I went to Disney's mega resort in Hawaii with my family. Here's a closer look at the hotel's 6 pools, character photo ops, and private beach.

• I stayed at the Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii.

• I stayed in an ocean-view room for $775 per night while traveling with my husband and son.

• There are six pools, a beach, and 10 restaurants at the resort.

I traveled to Hawaii with my husband and daughter to stay at a Disney resort. We've never taken her to a Disney park, but we thought Aulani was the best place for a tropical family vacation.

Aulani is a 21-acre oceanfront resort located in Ko Olina, a coastal resort community comprised mostly of other hotels and condominiums.

The source is Ko Olina.

We booked our trip in advance. The cheapest rooms were sold out. An ocean view for $775 a night was my lowest price. The suites began at around 1,500 dollars.

Aulani is a Disney resort and spa.

I had high expectations for the two nights we spent here. How did it go?

The lobby has a high arched ceiling, stained glass, and a large balcony that overlook the grounds and ocean.

I only had to wait a few minutes to be checked in and was encouraged to download the hotel's app to learn about activities that happen each day.

The room was on the 7th floor. I was concerned that it might be too small for the three of us.

We prefer suites when we travel because no one sleeps well in a room with us. The regular room was the one we chose because of the cost. We had to adopt my daughter's 8 p.m. sleep time, but it was comfortable.

A few design details were meant to maximize the space. We were able to keep our suitcases out of the way because of the storage underneath the platform beds.

I thought the bathroom was large with plenty of shelving and a separate toilet. Disney has a line of H2O toiletry products.

My daughter's favorite movie is "Moana" and I was expecting the TV to have it. Existing customers were able to purchase Disney+ during their stay.

I was surprised to see the ocean from the balcony. I thought it would be closer to my room than it was. I had a view of the hotel pools.

There were more than one pool in that view. I thought the resort had a water park feel with a lazy river, splash pads, a zero entry lagoon, and a private snorkel reef.

Menehune Bridge is a 2,100-foot play structure with splash pad features, a shallow wading pool, and a small waterslide.

Aulani is a Disney resort and spa.

There were a lot of kids running around and almost knocked my daughter over. There is a small splash pad for young children with water jets inspired by tidal pools.

A Disney resort and spa.

My daughter was able to wade in slowly because of the zero entry opening of the pool. We've stayed at many hotels that were not child-friendly, but Aulani was different.

We didn't try the tunnel water slide because it looked so long.

I did not swim in Rainbow Reef. We enjoyed watching the fish and swimmers from the viewing area, even though my daughter was too young for it.

There is a hot tub in the Ka Maka Grotto, a pool that faces the ocean and is popular.

The least crowded pool was hidden further away.

We were able to reserve pool chairs and towels by flashing our wristbands. A friend of mine told me that he had to get up at 6 a.m. to get chairs.

The resort's pools are impressive, but I thought the private lagoon-style beach was the center of attention. The blue water is framed by golden sands.

The chairs and umbrellas are free of charge. The equipment was available to be rented and the excursions were left from the sand.

My daughter didn't like the water. We didn't spend a lot of time here because she said "bye bye" after a few minutes.

The resort's 10 dining locations ranged from offering multi-course meals to casual fare and a nightly luau.

I liked Ulu Cafe the most. They served the best poke bowls I've ever had. For breakfast, we came here for a bowl of acai.

I enjoyed lunch at Mama's Snack Stop, a place that serves huge portions of fried goodies like fish and chips, chicken fingers, and more.

'Ama'Ama' was closed for renovations. There is a 3-course menu at $68 per adult and $28 per child, but we didn't want to pay that much. We don't like fancy restaurants with one-year-olds.

Aulani is a Disney resort and spa.

I split the catch of the day with my husband and my daughter at Off The Hook, a casual, sit-down restaurant.

Other eateries include a cocktail bar for sushi and small plates, shave ice that resembles Mickey ears, and a beach stand that serves Dole Whip. My daughter and I were huge fans of it.

I was surprised to see so little reference to the mouse. There is a statue of mickey mouse near the lobby.

There is a statue of Stitch from "Lilo and Stitch" in Hawaii.

The daily character meet and greets were one of the highlights of our stay at the Disney resort. Each day's schedule was posted on the resort's app.

The appearances were made several times per day with a rotating cast of characters. My daughter was excited to meet her favorite cartoon character.

And, of course, the Disney movie, "Moana."

There was a glimpse of Mickey.

There are two stores in the resort that sell everything from Disney- branded toys to upscale clothing and jewelry.

There were many activities for adults and older kids, like scavenger hunts and t-shirt art. I felt like we only got a glimpse of what was included in each stay because my daughter is young.

I was unable to try any of the other services because the salon was closed during my visit.

We didn't want to give up the resort's pools when we checked out. I asked the front desk about the suite, which I had not seen advertised.

On an hourly, first-come, first-served basis, this suite is available to all guests. If you have to check out of your room but are leaving on a late flight, it has shower, bathroom, and places to relax.

I only spent two nights at Aulani, but I was impressed by the pools, food, and fun atmosphere. I want to come back when she's older so I can justify the high price.

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