Candy Cane Inn or HOJO's?

[mermaidwannabe]

I've narrowed down my hotel to the Candy Cane or Hojo's. The most important things for us would be clean room, nice pool, and walking distance.
Anyone have a favorite? Also, we'll have a rental car but not sure if we would even need to use while we're there.

I'm thinking we would stay there for four nights with three days being spent between DL and DCA. My DDs will be 10, 7 and 4.5. Is this enough time? I was just trying to utilize the City Pass since we'll be going to San Diego area for a week.

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[hlbtimes2]

Both properties are good. Hojo's is a bit bigger, with a larger pool. Candy cane includes breakfast, which helps cut down food costs. Candy cane also has a free shuttle if you dont feel like walking. Hojo's is on the ART line if you dont feel like walking. You wouldnt want to drive to the park from either one. I dont think you would be disappointed in either property.

 

[familyoffiveAZ]

Are there four of you going or five?

I've never stayed at CCI, but hear the rooms are quite small. Some say it's almost too tight a fit for four; I'd imagine five (even with some kids) would be awful then.

HOJOs, on the other hand, I have stayed at. We had an upgraded room which was very spacious -- at least twice as much space as CCI appears to have. But again, that was an upgrade. From the floor plans and pics they show on their website, it seems like it would be more suitable for five.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

We are a family of five (DH, myself, and three DDs, the youngest will be 4.5). Although I don't think we'll be in the room too much, I'll have to check out the sizes and upgraded rooms as well (as long as it isn't too much moolah!!)

I like that breakfast is included and the free shuttle. I haven't seen many pics of either yet. I need to check out the pools and rooms.

Thanks!!

 

[colbybug]

Since there are going to be five of you, I'm pretty sure you'd want the larger room at the Candy Cane if you choose to stay there.

Kathy

 

[disnut8]

I had the same dilemma for our 25th wedding anniversary in January, 2007. Pondered and pondered. I just booked the Howard Johnson's. Reason being I could get a nice Disney view room for a decent price. Candy Cane Inn looked great and is probably a closer walk but we are Disney World veterans and, trust me, we walk a heck of a lot while there. A friend equated the walk from Howard Johnson to the entrance of the parks and we walk further at Disney World from where we park the car to where we enter Epcot. I liked both grounds, though. I'm happy with my choice and I think either one would be fine.

 

[mamacatnv]

Personally I like the HoJo's having stayed there a few years back. We had a ground floor room with a small patio that was literally right above the hot tub. We liked the location as the kids could play in the pool and we didn't have to sit by the pool, we could view them from our room. Our room was bigger than what we get at the Value Resorts at WDW and if I remember correctly it had a microwave, coffe pot and fridge. The walk is easy to Main Gate and we just ate at the coffee shop about 1/2 block up the street.(can't remember the name) also there was a IHOP within a block of the hotel. All walkable.

Have fun

MamaCatNV

 

[colbybug]

sorry!

 

[pixleyyy]

We stayed at the HoJo last week and I must warn you that if you are going anytime soon that they are doing construction on the hotel. We were awake at 8am every morning, whether we wanted to be or not.

On the "enough time" question, I will mention that we were there with 5 day parkhoppers and didn't get to see everything at the parks, even though the crowds were light. We would have spent more days there had we known. You may look into the kids play free w/adult admission through getawaytoday.com (if you're traveling before May). This way you could get more days and at a better price.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Well, it sounds like either way, we'd be fine...I'll check out the prices of the bigger rooms.

Thanks for your input on the amount of time; we will be going in June (of next year), so it will be busy, I imagine. I didn't think three days would be enough. I just really wanted to use that CityPass. Maybe I'll find a different deal by then. It's hard to know how much time we'll need when we haven't been there, but the longer, the better at Disney, right?

 

[LucyKate]

We had a Disney view room at HoJo and thought it superb value - rooms are big, and easily took our 4 - there was certainly room for an extra bed if we'd had a 3rd child.

The walk was about 10 minutes with a very slight downhill grade to the park (so slight uphill on the way home) along a very wide, well lit and busy (therefore safe) boulevarde that passed McDonalds, Ihop, Milli's and Mimi's restauants. Mimi's across the road from the HoJo had superb breakfasts, but was busy, so book.

The poll was heated and the kids loved it. There was a small games room and a small shop with everything you could want. Rooms were nice, beds and pillows good, though bathrooms were small. Just make sure you have a room that faces away from the freeway.

We had a 5 day pass at a very slack time, and went there 4 days (wtih a day in LA) and saw just about everything we wanted to see - 5 days would have been perfect.

 

[familyoffiveAZ]

Had another thought about the CCI. If I remember reading correctly, the pool has some mighty extended hours (open til midnight maybe?)......which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. Late swimming for the kids if they're not unwound enough by bedtime or possibility for noise if your room is near the pool.

I don't remember what kind of hours HOJOs had for their pools (two separate locations throughout the grounds). Am also not sure how close a room you would get to the pool, noise levels, etc.

 

[spazzyjazzy]

Hojo!!

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Where is the candy cane? I'm looking at the map on this site http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Default.asp
but I can't find the candy cane.

 

[carolina_yankee]

We stayed at HoJo in a DL View room last summer after considering CCI. The deciding factor for us was a larger property and larger rooms. Ultimately, HoJo had the best rates, too, which we got through Mousesavers. The staff were very friendly and responsive to emails for special requests. What impressed me was that the manager always posts on TripAdvisor anytime a customer has a problem with their stay to work it out.
The HoJo website has plenty of information including room layouts and virtual tours:
http://www.hojoanaheim.com/

Having said that, here's what we noticed: I-5 is VERY close to the building. The rooms on that side are supposed to be very soundproof, but if it's a concern, let them know.

Rooms are spacious and there are various configuration to satisfy most families. You can book a specific configuration.

There is no decent food on site. The gift store selections were barely 1 step above junk food. However, Mimi's is right next door (which is great for a big meal - and they do carryout) or you walk past McDonald's and another sit-down on the way to the parks.

Rooms have a fridge. We signed up with Albertson's online and got free delivery on our first (and only!) order of beverages, snack foods, breakfast items, coffee, etc. The items were already in the room and the sodas in the fridge when got in (10 pm).

The walk itself is probably identical from both resorts, and, honestly, might not be much longer than some parts of the Disneyland Hotel!

Everything felt very safe, even at 1 AM.
Good luck!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Hi Carolina Yankee (love the name ),

GREAT info! I will check out that website and especially liked your info about the "soundproof" rooms, feeling safe (very important), MiMi's since we don't eat McD's, and the Albertsons. I also didn't know Hojos could be booked through Mousesavers, so thank you to who posted that.

 

[ZeusNike]

Having stayed at both, I would choose the CCI. It was really lovely. Nice pool/hot tub area, good breakfast, very comfy beds, very clean, easy access to laundry, lots of amenities nearby, free shuttle, easy walking distance etc.

I read a mention about the rooms being small. We booked 7 regular rooms recently and 6 of the were as large as any reguar hotel room I have stayed in but one was downright tiny. There was only a mom and her DH in it so it didn't matter. That might be something to ask about when booking there.

In answer to where it is: on the same side of Harbour as DL, turn right as you exit the gates and it is before you come to Katella.

 

[tallpkb]

We've stayed at Hojo's, but unfortunately, even with a nice room, we were right next to the freeway, so we didn't get much sleep the entire time we were there! Willie offerred to move us, but we really didn't want to go through all of that for the three days we were there.