Wantilan Luau at Loews Royal Pacific Resort - Universal Orlando

We are both huge fans of anything Hawai’i – we’ve been to the islands 3 times, and even got married there. One of our favorite experiences each time we visit, is to enjoy the excitement and energy of a luau! We were recently invited by Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando to attend the Wantilan Luau at the gorgeous Royal Pacific Resort. We could not wait to don our aloha shirts, and get into the island vibe!

After taking a look around this beautiful resort, including the serene courtyard filled with orchids, we made our way outside to the grounds by the luau. Once we were registered, we were directed towards a lawn, and seating area along the grass. We were greeted by the sounds of ukulele, as the team member talked to the audience, finding out who had been to different parts of the South Seas, in particular Hawai’i, and the island of Oahu, where the team member was from. Next, there was more ukulele music, and singing, including an opportunity to teach the keiki (Hawai’ian for children), some traditional hula dance moves. We noticed it was an intimate group of people during the pre-show, which was a lovely surprise, compared to our former experiences, which tended to feel very crowded.

Next, the moment we were all looking forward to – the Wantilan Luau! The team member leading the group into the luau space explained that we were invited to join the queue for food, as soon as we’d like – hurray! It was a buffet style (typical for a luau), but, because it was such a small group of us, there was no long wait to get food. We were immediately pleased by how well-organized everything was. There was a great variety of dishes, including a gorgeous whole pig! As soon as we made our seats, we found a smiley hostess, who took our drink order. We were thrilled to find that not only were there – bottomless – mai tai’s, there was an ample selection of beers and wines, which really helped set the party environment!

The dinner buffet had a wide selection of items to choose from, in addition to the luau pig. There was chicken teriyaki, coconut rice, macadamia nut crusted goat cheese, and Jason’s favorite – Island Spiced Vegetables. The flavor and aroma of the curry took him right back to Hawaii! This buffet continued on with a variety of fun island flavors and familiar flavors.

Also, important to note: there was a very plentiful selection at the “kid’s table” which adults were more than welcome to peruse – macaroni and cheese; chicken fingers; peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; two different kinds of pizza. Each dish was well-labeled, and there were plenty of team members to help answer any questions.

Once our bellies were full and happy, we were excited for the main event – the hula performances, and from the very beginning, we were wowed! Each performance introduced the audience to different dances from around the South Pacific. The hula was beautiful, as we expected, but because of the intimate crowd size, we all had perfect seats! There was a lot of crowd involvement, but while the dancers were selecting participants, they were very respectful for those who were not looking to be part of the show themselves. Besides the hula, there was also a highly energetic fire dancer, who had the entire crowd mesmerized, and could not help by cheer and applaud throughout his performances!

We absolutely loved how much crowd involvement was used in the show. It felt as though we were all attending the Wantilan Luau together, laughing along during the audience participation. After the performance, there was even a time to meet with the dancers, and take fun photos for anyone who wanted to engage. The entire team, from hosts to performers, made us feel very welcome throughout the entire evening. They felt excited to share everything that they were presenting throughout the evening.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with the Wantilan Luau, and now know that we have one of our favorite things right here in our own backyard at Universal Orlando! If you are interested in visiting the Wantilan Luau on your next Orlando getaway, you can check out all of the info here: http://bit.ly/TTH-WantilanUO

And be sure to check out our vlog coverage from the evening!

http://bit.ly/TTH-Wantilan-Vlog