Pumpkins, and candy, and Mickey, oh my! (TR complete!)

[Mycutekitties]

We love HoJos!! Last week were were at DLH but I was wishing we were at HoJos. I had HoJos booked but I got the AP7 rate at DLH so I canceled. I thought that HoJos was just as nice at DLH and the same ammount of walking to and from the park. I think we will never stay at DLH and just stick with HoJos.
Anyway I love your TR!!

 

[mommaU4]

Beth--the pictures of the play area by the pool were fantastic! Lorealle should co-opt them for advertising for Hojo!

Aww, thanks. The kids were just having too much fun. I think in March, if it's warm enough, we should get a couple fun shots of those brave enough to put on a swim suit (not me!), playing on and around the pirate ship.

wow...those fires were really burning it up when you were there! We left that sunday, late night, so we were not effected at all..scary stuff!
HoJo's looks so fun!!!!!!!!!! You cannot beat that rate wow!

Yep, the fires were getting bad. We were watching news footage of them while at HoJo and it was so sad. I can't imagine losing everything you own.

The rate at HoJo's is great. But honestly, I'd be willing to pay even more then that because of how great it is.

(Gee, I hope no HoJo big wigs are reading this!!! )

Love that photo!

My video camera broke right before our honeymoon. So my mom and dad let me borrow their camera. We barely took any video but it was nice that we had it.

Luckily we always bring two cameras with us on trips so if one breaks, we're covered.

Love the report so far!

Thanks. Ruben took it. I liked it a lot too.
That's smart of you to bring two cameras.

We love HoJos!! Last week were were at DLH but I was wishing we were at HoJos. I had HoJos booked but I got the AP7 rate at DLH so I canceled. I thought that HoJos was just as nice at DLH and the same amount of walking to and from the park. I think we will never stay at DLH and just stick with HoJos.
Anyway I love your TR!!

Thanks! The walk wasn't that bad at all. Sure it's a challenge when you've been in the parks all day, but it was doable. Even the kids did it each night with no trouble.

 

[grizbuzz]

Aww, thanks. The kids were just having too much fun. I think in March, if it's warm enough, we should get a couple fun shots of those brave enough to put on a swim suit (not me!), playing on and around the pirate ship.


Yep, the fires were getting bad. We were watching news footage of them while at HoJo and it was so sad. I can't imagine losing everything you own.

The rate at HoJo's is great. But honestly, I'd be willing to pay even more then that because of how great it is.

(Gee, I hope no HoJo big wigs are reading this!!! )



Thanks. Ruben took it. I liked it a lot too.
That's smart of you to bring two cameras.



Thanks! The walk wasn't that bad at all. Sure it's a challenge when you've been in the parks all day, but it was doable. Even the kids did it each night with no trouble.

Whatcha talking about? You'll be sporting a bikini in March!

So where is this Ruben? What does he look like? Does he not appear in photos? You could at least draw us a sketch or something.

Keep the report coming!

-Jen

 

[mommaU4]

Whatcha talking about? You'll be sporting a bikini in March!

So where is this Ruben? What does he look like? Does he not appear in photos? You could at least draw us a sketch or something.

Keep the report coming!

-Jen

This bod has not seen a bikini since I was 19. And on Friday I'll be turning 37 so that's a long darn time.

LOL Yes, I have some shots of Ruben. I think...... He's usually the one taking the pics. But I'm sure I snapped a few of him. If not, I'll sketch one. I promise.

 

[wendylady36]

But I'm sure I snapped a few of him. If not, I'll sketch one. I promise.

You'll have to hold it up for the glass to see!

No way will I even be glancing at a swimsuit anytime soon.

 

[mommaU4]

I'll go ahead and finish up day two since it was almost at an end anyway.

After having a blast in Castaway Cove, the kids came up to the room to shower and get ready for bed. Ruben went out to get something fast and cheap to eat (Taco Bell for the kids, Quiznos for us) and I took some pics of the room while he was gone. After dinner, it was time to chill with some tv and then hit the hay.
Our first day at Disney was tomorrow!! Whooo hooo!

Room pics:

This is the area with the fridge and microwave. The fridge is small, but it's enough to hold some milk, water bottles, Diet Pepsi, some Capri Sun, and some cream cheese for our bagels.

The secret snack stash.

The bathroom. Ignore all my clutter. I forgot to take pics before unpacking.

The shower. The shower head is nice and tall. I'm 5'9" and I hate having to crouch down to wash my hair.

This time the room had an extra sink outside of the bathroom. The room we spent one night in during June, did not. I loved having the extra sink. Made it so much easier to get ready in the mornings!

A shot of the beds. Very comfy to sleep on. I had no trouble sleeping at all.

The safe, phone, clock, etc.

Tables and chairs that are near the window. On the other side of the window is the balcony.

A long shot of the room.

The roll away which actually fits perfectly in the back corner of the room.

The balcony. It's not very big, but it's nice to have one. Noelle actually sat out there a few mornings and did some homework while everyone else was getting ready.

Some shots taken from our balcony. We were in room 1401 and had an ok view. In June we were on the 6th floor and had an awesome view of the fireworks.
That building in the foreground there is Mimi's Cafe a very good family restaurant.

Some of the tip envelopes the girls and I made for housekeeping. LOL

The sign I made to put on our door. The funny thing is, we ended up in the last room before the door to the stairs. So unless someone was taking the stairs down 4 flights, no one saw it but us and the maid. LOL Oh well. I put it up anyway.

This is the lobby area of building one.

The game room.

And the gift shop which had just about every item you could think of, even pregnancy tests. I guess for when you are leaving your hotel room for Disney and you think, "I should really take a pregnancy test just to make sure before I hop on the Matterhorn."
You'll pay a pretty penny for it all though. A travel sized item that would cost 99 cents in the store, was $2.99 in the gift shop! Ouch. So try not to forget anything. Bring your own pregnancy tests with you!

So there you have it. Our home away from home for almost a week. (sigh) I miss being there already! But up next........We're going to Disneyland!!

 

[wendylady36]

EEK! They have RED BULL!!!!!

I love all your decorations! I'm looking forward to finally staying at the all powerful and mighty HOJOs in March!

 

[kaoden39]

EEK! They have RED BULL!!!!!

I love all your decorations! I'm looking forward to finally staying at the all powerful and mighty HOJOs in March!

Yes, but do they have Dt. Pepsi? I need my Dt. Pepsi!

 

[dwheatl]

Do they let grown-ups on the slide? I wanna go!
Funny about the pregnancy tests. About 19 years ago, we did a Disneyland/Knott's Berry Farm trip. DS was a year old, flipped off the bed in the motel and threw up. Then I started throwing up too (rare for me). The sistas were paining me, and AF was nowhere to be seen. On the drive home (400 miles), we did not stop to unpack; we went right to Walgreen's. Got the pg test and bingo! DD was on her way. Had we been staying at a place selling the tests, I probably would have bought one there.

 

[mommaU4]

Yes, but do they have Dt. Pepsi? I need my Dt. Pepsi!

I wasn't taking any chances. I brought my own.

Do they let grown-ups on the slide? I wanna go!
Funny about the pregnancy tests. About 19 years ago, we did a Disneyland/Knott's Berry Farm trip. DS was a year old, flipped off the bed in the motel and threw up. Then I started throwing up too (rare for me). The sistas were paining me, and AF was nowhere to be seen. On the drive home (400 miles), we did not stop to unpack; we went right to Walgreen's. Got the pg test and bingo! DD was on her way. Had we been staying at a place selling the tests, I probably would have bought one there.

It says it's a family play area, so to me that implies it's ok for adults too!

Wow, I guess maybe selling those tests isn't such a far out idea then!! LOL I wonder how many have bought them there and found out they were expecting in a room at the HoJo?? lol

 

[davidsprincess]

DD likes to look at the pitures of the gift shop on the HOJO website and everytime she see this picture she says,"And there's the booze"
Seeing this picture made me think of that.

I really like all of your pictures. I cannot wait to go. 12 more sleeps
Thanks for sharing your pictures. It really gives us first timmers a chance to see where we will be laying our heads each night.

 

[davidsprincess]

I was still paranoid about the camera which is why I was glad we had our MIL's just in case. Unfortunately that wasn't the end of the camera drama. But I'll save that for later.

What did ya do? Break MIL's camera too?

 

[disney-inspired]

I'm back and in!

 

[mommaU4]

I really like all of your pictures. I cannot wait to go. 12 more sleeps

Thanks. Your trip will be here before you know it!

What did ya do? Break MIL's camera too?

OMG, thankfully no. LOL That would have been a disaster.

I'm back and in!

Yay! Welcome back!

 

[mommaU4]

So I was out running errands today, and it was so weird to be in the stores and still see Halloween stuff. Since we were surrounded with Halloween items for a week, and the kids dressed up in their costumes and did their trick-or-treating, it kind of made it seem like Halloween was over. LOL

But it will be here a week from tomorrow.

I did spend some time browsing in the Christmas section of the store. I have to admit I'm looking forward to Christmas.

Well.......I am and I'm not. I have such a love/hate relationship with it. I love all the things it's supposed to stand for; family time, good will, etc.
But I hate all the things it's become; running around trying to "do it all", spending a fortune on gifts for people you speak to once a year that will end up shoved in a closet, etc.
That part I hate.


I told the kids this year I could tell Santa to pick out presents for them all OR they could get a gift card to go shopping with to pick out their own presents. I'm really hoping they go for the gift card. So much easier. Especially since everytime I ask them what they want for Christmas, I get the same answer, "I dunno".

The twins still want toys, but the older two....ugh, so hard to know what to buy them.

Anyway, I'm getting way off topic and rambling now. LOL I'm just excited for all the holidays coming up!

 

[kaoden39]

I have a love hate with the whole holiday season. Last year I bought one of those meals you just warm up for Thanksgiving because I had just gotten out of the hospital in September after being in for so long. You know I think I am going to do that again this year. I am making this a homemade Christmas. I have always wanted an old fashioned Christmas and this year is it.

 

[wendylady36]

So I was out running errands today, and it was so weird to be in the stores and still see Halloween stuff. Since we were surrounded with Halloween items for a week, and the kids dressed up in their costumes and did their trick-or-treating, it kind of made it seem like Halloween was over. LOL

The same thing happened to me today! I couldn't figure out why Rite Aid still had all theie Halloween stuff out!

And I'll help you with Adam's Christmas present - he wants video games!

 

[travelmel]

not to mention all the fun new siggie changes you can make!

 

[mommaU4]

I have a love hate with the whole holiday season. Last year I bought one of those meals you just warm up for Thanksgiving because I had just gotten out of the hospital in September after being in for so long. You know I think I am going to do that again this year. I am making this a homemade Christmas. I have always wanted an old fashioned Christmas and this year is it.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one!

I always feel like such a Scrooge or Grinch when I say I don't like Christmas. It's not that I don't. I really do. I just don't like what it's turned into.

A homemade Christmas sounds so nice. I hope you are able to do that. I've always wanted to pack up the family and escape to a little cabin in the mountains somewhere. Go cut down a tree, make the decorations, string popcorn in front of a fire, and not have a mall within hours! LOL
It all sounds so nice and very Waltons. Or I'm guessing it's very Waltons since I never really saw one episode of that show.

As for Thanksgiving, I'll probably order a packaged meal. We have a Claim Jumper restaurant about 5 minutes away and they make great food. I can cook, I used to host the Thanksgiving dinners when we were in MI and there were around 25 of us. But I just don't want to. Ruben works until 5:30 that day, so it will be a small, late dinner with just the six of us.

Frankly, I could skip the whole meal and just have a slice of pumpkin roll, pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin pie.

The same thing happened to me today! I couldn't figure out why Rite Aid still had all theie Halloween stuff out!

And I'll help you with Adam's Christmas present - he wants video games!

And the same candy that looked so good before the trip makes me ill now! LOL I have so much of it from the MToT!!

I know Adam wants video games. He has told me that. Repeatedly. But when I ask him what else he wants, I get the "I dunno." I guess I'll just give up (or is that give in) and buy him all video games.

not to mention all the fun new siggie changes you can make!

True!

 

[KCmike]

What great ideas - posters on the hotel door, hanging up decorations, a secret snack drawer....man oh man my family is going to use that clever idea for next time!!!!


Great trip report can't wait to see more.