Hotel Assistance, Please

[casiland]

We have narrowed it down to 3 hotels and need help deciding which one we should choose. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Our choices are the Sequoia, Holiday Inn, and Movenpick. We will be going June 1 - June 4th.

 

[tmp]

Can only help with Sequoia Lodge as we stayed there in January 04.
Lovely hotel with great theming.You can walk to the parks and the village within 10 minutes.The buses are handy if you are tired on the way back to the hotel but can get very busy.
We stayed in a Montana Lakeside room which was on the 6th floor and we had fabulous views of Lake Disney and the castle.It was especially lovely at night.
It has a great swimming pool as well.
Hopefully you will get advice about the other two hotels but I'd definately recommend staying at Sequoia.

 

[alexandra uk]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with tmp.

We stayed atThe Sequoia in 2003 and hated it there.
We felt that it was really shabby and in desperate need of refurbishment.

The rooms are dark, dreary and old fashioned. I know they're supposed to be themed to have a rustic feel to them, but it didn't feel rustic just scruffy.
I complained about the first room they gave us . It had an awful musty smell, there were stains on the walls, and the general look of the room was horrible.

They gave us another room without any problems but when we got there I was really dissapointed to see that this wasn't much better, the only difference was it didn't have the awful smell.
Then we found there were other problems. The taps didn't run properly in the bath or the sink, (there was no pressure just a trickle). The one time we did attempt to fill the bath for 20 month old DS the plug didn't fit properly so the water drained away.
After this we just had to give him a quick shower.

The mini bar was leaking water too.

I wanted to complain again, but DH was having none of it. He hates that sort of thing and finds it embarassing.

The corridors had graffitti on the walls and the wallpaper was pealing off.

On the plus side the pool is lovely, the staff are friendly, and the restaurants serve nice food, but you could eat in those if you were staying in another hotel, and the other hotels also have pools.

I really would give this hotel a miss.

Were going June 19th and like yourself were trying to decide between The Movenpick and The Holiday Inn.
After doing loads of research and reading reviews we've chosen The Movenpick.
I don't think theres a great deal of difference between the two.
It was the childrens splash pool, the pay per view movies and the lovely breakfast reviews that threw it for us.

Let us know what you decide

 

[casiland]

Alexandra,

Where have you found the reviews that you have used to make your decision? Your stay was a year before TMP is it possible they refurbished? Thanks for your help with this.

 

[BPTP]

We stayed at the Sequoia in July 2002, it was our first visit to DLP and we loved it. However, although the pool looked nice (and it was), there was no 'shallow' section at all. Our daughter (3 at the time) had to be carried the whole time, there was nowhere she could put down her feet and paddle. I think this is bad. We're going tomorrow and spending first night at Hol Inn as we're arriving quite late and didn't think it was worth the money to stay first night in Disney Hotel (sounds a bit daft, but it's complicated!). Then we're transferring to Newport Bay. Will let you know what we think of Hol Inn next week

 

[mini-mse]

Hi

I stayed at Seqouia about 3 years ago and thought the rooms were only ok, desperately in need of refurbishment but clean all the same. What really put me off SL is the crowds, the long long queue to check in, then check out, then the breakfast queue and the bus! Too many people.

Since then I have had many visits and stayed at the disneyland Hotel and last mont at the Movinpick. I love DL but it is very expensive, in terms of luxury though the Movinpick is way up there witht he DH. Movinpick is a brialliant hotel, beautiful, spotless, great staff, lovely comfortable rooms, great breakfast etc etc. I would definitely recommend it and also recommend booking online as you can get a great deal that way. I will definitely be back at this hotel. Next month we try out the Holiday Inn which looks lovely also, we had a quick look around last visit. The bus service from the Selected Hotels is a lot better than the yellow disney hotels shuttle, its more frequent and less crowded. I would go with Movinpick or Holiday Inn rather than SL but its a personal choice in the end.

Enjoy wherever you stay!

 

[jodyb]

Please don't be influenced by reports from several years ago about the state of the Sequoia!! All public areas have been totally recently refurbished and almost all of the rooms have. We stayed there last year, and despite being in a not-yet-refurbished room, we loved the hotel. This year (last month) we stayed there again, and our newly refurbished room was really lovely.
You just can't beat the Sequoia lodge for value, and the walk to the parks and village is SO pleasant! So, while I have not stayed at the other hotels you are considering, I can definitely vouch for the SL being a great place to stay.
I have a feeling that whichever you pick - you are going to have a magically wonderful time!!!

 

[NIK]

I would entirely agree with Jodib re the Sequoia. I stayed there for the first time last year and I loved it. The room was basic, it's true - but then, how long do you spend in your room at Disney [keep it clean chaps!]

The staff were friendly and polite, which is always a good thing. And I really enjoyed the walks to and from the parks going round Lake Disney. It was a nice short walk but it really set you up for the parks first thing in the morning.

 

[Cyrano]

Casiland
I think you have picked three excellent hotels to consider and they all would ensure a most mag?c stay.
Movenpick and Holiday Inn are off-site, but with excellent complementary shuttle bus service to park.
Sequoia is on-site for that extra mag?c and has shuttle bus or leisurely walk through Village to get to parks.
If booking through Disney I think Sequoia will be the best value, but don't forget that booking independantly the higher star off-site hotels will almost certainly come in cheaper.
Let us know what you decide?

Reid

 

[PigSoldier]

I'd choose Sequioa, because you're actually in DL, and you get all the Disney magic and theming, and characters coming to your hotel, so you feel more of a part of the Disney experience.

I stayed at Sequoia in 2002, and thought it was lovely, I didn't have any problems whatsoever.

 

[ujpest_doza]

Have stayed at SL 3 times now and would recommend it to anyone, particularly as it is Disney property and the Moevenpick and Holiday Inn, although nearby, are not on site.

Would say that the Montana Rooms which are in the main hotel building are of a better quality than the standard rooms which are in the sperate lodges.

The pool does have a seperate small kiddy pool, but unfortunately it is just like a paddling pool and the water is a bit on the chilly side.

Regarding queues, there were queues for the restaurant for breakfast, but you can avoid this by picking an earlier slot eg they give out restaurant places in 15 minute slots when you check in, so if you choose 1 at say 8 or 8.15 the breakfast room is quieter than the later ones at say 9 or 9.15.

 

[NIK]

I went with a tour company last time I went and we were given VERY early slots - 7-7 30. Not that it mattered so much. You were seated more quickly and then had more time for a leisurely stroll round to the parks. The only down side was that when we thought about it, which with hindsight was probably a very dangerous thing to do LOL, we realised that we needed to get up around 6.30 - which meant that for those of us who had to adjust our timeclocks for French Time, meant that we were actually getting up at 5.30 our time! You have never seen so many bleary eyed Brits!

 

[DisneyKrazee]

I have stayed in the Sequoia/L twice now and will be again in May - its fabulous the theme is warm and like a ski-lodge. The Redwood bar/lounge has a beautiful big open fire where you can sit in the evening to enjoy a drink in a gorgeous atmosphere! The rooms are basic- but has everything you need , rememeber you'll only be sleeping in them as most of your time will be spent in the park anyway! Although basic- they are clean and comfortable !
The staff are polite, helpful and friendly and the restaurants are great- with lovely food!
DLP updates each hotel every year (repaints/papers/decorates) so please dont listen to those who visited it years ago with a little bit of peeling wallpaper! If people want luxury rooms they should go stay at the Disneyland Hotel in a suite- top end of luxury .

On a last point, Sequoia/L is on site and only a 10min walk to the park (a pleasant walk past the lake) so I would highly recommend it! There are free shuttle buses to take you if you feel like resting legs ready for the park !

ALso, in April 2005 there is a new attraction opening right next to the Sequoia by Lake Disney- a hot air balloon that lasts 6mins and costs 12E per ADULT and 6E per CHILD. It takes you up high enough to see over the DL park and Studios park!!
You'd be a 2minute walk from this fab new attraction!!

<center><p style="background:white;"><font face="verdana,arial,sans-serif" size="1" color="black">Counting Down to DLP, Sequoia Lodge, Number 3!!</font><br /><a href="http://daisyPath.com"><img src="http://daisyPath.com/ani/050524/1/0/+0/1" alt="Daisypath Ticker" border="0" /></a></p></center>

 

[NIK]

That sounds great!

I'm not quite sure when my next visit will be - hopefully November 2006 - so I've ages to wait yet. But I'll keep my fingers crossed that I can try that one out. I've always fancied going up in a balloon.

 

[BPTP]

Just back. Hol Inn is lovely, rooms gorgeous with top quality bunk beds for children. Mine have never slept in one and at the last minute decided they didn't want to sleep in the top bunk so I did (weight limit is 80kilos) & it was really comfy. Shuttle great will definitly stay there again for the savings. Although yes it's nice to be able to walk back to hotel (if the weather is good)