Switch from HOJO to CCI or Tropicana since pool won't be ready??

[mermaidwannabe]

All these threads on where to stay are making me second-guess HOJOs since we'll be there July 14-18th and the pool probably won't be ready.

I didn't get the ent rate since it's the middle of the summer so @ $120 per night.

SOOO, need advice on whether to stay there and HOPE the pool is done, or stay at CCI (where I was originally booked until I heard about the pool) or the Tropicana which is closer, both for about the same price.

Oh, also, it's my family's first trip to DL (I have 3 girls 11, 8 and 5) and they do love to swim, but maybe we won't even have time for that with 3 days at DL/DCA?

Any opinions?? Thank you so much!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, even if the big pool isn't open yet, they have two pools, so swimming is still an option.

Note: although we stayed in a room where we could hear people in the small pool, we never actually went there, so I don't know how big or small it actually is.

If you really are thinking about swimming, and if prices are equal, I would consider switching to Tropicana. As you said it's close to the parks, and I think has a b'fast, so that's added value right there.

CCI has a b'fast I believe, but it's farther away (and I hear the wait for the shuttle can sometimes be long), and that detracts from it for me.

I personally would either stay or switch to Tropicana.

 

[DangerMouse]

Just an FYI -- the small pool at the HoJo (the one that will be available in July) is larger than either Tropicana's or CCI's pool.

It's a hard choice, I know, but thought I'd throw that in there for consideration.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Good points from both of you! If nothing else, you helped me eliminate CCI. I'm REALLY glad to know the small pool is bigger than Tropicana's, but it would be nice to have the close proximity of the Tropicana. I SO wanted that pool to be ready (okay, I just sounded like my 11-year-old with that sentence). Is the spray area part of the construction too?

I like that HOJOs has a little store and Mimis across the street, but 5 minutes closer to the gates is a pull too. Decisions, decisions! I want this vacation to be perfect since we don't do this very often so I suppose I'll keep obsessing.

Thanks for your very helpful info!

 

[avalon451]

Whichever one you choose, I would definitely take time to swim for your girls' sake. (I have 3 DD's, too, 13, 10 and 6!) Especially in summer, when it gets so hot and crowded in the parks... all the advice I've learned here, suggests that you be at the gates early for opening, and collect Fastpasses and do rides until mid-day. Then, when the crowds are the worst, your senses are overloaded, and the heat is bad, get out of Dodge (err Disneyland) and go back to the hotel to swim, nap, and relax for a few hours. Then come back in the evening (maybe to have dinner or right after dinner) with a pocketful of FastPasses to use! You will be refreshed and ready to hit those FP rides which now have wait times of 60-90 minutes! And then see parades, fireworks and/or Fantasmic.

Read Hydroguy's tips compilation if you haven't yet, more detailed and great ideas!

Edit: by the way, how about booking both hotels? You can just cancel before the cancel date when you decide. You never know, maybe they will release some Ent rate days at HoJo's just before your trip?!

 

[pixiewings71]

Tropicana has a Minni-Mart on site, and a pizza place too. The pizza wasn't great but having it just downstairs was really nice. The guy even delivered it to our room for us, no extra charge altho we did tip him. I thought the pool at the Trop was nice, the hot tub is huge too, we liked that. We would soak our feet while the girls swam.
For your reasons and the hotels you're chosing from I would go with the Tropicana.
CCI & HoJo are both about 7-10 min. maybe longer depending on how fast you walk, we can do them both in 7 or less but I know others can't.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Avalon - I have Hydroguy's many tips in my itinerary which I needed to edit. I really had planned on exactly what you suggested with the swimming, FPs and then today started thinking maybe we wouldn't need to. I think I'll just plan on that so we don't all get fried by 6pm!! Besides, my kids do love to swim and then maybe we could have a better early dinner at one of the places on Harbour. Thanks for all the info and for nudging me back to my original plan of taking a mid-day break!
I didn't think the ent. rate was ever offered in the summer?? I'll keep an eye on that and keep my ressie. Wow, that'd make a HUGE difference. Will they do that if they are underbooked then?


pixiewings - thanks for the info about the Tropicana and the food. I can't imagine sitting in a hot tub in the summer though. Course, I live in the boonies where it's supposed to snow tomorrow.

Thank you!

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh trust me, when you're at the end of a day (short day, not staying until midnight) and your kids want to swim, you will want to put your feet in that hot tub! LOL Feels sooooo good! LOL

FYI, Mimi's is still walking distance, as is Millie's, just walk out of the Trop, head to your right and you'll hit McDonald's, Millie's and then Mimi's. GREAT food at Mimi's, we love it there!!

Oh ya, just wanted to add really quick, avoid Captain Kidd's, not good food at all, neither the buffet nor the menu was impressive. I had a salad, wilted lettuce, mostly the stalks/stems, old onion, etc etc. Just not good. There is an IHOP next door too that is good, and last time we were there (May 2-4) they had the kids eat free banner out. You might want to check that out.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Oh trust me, when you're at the end of a day (short day, not staying until midnight) and your kids want to swim, you will want to put your feet in that hot tub! LOL Feels sooooo good! LOL

FYI, Mimi's is still walking distance, as is Millie's, just walk out of the Trop, head to your right and you'll hit McDonald's, Millie's and then Mimi's. GREAT food at Mimi's, we love it there!!

I didn't think of just needing comfort for my feet! lol I suppose I better be thinking about which shoes to take for the all-day walking!

That's good to know that those restaurants are so close too. I've heard of Mimis from this board but not Millie's. Will have to google it!

 

[kiwitravel]

I'd go with Tropicanna, very very close and good pool. Not as nice grounds as either HoJos or CCI though.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just an FYI -- the small pool at the HoJo (the one that will be available in July) is larger than either Tropicana's or CCI's pool.

That is such good information! Since I never saw either of the pools during our trip, I didn't know that!

 

[DangerMouse]

To the OP, even though I am one of HoJo's biggest fans, I would probably strongly consider Tropicana (seems like your leaning that way anyway), because (1) there won't be a jacuzzi available at the HoJo during that time; (2) if you are planning on mid-day breaks, Tropicana will be a lot closer for you; (3) Tropicana also has a mini mart I believe and one of the hotels right there just put in a Quizznos (may be Tropicana, but I'm not 100% sure on that).

 

[mermaidwannabe]

To the OP, even though I am one of HoJo's biggest fans, I would probably strongly consider Tropicana (seems like your leaning that way anyway), because (1) there won't be a jacuzzi available at the HoJo during that time; (2) if you are planning on mid-day breaks, Tropicana will be a lot closer for you; (3) Tropicana also has a mini mart I believe and one of the hotels right there just put in a Quizznos (may be Tropicana, but I'm not 100% sure on that).

I hadn't thought about the mid-day breaks as far as how far the hotel was...hmmm....I think maybe I'll make ressies at both right now and then see if the pool will be ready and/or if I can get the ent. rate. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

[bumbershoot]

mermaid, just in case you didn't know, being a Dis member gets you 15% off hojo...

oh great now I've complicated things.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We are staying at the Hojo's in less then a few weeks, even with the main pool being closed. However they gave us the entertainment rate for a Disney View room for our stay, and that pretty much swayed us. If we were paying full price we would have went with the Tropicana. Losing the hot tub was hard on us, we love our hot tub. LOL The Tropicana has a really nice pool and hot tub area, and the location is great. Especially for mid day breaks.

But we just couldn't pass up the disney view room at the great price that we got. I don't think we'll be disappointed. We also booked our last night at the DLH so we could swim and enjoy their hot tub!

 

[stacymomof2]

All I can say (because I have no experience with either hotel) is that next time I WILL be sitting in the hot tub. My legs would have thanked me!

Luckily, my Grandma has a hot tub and we played around in there for a while and my leg soreness vanished!

I will definatly have hot-tub time on my itinerary for next trip!

 

[michelle1]

I am in the same boat and not sure what to do. We have HoJo booked at $134/night which now seems way too much if there is no hot tub but the pool grounds are important to us and some of those closer hotels don't look very appealing. Are the rooms at the Tropicana comparible to HoJo premium?

 

[vossjemi]

mermaid, just in case you didn't know, being a Dis member gets you 15% off hojo...

oh great now I've complicated things.

Is there a code to use?

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I am in the same boat and not sure what to do. We have HoJo booked at $134/night which now seems way too much if there is no hot tub but the pool grounds are important to us and some of those closer hotels don't look very appealing. Are the rooms at the Tropicana comparible to HoJo premium?

Not sure about size wise, but the Tropicana rooms all have microwaves and refrigerators. It was clean, and fine for us.

 

[pixiewings71]

The beds at HoJo are a lot more comfortable, otherwise they are similar rooms. The vanity is outside the shower/toilet area and they are about the same size.