Skip to Content

How to Maximize the Disney Aulani PhotoPass Service

How to Maximize the Disney Aulani PhotoPass Service

Sharing is caring!

My Mom lives in Hawaii. That means, sometimes she can get a Kamaaina discount at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.

When she realized she could get a 40% off discount for a room at Aulani in February, she immediately booked us for a 2 night stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.

May contain affiliate links.

As a family travel blogger, my first thought was how to get tons of Aulani photos where I got to be in some of the pictures. I didn’t want to spend the entire trip hauling a camera around. I wanted to enjoy our Hawaiian vacation!

That’s when I looked into the Aulani PhotoPass!

Find the BEST deals for Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa here.

Save money on your Disney Aulani Resort vacation on Oahu with Get Away Today.

What is a Disney PhotoPass and How Does it Work?

Disney Parks and Disney Resorts use a program called the Disney PhotoPass Service. There are Disney cast members who will take photos of you and your family on your Disney vacation.

These photos are digitally attached to a PhotoPass Card. There’s a special code on the back of the card so you can view your photos online. It’s free to use the PhotoPass Service, however you will pay to download the photos.

At Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, you can also view your PhotoPass photos on your television back in your room. It’s a fun way to reminisce about your trip at the end of the day! You can also view your photos at the PhotoPass kiosk at Kalepa’s Store near the Main Lobby.

If you are looking for an Oahu photographer for your Hawaiian vacation, this is an easy way to do it!

[irp posts=”5784″ name=”Aulani Tips to Maximize 2 Nights at Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii”]

What Does the Aulani PhotoPass Include?

I was surprised just how many Disney Aulani PhotoPass locations were around the resort. We personally saw PhotoPass photographers stationed at the following locations:

  • Disney Character Meet & Greets
  • On Ko Olina beach
  • Near the pools
  • Lazy River
  • Stitch Statue
  • Shake a Shaka Pool Party
  • Aunty’s Beach House (registered activities only, such as Aloha Fun, Surf’s Up, Stitch’s Space Goo, Fish Are Friends, Keiki Hula and Ohana Hula.)

According to the website, Disney PhotoPass photographers can be found at Rainbow Reef, Waikolohe Stream, Keiki Cover, Waikalohe Pool, Ka Maka Landing, and Ko Olina Beach.

For $99, you can get digital copies of photos from your entire stay. Or, you can purchase individual digital copies. I downloaded my photos into Lightroom and applied a filter to the photos in this post.

What About the Disney Aulani Character Breakfast?

If you are doing the character breakfast at Makahiki, you’ll have the opportunity to take photos with Mickey Mouse! During breakfast, a cast member will come around and show you the photos. You’ll have the option of purchasing printed photos or a photo CD.

We asked about digital copies, but were told by the cast member they were unavailable.

The Disney Aulani PhotoPass captures your Disney Character Breakfast photos with Mickey Mouse
We stepped right up for this group shot at the Disney Character Breakfast at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa on Oahu. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

We later learned that Character Breakfast photos can be added to your PhotoPass Card once you’ve purchased the Breakfast Package at Kalepa’s Store. I think this would be the way to go!

[irp posts=”5789″ name=”Is the Disney Aulani Character Breakfast on Oahu Worth the Price?”]

Photos at Aunty’s Beach House

One of the perks of registering for one of the kids activities at Aunty’s Beach House is that an Aulani PhotoPass photographer will take photos of your children. Normally, photography is not permitted at Aunty’s Beach House. However, they have photographers during the pre-registered activities.

Disney photographers will take photos of kids at Aunty's Beach House through the Disney Aulani PhotoPass Service
My son was so proud of his Stitch’s Space Goo and I loved seeing photos like this! Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

I signed my son up for Stitch’s Space Goo, which he STILL raves about! It was free to sign up. The cast members give each child a wristband that has an Aulani PhotoPass code on it.

The Disney photographers got so many cute shots of him in his little lab coat and goggles! Then, they added the photos to his wristband. Just take the wristband to Kalepa’s Store and get them added to your PhotoPass Card.

Can I Take My Own Photos at Aulani?

Of course! In fact, for all Disney Character Meet & Greets, there is a cast member there to assist the PhotoPass photographer. He or she can take photos and videos using your own phone or camera. There is no charge for the cast member to take photos.

Personally, I recommend doing both. I usually gave the Aulani cast member my cell phone to take video and photos. They were awesome about taking as many photos as possible. Then, I could scroll through and pick my favorites. These were perfect to post on Instagram and Facebook.

But, I love the higher quality of the PhotoPass photos that we downloaded. These are great for printing or creating photo books of our first trip to Aulani.

[irp posts=”7598″ name=”Oahu Travel Hacks + Budget Tips for Families”]

How to Maximize the Disney Aulani PhotoPass Service

Get an Aulani PhotoPass Card as soon as you arrive

You can get your free Aulani PhotoPass Card from any Disney PhotoPass photographer. Take a photo of your PhotoPass Card and share it with your whole party. You can even make it your phone background for easier scanning.

Everyone in your party can use the same code so all your photos will be on one PhotoPass Card.

Moana is available for character meet and greets at Disney's Aulani Resort & Spa in Koolina, Oahu, Hawaii
My son was so excited to see Moana at Aulani Resort on Oahu! Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

As soon as you get your PhotoPass Card, you can start using it! We hopped right in line to meet Moana, which was a highlight of our Aulani family vacation!

My son spent two full minutes telling Moana about his temporary tattoo and how he saw her canoe near the Lazy River. She asked him to help her find Hei Hei and Pua!

Check the Aulani Daily Iwa

So, the Aulani Daily Iwa is your Aulani resort guide. This is where you’ll see the daily schedule of events taking place at the Disney resort.

They usually post the Daily Iwa online about one week ahead of time. You can also pick up hard copies around Disney’s Aulani. This is where you’ll find the number to call for Disney Character Meet & Greets.

Call the number for Character Meet + Greets

In your Daily Iwa, you’ll see a number to call for Character Meet & Greets. Usually, you can start calling around 8am. Grab something to write with because they rattle off the characters, times and locations pretty quickly.

Thankfully, you can call the number as many times as you like!

We loved meeting Donald Duck at Disney Aulani Resort on Oahu, Hawaii
Every morning, we called the number to see which Aulani character meet and greets were available. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

We were there for two nights and we saw Disney Character Meet & Greets for Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Moana, and Stitch.

It’s worth noting that not all characters do meet & greets every day. Daisy Duck did photos on the day we arrived, but we never had another opportunity.

Photos with Mickey Mouse + Minnie Mouse

One of the huge perks about the Disney character meet and greets at the Aulani Disney Resort is that Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse take photos together! This is quite rare!

Disney Aulani Resort offers character meet and greets where Mickey and Minnie take character photos together on Oahu!
It’s rare to see Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse take photos together! Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

I recommend getting in line about 15 minutes before they are scheduled to arrive. That’s what we did. I stood in line with my toddler while my Mom walked around with my 4 year old.

By the time they joined me in line, they only waited about 5 minutes. My only regret is not throwing on a dress over my swimsuit!

Sign up for Aunty’s Beach House activities

While I was at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, I found out that Aunty’s Beach House will only have Aulani PhotoPass photographers take photos during a scheduled activity. Many of these activities are free, but you do need to sign up in advance.

My 4 year old was signed up for Stitch’s Space Goo and the Aulani PhotoPass photographers got great shots of him looking like a mini scientist!

You can get photos of your kids at Aunty's Beach House through the Disney Aulani PhotoPass service.
My little scientist had a blast making Stitch’s Space Goo at Aunty’s Beach House at Aulani Resort. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

Do sunset photos every night

No, you don’t need to dress up every night. But, there are usually multiple photographers down on the beach about an hour before sunset. Get photos of your kids playing at the beach in that perfect “golden hour” lighting.

Make the rounds and hit up every photographer. They are stationed at different parts of the beach, so your background will look different. Plus, every photographer has their own style.

The Disney Aulani PhotoPass photographers will take sunset photos on the beach for family pictures.
I loved the nightly opportunities to take sunset photos on the beach in front of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

Go in the off season

For our family, the best time to go to Aulani Resort was February. We never waited more than 20 minutes for Character Meet & Greets. We also were able to walk right up to photographers at Ko Olina Beach with no wait at all.

If you are going during Aulani’s busy season (summer or the holidays) you might consider paying to reserve time with a PhotoPass photographer.

Get special photos with relatives

Since this was our first trip to Aulani, we wanted to commemorate it. We were so thrilled to get lots of photos of my kids with their Grandma.

We wouldn’t normally take so many photos, so it was very convenient that Disney photographers were always nearby to help us remember this amazing trip!

Disney Aulani PhotoPass photographers will take family pictures on the beach near Disney Aulani Resort
Since my Mom was able to join us at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, we got some great shots of Grandma and my oldest! Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

Ask the Aulani PhotoPass photographers to take your photo!

There are Aulani PhotoPass photographers stationed throughout Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Take advantage of them! I saw one standing near the lazy river ready to take photos.

This is a good reminder to have your Aulani PhotoPass card on you at all times!

Disney Aulani PhotoPass photographers will take photos of your family on your Oahu family vacation.
It was great to get some candid shots with just my youngest as we walked around the grounds of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa on Oahu. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

At one point, I was walking back from dropping my preschooler off at Aunty’s Beach House when I saw an Aulani PhotoPass photographer standing near the pool.

I asked if she’d like to take our photo and I got some fun shots with just my toddler! She gave me so many photo shoot suggestions. I appreciated all the direction!

Check in Early + Stay Late

Something I didn’t realize at first is that you can check in to Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa early. They will hold your bags and give you your room key, even though your room won’t be ready. You will get a text when your room keys will let you into your room.

But, since you have your room key, you can get an Aulani PhotoPass card and start getting photos!

Disney Aulani Resort on Oahu has so many fun activities on Oahu for kids, like meeting Mickey Mouse!
My youngest was SO excited to meet Mickey Mouse on our last afternoon at Aulani. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass

Your room key and pool wrist band will also allow you to use the Aulani PhotoPass Service the entire day you check out. So, if your schedule is flexible or you have a later flight, use your time to get more photos with Disney characters.

Private family photo session

If this is your first trip to Hawaii, you might want to schedule a private family photo session with a professional Oahu photographer. Aulani Resort makes a gorgeous backdrop for Christmas card photos.

Guests can choose a resort location for your photo background. A Disney photographer will help you get the vibe you want, whether it’s formal, fun or something in between! Private photo sessions last 20-40 minutes.

Save money on your Disney Aulani Resort vacation on Oahu with Get Away Today.

Things to do in Oahu with Kids

Family Guide to Oahu with Kids
Aulani Tips to Maximize 2 Nights at Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii
Is the Disney Aulani Character Breakfast on Oahu Worth the Price?
Toa Luau is Oahu’s Newest Family-Friendly Luau
Polynesian Cultural Center
Honolulu Cookie Company Features Pineapple Shaped Cookies
Oahu Travel Hacks + Budget Tips for Families

How to maximize the Disney Aulani PhotoPass, fun things to do on Oahu with kids, Disney resort on Oahu

[mailerlite_form form_id=3]

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Louise Smith

Tuesday 3rd of April 2018

This sounds like a really great photopass! I'd definitely buy one if I were ever lucky enough to go to Disney. I'm always saying we need more photos together as a family :)

Louise x

marciecheung

Tuesday 3rd of April 2018

More photos is always a good idea!

Dee at My Dee Dees Diary

Monday 2nd of April 2018

Oooh this place looks amazing to visit. I am happy you provided so much useful information!

marciecheung

Monday 2nd of April 2018

It was gorgeous and the staff were so nice!

Tatanisha Worthey

Monday 2nd of April 2018

This is a really great thing to take advantage of. Getting pictures with all of your favorite characters is really awesome!

marciecheung

Monday 2nd of April 2018

It was quite nice to flip through the photos after our trip :)

Andrea

Sunday 1st of April 2018

i bet you all had a wonderful time. it must of been so much fun and being with the whole family. i bet the kids enjoyed themselves.

marciecheung

Sunday 1st of April 2018

We all had so much fun! It was one of our most relaxing vacations!

Rosey

Sunday 1st of April 2018

I don't think I have any sunset pictures of my kids. I'd definitely want to do that. Oh, and the character breakfast. We love those.

marciecheung

Sunday 1st of April 2018

The lighting is just so nice around sunset!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.