I recently visited Disney’s new Aulani Resort in Ko Olina, located in a beachside community thirty minutes west of Honolulu. I had been coming to this beach since it first opened when I was a kid, back when the water was absolutely clear and didn’t even sting your eyes when you opened them. The addition of the Aulani Resort definitely makes this area more happening. Free parking is virtually non-existent, though the crowds aren’t anywhere near Waikiki levels. With a lazy river, water playground and a snorkel pool with tropical fish, there’s plenty here to keep kids and adults occupied. And while the Disney presence is existent, it’s not overly expressed.

Good show, Disney.

For the complete collection, visit my Disney’s Aulani at Ko Olina photoset on Flickr or view them in the slideshow here: