The performance and food was great but the negatives were too many for us to return again, especially with so many luau options.
Let’s start with the positives:The food was good Hawaiian food with many protein options. Desserts all had Hawaiian components but not my taste. My kids would have preferred a Hawaiian macadamia nut cookie but adults were happy to try something new. Only negative was that one of my kiddo is a picky eater and wanted the pineapple but the pineapple had a red spice in it and he didn’t like it (so a beware for any parents who also have a kid so picky you wonder how they survive).
Performance was great. Just the right length and story telling.
Now for the negatives. While these might not be a deal breaker for some, it was for us and therefore letting others know.
-arrived at 5:20 and there was no shade. It was hot and there was no where to go to get a break.
- you will have to get every beverage and food item yourself. Including water. And they only have the smallest cups. So when we arrived and were hot we had to stand in long lines for drinks. Then weave between the small spaces between the big tables without spilling from the small cups and then 4 gulps later do it all again. For a family with elderly members with mobility issues and small children, this alone made the night such a challenge. It would have been nice just to have bigger cups for water at least! But for what we paid would have liked table service for water.
- tables were so big that couldn’t communicate with those sitting across from us (our family took up entire table).
But this also meant that the tables were so close together. I was sitting so close to the person at the table next to me that one of us had to scoot in any time someone needed to walk by. Which was often being that the cups were small and it was hot.
- then for dinner- it was served buffet style but the buffet was quite a ways away from the tables. And since the tables weren’t set this meant the rolls of utensils and napkins were at the buffet. Now for the average adult this is not a problem. But for any parents with young kiddos you can see where this was a problem. Holding multiple plates and rolls of utensils made it all a challenge (even for my dad with the cane).
- I felt the time between end of meal and start of show was about 15-30 minutes too long (depending where in the buffet lone you were) which isn’t too big a deal but for families with young children be prepared that may need some entertainment.
In summary the lack of table service and settings made the luau more work than I would hope for the cost and for a family with young children. The large, closely spaced tables made navigating with drinks and food challenging. Smaller tables and larger cups would improve this (for those reading this that work for the luau).