Cheaper airline ticket... but should I take it?!?!

[JoelD]

Yesterday I discovered tickets from Dallas to Orlando for $209.50 apiece (Delta) and have them on hold until Midnight tonight. (Our trip is Nov. 20 - Nov. 28)

The best price that most airlines are charging is $272.

Here's my delima:

One of the probable reasons they're cheaper is that the Dallas to Orlando flight for that price arrives in Orlando at 11:25 PM!

I am concerned that by getting in that late we'll get the bottom of the barrel when it comes to our rooms -- you know... farthest from the elevators, worst view, our two rooms will be on opposite ends of the hotel, etc. (I am a DVC memeber and have two rooms booked at BWV.)

Can anyone confirm or ease my fears?

(Please help me decide whether to purchase these tickets or let them go.)


I'm providing the lodging for my family (parents, brothers & sister and their kids) for their first trip in years/ever, so of course I want everything to be great.

Also, what are our options for transportation from the airport to BWV at that late hour? Can we rent cars and pick them up that late? Does Mears and/or Tiffany run that late?

 

[CarolA]

I can't really comment on the room selection, but you better move quickly on the airfare. Putting a ticket on hold does NOT guarantee the airfare just the seat. So if the airfare goes up during your hold period or the low fare class sells out you will be out of luck!

 

[JoelD]

I asked the Delta ticket agent yesterday and she said the price would hold. I just checked online and the price for that flight has gone up... so I JUST called Delta and asked the agent if the price should stay what the tickets were held at and she said "yes".

Just to be safe I had her check my reservation and it was still at $209.50 for each ticket (while the fare being reported for the same flight is now $284.50!).

So, I'm still interested in anyone's experience with rooms they've gotten when they arrived to their resort after Midnight.

 

[CarolMN]

I'm a DVC member, too, but have no idea how the room assignments work. I assume that you had MS note your requests on your reservation.

We are also arriving late (11:14 PM) on our next trip to FL. I know that you can rent a car - we're renting a minivan from National. I'm also relatively certain that the towncar services will pick you up at that time.

We're going to start our vacation at VB. Since I didn't want to drive two hours in the dark (to say nothing of the points for "just sleeping"), we're going to book a room near the airport and then drive to VB in the morning. Have you considered renting a cheap room near the airport and then checking in to BWV early the next morning? Even though your rooms may not be ready, you could still check in and enjoy the resort or parks for the day.

Good Luck and Enjoy the trip!

PS. It sounds like the $209 is a really good fare. If so, I'd take it!

 

[Beverly Lynn]

and don't forget that between now an dnov there will be a shcedule change and its possible that your flight time will change. have them put a notation in your ressie that you will be a late arrival and you are requesting a room close to the elevator or whatever it is you want. and then on that afternoon call them in the afternoon and speak to someone and check to see if your room is assigned yet and if not could they assign it at that time since you will be a late arrival and you don't want to get stuck with an undesireable room location.

 

[JoelD]

Thanks Beverly. I was hoping that you would read my post.

Here's a worry along those lines (schedule change) that you could probably answer:
If the schedule does change, is it possible that they would end up putting us on a flight the following day? Or will they only adjust flight schedule within each particular day.

 

[JoelD]

Thanks for the ground transportation info CarolMN.

Thanks for the idea of staying in a hotel that first night. Unfortunately I've borrowed all but 5 of my points from next year to make this trip. And releasing one night won't give us back enough points to make another trip this use year -- and since they're borrowed, I can't bank them.

Anyway... I don't know that I want to wake up after that long night and have to worry about getting all 12 of us piled back into cars/vans to go pile back out at another hotel. (And with some of the late sleepers in our group we wouldn't get on our way to WDW until noon!) I think it will be much nicer to go to sleep knowing that we are "there", and whenever each one of us wakes up we don't "have" to do anything but start having fun.

So I think in our case, the points for "just sleeping" (or, as I think I'll look at it: for "waking up already at WDW") will be worth it.

 

[janiejo]

Joel - are you using only borrowed points for the reservation? If you are using this year plus borrowed points, then the points from the current use year can be the ones they take from the cancelled first night if you opted to do this, then those points could be banked into next year. Did I say that so it makes sense? We have been doing the last flight out for our past few trips and really have gotten hooked on it. In May, we arrived about 1 a.m. Orlando time (but that's only midnight in the midwest.) We stayed at Little Lake Bryan - Marriott (just a few minutes from DD) for $69 AAA price. Everyone slept in then we headed to BW about noon to check-in. The kids went to the parks and I went to the grocery store. The room was ready about 3 p.m. We packed knowing we would be offsite for just the one night so didn't even carry in all the luggage - just one bag with what was needed that night and to get ready in the a.m. I always worry about the flight getting delayed and hate to waste DVC points on the room if I don't make connections. If this is NOT an option, then I would think you could call BWV earlier in the day and make sure they have noted all your requests and that you will be arriving late. Hopefully, they will "save" the room that meets your requests. I would vote for the cheaper air fare - it really adds up with all the members in your party. Enjoy!

 

[JoelD]

Thanks janiejo.

Your right... I wasn't thinking about the fact that I am using this year's points as well, and therefore could bank them if I cancelled one night. I may have to consider your's and CarolMN's suggestion a little further.

But, anyway, I went ahead and got the $209.50 tickets -- WAY to good to pass up. (In fact it's $13.50 less than what we paid in 1999 and I thought I was getting a deal then!)

Unfortunately only the 4 of us that are staying until Nov 28 could take advantage of it -- there weren't any seats available at that price for the rest who are returning on Nov 25.

So we bought 4 tickets and saved $250-$300!

Thanks everyone.

 

[joe.hurley]

I can help on the rental car hours part of the original question -- all of the rental car facilities at MCO are open 24/7.

Outside places, I would call, but the major national ones (Hertz, etc.) are all open 24/7.

Regards,

Joe Hurley

PS You might be better off than coming in early, since if they're out of the car size you reserved, you'll get a free upgrade to what they've got.