Disney names new resort in Hawaii

Disney is moving along with its new resort in the great state of Hawaii.

Disney Names New Hawaiian Resort

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts announced the name of its new Hawaii resort, along with a new website for travel agents to visit to stay connected to the resort’s development. Reflecting the discovery, understanding and belonging of the culture, the resort will be called Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawaii. It is Disney’s first stand-alone family destination resort and it is scheduled to open in 2011.

“Once completed, the beautiful Aulani (pronounced “ow-lonee”) resort will be another unique Disney experience and one which surrounds clients in the lore of Hawaii and its rich stories,” said Randy A. Garfield, executive vice president of worldwide sales and travel operations for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. “We anticipate opening sales for the resort in summer 2010, and we are kicking off our trade education program concurrent with this naming announcement. This promises to be an outstanding family experience, and one only Disney can deliver.”

“We want this resort destination to reflect the vibrant culture that surrounds it. The name ‘Aulani’ expresses a connection to tradition and deep story-telling -- and its roots are in this land right here,” said Joe Rohde, senior vice president, creative for Walt Disney Imagineering. “We’re so grateful to the local Hawaiians who led us to the discovery of this name, and our goal is to live up to its meaning.” Rohde noted that Aulani means “the place that speaks for the great ones” or “the place that speaks with deep messages.”

Near historical sites on the western side of Oahu, Aulani will be located on 21 acres of oceanfront property in the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development. The resort is planned to have 360 hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club villas. Design plans call for amenities to engage every member of the family, a hallmark of a Disney vacation. Among the recreational highlights planned for the resort are pools and sunset-facing hot tubs, a snorkeling lagoon, a variety of Kids Club and other play programs for children, and a river, suitable for tube floating, running through a specially created volcanic outcropping. The resort will also include an 18,000-square-foot spa that will provide a tranquil escape for adult guests to enjoy. Also nearby are a golf course and marina. The resort, built adjacent to a crystal blue lagoon and a white-sand beach, will also have two restaurants and generous ballroom, meeting space and event lawns.

“Disney is known for providing clients with immersive and transformational vacation experiences, and soon we can offer those experiences with the combined beauty and culture of Hawaii.”

For more information on the new Disney resort in Hawaii or any other Hawaiian vacation, please contact mindy@myvacationlady.com