Marriott Village – Lake Buena Vista

[DVC Grandpa]

Each year when we travel to BCV during the winter months, we plan that the night prior to check-in we stay at the Courtyard in Marriott Village. We do this so that if during the two day travel we were to run into snow we could cancel that night and stay north of Orlando.
This year however, in an attempt to book 1/31/09 and found that all properties in the Village (Courtyard, Fairfield and SpringHill) all “sold out”. I tried booking dates from the end of December until 1/31 (one night at a time) and found all nights “sold out”. Is this just a coincidence or is something larger going on? Has anyone had the same experience?

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have moved this thread over to Orlando accomodations from the DVC board since it is not asking about the DVC resorts. You should receive some replies over here. Thanks.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Did you call? We sometimes run into the "no vacancy" problem on the Marriott website regarding a Fairfield Inn in Gatlinburg.

Bobbi

 

[dioxide45]

Is it possible that they haven't released dates and rates yet? I find it unlikely that they would already be sold out of all available rates during January. January is definitly not peak season. I would stry checking back every week or so and you should see the dates open up.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Did you call? We sometimes run into the "no vacancy" problem on the Marriott website regarding a Fairfield Inn in Gatlinburg.

Bobbi

Yes, I called, once to central reservations for Marriott and once to the Courtyard in the Marriott Village. Reservation Central said that they were “locked out” by the Village complex from entering any reservations. As far as trying to get to the front desk at the Courtyard itself, the operator would not forward the call but when I questioned her about the lack of reservations she told me “it must be that the facility is all full with conventions”. I didn’t buy that but I couldn’t get thru to anyone else. Perhaps it is that rates have not been released yet as Dioxide 45 mentioned. I’ll continue to try.

 

[dis-happy]

It's not just you. I signed on to the Mariott website and entered your dates, using my dh's platinum Marriott sign-on. This is supposed to guarantee a room for him at any Marriott hotel he wants as long as he gives 24-48 hours notice. None of the Marriott Village hotels show up, and the prices of many of the other ones are sky-high. You could book Res. Inn on Palm (very nice, BTW) for $159.

Either something is going on that has those hotels blocked out (as well as the Courtyard on Palm---it's not showing up either) or you are trying too soon. In your shoes I would probably wait a couple more months and check again. Jan. 2009 is such a long way off. Good luck!

 

[Dizholic]

You are right this is so strange. Usually Marriotts are available about 11 months out. I tried booking one of these hotels for the night of 2/13/2009, but when it wasn't available I just thought it was because it is Presidents weekend. After reading this thread, I went back and tried different days from January 3, all the way through March, and nothing is available. I wonder if they are changing names, and will no longer be Marriotts. Just a thought.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

I emailed Marriott Rewards asking for an explanation although I don’t expect to hear from them soon. If the “black-out” were for the first weekend in February I would think it would have something to do with the Super Bowl but not seeing any availability from the first of 2009 thru March, when most other Marriot properties are taking reservations, leads me to think the property will no longer be under the Marriott umbrella.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

I emailed Marriott Rewards asking for an explanation although I don’t expect to hear from them soon.

One week and still waiting for an answer.

 

[MattM]

It would certainly be a disappointment if Marriott leaves the village...its our favorite off site place to stay down by WDW.

 

[dioxide45]

If they rebrand the hotels, there are very few chains that they could become. I am thinking that only Choice Hotels has a similar mix of these types of properties. One could be a Comfort Inn, another an Econo Lodge, and the other a Quality Suites. I can't think of many other companies with enough chains of this nature. Marriott has done a great job with their brands.

 

[safetymom]

I hope they don't change from being Marriott properties.

 

[dis-happy]

This may be an update to what is going on at Marriott Village.....


My dh got his Marriott newsletter last week and it said that at the Fairfield in Marriott Village they are adding Kidsuites with bunkbeds. Since these will be different room category and probably different pricing, I imagine that is why they are waiting to book people in there. I'm not sure how long the construction is going to be going on either, but that may play a factor in all this. HTH!!!

 

[dis-happy]

trying a link:

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo-tours.mi?marshaCode=mcolz&pageID=HWGRD&imageID=3