Celebrating 13 years with The Walt Disney Company, Andrea Malone serves as the longest-tenured Vacation Club Guide at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. Landing her current role about a year before the resort’s completion, Andrea remembers watching, in awe, as the construction site transformed into an enchanting extension of the island she’s called home all her life. And although born and raised in the great state of Hawai‘i, the opening of Aulani Resort introduced a new “home” base to the Malone family.
“A lot of my training, where I learned the ins and outs of Disney Vacation Club, actually came from the experts themselves – our members,” Andrea said. “And funny enough, they’re the inspiration behind why I became a member, and naturally, elected Aulani as my first Home Resort.”
Andrea says that staycations at Aulani Resort are typically her first choice, especially when celebrating her daughters’ birthdays. In true tourist fashion – from taking advantage of character photo opportunities and enjoying the surrounding lagoon to splashing out at Waikolohe Valley pool – the Malones fully embrace vacation mode.
“Since 2011, we’ve stayed at Aulani 15 times,” Andrea said. “We just can’t get enough, and I know a lot of local families share the same sentiment.”
And after recently adding The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, the newest Disney Vacation Club Resort, to her lineup of “homes,” she’s excited to make even more traditions on the West Coast – and have some personal experiences and insights to share when guiding her member families.
But beyond blissful beachfront views and breathtaking shores, part of the magic of staying at Aulani Resort is how Andrea brings the spirit of aloha and Disney Vacation Club magic to life.
If you’ve had a chance to experience this magical oasis in Ko Olina, Hawai’i, then the Hawaiian expression “E Komo Mai” may sound familiar to you.
Andrea explained that while “E Komo Mai” technically translates to “come in,” it can be loosely translated to Disney Vacation Club’s quintessential greeting, “Welcome Home,” honoring the island’s rich culture while embracing our wonderful members who vacation at Aulani Resort year after year.
From offering a look inside the model villas and being a useful tool at member celebrations to simply catching up with members during impromptu run-ins, Aulani Vacation Club Guides are essential in our commitment to delivering that magical feeling.
Because whether Andrea’s helping someone discover the magic of membership or recover a lost treasure (fetching a guest’s hat from atop a villa balcony is among her fonder memories), she understands, firsthand, the power of making members and guests feel like family. “It’s my goal to treat our guests like ‘ohana,” she said. “And, it doesn’t hurt that I get to make magic in paradise.”