Maui luau recommendation
 

Which luau on Maui would you recommend with two kids (ages 11 and 13) -- Old Lahaina Luau? Feast at Lele? Any advice one way or the other? Thanks!

You might want to take a look at http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ui_Hawaii.html - - it's very current. The tripadvisor forum seems to get double/triple (or more) the postings on Hawaii as this forum gets. that doesn't mean that the information is better, but perhaps more likely to find someone posting a reply that is an exact dead-on match to the info you're seeking.

I am not a Hawaii expert; going there for my first trip ever this New Year's.

Best wishes,

Rex
(from the Europe forum)

With kids I'd definitely recommend Old Lahaina Luau, big fun!

Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt has a great fire knife dancer.

OLL does not have a fire knife dancer.

My husband and I got a little bored at the OLL. It was very "traditional" old Hawaii and not the exciting fire and drama. (like the last poster said). We weren't fully adjusted to the time zone yet either... my husband actually nodded off during some love song and we ended up leaving early.

We were staying at the Hyatt and walked by the Drums of the Pacific luau the next night and regretted that we didn't choose that one. It seemed a lot more exciting.

I absolutely agree with Sara 5263. I would never suggest OLL if you have kids. I was just there last Sunday and I was pretty bored. It was the same thing over and over again with different clothing.

I haven't been to the Feast of Lele but I regret not going there instead of OLL because it incorporates Samoan, Tahitian and Tongan and that is truly where the excitement is.

And, the food at OLL was OK. The steak was shoe leather. The pork and chicken was good, but I wasn't dazzled by it. I've had better food at other luaus.

Oh, and regarding the Hyatt luau, we saw the same luau group at the Grand Wailea two years ago and they were spectacular. So I would highly endorse them.

Speaking of luaus.... My wife and I would like to attend one (just because we never have) and we were thinking of the Old Lahaina. The luau is over $90 / person, and while I'm not cheap, I have a problem with paying for other people to get drunk.

I don't drink at all and I see that these luaus advertise that all your drinks are included and "we pour only top shelf" booze.

I don't really care, and I shouldn't be expected to pay for it. Can anyone recommend a luau that DOESN'T include "premium" liqueur?

Mark, I can't recommend another, but will comment that most of my family does not drink at all, and we (a party of 9 people) very much enjoyed the Old Lahaina Luau. The bar is quite controlled, it's not like people are staggering around getting sloshed. The price I feel is fair for the beautiful grounds, excellent show, the buffet dinner and dessert.

Most major hotels have Luaus and the folks who entertain travel to the local hotels with their shows. I'd choose one near your hotel and not worry about traveling to distant shows as they are generally the same, food and show are traditional.
If you drink, that is a big issue as driving is not a good idea after a couple "drinks included." Lots of accidents and jail problems happen after dark!

Ulalena is supposed to be an absolutely amazing show with great reviews from Conde Nast, National Geographic, etc. but no food. It seems that many people from the mainland don't like the traditional Hawaiian food very much and they go mostly for the entertainment. If this is the case, maybe check out Ulalena and get plate-lunch for dinner afterwards... might work out to the same price.

http://www.top-10-hosting.com/~ulalena/performance.php

We took our kids (10 and 13) to the Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt, and they enjoyed it. I think the fire knife dancers make it much more exciting, although some don't like this because it's not "authentic" Hawaiian. The Hyatt also offered a "tiered" rate for kids and preteens, so the price was a bit cheaper than OLL.

The only big negative about this show was waiting outside in line at the beachwalk. We arrived 45 minutes prior to the showtime, and were about 30th in line. Your seating choice is based upon your position in line. There are premium priced tickets that allow you to wait inside in a comfortable waiting area; however, this adds quite a bit to the ticket price.

Ulalena is an excellent show!! It's not really anything like a luau though. More cirque-de-soile does history of the islands.

yes exactly. I've had friends who work at UH on history and even they liked the show! I think it's a great option if your family wants entertainment but the kids (or you) think a luau is too cheesy.