has anyone ever....?

[ajksmom]

Has anyone lucked out and just walked into a WDW resort without reservations and gotten a room? Were there any discounts given? Or did you pay rack rate?
We have a trip planned to Orlando but had left out WDW as it is my DS17's graduation trip and he wanted to try UO/IOA. Then we planned on going to see family for 6 days. However, someone in my SIL's family is sick and not expected to make it. In case the inevitable happens while we are in FL we would like to have alternative plans as they live in the palm beach area and there really isn't alot we could find to do to keep ourselves busy for the 6 days. We can't plan on this happening so I can't make reservations but if we find they do need to fly out for the funeral we'd love to fill some of those days with WDW. It is rather soon, we leave UO/IOA on the 29th of June so we have until the 4th of July. Will there be any availability for that week? Please give me some advice??? Thank you.

 

[Fromeurope]

I have done that once, but not at WDW, but at Disneyland Paris. I am from Europe you know. The people at the counter were kind of surprised, but I got a room and paid much more than I expected. Booking in advance is allways cheaper!!!
I am sure that there is allways a room for you, but prepare to pay rack rate or even more.....

 

[ajksmom]

That is what I figured but one can always hope!
Thank you for posting so quickly!

 

[Scutapipig]

We arrived earlier than expected in December 2000. We decided to drive directly to WDW and tacked on a room a day earlier at what was then Dixie Landings (POR). We paid full rack rate.....$138, but we were able to stay in the same room for the remainder of our trip.

 

[Grumpy92]

Walk ins can be done. They do suggest if you want to do same day to go ahead and call CRO before you arrive. But unless it is a holiday most of the time there is availability.

 

[ajksmom]

Thank you both for answering so quickly. The DIS is so great. This is a ? that could only be answered from experience. Of course I could get there and there wouldn't be a room, just my luck.

 

[Kimberle]

If you walk in, you will be charged Rack rate. Resort mgrs and CM's are not authorized to give discounts. Only the CRO and WDTC are authorized to do so.

 

[ajksmom]

So if I call CRO before I arrive do you think they could/would offer a discount?

 

[KELLIE JONES]

have you thought of this?? making another ressie for ioa/us hotels back to back of your original ressie because they only ask for 5 days notice of cancellation with no money down. you would know by the end of your first ressie if you need to stay or not! i know its not a disney resort, but the IOA/US resorts are very nice, and you can drive to disney.... pretty sure they will let you,

also, if atleast one of you gets an AP for Universal, then you get some AWSOME discounts! ( room is 30% off )

 

[ajksmom]

Thank you KELLIE JONES,
I had briefly thought of that but .... I have AAA discount for RPR club level for 255 per night. That isn't available now on club floor or standard. Also, the idea of buying an AP is not feasible any longer because I already purchased our tickets with the Mastercard buy 4 get 1 free. So if I did extend our stay at RPR I'd be looking at 219 per night and I can stay at POR for cheaper than that even if I pay rack rate. I really appreciate your thoughts on the subject,it's clever think outside the box ideas that may help me solve my dilemma. I guess it isn't an easy one to solve.

 

[KELLIE JONES]

OK,

HOW ABOUT THIS:

check dates and rates at www.loewshotel.com the HRH and the Portofino( yes even the portofino has some great rates! ) with the APH code ( annual pass code ) and see what the rates would be .

if you find a good rate that works with your budget, then book it. when you get to the parks, go to the ticket booth and UPGRADE one of your tickets to a AP if you are going to stay over( they will let you do this even with a power pass )

if i would of had your info ie: number of ppl, dates, etc. then i would have looked for you. but alas i did not. let me know if this will work and if not i will try come up with something else

 

[jl3614]

I obviously don't know disney's rules, but I'd be surprised if someone - checkin clerk or hotel manager couldn't at least give you a AAA discount as a walkin.

If not, you could probably use a lobby phone to call CRO and at least get AAA discount that way, unless all discount rooms had been booked.

 

[ajksmom]

jl3614,
I will definately call CRO before I accept rack rate. We are a party of 5 so I would like to stay at POR and their rack rate is acceptable to the emergency budget we are bringing with us. If they don't have availability I'll have to check out 2 rooms at one of the value resorts, CR wing rooms or FW cabins. Those rates start to chip away at how much we can eat though, LOL!

KELLIE JONES,
I didn't realize that I could upgrade one of these tickets. I went on loews site to check, still no availability for RPR, 249 for HRH, and 188 for PBH. I would have to upgrade before using my 5 day pass though correct?
I do prefer to stay at WDW for this quick trip. It will only be for 3 days if we go to WDW and with DS3 I like the option of heading back to the room in the middle of the day. We have never stayed onsite before so maybe I'm trying to grab the opportunity while I can?LOL!
Thank you both for your input, Kristy

 

[landmark]

On the flip side of this our last trip at check in we added on a day to the end of our stay at AKL and they charged us the same AP rate that we'd have paid for the previous days.

 

[KELLIE JONES]

i am pretty sure that you can upgrade your pass anytime up to the expiration date. i would call and ask.

i totally understand about wanting to stay AT disney! there is something magical about being in the middle of THE world. i am speackng more as a backup plan if they are sold out. heres my idea, book the PBH and at the 5 days out if you guys need a room for a few nights go to disney and see if you can get what you want/need. if you cant then keep the ressie for PBH, and whola..... a room.

good luck.

 

[Familyof14]

If you can get to a computer while at Universal, check the internet rates for Disney. If you find one that you can be comfortable with, then stay on property. If you can't, then check out rates for nearby hotels and stay off property.

 

[candykisses]

My friends did that once. They had always stayed offsite, but when they checked into their room it was filthy. They decided to try Dixie Landings (I know,PO Riverside). They paid rack rate. They loved staying onsite and are now staying GF concierge.