I last attended the Grand Wailea Luau in February 2020, and since then this luau has more than doubled in price (from $125/adult to $275/adult).

That’s hard for me to wrap my head around, but here are a couple things to consider: 1) They’ve made a LOT of improvements (in quality) to the event and set up over the last couple of years, and 2) It’s not out of line with luau pricing across the island. Yes, it’s at the upper end of the spectrum, but not by much. 

All of the Wailea resort luaus are priced within $10 of each other. The Old Lahaina Luau is $45-$50 less per person (and this is the best luau in Hawaii). There are a couple of luau options in Kaanapali in the $200 range, but they’re a pretty big step down in quality. 

There’s just not a solid traditional luau experience (with all the trimmings) in the $100-$150 price range anymore on Maui. So instead of tackling “is this event worth $275 per person?” (it’s hard to say yes just based on price) this review is more about the value for the money compared to other luau options on Maui. 

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Grand Wailea Luau Review

This luau is hosted at the Grand Wailea on the south side of Maui. When I attended it was a temporary set up (they actually had two different locations they alternated between), but they’ve since done some construction to build a more permanent home with a nicer set up. 

Besides the permanent luau grounds (which comes with a better stage and lighting set up), they’re now using proper tables and chairs (no more folding chairs) with real plates, cups, and silverware. While that may not seem like a big deal, it makes a huge difference in feeling like more of a special “luxury” experience. 

This dinner is also now served at the table (your party gets your own table so no more having to make awkward conversation with strangers!) in courses so there’s been a huge upgrade to the quality of the food and the experience as well. 

And with the new set up (and price increase), they’ve really decreased the capacity so it feels much more intimate. 

All great changes! 

Now a bit about the arrival process, pre dinner entertainment, and the show itself…

Going in February, things start a little earlier than during the summer. We were told that we would be allowed into the luau grounds at 5 PM but that check in started at 4 PM. We arrived at the podium a little after 4 and were the only people there. We checked in (gave them our name and got wristbands) and they told us to come back at 5.

Since we had an hour to kill we wandered around the resort and checked out the pools (it’s now on my niece’s bucket list to stay there ; ), had a snack at the Café Kula (seven year olds are always hungry even when they’re about to feast at a luau), went in all of the shops, and oogled at the lobby. The koi ponds were also a big crowd pleaser.

We arrived back down at the luau at 5 (at the end of a pretty big line) and got inside by 5:15-5:20. We found our table and took a look around. Like many luaus, there were a few activity stations and we gravitated to one where ladies were making hakus (floral head leis) along with all of the other little girls in attendance. And of course this seemed to be the only activity with an extra fee. But, $10 well spent! Tip: Take cash if you want to get a lei or haku (and also to tip the valet and bartender). 

By now, it was almost time for the Imu ceremony (the unearthing of the pig) so we headed over to get a spot near the pit. I will say…I’ve been to a lot of luaus and this was the best Imu ceremony. It was a pretty small area but was surprisingly uncrowded. We were right up close and it seemed like the pig was practically under our noses. At other luaus, I’ve either been sitting farther away in a mini amphitheater-like setting or fighting for a spot in a huge crowd.

During dinner, there was a bit of a show going on the stage (including a big hula lesson), but the main show started after everyone had finished eating. It had everything you’d expect from a luau show, but there were a few parts that we especially liked:

1) There was an aerial dancer. Her silks were tied up in a palm tree and her performance was especially mesmerizing. 

2) There was another dance about a cloud or a cloud goddess that involved a parachute type dress. It was really simple, but very unique. We ooohed and ahhhed over that quite a bit. 

3) The fire knife dance segment (the finale) was probably the best I’ve seen anywhere.

As far as the show goes, this is actually one of my all time favorites. It moves quickly and after attending quite a few luaus, I liked that it has some unique elements that you don’t see everywhere else. 

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My Overall Impressions

I liked this luau a LOT more than I expected to. I think a lot of that had to do with going with a child. The food was decent, there was an open bar, and there were several very unique elements to the show.

There’s often a lot of “downtime” at a luau after you check in before things really start that can feel a little slow. But being at the Grand Wailea, we had plenty to keep us busy and we really enjoyed our pre-luau time.

My favorite thing about this luau was that they gave you a program when you checked in and IT WAS DETAILED. It told us exactly what time the gates would open, when the activities would be, when the Imu ceremony would be, when dinner would start, and even what all of the dances during the show would be. That might not be a big deal to some but I THRIVE on knowing what is going to happen and when.

Is the Grand Wailea Luau worth it?

I’ve written a full post about the best luaus on Maui here, but in a nutshell…

My favorite luau on Maui (in Hawaii!) and #1 recommendation will always be the Old Lahaina Luau. So it’s hard for me to recommend the Grand Wailea Luau over that. Also, the Old Lahaina Luau is $40/person cheaper. BUT. It’s in Lahaina, and I get that a lot of people staying in Wailea don’t want to make that drive for a luau. 

So if you’re set on staying in Wailea for a luau, I think the Grand Wailea Luau is probably the best choice. All three options (Grand Wailea Luau, Feast at Mokapu at the Andaz, and Te Au Moana at the Wailea Beach Resort) are all priced within $5 of each other. The Feast at Mokapu used to be the only “luxury luau” but since COVID and the changes to the Grand Wailea Luau, it’s more in that category now. 

I think the Andaz luau is a little more intimate and high end (it feels like a high end dinner party on the lawn), but it lacks a lot of the pomp and circumstance of the Grand Wailea Luau and I think the Grand Wailea’s show is a lot better.

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P.P.S. Here’s one more really important thing you need to know before your Hawaii trip…

You’ve got your airfare, hotel, rental car and your big activities booked, so you should be good to go, right? Wrong!

Travel is BOOMING in Hawaii and a lot of state and national parks have instituted reservation systems at some of the island’s most popular spots to help manage the crowds and make things a little more sustainable. 

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I recently saw somebody in a Hawaii travel group post in a panic that they didn’t know they had to make reservations for things in advance…they thought they could just show up and “go with the flow.” I was tempted to say, well, “as long as the flow doesn’t take you somewhere that requires reservations, you can!” ; )

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