HOJO or Carousel

[Michaelasmum]

I've booked my room at the Howard Johnson for May 27 - June 5, but I'm feeling tempted to change to the Carousel.

1st reason is the pool closure at hojo, there will be the garden pool...but it looks pretty deep and small.

2nd is the breakfast at the Carousel (more for convenience that quality).

3rd is location, it looks like the Carousel is closer and I'm travelling with my 4 year old DD.

Please if you have any input on this decision please help, this is our first trip to DLR and I'm not really sure of the distances and what the hotels are like.

Thanks,
Ann

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I've booked my room at the Howard Johnson for May 27 - June 5, but I'm feeling tempted to change to the Carousel.

1st reason is the pool closure at hojo, there will be the garden pool...but it looks pretty deep and small.

2nd is the breakfast at the Carousel (more for convenience that quality).

3rd is location, it looks like the Carousel is closer and I'm travelling with my 4 year old DD.

Please if you have any input on this decision please help, this is our first trip to DLR and I'm not really sure of the distances and what the hotels are like.

Thanks,
Ann

If your gut is telling you to stay at Carousel, then you should stay at Carousel. I've actually heard that Carousel is a little further in walking distance than Hojo, however, they have an in house shuttle that will come in handy.
Good luck!

 

[DangerMouse]

Carousel is right across the street on Harbor. It's about 4 minutes closer to the esplanade than the HoJo. I think the above-poster is confusing Carousel with the Candy Cane Inn.

The HoJo is in the process of rennovating their garden pool, making it more shallow. I believe it only gets as deep as 5 feet with it being more shallow at the edges. You can double check that with Lorealle on the HoJo boards if you like. I have read that Carousel's rooftop pool is tiny.

Another difference re safety is interior corridors (HoJo) vs. exterior (Carousel). If it's just you and your dd, you might feel safer at the HoJo.

 

[IASWAM]

After staying at both hotels, I would personally choose HoJo over Carousel. Although the continental breakfast at the Carousel is nice, and it is a little closer, our overall stay was better at HoJo. I thought it was cleaner, the staff was very friendly and attentive, and our room was comfortable and quiet (we were looking out over the garden pool, not by the freeway). Of course, we didn't have to deal with any construction at HoJo, but we did at the Carousel (they were building the Quizno's at the time), and I can see how that would be very frustrating.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Carousel is right across the street on Harbor. It's about 4 minutes closer to the esplanade than the HoJo. I think the above-poster is confusing Carousel with the Candy Cane Inn.

You're ight, I was! Brain fart!

 

[Michaelasmum]

Thank you for your responses. I didn't realize that the Carousel was a motel...that does make a big difference. If the distance is only a few minute walk then I think that the customer service and safety makes a big difference.

I have email Lorealle about a few other things and she has been amazing in her responses...that was a big reason to stay with hojo.

Now that I've heard from people who have been to both and feel much better about staying with hojo.

Thanks so much!!
Ann

 

[Sonya in Boise]

It seems like you have made your decision, but I wanted to chime in also. I have stayed at both places in the past and I liked the HOJO's better. The staff is amazing. When we stayed at the Carousel the breakfast wasn't more than what I would consider a starter. My girls never got full from it. I have better luck packing our breakfast things and eating in our room anyway. The walk was shorter at Carousel, but the walk to HoJo's isn't painfully long. You could always take the ART shuttle, but if you have a stroller I found it more work to get my girls out of the stroller and on the shuttle than to keep on walking.

I has some of the funnest Dineyland trips with my girl when they were 4. I'm sure you will have a blast.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We almost stayed at the Carousel last June, but switched to the Tropicana (next door) when I saw that the pool was quite small. There is no hot tub there either. We liked the Tropicana, the location is wonderful. It also had a free breakfast (again nothing wonderful, but it was convienent). Rooms were clean, and the pool area was quite nice.

We are staying at the Hojo's this time in June, giving it a try. We certainly got a wonderful rate, and we'll have a Disney View room. The main pool area will be closed during our stay as well. So we added a day to our trip and booked the last night at the DL Hotel. So we can relax and enjoy the Peter Pan pool!

 

[lulu2]

Carousel is right across the street on Harbor. It's about 4 minutes closer to the esplanade than the HoJo. I think the above-poster is confusing Carousel with the Candy Cane Inn.

The HoJo is in the process of rennovating their garden pool, making it more shallow. I believe it only gets as deep as 5 feet with it being more shallow at the edges. You can double check that with Lorealle on the HoJo boards if you like. I have read that Carousel's rooftop pool is tiny.

Not to steal this thread but, how would I contact Lorealle and what are HOJO boards?

Thanks

 

[bumbershoot]

hojoanaheim.com, then there's a link to their forums.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, I stepped out of the driveway of the Carousel, turned to my right, zoomed a small bit, and took the pictures of the HoJo sign.

Sounds like you made your decision, and I think it's a good one. I was going to say that if your rate at Carousel was even $10 more than HoJo, the continental b'fast would not make up for that difference for you and a 4 year old. Bad donuts, some fruit (better, though more expensive, fruit is at Disneyland!), coffee in tiny cups, and cereal (though I didn't see milk). Not even danish, when I was there in January. The room is pretty, I'll give you that.

DangerMouse, the garden pool is being renovated now, yes? And it will be done before they start on the main pool. Since the OP is going at the same time I am (oh hey, we're going at the same time!!! watch for me, my son in the avatar picture, and my big sumo wrestler-looking hubby...we'll be there through the 29th) I'm assuming that the garden pool will be open since I think you said the big pool will be closed. I can't fulfill my promise of naps and pool breaks to the manfolk, if there are NO pools!

 

[kiwitravel]

I haven't stayed at Hojos but have stayed at Carousel. If I could get them for the same price I would stay at the Carousel for the following reasons:

1. Shorter walk, it is about half the walk to HoJos even taking the HoJo short cut.
2. Free breakfast, when we went it was OK the eggs, fruit and cossiants were handy for lunch, we bought cereal and had breakfast in our room I took back juice, coffee toast etc

3. Microwave- not all Hojos rooms have microwaves, we used ours everyday for lunchs and the odd dinner in. The Carousel was so close we used to come back to the room for lunch and a rest.

On the negative side the pool is small, although it was never crowded.

We found the staff exceptional and as we had to fly out late in the day we spent the afternoon in their breakfast room relaxing, watching TV.

Having said that if we could get a good rate for HoJos we would definitely give it a try, from what I have heard here their staff are exceptional also

 

[Michaelasmum]

The rate at the Carousel was $30 a night more and since that picture shows how close the hotels are I think we will stick with our plans to stay at hojo. Thanks for all the help, the rave reviews hojo has gotten also help our decision. I will have a stroller for DD so to walk a little farther should be okay.

 

[Raidermouse]

Just curious if you were able to get the entertainment rate for Hojo's.It is only 59 for a standard room and 74 for a deluxe.Quite the deal.

 

[pixiewings71]

Just a quick fyi, we were there last month in bldg 1. There was a note about the construction on the Garden Pool and noise, there was no noise. The hours they do construction are not intrusive to you sleeping at all.
IIRC it was 9-5 or something very close to that. We were there over the weekend so we didn't have to deal with it but there was a letter in each room from the manager.

 

[sallyjane]

My family and I stayed at Hojo last year and the Carousel this year. First when it comes to the pools I did think the Hojo was better- much more kid friendly. No hot tub at the Carousel plus the pool starts out at 4' so my daughter who just turned 6 could only reach on the stairs. Plus the pool was supposed to be heated but when my children and I tried to go swimming at 8 pm one evening we were freezing. That is saying alot since we are from the North and our lakes are always cold, even in the summer, but we still swim. The rooms at the Hojo were nicer and larger. That being said I thought I would be disappointed in the rooms at the Carousel (because of this board) but they were really quite comfortable. We really liked having the breakfast in the morning and that saved us some money overall. I do wish the breakfast selection was larger. The bigest difference for us was the walk. I know it doesn't seem like a huge walking difference but it was at the end of the day. I would probably choose the Carousel over Hojo's. If you want a nicer pool and don't mind a longer walk and no breakfast choose Hojo. For me and my family we will probably choose the Carousel next time. JMHO

 

[mystic_path]

Its incredible how I always find that people choose Hojo over the Carousel. The pool being the #1 selling feature, apparently bigger rooms but the customer service always seems the same for both places. The Carousel through reviews I have heard have never really been bad - the continental breakfast (But what hotel serves really awesome top quality gormet breakfasts).

I always love reading these kinds of threads because I just think its fascinating what people find as a priority for hotels/motels etc when its just a place to shower and sleep.

 

[Michaelasmum]

I wasn't able to get an entertainment rate, I'm in norther BC and to be honest I didn't know about it until I came to these boards. I did get a AAA rate of $109 for a garden pool view room in building 2, I have emailed Lorealle to see if we would be able to get a premium Disney view room...there aren't any right now so I have to keep checking.

She is very wonderful to deal with...I'm sure she gets a ton of emails but she always replies so quickly and is so friendly.

 

[Raidermouse]

If lorealle personally says it is not available then it is not possible but if she says yes you can get entertainment books online for half price at entertainment.com.They are 15-20 bucks right now I believe.You get one for your area if it is available and use the card for hojo's that comes with the book.Ohh....BC...British Columbia?I don't think they have entertainment books in canada?Anyone?The Disboard code for members is LNDB

 

[Doc.]

If lorealle personally says it is not available then it is not possible but if she says yes you can get entertainment books online for half price at entertainment.com.They are 15-20 bucks right now I believe.You get one for your area if it is available and use the card for hojo's that comes with the book.Ohh....BC...British Columbia?I don't think they have entertainment books in canada?Anyone?The Disboard code for members is LNDB

Yes we have them in canada. the candle we use to read them tho melts our igloo's.