If you book a package with tickets through Disney can you still get the discount, or is it only when you book directly through HoJo??
Only when you book through them. Not with a package deal.
Wow, I've heard about this entertainment card rate for Hojo, but I just clicked on this link and saw what the discount rate is. I didn't know it's as low as $59 per night. Hojo is a little farther than I'd like to walk, but at that rate I might reconsider.
That link listed dates at the bottom. Are those the dates the entertainment card rate is available? Some months, like Oct 2010 and Jan 2011 barely have any dates listed. Is that because they don't have many rooms available (in October) or it's too far out to project (in Jan)? If I buy the Entertainment book, it would only be for this discount...but I don't want to buy it only to find out that when we get closer to booking my trip in May, that the rate doesn't apply to those dates.
Yes the dates are when the rate is available
at this exact moment. Dates can be added right up until the day, and dates will be taken off. So if you see your dates up, make the reservation, b/c they might be taken down tomorrow.
They don't take payment up front, so if you see your dates, MAKE the reservation, even if you weren't planning on booking it yet. Don't wait! There's simply no need to wait.
October is a busy time, with Columbus Day, Gay Days, and I believe that tons of Utah people come b/c their schools are out for the big Utah education thing. So they aren't going to have dates up for the Ent rate yet, because they have many people booking already. But I'm SURE that they will offer some, because they did last year (we went for my b'day aka Columbus Day, stayed onsite using DVC points, but I kept checking HoJo just to see).
It's *maybe* 10 minutes to walk from the sidewalk, if you walk on the correct side (the parks side, NOT the hotel side, of Harbor) and take the little cut through where the taxis sit. When I stayed at Carousel, it was 5-7 minutes depending on crosswalk lights...so it's really not all that long.
If you book a reservation there, you can do it now and then later add the Ent Rate if it comes up. If it comes up, then you can order the Ent book (though don't cut it TOO short!). The books renew in November of each year, so if you are staying in May, the book that will be out in a couple months is the one you want. All you need is the *card* from the book, so if a friend of yours has the book, you can borrow their card, or even buy a card from a seller on ebay. It just needs to be from the book that's current at the time of the stay. And you'll just need that at checkin, NOT before.
For the newbies to the hojo entertainment rate, to get it on your reservation, call the LOCAL number, 407 area code, call during Pacific time business hours (not even during lunchtime!) and before noon on Saturday, ask for InHouse Reservations. They are the ONLY ones who can give you the great ent rate...if you call the 800 number (or if you call during non-business hours and are shunted to the 800# operators), if if you book via the entertainment website, you're not going to be offered the special Anaheim rate.