DLH or Hojo's?

[princesskayla]

I am just back from a short trip to DL for a nursing class. I got to spend a little time at DL and stayed at HoJo's. Loved HoJo's, it was very nice and the room was huge! I stayed in tower 2 on the top floor. Not a great location but it wasn't very loud.

I took the Disneyland shuttle from LAX - will never do that again!- and I got off at DLH to check out the area. I was so disappointed!! Blue walls everywhere. I was not expecting the blue walls in the front of the building. This has almost made me want to change hotels. I have even made "checking-in outfits" that match the decor of DLH.

I don't want to have pictures of my kiddos in front of blue walls and I don't want to spend so much money for the ambience of blue walls.

However, I am torn because I am going on Disney Cruise after our Disneyland trip and I want everything to be Disney. Ho Jo's is not Disney.

Soooo, what would you do?

Spend the money to stay at DLH with blue walls or save about $100 a night and stay at HoJo's in a kids suite facing the highway?

 

[Samantha_Mommy]

I haven't stayed at either one...will be staying at Hojo's this January coming. Personally for me I would save the money and spend it elsewhere.

the outfit you made is great!

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

If you don't think HOJO is Disney. Would it be possible for you to switch to the PP or The Grand? It seems from your post that being all Disney is the most important thing.

The outfit is adorable! Can you just take pictures inside the lobby of the DLH? They have the Mickey and Minnie statues. I don't know if the blue walls are around the front entrance but that would make a great picture too. You may not just get as many pictures as you thought which is a bummer.

 

[rentayenta]

PPH or GCH. Both Disney and feel Disney. Cute dress.

 

[ldagenhart]

OP - what didn't you like about the Disney Express or Shuttle? Is that the "big bus" one? Disneyland Express Shuttle or something?

I ask because we are going to DL in two weeks and had planned on taking the Disneyland Express to PPH.

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[princesskayla]

If you don't think HOJO is Disney. Would it be possible for you to switch to the PP or The Grand? It seems from your post that being all Disney is the most important thing.

The outfit is adorable! Can you just take pictures inside the lobby of the DLH? They have the Mickey and Minnie statues. I don't know if the blue walls are around the front entrance but that would make a great picture too. You may not just get as many pictures as you thought which is a bummer.

Thanks for the compliments on the dress. My husband thinks I am super crazy.

Anyhoo - The stupid blue walls are at the front entrance to the hotel.
I expected them around the pool, just not at the main entrance. It is kind of a bummer when you are a Disney World gal going for the same "price level" as Poly or WL(our favorite) You pull up to the resort expecting Disney magic/atmosphere/ambience/ and you get blue walls.

Maybe I should just upgrade to GC and be done with it. I guess we could save DLH for the next trip.

I am just frustrated at Dl in general for the walls thing. It seemed as if the walls around the renovations were an afterthought. I about died when I saw black trap over a building in CA. Tacky, tacky...In WDW at least the walls were made to semi fit in. Especially when they refribed Main Street. All the traps were screen printed to look like the real thing. That is what sets Disney from the other amusment parks. DL just doesn't have that extra step.

 

[princesskayla]

OP - what didn't you like about the Disney Express or Shuttle? Is that the "big bus" one? Disneyland Express Shuttle or something?

I ask because we are going to DL in two weeks and had planned on taking the Disneyland Express to PPH.

http://www.***********************/tickers/2ppq5be1fegaqjs6.png

Yes, it was the big bus one (Disneyland Express). There was nothing express about it. I got to the boarding area at 8:15. Just missing the the previous bus. I waited til 9:05 to catch the next one. I got on the bus but we did not leave the airport area until 9:55. Not even out of the airport complex. We finally got to our first stop at 10:45. That was DLH. We sat in the DLH parking lot for another 20 mins waiting for some people to get on, others to get off, the bus driver to talk to various people and the ticket person to take all the money. I finally asked the bus driver when exactly I would get to my hotel. He said it would be another 30 to 45 mins. Ummm..no thank you. I promptly got off an walked from DLH to HoJo's. So after landing in LAX at 8:05. I fainlly made it to my hotel at 11:30. That is entirely too long for me. I would rather spend extra money and get a cab or rent a shuttle or limo.

 

[skiingfast]

The DLH construction is advancing to its end quickly. While it will be done within two months your trip will come before then. It's possible the number of wall will be much reduced.

If you are still concerned see if your rate is close to that of the GCH and switch over. If not consider the PPH who's rate should be less than the DLH.

 

[skiingfast]

I am just frustrated at Dl in general for the walls thing. It seemed as if the walls around the renovations were an afterthought. I about died when I saw black trap over a building in CA. Tacky, tacky...In WDW at least the walls were made to semi fit in. Especially when they refribed Main Street. All the traps were screen printed to look like the real thing. That is what sets Disney from the other amusment parks. DL just doesn't have that extra step.

DLR does the same thing as WDW with themed tarps.

What you saw was not a screen during a refurbishment but a tarp over new construction. The final building is yet to be seen so it doesn't have it's own special tarp revealing what it will look like. This would take away from the magic as it wouldn't be a surprise later.

Sorry you were not aware of the construction at DLR prior to your visit.

 

[smiles33]

Beautiful dress! Wow, I would TOTALLY buy something like that for my girls (I can't sew at all). Do you have an etsy store? how did you get the embroidered Disney castle on there?

Anyhow, sorry, back to your original question. I think it's tough to compare on-site to HoJo as they offer differ advantages. If you want to be immersed in Disney the entire time, then on-site is the way to go.

Personally, I do love DLR but I am always out to get the most bang for my buck and I would be disappointed with DLH while under construction. If the choice is just these two (assuming GCH and PPH are either out of budget or off the list for other reasons), I personally would choose HoJo. I LOVE their Kids' Suite and plan to stay there every time we go to DLR in the future until DDs are old enough to not need a suite (DD2 won't sleep if we're in the same room and even this past trip, stayed up 3 hours past her bedtime because DD5 was on the bunk bed above her).

Eventually, I would love to stay at GCH but otherwise I plan to skip PPH and DLH in favor of HoJo.

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

I was at WDW when they were doing the Main Street refurb. I did like the tarps. They were really cool.

I'd say if you are looking for a Disney experience the whole time I'd book the GCH and be done with it.

I've stayed at HoJo and I just don't think you'll be happy with a freeway facing kid's suite. I liked Hojo. It was nice but it wasn't Disney. But for me I spend almost no time in the hotel at all so it wasn't a big deal.

I have also stayed at DLH and loved it. They weren't renovating though. I loved the feel of never having to leave Disney property. The walk through DTD at night with the lights and music was so cool.

If Disney feel is important I'd go with a Disney hotel.

 

[DizMe]

I would say that the blue walls would be only a small part of your vacation experience, including your time at the hotel. How much time are you going to spend outside the hotel? I do understand, as I myself switched to GCH from our DLH reservation because I didn't want to pay extra for a premium view room only to be looking at pool construction. I did request a DTD view but there is no guarantee that is what you'll get and it's also what everyone else wants right now. But I've really been unsure about that decision because we really do love DLH and my kids were dying to see the new headboards and try out the waterslides. I stayed at DLH last year when the hotel was undergoing renovation, and our whole tower was walled off. Not only that, but inside the tower itself, half was blocked off on each floor by a curtain. You could go past the curtain and see, but there was no one staying on that half because it was undergoing renovation (they did half of the tower at a time). Nevertheless, it was an awesome trip. Our room was one of the first to be reno'd and our view was beautiful--we looked down on the pool area. The construction did not impact us much at all and we got a great room for a standard rate.

I know it's a bummer to be looking at construction walls, but IMO it still beats Hojo. Hojo is ok if that's all you want to spend but I will only stay there when I have no money for onsite. I would never willingly give up DLH for Hojo, even with construction walls, but that's not a fault of HJ but its location. I hate Harbor and I don't like that walk...not because of the distance but because of the street itself. The hotel itself is a very nice budget hotel with a great water play area and can be a definite bargain when the Ent. rates are in effect. I'm kind of spoiled now, though, and don't really want budget hotels anymore.

 

[princesskayla]

The DLH construction is advancing to its end quickly. While it will be done within two months your trip will come before then. It's possible the number of wall will be much reduced.

If you are still concerned see if your rate is close to that of the GCH and switch over. If not consider the PPH who's rate should be less than the DLH.

That would be good if the walls were reduced. I am going to keep my reservation and cancel it if need be. I am crossing my fingers that they will closer to being done.

I would say that the blue walls would be only a small part of your vacation experience, including your time at the hotel. How much time are you going to spend outside the hotel? I do understand, as I myself switched to GCH from our DLH reservation because I didn't want to pay extra for a premium view room only to be looking at pool construction. I did request a DTD view but there is no guarantee that is what you'll get and it's also what everyone else wants right now. But I've really been unsure about that decision because we really do love DLH and my kids were dying to see the new headboards and try out the waterslides. I stayed at DLH last year when the hotel was undergoing renovation, and our whole tower was walled off. Not only that, but inside the tower itself, half was blocked off on each floor by a curtain. You could go past the curtain and see, but there was no one staying on that half because it was undergoing renovation (they did half of the tower at a time). Nevertheless, it was an awesome trip. Our room was one of the first to be reno'd and our view was beautiful--we looked down on the pool area. The construction did not impact us much at all and we got a great room for a standard rate.

I know it's a bummer to be looking at construction walls, but IMO it still beats Hojo. Hojo is ok if that's all you want to spend but I will only stay there when I have no money for onsite. I would never willingly give up DLH for Hojo, even with construction walls, but that's not a fault of HJ but its location. I hate Harbor and I don't like that walk...not because of the distance but because of the street itself. The hotel itself is a very nice budget hotel with a great water play area and can be a definite bargain when the Ent. rates are in effect. I'm kind of spoiled now, though, and don't really want budget hotels anymore.

Thanks for your input. This is our first Disney cruise and by far the most money we have EVER spent on vacation. I want to make sure I don't reget any choices especially over a couple hundred dollars. I think I am going to bite the bullet, cancel HoJo's and book GC. That way I have a room at either resort and I can make my decision closer to the date when construction might have slowed down a bit. I hope to spend a little more time at the hotel - we bought annual passes, so this will not be my only chance to see DL. I am very much looking forward to the end of all the construction next year.

Positives for DL: Loved Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and Port Orleans Square. The Little Mermaid was spectacular.

 

[princesskayla]

Beautiful dress! Wow, I would TOTALLY buy something like that for my girls (I can't sew at all). Do you have an etsy store? how did you get the embroidered Disney castle on there?

Thanks for that! I did once upon a time have an Esty store - but I have been way to busy to sell in the last 2 years. I barely have enough time to sew for my 3 kiddos. I have an embroidery machine and software that will transform clipart to embroidery designs. I love to sew Disney themed clothes and that is why I taught myself to sew.