For many Hawaiians, the idea of ‘ohana is something strongly felt. It includes not only blood relatives but also an extended family of in-laws, friends, and neighbors whom they often lovingly refer to as aunty, uncle, cuz, sista, or brah. And, for the duration of our stay at Aulani, we were certainly made to feel as though we were ‘ohana.

For LGBT travelers, the feeling that you are welcome — let alone family — can be elusive in many parts of the world, and even in many parts of the United States, for that matter. And since I had brought a member of my own family with me on this trip, this gesture of reassurance did not go unnoticed. In a 2014 survey, the Census Bureau counted more than 780,000 same-sex households in the United States (an increase of nearly 25 percent from 2010). Of those homes, 17 percent reported having children, and that number is growing. That means there will be more and more LGBT families traveling together in the very near future, and those families will undoubtedly seek out destinations where the adults can relax, the kids can keep busy, and everyone will feel like ‘ohana.

Set on more than 20 oceanfront acres, Aulani offers guests of every age the opportunity to immerse themselves in Hawaiian history and culture against the backdrop of a thoughtfully conceived lush, tropical paradise. And, although it’s hard to escape the fact that this is Hawaii as seen through a Disney lens — there’s a character breakfast each morning — its particular brand of magic feels much less overt than at any one of Disney’s theme parks. In fact, Disney wanted to honor the traditions of Hawaiian architecture and respect for the land and worked closely with local advisers to ensure they offered as authentic an experience as possible.