Here is my Aulani 2014 mostly MEAL PLANNING trip report for Sept 30th – Oct 7th 2014.
Sorry it took so long to post. Look for my detailed Costco/Target shopping lists at the end of this post if this level of detail is of interest to you.
Aulani was wonderful as you have all read before on many postings. How wonderful? Let’s just say we contacted our DVC sales rep about buying more points and 8 days including travel time is not enough.
Our trip to Aulani included 3 adult couples and 3 children. Myself & Husband, our Daughter & Son-in-Law with grandkids age 3 & 7, and our Son & Daughter-in-Law with grandson age 12.
For both kids and adults consider taking or buying water/reef shoes! My granddaughter got a deep gash on her toe on a sharp piece of coral and my son was stabbed by a sea urchin while snorkeling. Neither of these took place at Aulani, and coral on the Aulani beach was not an issue. However, there is a rocky area just outside the Aulani lagoon that my grandson and I explored and we both got scraped up a bit.
During our stay, mid-week the pool area was only about half full with plenty of chairs available, and no line at Aunty’s beach house in the morning. Come the weekend, the place was packed. Chairs were scarce and Aunty’s Beach house activities filled up before they opened at 8:00. The staff was out front taking reservations at 7:30 on Saturday when we came down to sign-up and we were too late. Then on Monday, things were quiet again.
While as a family we have taken multiple Disney Resort vacations, we are new DVC members and cooking our own meals while on vacation was a totally new concept. So read all about Aulani on the other posts. The rest of this post is about MEAL PLANNING. This is a topic I had hoped to read more about during my pre-trip planning. Perhaps there are other ‘planners’ that will appreciate this kind of detail.
Our intent was to buy enough groceries to get us through most of the trip, but not so much that we had to throw food away on the last day. From reading all the trip reports we knew we could always shop at the ABC store as needed. We did the primary shopping at Costco and Target (Target Red Card = 5% discount).
Plan..Breakfast...............Lunch........................Dinner......
Day 1 Hawaiian Air............Aulani Quick Service........Chicken/Salad
Day 2 Eggs/Bacon/Hashbrowns...Sandwich/chips/fruit........Fresh Catch
Day 3 Pancakes/Sausage........Pearl Harbor/Waikiki........Waikiki Sushi
Day 4 Breakfast Burritos......Burgers/Beans...............Steak/Potatoes/Salad
Day 5 Eggs/Bacon/Hashbrowns...Hot Dogs/Chili Dogs/Brauts..Date Night
Day 6 Pancakes/Sausage........Sandwich, chips, fruit......Germaine’s Luau
Day 7 Omelets.................North Shore.................Date Night
Day 8 Breakfast Sandwich......Airport.....................Hawaiian Air
RE-FILLABLE MUGS:
We considered buying and using these mugs to get our morning coffee and skip buying coffee for the room. We determined we would rather have the coffee in the room. We are on vacation and want to relax and enjoy our coffee first thing in the morning without making an early morning trek to a drink station.
In general, our family members are not big soda drinkers and we discourage the grandkids from too many super-sweet drinks. We did decide to buy the mugs, and we used them all the time to fill with ice and keep drinks cold at the pool or the beach. We didn’t use the re-fill stations very often, but over-all we thought the mugs were a good purchase. There were 4 designs, Aulani themed Red or Blue, and Disney Character with Green or Blue lids. We took a Sharpie and wrote our names on the bottom of each mug.
AULANI KITCHEN:
One of the rooms we were assigned was a dedicated 2 bedroom unit. The stove had a flat electric cook-top, and the oven was also electric. Not something I am used to, but I understand there must be insurance/liability issues with an open flame. The downside is that the electric cook top really heats up the room and stays hot for a while after it is turned off.
Cooking pans/pots & utensils are very basic, and there are no good sharp knives. There was one small knife with an approx 5-inch blade that was supposed to be sharp. At home we would have called it a steak knife. We called down and asked for a better knife and were brought a copy of the one we already had. Again, I am sure the whole insurance/liability issue comes into play. Just saying more pre-cut,pre-portioned items will make it on the grocery list next time around.
Cooking supplies included a Coffee pot, electric teapot, and electric rice cooker.
BREAKFAST - We planned 7 self-made Breakfasts at Aulani, and we had 1 breakfast on Hawaiian Air.
The breakfast on Hawaiian Air proved to be more of a ‘snack’. Our family members were split into 2 different departure cities, so 2 separate flights. Each flight had a different meal, but we all agreed calling the meal ‘breakfast’ was a stretch. After takeoff breakfast was served right away followed 4 hours later by a bag of chips just before descending. We were hungry by the time we arrived in Honolulu. If flying Hawaiian Air, plan accordingly and bring along some snacks. Otherwise, Hawaiian Air was a good choice.
While we had sandwich lunches only planned twice, we actually made them four times for a total of 5
self-made lunches. Sandwiches proved easier to manage as some of our family group split up and took separate day trips.
The morning we visited Pearl Harbor we took along sack lunches. The reserved tickets for the Arizona must be picked up 1 hour before your scheduled tour. We have toured battleships in the past, so decided to skip the USS Missouri, and my husband was too claustrophobic to consider the USS Bowfin submarine. With an hour to kill before the tour and with grandkids asking for snacks, we ended up eating our lunches while waiting for our tour. A couple of items to note about the U.S.S. Arizona Tour:
As we had 2 separate rental cars, the plan was to divide and conquer. Husband/Daughter shopped at Target. Son/Son-in-Law shopped at Costco. There were some guidelines set.
Stick to the list! Stick to the list! Stick to the list!
We figured if the shoppers started throwing things into the cart that were not part of the plan, we would spend too much and have too many leftovers. Also, we made allowances for the shoppers to use their best judgment for substitutions if they could not find something listed.
We tried to keep condiments and spices limited. We made do with salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh garlic, and green onions to season with, and we bought salad kits that came with their own salad dressing.
RECAP ON SELF MADE MEALS:
Costco Grocery $414 Costco Alcohol $300 Target Grocery $340 TOTAL $1,054
Cooking in the room was not as big a deal as I originally thought it might be. We kept the meals simple and we all took turns doing KP duty so no one person had to do all the work. Yes, I will do this again and I would recommend it to any DVC Member.
Store ... Dept ..... DESCRIPTION ...................................Total
Costco ....Beverage . Water/Bottled cases ......4..@....5.65 ..= ..22.60
Costco ....Bread .... French Bread 2 pack ......1..@ ...4.99 ..= ...4.99
Costco ....Bread .... Sandwhich Tortas .........2..@ ...5.99 ..= ..11.98
Costco ....Canned ... Black Olives 8-pack ......1..@ ...7.99 ..= ...7.99
Costco ....Dairy .... Creamer... Half Gallon ...2..@ ...3.29 ..= ...6.58
Costco ....Dairy .... Gouda ....................1..@ ..11.77 ..= ..11.77
Costco ....Dairy .... Juice/POG Gallon .........2..@ ...4.79 ..= ...9.58
Costco ....Dairy .... Milk gallon ..............1..@ ...5.30 ..= ...5.30
Costco ....Dairy .... String Cheese ............1..@ ..12.35 ..= ..12.35
Costco ....Deli ..... Cheese Tray ..............1..@ ..11.79 ..= ..11.79
Costco ....Deli ..... Sliced Cheddar ...........1..@ ..10.74 ..= ..10.74
Costco ....Deli ..... Chicken/Rotisserie .......3..@ ...4.99 ..= ..14.97
Costco ....Deli ..... Hummus/.3 pack ...........1..@ ..10.99 ..= ..10.99
Costco ....Deli ..... Lunchmeat – Turkey .......1..@ ..13.89 ..= ..13.89
Costco ....Deli ..... Lunchmeat – Salami .......1..@ ..11.49 ..= ..11.49
Costco ....Deli ..... Lunchmeat – ham ..........1..@ ...9.99 ..= ...9.99
Costco ....Deli ..... Salsa ....................1..@ ...5.29 ..= ...5.29
Costco ....Meat ..... Bacon ready cook .........2..@ ..11.99 ..= ..23.98
Costco ....Meat ..... Fresh Salmon .............1..@ ..15.73 ..= ..15.73
Costco ....Meat ..... Fresh Salmon .............1..@ ..16.90 ..= ..16.90
Costco ....Meat ..... Fresh Ono ................1..@ ..16.63 ..= ..16.63
Costco ....Meat ..... Steaks/New York ..........1..@ ..25.53 ..= ..25.53
Costco ....Meat ..... Steaks/New York ..........1..@ ..29.76 ..= ..29.76
Costco ....Produce....Gala Apples ..............1..@ ..11.79 ..= ..11.79
Costco ....Produce....Granny Smith Apples ......1..@ ...7.99 ..= ...7.99
Costco ....Produce ...Large watermelon .........2..@ ...9.99 ..= ..19.98
Costco ....Produce ...Papaya/precut ............1..@ ..10.99 ..= ..10.99
Costco ....Produce ...Pineapples .............. 2..@ ...2.99 ..= ...5.98
Costco ....Produce ...Strawberries .............1..@ ...7.99 ..= ...7.99
Costco ....Produce ...Cob corn 8 count .........1..@ ...7.29 ..= ...7.29
Costco ....Produce ...Broccoli .................1..@ ...8.49 ..= ...8.49
Costco ....Produce ...Bananas ..................2..@ ...1.89 ..= ...3.78
Costco ....Produce ...Kale salad kit ...........1..@ ...5.29 ..= ...5.29
Costco ....Snack ....Lunch Chips/54 bags .......1..@ ..14.02 ..= ..14.02
COSTCO ....GROCERY .............................TOTAL ............414.41
Store .....Dept ..... DESCRIPTION .....................................Total
Costco ....Alcohol ...beer... case ..............1...@ ..25.46 ...= ..25.46
Costco ....Alcohol ...beer... case ..............1...@ ..25.96 ...= ..25.96
Costco ....Alcohol ...beer... case ..............1...@ ..27.96 ...= ..27.96
Costco ....Alcohol ...Vodka .....................1...@ ..48.98 ...= ..48.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...pre-mixed Mrgrita ........ 2...@ ...9.99 ...= ..19.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...7.99 ...= ...7.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...8.99 ...= ...8.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...9.99 ...= ...9.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...9.99 ...= ...9.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.49 ...= ..11.49
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.98 ...= ..11.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.99 ...= ..11.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.99 ...= ..11.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..12.99 ...= ..12.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..14.79 ...= ..14.79
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..14.98 ...= ..14.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..23.98 ...= ..23.98
COSTCO ....ALCOHOL ........................... TOTAL ................299.49
Store...Dept........DESCRIPTION.....................................Total
Target..Beverage....Bloody Mary Mix..............1...@...4.09..=.....4.09
Target..Beverage....JuiceV-8/6 pack..............1...@...3.74..=.....3.74
Target..Beverage....Perrier/canned...............1...@...5.79..=.....5.79
Target..Beverage....Rootbeer/12 pack.............1...@...6.99..=.....6.99
Target..Bread..... Burger Buns..................2...@...2.69..=.....5.38
Target..Bread..... Sandwich Rolls...............2...@...6.19..=....12.38
Target..Bread..... Hot Dog Buns.................1...@...2.29..=.....2.29
Target..Bread..... Hot Dog Buns.................1...@...4.29..=.....4.29
Target..Canned..... Pinto Beans..................2...@...1.02..=.....2.04
Target..Canned..... Baked Beans... small.........1...@...1.27..=.....1.27
Target..Canned..... Baked Beans... large.........1...@...2.79..=.....2.79
Target..Cleaning....Dishwasher soap..............1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Cleaning....Laundry Detergent............1...@...5.99..=.....5.99
Target..Condiment...Hot dog relish...............1...@...1.22..=.....1.22
Target..Condiment..Pickles/Sandwich..............1...@...1.67..=.....1.67
Target..Condiment..Pickles/Cocktail..............1...@...3.04..=.....3.04
Target..Condiment..Steak Sauce...................1...@...3.69..=.....3.69
Target..Condiment...Mustard......................1...@...1.22..=.....1.22
Target..Condiments..Ketchup......................1...@...1.89..=.....1.89
Target..Condiments..Ranch Dressing...............1...@...2.69..=.....2.69
Target..Condiments..Mayo.........................1...@...4.39..=.....4.39
Target..Condiments..Martini Olives...............1...@...4.29..=.....4.29
Target..Dairy.......Eggs/liquid whites...........1...@...4.89..=.....4.89
Target..Dairy.......Eggs whole Dozen.............5...@...1.79..=.....8.95
Target..Dairy.......Butter spread/16 oz..........1...@...1.99..=.....1.99
Target..Dairy.......Butter.......................2...@...5.19..=....10.38
Target..Deli........Salsa........................1...@...4.09..=.....4.09
Target..Deli........Cheese Shreds/lrg bag........1...@..12.29..=....12.29
Target..Misc........Soy Sauce....................1...@...1.69..=.....1.69
Target..Misc........Rice Jasmine 1 lb............1...@...3.79..=.....3.79
Target..Misc........Flour Tort...................1...@...2.84..=.....2.84
Target..Frozen......Cinnamon Rolls...............2...@...2.59..=.....5.18
Target..Frozen......Vanilla Ice Cream............2...@...5.79..=....11.58
Target..Frozen......Breakfast Sandwich...........2...@...6.64..=....13.28
Target..Frozen......Burger Patties 8.............2...@...11.99 =...23.98
Target..Meat........Brauts 4 count...............2...@...2.69..=.....5.38
Target..Meat........Brauts 4 count...............2...@...2.79..=.....5.58
Target..Meat........Breakfast Sausage............2...@...3.79..=.....7.58
Target..Meat........Sausage,ground...............1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Meat........Hot Dogs.....................1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Meat........Breakfast Sausage............1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Misc........Coffee Filters...............1...@...0.99..=.....0.99
Target..Misc........Coffee... Ground.............1...@...9.99..=.....9.99
Target..Mix/Dry.....Sugar........................1...@...2.59..=.....2.59
Target..Mix/Dry.....Pancake Mix..................1...@...2.64..=.....2.64
Target..Mix/Dry.....Brownie Mix..................1...@..2.99...=.....2.99
Target..Mix/Dry.....Popcorn Kernals..............1...@..3.59...=.....3.59
Target..Mix/Dry.....Maple Syrup..................1...@..8.99...=.....8.99
Target..Paper..... Brown Lunch Sacks............1...@..2.34...=.....2.34
Target..Paper..... Napkins......................1...@..2.79...=.....2.79
Target..Paper..... Aluminum foil................1...@..4.79...=.....4.79
Target..Paper..... Paper plates.................1...@..6.99...=.....6.99
Target..Produce.....Lemons.......................4...@..0.49...=.....1.96
Target..Produce.....Limes per pound..............4...@..0.49...=.....1.96
Target..Produce.....Onion... Yellow..............3...@..1.29...=.....3.87
Target..Produce.....Lettuce – Ice Berg...........1...@..1.54...=.....1.54
Target..Produce.....Avocados.....................2...@..1.57...=.....3.14
Target..Produce.....Celery.......................1...@..1.72...=.....1.72
Target..Produce.....Mini Carrots 2 lb............1...@..2.99...=.....2.99
Target..Produce.....Potatoes 5 lb................1...@..3.54...=.....3.54
Target..Produce.....Strawberries.................2...@..3.99...=.....7.98
Target..Produce.....Salad Kit....................2...@..4.99...=.....9.98
Target..Produce.....Clementines 3lb bag..........1...@..6.54...=.....6.54
Target..Produce.....Garlic Cloves................1...@..2.99...=.....2.99
Target..Produce.....Large Tomatoe 2 count .......1...@..2.89...=.....2.89
Target..Snack..... Corn Chips...................1...@..2.29...=.....2.29
Target..Snack..... Twizzlers Licorice...........1...@..3.29...=.....3.29
Target..Snack..... Cracker Assortment...........3...@..3.79...=....11.37
Target..Spice..... Garlic Powder................1...@..2.29...=.....2.29
Target..Spice..... Salt & Pepper................1...@..1.37...=.....1.37
TARGET..GROCERY TOTAL..............................................340.97
Sorry it took so long to post. Look for my detailed Costco/Target shopping lists at the end of this post if this level of detail is of interest to you.
Aulani was wonderful as you have all read before on many postings. How wonderful? Let’s just say we contacted our DVC sales rep about buying more points and 8 days including travel time is not enough.
Our trip to Aulani included 3 adult couples and 3 children. Myself & Husband, our Daughter & Son-in-Law with grandkids age 3 & 7, and our Son & Daughter-in-Law with grandson age 12.
For both kids and adults consider taking or buying water/reef shoes! My granddaughter got a deep gash on her toe on a sharp piece of coral and my son was stabbed by a sea urchin while snorkeling. Neither of these took place at Aulani, and coral on the Aulani beach was not an issue. However, there is a rocky area just outside the Aulani lagoon that my grandson and I explored and we both got scraped up a bit.
During our stay, mid-week the pool area was only about half full with plenty of chairs available, and no line at Aunty’s beach house in the morning. Come the weekend, the place was packed. Chairs were scarce and Aunty’s Beach house activities filled up before they opened at 8:00. The staff was out front taking reservations at 7:30 on Saturday when we came down to sign-up and we were too late. Then on Monday, things were quiet again.
While as a family we have taken multiple Disney Resort vacations, we are new DVC members and cooking our own meals while on vacation was a totally new concept. So read all about Aulani on the other posts. The rest of this post is about MEAL PLANNING. This is a topic I had hoped to read more about during my pre-trip planning. Perhaps there are other ‘planners’ that will appreciate this kind of detail.
Our intent was to buy enough groceries to get us through most of the trip, but not so much that we had to throw food away on the last day. From reading all the trip reports we knew we could always shop at the ABC store as needed. We did the primary shopping at Costco and Target (Target Red Card = 5% discount).
- We did end up going to ABC for more paper plates (hey, I’m on vacation, I am not doing dishes!), and more canola oil. We used the canola oil to make popcorn in our room (the old-fashion way, not in the microwave) so if you don’t use the oil for popcorn, one small bottle is plenty.
- We also bought most of our adult beverage fixins at Costco. Not saying we didn’t order an occasional drink with an umbrella in it.
- Any packaged grocery item that has not been opened can be taken home by the housekeeping staff if you leave a note stating they are welcome to take it.
Plan..Breakfast...............Lunch........................Dinner......
Day 1 Hawaiian Air............Aulani Quick Service........Chicken/Salad
Day 2 Eggs/Bacon/Hashbrowns...Sandwich/chips/fruit........Fresh Catch
Day 3 Pancakes/Sausage........Pearl Harbor/Waikiki........Waikiki Sushi
Day 4 Breakfast Burritos......Burgers/Beans...............Steak/Potatoes/Salad
Day 5 Eggs/Bacon/Hashbrowns...Hot Dogs/Chili Dogs/Brauts..Date Night
Day 6 Pancakes/Sausage........Sandwich, chips, fruit......Germaine’s Luau
Day 7 Omelets.................North Shore.................Date Night
Day 8 Breakfast Sandwich......Airport.....................Hawaiian Air
RE-FILLABLE MUGS:
We considered buying and using these mugs to get our morning coffee and skip buying coffee for the room. We determined we would rather have the coffee in the room. We are on vacation and want to relax and enjoy our coffee first thing in the morning without making an early morning trek to a drink station.
In general, our family members are not big soda drinkers and we discourage the grandkids from too many super-sweet drinks. We did decide to buy the mugs, and we used them all the time to fill with ice and keep drinks cold at the pool or the beach. We didn’t use the re-fill stations very often, but over-all we thought the mugs were a good purchase. There were 4 designs, Aulani themed Red or Blue, and Disney Character with Green or Blue lids. We took a Sharpie and wrote our names on the bottom of each mug.
AULANI KITCHEN:
One of the rooms we were assigned was a dedicated 2 bedroom unit. The stove had a flat electric cook-top, and the oven was also electric. Not something I am used to, but I understand there must be insurance/liability issues with an open flame. The downside is that the electric cook top really heats up the room and stays hot for a while after it is turned off.
Cooking pans/pots & utensils are very basic, and there are no good sharp knives. There was one small knife with an approx 5-inch blade that was supposed to be sharp. At home we would have called it a steak knife. We called down and asked for a better knife and were brought a copy of the one we already had. Again, I am sure the whole insurance/liability issue comes into play. Just saying more pre-cut,pre-portioned items will make it on the grocery list next time around.
Cooking supplies included a Coffee pot, electric teapot, and electric rice cooker.
BREAKFAST - We planned 7 self-made Breakfasts at Aulani, and we had 1 breakfast on Hawaiian Air.
The breakfast on Hawaiian Air proved to be more of a ‘snack’. Our family members were split into 2 different departure cities, so 2 separate flights. Each flight had a different meal, but we all agreed calling the meal ‘breakfast’ was a stretch. After takeoff breakfast was served right away followed 4 hours later by a bag of chips just before descending. We were hungry by the time we arrived in Honolulu. If flying Hawaiian Air, plan accordingly and bring along some snacks. Otherwise, Hawaiian Air was a good choice.
- Breakfast Day 7 - Omelets. Planned at the end of the trip to use up leftover
cheese, veggies, and cold cuts. - Breakfast Day 8 – Purchased frozen breakfast sandwiches to simplify breakfast
allowing plenty of time to return rental cars and arrive at the airport.
While we had sandwich lunches only planned twice, we actually made them four times for a total of 5
self-made lunches. Sandwiches proved easier to manage as some of our family group split up and took separate day trips.
The morning we visited Pearl Harbor we took along sack lunches. The reserved tickets for the Arizona must be picked up 1 hour before your scheduled tour. We have toured battleships in the past, so decided to skip the USS Missouri, and my husband was too claustrophobic to consider the USS Bowfin submarine. With an hour to kill before the tour and with grandkids asking for snacks, we ended up eating our lunches while waiting for our tour. A couple of items to note about the U.S.S. Arizona Tour:
- If you buy any snacks or drinks before your tour you must finish them before your tour begins.
- The only item allowed to accompany you on the tour is bottled water.
- Also, I there is a standby line for anyone with tickets for a later tour. Eight people that joined our group from the standby line.
- Dinner day 1 – Rotisserie Chicken.
After a full day of travel we wanted dinner to be easy. We bought 3, but only used 2 for dinner.
- Dinner day 2 – Fresh Catch.
We wanted some local fish, and planned it for our second night so it would be as fresh as possible. We bought Ono & Salmon at Costco. Ono is a very mild white fish. Similar to Halibut but a little more meaty. I recommend it. We grilled our fish outside at the deluxe grills available to Aulani guests and using grilling tools available from the community center. We met some great DVC members while we grilling. We also used the Rice cooker in the room, but we were rookies and there were no instructions. After checking for the instructions on-line, here are the basics:- There is a plastic rice measuring cup in a kitchen drawer. Using this measuring cup, we added four cups of rice to the cooker, then filled the cooker with water to the ‘4’ line inside the cooker. (# cups rice used = corresponding # water line)
- Plug in the cooker and press the switch on the front. A light on the front labeled ‘Cook’ lights up, and when the rice is done, this light goes off, and a light labeled ‘Warm’ turns on.
- When the ‘Warm’ light goes on, use the flat spoon with the nubby surface to stir the rice. The rice will keep in the cooker on the ‘Warm’ setting until ready to eat.
- Dinner day 3 – Waikiki.
We had a great sushi & tempura dinner at the Doraku restaurant in the Royal Hawaiian shopping center. We were there during happy hour from 4:00 - 7:00, so the cost of the meal was incredibly reasonable. The younger grandkids had steamed rice & tempura vegetables. Everyone enjoyed the meal.
- Dinner day 4 Steaks + baked potatoes.
Cooked on the grill at Aulani We actually baked all the potatoes we bought, and then used them up at breakfast the rest of our stay.
- Dinner day 5 - Date Night
The original plan was for Son/Daughter to go out with spouses, Husband & I to take the grandkids out for pizza. Son/Daughter/Spouses went out. Grandkids were so exhausted; we stayed in and made grilled (Gouda) cheese sandwiches. As a result, we needed to buy an extra loaf of bread at ABC the next day for our lunch.
- Dinner day 6 – Germaine’s Luau
Having been to Maui twice before, my husband & I had already attended a couple of really great Luaus. We figured that anyone who has never been to a Luau should go at least once, so we planned for the whole family to attend. We selected Germaine’s Luau for 2 reasons:
1) They offer a discount for AAA members, and 2) they pick up at Aulani (Saturday & Sunday).
- I CAN NOT RECOMMEND THIS LUAU, NOT THE FOOD, NOT THE VENUE.
- Seriously, I was so disappointed in the quality and offerings of food, and there was some kind of bad smell in the air like an outhouse the whole time. We tried unsuccessfully to board the buses early to go back to Aulani in order to avoid the smell.
- Dinner 7 - Date Night
There is an inter-resort shuttle that picks up at Aulani and drops off at Roy’s. Husband & I took the shuttle over, but walked back. The walk is about 5 minutes. Dinner at Roy’s was excellent. While we had dinner at Roy’s, the rest of the family cooked the burgers originally planned for Lunch on day 4.
As we had 2 separate rental cars, the plan was to divide and conquer. Husband/Daughter shopped at Target. Son/Son-in-Law shopped at Costco. There were some guidelines set.
Stick to the list! Stick to the list! Stick to the list!
We figured if the shoppers started throwing things into the cart that were not part of the plan, we would spend too much and have too many leftovers. Also, we made allowances for the shoppers to use their best judgment for substitutions if they could not find something listed.
We tried to keep condiments and spices limited. We made do with salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh garlic, and green onions to season with, and we bought salad kits that came with their own salad dressing.
RECAP ON SELF MADE MEALS:
Costco Grocery $414 Costco Alcohol $300 Target Grocery $340 TOTAL $1,054
Cooking in the room was not as big a deal as I originally thought it might be. We kept the meals simple and we all took turns doing KP duty so no one person had to do all the work. Yes, I will do this again and I would recommend it to any DVC Member.
- 2 days at 2 meals per day, 6 days at 3 meals per day = 22 meals per person
9 people X 22 meals per day = 198 meals. - We spent a lot on our groceries, but we all agreed it was nothing compared to the cost of restaurants if we had to purchase 198 meals. and I must say I can not imagine sitting down to a restaurant meal three times a day with a very restless 3 year-old.
- BONUS! The stomach upset/indigestion that usually kicks in about mid-vacation never happened.
Store ... Dept ..... DESCRIPTION ...................................Total
Costco ....Beverage . Water/Bottled cases ......4..@....5.65 ..= ..22.60
Costco ....Bread .... French Bread 2 pack ......1..@ ...4.99 ..= ...4.99
Costco ....Bread .... Sandwhich Tortas .........2..@ ...5.99 ..= ..11.98
Costco ....Canned ... Black Olives 8-pack ......1..@ ...7.99 ..= ...7.99
Costco ....Dairy .... Creamer... Half Gallon ...2..@ ...3.29 ..= ...6.58
Costco ....Dairy .... Gouda ....................1..@ ..11.77 ..= ..11.77
Costco ....Dairy .... Juice/POG Gallon .........2..@ ...4.79 ..= ...9.58
Costco ....Dairy .... Milk gallon ..............1..@ ...5.30 ..= ...5.30
Costco ....Dairy .... String Cheese ............1..@ ..12.35 ..= ..12.35
Costco ....Deli ..... Cheese Tray ..............1..@ ..11.79 ..= ..11.79
Costco ....Deli ..... Sliced Cheddar ...........1..@ ..10.74 ..= ..10.74
Costco ....Deli ..... Chicken/Rotisserie .......3..@ ...4.99 ..= ..14.97
Costco ....Deli ..... Hummus/.3 pack ...........1..@ ..10.99 ..= ..10.99
Costco ....Deli ..... Lunchmeat – Turkey .......1..@ ..13.89 ..= ..13.89
Costco ....Deli ..... Lunchmeat – Salami .......1..@ ..11.49 ..= ..11.49
Costco ....Deli ..... Lunchmeat – ham ..........1..@ ...9.99 ..= ...9.99
Costco ....Deli ..... Salsa ....................1..@ ...5.29 ..= ...5.29
Costco ....Meat ..... Bacon ready cook .........2..@ ..11.99 ..= ..23.98
Costco ....Meat ..... Fresh Salmon .............1..@ ..15.73 ..= ..15.73
Costco ....Meat ..... Fresh Salmon .............1..@ ..16.90 ..= ..16.90
Costco ....Meat ..... Fresh Ono ................1..@ ..16.63 ..= ..16.63
Costco ....Meat ..... Steaks/New York ..........1..@ ..25.53 ..= ..25.53
Costco ....Meat ..... Steaks/New York ..........1..@ ..29.76 ..= ..29.76
Costco ....Produce....Gala Apples ..............1..@ ..11.79 ..= ..11.79
Costco ....Produce....Granny Smith Apples ......1..@ ...7.99 ..= ...7.99
Costco ....Produce ...Large watermelon .........2..@ ...9.99 ..= ..19.98
Costco ....Produce ...Papaya/precut ............1..@ ..10.99 ..= ..10.99
Costco ....Produce ...Pineapples .............. 2..@ ...2.99 ..= ...5.98
Costco ....Produce ...Strawberries .............1..@ ...7.99 ..= ...7.99
Costco ....Produce ...Cob corn 8 count .........1..@ ...7.29 ..= ...7.29
Costco ....Produce ...Broccoli .................1..@ ...8.49 ..= ...8.49
Costco ....Produce ...Bananas ..................2..@ ...1.89 ..= ...3.78
Costco ....Produce ...Kale salad kit ...........1..@ ...5.29 ..= ...5.29
Costco ....Snack ....Lunch Chips/54 bags .......1..@ ..14.02 ..= ..14.02
COSTCO ....GROCERY .............................TOTAL ............414.41
Store .....Dept ..... DESCRIPTION .....................................Total
Costco ....Alcohol ...beer... case ..............1...@ ..25.46 ...= ..25.46
Costco ....Alcohol ...beer... case ..............1...@ ..25.96 ...= ..25.96
Costco ....Alcohol ...beer... case ..............1...@ ..27.96 ...= ..27.96
Costco ....Alcohol ...Vodka .....................1...@ ..48.98 ...= ..48.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...pre-mixed Mrgrita ........ 2...@ ...9.99 ...= ..19.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...7.99 ...= ...7.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...8.99 ...= ...8.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...9.99 ...= ...9.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ...9.99 ...= ...9.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.49 ...= ..11.49
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.98 ...= ..11.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.99 ...= ..11.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..11.99 ...= ..11.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..12.99 ...= ..12.99
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..14.79 ...= ..14.79
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..14.98 ...= ..14.98
Costco ....Alcohol ...wine ......................1...@ ..23.98 ...= ..23.98
COSTCO ....ALCOHOL ........................... TOTAL ................299.49
Store...Dept........DESCRIPTION.....................................Total
Target..Beverage....Bloody Mary Mix..............1...@...4.09..=.....4.09
Target..Beverage....JuiceV-8/6 pack..............1...@...3.74..=.....3.74
Target..Beverage....Perrier/canned...............1...@...5.79..=.....5.79
Target..Beverage....Rootbeer/12 pack.............1...@...6.99..=.....6.99
Target..Bread..... Burger Buns..................2...@...2.69..=.....5.38
Target..Bread..... Sandwich Rolls...............2...@...6.19..=....12.38
Target..Bread..... Hot Dog Buns.................1...@...2.29..=.....2.29
Target..Bread..... Hot Dog Buns.................1...@...4.29..=.....4.29
Target..Canned..... Pinto Beans..................2...@...1.02..=.....2.04
Target..Canned..... Baked Beans... small.........1...@...1.27..=.....1.27
Target..Canned..... Baked Beans... large.........1...@...2.79..=.....2.79
Target..Cleaning....Dishwasher soap..............1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Cleaning....Laundry Detergent............1...@...5.99..=.....5.99
Target..Condiment...Hot dog relish...............1...@...1.22..=.....1.22
Target..Condiment..Pickles/Sandwich..............1...@...1.67..=.....1.67
Target..Condiment..Pickles/Cocktail..............1...@...3.04..=.....3.04
Target..Condiment..Steak Sauce...................1...@...3.69..=.....3.69
Target..Condiment...Mustard......................1...@...1.22..=.....1.22
Target..Condiments..Ketchup......................1...@...1.89..=.....1.89
Target..Condiments..Ranch Dressing...............1...@...2.69..=.....2.69
Target..Condiments..Mayo.........................1...@...4.39..=.....4.39
Target..Condiments..Martini Olives...............1...@...4.29..=.....4.29
Target..Dairy.......Eggs/liquid whites...........1...@...4.89..=.....4.89
Target..Dairy.......Eggs whole Dozen.............5...@...1.79..=.....8.95
Target..Dairy.......Butter spread/16 oz..........1...@...1.99..=.....1.99
Target..Dairy.......Butter.......................2...@...5.19..=....10.38
Target..Deli........Salsa........................1...@...4.09..=.....4.09
Target..Deli........Cheese Shreds/lrg bag........1...@..12.29..=....12.29
Target..Misc........Soy Sauce....................1...@...1.69..=.....1.69
Target..Misc........Rice Jasmine 1 lb............1...@...3.79..=.....3.79
Target..Misc........Flour Tort...................1...@...2.84..=.....2.84
Target..Frozen......Cinnamon Rolls...............2...@...2.59..=.....5.18
Target..Frozen......Vanilla Ice Cream............2...@...5.79..=....11.58
Target..Frozen......Breakfast Sandwich...........2...@...6.64..=....13.28
Target..Frozen......Burger Patties 8.............2...@...11.99 =...23.98
Target..Meat........Brauts 4 count...............2...@...2.69..=.....5.38
Target..Meat........Brauts 4 count...............2...@...2.79..=.....5.58
Target..Meat........Breakfast Sausage............2...@...3.79..=.....7.58
Target..Meat........Sausage,ground...............1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Meat........Hot Dogs.....................1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Meat........Breakfast Sausage............1...@...3.99..=.....3.99
Target..Misc........Coffee Filters...............1...@...0.99..=.....0.99
Target..Misc........Coffee... Ground.............1...@...9.99..=.....9.99
Target..Mix/Dry.....Sugar........................1...@...2.59..=.....2.59
Target..Mix/Dry.....Pancake Mix..................1...@...2.64..=.....2.64
Target..Mix/Dry.....Brownie Mix..................1...@..2.99...=.....2.99
Target..Mix/Dry.....Popcorn Kernals..............1...@..3.59...=.....3.59
Target..Mix/Dry.....Maple Syrup..................1...@..8.99...=.....8.99
Target..Paper..... Brown Lunch Sacks............1...@..2.34...=.....2.34
Target..Paper..... Napkins......................1...@..2.79...=.....2.79
Target..Paper..... Aluminum foil................1...@..4.79...=.....4.79
Target..Paper..... Paper plates.................1...@..6.99...=.....6.99
Target..Produce.....Lemons.......................4...@..0.49...=.....1.96
Target..Produce.....Limes per pound..............4...@..0.49...=.....1.96
Target..Produce.....Onion... Yellow..............3...@..1.29...=.....3.87
Target..Produce.....Lettuce – Ice Berg...........1...@..1.54...=.....1.54
Target..Produce.....Avocados.....................2...@..1.57...=.....3.14
Target..Produce.....Celery.......................1...@..1.72...=.....1.72
Target..Produce.....Mini Carrots 2 lb............1...@..2.99...=.....2.99
Target..Produce.....Potatoes 5 lb................1...@..3.54...=.....3.54
Target..Produce.....Strawberries.................2...@..3.99...=.....7.98
Target..Produce.....Salad Kit....................2...@..4.99...=.....9.98
Target..Produce.....Clementines 3lb bag..........1...@..6.54...=.....6.54
Target..Produce.....Garlic Cloves................1...@..2.99...=.....2.99
Target..Produce.....Large Tomatoe 2 count .......1...@..2.89...=.....2.89
Target..Snack..... Corn Chips...................1...@..2.29...=.....2.29
Target..Snack..... Twizzlers Licorice...........1...@..3.29...=.....3.29
Target..Snack..... Cracker Assortment...........3...@..3.79...=....11.37
Target..Spice..... Garlic Powder................1...@..2.29...=.....2.29
Target..Spice..... Salt & Pepper................1...@..1.37...=.....1.37
TARGET..GROCERY TOTAL..............................................340.97