Priceline..Hit it BIG!

[jojobinks]

Going to DIsney Mar-11-13th...and just put in a bid on Priceline last nite. I wound up Getting The GAYLORD PALMS for $85.00 per nite. I am just tickled pink about this. THis is one awesome Hotel. And, for that price ..I couldnt have done any better elsewhere.

Big fan of Priceline here...always happy...and love to share the news!

Just do it!

 

[dgaston]

Congratulation! I used Priceline for a budget trip and got Wyndham on I-drive which was fine for us, but I'd love to get a Resort hotel sometime too. Have fun and even more pixie dust to you!

 

[nicolep91]

Awesome deal!! It sounds like your patience has paid off - I don't know if I could have waited that long to bid for a March trip!

Have a great time!

 

[jojobinks]

I usually plan ahead. We are going in May and I have everything done for that trip already. Ps and All!
This came up last minute for me, My DH has to go out of town on Business, so DS and I are going to take off and have some MAGIC.

It helps to live in FLA! THank GOD...my addiction would cost way too much otherwise!

 

[dahess]

Congrats & have a great trip!

 

[hercamore]

Awesome, and we expect a trip report!.



herc.

 

[sm4987]

I know about priceline. We got the Hilton at DD for our first night in WDW. I was hoping for the Swan but at $60, how can you complain!

 

[Muffy]

That's a great deal! Have a waonderful time!

 

[tiberius]

Congratulations! I am glad Priceline worked out for you.

 

[sncbird]

GOOD FOR YOU!!!! We're getting ready to use Priceline for the first time to try to get the Gaylord Palms. I've read alot of people start at $65 - $69 for resort hotels. Does anyone think jojobinks
secured Gaylord Palms because he started at $85.00? What a deal that is!!!

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by sncbird
GOOD FOR YOU!!!! We're getting ready to use Priceline for the first time to try to get the Gaylord Palms. I've read alot of people start at $65 - $69 for resort hotels. Does anyone think jojobinks
secured Gaylord Palms because he started at $85.00? What a deal that is!!!

If you have your heart set on a specific hotel, do NOT use Priceline. You are bound to be disappointed. Priceline is wonderful when you are truely flexible about which hotel you will stay at.

Peggy

 

[CarolA]

People have voiced that theory that bidding a certain rate will get you a certain hotel and then as soon as they try it find it does not work.

Peggy is right. Only use Priceline if you can live with anything they give you!

 

[ciociania]

Can someone pls explain how the Priceline works? I visited their web site but was affraid to use it. You enter the amount you are willing to pay and hope for the best? Does it work as: "the lowest price-best available hotel" deal? Also, is the reservation for only 2 people? What if I have 5 people in the group? Would you risk the disappointment? Would you use Priceline if you travel in 3 month or the best deals are for a trip that is around the corner?

 

[CarolA]

I strongly recommend you make sure you understand Priceline Fully before you bid. There are two websites that I know of that try to help www.betterbidding.com and www.biddingfortravel.com

Priceline is a bidding system. You say what you want to pay for the room/car/airline ticket and they tell you yes or no. However, you are stuck with what they give you. IT is non refundable. As for bidding with 5 people, priceline only gurantees one bed per room. However, in Orlando people normally have no trouble getting two beds in the room since that is what most of the hotels have anyway (family market vs. business market) I don't know about a place for the 5th person.

 

[peg2001]

Become comfortable with Priceline before you bid. If you are not comfortable, do not bid.

I have used Priceline several times, for hotels only. You get to choose the city, neighborhood, and quality of hotel. So, for example, Orlando, WDW area, 3 * hotel. Then you put in your bid, what you are willing to pay per room per night, NOT including taxes and the $5.95 fee (only payable if your bid is accepted). If your bid is accepted, Priceline gives you the hotel information and bills your credit card immediately. Consider all transactions FINAL. That's how Priceline works.

Savings can be TREMENDOUS but you must be flexible about which hotel you will get and you must be very fixed with your travel dates. I recently got a 3* Hilton in Sacramento for $23 + $10 bonus a night for 5 nights, plus tax and fee. (I paid $23 and Priceline threw in $10 on a promotion they were running, offer expired now). Including taxes and the Priceline fee, I am paying less than $30 per night.

The mentioned websites are good places to browse as you can get an idea about what locations, star levels, and bid amounts are being accepted on Priceline. Study the FAQ on www.biddingfortravel.com.

A couple tips, my opinions only, bid 3 * and up. These are usually decent to gorgeous properties. I would be nervous to bid 1 * or 2*. Bid only when your travel dates are very firm as you pay whether you stay at the hotel or not. Also, learn how to free bid, as explained in the FAQ mentioned above. This will help you tremendously to not overbid.

Good luck. It is not as scary as it seems at first, you just have to know the rules!!

Peggy

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by ciociania
Can someone pls explain how the Priceline works? I visited their web site but was affraid to use it. You enter the amount you are willing to pay and hope for the best? Does it work as: "the lowest price-best available hotel" deal? Also, is the reservation for only 2 people? What if I have 5 people in the group? Would you risk the disappointment? Would you use Priceline if you travel in 3 month or the best deals are for a trip that is around the corner?

Sorry, I got on a roll and didn't answer your specific questions. For 5 people, I would bid on 2 hotel rooms. You can do this with one bid so you will be staying at the same hotel. You can request connecting rooms from your hotel after your bid is accepted but there is no guarantee.

Priceline only guarantees a room for 2 people but most hotels will give you a room with 2 beds upon request. I do NOT risk disappointment because I pick the area I want to stay in and the quality of hotel. I do NOT bid if I have to stay at a particular hotel. I bid low enough so that I am THRILLED if I win, regardless of the specific hotel brand.

There is no consensus on the best timing to bid. Priceline inventory changes all the time. However, do not bid until you KNOW your dates are firm.

Peggy

 

[CJK]

Another fan of priceline here!! Dh and I have been bidding for 3 weeks and haven't been accepted yet. I'm going crazy!!! LOL Dh is patient, but I'm not! The folks from biddingfortravel keep telling us to be patient before changing the star level hotel. If one of our bids get accepted, they'll probably hear my scream down in Florida!

 

[ciociania]

Thanks a lot for all the info! If I would travel with my DH only and in a spare of a moment, I would probably try it. But I put a lot of planning into our trip to WDW to risk with Priceline. I got a pretty decent rate of $69 p/n for Buena Vista Suites and I think I will stick with it. Thanks again.

 

[anne60]

I just took the Priceline plunge, and am quite happy with the results. Got the Marriott Orlando Airport for our first night (we land at 11:00 pm) for $33. Then we are off to the Swan for 3 nights (not thru Priceline) at the gov't rate of $129 (plus $10 resort fee). We could not get the gov't rate for our last night, so I went back to Priceline and for $65, I got the Windham Palace at DTD. A lot of switching, maybe, but it is just the 2 of us and with the savings we rented a car! So, thanks to these boards, my husband and I are flying to Disney nonstop both ways (thanks Southwest), staying for 5 nights in REALLY nice hotels (thanks Priceline and Travelocity), renting a car in the terminal (thanks mousesavers.com and Alamo)...all for around $1000. I should go to Disney.com and price the "package", just for laughs!!!

 

[luvdzny]

If you are unsure about using Priceline, make sure you check out www.biddingfortravel.com as others have mentioned. I was scared of Priceline, I learned a lot from visiting biddingfortravel. I bid for a hotel in Georgia yesterday, I got exactly what I wanted for $54 a night. The cheapest I had seen it was $149.