Please help me with short-notice resort booking

[joyebean]

I just got the go-ahead to go to WDW on a work/pleasure trip from Friday May 5 through Monday May 8. I went to book a resort (must stay on-site for the work half of the trip, which lasts the whole time), and found few vacancies in a price range I can manage. This was through the disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/ website. I also checked Expedia with no luck.

My question is: Is there a secret place where I can find rooms that are still available and not super-expensive? Or am I just out of luck?

 

[Wood Nymph]

I just got the go-ahead to go to WDW on a work/pleasure trip from Friday May 5 through Monday May 8. I went to book a resort (must stay on-site for the work half of the trip, which lasts the whole time), and found few vacancies in a price range I can manage. This was through the disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/ website. I also checked Expedia with no luck.

My question is: Is there a secret place where I can find rooms that are still available and not super-expensive? Or am I just out of luck?

There are some travel agents that have exclusive deals that sometimes have resort rooms that are not available on the Disney website.

 

[georgina]

If you end up booking something, keep checking back as rooms do sometimes open up later on. I have seen that with a certain resort and date I have been watching, but it is farther out than May.

 

[mb187143]

If your price range is value/moderate, the issue may be the cheerleading competitions. There are several happening from late April through late may that will impact these resorts. The construction at CBR is also beginning in May which probably impacts not only their availability but also people who moved to other moderates to avoid the construction.

I agree to try other travel agency sites for potential rooms blocked through their companies.

 

[Wild4Walt]

Travel Agents do not have reserved 'blocks' but they can search inventory quicker than just the one site so it never hurts to check in with them. Another option for you may be Swan or Dolphin. Since they are not technically Disney hotels but are on property they may have some availability and are in a great location. You may also want to see if any of the hotels on Hotel Blvd in LBV are available. AND no matter what you end of booking - if it's not your 1st choice, keep checking back.

 

[buzznina]

Travel Agents do not have reserved 'blocks' but they can search inventory quicker than just the one site so it never hurts to check in with them. Another option for you may be Swan or Dolphin. Since they are not technically Disney hotels but are on property they may have some availability and are in a great location. You may also want to see if any of the hotels on Hotel Blvd in LBV are available. AND no matter what you end of booking - if it's not your 1st choice, keep checking back.

Sorry, I have to disagree. I have boo0ked with a TA that have their own exclusive deals and their rates have always beaten WDW, Orbitz etc. and they had rooms when you could not find them online.

 

[Poohsmommi]

I just got the go-ahead to go to WDW on a work/pleasure trip from Friday May 5 through Monday May 8. I went to book a resort (must stay on-site for the work half of the trip, which lasts the whole time), and found few vacancies in a price range I can manage. This was through the disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/ website. I also checked Expedia with no luck.

My question is: Is there a secret place where I can find rooms that are still available and not super-expensive? Or am I just out of luck?

Try hotels dot com or trip advisor. I usually just book thru Disney, but have had luck on occasion going through those sites as well.

 

[Marionnette]

I just got the go-ahead to go to WDW on a work/pleasure trip from Friday May 5 through Monday May 8. I went to book a resort (must stay on-site for the work half of the trip, which lasts the whole time), and found few vacancies in a price range I can manage. This was through the disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/ website. I also checked Expedia with no luck.

My question is: Is there a secret place where I can find rooms that are still available and not super-expensive? Or am I just out of luck?

Does your "work" part of the trip include a conference or workshop that is being held at one of the Disney convention centers? If so, there may be a block of rooms that are held for people who are going to meetings. The conference packet or website should have information as to which hotel(s) are included and how to make a reservation.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There are TAs that book convention blocks. Convention blocks are their own inventory set, and removed from Disney for booking.

For that matter, inventory on Expedia and Hotels.com is also unique inventory. They aren't just accessing Disney inventory, it is specific inventory released to those resellers.

I just looked at Expedia, and for your dates I found Swan for $249/night, but no Values, likely due to the cheerleading comp. Same for other aggregators. If Swan at $249 is too high, look at the Disney Springs Good Neighbor hotels. You're already almost to 30 days so it's not like the on-property 60 day FP+ means a thing.

 

[Marthasor]

Travel Agents do not have reserved 'blocks' but they can search inventory quicker than just the one site so it never hurts to check in with them. Another option for you may be Swan or Dolphin. Since they are not technically Disney hotels but are on property they may have some availability and are in a great location. You may also want to see if any of the hotels on Hotel Blvd in LBV are available. AND no matter what you end of booking - if it's not your 1st choice, keep checking back.

Many travel agencies do have reserved blocks of rooms that are contracted through group sales. Most TA's also use DTA which is a dedicated website for TA's to book Disney Destination travel. On that website, they are seeing the same inventory (and at the same speed) that WDW CM's see and that the general public sees on the consumer website. I understand you are trying to be helpful, but your info on TA's simply isn't correct.