carousel inn

ok, managed to get it for $152 (including taxes, fees, and parking) Recent feedback? Is anything different now that Disney owns it?
 
We just went. Here were my issues with my room (mom and dad didn't have these issues): our room had all sorts of filth in it from the previous owner. At one point my one year old was chomping on floss that didn't belong to us. The room is super tiny. With a double stroller and a pack and play, we had to shuffle things around just to move. They took our personal washcloths and never found them. They didn't give us washcloths and every morning we had to call to get some. There was a glass we had used to drink milk out of and it was in the room all week. Even after asking, they didn't clean it. My daughter pooed in my bed and they didn't change the sheets even after we asked so we had to call at 11:00 at night to get new sheets. No free wifi. Which makes a small hotel room trying to get four people, two who are under three, ready in the morning a bear because we can't play bubble guppies on the kindle. It seems to me that they just don't care about how they keep up the property. People are going to come, negative reviews and all because of the proximity to Disneyland. ETA: I stayed June 14-19. I had been two years ago and we had an okay experience. We stayed again hoping it had changed. Not so much.
 
That is awful, love bug! We had the opportunity to upgrade to club concierge for $10 a night, so we did that hoping we will get a good response if anything is wrong with the room. I guess we will just have to hope for the best!

Anyone stay club level? Thoughts, tips, and observations?
 


When are you going? I found a special for this summer that has $109-$119 a night. I do not know the etiquette about posting such specials on this site so if you PM me I will share the info.
 
Mermaid Hair- the $109 is for a one queen bed room. The site that lists those prices is the one we went through (plus used their extra 15% off code.) Doesn't work for a family. But that does not include taxes, fees, resort charge, or parking. Those things are costing us over $30 a night. Taxes are very high in that area.
 
The location can't be beat, and my friends and I had no issues with our room back in April/May. I disliked the parking situation...valet only and costs just as much as parking at Mickey & Friends. No food on site, though Pizza Press is right next door, and McDonald's is two doors down, so not the end of the world. I'm staying somewhere with cheaper parking next time though. I love the walking distance factor, and let's face it, the majority of the hotels that are the closest are not going to be any sort of four star property...they're more on par with a standard motel.
 


Have you checked Park Vue Inn? I recently read a comparison of the 2 properties on this forum and PVI came out way ahead. Free wifi, parking, breakfast, and even closer to the parks. There have been some unhappy customers who have had issues with their customer service when things didn't go right, but the same can be said of most properties, including Carousel. Still, I've always been a little afraid to try it since one of the complaints involved bed bugs and there was nothing done for the customers. Any hotel can run into a bed bug issue but if they refuse to deal with it, that's another issue.

I stayed at Carousel last month and have a reservation for next week. We found the staff to be very nice, the room pretty, the distance great but the parking is ridiculous and to charge $14 plus a 'resort fee' which gives you NOTHING is annoying. However, we got a very good rate ($89) so those things were minor to us. If I were spending $150+, I'd look elsewhere.

The thread I mention had a link to someone who was blogging about the 2 hotels, and they'd used an app called Hotel Tonight to get the $89 rate as well. Downside to it is that you can't book very far out, so if it's a busy time and you don't want to risk it, that won't work for you.

One other possibility you might try is Anaheim Plaza Hotel. They are an older property, about the same distance from the parks as Hojo but in the other direction. They used to be cheaper than most of the others, but I haven't checked them in a long time. The rooms are very large, you get a mw, there's a giant pool and most rooms have a large balcony or terrace. Kind of funky kitschy...old school type place. And Hojo is great for families, but I think their prices have gone up substantially.
 
Park Vue does not have breakfast when we are going due to construction. Plus it was the same price, if not more. Right now we are traveling with my parents and let's just say my mom is kinda picky. An old school place would not go over well with her. We either need to be RIGHT across from the park or a mile or so and we will drive to the parks. Walking 1/2 mi to the parks will not fly. We do not need a nice pool or anything as we won't use it. Plus around $150 including taxes, fees, and parking. A very tall order!

I am open to any suggestions, though! It seems like I have looked at every hotel under the sun, but I am willing to go back and double check some again!
 
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GusGus77 said:
Park Vue does not have breakfast when we are going due to construction. Plus it was the same price, if not more. Right now we are traveling with my parents and let's just say my mom is kinda picky. An old school place would not go over well with her. We either need to be RIGHT across from the park or a mile or so and we will drive to the parks. Walking 1/2 mi to the parks will not fly. We do not need a nice pool or anything as we won't use it. Plus around $150 including taxes, fees, and parking. A very tall order!
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Gotcha. Well, I think you'll do well at Carousel, then. I have always had a good experience there, even though I dislike the mandatory $14 valet parking and the daily resort fee. It's still a lot cheaper than a lot of other places and the rooms I've had have been really nice.
 
We are hoping that since we are staying concierge, we might get better service if we have any problems. I double checked just in case, but it would be $30 more a night to stay at PVI. I am going to keep an eye out for other deals since we have free cancellation, but we wanted to book something since we are only 60 days out.
 
I stayed at the Carousel Inn back in 1999. It was a dump then, and I can't see how it would have improved by now. Disney hasn't made any changes to the hotel, and so far, they don't have any plans to do anything. The betting money is on them leveling it to make room for parking infrastructure linked to the Pumbaa parking lot.
 
Fantaluminishes said:
I stayed at the Carousel Inn back in 1999. It was a dump then, and I can't see how it would have improved by now. Disney hasn't made any changes to the hotel, and so far, they don't have any plans to do anything. The betting money is on them leveling it to make room for parking infrastructure linked to the Pumbaa parking lot.
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Well, I don't really think you can say much about its present state if you haven't stayed there in 16 years. I found the rooms to be nicer than FFI and as good as some/better than others at Hojo. I like the hardwood (or whatever it is) floors and plantation look. The sinks have granite counters and there is a keurig machine and mw + fridge in the room. The beds are very comfortable. I'm not saying it's super luxurious, but it's a lot nicer than you're suggesting from your stay in 1999.

Disney also owns Candy Cane Inn and has for some time. They didn't change the management at either property; as of now, they're just sitting on it. Plenty of guesses as to what they may do with it down the line but right now, they're pretty much hands off and far in the background.
 
DizMe said:
Disney also owns Candy Cane Inn and has for some time. They didn't change the management at either property; as of now, they're just sitting on it. Plenty of guesses as to what they may do with it down the line but right now, they're pretty much hands off and far in the background.
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I've seen this repeated several times, and based on what I've read elsewhere, Disney does not own Candy Cane Inn. It is still owned by the Kazarian family operating under the name Cinderella Motel, Inc. I think the DBA is what led to the rumor. Just an FYI.
 
Zbugz said:
I've seen this repeated several times, and based on what I've read elsewhere, Disney does not own Candy Cane Inn. It is still owned by the Kazarian family operating under the name Cinderella Motel, Inc. I think the DBA is what led to the rumor. Just an FYI.
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Thanks for that! I read it on this forum in one of the "Disney buys Carousel Inn" threads, in a linked article I think. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read!

Edited to link where I read it...on the DIS, LOL! Totally unconfirmed hearsay. http://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-purchases-carousel-inn-for-32m.3405394/page-2
 
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I was believing it, too. I just happened to see it discussed elsewhere then did some searches that confirmed it. It makes me happy that they are still independently owned. I tend to root for the small guys. :)
 
GusGus77 said:
A very tall order!
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Indeed!

I can't even come up with one that might work.

Hilton Anaheim, depending on your dates. But parking is expensive. And it would be one to drive from (from your needs) which means parking at the parks as well.


I really really doubt that a club level that is $10 more per night is going to get you *any* sort of special treatment other than what exactly is included...
 
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