Help.. I need opinion to decide between three hotels.

[Self-Rescuing Princess]

Hi everyone.

So we are coming in for D23 and staying until the 19 to which we then head to san Diego for comic Con. MY question is which of these three would you stay at. We have reservations at the tropicana, HOJO, and Candy Cane. MY hubby says he doesn't care, so it leaves me to decide and I have been reading until my eyes are crossing. We have a 7 year old. No mobility issues. Have stayed at the Tropicana and except for not liking their parking sitch, no issues. We are not in the rooms much.

Please if you have any opinions about recents stays.....

Whats the Breakfast like at the Candy Cane? Is it worth it? How is the shuttle at the end of the night?

Thanks for you time....

 

[Malcon10t]

We love the Candy Cane. Breakfast has a large variety of items. We make sure we get hard boiled eggs, cheese, there is also cereals, toast, muffins, bagels, fruit, milk juice, donuts, and more. The shuttle runs ON TIME. One thing my kids love. It leaves the front of the hotel on the hour and 30s. It leaves DL parking area on the 15 and 45. If you are getting to the parking lot at 10 after, the bus will be there. 20 mins after, you will either wait or walk (it is only about a 10 min walk.) No guessing.

Last stay was April 19.

 

[SMD]

I would do Tropicana on the park days and try to get closer than Candy Cane for the D23 days. I've done SDCC more than 10 times and I've done DLR in the same week and it's an insane amount of walking. You'll walk and stand much more in a day at SDCC than either of the other 2. You're essentially doing 10 very long days of walking and standing. I'd go through great efforts to minimize any time on my feet I could.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I have stayed at all three but strongly prefer HOJO and have stayed there most often over the years. Walking distance, HOJO and Candy Cane are actually about the same. You just don't have to cross the street if you stay at Candy Cane. The shuttle at Candy Cane is a nice extra perk and we used it sometimes since our boys were little when we stayed there. I do remember the shuttle being rather packed at the end of the day. We mostly preferred to walk. Candy Cane always offered a very nice continental breakfast that my kids really enjoyed. I find the beds at HOJO the most comfortable of your 3 choices, and among the most comfortable hotel beds I have experienced in general. It comes down to which amenities rank as most important for you. If it were me, and all prices were comparable, I would choose HOJO first, Candy Cane second, and Tropicana last. My priorities are comfort, cleanliness, walkable distance, and spaciousness of the room in that order. Nice to have are free parking and great customer service which both HOJO and Candy Cane have offered in my experiences. Our family doesn't rank an included breakfast, shuttle, or pool or water park amenities as necessary or even strongly desirable these days, so those don't factor in for us.

HOJO
spacious rooms
quieter rooms available
comfortable beds
clean
free parking
walkable distance
good customer service
water play area
nice pool
near Mimi's and Panera
no included breakfast

Candy Cane Inn
smaller rooms
have had difficulty finding quiet rooms
beds only ok
clean
free parking
walkable distance + shuttle
good customer service
parking lot pool but well kept and effort has been made to make it appear nice
short walk to Garden Walk
included continental breakfast, better than many you see in other motels

Tropicana Inn
average room size to my recollection. also remember the room being unpleasantly dark rather than bright and welcoming
a bit noisy for my tastes
beds ok
cleanliness was so-so for our visit but in-laws have stayed multiple times and had few complaints
i don't think parking is free anymore
very close walkable distance
our customer service experience was poor but have not tried often enough to know what the norm is
parking lot pool
easy walking distance to McDonald's, Panera, Mimi's
no included breakfast

 

[2princesses*Mom]

I can only speak to the CCI. I'll preface this with saying that we have stayed there 4 times in the last 6 months. They offer AAA discount as well as an AP discount (and will stack them).

We went over spring break (week after Easter for us) and got the standard 2 queen (refurbished room) for $124 a night. The week of thanksgiving I think we paid $169?)

I will say we had a room accross from the pool and it was a bit louder than any other stay. I like the newer floors (a wood-like tile) and comfy beds.

I REALLY like the free shuttle/wifi/parking/continental breakfast. The pool is a 'parking lot pool'. But doesn't really feel that way to me, nice landscaping and plenty of plants/flowers.

I don't know anything about the other hotels, but I like that my car is close to my room (does that make sense?)

We typically walk to the park and take the shuttle back. The staff is excellent and very helpful.

Since you asked about the breakfast:
Bagels (plain, wheat, everthing)
Cream cheese (strawberry, plain, chives)
Pastries (the Circle ones with cheese or a jam in the middle 4+ kinds)
Donuts (5+ varieties)
English muffins
Sliced bread (wheat/white)
Peanut butter
Jam/Jelly
Honey
Boiled eggs
Cubes of cheese (Chedder and a white one)
Yogurt (yoplait and a Greek variety)
Juice (apple, orange)
Milk
Hot chocolate
Teas
Coffee (3-4 creamer varieties)
Cereal (I think 3-4?)
Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Instant oatmeal

 

[Self-Rescuing Princess]

Thank you EVERYONE!!!!

You guys are awesome. We have decided one CCI. Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[katejc]

Didn't get in here in time, but I'd vote for CCI too. Have always had a good experience there and love the free breakfast, shuttle, parking, as well as the AAA discount and short walk through the park. Have fun!