Aulani and Beaches Turks & Caicos are two of the three highest-scoring family resorts in our database — but they're fundamentally different products. This comparison only matters if you're actually deciding between them. If you are, the right answer depends on your kids' ages, your tolerance for à la carte pricing, and how much Disney IP matters to your family.
The headline numbers
| Aulani | Beaches Turks & Caicos | |
|---|---|---|
| FamilyFactor | 93 | 92 |
| Type | À la carte resort | All-inclusive |
| Starting rate | $720/night (room only) | $850/night (all-inclusive, family of 4) |
| Best age range | 3-12 | 0-12 |
| Kids club (free) | Aunty's Beach House | Camp Sesame + Kids Camp + Teen Club |
| Character partner | Disney | Sesame Street |
| Water park | Waikolohe Valley (8 acres) | Pirates Island (45,000 sqft) |
| Beach | Protected man-made lagoon | Grace Bay (consistently #1 in Caribbean) |
| Flight from US East Coast | 11+ hrs with stop | 3-4 hrs direct |
| Flight from US West Coast | 5-6 hrs direct | 10+ hrs with stop |
Beaches wins on
Age coverage. Beaches takes kids from birth (baby concierge service prepares bottles, supplies diapers, delivers baby food). Camp Sesame accepts babies. Most all-inclusives start childcare at 3-4. Aulani doesn't have a baby program — Aunty's Beach House starts at age 3.
Predictable total cost. The Beaches rate includes everything — all food, drinks, kids programs, water park, snorkeling, scuba diving, tips. Aulani room rates exclude character meals ($75-95/person), Painted Sky teen spa, restaurant meals, and many activities. Total trip cost at Aulani for 5 nights with a family of 4 typically runs 30-50% more than the headline room rate suggests.
The beach. Grace Bay is repeatedly ranked the world's #1 beach. The water stays under chest-deep for 50+ yards offshore — the safest beach swimming for kids you'll find at a Caribbean all-inclusive. Aulani's beach is a man-made lagoon — calm and safe, but not a real Hawaiian beach experience.
Direct flights for East Coast families. Beaches is 3-4 hours direct from most East Coast airports. Aulani requires a flight to Hawaii — minimum 11 hours with a stop from NYC or Miami.
Aulani wins on
Disney character interaction quality. If your kids are Disney-obsessed (ages 4-10 especially), Aulani delivers Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Stitch with real photo ops and character meals. Beaches' Sesame Street partnership is fantastic for ages 2-7 but kids age out of Sesame Street faster than Disney IP.
Storytelling and theming. Aulani is a Disney property — the architecture, art program, and Menehune Adventure Trail (a property-wide treasure hunt for kids) all build a Hawaiian-Disney story. Beaches is high-quality but theming is generic resort.
Spa and parent recovery. Aulani's Wailana adults-only pool is in a quiet corner of the property, and the spa is genuinely world-class. Beaches has decent adult facilities but doesn't separate them as cleanly.
Direct flights for West Coast families. Aulani is 5-6 hours direct from LAX or SFO. Beaches T&C from the West Coast requires a connection through Miami or NYC.
Who should pick which
Pick Beaches if: you have a baby or toddler, you live on the East Coast, you hate budgeting for restaurants and drinks during vacation, or you want to do real Caribbean beach activities (snorkeling, sailing, scuba — all included).
Pick Aulani if: your kids are Disney superfans (ages 4-10), you live on the West Coast, you value the Disney storytelling and immersive theming, or you want spa-quality parent recovery options.
The honest case for neither
Both properties are in the $1,000-$1,400/night range during peak weeks. If that's outside your budget, Hyatt Ziva Cancun (FamilyFactor 86, ~$500/night all-inclusive) and Club Med Sandpiper Bay (FamilyFactor 86, ~$475/night) deliver 80% of the family-vacation experience for half the price.
Or read our 2026 all-inclusive guide for the full ranked list.