First DL Trip and Hojo Review =)

[ajloops]

First, I'd like to THANK ALL of YOU who commented, gave advice, gave reviews and their two cents. This is such a nice board and will highly recommend to fellow family and friends

It is true... DL is the happiest place on earth!!!! Dude, I'm 30 and I cant even describe the bliss feeling. Its like I'm 5 all over again Maybe my happiness was coming from seeing my 7yr old be happy like theres nothing else in the world existed.

1st day.. MHP on Oct 29, Friday. Oh. My. God. It was packed! After eating dinner at RC at around 6ish, the only thing we managed to do is meet Tinkerbell, watch the parade and HS - Thats it!!! Why? There were so many people we had to save our spots. We wanted good views. Saving spots eliminated us from riding rides! We did meet Tinkerbell but we couldnt find PeterPan and Capt Hook as they were all over the place (couldnt catch them at all!) (DS was dressed as PeterPan) And with the crowds cant really jump from one place to another aaaargh... so we just decided to save our spots for the shows. DS dint even get to do any of the designated trick-or-treat stations But on our way out, that area after the big ghost mickey and just right before the main entrance they have 2 stations with carts full of treats!!! I told them we dint get to trickortreat and I wasnt even done talking and one of the CMs poured my recycled grocery bag(lol) of candies probably about 5 lbs full or maybe even more!!!! Awesome!!!

The Halloween Screams - Just wow. spectacular. Youtube videos of it just dont give justice. One of the best fireworks show Ive seen in my life! I LOVE how they lit the fireworks in time with their upbeat music!! I was literally mesmerizing.. probably drooling too. ROFL

The parade.. It was a bit short. Maybe I was expecting to see more characters..

Rainforest Cafe:
- OK food. Ok service. I was 30mins late for my reservation but I called and said I was gonna be late. They were inconsistent with their policies. The 1st guy I talked to said I have a 15-minute window. If I dont get there within 15mins of my reservation, they'd give it to someone else. 2nd person I talked to said its all fine and that I dont need to worry about being late. Of course I asked for her name to make sure I dont lose my reservation. Sure enough when we got there, the lady rejected my reservation as we were obviously past 15mins late. I then mentioned that I talked to Natalie and told her this lady said we would be ok. Eventually, we got our table 10mins later. (Reason for being late is below). Ok so I wanted this restaurant cuz I know for sure DS (7yr old) will love the moving animals. Tip: If you are reserving for the same reason... please mention you want a table upstairs where all the animals are!!! Our table was on the ground floor and we really didnt see any of their moving monkeys etc (except for a snake right at the entrance). All they have on the ground floor were fish tanks. But DS still enjoyed his meal and was fascinated with the thunder/lightning sound effects. Pretty sure he would have had a better experience if we're on the 2nd floor.

HOJO Review:
Great family hotel. Would go back again to this same hotel on our next trip. One of my minor complaints, which I'm sure is not a big deal to most of you guys, is the walk to DL. Ok so it is an 8minute walk.... NOT. More like 10-15. Maybe if you are briskly walking, and you got long legs and do big steps, you can do it for 8mins. But if you're with kids, with Grams and Gramps AND strolling a baby.. its a different story. Oh and after a long day and night, my son won't even walk from the hub to the exit!! He kept asking Gramps to carry him LOL. Poor kido. So on our second day, we decided to park at the Mickey&Friends parking lot and used the tram - SO MUCH better! You're obviously gonna do a TON of walking inside DL, help your feet and save all that walking inside. And when the day is over.. leaving DL on a smooth ride, with cool breeze running through your hair, looking at tired-but-happy people on the same tram talk about their amazing day is such a wonderful moment. Its part of my DL memories that I will never forget.

We got a premium disney view room. If anyone remember I started a thread weeks ago and asked for room suggestions with a good view of DL w/o the trees covering the balcony. One suggested a rm# I believe her/his name is pigby??? Anyway I did get the room you suggested... ROOM #1613 .... and there is a big tree RIGHT INFRONT of our balcony!!! We were too tired to request another room so we just stayed there. Yes we can still see DL but the tree covered half of our view! Good thing the tree isnt "full" its like half bald lol so it was fair. I would have been ticked off though if it wasnt.

DS enjoyed the Castaway Cove. DH loved the hot tub I enjoyed taking pix of them. Another minor thing is one of their staff who was watching the pool area. She yelled at my son for climbing up the slide.. ya know where you're supposed to use the stairs and not climb back.. so my son did this I wasn't aware ..& all of a sudden, I heard her yell, (she was on top of the slides, my son can very well hear her) so loud at my son "NO CLIMBING UP THE SLIIIIIIIIDESS!!!!!!!!!" and as everyone looked, DS walked away and sat down beside me for a good 5mins and then went on. Obviously its for safety reasons and I am with her on that, but there is no need to yell on top of your lungs and embarrass a kid... specially when the kid you're tryin to get attention from is right across you.

All in all I like Hojo. Very nice and friendly staff (front desk). Their souvenir shop items are cheap if compared to the ones bought inside DL. There's this one blue mickey hat with silver stars on it (the big one) that cost $34 in DL and they have it there for $19. =) Enough said. Buy your souvenir items there.

Anyway the reason for being late at RC is just the time to get there! So from Hojo up until the main gates where they do security bag checks is about 12mins. From there (walking in downtown disney) took us another 15+mins to get to RC!! SO crowded!! Unfortunately wrong timing it was those times when CMs have started letting people, who dint have MHP tickets, out. All of them seemed to be heading to the same direction as we were. That walked seemed like never ending. And at that point I dint know RC is at the very end corner of DD. Sheesh! So walking from Hojo to RC... Long freaking walk!!!


Overall, I enjoyed our very first DL Trip!! I am in love with it so much that I want to move to CA!

Here's a pic of my little Tinkerbell with Tinkerbell herself
It was around 8pm and she fell asleep and dint get to meet her
Still is a cute picture!

and a pic from Hojo's Castaway Cove

 

[HydroGuy]

Nice review. Thanks!

HOJO Review:
Great family hotel. Would go back again to this same hotel on our next trip. One of my minor complaints, which I'm sure is not a big deal to most of you guys, is the walk to DL. Ok so it is an 8minute walk.... NOT. More like 10-15. Maybe if you are briskly walking, and you got long legs and do big steps, you can do it for 8mins. But if you're with kids, with Grams and Gramps AND strolling a baby.. its a different story. Oh and after a long day and night, my son won't even walk from the hub to the exit!! He kept asking Gramps to carry him LOL.

I keep telling people this but kind of get shouted down by the Hojo supporters who insist it is not very far. Hojos is a nice hotel. No doubt about it. It is just about as close to DLR as the DLH and PPH (see "How Far Is It?" www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as) - but still a good hike at a little over half a mile. At night after a long day at DLR the distance back to Hojos transmogrifies into about 5 miles. After our one stay at Hojos we decided a lesser hotel that is closer works better for us.

 

[nana50]

I agree with the walk. I stay at the sheraton and take their shuttle back. If we have to wait a bit, that's o.k. it gives us a chance to look at our souvenirs, or just talk about the day and relax. As I have said before, I'm no fan of HoJo's. The only reason is it looks old. Like something from the early 60's. It is great value for the price. I would rather skip a souvenirr and use the extra money,(40 or 50) and stay at a nicer hotel. This is because I live in San Diego and only come for one or two nights at the most and don't need the souvenirs.

 

[amamax2]

Thanks for the great review - good perspective.

That is interesting about the walk from HOJOs. We have stayed at CCI twice and HOJOs once (staying again end of the month) and, even though mileage-wise I think they are a similar distance, I really felt like the walk was much further to HOJOs. At the time I couldn't decide if the difference was we were more tired that day, the scenery, being across the street, or ? But it definitely seemed much longer.

It won't stop us from staying there, but just an interesting observation...

Re: The Lifeguard...they all seem to do the yelling thing. Not sure if they think the kid can't hear, or just so everyone else can hear, but when we stayed at PPH in May, the lifeguards there handled things the same way. (Not trying to excuse it, just saying...)

 

[billwendy]

Is there any kind of public transportation from the hojo's? Is it like when you come out of EPCOT and have to walk to the POP bus stop? that one always kills me!!!! lol

 

[JH87]

That picture with Tinkerbell is sooo adorable!!!
Glad you had a good time!
I've only eaten at a RC once and it was in San Franciso, the service was not the best there either during my trip and our food was cold...it didn't hlep that the server had lost our order...so we waited well over an hour for our cold food. I am not rushing to get back to any RC anytime soon!

 

[disney-super-mom]

I love the HOJO and have stayed there MANY times and will again in the future I'm sure, but yes, the walk back after a long day at the parks feels more like a death march than a leisurely stroll.

I agree with the PP, all lifeguards yell. It must be how they are trained

Very cute picture with Tinkerbell!

 

[aussiegirls]

We have stayed at the Hojo and to be honest I didn't think the walk was that long. I should add that I didn't time it so it may have been, but it didn't seem to be a hassle at all, and that is with 2 little girls that had to walk the entire time - I don't do carrying

It is also easy to catch the ART too. We did buy ART passes and used it sometimes but not every day. The week pass was pretty cheap (can't remember exactly how much) and if we saw it out the front we just jumped on it and were at DL in about 30 seconds. Same coming back at night, if it was there we jumped on, if not we just walked.

Billwendy, yes there is the ART that will take you from the front of Hojo right up to DLR and return you too.

xxx

 

[Cagirl767]

Oh I totally agree with the walk from Hojo's. It took us like 20 minutes (that's with 2 preschoolers and a stroller).

I agree about RC too. The food is just mediocre.

Love the Tinkerbell picture!

 

[jory29]

We did take Bumbershoot's shortcut from Hojo's to the parks, and back in the afternoon, and I was say it easily shaved 1-2 min. off of our walk back.

We always stop at McD's in the evening on the way 'home' to Hojo's... maybe that's why the walk is so easy. It was easy even for our 4 year old (now 8.)

I do find that the more often we have made trips, the less of a walk it seems.

When thinking of the walking you will do allll day looooong in the park, the walk back is Mickey Mouse to us, lol.

But yeah, it can seem to transmorgify at times, as another poster mentioned such as if you have a blister etc. LOL!

The Tinkerbell photo is a must-frame print and keep on your wall at home. That is waaaaay too cute!!! Your DD will love that print, and will cherish it in the years to come.

 

[dizneedoll]

You can shave about 5 min off the HOJO walk by crossing Harbor at Manchester and then cutting through the first driveway you come to (that would be the one with the no pedestrian sign..do it anyway) because right around the corner is a sidewalk then you can just cut up across the bus transport area. If you walk all the way down Harbor and then cross with the masses at the light in front of IHOP, then yeah that will take forever.

 

[skiingfast]

Interesting perspective. It sounds very truthful about the Hojo. All hotels strive for excellence and if the Hojo met that it would be called the Ritz.

I think it is mostly oversold by the Dis. It's not paradise. The pool is excellent for kids, despite the rude enounter there, but that is the only thing that is clearly better about the rest of Harbor Drive. Not everyone uses that pool and other things at a hotel matter.

 

[stormys]

Here's a pic of my little Tinkerbell with Tinkerbell herself
It was around 8pm and she fell asleep and dint get to meet her
Still is a cute picture!

Very nice photo, my 2.5yo DD loves and would like to know her in person, Where do I can find ?

 

[ajloops]

You can shave about 5 min off the HOJO walk by crossing Harbor at Manchester and then cutting through the first driveway you come to (that would be the one with the no pedestrian sign..do it anyway) because right around the corner is a sidewalk then you can just cut up across the bus transport area. If you walk all the way down Harbor and then cross with the masses at the light in front of IHOP, then yeah that will take forever.

Huh??? I dint know this!! Is this even legal to do? I mean it says no pedestrian sign???

 

[ajloops]

Very nice photo, my 2.5yo DD loves and would like to know her in person, Where do I can find ?

Pixie Hollow!!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

We went to DL for the first time a couple of weeks ago and stayed at the Hojo.

We liked the Hojo a lot. The rooms were very large and two adjoining rooms worked well. We were in building 4 so we cut across the parking to Manchester and took the entrance that the PP talked about. It was a very easy walk, and we had seniors to toddlers with us.

In all honesty, we didn't spend much time at the hotel. Since it was our first DL trip we did it commando style...not stopping for a break the first two days. We loved DL...it has a charm and maturity unlike WDW. So many of the rides were better and the parks were so easy to navigate. We loved not having to worry about buses!

I would say the food isn't as good, nor the service. We had a few bad CM experiences also.

Can't wait to return next month though. Now that we live on the west coast, we will definately consider DL our NEW home park!

 

[kiwitravel]

The walking time has always been a hot potato here for both CCI and Hojos... Some designate reaching DL as arriving at the resort sign on Harbor, while others designate leaving the hotel as from the outside the hotel on the street...

Then some power walk and others are more leisurely... This trip we saved a $1000 and stayed at Best Value Inn at Katella which was a 14 to 16 minute walk from our room to the Security check, I wouldn't want to stay any further away but for us it was so worth it for the money. There is no hotel that is nearer than 5 min (GCH) and the closest hotels on Harbor are 5 to 7 minute depending on Crosswalk timing and where your room is in the hotel. CCI and Hojos are 10 to 12 min minimum once again depending on crosswalk timings (both have them) and where your room is in the hotel. When comparing walk times it is safe to say that Hojos and CCI are twice the walk time of the nearest Harbor Hotels and GCH.... Bout the same as DLH and PP, no big deal if fit but may be an issue for the young and old...

 

[Amy&Dan]

OP, thank you for your review, omg I love the Tinkerbelle picture! So cute, that is just exactly what Disneyland is all about.

I am so sad to hear MHT was so crowded, I so wish Disney would not sell so many tickets to those hard ticket events. We had this same thing happen at WDW on the 26th, MNSSHP was packed, I swear every year they sell more tickets and it gets more packed. But its stil fun, you had the right attitude to concentrate on the fireworks and parade and luckily the cm's gave you the candy you paid for!

I too am a hojo lover that finds that walk less than a stroll. At the end of a long day, yeah, its not fun, esp as you pass by several other hotels. However, the grounds, pool, staff, gift shop and the nice oversized rooms make up for it. But I'd love to see them put in their own dedicated shuttle like the CCI and Sheraton each have.

So glad you trip was awesome, you are now officially hooked, welcome to the club! Our first trip to DL was in late October of 2003, we have now since logged 12 more trips to DL and 15 to WDW! It all starts with that first trip.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Nice review. Thanks!

I keep telling people this but kind of get shouted down by the Hojo supporters who insist it is not very far. Hojos is a nice hotel. No doubt about it. It is just about as close to DLR as the DLH and PPH (see "How Far Is It?" www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as) - but still a good hike at a little over half a mile. At night after a long day at DLR the distance back to Hojos transmogrifies into about 5 miles. After our one stay at Hojos we decided a lesser hotel that is closer works better for us.

Yeah Trey, I think you and I have gotten chastised together more than once on this issue! Even though I love the Hojo and gave it a great review. Now that my kids are older its fine, but back when dd was younger and we had my fil with us, it was a deal breaker and drove us to the BWPPI and the Tropicana even though the Hojo is so much nicer in so many ways than those (which I enjoyed very much and recommend all the time).

I think the difference for me on the walk to hojo vs. PPH and DLH is that I am walking up a busy city street vs. walking up DTD. A few times when my kids were younger we'd stop on a bench and rest if they got tired, can't do that on the way to the Hojo. Just less to look at and be distracted by as well.

 

[raftislander]

That is interesting about the walk from HOJOs. We have stayed at CCI twice and HOJOs once (staying again end of the month) and, even though mileage-wise I think they are a similar distance, I really felt like the walk was much further to HOJOs. At the time I couldn't decide if the difference was we were more tired that day, the scenery, being across the street, or ? But it definitely seemed much longer.

I so agree with this comment. The walk from CCI just seems easier even though the distance is the same. It must be due to not having to cross Harbor and being better separated from traffic.