HOJO ? Don't laugh...

[Mom2Joce]

Oh, this is so me! We stayed at HOJO last March, and are getting ready to book a hotel for March this year and I have been wavering on where to stay because of the HOJO walk! I'm so glad to hear I am not the only one. Then to top it off last year I got a couple of horrible blisters that made that walk even worse! I think that if we do stay there and I'm hurting at night after a long day I might jump in one of the taxis that park at the end by the shuttles?

I'm a BWPPI girl too...our favorite because of location but, I think the prices of BWPPI have really gotten too high recently, so we might try the Desert Inn also.

HEHEHE! We are Disney twins...lol!! I did wonder if there were taxis...AGAIN, I am so flippin' tired at the end of the day all I see is BWPPI ahead of me!!

The price for BWPPI is getting up there although the past two trips they have been making lots of improvements.

I've never been to Desert Inn but really need a budget trip this year...so last night I got on their website and made a reservation. 313.00 taxes, resort fees and all...AND it's not a HUGE walk back.

What days are you going in MAR?

 

[julw]

HEHEHE! We are Disney twins...lol!! I did wonder if there were taxis...AGAIN, I am so flippin' tired at the end of the day all I see is BWPPI ahead of me!!

The price for BWPPI is getting up there although the past two trips they have been making lots of improvements.

I've never been to Desert Inn but really need a budget trip this year...so last night I got on their website and made a reservation. 313.00 taxes, resort fees and all...AND it's not a HUGE walk back.

What days are you going in MAR?

That's a good price. We are looking to go the first week in March.

 

[Husker Mickey]

I have to chime in here since we stayed at HOJOs in October and have stayed at the FFI, BWPPI, & Ramada MG. The walk to and from HOJOs isn't too bad. We did it twice a day and yes by the end of the day, we were tired, but didn't have a hard time gettting back. Since we stayed in building one, we took a short cut through Mimi's parking lot and FFI parking lot to Harbor. It saved us several steps and we are comfortable doing that since we have eaten at Mimi's and stayed at the FFI. We also took the short cut back from the parks across the taxi pickup area, under the monorail tracks on the park side of the sidewalk to Manchester and across to Hojos, but not every time since we would want to get something at McDs or grab a gallon of water at the Minni Mart.

My advice is to take it easy if you are tired. Walk at a comfortable pace and let the faster walkers pass you. We tend to walk fast no matter where we go, so it's nice to find people who will let you go past and continue at our pace.

 

[sportbettor]

What is the pickup times like (how often?)

And what is the bus time like? How long are you on the bus before you are dropped off at the park AND the hotel?

Its been over a year since I stayed at HOJO so this info may be out of date.

We would never look at a schedule or anything for the bus we would just wait and the bus would be there within like 15 or 20 minutes at the longest. However, a couple times we were there and there were some 1 hour gaps in service when they said the drivers were on dinner break or something. Last time I was there they said they didnt do that anymore and had relief drivers but I cannot confirm that this is always true.

The bus trip to the park is superfast with no stops. Depends on catching the light at Harbor but no more than 3 minutes or so. Coming back it goes over by Katella and Anaheim makes one or two stops then comes back to HOJO last. This trip can take 10minutes or so and can feel longer after a day in the park.

I'll admit we've driven to the parking structure a couple of times but its almost pointless because if you get a bad spot walking the length of the structure is almost the same as walking to the entrance from HOJO.

 

[bumbershoot]

So my question is...has anyone ever driven over the to the parking garages from HOJO? Is it worth it?

Considering that the main parking garage has been really problematic (being marked as closed very early in the morning), from posts I've read even recently (and we experienced it, being FORCED to park at Gardenwalk, within the hour DL opened that day, and it was NOT that busy that day!), and considering the horrid luck WE have had in parking at the main structure, it could be absolutely NOT worth it.

Deal with the line of cars, get in, follow the CMs to the parking space they want you to stop in. Park. If you're like us, you'll get the spot absolutely as far from the escalator as possible. Walk to the escalator, go down the escalator. Walk to the tram (feels like ages). Wait for tram. Deal with people on tram. Get off tram, walk more than you expect from where the tram leaves you in DTD, to bag check. UGH.

I have often seen people walking back to Hojo's and thought, "Wow, that seems like a long walk to me after a full day at DLR." Glad to finally hear it's not just me.

It does *seem* like a long walk. But the reality is, it's *maybe* 5 minutes longer than Carousel. Maybe.

II think that if we do stay there and I'm hurting at night after a long day I might jump in one of the taxis that park at the end by the shuttles?

That's possible.

Of course, you *could* have already walked back to hojo from that exact spot, quicker than the cab could make it, as the cab has to go out to the right, then make a U-turn when legal, then go back on Harbor to hojo. Of course it depends on the traffic and how many people the cab has to deal with during the u-turn.

The exact way to get to the taxis, go to get to hojo. Just cross through the taxis, turn left, walk. Get to Manchester, Harbor. Cross Manchester. Parking lot.


I've stayed at Carousel, I've stayed at HoJo. I took pictures with the time/date feature, both to and from, and even though the trip when I took those picture *started* after I destroyed my feet by walking from HoJo to PPH our first evening there (in cute brand new heels), it was a tiny amount of difference. Just a mental thing. Easy enough to get over.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Ok, I know you guys LOVE this place and the Entertainment rate as well and that is SO attractive but that walk (ok I only walked to Mimi's) but dang...after a long day at the park I'm more of a BWPPI kind of gal...hehehe!
So my question is...has anyone ever driven over the to the parking garages from HOJO? Is it worth it?
I know you're all laughing...but I'm just curious!!

The walk from the garage and dealing with the parking and trams,etc is more of a pain than the walk from Hojos. I'd just take the ART or stay somewhere closer. I really like Fairfield Inn as well. We all decided after staying at FFI that it was soooo worth it t save the extra 2-5 minutes off the walking time.

I have often seen people walking back to Hojo's and thought, "Wow, that seems like a long walk to me after a full day at DLR." Glad to finally hear it's not just me.

Glad to know it's not just me either. It is a long walk after several long days in the park.

Oh, this is so me! We stayed at HOJO last March, and are getting ready to book a hotel for March this year and I have been wavering on where to stay because of the HOJO walk! I'm so glad to hear I am not the only one. Then to top it off last year I got a couple of horrible blisters that made that walk even worse! I think that if we do stay there and I'm hurting at night after a long day I might jump in one of the taxis that park at the end by the shuttles?

I'm a BWPPI girl too...our favorite because of location but, I think the prices of BWPPI have really gotten too high recently, so we might try the Desert Inn also.

I read a post a couple of months ago in which the poster said the Taxi driver refused to take her to Hojos because it wasn't worth his time. They wouldn't make much in that short of a drive. So I wouldn't bank on being able to get a cab to take me to Hojos.
I'm glad to know that I am not the only one who thinks the walk is a bit long after many long days in the park. (And we've stayed there almost exclusively for almost 10 years.) We used to use ART but once they started charging for it we refused to ride it. We'll still stay at Hojos and suck it up if we have to but also prefer closer properties like Fairfield for it's slightly closer proximity and equal convenience to area food/restaurants,Pizza Hut express, Seattle's Best and room service from Millies.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Our first trip we stayed at the BWPPI our second trip we stayed at the Hojo. We have 4 little girls and a double stroller and after being in the park all day and walking here and there and everywhere. I have come to the conclusion that we either need to stay right across the crosswalk or go somewhere that the hotel has shuttle service to the park. So you just sit at the benches and wait. Because let me tell ya I was pretty jealous of those people who stopped at the benches when I was making the trek with my 6 year old whining the whole way that she wasn't going to make it! Not to say I wasn't doing some whining of my own!
I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the hotel is just where you sleep while you wait for the park to open for the next day of fun and joy! As long as it is clean and safe. Actually the Park Vue is suppose to be really nice and all though ($99 sometimes) they are a little more they have a continental breakfast that would save us on money from having to buy breakfast for all 6 of us. I have a friend who said that Homewood suites does breakfast and dinners for free with the cost of the hotel. So you just have to weigh your options, really do the math and take a lot into consideration when you make your choices. Everyone's perfect fit will be different and may vary by trip depending on who is with them!
PS I do find we get a better deal by calling the hotels directly and telling them I found this deal on expedia (or whatever) and was wondering if they could beat it or match it. We got 30 dollars off a night at BWPPI the first time doing that!

Very true....but packing 4 kids and a double stroller into one of those shuttles is worse torture than the walk to HOJOs. DH actually walked to Hampton Inn & Suites 2 nights (with 2 kids in the stroller) and made it back to the hotel before me and the 2 older girls!!

 

[jennilouwho]

I was worried about the walk when we booked, but once we got there, it wasn't bad at all. We went back and forth to the park for 5 days, twice a day. We aren't in the best of shape or very athletic at all and we personally didn't think it was too bad. The walk home at the end of the night was the only time I ever thought it was "long" but even then it goes quickly. We always walked the disneyland side of Harbor.

 

[DisneyMax74]

Geez, how far is HoJo? Last trip we stayed at Red Lion. It was a decent walk when considering you are at DLR all day but it wasnt terrible. For anyone who has stayed at both or knows where both are, Is HoJo much farther to walk than Red Lion?

 

[jenpace]

I read a post a couple of months ago in which the poster said the Taxi driver refused to take her to Hojos because it wasn't worth his time. They wouldn't make much in that short of a drive. So I wouldn't bank on being able to get a cab to take me to Hojos.

I think that was my post DisneySuiteFreak is referring to. My 11 dd had tweaked her ankle in P.E. class the day we left for DL and a couple of times it was really bothering her. We actually tried twice to get a cab, the 1st time was in the taxi line by the busses where we were rudely told no. The next day my dh (on the phone back home) told me that we might have better luck getting a cab at the GCH valet area. We did get a cab but that driver was so rude to us about the fare for the whole drive to Hojo's that I felt like crying....

 

[DisneyMax74]

I think that was my post DisneySuiteFreak is referring to. My 11 dd had tweaked her ankle in P.E. class the day we left for DL and a couple of times it was really bothering her. We actually tried twice to get a cab, the 1st time was in the taxi line by the busses where we were rudely told no. The next day my dh (on the phone back home) told me that we might have better luck getting a cab at the GCH valet area. We did get a cab but that driver was so rude to us about the fare for the whole drive to Hojo's that I felt like crying....

Rude cabbies get no tip.

 

[pixiewings71]

Just back last night, parking yesterday was a mess when we left. When we got there in the morning we were good, we got onto level 2 (Daisy) with no problem, when we left the structure was closed and there was so much traffic stopped waiting to be rerouted to overflow parking...OMG, it was a nightmare. We had Premium APs, so free parking, when we stayed at the HoJo we walked. 7 min isn't that bad. And we had taxi drivers trying to give us rides as we walked by, we would just say "we're at the HoJo" and they'd say things like "cheap fare, I can do that for $5" trying to get us to go with them. But we have NEVER had any taxi driver tell us they wouldn't drive us to any of the hotels, once we stayed at the Tropicana and we walked the wrong way (we were newbies to walking, we got turned around and walked thru the shuttle/taxi area by accident) and a cabbie was trying to give us a ride across the street. LOL But ya, just walk, the parking won't be worth it. You'll lose more time parking then you would walking.

 

[Mom2Joce]

Geez, how far is HoJo? Last trip we stayed at Red Lion. It was a decent walk when considering you are at DLR all day but it wasnt terrible. For anyone who has stayed at both or knows where both are, Is HoJo much farther to walk than Red Lion?

I've never stayed at either but know the area pretty well and where each is. RL is at the opposite end of Harbor than HOJO.

I did a little yahoo maps and found that the distance from RL to the cross walk was .42 miles.

And the distance from HOJO to the cross walk is .34 miles.

However, like many have said if you cross the street at Manchester and walk along the Disneyland side and through the bus area it may be even less.

Hope that helps!

 

[californiamomof4grls]

Very true....but packing 4 kids and a double stroller into one of those shuttles is worse torture than the walk to HOJOs. DH actually walked to Hampton Inn & Suites 2 nights (with 2 kids in the stroller) and made it back to the hotel before me and the 2 older girls!!

Yeah I would never try the shuttle thing while the kids were still in the stroller! I have no desire to kill myself!! LOL!!

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

Geez, how far is HoJo? Last trip we stayed at Red Lion. It was a decent walk when considering you are at DLR all day but it wasnt terrible. For anyone who has stayed at both or knows where both are, Is HoJo much farther to walk than Red Lion?

Yeah, I need this clarified as well. We stay at the DI&S & I toyed w/ HOJOs bc it was next to Mimi's...not a bad walk to Mimi's...not a bad walk to the parks. Or so I thought. I'm no marathon runner but the gym & me, we're like this ::holding 2 fingers together:: so I'm thinking I could do it...right? I think this thread has given me a new challenge!!!!!

We even considered staying at the DLH & the walk was shorter to the gates from DI&S (we measured it on google maps!! )!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I think that was my post DisneySuiteFreak is referring to. My 11 dd had tweaked her ankle in P.E. class the day we left for DL and a couple of times it was really bothering her. We actually tried twice to get a cab, the 1st time was in the taxi line by the busses where we were rudely told no. The next day my dh (on the phone back home) told me that we might have better luck getting a cab at the GCH valet area. We did get a cab but that driver was so rude to us about the fare for the whole drive to Hojo's that I felt like crying....

Yes, your post was the one I recalled reading. It was horrible of the taxi drivers to treat you that way, especially since your daughter was obviously injured!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Geez, how far is HoJo? Last trip we stayed at Red Lion. It was a decent walk when considering you are at DLR all day but it wasnt terrible. For anyone who has stayed at both or knows where both are, Is HoJo much farther to walk than Red Lion?

It's not that far and in all honesty, I felt the walk to Hojo from the main gates was closer than the walk to the DL hotel. It just feels far at the end of very long days/nights in the park. I must be getting lazy in my old age. Hojos and Fairfield Inn are both good properties and each are worth staying at. I don't know if I would want to stay that far if I had little ones who were too big for a stroller though. I wouldn't want to have to carry them back to the hotel at the end of the night. I stayed at DI&S once and said never again no matter how close it was to the crosswalk. (We had customer service and room cleanliness issues.) And years ago we stayed at Anaheim Plaza. I thought it was fine at the time for the price and would stay there again in a pinch, but DH didn't care for it. He felt it was too motel-ish. They have a huge Olympic sized pool, though -- loved that!

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

We stayed at the HOJO and I didn't think the walk was that bad. I also played a game with my kids at the end of the day to help pass the time. My kids were tired by the third day. The game really helped. We would play, "What was your favorite thing?" They would tell me all about their favorite thing of the whole day and it really helped pass that walking time. We walked on the monorail side so I didn't experience "hotel envy" I thought if I saw all those people making it to their hotels before me I would be jealous so I made a point of not walking on that side.

And my husband did carry my 5 year old twice to the hotel. Ugh! I tried and no way could I have made it with him. I seriously considered a taxi the night I had him. My husband caught up to me and took him so I didn't have the opportunity to ask for a cab.

I also find that if I bring more than one pair of shoes for my trip that really helps save my feet. I am not sure why that is but it really really helps to switch out shoes for me.