Aulani offers plenty of fun from Mickey and friends to entertain the kids, such as a character breakfast with photo ops, but it’s also a celebration of Hawaiian culture. Disney’s “imagineers” worked with locals to get many of the details just right, from murals and woodcarvings throughout the property that tell the story of Hawaii. At the Olelo Room, one of the resort bars, common objects are labeled with their Hawaiian names (everyone learns a new language better when they’re drinking, right?) and there’s live Hawaiian music every night. A 900-foot-long lazy river threads the resort, which—along with children’s programs like storytelling nights under the stars, Hawaiian crafts classes, and Disney movies on the lawn—makes the Aulani, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the best lodging choices for families. Even I, by now a cynical adult, am always delighted when I set foot on this property.