Ok hotel smarties. Need MAJOR help

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

So as some of you know, our inlaws surprised us with a trip in Nov/dec to disney. They got Desert Inn at the recommendation of my SIL who has 6 kids (so it's very worth it for her!)

But the more we think about it, the more this is just not amazing for everyone else.

In another room it will be 2 adults, 2 kids and another family of 2 adults and 2 kids.

In another room it will be 4 adults (inlaws and their two full grown children who live at home) and a family with 2 adults and 4 kids.

These suites only have one microwave, one fridge and not enough parking.


I've researched for like HOURS the last two days trying to write them lists of pros cons for hotels to show them to persuade them to switch (if we can find enough good stuff at other hotels). They're more than willing to hear me. This meeting is TONIGHT.

I need info on rollaways. The biggest issue is that if the family with 4 adults gets a room they need three beds. The family with 2 adults 4 kids also needs some bed help. Anyone know anything that might help me? We would love to be able to each get our own room at some hotel that will allow a parking space (free) per room. They don't wanna pay a ton..but are willing to buy suites for the two larger families.

Anyone know how much rollaways are at certain hotels? And which ones allow them?

So far I've written up a pros/cons list for Castle Inn and Desert Palms.

 

[CrazyDuck]

I'd say don't stress about it. Just go with the flow! It's still a free trip to Disneyland! If anything make sure you are not exceeding the room occupancy limits

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

The reason I'm stressing is because we already have to pay to park a car three blocks away.

The trip is FAR from 'free' LOL If we don't have fridge room, we eat out every meal. We also aren't getting paid vaca time off from work so this free vaca is setting us back a TON as it is. I've gotta do what I can to save monies!

 

[Brady's Mom]

Emmers have you checked HoJo? We are staying there about a week later than you. They still have Ent. rate for a lot of the end of Nov. and the first few days of Dec. We got the NQQ2 room that has a fridge and micro, garden pool view and now hopefully with the updated bedding and mattresses. I asked for 2 adjoining rooms, too. I also reserved 2 other rooms for families that are traveling with us and got the $59 dollar rate for all three rooms. I just need the entertainment card that will be coming in the mail soon!

I know you can get a rollaway at Hojo, I just haven't checked into it for the 2 queen room. It might be really nice for my 12 yr. old DS!

Lorealle's email at HoJo is lorealle.bishop@hojoanaheim.com and she is very helpful, although if your meeting is tonight, a phone call may be the best way to contact her.

HTH!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

So they did still have suites? Cuz online it didn't list them.

Ok maybe I'll call. The only thing I didn't like was no microwave..but as long as there's a fridge we'll live. (tho in the suites there IS a microwave huh. Hmm)

What's the entertainment card?? I mention it when I call I assume?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

oh and where is she? onsite or do i call reservations?

 

[bumbershoot]

The Entertainment Book card is the card you get with the Entertainment Book. You can get info, and even order one, at entertainment.com. It's a coupon/discount book. You can get it for your own area, you can get it for an area you're traveling to, or if the prices are all the same (I don't know where you live) you can get it for the Orange County (Anaheim) area. If your trip is in November I think you'll need the 2009 book.

When you call HoJo, call the Anaheim one. Not the 800 number. When you connect, ask for HoJo Anaheim's "in house reservations". If you end up talking to someone who seems a bit clueless, or who thinks that the Entertainment book discount is just a percentage off, you're not talking to the people IN Anaheim. I had called the 714 number, and after a long set of rings I heard a click and I ended up talking to a woman who really had no clue. I had to ask her TWICE if she was "in house reservations", and finally got a truthful answer when I asked if she was actually there, in Anaheim, and she had to say no. At that point I hung up b/c she wasn't there, she was part of the national call center, and the Anaheim in house reservations people have different Entertainment Book discounts than the chain.


Don't forget that it could be possible to have a good time even if the family is in different places. Might not feel the best, but since the Harbor hotels are pretty much all in a row, it wouldn't be like you were hours away from each other.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Yeah I'm not too afraid to go to a diff hotel, but if we could all be at the same one, I know they'd be more excited about it.

Ok I'll call them directly and see if they can even help this late.

Do I have to buy the entertainment book?

 

[Brady's Mom]

You will need the Ent. book. The card is in the front cover. Schools in your area should be coming out with them in the next couple of weeks for their fundraisers. I can always seem to get one if I need one.

I know HoJo has suites, just don't know what they cost or if they are available. Can you split up families for the $59 dollar price with an adjoining room? Mom in one room with a couple of kids and dad in another?

Also, according to Lorealle on the Hojo discussion board, they have added microwaves to building 2 (NQQ2) rooms. This makes it great for us, because that is where we are staying and that saves us a lot of money on breakfast. These are the $59 dollar rooms.

I think occupancy is 5 per room unless you have a suite.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you can get the good Entertainment Book rates, then yes you would need to buy a book. I think you can get 2 rooms on one EBook card.

There are some people who just buy the card itself (making sure it's valid at the time you're going) off ebay, but I don't do that b/c the coupons in my area's book are valuable (last year I paid $15 for the '08 book, and the book has 4 $5 coupons for my main grocery store, for instance).

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

yeah you're right, that'd work well.

Ok I'll work on hojo's too

 

[samkj]

We do connecting rooms at Hojo for our family. It works great! We were in building 4 last time and the rooms were HUGE, plus there was a rollaway already in the room(in the closet, we did not request one) when we checked in. This is a GREAT option for larer families.

We'll be back with view rooms at Hojo right after Christmas!

 

[DangerMouse]

The HoJo only has 2 suites. One queen/queen suite with a sofa sleeper and 2 bathrooms in buiding 2. It sleeps 6. The other suite is a King suite, which wouldn't suit your needs.

The queen suite is hard to get as it is very popular and is usually booked way in advance.

They do have connecting rooms and if you get the $59 rate, it is pretty affordable to get two connecting rooms.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

yeah that's what i was afraid of.

But the connecting rooms would work. That way we're still okay with number of people per room, as a grandchild could stay with the grandparents.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

bah, nogo..the 5th is booked.

Every other night is open

 

[Brady's Mom]

That worked for us last March when we went and didn't want to spring for a suite. We just put our "extra" kid in with the grandparents. It worked out really well, since he was 19 and could have his own key. But we would do it with our other DS (12), since I wouldn't worry about him keeping grandma awake in the middle of the night if he had a bad dream.

Good luck with your meeting tonight. Sometimes being the major planner and researcher is a huge pain in the butt! But, you also get way more control, which appeals to control freak me!!!

 

[JaneJetson]

The anabella hotel http://www.anabellahotel.com has 23 different room types. You might want to see if any of those will work. They do charge a bit for parking though. Something like $12 a day, I think.

The anaheim plaza http://www.anaheimplazahotel.com/ has a 2-room family suite that can hold up to 8 people (at least that's what the website says) so you might want to check to see if something like that would work. Parking is $4 a day, I think.

 

[Brady's Mom]

bah, nogo..the 5th is booked.

Every other night is open

How long will you be in Anaheim and is it worth it to cram into Desert Inn and then change to Hojo? Then it would just be one night? Just a thought?!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

That'd be the last night we're there. My biggest problem with that is the whole parking situation..and check in check out times.

But it is very tempting. They'd save like 2k.

ETA- we're staying 7 nights.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Thanks Jane