Hotwire question re: Doubletree Hotel

[Mickey527]

I am planning my birthday trip to WDW for the end of May. I found great airfare thanks to this board and now have a question about a hotel.
I checked out Priceline but I am very nervous because they basically can put you wherever and I am afraid of getting a room over on International Drive.
I checked into Hotwire and they have a room available for the time I need at $43 per night. The listed amenities are: Restaraunt, Fitness, Business and Laundry. I checked and found this to be what is offered at Doubletree.
Can I have someone's assurance that this is the hotel I would be getting? This would be my virgin attempt at bidding and I am so nervous.
I want to be as close to WDW as I can, but try and keep the room cost under $50. I would love to pay less but I am nervous about bidding low and getting stuck with something I don't like.
Peggie

 

[oogieboogie]

I believe this is the Doubletree Club, not the Doubletree Suites in DTD.

The Doubletree Club is located right outside the entrance to DTD hotel row on Apopka road. If you go to the doubletree website, it's the one that's very colorful and has a giant pineapple on the building.

The rooms are quite roomy and they have an Au Bon Pain inside the hotel itself, which is open for breakfast and late night. It's a pretty nice room for the price you're paying.

We got this hotel through Hotwire for $44 in Feb 04, which is why I'm thinking this would be the hotel.

 

[tigger12jb]

The Doubletree Club is what you should be gatting. We booked for our first two night off of Hotwire with the same icons for Feb 2005 and thats what we got.

 

[Okiemom]

Does this hotel provide transportation to WDW?

 

[1Venus]

I frequently use Priceline. If you only select the WDW zone, then you have no chance of being on International Drive.

You can study bidding strategy by visiting this website:
http://pub210.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingorlandowaltdisneyworld

It looks like currently most people bidding for 3*Hotels (like Doubletree Club) are getting either Sheraton Safari (almost across the street from Doubletree Club) and Worldgate which used to be the Renaissance. Worldgate doesn't have the advantage of being close to Downtown Disney like the Sheraton Safari, but it's very close to the Animal Kingdom by taking a shortcut behind the hotel. If you stay there the hotel staff will tell you about the backroad way to Disney property.

While I've never stayed at the Doubletree Club, it looks bright and cheery from the outside. And if I remember correctly it's on the same bus route as the Sheraton Safari. (So to answer the prior question, yes, transportation to the parks is provided.) The Safari was not my favorite hotel despite such cute theming. I found the beds to be harder than any at any other hotel. I actually think the floor may have been more comfortable. It's been about a year since I stayed at the Worldgate (then Renaissance) but I loved it's convenience to Disney property, the in room mini-fridge, and the availability of inexpensive eateries close to the hotel. I don't know, however, if the Worldgate offers transportation to the parks.

 

[K P & J's Grandma]

We used 'hotwire' for the first time - this will be for our May trip.
We chose the $44 a night - had a check mark & said something like 'best value' above the price. It turned out to be the Double Tree Club -- total for 7 nights - $348.95. Have never stayed there, but have driven by it, we are very happy with it -- especially when you check out the price on their website & it comes up $700!!! We used 'priceline' for the car for this trip - Economy, 7 days, $139.99 total from National. We also used frequent flyer miles, $15.00 for the taxes. We are more than ready for the 'cheap' get away!!!