Hi,

Looking for guidance. I have two kids aged 7 and 4. We wish to do a week's vacation in Summer in Hawaii. Should we head to the Disney Resort or Maui? One of the main criteria for us is ability to leave kids by themselves for some time during the day. Seems like Disney resort may have options for it. But if Maui offers similar resorts we would rather head there. Please provide guidance.

I wouldn't know about the disney resort, we opted not to stay there because it was kind of removed from everything we wanted to do. My kids are older, but here is a link to my trip report that could give you an idea of things to do. Happy planning!

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...amily-of-6.cfm

Brave parents leaving such little children with strangers. have you done it before? Has it worked and how did your children react to it. Don't know if I could do that but bravo if it works for you....

I can't help with the child care part, but I'd most definitely recommend finding a resort on Maui, instead of going to Disney.

Ko Olina is remote from all the activities of Honolulu. I also don't want Walt's version of Hawaii after flying so far to the real thing! There are licensed bay sitter services you could use anywhere. The ones on Maui have received great reviews from parents -- and from the kids.

Here's a few articles that might help.

http://blog.trekaroo.com/exploring-t...aii-with-kids/

http://blog.trekaroo.com/7-great-fam...aiian-islands/

http://ciaobambino.com/spring-break-...trekaroo-moms/

Here's another one that talks about the disney resort you asked about

http://blog.trekaroo.com/is-staying-...orth-the-cost/

Aulani is far out of the way of Oahu activities. I don't want to sound rude, but why go to Hawaii to be around Disney? That is what DLR and WDW are for. I have been to Hawaii 20 times and have been to every island. Maui is by far my favorite. If you are on a budget, Kihei down south has just as beautiful beaches as up north near Kaanapali and Lahaina. Kihei is much more affordable and closer to the airport. If your kids are too young to snorkel, I recommend going to the aquarium near the harbor. Also the Iao needle is gorgeous place to visit.