I love Priceline!

[Lesley]

LOL...sorry. Just won on a $66 bid...Wyndham Palace. We were considering booking the Swan (teacher's rate) or a moderate with an AP rate but after dh and I talked it over we decided trying Priceline was worth it to save some more $. We tried going the All Star route before and weren't really happy there.

So I finally have my whole October trip booked...just had to add this last night (Nov. 1st). We would have headed home that day except that I have a friend arriving in WDW that day and we wanted to have dinner that evening.

I was kind of hoping for the Swan or Dolphin....but the Wyndham is very nice as well and still on WDW property. Dh and I determined that even MOWC or Gaylord Palms would be okay even though they're off property....but we're glad to be at DTD. Since we've stayed at the Wyndham before at least we know what to expect. We very much enjoyed our stay last time!

I registered on Bidding for Travel and tried to post this win...but for some reason it didn't work. If someone who posts there is interested in putting my info up there I'll be happy to give details.

 

[CPM]

I like Priceline also. Sometimes I can be very picky about where I stay so I don't use it. When I'm going up for a weekend with teh kids I'll use it. You just can't beat it.
What were the dates you booked for? I have to see what is coming up for the weekend of Oct. 17-19.
My best score so far was the BW DTD for $26.00 a night!

 

[yecats]

I love Priceline as well. Got Wyndham in DTD for $75. However, I really did want to stay here and was very happy to see that it was the hotel that popped up.

 

[Lesley]

The date was Nov. 1st...just one night.

I also got the BW DTD for $35 for Oct. 24th....just a place to sleep basically, but it will be nice being on property already.

I'd love to go midweek with my kids and really get use of our AP's.....but my dh would flip out! He's the big WDW fan in the family (or, I could say he started it anyway!) He'd sulk for months if we went without him. But I'd probably do the same thing if he went without me too! LOL

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I keep reading that once you set your parameters (type of hotel, bid, etc) that you cannot back out, you must take whatever hotel they give you. Is this true? Or are you given choices or some additional options? I don't understand how so many people rave about this - please enlighten me (and pardon my ignorance)!!

 

[plutosmyfav]

Its true you have have no choice in the matter after you set your parameters and hit "buy my hotel" button. But there's a lot of info to help you know what your possibilities are before you start. There are only a few hotels at each star level in the WDW area. You can read a lot about it at www.biddingfortravel.com or www.betterbidding.com. Look under hotels, Orlando and the first thread gives a listing of the possible hotels. There is always a chance that a new one could pop up, but that rarely happens. If you wouldn't mind any of the one's in your star level-- might as well give it a try. Make sure to read the recent bid winners prices to get a feel for what you should start bidding at. Never go by priceline's "suggested price" it will be too high.

Good Luck

 

[Lesley]

You get whatever hotel they give you.....but when I was bidding in the 3* category in the WDW area many of the possible hotels were at DTD and the others all sounded like hotels I'd be interested in trying. In the Resort category, all but 2 of the 6 hotels that others have received are either in DTD or on WDW property....so I felt pretty safe there too. I'll admit I would have been mildly disappointed to get MOWC....but I'm not against giving it a shot, either.

You trade off the ability to choose your specific hotel for the chance to get a room at less than half the best rates they're offering at the time. The way I see it...if I have a certain budget for a night I'm going to get a much better hotel by using that budget amount on priceline than I will if I find a hotel offering that rate independently (for example, the best rates I found for the night I got the Best Western were at either a Rodeway or a HoJo.....and I couldn't find good reviews for either hotel...now I'm at DTD for the same price or lower!). As for my night at the Wyndham, I couldn't even get the Best Western for that rate on my own.

I am hesitant to bid below 3*. I know folks have gotten 2* or 2.5* hotels for $20 or less but there are so many of those hotels in the area that I worry I'd get something awful. Generally a higher * level seems to guarantee a certain quality. At this point we've been to WDW enough times to take a chance on a night or two though....even though so far we've only had great experiences with priceline.

Also, if you decide to try priceline...make sure you understand exactly what you're doing beforehand! the sites listed in the above post pretty much spell it all out.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Thanks for the enlightenment! I checked out those sites and it makes more sense to me. I may try it sometime for a first or last night stay and see how I do - ease my way into the water, so to speak.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Originally posted by MickeyMonstersMom
Thanks for the enlightenment! I checked out those sites and it makes more sense to me. I may try it sometime for a first or last night stay and see how I do - ease my way into the water, so to speak.

You are most welcome

Every travel tip I know has come from DIS so I'm always happy to pass it along!

 

[CPM]

Don't be afraid of the 2.5* hotels, look at the list they aren't bad hotels.
If you are afraid to try Priceline wait until you only need a night or two and try it. that way there if you get something you don't like you are only stuck for a night or two.
Keep reading the websites and you'll find so many people that are happy! It's a bargin.

 

[Lesley]

I know the listed hotels at those star levels aren't bad.....but I worry that I'll get something new that isn't very good. I know reports of this happening are few and far between....but its enough that I feel better bidding for a higher * level. Of course, if I hadn't gotten a 3* for what I had budgeted, I would have tried a lower number....but I'll take the best I can get for what I have to spend! Actually I started by bidding for "resort".....but as I suspected, I didn't get anything for my $40 budget! Then I started a new bid at $25 for a 3*.

When I got the Wydham I was willing to bid up to $75. Considering I paid $79 for ASMo in July (and that was an AP rate...preferred, as it was all that was available) I think I'm getting an excellent deal....I'd much rather stay at any of the Priceline resort hotels! (Though I'm glad we tried the AS's once....now we know we don't like it there instead of just suspecting that it wasn't our thing.....)

So far I've never done Priceline for more than a single night.....but now that I'm familiar with it I'm thinking of using it more and more! Save those DVC points on the weekend, etc....

 

[cfoursons4]

I have a question...how do I bid and make sure I get a suite or room that can accommadate 6? I dont want 2 rooms. Im so confused!

 

[leslieh]

We have used Priceline numerous times, and have never been unhappy. Stayed at the Wynham DTD xmas 01 then moved to MOWC for five nights, all under 70.00 per night. Used PL for orlando last summer for four nights before moving into OKW got Fairfield in I-driver the new one for 18.00 per night for four of us with breakfast, stayed there while doing discovery cove. Used it for CA, disneyland area, and washington DC. Have booked for others through PL. Its a good deal, once I had to let the ressie go do to changes in plans. But that is chance you take.

 

[leslieh]

There is not guarantee for a room for 6 or a suite, the best bet is book two rooms, then your sure of enough room. I think there is only one place near disney on PL that has a suite, so i wouldnt plan on getting it. I have booked two rooms many times, its still a better deal. You have to do it at the same time.

 

[CPM]

To bid on suites you are better off using Hotwire. You can tell you are bidding on a suite on hotwire. I have only seen a few suites come up on priceline, Summerfield Suites comes to mind.

 

[sln88]

if you are going for a week- try Skyauction. You can get a 2 bedroom condo on there for $260 for a week, and you pick your condo when you win.

If you only need a place for a few days- try hotelkingdom. Pretty good rates, and if you find it cheaper, they will match the price.

 

[Johnathan's Mom]

I just did my first Price Line Bid this evening. I got BW DTD for $38. My original bid was 30 and it gave me a free try by increasing by $8.

I am pleased with this. We usually stay at AS sports but rates seemed too high since we will be leaving morning of 11/8 for Western Carib. Cruise.
I just hope now son is not disappointed. You know how those 7 year olds can be!
Carla

 

[Lesley]

I don't know that my 8yo was that thrilled with ASMo when we stayed there this summer..... I wouldn't really worry about it!

I think you'll get a much nicer room (and bigger beds!) at the BW....and I think the location is better than the AS's too.

Have fun...$38 is a very good rate considering their lowest advertised rate is $89.
Congratulations!