Good Things!

Originally Posted By fidoprincess

Two good things just happened. I tried to get AP rates to go on my bday 1/12 and had some success. Got PP for Thurs(89)Friday(109)Sat(109)and Sunday(89)or DL for same rates but no Thursday available. The kids really like DLH so what if we do PP one night and then move. How does that work? Do they move you? Help with checking into DLH? Also, how are so many of you getting upgrades from standard rooms? Ask ahead of time or when checking in? How much more do you pay?

The other nice thing was for Thanksgiving trip on 11/22, BWPPI had a cancellation for the QQ minisuite! Remember we got the "last" room through Hotel Kingdom but ended up with a smoking 2 double bed room. It would cost $25 to cancel but we tried HoJos and got a Disney View room. Now we have to decide if the extra 1/2 mile walk is worth all the nice things HoJos has without the microwave. So it's nice to have a choice! Still thinking it over and comparing the prices to see.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

LOL...your birthday is the 12th? Mine is the 18th! That is the last of our backup dates...the weekend after my birthday.

I believe that if you switch hotels you will be responsible for moving your own items. I could be wrong, but since they are separate hotels, I think it is on you.

Again, there is no additional cost to the upgrading, its just that they won't guarantee it. But, knock on wood, we have been very lucky and have always been upgraded!

As for the $25.00 cancellation fee, if you want to get out of it, I would try explaining that you did not understand that it was a "smoking" room and because of your child's asthma problems it is not a viable option for you and your family. Even offer to have a doctor's note submitted in order to avoid having to pay the penalty (they might just go ahead and say they don't need it and do it out of kindness). It might work.

If it comes down to a Hojo's room with a view compared to a "smoking" mini-suite at BWPPI, I would opt for Hojos. It might be a longer walk, but at least your little one will be able to breathe easy and get a good night sleep. Why run the risk of a bad night ruining the next day at Disneyland!!

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

Also, remember...when dealing with the hotel reservation rep....the kinder and nicer your are, the more understanding they will want to be! Take a hard approach with them about cancelling, and chances are they will put up their defenses and refuse to credit you back the $25.00 fee.

 

Originally Posted By fidoprincess

I guess I wasn't clear-ugh! I mean the good thing is that we are able to get the Non Smoking QQ minisuite after all! We all like HoJos but not the extra walk so either we stay there with no micro or the BWPPI without any cancellation fee! I still have to look at the numbers and probably pick which one is cheaper-lol or if BWPPI is not much more, go with the closest and have the microwave instead of the view and balcony.
So do you ask for the upgrade view at the resort when you check in or when you make the reservation? Do you call a few days ahead just to confirm and ask then? Thanks again!

 

Originally Posted By MickeyMommy

If the swimming pool is important to the kids (like mine), I would definetly go with HoJo's - the pool at the the BWPPI is tiny. Otherwise, I have heard good things about BWPPI. We just have never stayed there because of the pool.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

Hi Fidoprincess....sorry, my fault! I should have read that more closely!!

Have you seen one of the minisuites before or stayed there? I will check my AAA tour book and see if they have a pic of it.

As far as the upgrade goes, I make my reservation. Then I either email vacation planning or call them and "request" the upgrade. I never follow-up on it until I get there because they can never "guarantee" it, so there is no point. But, when I have checked in, it has automatically been assigned the upgrade already through vacation planning. I think they can't guarantee it because what if they sell out of the view rooms, but they do really try to accomodate you through vacation planning!!

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

hmmm....the tour book doesn't show a pic of the mini suite. I'll search online.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

I saw a picture of the mini-suite on their website. It would definitely classify as "mini". It doesn't seem all that much bigger to me than a standard hotel room.

For a $138.00 a night, I would want more for my money. You can stay at Embassy Suites, which is a nice "suite" atmosphere for normally $129.00 a night. Of course, you can't walk it but your can drive or use the ART system.

If it were me, lol...and this is only MHO....I would choose Hojo's and get the premium room for $109.00.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

Okay, not trying to get too "informational" here, but I did call to get more information for you to help you with your decision......

Hojo's...Premium Disney View Room - 356 s.f.

BWPPI....standard room is 360 s.f. and the mini-suite is 400 s.f. (so it is larger than I thought it was)

For a comparision, when we stay off property at the Embassy Suites their room sizes are as follows:

King Suite - 442 s.f.
(2) Double Bed Suite - 482 s.f.
View Suite - 550 s.f.

 

Originally Posted By fidoprincess

Thanks so much for all of your info/research! We've stayed at both before.

We do best with the QQ minisuite because of the bedding. DS is 10 and dd is 6 and they don't want to share a bed so Dh and I take turns sleeping with dd and ds gets the sofa bed-lol. Sometimes we bring the aerobed and stick dd on it after she falls asleep and Dh and I get our own queens! We have a king at home so it's really nice to spread out and DH is 6'3" so fitting with him in a queen is no fun.
At Hojos not too much difference, no sofabed but ds gets a "free" rollaway and is happy with that.
PPI has more play room when the sofabed is made up and they have a bigger frige and a microwave and room for the aerobed.
HoJos is nicer because the room is brighter and we love the balcony with the view of disney. It always seems cleaner too not that housekeeping at BWPPI isn't super nice. Last time we were there we found a 8" ball by the side of the bed and wondered if the maid just left it for the next kid or if they really didn't clean well and never saw it. The walk is killer for us though coming back at night. Dh always has to carry dd and now that she is 40 lbs. it's a real strain!(and no room for aerobed.)
Front desk people much nicer at HoJos but we only see them on check in so not really a factor.
I got out the folder and did the math. Both hotels are more this time than we've ever paid. HoJos is 113.51/night)and that's with the LP discount!) and PPI is 156/night. If we stay at HOJO's and add the $20 cancellation fee (from PPI)the total is 688. BWPPI total is 780. (Can you believe this prices for just 5 nights!)
So it runs about $18.50/night more for PPI. Is the walk/microwave worth it? Can't decide-lol!
Thank so much for checking all the sites too. I always love the different "real" suite hotels esp Residence Inn but for us at DL, no driving. It just eats up the time to drive and park and take the tram so we always just park the car for the whole time and never leave-lol!

 

Originally Posted By raer

What is the email address for vacation planning? I would like to try upgrading for our next visit.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

vacationplanning@disneyonline.com

Don't worry if they don't get back to you for a couple of days, that is typical, but they are so helpful when they do! I love this service!

 

Originally Posted By 4Disnee

Here is the email address for vacation planning for Disneyland.

vacationplanning@disneyonline.com

They are wonderful to deal with.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

fidoprincess: another tip, just so you know if you ever decide to drive in. We have a SUV and we put on top one of the little "caskets". We never put anything into it, but when you head directly over to Mickey 'n Friends, you can't park in the structure with it. So, they direct you over to where the motorhomes are and you are RIGHT next to the tram. No excess walking! Very easy, very convenient!

 

Originally Posted By 4Disnee

Mickeynewe

Wow you are quick. You beat me to it. LOL

Thanks for the shopping trip it was nice.

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

LOL...that's me...little Miss Speedy! AND, I had to drive all the way home after dropping you off! hehehe

Thanks for going shopping with us! We had fun. Give my love to everyone when they get home!

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

fidoprincess:

I know that you have stayed at BWPPI so that you know what the rooms are like. I remember it from years ago only when my cousin stayed there once when we went down together. We were at a different hotel. I just remember the rooms being a little "gloomy" but that was so many years ago that it has probably been remodeled since then. So, that is probably why I have sounded a little "down" on the BWPPI. So take my comments with a grain of salt. LOL

Now, my inlaws just came back yesterday from Anaheim. They spent one night at the BWPPI and the remaining nights at the DLH. My MIL loved the BWPPI. She was traveling with my hubby's grandparents and she said anyone with small children or older people would be much better served at the PPI because it is so much closer having to only walk across the street.

Not sure what help this post will provide, just giving you more positive feedback via my MIL on the BWPPI.

 

Originally Posted By fidoprincess

You are sooo sweet to take the time to write and help me so much!

Finally, we have it all worked out. We cancelled HoJos, cancelled the Hotel Kingdom reservation at PPI for the $20 and rebooked the same room at PPI with our AAA discount! Now our hotel is only 627! Cheaper than HoJo's and our orignal PPI reservation so it all worked out!

I can't believe I am having such great luck with all of this Disney stuff-lol. Remember yesterday I booked AP rates for my bday weekend but couldn't get DH for 1/12? We talked about what a pain it is to switch so I just decided to call every day and see if there was a cancellation. Right away the woman said she could add the 12th! I was so excited not to have to switch from PP, I was literally jumping up and down.

Then she says, "uh oh!" When she went to add that night, it put in 99 instead of 89 and then changed all the other nights too. She explained it was some "computer glitch" and someone else would have to call me back. I sat here waiting in tears and she called me back and said sorry, all she had left was a 396 rate. There wasn't anything else she could do.

I was so sad and finally got up the nerve to ask for a supervisor. I waited for a long time and she came back again and added the Thursday for 89!! Yippee!

So we are all set! Now on to Spring Break plans. Do you just go ahead and book DH and then just keep checking to see if/when they release the AP rates and then change the rate? Seems silly to wait and take a chance of not getting in but then it doesn't seem quite "fair" to book and then reprice the room. How do you do it?

 

Originally Posted By mickeynewe

Yay for you and your persistence! *claps enthusiastically* I'm glad you have gotten everything worked out to your liking! I am always a sucker for happy endings!

I have to say, that I am bad. I call ahead and book my reservation regardless of the price (as long as it is a price I am willing to pay if I HAVE to) just to get the reservation. I then wait until the month before to check the AP rate and if it is available. If it is, I make the new reservation and call back later to cancel the old one.

 

Originally Posted By fidoprincess

I'm still smiling for being so so lucky! The kids came home and when I told them they were jumping and clapping. They were so cute. They are a bit spoiled with having so many trips but have never minded staying off property. I didn't think they would be quite so thrilled but maybe it was because I am so thrilled. DH was actually happy too after not being thrilled with the prices for the PAP. He was a little upset because had we bought the APs to begin with, we could have gotten a discount and saved $120!

So when you book at DH at the regular rate and then "switch" to the AP discount, you are actually making a whole new reservation? They don't just adjust your rates to reflect the AP rates? I take it you hear about the rates here first or is there some other way to find out the "instant" they come out?

Thanks again for all of your posts! They were really helpful and I remember back to the beginning of the whole trip plan being so discouraged, almost wanting to cancel but you helped me! Now look how great things turned out-gee, it could be a Disney story-lol.

All we can wish for now is that things work out equally well for you and your DH's vacation time and you get to go too!