One aspect of Disney that isn't downplayed in the slightest is their attention to customer service, cleanliness, and safety. In our hotel rooms, the balcony doors had so many child-safety locks that even I had trouble opening them. Young swimmers can rent complimentary life jackets, and at every pool, multiple lifeguards are on duty all day. At one point, when my 2-year-old was about to jump off the edge of the pool into my arms, she slipped – it was completely fine and I caught her, but I immediately noticed two different guards staring her up and down to make sure she was OK. Sometimes their rules were a bit of a drag – for instance, on a particularly windy day, they wouldn't let us rent boogie boards – but I appreciated how they erred on the side of caution when keeping their guests safe.
For those who loathe water parks, fear not: the pools at Aulani – even the kid-centric ones – were pristine. I've seen my share of baby-friendly splash zones and the Keiki Cove made me never want to place even my little toe in any other.