Polynesian Cultural Center- Family Fun in Hawaii

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Planning a trip to Hawaii with the family?  You will LOVE a visit the Polynesian Cultural Center.  I had been there 10 years prior with my mom and sister and knew that it would be a fun time again and a great learning experience for my own kids.  

Location

55-370 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie, HI 96762

The Polynesian Cultural Center or PCC is located on the North side of the island of Oahu in the town of Laie and is about an hour drive from Waikkii.  We happened to be staying just 5 minutes from it which made it very convenient. One thing that was new since I had been there last was the shopping area.  Right in front of the entrance is the Hukilau Market Place with places to shop and eat.

About

The Cultural center is a Park which includes areas representing 6 different Pacific Islands. (Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii and Aotearoa).  At each island you can watch and participate in fun and exciting presentations as well as do hands on activities.  That is the best part and my kids really enjoyed it.  They also have several dinner options to choose from including buffet dinner at a restaurant, prime rib dinner, and a Luau show with buffet.  At the end of the day they have an award winning show called Ha: Breath of Life. There is just so much to do you will not have time to fit it all into one day.

Packages

They have several packages available. The basic package includes admission into the park to visit the Islands on your own, dinner at the Island buffet, and the evening show called Ha- Breath of Life. ($71 for kids) For $30 more, you can upgrade to the Luau dinner buffet and you also get a beautiful flower Lei when entering the dinner show.  If your kids are really young and you think the day might get too long for them, or you don’t plan to stay for dinner, for $52 you can get tickets for visiting the Island Villages and see the Hawaiian Journey” cinematic experience.

If you want a guided tour of the island, (Ambassador package) it costs about $25 more.  You are put in a group of about 10-12 and get to know each other a bit first with a Kukui nut Leai greeting.   The guide then takes you from island to island just in time for the shows to start.  You can upgrade even more to  include tickets that instead of attending the Luau, you have a Prime Rib dinner. 

A further upgrade are those tickets that include the Circle Island packages.  These packages are great for those who want a tour of the Island of Oahu.  You get picked up early in Honolulu and  get a 4 hour guided tour of the island before arriving to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

For a listing of all ticket options, check out their website HERE.

Our Experience

All of these are great options.  For our family I was happy to have the Ambassador package so I did not have to try to coordinate the show times at each village. Each island has a program with several different starting times.  In order to get to all 6 you really have to time it right.  This is a great option with the kids because then someone else is making the decisions.  For our family I think it also helped to keep the kids from bickering.  We had just flown in the night before and they were still recovering from jet lag.  Being in a group with other people was a helpful distraction believe it or not.  Teenagers can be so unpredictable!  The guides are students from the nearby Bringham Young University who actually make up 80% of the staff at the center.

Students work to make money that goes towards school tuition. The people representing each island are natives to the island which makes it even more special. You can ask questions and get first hand accounts. After meeting our tour guide, we met with our group members for a short introduction and got to know each other by presenting a lei to someone we had not met before in our group.

We also had to introduce our new friend to the group and tell everyone their favoriete flavor of ice cream.  This person was to be our “buddy” that we looked for when leaving an island to make sure everyone was accounted for.  We started off in  Samoa with a fire presentation and then sat down with some natives to learn about daily life on the island.

It was really interesting talking to the guys from Samoa and learning how they are the chief chefs for the tribe. We got so see how they built their fire and cook their food and learn about life on the island.

We then visited Fiji where we got to participate in a sing along using the lali, or log drum.   From there the kids got “tattooed” and we headed over to Tahiti to attend a traditional Tahitian wedding.  The guide took the kids to a fishing pier to try to catch a fish and my husband and I also got to renew our wedding vows.

We then sat down with some snacks that are sold in the park (smoothies in a pineapple and fruit sorbet)and watched the canoe parade that had dancers from each island presenting on floating docks.  

We then headed over to Tonga where they chose 3 guest drummers from the audience to participate.  It was a fun and humorous show.  What made it even more fun is when they chose this guy from our group who had the most lively and outgoing personality of anyone I had ever met. 

We also took a canoe ride up and down the river that runs through the park.  Because we had the guided tour they offered light ponchos when it started to sprinkle.  That was a very unexpected nice surprise!  Of course my kids did not mind getting a little wet.

After the touring of the islands,  it was time to line up for the Luau seating. While we were waiting, the kids and I went to check out the gift shop where they sell Ukuleles.  The kids were offered a free lesson so they gave it a try!

When it was time to enter the Luau, we were greeted with a flower lei and seated at our table.

We could start eating right away and there were so many tables of food there was no waiting and the process was very smooth.  The food was great!  There were a lot of authentic Hawaiian dishes.  To see their entire menu check out their website HERE.  Dinner included a show of Polynesian dancers from the different islands we visited.  These performers are all so talented!  All day we have been amazed at the talent and athleticism of the performers of these shows.

After dinner we walked out of the Cultural Center and through the outdoor shops to the large auditorium for the show Hā: Breath of Life.  Our package included seats near the front of the stage but really it appeared that any seats would be good ones.  The show is mostly  in Native tongue and it tells a story of life from a child to adult.  Our kids were still recoving from jet lag and one fell asleep but it was a really great show with lots of moving parts and music and dancing.

Things to Know

1.  All packages include “Free Within 3” meaning you can return to the park to visit again within 3 days of the initial visit.  This would be helpful if you are someone who likes to “see it all” because you really cannot in just one day.  This is also great if you are staying in the area.  We did go back the next evening but the villages had been closed (6pm) and we ate dinner at Pounders at the Marketplace.
2. You can save money by buying your tickets ahead of time.  Check out their website, choose your package and save 10% by planning ahead.
3. There is a bit less flexibility with the guided tour option. There were a few hands on activities that we missed at a few villages because the group was moving on.  You just cannot fit in everything. We had a busy day but did not get to see the Hawaiian Journey cinematic experience, or visit the Hawaii presentation.
4. The hours are 12 to 6 pm for the villages and doors open at 11:45 am.  You will need all that time to see it all. Be there when it opens.
5. If you decide not to upgrade to the Ambassador package, which includes the guide, it might be beneficial to check out their website and write down a tentative plan of your day. Look at the  presentation times at each island so that you can arrive at each island in time for the show in order to maximize your time.
6. Check out the PCC  phone app that can be helpful when touring which  includes a map and showtimes.
7. There is no alcohol served on the premises.
8. Take it all in.  It is so amazing to learn of these different islands and cultures that are out there in the Pacific.  It is really quite remarkable!

If you are planning a trip to Hawaii, be sure to check out this fun and educational park.  It is a great place for families and will keep you and your kids entertained all day long!

Happy Travels,

Jennifer

(My family received media rate tickets for the above attraction and we are so happy that we could share our experience with our readers.  All opinions expressed are my own.)