Four Seasons odd pricing?

[Wings3496]

Hello everyone! Question about the Four Seasons Orlando at WDW - I was advised to post here rather than the Disney reports board.

Whenever we're booking trips to WDW I always check Swan/Dolphin as we've gotten some good rates with them in the past. I've started checking the Four Seasons as well, and their rate on their website have always through the roof! Our last two trips (Nov 2019 and Feb 2020), the rates at the Four Seasons were all $1000+ per night for a standard room. Now, I'm looking ahead (hopefully) to a quick Wed-Sun trip in earlier November, and the Four Season rates are all $950+ per night.

Do these rates go down, is there a sweet spot for booking? Is there a secret for getting lower rates? I cannot believe the Four Seasons there is as popular it is if the rates are always about $1000/night.

 

[Gordon Gekko]

We usually stay onsite but from time to time will pickup a nice deal at Waldorf Astoria. IMO it is a notch below Four Seasons but to your point I could never justify the price difference. The lowest I could ever find the entry level room at FS was in the $600s and you can regularly get WA in the $200s.

 

[ClapYourHands]

The Four Seasons attracts a different level of guest than the Swolphin. Yes, rates at 4S are usually that high, and there are people willing to pay them. There are discounts sometimes, and I have seen 4S for less on Hotwire, but still in like the $600s. You're not going to see Swolphin rates there. If you are looking for a more affordable 5-star resort, look into the Waldorf Astoria in Bonnet Creek. I have seen their rates comparable to Swolphin on Hotwire.

 

[dwonderz]

The Four Seasons attracts a different level of guest than the Swolphin. Yes, rates at 4S are usually that high, and there are people willing to pay them. There are discounts sometimes, and I have seen 4S for less on Hotwire, but still in like the $600s.

Echoing this - most people staying at the Four Seasons are looking for a certain type of experience (a lot are also brand loyal and only stay at Four Seasons while traveling). Part of the brand's image is that they rarely do sales or promotions - kind of like "luxury" or "designer" clothing - it never goes on sale and that's part of the appeal for some people.

 

[fancymouse]

Hello everyone! Question about the Four Seasons Orlando at WDW - I was advised to post here rather than the Disney reports board.

Whenever we're booking trips to WDW I always check Swan/Dolphin as we've gotten some good rates with them in the past. I've started checking the Four Seasons as well, and their rate on their website have always through the roof! Our last two trips (Nov 2019 and Feb 2020), the rates at the Four Seasons were all $1000+ per night for a standard room. Now, I'm looking ahead (hopefully) to a quick Wed-Sun trip in earlier November, and the Four Season rates are all $950+ per night.

Do these rates go down, is there a sweet spot for booking? Is there a secret for getting lower rates? I cannot believe the Four Seasons there is as popular it is if the rates are always about $1000/night.

I’ve actually stayed at Four Seasons with my family (my parents paid) and it is a pretty big step up from Disney deluxes. I’ve heard people who stay at FS regularly say this particular one is sub-par, but IMO, simply comparing it to it’s competitors on property, it’s a lot nicer. The rooms are huge and they have very nice bathrooms. The pools and restaurants are very nice. I’m not saying that it’s “worth” the price, but everything on property is overpriced. Any Disney deluxe would easily be a moderate to low endish chain hotel (I’m thinking generic Marriot etc.) in any other city. Disney deluxe hotels are easily $500-$600/night. I have seen FS as low as $800 certain nights of the week, but weekend nights go back up.

When I was paying for my own family I could just never justify the price, especially since their transportation is a huge downside. Their shuttles run on a time schedule and the stops (at least at Epcot) are farther from the Disney stops and in full sun. We were so hot waiting for the bus we ended up taking Ubers the rest of the trip. Even though I’d love to stay as FS again, when push comes to shove I can often stay club level at deluxe resort plus some extras for less than just the room at FS, so we usually end up staying at a Disney property

 

[epcotobsessed]

Last I checked rooms were in the mid-$500s for the first week of August which is by far the lowest I've ever seen. November and February are more "prime," so $950 is definitely in line with their typical pricing. As many have said here, it's a significant step up from any Disney Deluxe and is really a destination unto itself (my kids never want to leave to go to the parks when we stay there because the pools and activities are so fantastic). We usually do a split stay with the Beach Club to make the overall cost easier to handle.

 

[Runnergal]

Definitely not a discount, but if you have Amex platinum try booking through Fine Hotels and Resorts. Gets you free breakfast, some type of resort credit and an upgrade. It’s something at least.

 

[chasgoose]

Yeah that's just what Four Seasons tend to cost (there are plenty in big cities that cost even more). The big difference at 4S instead of a Disney deluxe (besides the higher quality rooms and amenities) is the service level they offer. Their staff to guest ratio is far higher than a Disney Deluxe or a Hilton/Marriott and it can be subtle, but it shows. That's typically why people are willing to pay the difference in price.

 

[JM23457]

Hello everyone! Question about the Four Seasons Orlando at WDW - I was advised to post here rather than the Disney reports board.

Whenever we're booking trips to WDW I always check Swan/Dolphin as we've gotten some good rates with them in the past. I've started checking the Four Seasons as well, and their rate on their website have always through the roof! Our last two trips (Nov 2019 and Feb 2020), the rates at the Four Seasons were all $1000+ per night for a standard room. Now, I'm looking ahead (hopefully) to a quick Wed-Sun trip in earlier November, and the Four Season rates are all $950+ per night.

Do these rates go down, is there a sweet spot for booking? Is there a secret for getting lower rates? I cannot believe the Four Seasons there is as popular it is if the rates are always about $1000/night.

There are good deals to be had for Four Seasons if you know where to look.

We have Four Seasons Orlando booked for this July for a little over $500 per night. That's using Four Season's 4 nights for the price of 3 discount which is sometimes available. That's 25% off, about as good as Disney's deluxe room-only discounts.

We also booked it via a travel agency, so we'll get a complimentary upgrade if available, a $100 spa credit, and free breakfast for 2 (restaurant or room service) every morning. Given food prices at Four Seasons, that's also a significant money saver.

Hotwire sometimes has Hot Rate deals for Four Seasons, so you can get a lower rate without having to book 4 nights. I actually had one booked for May, but obviously that was cancelled. Hotwire refunded my money even though it was technically nonrefundable- good on them.

It's very easy to tell if it's Four Seasons if you're looking for a Hotwire Hot Rate deal: it will be listed as a 5 star hotel, and in the room description, you'll see "Four Seasons room" listed. Yes, it's that easy to identify.