Do NOT waste your money. Advertised as a very authentic luau, but is SO far from that. The food selection is minimal, and the quality is mediocre at best. No cocktails are served because it is a Mormon-run operation. As for authenticity, it is so far from being authentic, that it's actually somewhat insulting. It's run by all the BYU students, and essentially exists just as a place to employ students while they are at BYU. The Haa show was ok, and the fire dancing was awesome, but overall, what a waste of time and money. We were staying close by so at least we didn't have to drive far, but I would have been seriously pissed off if I had traveled all the way from Honolulu.
Review Source:Fabulous Experience, particularly with the Ambassador Package & getting a group tour of the facility with THE BEST tour guide @ PCC, Amanda. She was great with the kids as well (Be sure to grab the passports for the kids @ the Entrance!!!) as she took our girls fishing, took time to show them how to weave their fishes out of palm tree leaves, stamp their passports, etc...
Folks, if this is your first time to the island/first time @ PCC, the Ambassador package with the tour is the way to go. This sheer size of this place alone is overwhelming & you're guaranteed to miss shows, excursions, etc... had you attempted to do a self-walkthrough without any type of guidance. (Not to mention if you consider yourself shy as you'll end up doing things you normally wouldn't volunteer for or subject yourself too like making a fire in Samoan village or Underhanded Spear Throwing in the Tahitian village, etc...) This is the GOOD STUFF that you would've otherwise missed out on. Â
Additionally, Kap Tafiti, the performer in the Samoan Village was F'ING Hilarious... Dude was awesome & his show is an absolute MUST SEE (we're still talking about him & quoting his lines).
Icing on the cake was watching 'Ha Breath of Life' to close out the evening which was OUTSTANDING...
Only con for the entire visit (which literally flew by) was the horrendous food @ the Ali'i Luau which was (for lack of a better word), putrid... Do yourself & your family a huge favor & opt for one of the other options, i.e. Prime Dining cuz the quality of food compared to the entrance fee is an absolute joke. I've had better quality food/selections @ a shitty Hometown buffet. Suggestion, visit the Hukilau Cafe just a mile or so from the PCC BEFORE you enter the gates & grab some killer CHEAP Grinds to hold you off until dinner. Trust me, you'll thank me later...
Regardless, again... HUGE shot-out to our Tour Guide Amanda & if you happen to hit the lotto on your visit & get her, you will have a most memorable experience...
10 stars overall for the experience & -6 for the rip-off horrendous buffet (though the evening show more than made up for the food) so we're still @ a solid 4/4-1/2.
This place is expensive. There are no bones about it. Not having a rental car in Hawaii, I paid for the shuttle pick up. For the shuttle pick-up and the Island Luau package, it came out to just under $100. This is something you should definitely do if you have never done a luau before, but it certainly isn't something that I would feel the need to do again as an adult (I did it once as a teenager, but remember very little of it, which is why I returned).
We did the noon-ish shuttle pickup. The shuttle ride was pretty entertaining, with the host telling us Hawaiian history, and pointing out points of interest, like where Obama went to high school, the Chinaman's Hat (and why it's called that), and other useful tidbits. The drive is very scenic, and if you sit on the right side of the bus, you get a great view of the water.
There was a misunderstanding with our ticket, so we had to wait a little bit when we arrived (we had called earlier that day to book everything, but they had booked us for the day after), but it was all sorted out for us within ten minutes. We wandered around and looked at all of the villages, and did some activities at each one. The river parade was good. If you only have time to watch one of the performances, watch Samoa's! There is a guy who climbs a palm tree, and a guy who makes fire. The chief tells great jokes (or terrible jokes, depending on whose side you're on), and reminded me a lot of my uncle.
The luau is not the same luau you see on TV. There is no beach, with a pig roasting on a spit. There is no open bar. This place is run by Mormons, so there is a strict no alcohol policy. The Island Luau (which was in Samoa) had decent Hawaiian food (long rice, kalua pig, and taro buns), and some other food, like teriyaki chicken (why you would get this at a luau when you can get it anywhere, I have no idea). It's certainly nothing to rave about, but it's a spread of food of decent quality, and I definitely went back for seconds. The show during the Island Luau gave you something to do while eating, but it wasn't amazing.
After the luau, we went to the Breath of Life show. This was pretty entertaining, but it was in the same vein of everything we'd already spent the day doing.
I would normally give a place like this three stars, but I'm giving it four stars because of the people that work there. Everyone we encountered was really nice and accommodating, and it's very clear that they are serious about their job. Yes, parts of the PCC are really corny, but it's really difficult to create a park based on six different cultures and pay each culture the respect they deserve. I didn't find the park patronizing to any of the cultures represented, and I think that's really something worth noting.
That my money goes to helping the students who work there pay for a college degree is just icing on the cake.
You really have two options here- you could make this an all day event and pay lots of money and have entertainment for the entire day- which if you have a whole day to devote to this that would probably be a great choice.
However my boyfriend and I - In our late 20s- wanted to just go for the entertainment so we bought the prime dining passes and tickets to HA - they were the ambassador tickets. We went to the center a few hours before dinner so we could go on the tour- which we ended up ditching because we were having more fun exploring on our own. The dinner was pretty decent- didn't blow my mind but wasn't terrible either.
The main event HA was completely worth the trip though. The story was really cool and the fire show at the end was AWESOME! Even my boyfriend who doesn't enjoy theater type shows loved the fire dancers- how could you not!
A couple of things- This center is connected with the LDS church also known as the Mormons. HAD i known this ahead of time (which I did not) I would 100% have not gone here. They offer a tram tour up to the LDS temple which i think is just a little strange. My money going towards a church with teachings I don't agree with makes me uncomfortable. JUST be aware that the two places are connected and some of your funds may be going towards the LDS church
IF they were not connected I would have given this review 4 stars however I like to drink alcohol and it was kinda let down that there wasn't any at dinner (again the religion thing) especially for how much we paid to get in.
Basically to sum this up- Drink ahead of time and JUST go see the HA show :)
Let me clear things up regarding the 2 star review (I would say 2.5 stars actually)
I came here with an unknown expectation as to what this place was. I heard about it and saw stuff in brochures and thought to myself, meh lets check it out.
When arriving at the parking lot I noticed lots (and I mean LOTS) of tour buses - red flag number 1
Walking into the gated area where were very long lines for the tickets. Nothing cultural here though other than a few information signs about the different areas and just globs and globs of tourists. EVERYWHERE - red flag number 2
Prices are really expensive for the tours and events. Yeah you get to "experience" (I say that loosely) the Polynesian culture but one can easily spend over $150 a person here for the all day event - red flag 3
Upon entering and walking around, I was being guided by somebody who wasn't even remotely close to being near any sort of Polynesian decent. Although they were somewhat knowledgeable about them.
But when I am getting informative lessons and "experiencing" Polynesian culture by some mid 20 year old girl with blonde hair and a British accent, it somewhat ruins the mood. - red flag number 4
Everything from snack items, to gifts are EXTREMELY over-priced. Something you would find in any given tourist trap... ah ha! and It hit me.... Thats where I am at...
At this point I have come to the conclusion that I have fallen in a classic tourist trap. Everything is geared around taking advantage of tourists and all the stereotypical touristiness is here. The day wasn't a waste however as the fire show at the end was good to see. I would say that was the highlight of the trip. Expect to spend all day here though
I will not return though, too expensive and too cliche tourist wise. It made me leave with a feeling like I just got suckered out of a lot of money.
Terrible. They don't serve alcohol. The Luau performances included mostly low skilled college aged group dancers. There was a christian pro-life religious overtone to the show that I didn't expect to see ("breath of life"). Is the PCC owned by a church or something? My wife and her children were refused ice cream during the intermission because "it wasn't included in our package." How insulting. Huge trays of ice cream were handed out to the audience while we were still in our seats. We couldn't even buy it because we didn't purchase the right package weeks before. One of the worst vacation experiences of my life.
Review Source:Went for the dinner buffet and Ha Breath of Life Show. Â The buffet runs from 5:00-7:00. Â We had to go through the "Islands Dining" entrance; as we were led to our seats I was surprised how huge the place was, and it was nice! Â Kinda like being in a Harry Potter movie. Â We arrived at around 5:45 (pau hana traffic from Ahuimanu side) so the buffet was well under way. Â There were several areas/lines that served the main dishes so you don't have to wait in long lines. Â Although it wasn't a Hawaiian luau, the food was good! Â Coconut milk fish, beef was tender, turkey with stuffing and mashed potatoes was good. Â Nice salad bar. Â Had to have the fresh pineapple. Â Dessert station was right in front of us, so tempting! Â I really liked the sweet potato chips and haupia. Â The kid loved the haupia and went back for more.
We headed to the open air theater around 7:10--no need to rush because everyone has assigned seats. Â The air had a little chill; be sure to bring a sweater. Â The show was good. Â The cast/dancers looked like they really enjoy what they do and made all that dancing look like so much fun! Â There was a 10 minute intermission where you can purchase fruit sorbet bowls for $5, but we were still full from the buffet. Â Lots of people were getting them, though. Â The show ended around 9:00.
Glad we did the "tourist thing" (I haven't been here since 4th grade field trip!) and with our kamaaina discount, you really can't go wrong!
As I began to write this review I saw all the negative reviews. So let me get the bad and ugly out of the way.
1. Yes, it is about a 1 hour drive from Honolulu. But, I have to tell you, it was one of the most beautiful drives I've been on in my life. The highway takes you thru mountains and along gorgeous coast line up to the North Shore. On a beautiful day, it's paradise.
2. Yes - it is expensive. But it's Hawaii - everything is expensive. And it's an all day pass. 12 hours of fun and culture.
This is not something you should do as a quick tour. You will feel screwed on the price if you do. Carve out an entire day to enjoy the cultural center. They have different scheduled presentations all day long at in different spots to teach visitors about the islands/traditions of Polynesia. So you'll need to map out and time your walking tour to see most of them. You have to be a willing participant in learn in order enjoy yourself.
So, my mom and I went, and as per suggested other visitors spent the entire day. We loved it. Then again we are open minded people who appreciated the richness of other people and cultures.
The River Parade was beautiful and exciting. The luau was 3/5 stars. We saw the play/production with fire walkers/tamers. OMG That was amazing! I even cried a bit.
Overall we had a great time. I would go again. I recommend it to everyone, and feel it was worth the money.
Side Note: Your admission fees help put young kids thru college.
When the girl rang me up for two adults and one child and the price was $140, I almost fainted. But we drove quite a few miles to get here so I figured well may as well see what the hype is about. It's a great way to learn about the different islands, and the shows are pretty entertaining, in particular the Samoa and Tonga were at the top of our experience list. Â My kids like the activities - tattoos and games and getting stamps at each location. The river parade was really neat and we could watch it from the shade on mats under the trees. Â They sell $5 ice cream treats which are great on a hot day as long as you like coconut and watermelon!
Parking is $8. Â Definitely go on the website and look at prices before you make the drive!
We took my boyfriend's parents here last night. We got the tickets a bit cheaper than usual because of my kama'aina and his military discount. I lived here all my life and it was my first time here. Too much going on and it seemed like most workers paid more attention to the people on tour groups. We drove here and navigated through the place ourselves. I didn't like it as much or felt like I enjoyed it. We got the Samoan luau which was pretty fun, the food was good and interesting. The only thing that I enjoyed out of everything was the show to end our night...Ha Breath of Life was amazing! I wouldn't go back again, far of a drive and nothing wowed me or blew me out of the water except for the show. I still like Paradise Cove much better.
Review Source:Had an amazing experience being led around by CHIEF HENRY. if you ever get the chance, find this man and don't let him out of your sight. He's been doing this for 43 years and knows all the highlights, used to be a performer as well back in the day. Great personality and tour guide :) center is rich with captivating history. A must if you are a first-timer! If you are going to wander around alone without a tour guide, be careful because the PCC is HUGE. I can see how easy it is to get lost.
Review Source:Ugh, I was so hesitant about going here. It is expensive and I read some bad reviews, but I saw billboards and every tourist brochure had this place on it. I wanted to see what it was all about and did not want to miss out.
It was definitely not worth the money or the entire day I spent. The weather was beautiful and I could have seen the villages in an hour. The little trips to the different villages was decent but was totally drawn out.
The luau was ok, we sat in the front. There was a huge line. They brought a pig out from under ground grill and it had flys all over it. The buffet was ok. There was just sodas on my table. I rarely drink sodas....would have loved a mai tai but no drinking on this campus. Hey, I'm on vacation!
They kept selling these ice creams for $5. You get one at the end during the show but by that time I did not want to even look at those anymore.
Kept getting called cousin....ugh...stop!
The show was pretty good but I was already bummed about being there for so many hours.
Anyway, it's rare I write a review thats mostly complaining but I spent a lot of money and and an entire day of my vacation..... still bummed about it. ;(
There are a lot of good things about this place, and there are a few bad things. But we will start positive. Overall, it was a nice experience. The shows were fun, the weather was nice (who can complain about hawaii?), and everyone was very friendly.
However, this place is the definition of a tourist trap. The center is a long way from Honolulu, and they pack you on a little bus to get here, so there is no leaving early. They mainly hire the guides from BYU Hawaii, who owns this place, and I could not understand our guide's accent. It seemed that he also had a hard time remembering parts of the pre-written script. The buffet was meh, though the roast pork was tasty. There is also no alcohol for sale since this place is run by the LDS church, but I didn't mind that too much.
In the end I can see this being a lot of fun for kids, but my girlfriend and I were kind of bummed since we paid a lot and didn't have an amazing time.
Ah yes, the PCC, the #1 paid tourist attraction. It definitely is a must go if you're visiting Hawaii... but I personally thought it was a tad boring... a bunch of dance after dance. If you have a huge appreciation for culture and history, I'd come here. But I was secretly wishing I was lazing by the beach in the sun...
Always be prepared and check the weather before coming here. It was super windy, a bit on the cold side, and rainy... I think that's what made me not enjoy the PCC as much, either. You can't bring in food here, so try to eat beforehand, as everything here is overpriced!
I do truly appreciate all the hard work all the employees/university students have put into the PCC, but I don't think it was my thing. It seemed a bit understaffed at times because there were games and activities I would have loved to see but no one there to overlook the booths!
For sure, go to the Samoan show... that was very entertaining and fun.
Also, the food here is not that great... it was buffet styled and meh... Â the Ha- Breath of Life show was alright, too... the poi/fire parts were amazing but of course, that's at the end.
I'd say it was a big waste of time since this thing takes up your whole day. The buffet food they served was good and the fire show after dinner was great, but the rest of it was meh. I'd rather get drunk and lay on the beach than to learn more about the "real Hawaii." Sorry, I can't hide my ignorance and can't fake enthusiasm.
Also, most of the dances that they performed throughout the day were conducted very "conservatively," and I'm pretty sure that's because this place is run by Mormons. Didn't dig that.
I am big into the cheese. My middle name is Disney-lol, I had a blast here. If you go though upgrade your admission to the VIP. It is easy, cheap and the way to go. I simply loved all the shows, ( got dragged on stage for one of them) Mormon guides, luau, food, history. I call it the Hawaiian Disneyland with a historical/cultural twist
Review Source:Extremely touristy and expensive, not to mention a long drive from Honolulu. Â Yet, I still think it's a good place to visit at least once if you have elementary and middle school aged kids.
We got the Ambassador & Ali'i Luau package (thanks to my kama'aina relative), which included a guided tour around the 7 villages (Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, and the Marquesas Islands), the Ali'i Luau Buffet, Ha - Breath of Life show, and a souvenir DVD.
The villages were fun for my kids since they got to do some activities and get their passports stamped everywhere they went. Â Our tour guide was a student from New Zealand (we all know this is run by BYU-H), who wowed us with the poi balls at the Aotearoa village (I stopped after smacking myself one too many times). Â Unfortunately for them, we didn't get to go through all of the villages since we arrived later in the day (it was a hot day so I didn't mind).
At the luau, we got pretty good seats (in front of the stage). Â The buffet was just okay. Â They had kalua pork (yes yes, they cooked a whole pig in an imu), beef, salmon, salad, poke, poi, rice, kim chee, and maybe a few other choices. Â Not as much variety as I hoped for. Â Our luau host was pleasant, although Will Ferrell's Robert Goulet stint from SNL came to mind.
The show at the very end was probably the highlight for me. Â It had a storyline as well as lots of beautiful and awe-inspiring dances. Â They served sherbet with fruits during intermission, which was a nice refresher, but we were still full from the buffet.
So although I was overloaded, the kids had a lot of fun and were TIRED by the end of the day (the show ended at 9:00p). Â THAT deserves 4 stars from me.
While I was planning for things to do on my Hawaii trip I somehow convinced myself that: "if you're going to to Hawaii, you need to go to a Luau show and if you're gonna go to a Luau, you must go to one of the most expensive and popular one because if it's expensive and popular then it must be good"....well, I was WRONG! Â I also wish I had listened to my sister who went to Hawaii and came to PCC several months before I did. Â She warned me that it was "nothing special" and "not worth the money"....yet, my stubborn self never listen. Â
Basically the center feature different villages (Tahiti, hawaii, fiji...). Â You visit each village and watch a show to learn about its culture. Â A lot of them have to do with dancing and playing with drums or fire. Â I thought the place was beautiful but the shows at each villages weren't captivating enough. Â They're more suitable for kids. Â The buffet dinner was plain and not appetizing. Â The show at the end was also too boring for me. Â
I will not recommend this place but if you really must go to PCC to experience a luau, then save some money and spent it on the least expensive package.
This place was truly amazing!!! Â I was in awe from the historical/cultural information that was provided for each Island we toured around. Â I would STRONGLY recommend that you get an ambassador, we were fortunate to have met Cousin Leon who directed us from 12pm to 10pm. Â He went out of his way to ensure we got on the boat, pushed us around and he summarized the different areas that we were headed in. Â It started to rain and he was kind enough to take a run and bring his entire group panchos. Â He also ensured that we made it to each and every show and that we got the best seats. Â The shows were phenomenal, the workers there are all college students and have a beautiful positive energy that is carried and projected causing it to become contagious. Â
Our first show was the drum show, the crowd laughed as though a comedy show was being held, second show w/the man climbing the coconut tree was as funny and educational and lastly, we got to experience two true good bye/good luck ceremonies that involved dancing and chanting, it was amazing...we got to see tears and all at that end of the show. Â The parade w/the hula dancers was just amazing, they all had beautiful formation and chemistry-they even threw someone off the boat (this was NOT scripted) which made the crowd hysterically laugh. Â
Dinner for the luau then followed, food was amazing!!! Â We got to see luau dancers perform while we had dinner. Â The night is wrapped up w/the most incredible show!!! Â There were hundreds of hula dancers running up/down the stage and stairs, noise coming from all sorts of places, things flying in the air, props showing up expectantly and flames of fire EVERYWHERE!!!! The show was truly amazing, worth the drive and the time-hands down.
Wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised with the wealth of information but also interactive events to do in the area. You can wander around yourself of get a tour guide. I would get a tour guide. I was very lucky to get one of the better ones and he did make the whole experience much more entertaining.
From learning how to play different instruments to throwing spears to weaving to cooking, there is a lot to see and do.
I went here last weekend with the family when friends were in town and I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised! Â The last time I'd been was in 2004 and the memories were not good - hot, boring, and overpriced. Â That's why I hadn't been back. Â Needless to say, I wasn't exactly jazzed about making the trek all the way out there. Â
Well, I guess they've made a few improvements, and my impressions have changed. Â First off, I got the discounted tickets from the military ticket outlets - $45 for adults, which included admission, a buffet dinner, and the Ha - Breath of Life show. Â Not too shabby, right? Â I really wasn't sure what to expect, but my friends wanted to go so I obliged. Â
We walked in the entrance and right away, the kids were drawn to the displays of tapa cloth and wooden weapons. Â Awesome! Â They must be growing up! Â Next, we meandered around, and they wanted to go in all the different huts and excitedly ran from attraction to attraction. Â We took a canoe ride, watched the short (and free!) video on Hawaii in the brand new IMAX theater, and then hunger caught up with us and we hit the buffet. Â It wasn't too bad! Â Lots of different lines, so it's never too long. Â It was a good combination of local food and typical American fare - fried chicken, pasta, etc. Â
Even though it was essentially a giant dining hall, the decor was elegant and tropical. Â Plus the murals on the wall honored all the immigrants who made their way here. Â
The next big event was Ha - Breath of Life. Â It was basically a Vegas-style Polynesian review with an underlying "Lion King" type story line. Â I loved it! Â It was good enough that I would watch it again. Â In fact, I'll probably be back when my parents come to visit. Â Definitely worth giving this place a try now.
I would NOT recommend this place!
Pros-
Clean and staff is friendly.
Cons-
-Not authentic. It felt like a mockery of Polynesian culture. Mickey Mouse feeling...
-not a museum. Does nothing to preserve culture.
-set up for monetary gain for BYU not for culture preservation
-most of the good reviews are written by trolls.
Trust the negative reviews.
It's a nice place to visit with so much to see that we wished that we had more than one afternoon/evening to see it. Â We saw a few exhibits and eventualyl became seperated from our tour group when we literally missed the boat. Â Afterwards, we browsed the gift shops and had a few snacks while waiting for the buffet dinner and the evening performance.
The dinner buffet was decent. Â It's certainly not a Las Vegas type but the selection was still decent. Â The decor of the dining hall was pretty good too.
The evening performance, Ha: Breath Of Life, was quite good too and I wouldn't mind seeing it again someday.
The PCC is a fun place to spend the day. I find it hilarious reading the one and two star comments on here - they all have issues with the same thing so let me break it down for you. Â You WILL BE miserable visiting the PCC if......
1. You hate Mormons or organized religion. (Yes, the PCC is owned by the mormon church. So is Pepsico, Franklin Covey and Marriott Hotels. Other mormon-run companies include Jet Blue, Oakley, Priceline, etc. etc. So if you plan on banning mormon owned businesses you will literally have nothing to do or buy ever.)
2. You are a food snob. (The buffets are not great and overpriced just like Disneyland. Â And, if you haven't noticed..... EVERYTHING on Oahu is overpriced. Get over it and book your michelin star bistro in Honolulu earlier in the week. Otherwise BRING SNACKS.)
3. You can't go a day without alcohol. (Yes it is true - no alcohol served at PCC. Hopefully you can survive enjoying the beauty and culture of Hawaii without a buzz. There is a liquor store in Hauula if you need to shotgun some Jack afterwards.)
4. Every Hawaiian experience has to be 100% authentic. (The Bishop Museum is very authentic, but no Luau's or night shows offered...bummer. The PCC is a little less authentic but with lots of fun things to do all day long. Pick your poison.)
5. You don't like rain. (The Windward side of Oahu and especially the North Shore -where the PCC is located - tends to experience heavy rainfall especially during the Winter months. Don't ask for a refund - just use that weather app on your iPhone and bring an umbrella. Use common sense. )
6. You don't like to pay for parking. (It costs $8 to park at the PCC. It costs $25 to park in Waikiki. You just rented a four door Jeep Rubicon or a convertible Ford Mustang and drove 2 hours to the North Shore. $8 will not kill you or break the bank. Don't be such a tight wad.)
7. You think the Night Show should be at the same singing and acting level as the Broadway Play you just saw in NYC. (Seriously?)
8. You think the PCC is too much like Disneyland and are upset that they sell overpriced trinkets and $10 smoothies. (OK....the PCC is a business. Â Have you ever bought a $7 churro or $9 turkey leg at Disneyland? Maybe you paid $15 for that stupid glow stick princess fan? Same rules of economics apply in Hawaii.)
9. You think the workers are "mormon robots" and are "brainwashed" to be grateful for the job at PCC. (Many of these students are from remote islands in the Pacific. If it were not for BYU-H they would not have the opportunity to leave whatever small island they grew up on and attend a very well respected university nationally and internationally AND to have their tuition 100% paid for as well. Crazy kids! What are they thinking!)
10. You don't like to have fun anywhere ever. (Just relax and have fun! Life is too short to be so critical and hate and judge everything.)
Mahalo!
Let me just state now that the only reason I can't give this place 5 stars is because I wasn't able to experience a good portion of it. We got a screaming deal on a "late arrival" luau at PCC. So we basically had 1 hour to check things out before the luau started and than you were off to go see Ha: Breath of Life (incredible show BTW, see seperate review).
The park is divided in seperate villages: Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii, Marquesas, and Aotearoa. We were only able to really check out Samoa and wander around a little bit. At Samoa, they had a great show with one of the guys showing how to open a coconut and get the milk from it, etc. Than one of the guys scaled the palm tree in like 5 seconds! Holy crap! That guy just shot up there like it was nothing! I was impressed! They also posed for pics and talked to people and answered questions. Everybody was very friendly.
After that we go to the Luau! When you first get there you you are lei'ed! Sweet! From there you are seated by hosts at your table. We started chatting it up with some of the others around us. It was a fun atmosphere! This was my first luau and I was really geeked for the experience, so lets just put it this way: The show is great...the food, not so much. But its all good, I came for the show much more for he food.
After seeing Ha and than boarding the shuttle back to Waikiki, the only regret I had was that I didn't have more time to explore the other villages. This place is really cool and I hope one day I am able to come back and check it out again!
4 stars.
I noticed a lot of the 1 star reviews were from Californians that mentioned Prop8. They didn't like the place because mormon students worked there...
ANYWAY haha
My wife, Baby and I went to the night show and thought it was spectacular. We didn't come for the rest of the venues though I would have liked to.
Very touristy but thats what it was designed for so no complaints being that we were tourists.
The fire dancers were one of our favorite parts of the whole trip second only to surfing.
Sorry to be contrary. Â I was here for 9 hours as part of a school band trip. This was the planned culture. Â Maybe if we had been here for an hour, tolerable. Â But it is just nothing. Â First this is a fundraiser for the Mormon church and students at BYU. Says so on the brochure. Â So this is not the state teaching this is the Mormons raising funds. Â It was creepingly clean. Â Nothing out of place. Â But in a creepy way not like Disney. Â The workers are all students. Â Some nice some just smiled. Â They are basically servants working as an internship to raise money. Â Some of the stations are cute I guess but so sanitary as to be jarring
The Buffett, we went to the cheaper one., was vile. Â As in bad, Â things could not be identified. Â All frozen except pineapple. It was right off the Sysco discount truck. It was largely inedible. Not sure why others thinking but it was bad bad
The show was ok. By that time we were tired, creeped out by the clear money grab and wanted to go home. It is 90 mjnutes with an ice cream sales break. Â Really. The performers had some talent but for 50 bucks there are better things
So basically it's a Mormon owned cultural center with a sanitized version of the culture. Â Avoid
I had been hesitant about coming here because of the reviews on Yelp. Â Unfortunately a few people and stated that the food was mediocre and the place was too touristy.
I decided to come anyway, and was able to get a military discount on the tickets we purchased a few days before coming here.
We got here a few hours before dinner was set to start. Â I wish I was here even earlier than that. Â There were a ton of cool shows that the PCC put on. Â There were a few villages where you walk around in. Â It's like taking a mini trip while in Hawaii! We were able to see Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Tonga, and More!
A lot of the villages even had hands on activities you could participate in. Â We had two tour guides when we went because I think one of them was in training. Â They were good and we got to see a lot. Â We even made it in time for dinner.
I would recommend the PCC to people visiting Hawaii. Â And the Breath of Life show was GREAT.
The food wasn't too bad. Â I enjoyed my meal and it wasn't the type of food you would get at Medieval Times for example. Â It was better!
Visited on a Friday afternoon, June 15, 2012 (sorry, long overdue review!)
We arrived a little later in the day, and decided to splurge on the Ambassador package. Â It included a personal tour guide (for the two of us), and it was well worth it to be able to skip some lines. Â I guess most (or all, or some?) of those tour guides are students on a visa, and so you get someone from the Pacific islands to make the visit more in-depth.
The shows were pretty informative, and the Samoan one was hilarious (hopefully he's still around by the time you're visiting -- it's the one with the guy who climbs a coconut tree and shows how to squeeze out a coconut, etc). Â I laughed pretty hard at that show.
The buffet, as others have mentioned, was blah. Â I mean, this isn't a Michelin rated joint here. Â If you dislike buffets in general, this place will reaffirm your stance. Â If you like them, then you might agree it's something you don't need to shell out money for. Â The one thing I liked about this eating experience was the long, communal tables for dining... we were seated pretty close to a MILF, and I had pangs of guilt for eyeing another man's wife. Â But she looked gooood.
We rounded out the quick visit with Ha, The Breath of Life, show. Â It was well done, and easy enough to understand. Â I'd definitely recommend for kids. Â The performance wasn't perfect (the guy dropped the fire stick!), but it's worth seeing once.
Overall, it's a nice, educational trip. Â The bus tour to the adjacent school was also enlightening, and I enjoyed it.
F O O D
Buffet is horrendous. I felt like I was transported to a grade school cafeteria. Their ribs tasted old, as if they've been sitting there for a few days. Their salad was not fresh at all - half the moisture in the greens were sucked out.
Don't get me started on their pineapples. So disappointing. Felt like serious needles in my mouth. I thought Hawaii could never mess up on pineapples, but they proved me wrong.
To leave on a more positive note, their purple samoan bread is delicious. That's it.
A T T R A C T I O N S
I thought they were very creative with their showcases. They try to get people involved as much as they can. My favorite show was the coconut one, the guy was just hilarious and the crowd loved him! We wanted to see the drum show, especially after hearing all the laughter, but when we got there, it was pretty much over. Sad. We also went on the canoe ride, where the tour guide gave a little history about each island - thought it was interesting. Then they forced us into a hulu tutorial thing, where we learn some hulu moves. So awkward.
This has nothing to do with the Polynesian Cultural Center, but if you came with a Korean tour guide like I did, one word of advice. There's a local Korean boutique nearby the Polynesian Cultural Center where tour guides love to stop by. They sell all types of popular goods to bring back to friends and family at home. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THERE. Little did we know, they overprice the items like crazy. You can find them at the local grocery store and purchase them for waaaaay cheaper. I'm talking about $10 cheaper, folks. Save that money and buy yourself some pineapples, papayas, and apple bananas instead. YUM.
We weren't thrilled with our experience. First, the weather on that side of the island sucks. There were short bursts of pouring rain repeatedly throughout the day, which is unpleasant when you are sitting in outdoor stands trying to enjoy a show. The shows are very short with lots of canned jokes and every show starts with  "Aloha!" Crowd responds, "Aloha!" performer responds, "You can do better than that! Aloha!" crowd responds, "Aloha!!" performer says "That's good but I know you can do it even better! Aloha!" Crowd responds "Aloha!!!," which is cute once but makes you roll your eyes by the fifth time.
They also repeatedly tell you that 70% of the employees are students, so "Thank you for coming and helping us pay for college!" I think it's a ploy to keep you from getting too annoyed that you wasted so much on a Meh experience.
We took the center's official (10am or noon) bus from Waikiki to the center. The bus leaves to take you back to Waikiki at 9:20pm. It felt a bit odd to be a captive audience for ten hours. Especially when there was an unnecessarily and uncomfortably long wait between the end of the dinner and the beginning of the Ha nighttime show. It was raining of course, so for over an hour, we and hundreds of other guests had to huddle in the shop - how convenient!
The luau dinner (we had the mid-priced option) was okay. Tables were dismissed row by row, slowly, to go to the buffet - like at a wedding. The food was edible. The dancers were lovely but they were being poured on, so it was hard to focus on anything other than sympathy for them. Also, there is some connection with the LDS church, so there is no alcohol at the center. A bummer, especially considering the price we paid! We did get coffee upon request at the dinner. I wonder if it was decaf? Anyway.
The good - the show, Ha: Breath of Life was AWESOME!!! A very large and well-practiced cast performed beautiful dances and kept us captivated. In summary, I think another reviewer put it best "Tourist Trap." I don't know if they allow it, but if possible, I would suggest that you attend the night show, Ha, only.
We booked a whole day with the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). Our tour included the circle island tour--which included a drive through of the city of Honolulu and certain areas of the island (on the way to the PCC). Â We had already seen most of the spots with our rental car but it was nice to revisit some of the spots. Â At each stopping point, we were allowed 7-20 minutes to go out, walk around, and take pictures. Â
Our tour guide was Hawaiian (not sure if she was 100% Hawaiian) but she definitely looked native to the island. She even admitted that she was not sure if we could understand her because her Hawaiian accent might be too thick. Thankfully it was not too thick, but we did have our moments of "huh?". Â Our guide was good but she also admitted to us that she was not used to talking because her usual tours consisted of Japanese tourists and a Japanese tour guide would be speaking the entire time in Japanese. Â Our tour guide told us some things about Hawaii, but it was evident she was not able to fill in the silent gaps. Â There was one point during the tour that she got distracted and almost drove us to her office.
As part of our tour, we added the alii luau for dinner. The dinner opened at 5pm but there was not enough room for everyone to dine at the same time. Â We were told by the staff that if we were finished eating, we were encouraged to shop and enjoy the PCC to make room for others to dine. Â The food options at the alii luau was disappointing.
Upon walking out, we saw the roasted pork---which was not included in our dinner since it was not ready yet. How unfortunate!
One of my favorite parts of the PCC were the scheduled shows on each "island"--check the map for the schedule times. Â If you know this info, it will be a lot easier to experience all the islands at PCC. Â Make sure to snag a seat to watch the river show at 2:30pm.
The other favorite part of the PCC was the evening show. Â The tickets for the show were extra but I highly recommend it. Â The parts that included fire throwing and fire sitting were amazing and funny.
This was my second time at the PCC and I would go another time if I was offered the opportunity. Â Definitely something to do if visiting Oahu.
2 words: tourist trap!
I came here with my girlfriend for the dinner and show. I did not explore the villages or anything like that but my GF had done research that the show was better than any of the luau's on the island.
I thought it was really out of the way, especially if you're staying in Waikiki. And I thought it was ridiculous that we had to pay for parking even though we had paid for dinner and the show. I would think they would throw in parking, guess not.
We opted for the upgraded prime rib and crab buffet/dinner. I felt cramped because the dining hall was so large but everyone was strategically placed together. We were only a party of 2 so we were next to 5 other parties of 2.
Our server wasn't bad, but you could tell she was overwhelmed. There were times when I would have appreciated a bit more attention but as I looked around at the chaos surrounding me, I just tried my best to get all of my needs taken care of in one request.
The great thing about the prime rib/crab side is that there are a lot less kids and people running around but that comes with a steep price for food that I wouldn't call quality? Actually this whole experience reminded me why I don't eat at buffets unless I'm in Las Vegas. Simply put it's quantity over quality. The prime rib was average and all of the other food was just forgetable. I felt full but not satisfied.
The journey from the dining hall to the auditorium felt almost like an amusement park. They had so much crap and stuff to waste money on but hey I guess that's how they make their money, right? Oh and charging for parking! Lol.
The show itself was great. I thought it was a bit long, especially when I was ready to slip into a food coma. There was a break and shaved ice was sold. It just really felt like tourism at its finest.
I would recommend coming here for the show and only the show. Make sure you select good seats, I would suggest anything in the middle section of the stage. And prepare for a pretty long drive back if you're staying in Waikiki.
This place screams tourist trap and feels like the polynesian culture is being exploited for monetary profit. This is probably due to the fact that the cultural center is run by Mormons.
We came here for the HA breath of life show (separate review), and decided we might as well pay for the dinner & luau just to experience it.
Pros:
-Artwork and information displayed around the park was educationally stimulating
-HA breath of life show (4 stars!)
Cons:
-OVERPRICED: luau & dinner (Hawaiian food (buffet style) that did not have lau lau, poke, or other staples you can find outside of PCC - only had one plate cause it felt heavy and greasy. I enjoyed the taro bread though). Not worth the price we paid.
-Everywhere you go in this place they try to sell you things - little stands around the park and the people managing it really push for you to buy their stuff. We were caught up in here trying to kill time before the show.
-It just had an amusement park feeling where I had sympathy for those working there, specifically those who put in time to perform and dance for the visitors.
Overall: 2 for the PCC, but 4 for the HA breath of life show. I would recommend coming here just to watch the show - come a little earlier to walk around and explore the free things at PCC. However, just make sure to have dinner somewhere else.
Wow.. if you had met me on the 26th of October, I would have told you that I am the Polynesian Cultural Center's (PCC) biggest fan.
I moved to the Island on Jan 9th, 2012 - and since then I've been to the PCC about 13 times. I really love the place, and yes, I still cry everytime I see the show (when the Fijian's invade and tragedy ensues). I love this place. Correction. Loved.
Unfortunately, the Tsunami warning came on the 27th and the show was stopped just before 8 (show started after 730). Â We were just getting into it when the lights came on and we were told to evacuate due to a Tsunami warning - but not to worry, we'd all receive refunds.
Great.. I called the following week to inquire how to go about getting the refund. Â Key component - in order to receive the refund, you had to keep your stub - ok, fair enough. Â I'm an annual pass holder, so I got the show for free. However, I paid cash for my sister and her husband who were visiting from California - the visit to the PCC was my treat. I purchased the $69.99 package x2. Â The price includes admission to the "park" and the show, dinner is included for free.
Now, if you purchase a ticket to see the show alone - you pay $49.99 a ticket. Â If you come to see the show and you want admission to the park - no dinner, you pay a few dollars extra - less than $5. Â
I was expecting around $100 refund - the cost for 2 show tickets - that would be fair, right? I received $17 refund per ticket with no explanation of how this was computed. Â Absolutely unfair and a sham. Â PCC makes over $60 million a year. You would think they would be able to refund tickets at fair market price for something people weren't able to receive/enjoy. Â Don't refund dinner - don't refund admission to the park - but refund to the show, yes, I expect that and I'm very unhappy. I have sent scores of people to the PCC since my arrival - you bet I will be telling everyone about PCC's refund policies. Â
- a very unhappy customer.
Major mixed feelings about this place. Here's the breakdown:
the villages: 4 stars= informative, you get a brief glimpse into each culture
floats: 4 stars = another brief glimpse into their different dances in a parade on water
luau: 1 star= food was meh. no poke or mai tais. no lau lau or mai tais. no mai tais or mai tais.
Ha, breath of life show: 5 stars= entertaining, enjoyable. talented dancers
Mormon brainwashing: negative infinite stars= converting Polynesians under the premise of "preserving culture" makes me sick. At least give me a mai tai to numb my feelings.
Wow! Pretty surprised at the low reviews PCC has gotten!?!? This is one of my favorrite stops to play tourist when I come home. Yes, it may appear touristy to many, but it is very cultural and educational as well.(NO, ITS NOT A THEME PARK!!!) I like the fact that the majority of the staff here are not only locals from their Polynesian region, but they come to PCC to work and teach visitors about  their culture, while furthering their education at nearby Brigham Young University.
The admission you pay also goes towards these students education/living expenses, so its a great win-win situation.
The Ali'i Luau package is a good choice, and is an all day deal-(Yes it is possible to check out all the villages, you just gotta organize your time correctly!) The villages are Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Aotearoa, and Hawaii. They used to have Marquesas before, but I think that shut down. Here's some highlights of what you can expect in the following villages:
SAMOA-Climbing the coconut tree, starting a fire, uses of the coconut, making fresh coconut milk, and if you're one of the chosen ones, sample some "Samoan 7-up".
TONGA-Learn songs and chants from the locals, nose flute demonstration and if you're chosen, see if you got what it takes to drum it up with the Tongans!
TAHITI-Songs and dances, taste Tahitian Noni Candy and Sample Coconut Bread
FIJI-Songs and dances, Learn about their earlier days of cannibalism-Yikes!
AOTEAROA(NEW ZEALAND)-Enter the traditional building like the Maori do,Songs and dances, witness the Haka(War Chant), and see where all the ravers got the inspiration with the Poi Bowls(No, not da kine you eat!? Da ones dat dey twirl!!!) They are the originators of Poi.(and they make it look SO EASY!) You can practice your poi skills and see if you got what it takes to twirl 'em, and also test your eye-hand coordination with the Stick Chant!
HAWAII-Hawaiian song and dance with the Ukulele and Hula, and you get to taste freshly pounded poi!...tourists were a bit hesitant, probably from the negative things they heard about poi...well, snooze you lose! or as my opu was telling me, "No sked 'um GO GET "UM!!!....that was SO ONO, and I noticed that they sneaked in a little bit of Okinawan Sweet Potato to add a little sweetness and to make it more palatable for first timers trying poi.
Other activities you can do:
Spear Throwing, Mormon Temple Tour @ BYU, Â Conch horn blowing, lei making, basket weaving, fishing for tilapia with hand crafted poles and hooks, check out little souvenior shops and go to the IMAX theater and check out the featured flick. Get a temporary tattoo or face paint, Also take a boat ride through the lagoon and see the famous palm tree that Elvis sang on in Blue Hawaii.
The Parade of floats is not to be missed! Grab a seat by the water and see all the villages dance and sing traditional songs of their region. During the parade and even in some of the villages, keep an eye out for the ice cream man passing out out free ice cream and raise your hand before they run out (you have to pay for the plastic spoon though...buahahaha!)
By then, you will have worked up a serious hunger, and its time to kau kau at The Ali'i Luau. As you enter, you are greeted, you're gonna get lei'd(with a shell necklace! this ain't a whorehouse! Dinner, remember???) and snap a photo which will be available for purchase later. Here, you will also see the unveiling of a finished Kalua Pig, Get introduced to the Royal Court, get a quick explanation of all the local food items, and feast on some onolicious grindz(THE FOOD MUST'VE FINALLY IMPROVED TOO?) while being entertained with more song and dance. Yes, its not Helena's but its still ono. I've been to other places(Paradise Cove, Germaine's, etc.) and the food here is just as good, if not, better cause I got to feast on endless Poke, Poi, Kalua Pig, Lomi, and Pipikaula. Oh, and you don't get eaten alive by mosquitoes like at the other places.
After your "Kanak Attack" it is time to see the evening show HA, The Breath of Life.
The same people who were entertaining you throughout the day end the evening with a spectacular show from beginning to end. Set a day aside for the Polynesian Cultural Center, it'll be a great time for everyone...ALOHA!!!
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