This was our family's first trip to Hawaii. The check-in process for the Lagoon Tower was very quick and easy, no waits. I read a lot about the insanity at the main check-in location and was so glad we booked through here instead. We paid for a garden unit and was placed in an un-renovated corner unit on the 12th floor. We were totally fine with that since we had plenty of space and still had partial ocean views through the balconies. We could see the marina and faced the Ilikai building next door. The kids loved the lagoon as well the pool with the slides. However, water was super cold relative to the ocean. We were well prepared for crowds and lines and did not experience anywhere near the amount of awfulness that people complained about online. We even saw parts of the luau throughout the week. As a party of six that consisted of me, my husband, my mother in law, and our three kids ages 10, 7, and 3, we had a great time with plenty of space in the unit. Also, laundry is FREE and available on every floor (not in the unit itself, which was no big deal).