Southern California and Central Florida are lovely places to visit. But the Disney theme parks that are located there use their locations as portals to transport guests to other, often mythical destinations. They are way stations en route to, for example, Pandora, Neverland, and a subterranean pirates’ lair in the Caribbean where “dead men tell no tales.”
However, Disney’s Aulani is all about the place where it is located: Hawaii. It is not a theme park, per se, but a highly themed family resort and spa where the theme is the Hawaiian Islands. Rather than conjuring lands and attractions to immerse visitors in whimsical places and experiences, Aulani anchors them in the place they came to visit.
For the full story, visit USAToday.com/Travel/Experience.
