By: Coleen Gomez, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
Aloha! You're headed to Aulani! Your room reservations and flights are all set (with the help of your MMT agent), and your prep shopping is all done. Everyone's outfits are picked out and packed, and all dining reservations and excursions are on the books! You've planned everything for the family just perfectly! However, there is one thing missing, something exclusively for you. Remember, this is your vacation too!
You deserve time alone time to unwind and focus on taking care of your mind and body, and there is no better place to do so than at the Laniwai Spa! Make that reservation too! Drop the kids off at Auntie's Beach house and go. Just do it and thank me later!
Upon entrance into Laniwai spa, you will be greeted by a friendly face who will guide you into your sanctuary for the next few hours. The first thing she or he will do is present you with a basket of river rocks. Each rock will have a word etched into it, which will be your intention word to focus on during your time in the spa. Close your eyes and pick a good one! The intention rock I chose was "Harmony." From there, you will walk down a peacefully designed hallway that leads you to a beautiful water feature where you will take a moment to think about your intention word and then release it back into the water. This area is Laniwai Spa's center and can be used to help guide you to different areas of the complex.
You will want to arrive 1-hour earlier than your scheduled treatment time to rejuvenate in the Kula Wai area, the spa's massive outdoor hydrotherapy garden. The garden offers two hot tubs: one with a temperature of about 102 degrees and the second 98 degrees to allow pregnant mothers and those that are heat sensitive the opportunity to enjoy relaxing and soaking in the calming waters too. A reflexology path will lead you through the gardens' six showers. The showers have different jet streams and angles, each concentrating on specific body parts. You will also find a cold water immersion bath and another hot tub beside it. There are many health benefits in each area, so try them all. There are loungers throughout the garden to relax in the sun or shade. Located just through the doors, you will also find a steam room and sauna to use at your pleasure.
About fifteen minutes before your scheduled treatment, a cast member will come to locate you and bring you to the relaxation room. There are lovely massage chairs to lay on before your therapist summons you. Now for the best part!
Time for your body treatment. I did the Wai Lomi Lomi treatment (Coconut Latte, to be exact), which is an 80-minute treatment. The first part is the body exfoliation which consists of crushed Kona coffee and coconut massage cream. Just imagine all of your worries being scrubbed away and starting fresh! After your full-body scrub, you will hop into an in-room shower to rinse away the "old" and prepare to "renew." Time to relax those muscles and let the therapist release the tension from your body as s/he perfectly concentrates on the areas of the body that need it most.
It'll be hard to leave this magical place once your treatment is over, but I promise you will feel recharged, rejuvenated, and simply happy! You're still on vacation in paradise!
If a trip to Aulani or any Disney vacation is on your bucket list, don't wait any longer! Reach out to Marvelous Mouse Travels today to get started!
