Overview
- Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina on Oʻahu, tops U.S. News’ 2026 Best Family Hotels list after evaluation of more than 31,000 properties.
- The resort’s destination-first appeal is highlighted by Waikolohe Valley pools, the Volcanic Vertical slide, Keiki Cove and Menehune Bridge play areas, and Rainbow Reef, Oʻahu’s only private snorkeling lagoon.
- Four Walt Disney World properties also placed in the top 20: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (#11), Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (#12), Walt Disney World Dolphin (#13), and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (#14).
- U.S. News weighted awards and recognition, hotel class, and aggregated guest reviews across roughly 400 destinations to produce the 2026 rankings.
- Coverage underscores a shift toward resort-centric, relaxing family travel, while noting on-site Disney World benefits such as early park entry, extended evening hours for deluxe guests, complimentary transportation and parking, advance Lightning Lane purchasing, extended dining windows, and check-in day water-park admission from May 26 to Sept. 8, 2026.