Is the HOJO the best place to stay?

[Disney*Happy]

I got a great rate at HOJO in June for 3 nights in June. I am now starting to panic that it is to far away. It will be just me, the 2 kids, and my mom. Is it safe? Is it close enough? Help!!!!!

 

[grumpy's fan]

Yes to all your questions.

I have stayed there many times with just myself, my DD and sometimes my mother. It really doesn't take that long to to walk to the front gates (maybe 5 minutes if you stroll. But be sure to cross Harbor at Manchester right at the hotel and walk on the quieter side of the street. Much easier to cross at Machester than at the front entrance where everyone else is crossing!

I've always felt safe, even walking late at night after park closing with just myself and DD.

 

[Disney*Happy]

Thanks so much! I feel better.

 

[cruise cruise cruise]

I got a great rate at HOJO in June for 3 nights in June. I am now starting to panic that it is to far away. It will be just me, the 2 kids, and my mom. Is it safe? Is it close enough? Help!!!!!

I had the same worries before my first stay last month. I LOVED Hojo. It was not too far at all, felt very safe, and the hotel itself was nice.

I liked walking on the busy side vs the quieter side of the street. I felt safer with the masses (there actually were no true masses when we were there) and I thought there was more room between me and the cars zipping by on the street.

You will not be dissapointed in your hotel decision.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

We always stay at Hojo -- we love it! It's less than 10 minutes for us, even with DD2 walking.

 

[Disney*Happy]

Thanks everyone...it's so nice to hear from other people who have stayed there.

 

[mechurchlady]

I agree with grumpy's fan on crossing at Manchester instead of walking over to the park entrance as that is big herd of people crossing there. Manchester has fewer people crossing and it is a quieter stroll plus you can cross the bus drop off area by using the walk way next to the bus stop.

The 460 picks up at Manchester in front of Hojo's and will drop you of at the corner where Knott's Berry Farm is as well as the Buena Park Mall and an Albertsons. It drops off at the bus stop by the park entrance on Harbor.

 

[momto2nenas]

Yes to everything you asked.

FYI, walking on the quieter side of the street you will pass by the city bus stop and you will see some homeless people. Not saying they are unsafe or anything, as we had no problems, you just might have to explain to the kiddos that they are homeless, etc. We saw the same guy several times who sits and pretends to shave w/ a pink razor.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Well, I am going to be lone dissenter! We've stayed at HoJo's a few times, but never again. We have not had one good experience there.

Instead, we stay at the Candy Cane Inn (http://www.candycaneinn.net/ ). We found it much cleaner, in better condition, wonderful staff and closer to DL - an easy walk or they have a shuttle as well. It is on the same side of the street and maybe a 5/7 min walk.

Whichever you choose, have a great time!

p.s. If you do look into CCI, but cannot find the rate you are looking/hoping for on line call - sometimes that works. )

 

[robinb]

We stayed at the HoJo in October and it was fine. I have heard some bad things about the rooms that face the highway, but we paid extra for a "Theme Park" view:

I have also heard really good things about the Candy Cane Inn.

 

[teatime]

Nice pics!! my motel is right next door, the fairfield. The hojo has a wonderful kids erea, I hear great things about the hojo ! But I chose the fairfield as it has some awesome reviews to and just one motel closer to the park. Im sure your two little ones will love the play erea Have a wonderful trip.

 

[DisnyMama]

We've stayed at HOJO three times since December and love it there. Since I discovered the Ent. rate I won't stay anywhere else and I've stayed at alot of the joints all around the DL resort area through PriceLine and Expedia and also on site at Paradise Pier and The Grand Calif.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

We debated between CCI and HOJOs last year but stayed with HOJOs due to the ent rate. We have 3 DDs (11, 8 and 5 last summer), and they really liked HOJOs as did my DH and I and that was before the cool Pirates Cove. We had an umbrella stroller for our DD5 and will be using that again when we return next month. At the end of the day my kids were tired and so were we, but to us, it was worth staying there for the nice employees, the pool, the grounds and being close to Mimi's Restaurant where we ate twice on the way back to the hotel for a break. At first, I was wondering if I should have stayed closer when we first arrived, but we just really liked the feel of it there. We're very excited for the Pirate's Cove area.

All in all, you would be happy at both places, I think. If we hadn't been so commando about our first visit to DL, I don't think we would've been so tired at the end of the day. We're taking scheduled breaks in the afternoons each day to play in the pool. One day on the way back we stopped at McDonalds to get a little snack.

Good luck with your decision. I would stay with HOJOs. We had the money to stay at one of the DLR hotels this year due to the 5-for-3 deal, and we still decided to stay at HOJOs.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I love HoJos ~ especially with the ent. rate, we've only stayed there once (this past Dec.) my kids and I were in 1 room, my mom and Gma in another. Very safe, very nice.

I could've stayed there with the ent. rate for our last 2 trips but I got the Crowne Plaza in Garden Grove (which is nice) through priceline.com for a very good price (about the same maybe a little less than HoJo) but it's not nearly as close to the parks as HoJo.

 

[teatime]

Hojo's is pretty hyped up, its a nice place but there are other nice places. and with the 5 for three at the other motels that's a better deal right now especially if you can not get the entertainment rate.. I have friends who only do the hojo, but have never tried any where else because all they hear is the Hojo But really I have stayed in some nice places, and they were just as good, or better then the hojo's its the deals you can make that make your trip to save money !

 

[Disney*Happy]

I got the entertainment rate way back in March, so I don't think I can get a better rate. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't to far as we usually stay onsite and my husband is usually with us. I am concerned with how far it is since he is not going with us this time. Thanks for everyone's replies.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

If worse come to worst, you can always buy the ART shuttle tickets. My grandma who was 89-90 at the time came with us and walked to the parks. However, she was very strong for her age and did lots of daily gardening which made her legs strong. I almost feel like telling you no it sucks, go somewhere else, because it's getting harder and harder to get that Ent rate now as everyone books it up as soon as it posts. (I can't plan that far ahead...) I do like that section across from the parks because I like Mimi's and Millies. McD's comes in handy too in a pinch. I'm most likely staying at Fairfield Inn on my next trip because I would have to switch rooms at Hojo and am booked at the AP rate for a room with smaller beds than at Fairfield. Anyway, I figure it's good to try someplace else to be able to compare. If I had my way, I would priceline something and take the shuttle (for a totally different experience) but my DH doesn't want me to.

 

[grumpy's fan]

We stayed at CCI once and will not stay there again. Room was bigger than HoJo and the breakfast was nice but overall didn't enjoy it as much as HoJo. At HoJo I like the staff much better. The staff at CCI was not helpful to us at all, I had a real problem with the maid using my toiletry items..complained to manager who really couldn't be bothered with the issue. Then my DD lost her favorite blankey (left it in the bed) and they wouldn't even look for it. My friend ended up simply going directly to the housekeeping area and digging through the dirty sheets they had pulled that morning and found it. I've always had great service from the HoJo folks - our last trip my DD lost her favorite webkinz (yes she left it in the beg again!!) However, I spoke to the front desk during our afternoon break to tell them we had lost it and when we returned home from the parks that night (very late) her webkinz was sitting on the dresser with a happy note from the staff!

 

[jory29]

Yes to everything you asked.

FYI, walking on the quieter side of the street you will pass by the city bus stop and you will see some homeless people. Not saying they are unsafe or anything, as we had no problems, you just might have to explain to the kiddos that they are homeless, etc. We saw the same guy several times who sits and pretends to shave w/ a pink razor.

Does anyone know if Elizabeth is still sitting around the BWPPI?? She is an elderly lady, and it so saddened us (Our then 10 year old and 5 year old) to see her put her gloves and toque on her head, and go to sleep, resting her head on her one luggage bag. This was in Nov. of 2007, I believe. I asked the hotel staff about her, they said she receives enough gov't money to be able to eat, etc. and that she will never take hand-outs from people in terms of money, etc. They said if it rains, they have offered her an umbrella but she generally says no to it. When the heavier crowds come in, she tends to stray away from that area, but she does like it when the crowds are not so large. My family and I really felt for her, and wished we could have helped her. She apparently can be confused/not make sense one day, and another day, she appears to be fine. Does anyone know who I am speaking of?? Thanks, if you can help us to know she's doing 'o.k.'