KORN owners - potential luau 2x week on lawn

[Tucsonadventurer]

We're in Kaanapali starting Dec 1 for 6 nights but staying this trip at the Hyatt Residence Club. We're not at North until June. If the chairs need a home though we'll take them and pass them on.

 

[susan28]

Just at WKORN building 8. We’ve been here since November 9 and so far they’ve only had 1 luau which was last night… it was loud and annoying.

There is still no restaurant or any activity in the Pulehu location.
We don’t frequent Pailolo grill much - we’re not too keen on their food selection. Drinks are expensive- cocktails are $14 at happy hour.

 

[dioxide45]

cocktails are $14 at happy hour.

Those prices only make Marriott very happy. That is if people are actually buying them.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Just at WKORN building 8. We’ve been here since November 9 and so far they’ve only had 1 luau which was last night… it was loud and annoying.

There is still no restaurant or any activity in the Pulehu location.
We don’t frequent Pailolo grill much - we’re not too keen on their food selection. Drinks are expensive- cocktails are $14 at happy hour.

From a FB discussion my wife had with the manager at WKORVN it looks like for now, due to the economic climate on Maui/Lahaina they have abandoned all hope of getting anyone in to run the restaurant.

 

[vacationtime1]

We don’t frequent Pailolo grill much - we’re not too keen on their food selection. Drinks are expensive- cocktails are $14 at happy hour.

$14? That's exactly double what they charged for a beer or their "Drink of the Day" at happy hour pre-pandemic.

 

[daviator]

$14? That's exactly double what they charged for a beer or their "Drink of the Day" at happy hour pre-pandemic.

One of the good things – sort of – about living in a very expensive city is that prices elsewhere always seem reasonable or even cheap.

$14 cocktails seem like normal pricing, lol.

 

[jjcristi]

I guess it depends on your point of view. We were there during the luau last week basically watching/listening to some excellent free entertainment from the hot tub, drinking a mai tai!! Life is good..

 

[bbison]

Luau was Monday night this week. We did not attend, but met folks who did after being given tickets as part of the owners update. They said it was about half full, food was decent. The side window at the bar remained open for drinks and take-out during the entire luau.

 

[Henry M.]

Is the luau a nuisance for any guests not interested in it? What time does it end?

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Is the luau a nuisance for any guests not interested in it? What time does it end?

It is on the front lawn so impacts most OF villas and use of the bar/restaurant. Most of these things tend to wrap up by 9pm. The trial period has ended so it will be interesting to see if they deem it successful enough to extend it into 2025. We'll be there from Saturday so will see first hand.

 

[sjlola]

We have OF North and arrive on 1/10. I'll give a report if it's still going on.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

So these are continuing in 2025, it was Monday this week and we were told it will be Mon or Wed in future weeks. Seemed like a pretty small affair and is fully open for 'covert' viewing from any aspect, villas, poolside, boardwalk etc. With respects noise I would say it wasn't any/much louder than the 'live music' that plays regularly a Pailolo. It started at 5pm and was all done before 7:30pm. Pailolo was essentially closed during the show (maybe had drinks service at the side window but no food) but I don't know if regular service resumed later.

Attendance wasn't offered to us in exchange for our Owner's Update and I seem to think the cost was upwards of $200 but that might have been per pair as I wasn't paying much attention. Even if it was it didn't particularly seem good value for money as the show didn't seem on a par with other ones we had seen in the past at The Hyatt and Feast as Lele.

 

[sjlola]

The first luau of our 3 week stay was last night; not a fan. One of the worst aspects wasn’t the event itself, but the ‘sound check’ that occurred mid-afternoon that was so loud that not even wearing both noise-canceling AirPods helped. Thankfully, a polite conversation with one of the staff members took care of the problem and they were apologetic. It’s $188 pp (and currently a single ticket is being offered as an incentive to attend the sales presentation). The event was well attended. The buffer is set up in the dining area of Pailolo and the pick-up window is open for anyone who wants to order off their menu. Quality of the entertainment was ok and anyone who wants to observe without access to the buffet can do so from anywhere on the pool deck or from a lanai overlooking the lawn. I wasn’t thrilled that from our lanai in 8610 (no view of the lawn), the music was loud enough to make conversation difficult. We’ll definitely book dinner reservations for the next 2 Mondays. For those who think this is a good idea, have a nut, but I don’t see any benefit to owners by offering this.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

The first luau of our 3 week stay was last night; not a fan. One of the worst aspects wasn’t the event itself, but the ‘sound check’ that occurred mid-afternoon that was so loud that not even wearing both noise-canceling AirPods helped. Thankfully, a polite conversation with one of the staff members took care of the problem and they were apologetic. It’s $188 pp (and currently a single ticket is being offered as an incentive to attend the sales presentation). The event was well attended. The buffer is set up in the dining area of Pailolo and the pick-up window is open for anyone who wants to order off their menu. Quality of the entertainment was ok and anyone who wants to observe without access to the buffet can do so from anywhere on the pool deck or from a lanai overlooking the lawn. I wasn’t thrilled that from our lanai in 8610 (no view of the lawn), the music was loud enough to make conversation difficult. We’ll definitely book dinner reservations for the next 2 Mondays. For those who think this is a good idea, have a nut, but I don’t see any benefit to owners by offering this.

The music at Pailolo (Tue-Fri 5:30-8:30) last week was equally as loud if not louder so start looking for more dinner reservations

 

[sjlola]

The music at Pailolo (Tue-Fri 5:30-8:30) last week was equally as loud if not louder so start looking for more dinner reservations

Yeah; we’ve had many issues with the volume of music at Pailolo over the last few years. They don’t seem to get the difference between providing ambient music and putting on a concert…

 

[DavidnRobin]

Glad we on OF WKORV - except we have to put up with the wood sculptor (tap, tap, tap...) on vendor days.

 

[sjlola]

Yesterday afternoon the staff removed the luau stage from in front of the Pailolo food truck at WKORVN. Management has made the decision to suspend the event for the time being, which makes me think it wasn’t making money for the resort.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yesterday afternoon the staff removed the luau stage from in front of the Pailolo food truck at WKORVN. Management has made the decision to suspend the event for the time being, which makes me think it wasn’t making money for the resort.

If it was a profit, it would still be going, so of course that's the reason. They weren't concerned about owners, just their bottomline.

 

[dlpearson]

Yesterday afternoon the staff removed the luau stage from in front of the Pailolo food truck at WKORVN. Management has made the decision to suspend the event for the time being, which makes me think it wasn’t making money for the resort.

As an owner, I'm ultimately happy with the removal (although a bit bummed I didn't get to see a bit of a free show from our ocean front balcony in 3 weeks when we visit!)

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We will be visiting in May. I hope it is gone. The dancing is great, the food is not. We've been to far too many of these overpriced events over the years. You can see the dancing at a local mall in many cases for free.

I also do not want the noise on my now almost $4000/MF week vacation.

At $200 a ticket, the population in the area mainly TS owners, and Lahaina a ghost town, I cannot imagine they muster enough demand to make a profit if they cannot even sustain a restaurant.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

We will be visiting in May. I hope it is gone. The dancing is great, the food is not. We've been to far too many of these overpriced events over the years. You can see the dancing at a local mall in many cases for free.

I also do not want the noise on my now almost $4000/MF week vacation.

At $200 a ticket, the population in the area mainly TS owners, and Lahaina a ghost town, I cannot imagine they muster enough demand to make a profit if they cannot even sustain a restaurant.

Agreed.

On the subject of overpriced events though, aren't they all? We were there last week and saw a glass blowing place on the way to the resort (just up the hill behind Foodland) and thought it would be fun to try until we found out it starts at $350 per piece. Hardly any of the brochures at the concierge show prices any more because everything seem to start at or around $300. Trips to Hana $300. Horse riding $300. Coffee at Starbucks $300

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Cabo is becoming my go to because only 3 hour flight, 1 time zone, the resorts are pristinely maintained, high end finishes and the staff is actually welcoming and wants to do a good job. I could get midweek tidies for only $14.

We would be selling if we did not have grandfathering in Abound. Will decide after we visit again whether worth it to keep.

I can now trade in for much less with WKV SOs, SDO in II and now HGVC via DEX for Kaanapali Beach Club down the boardwalk.

 

[Red elephant]

Cabo is becoming my go to because only 3 hour flight, 1 time zone, the resorts are pristinely maintained, high end finishes and the staff is actually welcoming and wants to do a good job. I could get midweek tidies for only $14.

We would be selling if we did not have grandfathering in Abound. Will decide after we visit again whether worth it to keep.

I can now trade in for much less with WKV SOs, SDO in II and now HGVC via DEX for Kaanapali Beach Club down the boardwalk.

I am in the same boat. Ocean not warm enough for me in Hawaii . Will try one more time this September to see. I convert to abound points and travel to other places during shoulder season . Those Maui points go a long way.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I am in the same boat. Ocean not warm enough for me in Hawaii . Will try one more time this September to see. I convert to abound points and travel to other places during shoulder season . Those Maui points go a long way.

What resorts and how much can you stretch your points to trade in Abound?

We are debating whether to deposit and try Abound or just cut bait and "risk" it with our existing Vistana traders. We own an EOY so these are 2 years decisions.I have to remind myself that we can always pick up another nonenrolled unit if we want to use the resort or SOs.

 

[Red elephant]

What resorts have you been able to trade them for in Aboumd? We are debating whether to deposit and try or just cut bait.

I spent 10 days in Aruba in November 2024. 1 week booked for Oct 2025.
Marbella Spain for a week in May on points.
Booked 1 week end of Jan 2026 at Marriott St kitts. I am going to try and get 1st week of February 2026 for a total of 2 weeks.
Went to ritz st thomas in April 2023.
St kitts was the most expensive use of points cause its peak season 4125 for ocean side but garden was less.