Am I crazy for considering Priceline?

[w8ting4pooh]

We are booked at the Royal Plaza Hotel in DD for New Years weekend and the week after (total of 7 nights). We have the Deluxe Tower room (with the big garden tub, marble bath, the works) for a total of $850 including taxes, resort fees, everything. We think this is a fabulous rate (used mousesavers).

Can I do better at priceline? Priceline indicates that there are resort hotels available within the Disney area. What are these hotels? Can they all accomodate 2 adults with 3 kids? I'm scared to death to get a bid at a hotel that can't accomodate us all.

 

[AdrianB]

i suggest this link for questions http://www.biddingfortravel.com

based on what you have said I would not reccomend priceline. they guarantee accomodations for 2 adults. The key to using priceline is flexibility. You do not choose the hotel, you choose an area. Most hotels will likely be able to accomodate but you never know. If you do decide to use priceline you can get some really great deals but make sure you read everything you can.

 

[Lewisc]

With PL you would bid on 2 hotel rooms (they only guarantee double occupancy and more than 4 is very risky). You'd gain a second bathroom but you have a good hotel, good rate and your reservation can be changed if necessary.

 

[Lori of the Lodge]

I recently used Priceline to find bargain accomodations for our arrival night. I bid $40 for a 3-star WDW vicinity hotel. I got Double Tree Guest Suites Maingate. The accomodations were great...a 2 bedroom 2 bath townhouse with a full kitchen. The downside was LOCATION. 4 miles from the WDW entrance...but a world away in my mind. Realistically it was about 10 minutes from the DownTown Disney Gate Entrance...but at the end of a long day that would have been 10 minutes too long.

It was just fine for our arrival night, but day #2 we switched to our on-site accomodations.

I have no problem taking a gamble when it is only a night or two...but I'm simply not willing to gamble the fate of my entire vacation on Priceline accomodations. Our experience was good, and I'll use Priceline again, but I would have been really disapointed if I spent my entire vacation off-site at Doubletree Suites Maingate. Keep in mind that this is just my opinion...I'm a die-hard on-site fanatic. Doubletree Guest Suites was very nice, extremly spacious and clean. I'd guestimate that our townhouse was 1,000 square feet, so it would really be ideal for families. But in my mind, the Disney vacation didn't "really" begin until we checked into Port Orleans Riverside. The difference is the magic

It might be different if Priceline could guarantee DownTown Disney as a location.

 

[ditzoyd]

I am a Priceline Fan...

I personally go to Disney a couple times a year, and stay both on and off property.

With EE no longer in existance, and since I always rent a car, I see no reason to stay on Disney Property. IMO the Themeing of the resorts really does not mean a bunch to me compaired to the deals I have gotten off Prieline.

First, I can not stress enough... RESEARCH before you bid. You do not want to OVER BID...
(which in my opinon the person who spent $40 for a 3* did... I am staying at the same hotel in 3 weeks for $28 a night, and 3* seem to go for under $35 a night......)

I have stayed in two out of the 3 Resort level hotels.

Your question is are they big enough for 2 adults and 3 kids..... Well that depends.
With your origional ressie, is that room big enough? The hotel rooms I stayed in were pretty big.

I stayed in the Wyndam Palace, located in Downtown Disney. Getting an Epcot view, allows you to see over Epcot, and we could see both Epcot's and MK fireworks every night. They were absolutely woderful. Our room had 2 queen beds, VERY LARGE Bathroom, table, chair, desk and chair, and all rooms have a balcony, with 2 chairs, and a small table. Our family fit just fine, it included 2 adults, 2 kids sharing one bed, and fitting in a porta crib for an infant. We were not crowded. It is probably my favorite offsite hotel at this point.

I also stayed at the Marriott World. This is a beautiful hotel, with several swimming pools including an indoor one, which at the time of year you are going is just fine. I stayed 5 days, with 2 adults, (my sister and myself) and 2 infants. The room we had was pretty typical for a hotel room. There would of been room for a fold out bed. We had a love seat, and comfie chair along with a desk and 2 full size beds. The bathroom was typical hotel style, sink outside of the potty/shower area. It is located just outside of the Disney area, and took less than 2 minutes to travel across the bridge, and onto Disney property. It is a breathtaking hotel, and HUGE. We asked and recieved fireworks view, it was in a newer wing, and a LONG walk from the lobby, overlooking a parking lot, but we could see all of the fireworks from all of the parks. The major downside to this park is Parking. It is a long walk unless you go to the "sneeky back parking lot behind the hotel" which let us into our wing.

I have never stayed in the other Resort level hotel which is the Hilton in the Disney world Village.

With research, and work you can get a great deal on Priceline...

But the downsides are 1 you dont get to pick the hotel you stay in, and 2 most of the hotels charge you a resort fee of typically $10 a day.

If you try priceline, go to the link that was suggested above, they are alot of help. I managed to get all of my great deals with help from them!

laura

 

[tar heel]

I also don't mind taking a gamble for one night -- have done it twice with priceline in other cities and got nice properties for low prices -- but would hesitate to do it for my whole vacation. The Hilton, the third resort property, incidentally will not book more than 4 people in a room. No idea whether families of more than 4 who book through priceline run into problems there.

 

[jasonbogen]

I am using my priceline ressies in two days. I got three nights at the DD Hilton for $55 a night. I cancelled my ressies at the Poly ($189) and YC ($179) to do so. The key to me was that I knew I would be at DD in one of the three resort level hotels and I was only going to do it at this low rate. I am also really big on staying at a Disney deluxe, but when I saw the prices people were getting on priceline, I decided that it was worth it. I will let you know on Monday...

Jason

 

[CarolA]

For Disney vacations my rule has been to stay at 4 Star or above since the only ones that seem to come up are Downtown Disney, Swan and Dolphin (rarely!) and the Marriott World Center. The Marriott is not a Downtown Disney hotel but it is very nice! If the Downtown Disney location is a must then I would not go priceline. Keep in mind that priceline has a no refund, no change policy! Once you push that bid button your in! IF your bid is accepted you will be charged for the whole stay. That said I have the Wyndam in Downtown Disney for 50 a night for 4 nights! Since my first bid was accepted I probably went to high, but I did not have much time to bid!

 

[robinb]

I'm not sure if the original poster is still monitoring this thread or not ... but I wanted to but my 2 cents into her "great deal". $850 for 7 days comes out to $121 with taxes or $109 before taxes. This is not such a great deal for a hotel that comes up as a 3* on Priceline. FWIW, here's a review of the hotel in question: http://pub4.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingfrm78.showMessage?topicID=116.topic , although I'm sure that she has a bigger room booked.

I would recommend that if she has a car rental she should try Priceline at the 3* level for 2 rooms and she'd save a bunch of money. It is very likey that she would be able to book 2 rooms for less than $40 each, or $80 together. If she doesn't have a car, what about 2 rooms at the All Stars? With rates like $59 she could be on property for about $75 - $100 more.

 

[w8ting4pooh]

Robinb - I must have missed the part of priceline where I can indicate the number of rooms that I wanted. If I could be assured of getting 2 rooms that are connecting, then I'd definately do priceline. We have 3 kids plus a baby so we can't legally or comfortably fit into most standard rooms. Because we are driving, I don't mind doing a bit of driving to get to the parks either.

I will not consider the all stars. The $59 x 2 for the all stars doesn't seem like it will go as far as the $121 we are paying for the deluxe tower room. Maybe if early entry was still in play, but since it isn't, Disney isn't offering me enough incentives to justify the price.

I think I'm going to stick with my reservations. If we had a smaller family, then I wouldn't wonder. I'd just take my chances with priceline.

 

[Biyanna]

Take it from Mrs. Spoiled Rotten I seriously have a problem w/paying over $50.00 for a 4* star property, thanks to Priceline. Hubby loves to stay onsite, so if we must, I try to do it as cheaply as possible (Allstars). Only you can make decision as to if it's worth the risk. You may want to try Priceline for a day or two on another trip, that way you can get your feet wet. Good luck and have fun!

 

[punky'smom]

We used priceline for 1 night b4 and 1night after our week at our timeshare. The night b4 we got doubletree suites which was nice. The night b4 we left we got Summerfields suites out by the airport our flight was early mornning. We only paid 29.00 a night for both.My DH said he could have stayed at Summerfield Suites all week. Girlfriend and I went to Washington,DC last week in june and got Washington Marriott for 35.00 a night. When all the rest of the hotels were charging almost 100.00 a night. Good-Luck I love a good deal I wouldn't use Priceline for airline tickets though I've heard alot of horror stories about canceled flights and being stranded in airports and people having 2 rent cars to get where they have to go.

 

[stlrod]

I am a huge Priceline fan and agree that in your case, it should not be used. It's just too risky with five. On the other hand, I also agree with Robinb that you are not getting such a great deal. I played around for 5 minutes and found a AAA rate at the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista that totaled $883 (w/o taxes). While you would also have to add $100 in taxes, you get breakfast for 5 every day of the week. That's just one example (and I'm sure that if you called the hotel, you could get it down even further.) I would suggest spending a little more time on expedia, travelocity and www.180096hotel.com.

 

[lawgs]

punky's mom...

are the dollar amounts you are quoting.....base rates before taxes and fees ..or total amounts you paid....??

did you get to use any bonus money with these "rates"...??

 

[stlrod]

Thought I could do a little better. Played around and got a suite at Hawthorn Suites LBV for 12/28 for 7 nights--includes 2 queens. 2 TVs (also a VCP I think), a full kitchen and full breakfast buffet each day (beer and wine from 5-7 also and a light dinner on Wednesday) and transportation to the Disney parks. Price was $672 plus tax. www.hawthornsuiteslbv.com

 

[robinb]

Thought I could do a little better. ... Price was $672 plus tax.

Rod, you rock!

 

[disneygeek]

We got Wyndam for $50/night. I wonder if they would go lower? Has anyone stayed there before?

 

[robinb]

We got Wyndam for $50/night. I wonder if they would go lower? Has anyone stayed there before?

Yes, they can go lower, but not by much. Some folks have gotten the WP for as low as $48. You did very well! I stayed at the WP in July and it was a very nice hotel! You'll have a great time.