HOJO Info....from the source

[brenda1966]

I emailed Lorealle asking about the pool rehab dates. I, too, will be quite disappointed if the hot tub and kiddie splash area are closed this summer. I would hope they wouldn't do a major rehab during peak season!

 

[mareed]

I emailed Lorealle asking about the pool rehab dates. I, too, will be quite disappointed if the hot tub and kiddie splash area are closed this summer. I would hope they wouldn't do a major rehab during peak season!

Please let us know what you hear. We're planning to stay there early June, and were definitely counting on the hot tub!

 

[mwrogers]

Our guidelines are very clear that companies that are not associated with the site are not permitted to do customer service work here.

We're not suggesting that you let her break your guidelines. We're suggesting that your guidelines need to be changed.

HoJo Anaheim is not doing this to be nice, their doing this to generate business (that equals advertising).

Actually, she's doing this to be nice. The side-effect is that it's generating business for her. As far as I know, she doesn't own the place, so extra customers don't make her extra money. Call her up some time and you'll see she's truely interested in helping people. To your point, I understand you can't determine this for every company that might want to post on your site. So...

It's a problem we have to deal with constantly, with companies coming to the site looking to solicit business in any number of creative ways.

...maybe you could jump on the advice offered in this thread by Flea - have a Hotels sub-board. Any interested hotel (or other local business) could have a thread they sponsor for a nominal fee, where they are free to offer customer service. Businesses get a turn-key customer service portal, DisBoards can cover the increased costs of running the board, and (best of all) DisBoard visitors get access to a bunch of usefull information. Or visitors can avoid that board if they aren't interested.

The boards are as good as they are because real visitors post real information - not companies looking to schill their product. I'm sorry if this upsets anyone, but I can't have different rules for different forums, especially when it comes to things like this.

I hope you will understand, this is not a revenue issue for us - it's a site-wide guideline that I need to enforce.

It's your board - you're free to run it as you want (I think it's one of the best run boards I visit, Disney or otherwise). As you state, its value lies in the "real" information posted by "real" visitors. Here you have a situation where "real" visitors are giving you "real" information - we think having Lorealle and other local area authorities is of value to us.

 

[Mouse13]

I emailed Lorealle asking about the pool rehab dates. I, too, will be quite disappointed if the hot tub and kiddie splash area are closed this summer. I would hope they wouldn't do a major rehab during peak season!

I emailed her about the hot tub situation to see if they might possibly be adding a hot tub to the garden pool area. I also asked if the existing hot tub would remain open during the construction on the main pool area. She indicated that she would have to check with her manager regarding the hot tub situation. I think the hot tub is important to a lot of us adults with tired achy feet after long days walking in the parks.

I've been over to the new hojo boards located on their web site and intend to post something about the hot tub situation on the Sounding Board there once the New Topic creation button becomes available (I sent Lorealle a note last night because I was unable to start a new topic on the now empty board.) Hopefully we can generate some enthusiasm for the hot tub over there and let the management know how important it is to some of us.

Also, Lorealle has posted tentative dates for the renovations on those boards that you can check against your vacation days.

 

[brenda1966]

I heard back from her too and this is what she said:

I can definitely understand your concern, and thank you for checking in with me! Right now, it’s our Garden Pool that’s under construction. We are planning renovations to our Main Pool Area as well, but I am not exactly sure when it will be started/completed. If you check back in with me via email, or check our new message boards ‘What’s New’ section (on the hojo board) I’m going to be posting all the information as I get it!



[From what I have heard, Main Pool construction should start as soon as the Garden Pool renovations are completed [estimated March 31st, 2008] and would probably be finished mid-June? But again, these dates aren't concrete, and they may decide to hold off on the Main Pool construction until after summer! So checking in with me or the HoJo Innsider Boards would definitely be your best bet!]

_________

I agree with MWRogers comments about how it would be nice to have a board where hotel workers can provide real information about their hotels. All of us know calling the 1-800 number provides you nothing. Calling direct can sometime work, but when there is a real live person who's willing to help answer our questions, it just seems foolish to shoo them away!

As for Hojo's I would also like to voice my concerns to them regarding closing the hot tub for rennovations. The hot tub is one of the reasons i'm willing to walk that extra block to stay there! I hope they take this all into consideration.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

what Im wondering is if this is such a hot subject for everyone then why is it that no one has gone on the hojo boards and registered??????

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

what Im wondering is if this is such a hot subject for everyone then why is it that no one has gone on the hojo boards and registered??????

I am Irish and LOVE your Mickey's! Can't wait to look for some St. Patty's day themed park items

 

[blessdmommy]

what Im wondering is if this is such a hot subject for everyone then why is it that no one has gone on the hojo boards and registered??????

Wrong. Where did you get the idea "no one" has registered? I registered early today after I found out about the board from a thread over here. I wasn't the only one registered that is also a Dis member. I don't know when registration opened for everyone but the admin has a date of Feb. 26th. I'm sure plenty more will be drawn over there for Hojo information.

 

[kwonyong]

I registered last night (Sydney time) and Lorealle has already answered my concerns and put my mind at ease. Thanks for posting the info.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Wrong. Where did you get the idea "no one" has registered? I registered early today after I found out about the board from a thread over here. I wasn't the only one registered that is also a Dis member. I don't know when registration opened for everyone but the admin has a date of Feb. 26th. I'm sure plenty more will be drawn over there for Hojo information.

I registered last night (Sydney time) and Lorealle has already answered my concerns and put my mind at ease. Thanks for posting the info.

i recognize both of you being over there but 5 people isnt alot for a board and there are alot more people on here talking about this than there are registered on hojo side...dont bite my head off sheesh

 

[disneegrl4eva]

oh and btw...this should put to rest some concerns...


While we have a lot of great surprises and features in store for you, there are some things that won't be changing:

Jacuzzi/Hot Tub:: You want it, and we're keeping it! We know how much you guys love being able to relax and soothe your tired limbs in our hot tub, and now you can rest assured in the knowledge that it's not going anywhere!
Speedy's Sprayground & Wading Pool:: Your tots' toesies will be able to splish and splash to their hearts content in our shallow wading pool. We know that it's an important feature for many of you [and your kids!] to be able to have an area that is kid-friendly, and we definitely don't want to take that away from you!


and guess where I got it from????

 

[mareed]

oh and btw...this should put to rest some concerns...


While we have a lot of great surprises and features in store for you, there are some things that won't be changing:

Jacuzzi/Hot Tub:: You want it, and we're keeping it! We know how much you guys love being able to relax and soothe your tired limbs in our hot tub, and now you can rest assured in the knowledge that it's not going anywhere!
Speedy's Sprayground & Wading Pool:: Your tots' toesies will be able to splish and splash to their hearts content in our shallow wading pool. We know that it's an important feature for many of you [and your kids!] to be able to have an area that is kid-friendly, and we definitely don't want to take that away from you!


and guess where I got it from????

But I still didn't see anything about timing of the main pool renovation, right? Sure hoping it's not early June...

 

[disneegrl4eva]

But I still didn't see anything about timing of the main pool renovation, right? Sure hoping it's not early June...

oh i dont know about that...I was mainly concerned about the kids pool area for when we're there in april...sorry

 

[mareed]

oh i dont know about that...I was mainly concerned about the kids pool area for when we're there in april...sorry

Well, I don't see that taking care of your concern for April. Didn't someone post that they were starting the main pool renovation maybe at the end of March? All the update says is that they're keeping the kids area and the hot tub - not that they won't be undergoing renovation. I'm very concerned from something I saw that indicates the main pool area will be renovated April thru mid-June. To me, that means no kids area and hot tub during those dates, but that they'd be back after the renovation is done. I don't think they'd be able to renovate the main pool and keep the kids area and hot tub open because they're all so close together inside the main pool gate area.

Now, I don't know for sure about the dates I mentioned above - I'm just repeating what I saw somewhere, but can't even remember where! I think I'll post on the HoJo board asking about specific dates, but I have a feeling they would have been posted if they knew them for sure.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

what Im wondering is if this is such a hot subject for everyone then why is it that no one has gone on the hojo boards and registered??????

Ummm....work all day?

 

[mareed]

OK, I got more information about the pool renovations, and it does not look good at all for those wanting hot tub or kids area in April for sure, and I'll bet for the next few months after that too!

First:
"Our Garden Pool will be undergoing a facelift over the next several weeks through approximately March 31, 2008."

For those who don't know, the Garden pool is not the main pool with the hot tub and kids area.

I asked "Do you know dates for the main pool renovations? Also, I assume that the entire main pool area will be closed during renovation including pool, kids area, and hot tub. Is this correct?"

Response was:
"I don't know the dates yet. It's supposed to start as soon as the Garden Pool renovations are completed, but we are still needing to hear back from the County Planning Department before we can start, so we don't have a 'for sure' date yet. I promise that I will keep everyone posted here though! So do keep checking in!

The whole of the Main Pool area will be closed during construction- but! The Garden Pool will be open!"

Draw your own conclusions, but I'm betting that April and May and most likely into June will see the main pool closed. We'll probably still stay there in early June, but sure will miss the hot tub. I know the renovations will probably be great, and they have to be done sometime and there will always be some guests who miss out, but why did it have to be during my trip?!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Well, I don't see that taking care of your concern for April. Didn't someone post that they were starting the main pool renovation maybe at the end of March? All the update says is that they're keeping the kids area and the hot tub - not that they won't be undergoing renovation. I'm very concerned from something I saw that indicates the main pool area will be renovated April thru mid-June. To me, that means no kids area and hot tub during those dates, but that they'd be back after the renovation is done. I don't think they'd be able to renovate the main pool and keep the kids area and hot tub open because they're all so close together inside the main pool gate area.

Now, I don't know for sure about the dates I mentioned above - I'm just repeating what I saw somewhere, but can't even remember where! I think I'll post on the HoJo board asking about specific dates, but I have a feeling they would have been posted if they knew them for sure.

im sorry...i misunderstood...I thought that both of these will be open during the renovations of the main pool but I guess not

 

[mareed]

im sorry...i misunderstood...I thought that both of these will be open during the renovations of the main pool but I guess not

If you see my post just above, there is confirmation that the entire main pool area including hot tub and kids area will be closed during the renovations. Sorry to be the bearer of potentially bad news. Look on the bright side - maybe they won't get their permits or whatever worked out in time and be delayed later into April. LOL!

I know it's disappointing when something like the kids area that you've looked forward to as part of your vacation isn't available. I'm seriously doubting there's going to be a hot tub for me in June. I never swim in the pool, but really enjoyed soaking in the hot tub on previous trips. Especially since we're on our annual Anniversary trip without kids!

 

[toocherie]

what Im wondering is if this is such a hot subject for everyone then why is it that no one has gone on the hojo boards and registered??????

Like someone else said--some of us have been a little busy . . . but I have done so now.

I think some people (myself included) may have enjoyed the convenience of having questions answered here so would prefer that Lorealle and other similar people have access--but if the policy was being violated then so be it! Disboards has the right to set its own policy and I will respect that . . . .

 

[jemilah]

ok I'm registered too............is this going to be another addiction?