Disney's Aulani Is A Bucket List Item For Many Families, But I Gotta Say It Looks Good On Ryan Seacrest, Too (2025)

Two of the most popular places in the world to go on vacation are Walt Disney World and Hawaii. As somebody who is a fan of both places (having been to both multiple times), one spot that I have yet to visit, but certainly plan to one day is Aulani. That's Disney’s Resort on the island of Ohahu. It always looks quite incredible, and I have to admit Ryan Seacrest is making me want to book a trip right now.

Last night’s episode of American Idol took place from Disney’s Aulani Resort, as will tonight’s, and host Ryan Seacrest posted several shots to Instagram ahead of the night of music, showing off himself having a blast at Disney’s destination. It’s not quite Disney World, but the Disney vibes certainly permeate the place as Seacrest shows off while sporting his island-themed ears and hanging out with "the boss," Mickey Mouse.

Aulani opened back in 2011, designed by Walt Disney Imagineering's Joe Rhode. And over the years it has become a major destination among Disney Resorts. People will save up to have the perfect Disney vacation at Aulani the same way they will save up to have that once-in-a-lifetime Disney World vacation.

While Disney’s theme park resorts are its best-known properties, there are actually several other locations around the U.S. that are owned by Disney where you can vacation, including Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney's Vero Beach Resort. Being in such a popular vacation destination as Hawaii, Aulani is among the most popular among guests.

There are certainly ways to get the island vibe at other Disney locations. Disney World's Polynesian resort was one of its first two hotels and is still one of its most popular. Still, there's nothing quite like visitng the actual islands that inspired the resort.

During the recent Disney Shareholders' Meeting, Bob Iger was asked about the possibility of more Disney resorts similar to Aulani. There are certainly many vacation destinations around the world where Disney cannot currently be found, but a major resort without the expensive theme park could be located. However, Iger indicated there are no plans to expand the Aulani concept, making it a unique destination.

Aulani tends to have more in common with other Hawaii resorts than it does a Disney theme park, but the location does include character experiences not unlike those you’ll find at Disneyland or Walt Disney World. If you’re a serious Disney fan and you want to plan a vacation in Hawaii, there’s little reason to go anywhere else.

And, of course, Disney, never being too shy to feed the synergy machine, makes a point to be sure to incorporate its other business ventures during its popular TV shows. A lot of TV viewers certainly won’t be as familiar with Aulani as they are with Disney’s theme parks, but if it looks like a beautiful place to visit while Ryan Seacrest is showing it off, perhaps more people will consider it for their next island getaway.