Disney Priceline Summary Post

[MILEMRKR63]

Yes Magical Express is available to anyone with a WDW resort reservation, no matter how the room was booked, this is per Disney Magical Express, www.disneysmagicalexpress.com

 

[Lesley]

The eternal optimist, I just bid for June 8th....got Amerisuites. Looks fine for a place to sleep but I think for the rest of the weekend I'll wait to see about an AP rate somewhere. Worse comes to worse I can always try to book Priceline for 2 more nights later....

Its a good rate, even for Amerisuites...and hey, I don't like the All Stars anyway...LOL

 

[MyGoofy26]

The eternal optimist, I just bid for June 8th....got Amerisuites. Looks fine for a place to sleep but I think for the rest of the weekend I'll wait to see about an AP rate somewhere. Worse comes to worse I can always try to book Priceline for 2 more nights later....

Its a good rate, even for Amerisuites...and hey, I don't like the All Stars anyway...LOL

For some reason it looks like there's a gap for that one day. Kinda odd, a Thursday - I'd expect it from a weekend. . . but it's like there's a pretty successful string of dates leading to up that date, then a couple after. . just that one lonely day! LOL

 

[jpmandan]

This morning, we got one room at All Star Music for May 29 & 30 @ $36 per night! We were very nervous about adding these days, but, boy, are we happy to have extended our vacation to WDW by two days for less than $100 including tax!

 

[Zippadeedoo Dave]

I was nervous about it , but figured I would go for it. An low and behold.... I got the All Star Music. Now I'm glad I took a chance.

Will make for a nice quick trip with my AP.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

The eternal optimist, I just bid for June 8th....got Amerisuites. Looks fine for a place to sleep but I think for the rest of the weekend I'll wait to see about an AP rate somewhere. Worse comes to worse I can always try to book Priceline for 2 more nights later....

Its a good rate, even for Amerisuites...and hey, I don't like the All Stars anyway...LOL

Hey.. look for me then.. I will be there! The Amerisuties actually is a decent place. To be honest, you cannot beat that price... it is well worth the money. No, it may not be Disney but it is a decent place & the rooms are bigger than at the All Stars

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I'd love to know the inside scoop on how PL determines which hotel to put you in. I'd imagine that they have essentially a "list" of hotels that will accept your bid, wonder how they determine which one to give you? Is it random? Is it based on best deal? Is it based on whose minimum amount accepted more closely matches your actual bid?

I've read somewhere that Hotwire will only list one hotel for you to choose if multiple hotels have the same description (same category, same ameneties etc) and that they essentially rotate them for the cities that do have a lot of hotels with similar descriptions . . not sure how true it is. . but I'd love to know the inner workings of their "formula"

You & me both! I would love to know how they figure it.. if we can do that.. then.. (if it is not radom) we really can increase our chances of a certian resort... I don't think it has anything to do with a price coming close. I have seen where people have really over-bid on a resort level thinking they would increase their chance of gettting the GayLord Palms over the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista.. and they got the Wynham... they were both rated resort, but due to someone thinking that if they bid a higher amount, the better of the resorts would come up.. and it didn't. So we can rule out price.. now your turn...see what you can come up with. Maybe between the 2 of us we can "crack the mystery of Priceline"

 

[Lewisc]

It's not a mystery. This information is old but AFAIK is still current. A hotel can list up 3 different PL rates in the GDS computer system. They use a special code so only PLs computers can access the rate. PL will take your bid, possibly add a margin although all evidence is they don't, and then book the hotel with the highest rate that's at or below your bid. Using your example the Wyndham might have a PL rate of $80, $90 and $100. Assume GP has a PL rate of $100 and $120. You bid $100 and you might get the GP or you might have just overbid by $20 and get the Wyndam. In the case of a "tie" PL has a way to distribute the winning "bids" among the hotels.

That's why sites like betterbidding have you bid low and add free rebid zones to "troll" for the lowest rate. Bidding higher gives you a chance of getting additional hotels but adds the very real risk of overbidding for a hotel you don't really want to get.

You & me both! I would love to know how they figure it.. if we can do that.. then.. (if it is not radom) we really can increase our chances of a certian resort... I don't think it has anything to do with a price coming close. I have seen where people have really over-bid on a resort level thinking they would increase their chance of gettting the GayLord Palms over the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista.. and they got the Wynham... they were both rated resort, but due to someone thinking that if they bid a higher amount, the better of the resorts would come up.. and it didn't. So we can rule out price.. now your turn...see what you can come up with. Maybe between the 2 of us we can "crack the mystery of Priceline"

 

[tmfranlk]

Hi all! Apparently this is still working late 4/30. I bid $36 for one night on 5/21 and was accepted for Music. I tried to add 5/20 and it didn't work. I rebid for 5/22 and was accepted for Sports. Tried and successfully added 5/23. Will try for an AP rate or something on the 20th.

Good luck to anyone else trying.

YEAH!! I get to spend my 30th birthday with Mickey!!!

 

[Kitster]

I think we will be OK since we only spend about 7 hours in the room anyway,the only reason I tried at all was to get a few more hours at the parks with EMH.

7 hours is still WAYYYYY too long to be stuck in a room at the Nikki Bird. I stayed there several years ago and it was the worst hotel I've ever stayed at in my life !!!! It's the first time I refused to undress to sleep.....heck, I didn't even want to TOUCH the beds, shower or toilet, and the sink was falling out of the counter

 

[Disney845]

Tried for June 2nd at $36. I was accepted at the Amerisuites. Wish it had been All Stars, but am still happy with the price at the Amerisuites. I even added on a second night for June 3rd. We are going for a short weekend to take advantage of the Free Universal ticket offer.

 

[MyGoofy26]

You & me both! I would love to know how they figure it.. if we can do that.. then.. (if it is not radom) we really can increase our chances of a certian resort... I don't think it has anything to do with a price coming close. I have seen where people have really over-bid on a resort level thinking they would increase their chance of gettting the GayLord Palms over the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista.. and they got the Wynham... they were both rated resort, but due to someone thinking that if they bid a higher amount, the better of the resorts would come up.. and it didn't. So we can rule out price.. now your turn...see what you can come up with. Maybe between the 2 of us we can "crack the mystery of Priceline"

I was doing online job hunting a few months ago and apparently Priceline has an office about an hour or so from me. . . maybe I'll just see if they're hiring and work there long enough to learn their system then report back!

 

[Lesley]

Thanks for the info on the Amerisuites....I guesss I can be really glad I didn't get the Nikki Bird. We won't arrive until around midnight and will head to WDW right after we have breakfast in the morning....so its really just a place to sleep.

I hadn't mentioned...but my bid was $36 (for June 8)

Still waiting for an AP rate and I think my dh is determined to stay on site even if we have to pay rack rate for a value resort (a huge rip off imo....but rack rate at a mod isn't in the budget). We'll see. Unless I'm willing to just pay for and not use another Amerisuites night I won't be trying Priceline for this trip again.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I was doing online job hunting a few months ago and apparently Priceline has an office about an hour or so from me. . . maybe I'll just see if they're hiring and work there long enough to learn their system then report back!

sounds like a good plan to me
I bet they must make their employees take some sort of oath or something not to spill the beans...

 

[clkelley]

When did you bid? It will show up in the Disney computer, but NOT immediately and it can take several days. However, people have added ME to the bid and at least one other poster has posted that Disney could see her reservation.

I still don't know if you can add someone. The poster who posted indicated Disney could not access the reservation for special requests however.

I did put my two days at Sports on ebay. (I'm at Music, won two days at Sports, couldn't move the rest of my days over to Sports, so trying to cut my losses). Basically, I'm telling everyone on ebay that asks the whole story and that I will meet them at Sports for check-in, add their names to the reservation (and they will pay extra adult charges if assessed at check-in). They will have an extra key card with my name on it and then they can enjoy their stay. (I'm at Music anyway, so walking over to Sports for a few minutes will be worth it to recoup some of my loss).

 

[Disney Debbie]

Just bid today($36) and got Amerisuites for 6/9/06. I'm actually okay with that though after looking at their website - you get to share in 3 pools and a mini-golf with some time share place so I think it will work out fine. I'm taking my 11 & 9 YO nieces to Typhoon Lagoon for their birthday presents and so just needed a place to stay the night before so we can be there bright and early! I think we'll go early on Friday so they can enjoy the pools and the mini-golf.

 

[dustysky]

I did put my two days at Sports on ebay. (I'm at Music, won two days at Sports, couldn't move the rest of my days over to Sports, so trying to cut my losses). Basically, I'm telling everyone on ebay that asks the whole story and that I will meet them at Sports for check-in, add their names to the reservation (and they will pay extra adult charges if assessed at check-in). They will have an extra key card with my name on it and then they can enjoy their stay. (I'm at Music anyway, so walking over to Sports for a few minutes will be worth it to recoup some of my loss).

Not trying to be rude but I sure hope people don't follow your lead. Its such a great thing being offered I would hate for the rooms to fill up so others can make a profite and shut out those who really want the rooms.

P.S- I am not saying YOU are looking for profit, or selling them for that reason. I did see why you had to.

 

[clkelley]

Not trying to be rude but I sure hope people don't follow your lead. Its such a great thing being offered I would hate for the rooms to fill up so others can make a profite and shut out those who really want the rooms.

P.S- I am not saying YOU are looking for profit, or selling them for that reason. I did see why you had to.

I understand why you feel that way and do assure you that I WILL NOT make a profit off of this, even if someone overbids.

 

[summerrluvv]

I did put my two days at Sports on ebay. (I'm at Music, won two days at Sports, couldn't move the rest of my days over to Sports, so trying to cut my losses). Basically, I'm telling everyone on ebay that asks the whole story and that I will meet them at Sports for check-in, add their names to the reservation (and they will pay extra adult charges if assessed at check-in). They will have an extra key card with my name on it and then they can enjoy their stay. (I'm at Music anyway, so walking over to Sports for a few minutes will be worth it to recoup some of my loss).

Did your auction end? I don't see it on ebay.

I'm going to call WDW again in a few days to see if I can add someone to the ressie and then try to get sell my ressies at ASMU and Amerisuites and recoup at least some of the money I'm out since we aren't going now.

 

[Lewisc]

CAROL--I don't mean to slam you but your experience is an excellent example of someone who shouldn't have used Priceline. It wasn't good enough to win an All-Star resort but you weren't happy when you won Sports instead of Music.

People who shouldn't use PL unless they'd be happy with any property in the zone and you weren't even happy with an adjacent hotel that is basically exactly the same as the resort you wanted.

What were you thinking when you bid?

I did put my two days at Sports on ebay. (I'm at Music, won two days at Sports, couldn't move the rest of my days over to Sports, so trying to cut my losses). Basically, I'm telling everyone on ebay that asks the whole story and that I will meet them at Sports for check-in, add their names to the reservation (and they will pay extra adult charges if assessed at check-in). They will have an extra key card with my name on it and then they can enjoy their stay. (I'm at Music anyway, so walking over to Sports for a few minutes will be worth it to recoup some of my loss).