Are Expedia Guests treated worse? More Information WDW Price 3738 Expedia 2734.27

[PolyDec2008]

This is for the Poly Garden View for 11 nights right before Christmas...WOW

WDW is w/ the 40% discount code.

Any negatives to purchasing through Expedia? I don't think we can add the dining plan but for $1000 we can buy alot of food our of pocket.

Thanks for any insight

 

[equinoxman]

This is for the Poly Garden View for 11 nights right before Christmas...WOW

WDW is w/ the 40% discount code.

Any negatives to purchasing through Expedia? I don't think we can add the dining plan but for $1000 we can buy alot of food our of pocket.

Thanks for any insight

What were you dates?

 

[PolyDec2008]

December 14-25

Also picked up a good deal on the airline tickets through AirTran

 

[beautifultomorrow]

The negatives to expedia are I believe it is very difficult to make any certain room requests, also if for some reason the resort is "oversold" it seems like third party bookings might be the first to get "bumped".

Also, as you noted, you can't add the dining plan, which I dont know how many people you have but I'm betting that's your $1,000 difference right there. You might try doing the disney quote (online) without dining and see if it comes up the same.

 

[PolyDec2008]

I already have the room booked at the Poly through Disney w/ 40% off room only. We will be upgrading our GAD passes to 10 day hoppers when we get there.

The difference is that Expedia hasn't raised the rates for the holiday rates that start on 12/18 like Disney.

I only looked at Expedia after reading about it on a post on this board.

We have 3 kiddos, one who is a disney adult.

I am just trying to see if there is a downfall to saving the extra $1000. Does anyone know if Disney treats guests differently who book through Expedia?

 

[beautifultomorrow]

I already have the room booked at the Poly through Disney w/ 40% off room only. We will be upgrading our GAD passes to 10 day hoppers when we get there.

The difference is that Expedia hasn't raised the rates for the holiday rates that start on 12/18 like Disney.

I only looked at Expedia after reading about it on a post on this board.

We have 3 kiddos, one who is a disney adult.

I am just trying to see if there is a downfall to saving the extra $1000. Does anyone know if Disney treats guests differently who book through Expedia?

Well that seems like a great deal then!

 

[emmabelle]

I am just trying to see if there is a downfall to saving the extra $1000. Does anyone know if Disney treats guests differently who book through Expedia?

I used Expedia awhile ago for WL and it was just like I booked through Disney, I even upgraded the room from woods view to bunk beds when we got there with no problem at all.

 

[FoodLover]

Hmm, I just went to Expedia and priced a bunch of Disney resorts, including the Poly, for December 18-23 (Holiday Season). The prices were exactly the same as the current Disney room-only discount: in the case of Poly Garden View, 40% off of the Holiday rate of $580 per night, which is $348.

So either there's something not the same in the two quotes you got, or there was an error in Expedia's programming and they've since fixed it.

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[FoodLover]

Ah, I see what the original poster meant. I tried her exact dates (Dec 14-25) and Expedia is charging only $219 for the entire span, instead of the price going up to $348 on Dec 17th, as it should. Programming error on their part, which will probably be a great score for the person booking it! (Usually Expedia honors pricing errors.)

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[Original]

Someone please explain this to me. Take the busiest week of the year....say December 23 - January 1 (you have both holidays in there). Now take Wilderness Lodge. On the disney site WITH the 40% discount room only the rates are as follows:
Thu, Dec 23 $ 240.00
Fri, Dec 24 $ 240.00
Sat, Dec 25 $ 258.00
Sun, Dec 26 $ 430.00
Mon, Dec 27 $ 430.00
Tue, Dec 28 $ 430.00
Wed, Dec 29 $ 430.00
Thu, Dec 30 $ 430.00
Fri, Dec 31 $ 430.00



Now take Expedia for all nights:
$240 $240 $240 $240 $240 $240 $240 $240.00 $240 $240

Sorry, for all of the $240s, but that is how it pasted from Expedia.

Now the totals:

Disney WITH 40% = 3,733 After Tax

Expedia after tax:
Hotel: 9 nights, Lake Buena Vista - Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Reserved for: XXXXXXXXX
$2,160.00
Taxes and fees $291.60
Total $2,451.60

They also include the Magical Express:
Special check in instructions:
Resort Airline Check-In Service allows guests to check luggage and receive boarding passes at the hotel. This service accepts one bag per passenger on JetBlue. Guests wishing to check multiple bags on JetBlue or any bags on AirTran, Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, or US Airways must call 407-284-1231 (5 AM - 11 PM) to pay luggage fees prior to check-in, or guests can check bags at the airport. Guests must pre-book Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary transfer from the Orlando airport to the hotel. Visit disneysmagicalexpress.com/USAfor registration. This service picks up and delivers luggage directly to guestrooms for those arriving between 5 AM - 10 PM. Guests must claim their own bags after hours.


Room/unit type: Standard View-Special Promo
Includes: Free Airport Shuttle


Now how can this be?????

 

[beautifultomorrow]

I am guessing expedia is just calculating their prices differently than disney -- it seems to give you the same rate as your first night for the whole trip (like disney used to) instead of going up and down throughout disney's different price structures. It's possible Expedia will wise up and jack up the prices to Disney's standard but if I were you, and I didn't care about getting the dining plan, I'd snatch them now.

A month or so ago orbitz or somebody had disney resorts in Aug and Sept. 40% off plus another 40% plus there was a 10% code, I am pretty sure so far they have honored those prices for those who got lucky and booked them during that 24-hour span.

Now, for me personally, I really want the dining plan so it would be a hard choice.

 

[FoodLover]

I am guessing expedia is just calculating their prices differently than disney -- it seems to give you the same rate as your first night for the whole trip (like disney used to) instead of going up and down throughout disney's different price structures.

Yep, that's exactly what's happening. I've been playing around with it, and as long as you check in during a lower-priced season, it's carrying over that lower price into the higher-priced season. Disney used to do this, but stopped several years ago. Either Expedia didn't get the memo, or it made a mistake in its programming. Either way, it's a great deal, as long as they honor it.

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[Original]

I am guessing expedia is just calculating their prices differently than disney -- it seems to give you the same rate as your first night for the whole trip (like disney used to) instead of going up and down throughout disney's different price structures. It's possible Expedia will wise up and jack up the prices to Disney's standard but if I were you, and I didn't care about getting the dining plan, I'd snatch them now.

A month or so ago orbitz or somebody had disney resorts in Aug and Sept. 40% off plus another 40% plus there was a 10% code, I am pretty sure so far they have honored those prices for those who got lucky and booked them during that 24-hour span.

Now, for me personally, I really want the dining plan so it would be a hard choice.

My dates are December 19 -28. With that said, here are my Disney rates for a standard room at WL:
Sun, Dec 19 $ 240.00
Mon, Dec 20 $ 240.00
Tue, Dec 21 $ 240.00
Wed, Dec 22 $ 240.00
Thu, Dec 23 $ 240.00
Fri, Dec 24 $ 240.00
Sat, Dec 25 $ 258.00
Sun, Dec 26 $ 430.00
Mon, Dec 27 $ 430.00


Since I also want Dining and Tickets, my rate for the 9 nights is ~$4800.

I was trying to get smart and book 5 nights with Disney for $2306 (includes park tickets for 9 days, but no Dining) and 4 nights with Expedia (24th - 27th). The 4 expedia nights are 1089 (at the $240 rate). The total difference is about $1405. Now, the big question is whether I think I will save anything here since I need Dining for 9 nights. So, $1405 divided by 9 is about $156 (we have 2 adults and 2 kids). Can we feed a family of 4 for $156 per night for 9 nights? I think the answer is no. So, I am not going to mess with Expedia.

The only real benefit is for the vacationer who travels December 23 - January 1, or does not need park tickets, or who does not need park Dining package. If you qualify for any of these three, then Expedia will save you a ton (especially those traveling on December 23 - January 1).

That's all folks.

 

[Original]

BTW: if you are traveling between December 23 - January 1 and use Expedia (pay out of pocket for food and tickets) I think your actual savings would be in the neighborhood of $1300 (for a family of 4).

That is allowing for $1000 park tickets (for 4) for 9 days and $1200 for food for 4 people for 9 days (dining costs may vary by family).

The smaller the party, the bigger the savings becuase I don't thing Disney discounts the room based on the number of people. But food and tickets would be much less. If your party is 2 people your savings would probably double to about $2000 - $2500

 

[FoodLover]

I was trying to get smart and book 5 nights with Disney for $2306 (includes park tickets for 9 days, but no Dining) and 4 nights with Expedia (24th - 27th). The 4 expedia nights are 1089 (at the $240 rate). The total difference is about $1405. Now, the big question is whether I think I will save anything here since I need Dining for 9 nights. So, $1405 divided by 9 is about $156 (we have 2 adults and 2 kids). Can we feed a family of 4 for $156 per night for 9 nights? I think the answer is no. So, I am not going to mess with Expedia.

Well, you could book the first 5 nights with Disney as a package, including 5 nights Dining Plan and 9 days of tickets. Then if you booked the last 4 nights with Expedia, you'd only have to pay out of pocket for your meals for the last 4 days.

Also remember, your package options are actually good until midnight of the last day of the package, which is the first day of your Expedia stay, so depending on how you use your meal credits, you might only have to cover 3 days out of pocket. A lot of people end up with leftover credits on the Dining Plan... this way you'd have a chance to use them all up.

Just a thought!

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

We booked our September trip at the Poly through Orbitz and bought our tickets from UT (thank you Mousesavers) and saved quite a bit. We will pay for our meals OOP.

The only thing that seems different to me is you have to go through Orbitz for room requests. We decided not to request a room this time because it seems like a hassle as reported by another poster on another thread.

 

[Mom loves Disney]

Mousesavers has the expedia deal on their home page. I was able to make room request when I booked.

 

[Mom loves Disney]

I saved sooo much by going thru Expedia at the WL checking in Dec. 16-26!!! The rate stays the same as your first night. She said this rate will be honored.

 

[johnnyr]

I couldn't resist the Expedia rates either. I am saving $541.00 during Christmas week. That week was blacked out by Disney. The only thing I am not sure how to do is link my Expedia reservation to my GG number. Disney would not do it for me.

 

[Mom loves Disney]

I couldn't resist the Expedia rates either. I am saving $541.00 during Christmas week. That week was blacked out by Disney. The only thing I am not sure how to do is link my Expedia reservation to my GG number. Disney would not do it for me.

YES!! Be sure if you need tickets to go thru UT because they still have the old rates on them.