Ulalena - Show in Maui

Has anyone been to see "Ulalena" in Maui? I would like to hear reviews of this production. I am debating between this and going to a laua. Also, is there enough time during the 2nd night in Maui to attend something? How late due the lauas last?

Two years ago I went to the Ulelana Show in Maui. I absolutely loved it! It was very moving and entertaining. My girlfriend, who I was with, had previously seen Cirque de Soleil and said it was very much like that. It captures the essence and the history of the Hawaiians. You will learn through music and dance the story of the first Hawaiians, Pele, and their struggles. You will leave with a better understanding and appreciation for Hawaii. It's not something you'll get through any other performance. I had also gone to the Old Lahaina Luau, which I loved as well. But the Ulelana show is different. We also went to the Warren and Annabelle show in Lahaina. These were the best shows we saw on any of the islands. It just depends on what you're interests are.

Ulelana - performance in a theatre, history, culture, music, spiritual;

Luau - food, drink, music, dance, history, culture, outdoors;

Warren & Annabelle - drink, laughter, magic, entertainment, small intimate theater indoors.

You can't go wrong - just get your tickets EARLY!!

dcikon2: As pisces223 shows, Ulalena and a luau are such different things that there's really no comparison to be made. My DH and I took our daughter to Ulalena a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. It's really quite lovely with a lot of Hawaiian history presented in a theatrical and symbolic way. Technically, it's good, but not "oh wow." There are a few things that are reminiscent of Cirque de Soleil, but at a lower level of difficulty. Still, we found it lovely. The performers are very good. (I should let you know that we are "theater people," which colors our experiences. We can't help but notice every little thing).

You are on Pride of Aloha? Your ship probably leaves at 6 pm the second day. Luaus start in the early evening (around 5 to 6 pm), so no that won't work for you. You'll need to choose one or the other, but you could consider going to a luau on either Oahu (if you are doing a pre- or post-cruise overnight) or Kauai (your other overnight stop). Otherwise, I haven't heard of any lunchtime luaus in quite some time (but that doesn't mean that none exist).

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a great time. pisces223 has given you a good idea of what the various options offer.

beachchick

Thanks for your replies. What do you know about the Polynesian Cultural Center laua? I probably will schedule a laua in either Oahu or Kaui.

Gary

The PCC is very popular and well attended. It has been reviewed and discussed several times by members here. If you do an advanced search on this forum only for "polynesian cultural center" you will probably get several threads with information for you. You might also search for (or just scroll back if you like) "oahu luau" because, as you can imagine, this subject comes up constantly and there are several recent threads about the various options on Oahu.

Couple of quick things about PCC. One is that it is about a 1-1/2 hour drive one-way from Honolulu/Waikiki. For that amount of effort, many people spend the day (or at least the afternoon) exploring the PCC itself. Second thing you should know is that the PCC is run by the Mormon Church and so the luau has no alcohol of any kind (if that's a consideration).

beachchick