Our "Home Away From Home" - HoJo's/Disneyland

[silence]

We are here at HoJo's ready for our Disney vacation!

Spent yesterday afternoon in Hollywood and Universal Studios. This morning we went back to Universal. YUCK! such a horrible experience. We really are spoiled by Disneyland and HoJos. Nothing else ever compares.

It's been a year since we were last here since we let our APs expire. I am upgrading our hoppers on Saturday to APs again as we have 2 more trips (at least) planned for this next year.

Anyways, quite excited to be here. We were going to do the park this afternoon but hubby got terribly ill so my mom and I spent the afternoon with the kiddos out at the pool. I went to Target and got some cleaning supplies to disinfect the room....I really don't want anyone else to get it. I am really hoping it is motion sickness and not some bug.

Let me know if anyone has any questions, we will be here until Sunday.

 

[1disneynutt]

How did you like Universal Studios? Did you ride the new King Kong ride? We are thinking about going here on our vacation next year. Did you drive or take a tour bus?

 

[jory29]

GOOD LUCK to your hubby in getting better quickly!!

You are so very thoughtful to pick up some cleaning supplies from target to ensure that the room is sanitized.... Hojo's has always been very neat, clean, tidy, etc. but I know on one trip we ordered a spray bottle of Lysol disinfectant cleaner from Vons just to spritz on the toilet handles, light switches (using a cloth to apply), door knobs, etc... I made sure to tell the staff that I was only doing it as a precaution, since I know house keeping at Hojo's is excellent!

I just do not want anyone to fall ill in our family when we go on such a magical trip, and bless your heart for being so thoughtful! I wish everyone were like you!

Please keep us updated as to how your hubby is doing. Good luck!!

Hopefully you all will very much enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[silence]

How did you like Universal Studios? Did you ride the new King Kong ride? We are thinking about going here on our vacation next year. Did you drive or take a tour bus?

We did not enjoy ourselves here. We are from Sacramento so we drive down. We stayed at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn. The Hotel was clean, bathroom small. The check in staff was very nice. However, the restaurant was HORRIBLE. We left no tip, and we are big tippers! It was beyond frustrating. The shuttle to the park went every hour in the morning and every 2 hours in the afternoon. The line started at 7:45 for the 8:30 shuttle. There were probably enough people waiting at 8:30 for 3 shuttles.

The park was HOT and super crowded on Monday at 2:45 when we got there. We were miserable the whole day. Waits for what little rides they have were over an hour and the show lines were crazy. We did 1 ride and 1 show and ate hotdogs and then left for the City Walk. Our day started by standing in line for hotdogs for 10 min and when it was our turn, they were out of buns. Yes, buns. So everyone in line was delayed another 15 min. Everyone in line got a discount EXCEPT us as we had already paid. nice.

Then my DD (7) was too scared to go on Simpson's so we stood in line for Homer and Bart pictures. Homer seriously walked away from my child and went over to "flirt" with some woman and would not take a picture of my daughter.

We went to get a refill of our sipper for 99 cents and the girl was so rude. I had my receipt I showed her but she didn't want to do it since it didn't have some sticker on it.

As we were walking out, they had a booth that said "Plan your day at Universal". We walked over and were standing behind the person talking to the employee. As soon as that person was done, we stopped forward and the turned and ran into the office/guest service building. He looked right at us, didn't say a word and ran away! It just capped off our hot unhappy day. The guests seemed to be super pushy and never apologized. My DH and my mom got run over by strollers, with not a word said.

Now, I will say Tuesday morning the lines were better and we did everything in under 10 min. The tram ride was wonderful, we loved the Kong stuff! But again, the whole ride my daughter was scared to death. This from the child who goes on everything at Disneyland and has never been scared of a ride before. Overall, the trip to Universal was a bust because she did not enjoy herself at all.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

We are planning only our 2nd trip to DLR since we live in the Southeast we usually go to WDW. Our plans now are to stay at HoJo's based on the reviews from a lot of Diser's.

A couple of questions, if you don't mind:

We will be reserving a premium room so we can hopefully see the fireworks if we are not in the park. Are you staying in this type room now or have you in the past, and if so, how are the views.

I can't remember if I've read about a shuttle service to the parks or not. Is there a shuttle service? How often does it run and how early? We are normally at the parks open to close.

Have you walked to the parks from the hotel?

Thanks

 

[silence]

We have stayed in premium rooms before. You can see and def hear the fireworks. We are in delux rooms as bldg 2 is our favorite and we heard them and felt them last night! The hotel does not have a shuttle but you can take ART. We may try that tonight as my feet always give out on me and today is day 1 of 4. Its an easy walk though, we have always just walked.

 

[Hojoanaheim]

We are here at HoJo's ready for our Disney vacation!

Spent yesterday afternoon in Hollywood and Universal Studios. This morning we went back to Universal. YUCK! such a horrible experience. We really are spoiled by Disneyland and HoJos. Nothing else ever compares.

It's been a year since we were last here since we let our APs expire. I am upgrading our hoppers on Saturday to APs again as we have 2 more trips (at least) planned for this next year.

Anyways, quite excited to be here. We were going to do the park this afternoon but hubby got terribly ill so my mom and I spent the afternoon with the kiddos out at the pool. I went to Target and got some cleaning supplies to disinfect the room....I really don't want anyone else to get it. I am really hoping it is motion sickness and not some bug.

Let me know if anyone has any questions, we will be here until Sunday.

So glad to hear that we're homebase for you when you come to Disneyland!

And we hope that your DH is feeling better and back to his healthy, happy self very soon! If there is anything that we can do to make you guys more comfortable, please don't hesitate to let us know!

Lorealle

 

[poohnpigletCA]

I hope you hubby is feeling better. It is no fun getting sick on vacation.

How far would you say the walk is to Disneyland? We have never stayed to the Hojo before. Our youngest has some sensory issues and I am a little concerned about freeway/firework/bucket with a bell noise. Are you in 1 Queen room with 2 beds?

How is the weather and crowds? Thank you for sharing all of your information with us.

 

[silence]

Thanks for all the well wishes for hubby. He is feeling a little better, but wishing he hadn't got on Space Mtn. today.

We are in a Deluxe room in Bldg 2 near the quiet pool. We have never heard the freeway in this bldg in all the many many times we have been here. I never have heard the bell/bucket from here either.

I do not know how far the walk is exactly. I think if you search here though there is a map or something that has the exact distance. We mostly feel it at night after walking all day. Tomorrow may be a shuttle day for coming back. I did not realize they had moved the taxi cab pick up spot this past year, otherwise we would have just done a cab here.

Today was beautiful weather wise. Crowds were pretty heavy, but doable with the fast passes. We also took a nice break for lunch, swim and a nap.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

The walk from HOJOs is about 8 minutes. I believe it's a half a mile to the DL entrance if I remember correctly.

 

[silence]

The walk from HOJOs is about 8 minutes. I believe it's a half a mile to the DL entrance if I remember correctly.

Yes, I just found the link.

It is .5016 miles to the closest rooms and .5802 miles to the farthest rooms.

Or in steps, 2,648 or 3,063

And actually, it is about the same distance from the main gate to the Disneyland Hotel.