Hyatt MCO already sold out for April 29 2005! What now?

[makaylee]

I can't believe it is already sold out over a year in advance! I am so upset I feel like i'm gonna be sick. I would have made our ressies along time ago, but I didnt even think they would have them this far out untill I just read a post from a woman who said she booked like a year and a half in advance. We stayed there last time and it was so convienent we planned on doing it again. They said they are having a convention there. OHHHH! Man am I PO'd!

Can someone please tell me the next convienent place to stay? If I stay at another hotel(and have DCL transfers)do I still bring all my bags to the Hyatt lobby and get on a bus there? Or do I meet DCL at another place in the airport? What about renting a car and driving to the port ourselves? Do they have a car drop off at the port? Someplace close enough where we can tote our bags with us?
Please Help!

 

[Tera]

Makaylee - Sorry that they booked up on you. I was thinking of checking them out for our May 7, 2005 trip, but wouldn't even think that they would book up that early.

I want to stay somewhere close to the port. Does the Marriott pick you up at the airport and then also shuttle you to the port?? We don't want to rent a car and are looking for a hotel that will do that for us.

Good luck finding another hotel

 

[PiperG]

For our past three trips, we used points to stay at either the Marriott or the Hilton Garden Inn. Depending on your flight time and the age of your kids, I think this would work out fine for you.

Both hotels have a shuttle to/from the airport. We always head back to the airport between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. so that we can catch the first bus out to the port or WDW. You just tell the shuttle driver that you are going on a Disney cruise, and they drop you off right at the Disney spot in the terminal. You just go inside with your luggage. As you board the bus to the port, your luggage is put on the bus and the next time you see it is in your stateroom.

Although we are going to check out the Hyatt for our January '05 cruise, I won't be dissapointed if its booked and we end up at the HGI. We walk over to the Hooters which is right behind the hotel. Its loud and DS 7 can run around and get all his energy out. On this past trip, we bought him a Hooters football, and several of the servers played catch with him right there in the restaurant. After that, they had a hoola-hoop contest, so was very busy while we relaxed with some drinks.

When we were at the Marriott, we walked to the Bennegins and ate there (Just an option if you go for the Hooters thing. . . .I realize that probably sounds a bit weird coming from a gal).

Just think of it as an adventure!

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by makaylee
I can't believe it is already sold out over a year in advance!

If the Hyatt MCO shows no availability around April 29, 2005, it most likely means that those dates have not yet been loaded into the computer. Most hotel chains load rooms into their reservation systems approximately twelve months out. The reservation system may indicate "no rooms available for the dates you selected," but that doesn't mean they're sold out.

You may want to call the hotel directly during business hours, and ask when they expect to be able to book reservations for April 2005.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Call the 800 Marriott number - not the hotel directly. Specifically ask for the day room rate.

I was told by the hotel directly they didn't have such a thing but when I called the 800#, I had absolutely no problems.

Booking a day room was one of the best decisions that I made. It was great to be able to eat lunch, shop a little, nap and shower before catching our 4:30 flight home.

Lisa

 

[3 things]

Wife and I always end up staying at the Marriott Vacation Club properties (just renting for a few nights). They are further away, but they are like apartments and great for families!

www.marriott.com (Vacation Clubs are a particular brand in the pull down menu on the left)

PS - The main reason I decided to respond though is that my wife and I just returned from the 7 day Western yesterday and while on board signed up for the 7 day Eastern on April 30, 2005. Sounds like we're headed the same way!

Sorry you can't get the Hyatt like you prefer...

btw - we just came to the airport on Saturday morning with our luggage and took them to the airport lobby (just outside of the security check) The luggage went on a cart and off we went to the bus... easy!

 

[eagmommy]

Try the MCO Renissance. We just stayed there before our cruise and it was soooo nice. We booked through priceline and payed $35.00. I'm not sure if they have a shuttle, although I'm sure they do, it is a 3 star hotel. The rooms were really plush. It is right across the street from the airport. We could see the planes taking off from our room.

 

[tvguy]

We stayed at the Sheraton, at $69 for 4 people, FAR cheaper than the Hyatt, and 5 minutes by free shuttle van from the airport. The shuttle took us right to the Disney bus area in the terminal. They have a really neat setup next to Orlando airport, a huge circle of hotels, suites and Residence Inn's just off the airport property.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

We'll be using Starwood points to stay at the Sheratan Suites next year. We've stayed there before and their transportation back to MCO in the morning runs nicely. We will be dropped off with our luggage and DCL staff will take our tagged luggage when we arrive. We didn't have any problems with this last time.

The rooms are very nice!

Best of luck to you. You may want to try that 800 number like another poster said, see if they have a waitlist, or keep calling to see if any vacancies open up.

 

[christinou]

I also believe that the dates are probably not loaded yet, you generally cannot make hotel reservations more than 11 months ahead.....

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by christinou
I also believe that the dates are probably not loaded yet, you generally cannot make hotel reservations more than 11 months ahead.....

Very good point! I just went online to see if I could find availability for next March at Sheraton Suites and it said that there is no availability for my dates --- it's a year away. I'll try again in a month or two.

 

[thebets57]

Have you considered reserving a towncar? We are paying less for our family of 4 than the Disney transfers. With this arrangement, you can stay anywhere you want and just get picked up there - no hauling yourselves and bags back to the airport for the Disney buses - no crowds, etc. There are plenty of reputable companies highly recommended on these boards.

 

[makaylee]

Originally posted by Werner Weiss
If the Hyatt MCO shows no availability around April 29, 2005, it most likely means that those dates have not yet been loaded into the computer. Most hotel chains load rooms into their reservation systems approximately twelve months out. The reservation system may indicate "no rooms available for the dates you selected," but that doesn't mean they're sold out.

You may want to call the hotel directly during business hours, and ask when they expect to be able to book reservations for April 2005.

I did call the Hotel directly, that is how I found out they are having a convention.

 

[makaylee]

Originally posted by thebets57
Have you considered reserving a towncar? We are paying less for our family of 4 than the Disney transfers. With this arrangement, you can stay anywhere you want and just get picked up there - no hauling yourselves and bags back to the airport for the Disney buses - no crowds, etc. There are plenty of reputable companies highly recommended on these boards.

There is only 3 of us so the DCL transfers works out to be about the same or cheaper than a towncar. Thanks for the info though.


CRSNDSNY and Christinou....Thanks for you advice about calling the hotel directly, but I did do that...they are booked for that date already, there is a big convention. Which kinda makes me angry..I just want one tiny room! oh well.


PhotoLisa, Thanks for the info on the day room. We thought about doing that last year, but what I really wanted was a room the night before our sailing. We are thinking of going straight to WDW after our cruise this time. I feel better now that you all have told me that DCL does have another meeting place in the airport, I'll just have to stay at one of the other hotels mentioned and drag my luggage onto a shuttle. It was sooo much easier to stay at the Hyatt! I was even willing to pay $160 for the room. Oh, well I guess I inadvertantly saved myself some money, I think I'll go ahead and do priceline, if I can not have the Hyatt, I'll take any other 3 star in the area and save myself over $100, thats alot of konk coolers.

 

[hydster]

Makaylee---I wouldnt start to panic just yet! Make a room ressie at some other place just in case but then keep calling the Hyatt. When I did group bookings for Little America here in SLC we would get told that they needed the hotel for X amount of guests and we would block out about 25 percent more than they needed just in case there were more people who booked the convention later on. Then about 2-3 months before hand we would get final numbers and start releasing rooms based on the numbers. You could keep calling the hotel every month just to check and see if they have any rooms available...that way if they did have any cancellations you could get one. We booked conventions all the time that ended up falling through so you never know especially this far out! I'd just book a room at one of the other hotels just to make sure you do in fact have one in case the Hyatt is sold out and then keep checking with the Hyatt every month or two! I would bet that the whole hotel wont be sold out the closer you get to the date.

HTH
Heidi

 

[my3kids]

If you called the hotel directly, try the 800 number or the website. If nothing there, try Expedia or one of the other online bookers. They may have rooms reserved to resell.

 

[DISJen]

Okay, here's a question I have for everyone after reading this post. How far in advance DO you make reservations at the Hyatt or other close hotel? We're not going until March '05 and I'm just "cruising" around these boards to get educated now. At what point should I get serious about making hotel ressies? What if I want to use Priceline?

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by makaylee
CRSNDSNY and Christinou....Thanks for you advice about calling the hotel directly, but I did do that...they are booked for that date already, there is a big convention. Which kinda makes me angry..I just want one tiny room! oh well.

WOW! I'm shocked!

I would do what another poster suggested...get a room elsewhere and keep checking back. Also, check with expedia, hotwire, etc. They usually have blocks of rooms...maybe they can get you in.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[makaylee]

Thanks for all the help guys. I am going to keep calling the Hyatt every month like suggested and if one doesnt open up about 3 monthe before Ill just use priceline and take whatever 3 star they give me. Oh, I will also check expedia, etc. Travelocity were the ones who initially told me they were sold out and that is when I called the Hyatt myself.