INSPIRATION FOR AUNTY When The Walt Disney Company was developing Aulani and the Disney entertainment and Walt Disney Imagineering teams were thinking of how to bring Aunty to life , Angela looked to one person .
“ My kupuna , my grandmother ,” she said . “[ So ] when I started to develop Aunty Angela , we were asked by our trainers to think of all of the different women in your life and compile them into who you are . [ My grandmother ] was that woman that when I think of her , I can feel the love . It ’ s just this wonderful energy . She was very quiet , but was very stern when she needed to be .”
One of the biggest parts of being an Aunty at Aulani is being in charge of the kids club called Aunty ’ s Beach House . The space , for kids 4 to 12 , offers supervised activities , most of which are complimentary and have a daily theme . Kids , called keiki , “ have a lot of fun [ and ] create new friendships ,” Angela says .
“ And Aunty and Uncle sometimes meander down there just to make sure that everyone is having a great time ,” she added .
Aunty ’ s Beach House is a kids club for children ages 4 to 12 .
One of Aunty Angela ’ s biggest highlights in her role is interacting with guests .
“ When we first started , everything was very fresh and very new . I love seeing the awe in our children , and seeing how much fun they have , specifically at Aunty ’ s Beach House ,” she told WDW Magazine . “ I think what I enjoy a lot now when it comes to our guests is the returning guests and to see the children grow up .”
At Aulani , Aunty plays a big role in making connections — not only with kids , but with the entire family . Angela said over the years she has seen families who return to the resort , and she ’ s built a relationship with them .
Aunty Angela is still moved by her morning walk through the Maka ’ ala lobby . PHOTOS BY DANNY SHUSTER
“ There ’ s a couple of families that , whenever they do return , I get a phone call from our Cast Members saying , ‘ Aunty Angela , this ohana is here for you ,’ and the [ family ] gives me a big hug and is like , ‘ Aunty , we ’ re here !’”
The moments of connection that Angela has with her guests allow her to exude the energy she channels from her grandmother on a daily basis .
IN THE QUIET OF THE MORNING Aunty Angela usually works in the early morning until the midafternoon . Although her mornings start around 5:30 a . m ., she says there ’ s something special that comes with being in the lobby that early .
“ After I ’ ve parked my car and I ’ m walking through the Maka ’ ala lobby , that ’ s one of my favorite moments of the day ,” she said . “ To walk through the lobby and look at all of the history that created Aulani and who she is . [ To ] look at my kupuna on an artwork , look at the history of Hawaii and what we have evolved into .”
The peace that comes with an empty lobby and setting out onto the lanai overlooking the Waikolohe Valley is one of her favorite times of the day .
A ROLE WORTH CELEBRATING AFTER A DECADE OF ALOHA Like the rest of the world , Aulani closed for a period during the pandemic . This meant that Aulani wasn ’ t open to celebrate