Budget Shocks

[Free4Life11]

This is all copied from Expedia's room rate page for the Peabody, all directly under the box that shows the various rates:

Yes, you can find the fees but the point is that be itemizing all these fees it makes it difficult to easily compare right on the screen.

It would be nice if when searching you could check boxes like: Will you require parking? Will you require internet access? etc. then add up all the fees and tell you the true price right up front.

 

[Josh Hendy]

I can understand the price difference between flying in/out of Ottawa and crossing the border into the US to fly ... but why didn't you fly out of Syracuse?!? We have family in Ottawa and we always fly into SYR to get to them. It's only about 3.5 hours. I can't imagine that it would save that much to drive an extra 6-7 hours!
...

It happened that none of the other airports in the US that are closer to Ottawa (SYR, ROC, ALB, BTV) had any cheap flights on the dates we wanted to travel. This is not usually the case, for example a couple of years ago we got a flight out of Rochester that saved our family of 5 about $1000 compared to flying out of Ottawa.

This year, flying out of PHL probably saved us around $750 for a family of 5, after subtracting the cost of gas and several extra fast-food meals. I think it was worth it, as it partially offset the extra costs this year of going to USF/IOA on top of WDW, staying in a more expensive hotel, and increased costs for everything else. My true gauge is DW and DKs though ... no complaints were made about the extra driving. They seem to have a toleration limit of about 10 hours sitting in the car before major griping occurs.

 

[Kay1]

where would you recommend for closest offsite rental

thanks

Windsor Hills is close to Disney. They have a website that lets you put in your dates and notifies owners who wish to rent. They contact you through e-mail with the details.

 

[kwhite1022]

Windsor Hills is close to Disney. They have a website that lets you put in your dates and notifies owners who wish to rent. They contact you through e-mail with the details.

Do you have a link? TIA

 

[robinb]

where would you recommend for closest offsite rental

thanks

A lot of people get great results at the Budget location at Landstreet Road. It's about 9 miles from MCO. Use the DISBoards discount code found here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/discounts/discounts-transportation.htm#rental

 

[Kay1]

Do you have a link? TIA

http://www.windsorhillsrent.com/

There you go.

 

[robinb]

http://www.windsorhillsrent.com/

There you go.

I have to attest that Kay gets some kick-butt deals over Christmas at Windsor Hills .

 

[scrapquitler]

You're getting a little facetious with those claims. A resort fee is not unusual in a tourist destination. The fees were spelled out on the Expedia website and it's not the hotel's fault that you didn't read the fine print.

The airline industry has been playing with extra fees for years now (extra charges for pillows, in-flight entertainment, meals, baggage, etc.). Yes, it stinks to have to be diligent about educating yourself on the costs, but you always have the option of voting with your wallet and taking your business elsewhere.

I don't think I"m being facetious. Two years ago I stayed in a Motel Six. There was a $10 a night 'resort fee' (and they didn't mention it when I called to book over the phone). When I questioned the resort fee upon check in, they said it was for 'the amenities'. Motel Six. There was no pool. I asked "What amenities is this $10 a night resort fee paying for?" They explained that it was to cover the Free Local Calls and the USA Today newspaper provided to guests on weekdays. Well, lets see, I have a cellphone and won't be using the local calls, and I'm staying ON THE WEEKEND, when there IS no USA Today printed. They did remove the resort fee when I explained this to them. So yeah, if I were staying in Orlando and there was a pool and a hot tub and free breakfast, etc. I can see a resort fee. But a Motel Six with no amenities on the side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, No way, Jose.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, you can find the fees but the point is that be itemizing all these fees it makes it difficult to easily compare right on the screen.

It would be nice if when searching you could check boxes like: Will you require parking? Will you require internet access? etc. then add up all the fees and tell you the true price right up front.

But I didn't "find" the fees. Everything I posted was displayed in standard-size print right on the page that displayed the various per-night room rates, directly below that field. All information is clearly available for anyone to read before booking a room. Sure, I highlighted the sections that addressed the OP's complaints, but only to make them stand out for anyone reading the thread.

Frankly, travelers wanting such personalized options as 'do you need parking', 'do you want Internet access (a) in the hotel (b) in your room (c) Wi-fi', etc., are better served working with an actual Travel Agent than a travel website.