Not very happy with HoJo right now!

[tlovesdis]

We are at DL. The Hojo is nice but today we got notes under our door that Pirate Cove is closed all day tomorrow for a private function! WTH? Tomorrow is our free day and it's all the kids have been talking about! I find it kind of rude to tell us the day before!!

 

[hurleysweety]

That stinks! I hope you can figure something else out for the kiddos.

We just arrived in DL and in our room at Holiday Inn there was a note that they will be testing fire alarms today and yesterday (8-4). Obviously doesn't affect us, but still?! We don't have kids, but I think its safe to assume that most, if not all, families with kids take a break where a fire alarm would be a total inconvenience.

Here's hoping the event ends early or whatever so that you can take them for at least part of the day!

 

[Eeee-va]

I'm sorry! I think the event is actually a registration-only event being hosted by another Disney fans board. It would have been polite for Hojo to tell you in advance, though--I believe the event has been planned for months.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sorry! I think the event is actually a registration-only event being hosted by another Disney fans board. It would have been polite for Hojo to tell you in advance, though--I believe the event has been planned for months.

Very likely a good call.

So OP, maybe you could change your free day, and watch the maniacs try to ride all the rides inside of one day! (says someone who was a "super secret spotter" one year for it)

 

[Mom2Joce]

YIKES!! Half our party is arriving today with plans of "getting wet"...probably should let them know!

What about the pool? Is the pool open...maybe you guys can get wet there?

I had heard and researched about this event given it was our arrival day but then discovered that HOJO was only working the registration and the EVENT was only one day!

I would actually LOVE to see this in motion...lol...sounds like fun!!

 

[emacat]

Oh no! That is upsetting news.

Could you switch your free day to another day? And maybe go backto the parks again tomorrow? And I would certainly call the management and explain how upset you are that this was never mentioned during or after the reservations, or even during your check-in.

It sounds like great fun for those going, but you have every right to be upset at how this affects your vacation. By the same token, see what the Hojo can do, and if worsecomes to worse, head to the beach. My kids loved the beach so much, they can't wait to go back this time!

 

[rentayenta]

That stinks! They should have told you when you made reservations so you could make your plans accordingly.

 

[Astro Orbiter]

So sorry!

I'd go to the desk, ask to speak to the hotel manager, then calmly explain to him/her that your plans were to spend the day at Pirate Cove and their late notice has caused you some grief and ask for some type of compensation. Especially is this is due to a long-planned event that they are, I'm sure, getting paid for.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would say something. If they did not let you know in advance, they need to reduce your room rate because you have fewer amenities available to you.

 

[dizneedoll]

I agree. Ask for the manager and complain. Hojo's can be great but I've had issues with them a couple of times and management isn't that good about fixing wrongs but it's worth a shot. I'm sorry that happened. It totally sucks.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Um yea, I would be totally irritated too! Where is Lorealle when you need her? That is one of the main reasons people stay there and to have it closed for a private party, totally unacceptable. I could see if it were down for maintenance or something but to close it for any sort of private party is just wrong.

 

[chrissiecutie]

I wasn't aware that you could book the Pirate Cove for a private party. Anyone know what the event is??

BTW- you should definately stop by front desk and complain. Drag your kiddos with you for extra guilt!

 

[moomoo]

We are are at Hojo right now and today was our free day too

I wish they would have told us when we checked in 6 days ago so we could plan accordingly instead of the day before! especially if they have known about it for months, my son had been looking forward to it for days as we haven't had any time to use it yet. We did use the hot tub the other day, but the pirate ship was closed by then. We check out tomorrow so he won't get a chance to play there at all .

If we had known in advance it wouldn't be a problem at all, it's the fact that they only told us the night before that I have a problem with.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wasn't aware that you could book the Pirate Cove for a private party. Anyone know what the event is??

BTW- you should definately stop by front desk and complain. Drag your kiddos with you for extra guilt!

Most likely the evening part of the Gumball Rally event put on by one of the *other* fan message boards, micechat.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

At least they told you in a bit of advance, rather than telling you when you arrived at the pool.

Sorry, it does suck, but I wouldn't complain and demand compensation, it just makes you look silly. NOBODY else in the hotel is getting in that area if thye're not with the event, and they'll probably be told the same thing as you if you were to actually complain. "Sorry, their event, they paid for it, try again tomorrow."

 

[chrissiecutie]

At least they told you in a bit of advance, rather than telling you when you arrived at the pool.

Sorry, it does suck, but I wouldn't complain and demand compensation, it just makes you look silly. NOBODY else in the hotel is getting in that area if thye're not with the event, and they'll probably be told the same thing as you if you were to actually complain. "Sorry, their event, they paid for it, try again tomorrow."

I wouldn't "demand compensation" but as a former hotel front desk manager- they should have told you upon check in, at the very least.

Typically what I've always done is typed up a letter and given that letter to each guest upon check in. So if we are testing fire alarms or the pool is closed one day for maint.- then our guests know about it when they check in. Not "surprise" the pool is closed today. This is just the proper way to handle things like this and frankly, it's disappointing that HoJo's didn't give you fair notice.

This is why I would stop by the front desk and complain. A major part of going to the HoJo's (at least for alot of folks) is the awesome pool/waterpark area. It's an amenity you pay for and to have it closed with no real advanced notice, is not fair.

Front desk and management needs to be aware that this is not acceptable. Ask them why they didn't notify you when you called to make your reservation and further more, why they didn't tell you in person upon check in?? Very poor planning on their part.

At this point, any "good" hotel manager will offer you some sort of discount. This could be as 10% off for the day the pool is closed, or a $5 gift cert to the gift shop or free ART passes, etc.

My advice- be clear in telling them exactly why you are unhappy, offer them solutions to fix this so it doesn't happen again and most likely you'll both walk away satisfied.

 

[emacat]

I agree that you shouldn't go in "demanding" anything, but I strongly agree with the previous poster. You do need to mention nicely mention that this upset you, and explain the reasoning, then point out that it would have made all the difference if you had told during reservation, or even during check-in so that you could have adjusted your schedule accordingly. Any decent guest oriented management will listen to your concerns, and take them into account on any future "private party" occasions.

The Hojo strongly advertises the availability of Castaway Cove and the jacuzzi as a large part of the reason families should stay there, without any disclaimer that I've seen stating "unless closed for private parties." I'm a big fan of this hotel, but I would be really upset if this had happened to me. That being said, talk nicely and calmly to the management in the hopes you can save someone else a headache, and then give your kids a hug and try to put it out of your mind.

 

[VallCopen]

Thanks for the info. We were going to book some friends at HOJO this Summer but I will now splurge at put them at Disney (were at the VGC anyway), I don't want them staying there if that is how they treat their guest......

 

[rossip]

Well that totally sucks , they should hve told you prior to you checking in or even booking , especially if as one poster said this function was planned a long time ago.

To be honest this sort of smacks of attitude - especially if its a private function for a group or board that HoJos sponsor .

I'd be asking to speak to the manager and strongly but calmly voicing your concerns

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks for the info. We were going to book some friends at HOJO this Summer but I will now splurge at put them at Disney (were at the VGC anyway), I don't want them staying there if that is how they treat their guest......

OK, they were treating a TON of their guests to have this private function. Just like they treated a group of Dis Divas nicely the last two years, when they/we stayed at HoJo...setting up a lovely room for the meet-up party.

It's not like the people renting that area were NOT guests. And any one of us could have taken part in the Rally; I did two years ago, even though the Dis is my go-to message board. This year they even had a family rally that was of shorter duration and had fewer rides to do.


Since I knew I couldn't go the Rally this year, I didn't look much into their plans, but it's possible this was a last minute event planned. Two years ago their dinner thing was actually on Disney property...so it's possible this wasn't something planned when the OP checked in.


Finally found mention of that area's use. Sounds like they went above and beyond, just like they've done for the much smaller Dis groups that have had events and booked bunches of rooms there.