Imagineer Joe Rohde Shares a Story of the Menehune at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
posted on April 1st, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
Sometimes I think Imagineer Joe Rohde is a bit like the Menehune – I sense his influence peeking out of countless nooks and crannies around Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.
Joe oversaw the creative design and content of the resort, and he was a strong advocate for the celebration of Hawaiian culture that can be found throughout Aulani. I’m sure the project kept him plenty busy, and yet he somehow found time to illustrate “The Untold Tales of the Menehune,” a storybook in verse by Scott Ritchey that touches the very heart of the resort and the legends of Hawai’i. Here’s Joe, reading a passage from the book.
So, for those uninitiated in the ways of the Menehune, that was a little introduction read by Joe himself. “The Untold Tales of the Menehune” is available for purchase at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.
Say Aloha to Merchandise from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
posted on April 1st, 2012 by Steven Miller, Merchandise Communications Manager
I love saying the word “aloha,” as it brings a smile to my face. I’ve been fascinated with Hawaiian culture for years. I first visited the islands of Oahu and Maui in May 2007, and I’ve longed to return every day since. I have a great reason to return now that Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, is open. I recently caught up with Disney Design Group artist Bob Holden, who has been designing the Aulani merchandise for more than two years. He shared some insight into the merchandise found at the resort.
“I first visited Aulani in 2010 when the resort only had five floors and lots of concrete,” said Bob. “We wanted to immerse ourselves in the environment before beginning development. Upon returning to Florida, we created mood boards which provided inspiration and direction for development. The boards were based on conversations with Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde, who was the executive designer for the resort, and our own experiences.”
There are a few distinct styles found at the resort – “family art” (or should I say “ohana”?), which has Disney characters enjoying the resort; a “retro” program inspired by Hawai`i in the 1930s; and “resort logo,” which features the Aulani resort logo. Product developer Lindsay Voigt also mentioned that locally made Hawaiian items are featured.
“We wanted to infuse many aspects of Hawaiian culture in our merchandise,” explained Lindsay. “Kalepa’s Store, the merchandise location at Aulani, features beautiful handcrafted items made by local Hawaiian artisans. This mix of merchandise helps us tell Aulani’s story as a place that celebrates Hawaiian culture, history and traditions.”
Lindsay told me that some of the most popular items since the resort opened have been specially designed Dooney & Bourke handbags (a new one was recently released), Duffy the Disney Bear, and apparel from Tori Richard, a well known aloha shirt company. I have about 40 aloha shirts in my closet and the Tori Richard shirt is great! Bob worked closely with their design team to infuse color (originally it was very brown) and icons from the resort, like the Menehune.
I’m most excited about some new shave ice shirts coming later this year. I’ll never forget the first shave ice I had after snorkeling in Hanauma Bay in 2007. Now I must go back to the island! Aloha!
Mischievous Menehune Take Over Disney Parks Blog Publishing
posted on April 1st, 2012 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
UPDATE: The Menehune have taken over the Disney Parks Blog! Visit “Under New Menehune Management” to see the mischief for yourself.
Okay, so John warned us that something may be up today – and it is. The Disney Parks Blog is under new Menehune management this April Fool’s Day. What? Never heard of the Menehune? They’re legendary at our Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai`i.
Menehune are tiny mischief makers with a reputation for building great inventions. They’re full of surprises and they’re bringing their magic to the blog today. Check the site throughout the day to see what’s up and for a special chance to receive a little reminder of today’s first-ever Menehune takeover.
High Alert! Be on the Lookout for Menehune This Weekend
posted on March 30th, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
We’ve blogged in the past about the Menehune, the mysterious and industrious island “little people” who seem to work mostly by night, leaving half-finished evidence of their labor at various locations around Hawai`i, including at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Visitors to Aulani may have caught sight of Menehune hiding in various corners of the resort.
Now rumor has it that this weekend the Menehune may be planning to take a hand in the Disney Parks Blog itself. Watch this space for possible Menehune mischief!
Confirmed: The Pleasures of Laniwai, a Disney Spa at Aulani
posted on March 27th, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
A few months ago, I shared a video about Laniwai, a Disney Spa at Aulani, along with a confession that I’m not someone who usually takes advantage of spa opportunities, no matter how attractive.
Well… last time I was at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, on O‘ahu, Lucia Rodriguez, the spa manager who has contributed so much to the wonders of Laniwai, convinced me that – if only for the sake of putting some firsthand Laniwai experience into the Disney Parks Blog – I should have a spa treatment. I was still hesitant, but we narrowed it down to a facial and (once Lucia convinced me that none of the Laniwai cast members would be too horrified by my feet) a pedicure.
After selecting a “wishing stone” and traveling through the “transformation corridor,” I – like most Laniwai guests – had time to enjoy Kula Wai, the outdoor hydrotherapy garden (the only one on O‘ahu). This truly is a memorable, relaxing experience in a beautifully landscaped garden with two herbal pools, a jetted hot tub, a circuit of six different showers and a cold plunge (I didn’t “plunge” exactly, but I did cautiously submerge).
Finally, of course, were the treatments themselves, which left me feeling very pampered, not to mention grateful for the restraint of the cast member who worked such wonders on my nasty feet.
I’m still not sure I can ever become the kind of guy who’d do this on a regular basis… and yet, it’s something I think everyone should experience at least once. If you’re going to have a “first spa” experience, you couldn’t ask for better than Laniwai, a Disney Spa.
Samantha Brown Explores the Disney Fantasy Ship
posted on March 26th, 2012 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
If my calculations are correct (which my childhood math teachers would find remarkable), this is my tenth post on the Disney Parks Blog, and my third involving travel-television personality Samantha Brown.
The first two posts on my unofficial “Samantha Beat” spoke of her role in Disney Vacation Club online broadcasts filmed on the island of O‘ahu, and they included some offhanded quips (one bitter, one gleefully smug) about whether or not I was in Hawai‘i during the shoots. While I can report in this third Samantha-centric post that I was not on set for the latest shoot aboard the Disney Fantasy, my feelings on the subject are decidedly less bitter – and this show is fantastic!
Viewers can get a sneak peek at the newest addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet and learn more about the wide range of experiences available through Disney Vacation Club by visiting www.dvcwebevent.com and registering for an available on-demand viewing date.
For more posts with Samantha Brown, check out these below:
- Go Behind the Magic at Aulani with Samantha Brown
- Samantha Brown Returns to Hawai’i with Disney Vacation Club
Coming to Aulani This Summer – Have a Bite at Mama’s Snack Stop
posted on March 19th, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
Crews are hard at work on a brand-new addition to the food and beverage options at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i.
Mama’s Snack Stop, a quick-service food location premiering this June right next to Pāpālua Shave Ice in the Waikolohe Valley, will serve mouthwatering hot dogs, chicken tenders and more. The menu includes a choice of bread, sauce, and type of sausage, including all-beef hot dog, Hawaiian Winner, or Portuguese sausage. Guests can also choose a buffalo ranch chicken tender dog, chicken tenders, fries, Maui Chips, a macadamia pineapple cupcake and fruit.
Construction on Mama’s Snack Stop may cause a bit of inconvenience, but this new location is a great example of how quickly the Aulani team listens and responds to the needs of guests looking for additional meal options at the resort. Mama’s Snack Stop will add to the magic of a Hawaiian vacation at Aulani.
As ‘LIVE!’ Spends the Week at Aulani, Kelly Ripa and Her Family Enjoy the Resort
posted on February 21st, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
As you know, “LIVE! with Kelly” is at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, this week. On Monday, host Kelly Ripa took a few minutes to talk with me about the show and her family’s experience at the resort.
How’s the “LIVE! with Kelly” shoot been going at Aulani?
Incredible! Really, really incredible. The hospitality of the Hawaiian people is like no other. You just feel hugged all the time. You really do. It’s just a gorgeous culture and a beautiful, warm people.
Have you had time to enjoy Aulani just as a resort experience?
I have to tell you, Aulani has hit on every mark. It’s one of these places that caters to small children, and grade school children and teens and tweens and adults, individually and as a family. It really is extraordinary because we’re at that teen-tween-child stage ourselves. So we have three kids with three different interests and this is the place that really caters to all of them.
What sorts of things have they been doing?
Well, they’ve fed stingrays. They’ve gone to Aunty’s Beach House. They’ve gone to teen video game and stargazing nights. They literally read that newsletter, the “Daily Iwa” I think it’s called, that’s put in the rooms at night and they choose what they want to do and it’s been spectacular for them. They’ve been on the Waikolohe Stream 17 hours a day. They tumble down those slides I’m terrified to go down. And this is the first trip we’ve taken where they haven’t kind of said, “I’m bored.” I mean, they’re having so much fun, it’s just really great!
Has everyone been looking forward to the upcoming Aulani wedding on “LIVE!”?
They really have. I think the wedding couple (Eileen Bellew and Kevin Houston) has been just blown away by the level of hospitality. They keep saying, “Wow, they just can’t do enough for you here,” and it’s really true. Just today – it was pretty funny, it happened on the air – it was very hot and the sun had come out and I said, “If only these people at Aulani could make the clouds move over,” and as I said it, literally that very moment a cloud moved over. And I said, “They’re very good here.”
That kind of Disney magic does tend to happen at Aulani. Did you know we actually had a rainbow on the Opening Day?
Well, I don’t know if you heard about our wedding couple when they got here. They both lost their previous spouses very tragically. They believe rainbows are sent to them by their former husband and former wife. And when they got here, there was a double rainbow over the property. They really felt like it was a message. This whole thing has been very beautiful, very emotional even for people who don’t know them personally, people who are viewers of the show. We’re all very invested in this couple.
The beautiful beachside wedding of Eileen Bellew and Kevin Houston will take place on “LIVE! with Kelly” this Friday, Feb. 24.
‘LIVE!’ from Aulani – Greetings from Kelly Ripa
posted on February 20th, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
“LIVE! with Kelly” is at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, this week leading up to the wedding of the winning couple of “LIVE’s Hawaiian Dream Wedding Giveaway” on Friday. Daniel Dae Kim from “Hawaii Five-O” co-hosts with Kelly today, and other co-hosts this week will include “Glee” star Matthew Morrison on Tuesday, Honolulu native and “Dancing with the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba on Wednesday, and Mark Consuelos on Thursday and Friday.
Each “LIVE! With Kelly” broadcast will be set against the backdrop of Aulani’s beautiful beachfront lagoon, and throughout the week “LIVE!” will showcase the best of the island of O‘ahu and highlight all that Aulani has to offer.
‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ Visits Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa
posted on February 10th, 2012 by John McClintock, Disney Public Relations
The fun of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” met the fun of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, recently when AFV went on location at the Hawai`i resort.
AFV host Tom Bergeron took time during the shoot to slide down Tubestone Curl into Waikolohe Stream …
…and to join the dancers of the “Starlit Hui.”
Looks like he had a great time! Aulani will be featured in two upcoming episodes of AFV, airing May 6 and May 13 at 7 p.m./6 p.m. Central.
