jean77

I will be going to Maui this weekend to get married and I have reservations for the OLL on Sunday June 8. I booked a couple months ago so we will probably have pretty good seats. From reading all the comments on this board I am not sure if we should go or save the money for something better. It is $79 per person ($158 total). We are both in our mid-twenties. We will be in Maui for 7 days. Please give us advise as to whether we should go or not. I have never been to a luau before and am completed undecided. Thanks!

kikahead

Congratulations on your wedding! I went to OLL last January (my first and only luau) and LOVED it. My whole family enjoyed it (four of us daughters-all in our 20's and one father in his 50's). Although I have no other luau to compare it to, I enjoyed it and would go again in a second!

travelingirl

My husband and I went to the Old Lahaina Luau on our honeymoon in May 2001 and Loved it, too. It was such a memorable part of our trip and really made you feel the "Hawaiian spirit!" Just be sure to experience it all- walk around before dinner- take lots of pictures - the grounds are beautiful and watch out for the STRONG (& free) Mai-Tais - they keep them coming fast! Congrats and have fun!

2sweets

Agree with the others-I would go. We went to OLL on the 4th of July 2 yrs ago and had a great time. It was not our honeymoon(we have been married 18yrs!) but most of the others at our table(we did the traditional seating) were honeymooners and really seemed to be enjoying themselves. It is a beautiful setting with good drinks and food. With that said, we probably wouldn't spend the money and go again-for us it was one of those things that was fun to experience once. Congratulations on your wedding and have a great time in Maui!!

Marci_77

Ok I'll be the dissenter. We went to OLL in Oct 01 on our honeymoon. We felt like cattle, and dorky tourists. I felt like the whole thing was so, so commerical I just couldn't enjoy myself. The food was awful, IMO.

Later that week, we went to Warren and Annabel's and really enjoyed it. Perhaps you would enjoy that instead.

nuggetboy

I went to the OLL several years ago. My wife and I enjoyed the show but the food was too authentic for us. We prefered the Luau at the Outrigger. Better food. By all means you do have to go to a luau somewhere. OLL is a good one.

zackzack

The Outrigger in Wailea had a great luau. Get a Gold Card for deep discounts on this and other attractions.

islandmom

I watched the Outrigger show out my room. Not as good entertainment as others.

Ani

My husband and I went a few years ao and had a wonderful time-I have to admit I did not care for the food but the fee flowing mai tais that were included in the rate made up for that...YUM!!!

Rusty

Did the free flowing Mai Tai's have any liquor in them ?

Ani

surprisingly...yes!

bogart

For a few bucks more I would go to the Feast at Lele. It is run by the same folks that do the OLL, and is held at the OLL's old location - right on the water front! We thought it was an awesome food, delicious food and so much of it, great mai-tais, terrific music etc. Couldn't have been more pleased with our choice.

I originally booked OLL, then called and canceled when I heard about the Feast at Lele. I made our resies a couple weeks in advance and we got the best table in the house, front and center.

bogart

I should have also mentioned that you are seated at your own table (no buffet tables or mat seating) It is much smaller, maybe a hundred people or so...and each table has 2 very attentive servers. It was a pretty unforgettable night.

Sarah

Hi Jean77,

Congrats on the wedding how exciting!I hope you have time to come on and read my reply. I have not been to Old Lahaina Lua but have considered stopping off in Maui on yearly trips to Kauai just to witness. Ask yourself this. How much are you interested in other cultures, histories? I have a huge interest in Hawaiian history and culture but I realize that a good many people just go for the weather and landscape. I think these people miss out but if they don't get it, they don't get it. Old Lahaiana Lua has consistently won awards as the most authentic lua in the islands. It is advertised to locals all over Hawaii. In my mind it has a stamp of authenticity/approval that is boldly missing from other luas. Again I have not been so I can't speak from experience but everything I have read from locals on this board as well as in travel tells me to try it out.

Hula and mele (chants) are more than a 1000 years old and connected with ancient Hawaiian worship. The chants were used to record history before the Hawaiians had a written language. If you can appreciate the magnitude of that than I am GUESSING you would appreciate the chanting and hula that you will witness at old lahaina. If a five star meal somewhere else is more appealing then go to it. Happy Wedding whatever you choose.

996tt

Price: Overpriced
Atmosphere: Awesome
Show: Mediocre
Food: Horrible
Crowd: Way Overcrowded
Bottomline: Go try Feast at Lele instead

turn_it_on

Well, I don't know if anyone cares about this, but we're in our mid-twenties too, going to Maui in July, and have decided against going to any luaus. With so many mixed reviews, we felt our money would be better spent at one of the really nice restaurants on Maui, sitting oceanside and having what we are certain will be a great meal. We just had a feeling it was going to be embarrassingly corny to us and we'd be wondering why we spent so much money when we could be somewhere truly great. But, then again, it's an experience, so, whatever.

If yr really desperate to see the show, there's several where you can stand around the luau grounds and watch for free, I've heard (here I'm pretty sure).

love
roxy

bluefan

definitely a wise decision for such a young pup as yourself turn_it_on! But then again, I'm less than 10 years older than you.

You can definitely take in a few luaus, free of charge, while just taking an evening stroll (after a dinner outside at Hula Grill, of course) along the Kaanapali Beach walkway. I'm sure these comments will PO several folks since I'm not normally negative, but opinions and controversies are what expand people's prior perceptions. I think luaus are a waste of time and money, which could be better served at all the fabulous but equally expensive restaurants in Maui. Most people who have seen a luau once will probably not opt to pay to see one again, even if it was an incredible experience as it was for me the first time. And even if the OLL is authentic and all that it's cracked up to be, let me know when you see a native Polynesian paying to attend. However, bogart does present a strong case for the Feast at Lele.

One can enjoy the full splendor of Maui without going to a luau, so don't feel like you're missing out!

jean77

Thank you for all the info!

Rusty

There is no such thing as an "authentic" commercial luau. One does not exist. They are all theatrical productions that have no similarity to a real luau.

Go once. Never go again.