Originally Posted By SuperDry ^^^ I think both of your counterpoints are valid. As for #1, if the danger is that non-employees might be responsible for checked luggage theft off a cart, this could easily be solved by immediately putting checked luggage in a place where non-employees don't have access. As for #2, I'm not so sure that that is the driving reason (although it no doubt comes into play on occasion). I think that perhaps the real issue is the unspoken #3: false claims of loss by guests. In America, some guests might purposefully "arrange" for a loss from a checked item in order to claim reimbursement from the hotel. Pursuing such a claim through civil court might be far easier in the US than it would be in Japan. But whatever the reason, I was trying to address the matter from the point of view of a hotel guest, without respect to the underlying reasons behind the differences.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<Although the MiraCosta is more expensive than the Ambassador and yet it sells out first most of the time, there's still the question as to why it's more popular: is it the style, or the location?>> Maybe both? The location certainly does benefit the MiraCosta, providing stellar views and extra convenience to the park. But the Japanese seem to love the opulence of the Italian theme as well. Makes me wonder if it would still be more popular if placed in another location away from DisneySea.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Honestly the views at the Hilton and Sheraton are pretty dire compared to that from either of the HKDL hotels. There is little to look at except some industrial-looking buildings across the bay and big ships. >>> Here is some video taken from the ferry pier next to the HKDL Hotel: <a href="http://www.mousevideo.org/View_from_HKDL_hotel.wmv" target="_blank">http://www.mousevideo.org/View _from_HKDL_hotel.wmv</a> From the shot of the hotel at the end, you can see that the rest of the video approximates the view from the guest rooms that face the water. What do I see: lots of container ships and tall concrete buildings off in the distance (to the extent they're not obscured by the smog). I'll give you that the mountains probably do look stunning when the air is clear, but on this day, the view isn't much better than from the TDR hotels.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros All I can say is that the morning that I woke up at the Hollywood Hotel, it was absolutely beautiful. The bay isn't as wide over there, and there are condo towers just across the way, but it was still stunning. Below is a link to my pictures from then. The ones of the bay are on the last full row of pictures, about halfway across. While the bay may look bad at some times, other times it is completely worth waiting for the smog to clear. <a href="http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=16b4x21i.1zj7ltya&Uy=-8mn9vs&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp" target="_blank">http://www.kodakgallery.com/Sl ideshow.jsp?Uc=16b4x21i.1zj7ltya&Uy=-8mn9vs&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp</a>%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Wow, there are a lot of cargo ships!<< Oh WHO CARES!?!? Honestly, I much rather look at cargo ships than getting a hideous backstage look at TDR like the views you get from the park-side rooms. And yes, Hollywood Hotel's China Sea view has all of the TDR Official hotels beat.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<Oh WHO CARES!?!? Honestly, I much rather look at cargo ships than getting a hideous backstage look at TDR like the views you get from the park-side rooms. And yes, Hollywood Hotel's China Sea view has all of the TDR Official hotels beat.>> No argument here. Of course the "Sea View" beats the backstage views of the Official Hotels. I didn't say the cargo ships were hideous or anything; just that there were a lot of them.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara I've stayed at the Hilton many times, always with an "ocean view." I don't find it smoggy or misty, and while I've seen a few large ships, the huge open expanse of the water is tranquil and lovely. I much prefer the Hilton to the claustrophobic Miracosta (and here I agree with Lee). What a shock to see that tiny lobby the first time you actually walk into it, and the check in desk is not large enough to accomodate all the guests during the busy times of day. I'm staying at the Miracosta on my next trip in a few weeks, but only because for some odd reason the Hilton is actually more expensive that week. So, I'm trading Internet access, a large room, and an ocean view, for a small room that'll get me into the park a little more quickly in the morning. Oh, and I get to keep the nifty toiletries they leave out every day. It's nice to move around once in a while.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<What a shock to see that tiny lobby the first time you actually walk into it>> I was shocked by the beauty and detail of the lobby rather than the size, which I don't find to be small at all. I think the 70 foot tall rotunda makes the lobby seem bigger than it actually is.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara I guess the lobbies of The Wilderness Lodge,Grand Californian, and Grand Floridian must seem overwhelming to you.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<I guess the lobbies of The Wilderness Lodge,Grand Californian, and Grand Floridian must seem overwhelming to you. >> They have a different feel to them, that's for sure. I like the cylindrical design of the MiraCosta's lobby versus the rectangular shaped lobbies of the Grand Californian, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian. For some reason, the ceiling of MiraCosta seems much higher and gives the place a grander feeling. But that's just personal preference.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney You know it's funny. I made this thread over 2 months ago and the entire question I wanted was litterally answered in the second post lol. But, now its 191 posts later and my baby is still growing . Its just nice to see your baby grow up *sniff*
