Carousel--ok but not as great as expected. My review...

[imjen]

Dh and I (& our 3 munchkins) stayed at The Carousel during our trip last week. I was not overly impressed with this hotel. I had requested early check in and was told since they were not booked the night before this should not be a problem. Got there around 1:30 pm, waited around awhile and when still not ready at 2:00 we left for DL with our stuff in our car. We came back around 8 pm and arrived to a room that did not look at all like the pictures on their website. Old, yucky carpet, and cramped quarters with the walkway to the bathroom completely blocked by the roll-away. They assured me we had a larger room and there was plenty of room for it, but I would not call that space "plenty". My bed was hard and I did not sleep well on it. The tub did not seem very clean with yucky white stuff in it. We requested another room in the morning but was told all the other rooms available were too small for a roll-away. They must have been tiny then 'cause it barely fit in ours!

As luck would have it, we found out that FIL had booked connecting rooms for younger SIL and BIL in our hotel! And he had a really nice suite at the Marriott with several beds that were not in use. So we ended up taking the connecting rooms (which were updated with hardwood floors and had better mattresses) and they stayed with him in his suite. Our situation there greatly improved!! The bed was more comfortable too but still not as wonderful as I had heard. Now the only main negative was the breakfast. It was not good! Flavorless croissants, a pastry, apples, oranges, toast, and hard boiled eggs. Apple juice, orange juice, and coffee were the drinks offered.

I don't think I will try this hotel again, unless I get a super great deal on the connecting "newer" rooms and keep in mind that breakfast isn't all it's advertised to be. I've heard it's a better breakfast than some of the other hotels, but the pickings were so slim, I can't imagine how much slimmer it can get. Maybe I don't want to know!

I did a more extensive trip report, including MHT in the Trip Reports section if interested. See link in my siggie.

 

[kiwitravel]

Thanks for the update... We are going in 2009, while I won't cross it off my "list" I certainly won't be so determined to stay there again. I got the feeling from TA reports that the breakfast had gone downhill from last year good to get DIS boarder perspective. The breakfast still sounds better than the Tropicannas next door though.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thank you for the information!

 

[IASWAM]

Our trip to the Carousel was similar (June 2006). The first room we were given was way down at the end of the building. When we walked in, there were dirty glasses sitting on the floor, and the comforter on one of the beds had a huge stain on it . We immediately went to the front desk and complained, so they switched our room right then (plus there was a Mickey Mouse mug full of candy in our room when we came back from the park ). Second room was closer to the front (better) but the beds were not comfortable. Our air conditoning quit working one night, and I had to fix it myself so we wouldn't roast to death. They were building the Subway at the time, so it was very noisy during the day, not to mention a little difficult to manuver around the front of the building. The rooms looked way nicer on their website than in real life. Of course this was a year and a half ago, so things could be different. I also agree with the comment about the breakfast. Although it was free, it wasn't much.

 

[CoolPool]

Which type of room did have? I'm thinking of booking a suite (2b/2bath) so if they are in poor shape I don't want to be there....

 

[Vanvmom]

I'd like to know too, as we are going there next month, and the rooms sound like a much lower quality than previous reviews I've read.

 

[imjen]

Which type of room did have? I'm thinking of booking a suite (2b/2bath) so if they are in poor shape I don't want to be there....

The first room was a standard room with 2 Qs. It was in the back building (facing the hotel from the street) on the right hand side (the side with Quiznos). The connecting rooms we switched to were in the front building on the right hand side. Those rooms were fine but the beds still were not the greatest and be prepared for the crappy breakfast. I would just make sure you tell them you will only be happy with the newer rooms with the hardwood floor. Oh, I forgot, my SIL had another room booked there as well, at about the middle of the building on the left (where the lobby is) and she said her room smelled like cigarette smoke and could not stay there.

 

[CoolPool]

Thank you imjen. Yikes I hope the suites are in good shape. I wonder where they are in the motel.

 

[teacups]

I have to say that we just stayed there 4 nights and I wasnt impressed either. I do have to say that the walking distance is awesome... compared to the DLH thatw e stayed at last trip. This place is literally right across the street. So, that is a plus. It's also conencted to a Quizno's and a MCdonalds is next door. Also pluses. But the room was small, cramped and dirty. We called about a leak in our ceiling and they sent a guy to look at it who said it was no big deal. I just hoped it wasnt from the upstairs toilet! Honestly, all we did was fall flat on our faces from fatigue anyway. So, take some Lysol wipes if you go and dont plan on the free breakfast being much. It isnt. But, the walk is really nice. It all depends on what is most important to you. Take Lysol wipes, seriously. Not filthy... but certainly not clean.

 

[CoolPool]

Okay - I spoke with the motel on the phone and they said all suites are renovated. Just closing a loop I left open here.

 

[imjen]

I just remembered...another thing I didn't like and it's good to point out...is the towels. They were so scratchy and awful. Very rough feeling. Some of the worst towels I've ever had at a hotel. Both rooms had these yucky towels and when they were replaced each day they were the same quality. Just another FYI!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Yikes! I thought they had renovated all the rooms? Guess not!

We almost stayed there in June but decided against it because of the small pool on the roof and that the parking was all under the hotel. Just didn't seem like it had very much grounds to the place. But I had heard good things about the rooms and breakfasts. Oh well! LOL

We ended up staying next door at the Tropicana. We like it, and will stick with staying there. The breakfast there is also quite small, but I don't expect much for free.

 

[kiwitravel]

Our trip to the Carousel was similar (June 2006). The first room we were given was way down at the end of the building. When we walked in, there were dirty glasses sitting on the floor, and the comforter on one of the beds had a huge stain on it I also agree with the comment about the breakfast. Although it was free, it wasn't much.

We were there in late June last year too, we had a really good stay. IMO the key thing with hotels is not they get everything right, but how they fix things when they go wrong. Our airconditioner start leaking water inside and they had someone up straight away. We found the staff there really helpful, the hotel was not perfect but for the price we found it was excellent value.

From our experience I would stay again, but thats not to say I would consider BWPPI, Tropicanna, Park Vue or Camelot (The closest hotels) if their prices were better.

 

[Disneyluvr2]

I stayed at the Carousel for the first time a couple of weeks ago and probably won''t go back either. Our room was nice...one of the newer ones with wood floors, but like mentioned before...the breakfast was horrid! We only ate there once and I thought it was bad because we got there about 1/2 an hour before breakfast was over. I thought for sure all the good stuff was already gone... but I guess not! We've always stayed at the Park Vue Inn and will return there from now on. Their breakfasts are wonderful compaired to Carousel! They have cold cereal, muffins, pastries, toast, waffles and fruit.

 

[jocotter]

We stayed at both the Desert Inn and Suites and the Carousel Inn on the same trip 2 years ago. The DI&S's rooms were larger and newly painted and carpeted and we were happy there. I didn't feel that the Carousel was as well maintained or clean. The wall paper on the wall had a big rip in it and the room was smaller. At the time the Carousel had great reviews and the DI just OK reviews on Tripadviser. I wished we hadn't changed to the Carousel based on the reviews midweek.

 

[casaazul]

We were there Sept 2005. The room we had was great. Now I am thinking we may need to reconsider our March 2008 trip. I need to be within walking distance, as we will have no car.

How is the HoJo these days?

 

[kiwitravel]

We were there Sept 2005. The room we had was great. Now I am thinking we may need to reconsider our March 2008 trip. I need to be within walking distance, as we will have no car.

How is the HoJo these days?

We were there last year, certainly the rooms were a little "tired" but they were renovating them at the time. Other than that we really liked our stay and definitely would stay again. We are going to get quotes from BWPPI, Tropicanna, Camelot, Park Vue and Carousel on our next trip. We like to be close!!!