. All very friendly and wired up with ear buds to communicate with each other. I had stopped by in the early afternoon to take a look at the spa and was told there was a tour at 6pm. When I returned for the tour, I was offered a seat and then given a glass of water with an infusion of pineapple. While waiting for the tour a local gentleman came in and wanted to buy a package for his wife and daughter. They graciously assisted him using what looked like an iPad to take his order.

The person who gave the tour needs to work a bit on his presentation. He seemed a bit nervous and was speaking like he had memorized a script. It wasn't as natural as some other tours that I've taken. He also didn't know how to keep the group together and everyone in place before he started talking. The looks and feels as you go through the spa are very calming. The main spa is 18,000 square feet and the hydrotherapy outside called Kula Wai Gardens is an additional 5000 square feet and is unique. No other location in Hawaii has a hydrotherapy area. In the Kula Wai Garden are special showers that are like a hard rain, soft rain, side spray and several other choices. There was a hot whirlpool and a cold bath. The water was kept at 52 degrees if I remember correctly. In several locations throughout Laniwai, small snacks and fruits are available.

Going back for a moment to the man who was buying the gift package. He was surprised at the cost. According to him it was affordable. Personally, I've never been to a spa so I have no reference for cost. In any case, the atmosphere was very soothing. Even though I was rush, rush, rush to try to do so many things, just being in Laniwai for the 15 minute tour was very calming! The tour guide also pointed out the driftwood art that was present throughout Laniwai was from driftwood that had been found on the beaches there on the west side of Oahu. Very nice!
Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4 Pricing and brochure

The Lava Shack

Back in Waikolohe Valley is The Lava Shack. It had a few logo items for sale plus some food. Outside was another location for your refillable mug. Inside was a refrigerator that sold food and drinks. What was funny was the way the shack was themed. All sort of little trinkets and odds and ends. Locals will get a real kick out of exploring this location. Two items that I found particularly of note were a picture of Angela Perez Baraquio and a bobble head. Anglea is notable as being a sister in law for a local radio talk show host and a Miss Hawaii who went on to become Miss America. I sent a note to the host Rick letting him know that his sister in law was now immortalized by Disney at their new resort. The bobble head is funny. We have a person who spent part of his childhood in Hawaii and then went on to become the 44th President of the United States of America. Yes, Barrak Obama is being noted for his ties to Hawaii with a bobblehead of him in a surfing position!
Angela bobble head

Shave Ice

Across from The Lava Shack is a location where you can buy the local treat called shave ice. Many people confuse shave ice with a snow cone. There is a BIG difference between the two. A snow cone is ground ice whereas shave ice is as its name says, shaved. It's much lighter and fluffier than a snow cone. Japan visitors might know it as kakigori. This stand is backed by the Rainbow Reef and next to the reef viewing area.

Hidden features

As I walked around Waikolohe Valley throughout the day I tried to take pictures of the different animals hidden in Puu Kilo, the big volcano like structure within the valley. All throughout the day new animals kept appearing. I might have looked at a location in the morning receiving direct light and didn't notice anything. I come back later in the afternoon when the sun had shifted position so there were shadows and BOOM! a new life form was staring back at me. Within the rock work you'll find hidden creatures out by the lagoon going all the way in towards Maka'ala.
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Na Menehune

And speaking of BOOM! The same is true of the menehune. They are all over the place! Make sure you look up, look down, look behind you, in rafters, behind branches. In case you don't know what a menehune is, in Hawaiian legends, the menehune are crafts people who live in the forests who come out at night and use their superb skills to create structures like ponds, temples and roads overnight. You'll find both male and female menehune. Although I have pictures of any that I saw, you might not find them there. They are mischievous and could move at any time. I was surprised at some of the locations where I found them. So keep on the lookout because you just don't know when and where you will see them!
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Disney Characters

Over the course of the day I did see Mickey, Minnie and Stitch. When I asked about Lilo, I was told that she’s staying over on Kauai and one CM said that she’s in school over there! During the Character Breakfast at Makahiki, you’ll see more than just the three I mentioned above. Still no sighting of Duffy Bear! Character appearances can be found in The Daily 'Iwa.

Oahu Ohana Disney Pin Traders & 10th floor Three Bedroom Suite

I did two things to finish off my day. The first was the chance to meet up with the Oahu Ohana Disney Pin traders. The second to visit the tenth floor three bedroom suite. I haven't gotten into the pin trading because I know that I could very well go overboard. Although I do have some pins; my claim to fame is having the complete framed collection of the Walt Disney World Fifteenth Anniversary Coke pins with plaque and when I was a cast member I collected pavilion sponsor pins like Kikoman’s and AT&T. I had the chance to meet some of the collectors here on Oahu and see parts of their prized collections. In the suite, I took pictures of it with the interior and views from the lanai (patio) looking out onto the beautiful Pacific Ocean while down below people were gathering on the lawn.
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Kamaaina Rates

For Hawaii's local residents, the question about Kamaaina rates has come up. From what I understand, the hotel rooms have a 25% discount. For other discounts on parking, meals or merchandise, there none at this time. What I would think is that after they have been open for a number of months Disney will go back and reevaluate what they are offering the local residents. Just as the Florida and California resorts offer specials for locals, I would expect them to eventually offer discounts to help fill up the slow seasons. But for right now, only the room discount is available and future discounts are just speculations.

Last First Day Thoughts

At his point, my day was just about over. I was tired, hungry and a little sun burned. I headed back down and was surprised by a menehune in the elevator. So really, keep an eye out as these little guys could be hiding ANYWHERE! My last treat for the night was running into Joe Rohde again. I asked if I could get his picture and he said sure. He back up a little bit to head to Maka’ala where I took the shot. I once again thanked him and he went along his way. So that was a great way to cap off the evening and my visit to Aulani on its opening day.

To see the complete set of over 600 pictures from opening day, click here
To see all the video of the site before any construction started, click here
To see the complete collection of pics of Aulani as it was being construction, check here

Finally, as a special gift commemorating the opening of Aulani, right click here and then choose the save option.

The wave has arrived at Disney's Aulani!

The day had finally arrived. Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa within the Ko Olina resort has opened its doors to the public. It was just a little shy of four years passing since the project was announced in October 2007. I had gone out and shot video of the plot of land when it was barren, untouched ground. Now Phase I has opened on the 21 acre lot located on the Koloha lagoon within Ko Olina. I don't think I could have a bigger smile on my face as I walked through and saw the final product, that is after I picked my jaw up off the floor from all the beauty and grandeur displayed.

Let me say right off the bat that even though I had a long day, I still didn't get done all that I wanted to do. Not including travel time I was there for just shy of twelve hours. I didn't even sit down to eat. I was walking around the majority of the day taking a ton of pictures, talking to cast members and other visitors. I had my list of questions and I did ask some along the way, but lost my way as I kept discovering new items, new detail and flourishes and meeting people. I'll need to go back out for more exploration.

When I had been in Aulani two weeks earlier, the product still have finishing touches that needed to be used but none of the cast members were in costume. As I turned into the property from the sidewalk there were three new kii at the base of the taro patches. Walking up the drive way into the porte-cochere area, it was bustling with activity. As I walked into Maka'ala, the bellmen and greeters have costumes that are just stunning. The colors, patterns are silhouettes create an atmosphere that just blends perfectly with the whole look and feel of your entrance into the Aulani experience. They were working in an area that also had some new kii added. To me, all the new kii were a different style than what you would find over on the Big Island at Puuhonua O Honaunau but they still looked amazing.

At Kelepa's, the general store the greeters there were welcoming people with "E komo mai" meaning "come on in!"and as guests were leaving saying "a hui hou" meaning "until we meet again". It was touches like this that as a long time resident of Hawaii I could identify with in addition to having the background from back in the day as a former cast member and being an active part of the Disney fan community and podcaster.

Over the course of the day as I turned around, talked to people, explored visually making sure to look both up and down and straight ahead, I kept saying "oh" and "ahh" and "that's cool" to myself. This happened all day. The executive designer for Aulani is Joe Rohde. I spotted him around the resort but he was usually doing some sort of press. At one point I had sat down to breath and he walked past me as he exited the building. I stopped him, shook his hand and thanked him for what he's done with the project. He acknowledged my thanks and suggested that I talk to some of the Hawaiians and see how they feel.

I did as Joe suggested and did talk to a number of cast members and specifically asked them how they thought the culture was being represented. They all had positive things to say. In particular I had the opportunity to talk with Nani. We talked for longer than I talked with others. It was a good conversation as we discussed the Hawaiian language and a bit of its history and use and how Disney went about asking advisers how can they represent Hawaii as compared to Disney saying this is how we want to represent it. If you're thinking Polynesian Pop and the tiki culture like the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World, you won't find that here.

From what I could see on this trip, Disney is upping their game significantly. I saw things here that I hadn't seen at other Disney resorts in both resort details and in the cast members. Steve Eng should be complimented for what he's been able to do with the training. As I talked to the CMs, their training was often brought up as a topic. One aspect I noticed was that many more of the cast members at Aulani as I passed them acknowledged me. Some with nods, but many, many more with verbal greetings. At one point I apparently planted myself where the CMs transition between on and back stage. During that time, almost every one that passed me greeted me whether I was looking at them or not and most of them gave the spoken greeting of "Aloha".

The only shortcoming that I could see was something that I'm not sure Disney could do anything about at this time. With the hiring of CMs for Aulani drawing from the local pool of talent, many of them have not been exposed to the Disney fandom and how a number of items relate to each other. Quick example, the Menehune Adventure: most of the CMs that I talked to didn't know about the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. Eventually as any mainland transfer CMs share with the local CMs and the local CMs have their own interactions with the fandom their personal expertise on all things Disney will expand to fill in some of those gaps.

The way that I would describe Aulani is that is not a Disney hotel with a touch of Hawaii. I feel that it is a Hawaiian hotel with a touch of Disney. Everyone involved with the project should be very happy with what they have done. Over the next weeks and months, I look forward to seeing how the resort changes, evolves and grows as they gather more experience working in their day to day operations and interactions with the guests and the community.

I'll do a future post about more specifics of the day including what I saw, did and more of the encounters of the day.

To see over 600 pictures from opening day, Click Here.

If you are subscribed to Meandering Mouse Club TV, I sent a special gift in honor of Aulani's opening down the feed on Sunday. One click subscribe for i-tunes found on the side.

Two weeks to Disney's Aulani opening!

Link for pictures at bottom of article

The date is almost here. The single digit countdown is rapidly approaching and the excitement level is heightening for a couple of different reasons.

Raising the attention level for the resort is the news that broke on Friday night, August 12. Jim Lewis, the head of the Disney Vacation Club, was released from the company. The rumor was that it had something to do with Aulani. Two weeks ago I had heard from a DVC owner with points in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland that points for Aulani could not be sold. They had heard a rumor that there was something with the Hawaii paperwork at issue.

When the news of the firing became public, Jason Garcia at the Orlando Sentinel tweeted asking what people knew. I went to the Aulani kiosk at Ala Moana Center and asked when the person would be able to sell Aulani points and the response was now. When asked about Jim Lewis, the same person responded they didn't know about it. Less than 24 hours later when I asked the person at the on-property DVC kiosk if I could purchase Aulani points, they replied "We can't comment on that." Jason published a report on Monday, August 15 and apparently the release was related to Aulani. Jason's story is here.

In any case, it's providing publicity for Aulani and bringing an awareness of the project and property that wasn't there before. In the long run, that will be a good thing!

My latest set of update photos contain pictures from inside the resort. I went out to the resort and the first thing that I noticed was a change in the entrance. It looks different. Apparently there have been changes to the entrance and Disney is now manning the gate to direct people to the resort.

Around the resort the green construction wall is down except for a small area in the back near the project management office.

Along the beach front they have new beach cabanas available for rental. They were so new that the wrapping still remained on the cover. Not far behind them were stacks of beach loungers that were piled high and chained up for the time being.

There were workers still all over the place finishing up to get the resort ready for the opening date. Something that I didn't know how they did was railings that looked like wood. There were workers putting a putty or clay around the metal pipe and then they were individually creating little pukas (holes) and creases. The clay was a gray color so I'm thinking that after it dries or cures that they will paint it before putting on some sort of sealer. Now I know how they do that!

Walking with a lot of other people into the resort there is something that the operations folks might want to look at. Along the left side of the lo'i (taro patch) is a path leading from the sidewalk up towards the main entrance. It dead ends at the top tier. I saw several people jumping the wall and walking through a garden area rather than walk around. A sign saying no exit or putting a couple of stairs to allow an exit might be a valuable addition.

Walking into the lobby, Maka'ala, was a feeling that I can't fully describe. Here I was walking into a location that I filmed four years previously that was nothing but a vacant lot of land. I was shaking with excitement. I had a huge smile on my face. Here it was, one of my most favorite passions being materialized right there, right in front of my eyes, right under my feet. Just on the other side of the lobby out in Waikolohe Valley, Mickey Mouse was greeting people who were previewing the facility. Disney had come to me in Hawaii instead of me having to move to Orlando or Anaheim!

I walked around and was amazed at the details I saw. The calabashes, the art, the plants, the background music. At one point I did glimpse Joe Rohde. He was sitting on a couch near a wooden statue of a menehune talking to an individual. Across the way a little bit was a pahu (drum). I didn't get a chance to approach him. Someone came up to him and said something. Joe put on his hat and quickly walked away with the requester and another person following them.

On the lanai (patio) looking out into Waikolohe Valley you could hear live entertainment coming from the distance. Immediately below was a fountain where four streams of water were intersecting at a single point. A little beyond that was the line to meet Mickey. Off to the left was a small stage area where later on a trio would be playing live Hawaiian music.

From Maka'ala to the left was the Ewa tower that would have the DVC rooms. On the right was the Waianae Tower where the Laniwai spa could be found along with the regular hotel rooms. As a local, it was funny looking at the tower names. Usually when you look mauka (towards the mountains) and you're in Honolulu when you say ewa for directions you usually mean left, meaning out on the west coast of Oahu. With the location of the resort in Kapolei, you are past Ewa so at Aulani, ewa would mean east or towards Honolulu. For locals it may be a little awkward, but for guests who are visiting Hawaii and specifically Oahu for the first time, it will make perfect sense.

There is so much more that I could talk about but I'll hold off until the resort is fully open except for a specific topic. The one item I want to touch on is the refillable souvenir mugs. They've made some news lately as mugs with RFID chips are being tested out at the All Star Sports resort over at Walt Disney World. Get details here. These mugs are molded white plastic with the design screened on. They currently cost $13.99. The mugs at Aulani have a clear plastic exterior with an insert with Hawaiian designs and Aulani logo between the outside and black inside and comes in four design colors. Here's the kicker...it costs $32.99 for the mug! The sign reads "Unlimited refills available from any beverage station until the end of the stay in which the mug was purchased." When I talked to the cast member, she didn't know about the RFID chips being tested at All Star Sports. She did say that there are three beverage stations in the resort where refills can be obtained. I didn't think to look at the price of a single drink but when I get a chance I'll find out what the price and break even point would be. The $32.99 with Hawaii's General Excise Tax of 4.712% brings the total for a mug to $34.54 so the price does seem a bit high.

Between now and opening day there will be cast members staying on property to give it a shake out. Making sure that the rooms have what they need and the recreation CMs have a chance to test out the patterns and flows of the equipment and crowds will be the point of the stays. So that's it for this moment. I don't plan on going back to the resort until the official opening day although I've heard rumors of a public preview. We'll have to see about that.

Complete set of pictures here

Aulani Construction update for July 30

To see the full collection of update photos go here

Spoiler photos

I received another message last week informing me that the construction wall along beach side had been removed. When I went out, there were thirty days left before the resort is to open.

• Coming in the guard shack has a new Ko Olina resort sign.
  Pic


• There are now a couple of Ko Olina resort direction signs in the median.
  Pic Pic
  


• Around the front and Diamond Head side of Aulani, there is new grass planted and the irrigation systems are in place.
  Before After Pic Pic


• The kiosk in the front is now gone. It has been replaced with one beach side once again!
  Front Before Front Front Back Back
  


• The sign for the resort has the name, but not the title
  Pic


• Those items that I thought might be torches are. I was shown a picture of a unit and it looked cool! There were several units in the front of the resort that are now darkened and had their bases removed. Looks like they were working on them. I imagine they would contain an electric start.
  Before After
  


• There was additional plant work still being doing in the front. A couple of utility boxes are now being hidden by puakinikini plants and a tree was arriving at the resort.
  Pic Pic
  

The main changes were the back with the removal of the construction wall. I got as we say in Hawaii, chicken skin....other places would say goose bumps! The area looks amazing!

• There is a place where cactus is growing. Yes Hawaii does have some dry zones!
  Pic


• There is new lighting. There is path lighting and what looked like atmosphere lighting. It looked a little modern for the area, but I'm sure once I see it at night, it will look good. For Atmosphere there were two types. The first is a large bubble sitting on the ground. The other is a unit with three small white globes about the size of a golf ball. I'm wondering if they have LED lighting and can change color!
  Pic Big spheres Small Spheres


• The staff was doing rehearsals. One was for a pool party for the kids. There was a man in an outfit that was practicing his speech with a script. I don't know if he was going to be for the pool party.
  Pic Pic


• The beach had what appeared to be a small version of a Hawaiian double hulled sailing canoe which has been used in their commercials and updates. There were also lime green stand up paddle boards that may be Disney's. There were a number of them out and the Marriott said they weren't theirs.
  Pic
  

Lastly, spoiler alert! As you walk along the beach path and if you look at the Disney property, you will see menehune and lava animals. These fun discoveries have been talked about for some time. For the regular update section, I have not included these pictures in case you want to see them when you come out for a visit. If you would like to see the ones that can be seen as you follow the beach walkway around the lagoon you can check out this special set over on my Flickr site.
Spoiler pics

To those people who have helped be my eyes and ears as to what's happening at the resort, a big mahalo for your continued help and support.

If you are on Oahu on September 3, I'm want to get together with people out at Aulani to walk around the grounds and maybe go for some food. If you're interested, please contact me so I can get an idea of numbers!

To see the full collection of update photos go here

Spoiler photos

July Disney Aulani Construction Update v1.5

To see the complete collection of pictures, go here

Received a call from my friend who lives out in Ko Olina. She gave me some information and I made a special trip out to the resort on Saturday, July 23 to take some more pictures. I walked around the Aulani property, took some shots and in just ten days since my last visit there were noticeable changes. I tried to take pictures from Ihilani looking over where Laniwai will be. Unfortunately, most of those pictures didn't come out. I went out a couple hours earlier in the day from when I usually go. The windows were dirty and with lower angle of the sun, my camera kept focusing on the glass and not the view beyond.

Here is what I noticed:

• More road paving had been done leading into the Ko Olina property.
  Pic
• The water feature at the entrance to Ko Olina now has water!
  Before After
  
• Just after the security station, there is now a sign warning people of the property improvements happening.
  Pic
• New lagoon signage on both sides of Aulani.
  Pic Pic Pic Pic
• Sprinkler/irrigation was being tested on the west side of the resort along Olani Street.
  Pic
• There was some stone laid in Laniwai.
  Pic
• The public parking lot before Aulani is now repoened.
  Before After
  
• Flag stone was done being installed at the base of the path from the west side public parking lot.
  Pic
• The planters by Ihilani were completed.
  Before After
  
• The embankment on the east side of the lagoon had grass planted/laid in.
  Before After
  
• The east side public parking is still closed.
  
• The irrigation/sprinkler system on the west side was installed.
  Before After
  
• There was a crew working to take up the top soil along the front of the property.
  Pic Pic

AND....what caused me to head out in the first place - The large green construction wall along Aliinui Drive was removed for the most part and replaced with orange safety netting. This allowed direct unobstructed view into the property along the front of the property.

Before

After

The opening is getting close. When I entered the Marriott, there was a sign for a rehearsal room. They are gone now, but there were posts that I saw talking about Kealii Reichel and I think it was the Tau dance company who were practicing for the opening of Aulani. For those that don't know, Kealii is a singer, song writer and a kumu hula. Over the years he has also won a number of Na Hoku Hanohano Awards which is Hawaii's equivalent of the Grammy award in different categories including Favorite Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year.

When you look at the collection over on Flickr, I have some different detail shots and some fun ones of people and activities happening over there. If you are interested in making a kamaaina or military discount booking contact Lindsey and let her know that Joel sent you!

To see the complete collection of pictures, go here

The Cresting Wave of Disney's Aulani

As I write this there are 103 days left until the opening of Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa within the Ko Olina Resort in Kapolei, Hawaii. There has been a lot happening and as a local, activities to prepare for the opening are coming to a crescendo.

About a month ago I started to receive posts from friends on the mainland. Sam and Kimmy were making the circuit to appear on radio and TV stations to talk about Aulani as the locals would say "to activate the coconut wireless". He's in an aloha shirt and she's in lovely floral print dress. During the segment they would banter with the hosts. They would then end up with Sam playing Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride from the movie Lilo and Stitch with the title character, Stitch, coming out and dancing to the musical notes emanating from Sam's ukulele. Here's an example of when they visited the LA CBS affiliate KCAL9.

They have been working for sometime to staff the resort. Hiring for upper management positions has been going on for many months. Last November is when I saw them head out to the colleges. They were at a big local job fair which I posted back in January. They put posters onto the buses of Oahu's local bus service called TheBus about two months ago. I've been seeing posts on twitter and Facebook about people who have been applying online and getting to the next step of on-line interviews. Last week the BIG push has really started. The local TV stations and newspaper have been touting 800 job openings with the story even hitting Forbes and Business Week. Today had another Job Quest event in Honolulu at the Neil Blaisdell Center with Disney's Aulani as a big draw for the event.

I headed down and while the line outside was shorter than last time, the inside was still very crowded. You didn't see Aulani immediately as you went inside, but just off to the side once you got past the entry gallery. They used the same room and set up as last time for information sessions. This time the presentation was different. Upon finding a seat, Katie Mock, one of the recruiters came over and said Hi and thanked me for coming out. This time her and a returning local, Steve who has spent time with the company in Anaheim, Orlando and the past year at Disneyland Paris, gave the presentation. They didn't give much background information about the resort but almost went straight into the application process.

One item of note was the meaning of Aulani. When the resort was first announced Disney gave the translation of “the place that speaks for the great ones”. I noticed right away that when you look up aulani in the Hawaiian dictionary it says "messenger of the chief". The difference being place vs person. Steve gave the translation and he referenced person instead of place.

All in all, it was about a 10 minute presentation before we were dismissed and given a chance to get questions answered at the booth. Katie told me afterwards that the feedback from the last Job Quest was more pointed towards the application process and t was definitely evident this time! People interested in applying should go to Aulani.jobs.

Steve did mention that new cast members would have a traditions class to teach people about the company. I forgot to ask if the class would be a half day, full or two day class. They would also receive special training to relay the story of Aulani. As a trainer, I wouldn't be surprised if Steve would run them to combine his local background and 16 year Disney career to really help get locals ready to delivery the Disney experience.

There were about two dozen people there staffing the booth and presentation room. The booth itself was about twice the size as last time. They had what they used in January but they remodeled and added an extension. In the back was an area with about half a dozen or so computers with counselors set up to allow people to apply on-line right there at the event. During the presentation people were told that the whole process starts via their web site.

I met and talked with a couple of others, Karen and Kimi for questions. Even with the opening right around the corner there is still a lot up in the air and most of questions that I had about the resort they weren't able to answer since they were more of the resort operation and trivia sorts of questions rather than the HR/employment questions. Totally understandable.

One big question that did get answered was that of the Disney Grooming Guidelines. Disney is going to enforce the Disney Look meaning short hair and no tattoos for the guys. They will be making special options with long and short sleeves available to help cover any ink. BUT, on a case by case basis they may allow exceptions to the rules. Two areas that may have more leniency than others would be for entertainment and the Olelo Room which would make sense. Entertainment is a show and in the Olelo Room, the primary language will be Hawaiian.

One of my ongoing concerns is about the bus going into the property. They don't have that issue worked out yet. The Ko Olina Resort people were there hiring for the resort as a whole and even they didn't know about the buses. I wonder if public transportation is not allowed onto the resort and if someone gets injured going across Farrington highway if they would try to go after the resort for damages.

Koolina aerial view

Koolina drawing map

I asked about having local produce on site for people to buy for cooking in their rooms. They didn't know about that specifically, but they did say that the company has made a commitment to use local supplies for the resort especially for the resort food locations. Maybe they could include a few local type recipes in the rooms and even have packages available. The guests could order say the lomi lomi package. They then have a box delivered to the room with all the ingredients and instructions to complete the dish right there in their own kitchen (the Disney Vacation Club units have a kitchen). Or what about making haupia! I want credit for this idea if used!!

The spa, now called Laniwai, will have a workout center for resort guests besides the areas for massage, nails and other such treatments. Guests will be able to use the Ko Olina Golf Club but don't' know at this time if they will receive a discount for a round.

When I asked if Disney was going to have a luau like Ohana at Walt Disney World's Polynesian resort, I didn't get a clear cut yes or no just that Disney will be providing first class entertainment.

On one of the forums that I am a part of some questions came up and I thought that I would mention them here and share the information. How far is it for grocery shopping? Across the street at Ko Olina Crossing is an ABC convenience store. Internal to Aulani itself, they are supposed to have a convenience store as well but no details at this time. For ABC they have some fresh fruits and vegetables as well as hot food but the price is convenience store pricing. Going into Kapolei proper is where you will find Target, Costco, Safeway, Longs (known else where as CVS) and other shopping. It's about 4-5 miles between Aulani and the Kapolei shopping areas. Also, there is a farmer's market in Kapolei on Sundays as well.

Another question was on insects. Around the resort, you shouldn't have a problem with mosquitoes and such. If you go hiking into the Waianae or Koolau mountains, then bringing some sort of bug repellant with you couldn't hurt! Although, let me give you a warning. We have some cockroaches that we call the B-52 or 747 roaches. They are BIG and they fly. They are like beetles in that you generally don't find a whole bunch at one time. BUT, they aren't anything that a good shoe or slippah can't take care of!

In regards to rain and weather. The leeward side of the island is called that because under normal trade wind conditions, the winds blow from the north east to the south west. The Koolau mountains block the clouds forcing them to dump their moisture so they can rise up and over the ancient volcanic peaks. By the time the clouds get to the leeward areas most of the moisture is gone so that area remains dryer. Do they get rain? Yes, just not as often as some other areas on the island.

Could I surf at Aulani? Not really. Lagoon 1 or Koloha on which Aulani is located is a man made lagoon which has a narrow opening. This small entrance helps to control the natural wave action that would prevent anything rideable from coming into the lagoon. On the outside of the lagoon, well, it's the Pacific Ocean! In regards to Disney offering surfing lessons and board rentals to people, they are still working out contracts for vendors.

If all goes right, I'll be heading out tomorrow to the resort to get more update photos so keep an eye on my Flickr collection for those.

In the mean time if you are looking to book a room at Aulani to receive a Military or Kaamaina Discount, contact Lindsey and let her know that Joel sent you!

March notes about Aulani and the Ko Olina Resort

The opening of Disney's Aulani A Resort and Spa in Ko Olina on Oahu is just about six months from opening. Here are some notes and thoughts about what's happening from my last trip out to the resort.

I take TheBus, Oahu's public bus system, out to the site to take update pics. I called their customer service to see if/when they would have bus service go into the resort. The representative told me that the Ko Olina resort will not allow buses onto property as they are private property. She didn't know if they would maybe do like the military bases and allow buses through the property for limited hours. With the worker demand and the expectations of the restaurants, hopefully an agreement will be worked out between TheBus and Ko Olina before the resort opens. Let me reiterate another post that I did about transportation, DO NOT use TheBus to get to Aulani from the airport due to the distance to walk in and having to cross Farrington Highway!

My last trip a friend who lives there took me around on a golf cart and pointed out parts of the resort to me. The first stop was the Ko Olina Marina which is next to the Barbers Point harbor, a place where a Disney cruise ship could dock if a terminal building is built. Disney filmed Pirates of the Carribbean 4 here in 2010. Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge is docked at the marina for the foreseeable future. This would be similar to Disney's island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, where the Flying Dutchman from the earlier movies is moored and visitors can see it for picture taking.

Currently there are a couple of chapels on the property for weddings. About twenty five weddings per week happen within the Ko Olina grounds. Disney will be entering the wedding market. Disney had room models for prospective buyers set up near the beach. They have been removed to make way for what will be the wedding area overlooking the shoreline. The view will be beautiful.

With the removal of the models, prospective buyers will now go into the actual buildings to take tours. I was going to take a tour and contacted one of the friendly cast members to set it up with her. She was going to be off and unfortunately wasn't able to get the tour scheduled before she left. While she didn't have access to the scheduling system she did multiple e-mail follow ups away from the kiosk to try to make it happen. Thank you for the effort. She gets Disney customer service. I will try again in the future.

For those that want to golf while visiting Aulani, the Ko Olina Golf Club club house is a very short walk from the resort. It's basically right across the street off to the right slightly from the front of the property at the corner of Aliinui and Kamoana. By the club house is a workout facility and tennis courts for the Ko Olina residents. I forgot to ask if Disney Vacation Club owners will have access to these facilities.

The day that I went the Hawaii Railway Society had one of their trains going through the resort. I heard horns and didn't think it was the train but then the engine came into view. I was very excited to see this as:

1. I haven't ridden the train or seen the train in person before today.
2. They usually don't run the trains on a weekday when I go out for my visits.
3. I had a blog post about using this train for the opening of Aulani.
   

I really hope my idea gets traction.

The Marriott next door is getting ready for competition. The last time I was out the Pro Bowl was in town and I couldn't get into the Ihilani to take pictures. This time, the couple of floors I went to, could not have been in use. There were large rolls of new carpet on the top floor blocking access around the elevator bay. On another floor, the the elevator bay wasn't blocked but they had rolls on other parts of the floor. On that same floor, the window was completely covered with dirt making any pictures I took unusable. I'm sure if there were people occupying that floor the window would have been a LOT cleaner!

I talked to some of the merchants at Ko Olina Crossing, the couple of stores across the street from the resort. They are very excited for the opening.

When going by the front of the resort I had to walk in a part of the street. They had put up barriers to help protect pedestrians as the construction walls were pushed right out to the street. In the break of the wall you can see the porte-cochère taking more shape than in the past visits. There are a lot of plants and trees that have been put in place to allow them time to take root and fill out before opening day.

In the back of the resort, the regular pathway was blocked off. It too had a temporary walkway in place as about twenty feet from the normal walk way was taken up. My assumption would be that they are doing grading and other landscaping to make a bit of a smoother transition between the main property and the Koloha lagoon.

The DVC Cast Members now have a full blown kiosk on the beach. In the past they have had signs and an umbrella. It's not as fancy as what is at Ala Moana Shopping Center, but it looks much better than what was there before.

For hiring, there have been many more posts put up on the Aulani.jobs web site. Many of the regular hourly positions are now listed. I've been seeing a number of twitters and Facebook posting where people have said they have been hired or have moved beyond the initial screening. I'm sure that Lianne Maeda and Katie Mock are very busy right now!

One of my facebook buddies has informed me that there will be military rates and a kamaaina rate for residents. When I heard the discount percent I was very surprised. It's a good one! To take advantage of these rates, contact Lindsey and let her know that Joel sent you! In a similar vein, I wonder if non guests would be able to buy a single day admission to Waikalohe Valley. At the Walt Disney World's Yacht and Beach Club's Stormalong Bay they use room keys and other control methods to keep other resort guests from pool hopping. I wonder what they will do for the Valley since it's located right new door to a public beach.

Lastly, as I was being shown the resort via golf cart, I was being told that the resort itself is looking at a number of changes. This would include rebranding itself and its logo (they currently use a lady bug) as well as physical changes. Most of the physical changes would be improvements to the sidewalks and walk ways including walkway lighting.

Special thanks to my friend for the tour of Ko Olina and information about the resort. It was a fun morning!

Disney DVC Aulani update 2011-03-17, a photo by coconut wireless on Flickr.

To see the latest collection of construction update pictures, go here

Hope for Disney Aulani Opening Ceremony

Trains have always been an integral part of the Disney Company. When Disneyland opened to the World on July 17, 1955 the opening scene on TV was of the Main Street Train Station with Art Linkletter standing on the tracks and platform. The first shot you see of Walt Disney is him wearing an engineers hat and scarf in the engine of the EP Ripley with a stuffed Mickey Mouse sitting in a window with him. Some will argue that the real seed for the idea of Disneyland was planted at his Holmby Hills home in early 1950 when Walt built the Carrolwood Pacific Railroad in his back yard. When Walt asked Herb Ryman to draw up the original plans for Disneyland, Walt asked for it to be surrounded by a train. Since then, each of the Magic Kingdom style parks have been built each with a train circling the park. Well, expect Tokyo Disneyland, theirs circles just the west side of the park starting and ending in Adventureland and going through Westernland and Critter Country.

On August 29 of this year, Disney enters into the Hawaii Tourism market with the opening of Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa within the Ko Olina resort in Kapolei, Hawaii. This resort will mix Disney Vacation Club villas along side regular resort rooms on the 21 acre beach side location immersed in Hawaiian lore, lifestyle and culture. Recently Lianne Maeda the Recruiting Manager for Aulani made the prediction that 'Ama'ama restaurant will not only be the place to eat at Aulani, but for O'ahu as well.

So why the mention of Walt's love of railroads and the opening of Aulani? During the days when sugar was the king of the economy for not only O'ahu, but the Hawaiian Islands, the O'ahu Railway & Land Company hauled people and sugar cane between the fields and the factories. Across the street from Aulani are tracks for the only active railway on O'ahu. It is currently used by The Hawaiian Railway Society based out of 'Ewa Beach for two excursions on Sunday afternoons. For the opening ceremonies for Aulani, it would be great to incorporate the two together.

It would be fitting for Disney to use the Hawaiian Railway Society's engines and cars to start off the ceremony. CEO Bob Iger, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs, Aulani Executive Imagineer Joe Rohde and Aulani General Manager Elliot Mills along with Mickey, Minnie and the gang could ride into Ko Olina and stop near the Ko Olina Station, get off the train and walk across Aliinui Drive and into the resort. As they enter, the dignitaries will be passing taro gardens paying respect to story of Haloa, the direct ancestor of the Hawaiian people.




After the resort is opened the tie in with The Hawaiian Railway Society would hopefully remain in place. The sugar and pineapple plantations across Hawai'i were important to the history of the islands. With Aulani showcasing Hawaii and Hawaiian culture, it would make sense to include what was a significant economic force in shaping Hawai'i. It's responsible for bringing immigrants into the islands as workers. The plantations became the reason for the pidgin language to come into existence. The political landscape was changed due to the plantations. Leaving the plantations aside, the ride on the train is a beautiful scenic tour on and of the leeward side of O'ahu.

Here's hoping that the two events, the opening of Disneyland and the opening of Aulani can be tied together through one of Walt's great loves, the railroad.

The rising tide of Disney approaching Hawaii

Today was a big day in the world of Disney. Over on the East Coast the Disney Dream was being christened and headed out for its inaugural cruise. Hopefully one day it will come to visit Hawaii. All over there is buzz of the plans announced last night about the Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom which includes the removal of Snow White's Scary Adventure and the opening to the Seven Dwarfs Mine ride. Meanwhile Honolulu is all atwitter about the jobs that are coming to Oahu courtesy of The Walt Disney Company via Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa.

Huge line to get into Job Quest
where Disney's Aulani has a booth

Several times a year there are these big job fairs at the Neal Blaisdell Center. I've been attending them for the past couple of years looking at what is happening in the market. I was totally shocked at what I saw when I got there. To get into the event you needed to purchase a $3 ticket. The line from the ticket booth extended all the way to the parking structure (see the picture). I have not seen a line this long to purchase tickets for this type of event. The staff worked hard to keep the line organized and moving which they did.

With my ticket in hand I headed to the main entrance for the hall. Within just a few feet of the turnstiles inside there was another line of people. It was about 30ft in length and lead to the Aulani booth.

One of two lines to get into
Disney's Aulani booth

This line was going in the frontside. There was a second line about equally or slightly longer going in from the right side. The booth was staffed by about a dozen cast members wearing a mauve colored shirt with the Aulani logo and accented with their Aulani name badge. On the KITV 4 local news I had to chuckle at myself. They were showing the booth being set up the day before the show. The anchor said the booth was constructed at and shipped from Disneyland in Florida. As any good DF knows, Disneyland is in California; Walt Disney World is in Florida.

Nearby was a room set up for presenting Aulani to prospective cast members. In the program that people received when they entered Job Quest, Disney had a page informing people of the presentation times on the half hour mark while the show was open which was 10am to 3pm. The room had two large projection screens attached to a computer. There were about 80 seats set up. In the session I attended there were about 125 -150 people total in the room. Just moments before, these people were standing outside the presentation room. The talk was again given by Lianne Maeda and Katie Mock who I had seen last year at Leeward Community College. To start the conversation Lianne joked around about people standing in lines just like they would do if they were at Disneyland.

This session was not as detailed as the one that I saw at LCC. Katie and Lianne talked about the concept a little while. A couple of new points that emerged is that Elliot Mills is the Managing Director at the resort. The beach bar name mentioned was Off the Hook. Then Lianne made a big prediction. Since the last presentation that I saw, Disney hired Patrick Callarec as Executive Chef for the resort. This has peaked the interest of the foodies here locally. She didn't state Patrick's name, but predicted that 'Ama'ama will not only be THE restaurant at Aulani, but for Oahu as well. That's one exciting prediction!

Aulani employment flyer

The remainder of the presentation talked about the positions in general and the process that will be used. This is where a little confusion entered my mind. The news has been reporting 1100 jobs that will need to be filled. During the presentation the number 800 was given. In either case the web site www.aulani.jobs was plugged and explanation of the process followed. Disney was not accepting resumes at Job Quest. People will need to go online to submit their resume and to make sure that they outline their passions in it. If the applicants makes the first screening, they will get an on-line interview. If the individual is selected to go further in the process, they will then, in the third step, talk with a live individual. Pay scales or benefits were not brought up during the approximately 25 minutes used. Everyone who entered the room was given a flyer as shown on this page.

Afterwards I did have a chance to touch base with both Katie and Lianne. Both remember me and Katie was excited in that she googled her own name and came across my previous posting. I asked them about parking. Cast members will have onsite parking but if they would be charged was not determined. For The Bus (the name of Oahu's bus system) going into the resort that was still not clear at this point in time. I had gotten that far when Todd Apo, Aulani's Director of Public Affairs needed to pull the ladies aside. I asked another CM some questions. The issue of unions has not been determined. When I asked about Disney Grooming Standards for Aulani, I was also told that was under review at this point in time. With more of a cultural representation at the resort, people with longer hair or tattoos would be in alignment with the focus of the resort. With that, I accepted a pen topped by being bent into a Mickey Mouse shaped logo on it and went off to other show booths.

This job fair was different than others that I had been to recently. The first was the numbers. There just seemed to be more people in attendance at this one. For the numbers, I don't know if it had to do with Disney and Aulani or that many people are now completely out of unemployment benefits and really have to buckle down to get a job. I also noticed that there were more people dressed professionally. By that I mean there didn't seem to be as many people in slippahs (Mainland translation, flip flops), shorts and t-shirts. More people seemed dressed up. Guys with ties, aloha shirts, long pants and shoes and ladies with dresses or pant suits. In talking to one staffing agency, the person behind the desk thought that both the numbers and the dress were due to Disney.

I tweeted and posted pictures while I was there. I had several people ask me via Twitter and Facebook if I was looking to get hired by Disney. I want to start my own business and be my own boss, but at the same point, I would love to be part of the start up. Following Disney the way that I have and being a former CM, I understand the company and the philosophies they practice. My other skills lie in that I have been with other mainland start ups into the Hawaiian marketplace and understand that although you may have been hired to do X, during a start up you may be required to go above and beyond. In my past experiences I'm not afraid to get out and do what is necessary including working on temporary furniture or handing out flyers or moving a room of computer equipment. Heck, I've been a manager with budget and hiring/firing responsibilities and yet going out once a month to pick up trash and clean streets as part a neighborhood community effort. Disney is going to have a huge and long lasting impact on the market here. I would like to see them come in and be spectacularly successful from opening day because it will be good for both them and the people of Hawaii.

Pictures from Job Quest featuring Disney's Aulani