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.