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.

My family stayed at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu.Emily Hochberg/Insider

• I stayed at Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa on Oahu, Hawaii, for two nights.
• I traveled with my husband and 1-year-old and stayed in an ocean-view room that cost $775 per night.

I recently traveled to Oahu, Hawaii, with my husband and 1-year-old daughter to stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. We've never brought her to Disney parks but thought Aulani seemed like the ultimate place for a tropical family vacation.

On the plane from Los Angeles, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Aulani is a 21-acre oceanfront resort located in Ko Olina, a coastal resort community comprised mostly of other hotels and condos, located about 40 minutes from Honolulu.

Aulani is located in Ko Olina on the island of Oahu.      Google Maps

Source: Ko Olina

I booked our trip two months in advance. At the time, the cheapest rooms, which typically start around $550 per night, were sold out. My lowest-priced option was an ocean view for $775 a night. Suites, meanwhile, started around $1,500.

Overlooking the grounds of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Source: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa

With taxes, two nights cost $1,826.06 total, so I had very high expectations for our stay. Here's how it went.

Taking an elevator selfie at Aulani with my husband and daughter.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Immediately, the lobby felt dramatic to me with a high arched ceiling, stained glass, and a large balcony overlooking the expansive grounds and ocean in the distance.

Entering the lobby at Aulani.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

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, like character meet and greets or kids' art projects that happen each day.

The check-in line was short at Aulani.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Our room was located on the 7th floor of the main tower. At 382 square feet with two queen beds, I worried it might be too small for the three of us.

Our ocean-view room.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

When my family travels, we prefer suites since no one sleeps well when we share a room. But because of the cost, we decided to try the regular room. It was small but comfortable, though we all had to adopt my daughter's 8 p.m. bedtime.

Relaxing in bed with my daughter.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

I did notice a few design details intended to maximize the space. The platform beds came with storage underneath, which kept our suitcases out of the way.

Luggage stored under the bed.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

I also thought the bathroom was spacious with plenty of shelving, a rainfall-style shower and bath, a large counter, and separate toilet. It came stocked with Disney's own line of H2O toiletry products.

The hotel room bathroom.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

I expected the TV to come preloaded with the Disney classics, including my daughter's favorite movie, "Moana." But the Disney+ streaming service was only available to existing customers or to purchase during your stay.

My daughter watching TV.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Out on the balcony, I was surprised and somewhat disappointed by my ocean view. While I could see it in the distance, I thought it would be closer to my room. My view mostly faced the hotel pools.

The balcony.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

And there were multiple pools within that view. There were so many, in fact, I thought the resort had a water park feel with a lazy river, splash pads, a zero entry lagoon, an infinity pool, a private snorkeling reef, and waterfalls.

The lazy river.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

My daughter's favorite was Menehune Bridge, a 2,100-foot play structure with splash pad features, a shallow wading pool, and a small waterslide.

My husband playing with my daughter in the splash pad, Menehune Bridge.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Source: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa

While my daughter loved Menehune Bridge, there were lots of kids running around, nearly knocking her over. My husband and I preferred she play in Keiki Cove, a smaller splash pad for young children with water jets inspired by tidal pools

My daughter in Keiki Cove.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Source: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

The three of us also enjoyed the Waikolohe Pool with it's zero-entry opening that meant my daughter could wade in slowly. I loved that just about every pool at Aulani was so kid-friendly, unlike many hotels we've stayed at as a family.

The zero-entry entrance to Waikolohe Pool.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

A tunnel water slide also led into this same pool, though we didn't try it as the line always looked incredibly long.

A water slide also led into Waikolohe Pool.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

I also didn't swim in Rainbow Reef, a 3,800 foot saltwater snorkeling lagoon. My daughter was too young for it, but we did enjoy watching the fish and swimmers from the viewing area.

The entrance to Rainbow Reef (L) and my daughter watching fish and snorkelers from the viewing area (R).      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Another pool that I noticed was quite popular was Ka Maka Grotto, an infinity-edge pool facing the ocean, with a cavern housing a hot tub.

The Ka Maka Grotto pool.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Wailana Pool was tucked further away, and I thought it always seemed to be the least crowded.

Wailana Pool was never too crowded.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

We visited midweek and didn't have a problem reserving pool chairs or towels, which we grabbed by flashing our daily wristbands. However, a friend who was here the weekend before told me he had to get up at 6 a.m. to secure chairs.

Our wristbands, which changed daily (L), and pool chairs secured by towels (R).      Emily Hochberg/Insider

While the resort's pools are impressive, I thought the private lagoon-style beach was the true focal point. Golden sands framed bright blue water with no waves thanks to a rock barrier.

The beach area at Aulani.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Chairs and umbrellas are provided for no extra fee. Equipment like paddleboards were available to rent and boat excursions left straight from the sand.

Chairs and amenities were offered on the beach.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

While the water was incredibly calm, my daughter wasn't a fan. "Bye bye beach," she declared after a few minutes, so we didn't spend much time here, sadly.

My family on the beach.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

When it was time to eat, we chose from the resort's 10 dining locations that ranged from offering multi-course meals to casual fare and a nightly luau.

My short rib, which I enjoyed for dinner one night at Off The Hook.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

My favorite was Ulu Cafe. I thought they served the best poke bowls I had during my entire week in Hawaii. We also came here for Acai bowls for breakfast.

The best things I ate during my stay at Aulani were poke and acai bowls.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

I also enjoyed lunch at Mama's Snack Stop, a casual stand serving gigantic portions of fried goodies like fish and chips, chicken fingers, and more.

We ordered a few fried platters for lunch.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

The hotel's fine dining restaurant, 'Ama'Ama was closed for renovation. Makahiki is another upscale option, but with a 3-course menu set at $68 per adult and $28 per child, we skipped it. A fancy restaurant with a one-year-old is never that fun for us.

The patio at Makahiki.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Source: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa

Instead, we had dinner at Off The Hook, a casual, sit-down restaurant where I split the catch of the day and a short rib dish with my husband, and my daughter ate mac and cheese.

Waiting for our food at Off The Hook.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Other eateries include a cocktail bar for sushi and small plates, shave ice fashioned like Mickey ears, and a beach stand for treats like Disney's famous Dole Whip. It was our first time trying it and we were huge fans, especially my daughter.

We all loved trying Dole Whip.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Considering this was a Disney resort, I was surprised to see so few references to the mouse himself. We spotted a Mickey Mouse statue near the hotel lobby ...

A Mickey Mouse statue in the hotel.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

... and a statue of Stitch from "Lilo and Stitch," which is set in Hawaii, near the pool area.

A statue of Stitch from the movie, "Lilo and Stitch."      Emily Hochberg/Insider

Of course, the greatest reminder that we were at a Disney resort were the daily character meet and greets. The schedule for these free photo ops was posted each day at 8 a.m. on the resort's app.

Each day, I was able to check the schedule of character appearances on Aulani's app, starting at 8 a.m.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

These appearances took place several times per day with a rotating cast of characters and I noticed lines would form about 15 minutes before. My daughter was excited to meet Minnie Mouse ...

My daughter with Minnie Mouse.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

... and Moana.

My husband and daughter posing with Moana.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

We caught a glimpse of Mickey as well.

We spotted Mickey from afar.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

For more things Disney, there are also two stores in the resort selling everything from Disney-branded kids' toys to kitchenware and upscale clothing and jewelry.

One of two on-site Disney stores.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

There were also many activities for adults and older kids, like t-shirt art, scavenger hunts, and a kids club for children over age five. Because of my daughter's young age, I felt like we only got a taste of what was included in each stay.

The entrance to the kids club.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

A spa, salon, wellness classes, and a fitness center were also available, though the latter was closed during my visit and I wasn't able to try any of the other services.

The entrance to the gym.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

The day we checked out, we weren't quite ready to give up the resort's pools. I noticed a hospitality suite I hadn't seen advertised and asked the front desk about it.

The entrance to a lounge for guests with late departures.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

This suite is an amenity offered to all guests on an hourly, first-come, first-served basis. It has showers, bathrooms, and places to relax if you have to check-out of your room but are departing on a late flight.

Inside the lounge.      Emily Hochberg/Insider

While I only spent two nights at Aulani, and there wasn't quite as much to do for babies like my daughter, I was blown away by the pools, food, and fun atmosphere. I hope to come back when she's older and I can better justify the expensive price.

My daughter on the beach at sunset.      Emily Hochberg/Insider