Best deal on hotels?

[dmked]

Are the best deals found from booking directly, a travel site, expedia or travelocity...I need to start looking at other options if I am not able to get the Hojo ent. rate this August so I just wanted to start looking at other prices. I most likely want something within walking distance but one with a free shuttle would be ok too. Does anyone ever book on those "name your price" sites like priceline or hotwire? It makes me nervous to use them since you don't know what hotel you will be in and their "directly across the street from DL" may be a 30 min walk.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

get away today is good or the hotel direct

 

[Mom2micayla]

It really depends on the hotel and the time frame. In general, I find booking directly to be the most reasonable. But occasionally I find that places like travelocity, hotels.com, etc run specials and are cheaper. I've also had good luck with Getawaytoday too.

If it were me, I'd try to narrow down my hotel choice(s) and then keep checking their site directly and all the other major travel agencies. If you see a good deal, book it. Pay attention to the fine print though. Most hotels on Harbor allow cancellations up to 48 hours prior for free, so you can book and still shop around.

 

[bearcat12]

I always use Hotwire for all of my hotel needs. You don't know which hotel you will be staying in but you get to choose the star rating, amenities, and general area. I got the Hotel Menage for $56.00!!! During spring break, which is a steal! I have found that anything with 2 stars or above is usually pretty nice! Good Luck!

 

[Mouse13]

I always book directly (so I change my mind without any hassle) and use Kayak.com to find the best deals. You can select your dates and find the best price. Then, if you create a log-in (free), it will allow you to check your hotels to see if the price has changed every day and it only takes a few seconds. I also use this site for rental cars. They are notorious for constantly changing so I check mine everyday and rebook when the price goes down. Good luck in your search. I usually stay at HoJo's but have always gotten the ER. This year it didn't happen, so I started looking for more bang for my buck. Now we're staying at the Residence Inn Maingate and I can't wait to try something new.

 

[tanyaewa]

I booked with Hotwire this year for our trip. I chose a 2* hotel with free bfast, fridge. microwave, pool & free parking.
It was a gamble but for $39 per night I got Ramada Convention Center on S Harbour. It is a shuttle ride or drive away (but we got free DL parking passes wth our AAA ParkHoppers) and for less than $200 for a 5 night stay who could argue!!

 

[dmked]

Thanks for the replies, if anyone has more tips, please keep posting!

 

[carolinamama]

We have AAA, and we can usually save 10% - 15% off of the best available rate at hotels, esp Hilton branded ones (we're partial to Hilton brands, actually).

Most hotels have a price guarantee that they'll at least match the third party sites. Check the fine print, but keep that in mind. I almost never book hotel rooms through third party sites, but that's just me.

 

[spacemermaid]

I usually stay at Stovall's Best Western, on Katella (longer walking distance than, say, from the hotels on Harbor, but there's a shortcut, and the ART bus picks up/drops off right in front of it). By booking directly through their website ( http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/priceAvail.do?propertyCode=05185 ) a couple months in advance, I'm able to get a room for about half of what it usually costs. The only "catch" is that it has to be prepaid, and also can't be cancelled or changed. I know this feature is available for a couple of other Best Western hotels in the area, though it's not available for the one directly across the street from the Park's main entrance.

 

[dmked]

I usually stay at Stovall's Best Western, on Katella (longer walking distance than, say, from the hotels on Harbor, but there's a shortcut, and the ART bus picks up/drops off right in front of it). By booking directly through their website ( http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/priceAvail.do?propertyCode=05185 ) a couple months in advance, I'm able to get a room for about half of what it usually costs. The only "catch" is that it has to be prepaid, and also can't be cancelled or changed. I know this feature is available for a couple of other Best Western hotels in the area, though it's not available for the one directly across the street from the Park's main entrance.

Thanks, I checked this site and it is WAY more than what I was looking for. I was looking for something more comparable to the Hojo ent. rate. We usually do the Deluxe or Premium room which is $69-$79 per night. The AAA rate for Stovall's BW was $139/night.

 

[spacemermaid]

Thanks, I checked this site and it is WAY more than what I was looking for. I was looking for something more comparable to the Hojo ent. rate. We usually do the Deluxe or Premium room which is $69-$79 per night. The AAA rate for Stovall's BW was $139/night.

I recently paid $72 a night (around half of the non-discounted price) because I booked a couple of months in advance, and prepaid...no AAA discount required. Sorry it didn't work out for you; hopefully Hojo's will release some new dates so you can get the discount.

 

[50sjayne]

If I were hotel less (don't think that's a word) I would sure be looking into motels around the new Toy Story parking lot. Especially with a shuttle there for everyone.

 

[dmked]

If I were hotel less (don't think that's a word) I would sure be looking into motels around the new Toy Story parking lot. Especially with a shuttle there for everyone.

So can you take the shuttle even if you don't park? And where is the Toy Story parking lot?

I found a good deal on Ayres Inn that has a free shuttle but I don't know anyone who has stayed there and if the shuttle will make magic morning or not.