TikimanPages - The Unofficial Polynesian Resort Pages

Around the resort

Some work is being done at the Great Ceremonial House on the atrium ceiling. Steel refinishing and skylight fabric replacement will be going on from February 27 to March 23 but should not affect anything.

The Nanea Volcano pool will have some work done to the rockwork and slide, originally scheduled for January 9 to February 21, last word is that it will not start until January 16 or 17th and no date of completion was given. I am told it should not close the whole pool but the slide will not be accessible. With the cold weather there will be days that the slide is closed due to lifeguards being pulled from duty.

Update as of 1/23.

So the latest on the pool is that it is scheduled to be closed for phase 1 of the refurbishment (1/20-2/10) if they do not finish by then it will be closed 2/13-2/27. The work is to the volcano itself (being theme painted) now scheduled to start on the 1/30. The pool will be closed for this work to be done.

New TV channels

Enhancements to the Polynesian in-room cable TV lineup are coming Friday, January 13. In addition to our current channels, guests will have access to: 

·         Fox News

·         Bravo

·         AMC

·         National Geographic

·         TBS &TNT

·         Travel Channel

·         WE tv

·         Syfy

·         Discovery

·         Bio

·         HGTV

·         TLC

·         History

·         Food Network

·         TV Land

For a complete listing of available programming turn to Channel 17.

Cold weather

Freeze warnings have shut down some things in Disney World. With temperatures going as low as the 20s some activities have been affected at Disney Resorts including the Polynesian. Many of the resort pools will have no lifeguards on duty so slides will be closed.
Boat rentals at Cap’n Jacks Marina and Downtown Disney will not be available. Pirate Cruises, campfires and movies will be canceled (in some cases the movies will be relocated inside).
On some days Blizzard Beach was shut down (Typhoon Lagoon was closed for renovations).
The Spirit of Aloha show was canceled last week during a freeze warning day so check to see if your reservation day is still going to run as planned.

Aulani Excursions

For those of you going to Aulani with us next July or maybe some other time, here is something that you can take advantage of while you are there. (found on http://www.mickeyxtreme.com/1newspage.htm)

Disney News - Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, has been specially conceived to offer guests the Hawaiian vacation of their dreams. The Aulani vacation experience extends beyond the magical grounds of the resort to include adventures throughout the island of Oahu.

Guests at Aulani – adults, teens, children and families – will discover a menu of excursions that satisfy a broad variety of tastes, such as:

Exploring a tropical garden to discover a beautiful waterfall
Hiking through an authentic Hawaiian rainforest
Cruising aboard a catamaran greeted by playful dolphins
Cooking with local celebrity chef Sam Choy
Learning about the art, culture and legends of Hawaii in its great museums
Riding horseback through a lush valley where movies and TV shows are filmed
Following a ghost tour of haunted island locations
Many of these excursions have been specially designed for Aulani guests by Adventures by Disney and feature knowledgeable and friendly Adventure Guides who weave stories and magic into the experiences as only Disney can do.

Aulani offers dozens of excursion options. Some are as traditional as a visit to Pearl Harbor, Dole Plantation or Diamond Head. Some are classic beach experiences: surfing, parasailing or a luau.

Others are characterized by that “Disney difference” – the uniqueness of a Disney vacation in Hawaii. Among these special excursions are:

A catamaran voyage, including dolphin spotting, snorkeling and, in season, whale watching
Kayaking on Kailua Bay and a storytelling hike on a nearby island and bird sanctuary
A nighttime journey through the “haunted places” along the Waianae Coast.

 
Exclusive surfing lessons from the Honolulu City Firefighters who comprise Hawaiian Fire Surf School.

 
Immersive tours of the Honolulu Academy of Arts and the Bishop Museum, where Aulani excursion participants will discover the art and culture of Hawaii and be inspired to creations of their own.

 
A visit to Honolulu’s Chinatown market, followed by a private cooking class featuring local and traditional specialties with famous chef Sam Choy.

 
An exclusive sightseeing and storytelling adventure through the beautiful Kualoa Ranch, with its private beach, movie and television locations, and fish pond said to be constructed by the Menehune (the legendary little people of the island).

 
A visit to the North Shore of Oahu and Waimea Falls, where families will discover a lush botanical garden, ancient Hawaiian games and activities hosted by a local Aunty
Hiking along a hidden trail in the Manoa Valley (rich with stories of the Menehune) to a 200-foot tropical waterfall.

 
For those in search of a multi-day exploration of the islands, Aulani offers an excursion package themed to the traditional Hawaiian concept of interconnectivity between the land and the surrounding sea. The three-day excursion includes a day devoted to the sea, with private surfing lessons and a catamaran voyage; a day devoted to the land, with adventures in Kualoa Ranch and the North Shore Waimea Valley; and a day of interconnection, featuring Kailua Sea Kayaking and an exclusive cooking class with Sam Choy.

Aulani has an excursion adventure waiting to fulfill any Hawaiian vacation dream.

New look?

 Trip report

Yes I am still working on my long trip report from October. A death in my family as well as some other obligations has taken my time away from finishing but I hope to have it done soon with lots of new info and photos. Some of the secrets of my trip got out but there is still a lot to share. It was an amazing trip full of lots of surprises.