HoJo and walking distance..

[Pez]

I'm planning to go to Disneyland with my mom soon and she's not fond of walking. She figures we'll be on our feet all day long, so why walk to the park? I think differently on the subject. I love being able to take a short walk from my hotel and end up in the parks. Plus, with the size of the parking structure, combined with standing while you wait for the tram, I think you do just as much walking/foot time. So this brings me to 2 questions..

How long of a walk is it from HoJo's to the park entrance? And do you think it would save much walking time to park in Disneyland, instead?


Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[MATTERHORN]

No It would take way longer and about an extra half hour to drive and park and take the tram in when you can walk from the HOJO in 5-7 minutes depending on how fast you walk and if you make the light at the crosswalk or have to wait!! It's super easy, but there is the ART Shuttle which you mom could take back if she REALLY doesn't want to walk it!!

 

[MATTERHORN]

If you see where the HOJO and the parking is on here, you'll see that you will go all the way around just to come halfway back toward the HOJO again if you drove and parked in the garage!!


http://beachcalifornia.com/dlmp.html

 

[HydroGuy]

Check these out:

Helpful Hotel Links

"How Far Is It?" (shows actual distances in feet from hotels to DLR entrance plaza) www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as

"Walking Distance Accommodations" (shows hotels within walking distance) http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/maps/...g_distance_map

"Bret's Disneyland Lodging Map" (shows hotel locations around DLR) www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap

When we stayed at the HoJo's, we had a room in the tower towards the back. The walking time from our hotel room door to the DL gate was 15 minutes with kids (at the time 7-11 in range). The morning walk did not seem so bad. This was in July and we took a hotel break each afternoon, and that walk back and forth seemed longer. The real killer was the walk back at night. The whole walk I was looking enviously at the other hotels there on Harbor closer to the DLR crosswalk. More than anything this is what led us to stay at the Best Western PPI on our last overnight trip.

The HoJo's is a nice hotel, and the pools are nice, but the walk was just too far for us. And I do not trust the ART buses to be timely - too many bad stories.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Just wanted to add that I do agree with Hydroguy, if I didn't get such a fantastic rate at HOJO, I would stay closer to the crosswalk in a heartbeat and usually do. But I sacrifice the walk for savings of over $50 a night. If you can get a room much closer for only $10-$20 a night difference, location wins out everytime.

I just answered assuming you had your heart set on the HOJO already!

Andrea

 

[MATTERHORN]

Also my kids are younger so the kids pool there is HUGE draw for me during summer trips. In the winter, we almost always stay closer!


Andrea

 

[disney-super-mom]

Another option is for you to stay at the Sheraton Anaheim or the Candy Cane Inn. Both have a free, private shuttle to and from the Disney Resort that runs about every half hour.

 

[Pez]

Thanks for the tips. I'll look into a closer hotel, unless she insists on driving. Then I'll look into hotels closer to the parking structure.

I love those guides, Hydro! Thanks for the links!

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for the tips. I'll look into a closer hotel, unless she insists on driving. Then I'll look into hotels closer to the parking structure.

I love those guides, Hydro! Thanks for the links!

Do what is best for you, but first let me try to convince you not to drive.

If you drive, here are all the time delays that you will encounter:

1. If you like to get to the gates of the park early, you can't. The parking structure does not open until 30 minutes before DL opens.

2. Depending on what day you go and when you get there, you will encounter a line of cars at the parking structure toll booth waiting to pay and enter the parking area. If you are lucky with your timing, this line of cars will delay you 5 minutes. If you are unlucky with your timing, it will delay you 45 minutes.

3. It will take you five minutes to find a parking place, get your car parked, and be ready to walk to the tram.

4. It will take you five minutes to walk to the tram

5. If you are lucky and get on a waiting tram with seats available, you will wait 5 minutes for the tram to fill and start moving. If you are unlucky it will be more.

6. The tram ride will take five minutes.

7. Once the tram stops, it will take you at least five minutes to walk to the DL gate

8. Depending on how full your tram was and where you sat, it will take you 0-5 minutes to make it thru security.

Add up the delays, and it will be 30-75 minutes of delays from the time you reach the parking structure until you enter the gates at DL or DCA. And this does not count the time you might sit at traffic lights driving from your hotel to the parking structure.

When you leave at the end of the day to go back to your car, it will also take considerable time depending on when you leave.

The parking now costs $11. If I was too far to walk, I would take a taxi and pay $10-15. They could drop you off right at the DLR entrance area about a 2-3 minute walk to the gates and you would save yourself 30-75 minutes in the morning and also time at the end of the day.

Finally, if you drive and you or your mother decides mid-day to take a break back to the hotel for a rest, then add up all of the delays listed above once again.

If you are staying close enough for an easy walk, you will have a 5-10 minute walk from your hotel room door to the DLR entrance gates.

Once you have this all figured out, then put it all behind you and focus on having a great visit.

 

[casaazul]

It was right at the light to cross over to the park entrances. Took us much less time than the walk we had from the Hojo the time we stayed there.

Carousel Inn has nice rooms, an elevator and a pool on the roof. From the continental breakfast room you can see the park.

We like Carousel much better for the quick walk time!

Hope this helps some.

 

[utahkennedys]

We stayed at HOJO's with our friends for our first DL trip and I couldn't believe what a close and easy walk it was! We are used to WDW so this amazed us. Yes, there are closer hotels, by like one block. It cracks me up that people say HOJO's is "far". Our friends even think this and are staying at BWPPI instead in March b/c it is "closer" We are staying at DLH and I think it will be just as far as HOJO's if we walked.

 

[HydroGuy]

We stayed at HOJO's with our friends for our first DL trip and I couldn't believe what a close and easy walk it was! We are used to WDW so this amazed us. Yes, there are closer hotels, by like one block. It cracks me up that people say HOJO's is "far". Our friends even think this and are staying at BWPPI instead in March b/c it is "closer" We are staying at DLH and I think it will be just as far as HOJO's if we walked.

I think this is what is meant. If you use this link "How Far Is It?" www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as the average distance to HoJo's is 2856 ft. To BWPPI it is 1568 ft. The difference is 1288 ft. If you walk to DLR and back, that is an extra 1/2 mile each day. If you take an afternoon break, you go back and forth twice, which means an extra mile each day. Added on to 3-10 miles of walking around DLR each day, it takes its toll. Especially at the end of the day. One day in 2003 I had to hire a taxi (for $10!) late at night because my younger ones were too pooped to walk back to HoJo's. The taxis pick up right near the crosswalk where BWPPI is located.

If it was not for my kids, I do not think the extra walk would bother me that much. But you are right that either way, it is much closer than the WDW hotels.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I have to agree with Hydroguy and Matterhorn about the Hojo walk. And while some might think I'm being a baby, to me its just a matter of preference. And I have been flamed now and again on this board by Hojo loyalists who scoff at my saying the walk is long! But to me it is! Not horribly so but when there are places closer I might as well stay where the location feels better for me. To each their own opinion I guess. I often wear a pedometer at DL and WDW and typically walk at least 12 miles per day. And normally I walk more at DL than WDW since I am walking to my resort, not taking WDW transportation. We also park hop off and on all day and that adds some steps. The Hojo is great but like Hydroguy I remember walking past other places and thinking "if only". Since that trip I keep staying closer, first it was the Camelot, then the Tropicana, now we are staying at BWPPI. Like WDW, DL has lots of choices of where to stay. Thats what makes it great for families, finding the thing that fits in best with their vacation.

 

[Amy&Dan]

We are staying at DLH and I think it will be just as far as HOJO's if we walked.

It is almost exactly the same. Except the walk to the DLH is up DTD and seems to go quicker as opposed to walking up a busy, noisy street. Also, you can take the monorail some which can save some steps. But distance wise, you will notice very little difference because their isn't any!

 

[munchkinsmom]

And I have been flamed now and again on this board by Hojo loyalists who scoff at my saying the walk is long! But to me it is! Not horribly so but when there are places closer I might as well stay where the location feels better for me. To each their own opinion I guess.

I'm one of those "Hojo loyalists" referred to above.

I remember the thread (or one of them, anyway) where it was believed that some flaming was going on. I'm sorry it was taken personally. It wasn't intended to flame, but to provide information. The issue that time wasn't whether the HOJO was too long to walk. I believe the issue was in reference to whether the HOJO was a longer walk than the Candy Cane Inn and it wasn't, as referenced by the link that Hydroguy mentioned from Mouseplanet. Sorry for the derail. Back to topic.

I totally agree that there are closer places to stay and I most definitely agree that after a long day at the DLR, people may feel that the walk back to the HOJO is too long. While the OP may not mind, the OP's mom would definitely take issue with it, so another hotel that's closer may be the better choice for them.

The extra few steps back to the HOJO is so worth it for me, my DH, my six-year-old DD and four-year-old DS. We know that the suite we have and the service we get from the hotel staff will be wonderful each time we stay there. Can't really say that about some of the other hotels on Harbor.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I'm one of those "Hojo loyalists" referred to above.

I remember the thread (or one of them, anyway) where it was believed that some flaming was going on. I'm sorry it was taken personally. It wasn't intended to flame, but to provide information. The issue that time wasn't whether the HOJO was too long to walk. I believe the issue was in reference to whether the HOJO was a longer walk than the Candy Cane Inn and it wasn't, as referenced by the link that Hydroguy mentioned from Mouseplanet. Sorry for the derail. Back to topic.

I totally agree that there are closer places to stay and I most definitely agree that after a long day at the DLR, people may feel that the walk back to the HOJO is too long. While the OP may not mind, the OP's mom would definitely take issue with it, so another hotel that's closer may be the better choice for them.

The extra few steps back to the HOJO is so worth it for me, my DH, my six-year-old DD and four-year-old DS. We know that the suite we have and the service we get from the hotel staff will be wonderful each time we stay there. Can't really say that about some of the other hotels on Harbor.

Actually I also got flamed once for saying the bedspreads were dated looking! I think that time the Hojo General Manager even got in on that one (he used to vist the dis occasionally)! I like the Hojo, would stay there again (especially for a longer stay when the pool would be a big issue since they have the only game on Harbor in that area). I just like to post how I honestly feel about things, giving the good and the bad from my perspective. It just fries me sometimes when somebody implies that what I think based on my experience isn't the truth since they don't agree! Also, when we stayed at the Hojo, my fil was with us and he is disabled. That walk was way too long for him so we took the ART which was not the best either. For just my family of four healthy individuals, it wasn't a problem except I did think being closer would have been nice. And it has been in the two stays we have done on Harbor since then. Oh and we had wonderful service at the Tropicana in particular. Much more helpful than what we had at the Hojo. So again, opinions and experiences will vary.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Amy & Dan, I still hear you about the walk sometimes though! Everytime I pass the hotels at the crosswalk I think "If I had stayed here, I'd be in my room already!" And for $20-$30 more a night, I usually let location win out with me and three little ones.

But for $54 a night this summer, I CANNOT in good conscience pass it up!! SO I will be walking and thinking that the whole time!!!

Andrea

 

[Disney Fool]

Aw, you California folks are just wusses!!!! Just Kidding! Those of us who are die-hard DisneyWorld fanatics are used to walking great distances and traveling in terms of miles--not feet--to our destination...It really is funny to hear you all debate about how close a certain hotel is to the main gate at Disneyland. We're just amazed that the hotels are across the street! To be able to walk anywhere with having to hop on a bus or monorail is frosting on the cake. You all do realize that Disneyworld is roughly the size of Manhattan, 47 square miles? Come on, now, toughen up, and exercise those leg muscles--get in shape for that WDW trip!!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Amy & Dan, I still hear you about the walk sometimes though! Everytime I pass the hotels at the crosswalk I think "If I had stayed here, I'd be in my room already!" And for $20-$30 more a night, I usually let location win out with me and three little ones.

But for $54 a night this summer, I CANNOT in good conscience pass it up!! SO I will be walking and thinking that the whole time!!!

Andrea

Yeah, I know you feel like I do about that! Its a great hotel, by far the only one on Harbor with grounds and a real pool area to speak of. For $54 a night that is beyond a good deal. For quite some time I just kept my mouth shut since I couldn't win on this one. I recommended it one time to a disboarder who then posted a trip report saying how that walk had ruined the experience and they wished they hadn't listened to certain disboarders! So then I started being honest about what I thought regarding the walk and I got in trouble again!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Aw, you California folks are just wusses!!!! Just Kidding! Those of us who are die-hard DisneyWorld fanatics are used to walking great distances and traveling in terms of miles--not feet--to our destination...It really is funny to hear you all debate about how close a certain hotel is to the main gate at Disneyland. We're just amazed that the hotels are across the street! To be able to walk anywhere with having to hop on a bus or monorail is frosting on the cake. You all do realize that Disneyworld is roughly the size of Manhattan, 47 square miles? Come on, now, toughen up, and exercise those leg muscles--get in shape for that WDW trip!!!

I know you are kidding and I see your humor. But I have to point out that you can walk way more at DL than WDW, I know because I do. I wear a pedometer. At DL my usual daily average is somewhere between 12-16 miles. At WDW I generally average more like 8-10. The parks are bigger but you walk to a pretty close in bus stop to get to your resort. And when you hop to a park, you do so by bus. The only time at WDW I came close to walking like I do at DL was when we stayed at the Boardwalk and I was walking to and from Epcot and MGM from that resort. Which incidentally felt about the same distance wise as going from the onsite hotels at DL to the parks. I know WDW is 47 square miles but its not like you walk through all that you are generally sitting in a bus or car. When I am MK vs. DL it doesn't feel one bit more walking or that much larger to me.

And since most WDW resorts offer preferred location and you see threads in the hundreds of posts about people whining about how long the walk to the foodcourt is from certain resorts, I think it can safely be said that even WDW guests get concerned about walking!