New question HOJO or DI&S??

[8timesblessed]

If you had the choice which one would you choose for 10 people?? 2 adults and 8 kids 3-11.

We could get 2 Kid suite rooms at HOJO or the big suite at Desert Inn and Suites. They said one would be at either end of the hall. So how far away would that be??

My kids would love the pool at HOJO and we plan to have at least one down day at the hotel.

We are planning to spend 6 nights, Monday-Sunday. Right now the HOJO only has the first 5 nights for the two family suites and then we would have to change for the last night unless something opens up.

What should be the best rate for kid suites?? I was quoted higher then the $99 a night but figured they sold out of that quota and I got the 15% discount. I was quoted $139.40 for Ent. rate.

 

[cruise cruise cruise]

We stayed at Hojo last spring and will be staying there again this spring. I love the hotel and my kids really enjoyed the water play area. With that said, for your family, I would choose DI&S.
It sounds like the room at DI&S is one room large enough to accomodate all 10 of you rather than you and DH having to split rooms (no fun if you ask me).
I am guessing, but I think your rooms at Hojo would be about 10 doors apart if they are at opposite ends of the hall.
Oh, and I would not want to pack everyone up and move for the last night.

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

I second the advice from cruise cruise cruise. Being in one suite just makes a lot more sense than being spread out at two ends of a large floor. We love HOJO, but for your situation, stay in the C2.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Ditto the previous replies... Also if you the rooms were not together wouldn't that mean that you and your spouse wouldn't be in the same bed? Or would you be ok with your 12 year old sleeping with his siblings alone in a room away from you guys?

 

[8timesblessed]

Ditto the previous replies... Also if you the rooms were not together wouldn't that mean that you and your spouse wouldn't be in the same bed? Or would you be ok with your 12 year old sleeping with his siblings alone in a room away from you guys?

My DH and I would split up. We figured we would be together all day and the next week we are all planning on staying together so we figured we could handle it for 6 days. He snores anyway.

Now I am thinking that maybe we should just get two premium rooms that connect (even though they can't guarentee it), maybe that would be better. It still sleeps the same amount of people. DH and I were up til midnight reading reviews. It still seems so confusing. Why is the HOJO only rated a 2.5 star and yet it gets such great reviews from most people. I think tripadvisor had over 900 reviews of the hotel and alot were excellent or good.

The Desert Inn didn't get that great of reviews so I guess that's why I'm having a hard time.

 

[Brady's Mom]

What are your dates? And have you checked the HoJo board for their Ent. Rate dates? The board is here if you want to check to see if your dates are available. The only way to get the best rate at HoJo is to call in-house reservations during Pacific time business hours and don't call during lunch hour or you will automatically be sent to the 800 number resies.

I would totally get the 2 connecting rooms at HoJo. Get the NQQ2 rooms - which are non-smoking (they all are), with 2 queen beds, in building 2 (which faces the garden pool. The NQQ2 rooms have a microwave and fridge in them and if you are traveling with 10 people having 2 fridges and 2 microwaves would be great.

DI&S does NOT have upgraded beds and bedding, while HoJo does. And they always seemed a little shabby to me. They also are a Motel with doors that open to the outside while HoJo is a Hotel with inside corridors.

We have had connecting rooms and LOVE it. We only stay at HoJo - they have interior corridors and after 10 pm you have to use your room key to get in the buildings. We love the pool area and the customer service. We eat breakfast in our room while we're getting ready. Our kids get up super early and are starving right away so waiting for everyone to get ready before they eat anything makes them cranky.

You could pay more for the premium rooms with a Disney view, but I vote for the Garden Pool view. We love it.

ETA: We have put a rollaway in the rooms at HoJo and it is a little crowded, but doable. We have also put our kids crosswise on the beds when they were littler and slept them 3 to a bed - that works, too.

 

[8timesblessed]

Thanks for the info! I did call but she said the ENT rate wasn't available yet and to keep calling back. Our dates are May 24-30.
This sounds like a better fit for us. I want a good bed and all the reviews, most people said they had great beds!!
And the parking, we have a 15 passenger van and I want to be able to park it and not have any problems.

 

[mareed]

You can check for the Ent rate yourself at http://www.hojoanaheim.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14 and then call if it's available. If you do want the Hojo, I recommend making a reservation now at the next best rate (one of the 15% off codes) so that you have the rooms booked. The HoJo has definitely been known to sell out or to not have the room type you want available.

I've stayed at the HoJo for many of the DL trips in my sig and have stayed in the Premium view rooms as well as the new Kids Suite. Have you seen the room layouts at http://www.hojoanaheim.com/assets/pdf/room_layouts.pdf? If you went with 2 Premium rooms instead of 2 KidSuites, you're losing 2 bathrooms, 2 TV's and 364 sq. feet. Two of the KidSuites are equivalent to the floor space of 3 of the Premium rooms. It is unfortunate that the KidSuites are at opposite ends of the hallway, but since you wouldn't be guaranteed connecting rooms even with the Premium 2Q rooms, and you & DH are prepared to sleep in different rooms anyway, I'd take the extra space and bathrooms of the KidSuites.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We stayed with 5 people in a C-2 suite at Desert Inn last summer. It had 4 queens, a sofa sleeper and 2 bathrooms. I would be really hesitant to put 10 people in there, although all of your kids together probably don't spend as much time in the bathroom as my sister!

If you're looking for a nice pool, I would skip the Desert Inn. It has a small indoor pool that can get very hot, steamy, crowded and noisy. It's like sitting in an echo chamber equipped with a sauna! I think that pool would be crowded with just your party of 10, not to mention the other guests who might be in there.

Just based on the pool, I would consider HoJo's for your family.

 

[8timesblessed]

So I had booked the Kid suites the other day and we will have to move rooms the last night but I think that will be fine because we don't plan on going to Disney after we check out so I would just need one outfit and can have everything packed up, unless a room opens up but I doubt it will. I think we can make it work at opposites ends especially since I won't be cooking and we can always hang out in one of the rooms or let those who need naps use one and those who are awake use the other. For this trip it sounds like this is a better hotel for us.

BUT WAIT................I just got an email with a pin that says save up to 35% off a Disney resort hotel. I wonder what kind of pricing that would make it?? Might have to give them a call.

Any ideas about the pin# offers???

 

[Karebear]

If you do go with HoJos, why don't you try to get one regular room and one suite that are next to each other. That way, you might not have to move rooms the last night. You will get 3 bathrooms (2 in the suite and one in the regular room) and possibly be next to each other instead of down the hall from everyone. Just a thought......