what's going on the first two weeks of may?

[jernysgirl]

I am totally bummed because DH just told me he can't get off work in either March or April, when we were wanting to go to DLR. He might be able to get some time off in the beginning of May though. What is the park like then and does anyone know what is going on in town that might make it busy that time of year? I know that grad nites start in mid-May and I think we would try to be gone by that time.

 

[jernysgirl]

Oh... and has anyone booked the ent. rate for HOJO during that time? I have yet to call to check so I thought that I would ask here first!

TIA!!!

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I tried booking for the third week of May on the entertainment rate at HoJo's and they don't have it...

 

[bumbershoot]

You can go to hojoanaheim.com and use code SD50 to check for the ent rate. Check it one day at a time, otherwise if the rate isn't available your WHOLE stay, it will say it's not available at all.

I just got it for May 25 through 29, yay!

******
Just went through, and I didn't find the rate until thursday the 22nd of May and the 23rd, and the 24th, and I know that yesterday at least the following 4 nights were available at that rate as well.

But even if you don't get THE rate, they have a discount for Dis members (15%, I believe) and for AP holders (20%! I believe).

Also, they add dates as time goes on; less than a week before my trip in January the good rate suddenly popped up when it hadn't been there before, so keep checking for the great entertainment rate!

******

OP I always just consider Spring Break to go from late Feb through May, and then you have Memorial Day...that way I always expect crowds no matter where I go, and if there aren't crowds, it's a happy surprise.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'll check the first 2 weeks of May for ya...just give me a minute.


I see the rate right now for the nights of:

Sun May 4
Mon May 5
Tues May 6
Wed May 7

Sun May 11

Tues May 13
Wed May 14
Thurs May 15

 

[jernysgirl]

I just checked and it is available most of the days. I wasn't checking each night individually, just as the week as a whole. But when I did it how you had to, it showed the rate. Thanks so much bumbershoot! Now, if I understand it correctly, I have to buy the entertainment book to get that rate and have a card or something at checkin time... is that right? I am a HOJO virgin and have never stayed there before, but everyone on here love it so much I am willing to try it out. TIA!

 

[bumbershoot]

I just checked and it is available most of the days. I wasn't checking each night individually, just as the week as a whole. But when I did it how you had to, it showed the rate. Thanks so much bumbershoot! Now, if I understand it correctly, I have to buy the entertainment book to get that rate and have a card or something at checkin time... is that right? I am a HOJO virgin and have never stayed there before, but everyone on here love it so much I am willing to try it out. TIA!

Yep you buy the book and it has the card! If you have a book that's good for your area, just buy that. If there's no book for your area but you might be traveling elsewhere in the country this year, buy that book. If you're going to be traveling in Orange County CA along with DLR, you might buy that book. If none of those, just buy the least expensive book. They all work, so there's no point in buying the expensive Anaheim-area book unless you want to use coupons for that area (and from what I've heard, there really aren't any other coupons for the DLR area in it).

Did that make sense? I hope there's one for your area, b/c I just LOVE our book and the discounts I have gotten!!! Just with grocery coupons alone I MORE than make up the cost of the book in a year, especially since this year I got a $10 discount and free shipping, which means I'm $5 ahead in the year b/c of the grocery coupons.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I would think the first two weeks of May would be great as far as low crowds are concerned. Your done with all the Spring breaks at that point!

We got our Entertainment Book at Barnes and Noble today. I'm pretty pleased with all the coupons for our area, we'll make good use of it besides the great Hojo rate.

Were not getting the rate so far for two of our nights of our stay. So I'm taking bumbershoots advice and checking often. Over all I'm still saving money even with paying a higher rate for two nights. It's still well worth it, but I'm gonna keep checking just in case!

 

[jernysgirl]

So I do not have to buy the Anaheim specific book? I can buy whatever book I choose? I ask because there is no book in my area. The closest location is over three hours away. I wouldn't use coupons from either really, since we were just traveling to DLR and home, except for HOJO. I do wonder though, if there were a coupon for Burger King in Anaheim, can I only use it at that location or any BK? Thanks- I know I ask a lot but this is so new to me!

 

[bumbershoot]

You do NOT have to buy the Anaheim book, and since it's one of the more expensive ones, I wouldn't recommend it. My region's book without a discount is $25.

If you go here you can see all the books:

http://www.entertainment.com/discount/local_editions.shtml

Since they are all equal with the travel discounts (my south-of-seattle book even has Universal Orlando, Seaworld, and Super Shuttle coupons, among tons of other nationwide coupons), you can see that buying the Anaheim area book for $30 right now would be a waste since you could buy the Alabama book for $15 and get the same useful card for HoJo's discount.

I know that in my area, the chain-restaurant coupons are for specific locations.

Looking online at the OC book, I see Wendy's coupon, but it's only for E. 17th St. Costa Mesa, CA 92627, not ANY Wendy's location.

I see many McDonald's listed, but not the one on Harbor.

I see some Burger Kings listed, but each coupon has a different location listed.


I'd just buy the cheapest, personally. And if you're a part of any of the "rewards" sites like Sunshine Rewards, buy through them and get a bit of credit back! (that's what I did)

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I agree, if you are just needing the card, go with the cheapest! Our coupons are just for area. I didn't know that either until we bought it today. At first I was thinking "Oh cool, it has McDonalds, we can use that down there!" Then I realized it was all local! Which is fine, they'll get used here too. Our book used to be $30, but we got it for $20. With all the coupons we'll use it is worth it for us, but if we didn't have a local one I'd totally just buy which ever one was cheapest!

 

[jessica52877]

We got the HoJo rate for May, started the 8th - 17th and I bought the Los Angeles book, nothing great. I didn't want one for my area, we never use it and everything is too far out time wise (because of traffic). I used to live in OH though and love the one for that area.

I got mine through my points for $20 (and it was one of the more expensive) and also got 750 points which in my mind translates to $5 back.

 

[jernysgirl]

What is this sunshine rewards? I have never heard about it. Is it a good program?

 

[jernysgirl]

And I thought of another question- can I use one entertainment book card for two different ressies? My DH, DS2, & DS1 will be in one room, and my mother & father will be in another. Can they use my card for their room? TIA! I really appreciate the info from the pros!

 

[bumbershoot]

What is this sunshine rewards? I have never heard about it. Is it a good program?

It's a site where you get credit back for doing surveys online, for shopping online, and such. I do quite a lot of shopping online, so to get credit back for that by clicking through a site is great (and I cash out for Disney gift cards, yay). I can't explain it well, but I heard about it through the Dis (and thought it was a big huge scam, LOL) and finally checked it out, started slowly, and now really love it. With something like the Entertainment Book that you're going to buy anyway, you could just go straight to that website and buy it, or you could join something like sunshinerewards, click from there to the EB's website and buy the same book for the same price, but get something like 2 credits back (which is equivalent with sunshine to $2).

And I thought of another question- can I use one entertainment book card for two different ressies? My DH, DS2, & DS1 will be in one room, and my mother & father will be in another. Can they use my card for their room? TIA! I really appreciate the info from the pros!

Ooh I have NO idea about that one! You could just call them and ask, being sure to call the hotel directly. They have a manager named Lorealle who is a member of the Dis, so if you get her you know you're getting the right answer!

 

[roxydotty]

I think the beginning of May would be a pretty good time to go. March and April will get real busy off and on because of Spring break, but by the time May comes most everyone is back in school. End of May will get busy around Memorial day weekend and grad nights are usually around mid May.

 

[lillybug]

We didn't need the whole book, so we were able to buy the card ONLY on ebay for like $6 last fall.
You might want to check to see if there is any available. Just another way to save some $$.

eta: I just checked, and there are several 2008 entertainment cards on ebay for a buy it now of $4-5.

 

[bumbershoot]

We didn't need the whole book, so we were able to buy the card ONLY on ebay for like $6 last fall.
You might want to check to see if there is any available. Just another way to save some $$.

But especially if you buy a book for $15 or so, the difference is so minimal. And having the book gives you the other coupons...my western WA book has a coupon for Super Shuttle, which saved me $4 off on my transportation to DLR in December and January. If you're doing other parks, there are coupons for Universal (though I'm not 100% sure it's on the CA Universal, b/c all I'm remembering is it stating Orlando).

But if you don't need those, then yeah, borrowing or even buying a card would work (and, lol, you can shop on ebay through sunshine as well and get 1% back....).

 

[ORMom2Four]

I was told by HOJO's reservations that you could reserve 2 rooms using one Entertainment card.

We have 3 rooms reserved, and were told we need to make sure we have 2 Entertainment cards when we arrive (not a problem, we have 2 families coming and each family has a card)

 

[jernysgirl]

Thanks for all the info. If anyone else has any ideas on what May might be like or anything special that is going on then, I would love the info! TIA!