Question about Orbitz and other websites

[weesignlanguage]

I am pricing out trips for later this fall just to compare rates to what I have. I am looking at Travelocity and Orbitz. I've never booked on these before. Is there any "catch" to their rates that would vary from booking with Disney or a TA?

How do you link your reservation to MDE once you book?

Finally, if you have a promo code can you use it for more than one trip booking?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[suffieldhockeymom]

The catch is that you don't have control of the reservation or the services of a TA. You can not get a package or dining plan either. You can not book children through the site without paying the extra person fee. You need to book the room and then call to add children. After you book, you can add it to MDE. Yes, you can use the promo code multiple times. You can get a pretty good deal on 3rd party sites, just make sure you don't need to make any changes.

 

[weesignlanguage]

What sort of changes would I not be able to make? That is my biggest concern. Does the child issue apply to a 10 year old? Thanks for the info!!

 

[KBoopaloo]

Having to add the kids separately is a bit of a pain but Orbitz and Travelocity have saved me a ton in the past 2 years so it was worth it.

Also, fwiw, I had to cancel one travelocity reservation and had no issues getting a refund.

 

[Hayuk]

Can you still call Disney and log room preferences after you make a ressie on one of the third party sites?

 

[weesignlanguage]

As long as I can cancel before the 45 day mark and get my full money back, I'm happy. Will I be able to check in online before on MDE?

 

[AThrillingChase]

I am pricing out trips for later this fall just to compare rates to what I have. I am looking at Travelocity and Orbitz. I've never booked on these before.

1) Is there any "catch" to their rates that would vary from booking with Disney or a TA?

2) How do you link your reservation to MDE once you book?

3) Finally, if you have a promo code can you use it for more than one trip booking?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

1) As PP said, it is room only and not eligible to be made into a package. You will still be able to order your MB's (go to MDE and change the address from orbitz to yours for shipping). You can still make ADR's, all of that good stuff. But if you want to add room requests, celebrations, add or change people, or change room view categories you may have trouble doing so. I have not had a problem in the past contacting orbitz via their online chat to add room requests, but that does not mean that every orbitz rep is knowledgeable enough. If you don't expect to make any changes to who is on the reservation or add celebrations this will not affect you at all.

2) You are given 2 confirmation numbers, one for orbitz and one is the "hotel confirmation #". Add this second one to MDE. Note - it is not in the same format as a Disney direct reservation but it will work just fine.

3) Yes, no problem.

I've never had issues with booking through orbitz and have never been placed in any "bad" rooms that were far flung or anything like that. I had to book a split stay with orbitz as 1/2 my trip in Oct. was not available through the rundisney discount. I have 2 more adults to add that joined later (I booked in Feb) and I am just going to add them at check in.

 

[weesignlanguage]

Thank you!! We won't be changing people or adding any celebrations. So that makes me feel much better. I appreciate the info for sure!!

 

[AThrillingChase]

As long as I can cancel before the 45 day mark and get my full money back, I'm happy. Will I be able to check in online before on MDE?

Yes, check in and everything works the same. However, keep in mind the 45 day cancellation mark is for room and ticket packages, not room only. You have much more leeway with room only. I think they are something like 5 days before. You can only book room only through orbitz.

 

[weesignlanguage]

Oh yes! That's right!! I am not used to having an AP and not doing packages! The only reason I would cancel is if an AP rate or bounce back (we leave to go Friday) was better. But I doubt it will be.

 

[AThrillingChase]

Yeah, the discount on orbitz + a regular room discount was better than just an AP discounted room for me in the past on multiple trips. Have fun!

 

[weesignlanguage]

I'm learning...we've always been FD people but this AP is proving to teach me new ways to book trips!! Ha! Thanks!!

 

[rosiebean]

Last summer, I booked a room at YC though Orbitz when they had an amazing price (lower than fall 30% discount) and was able to add an additional percentage off with a promo code. I didn't notice having to pay an extra person fee for my kids when I booked through Orbitz...but if I did, the price was still much better than through Disney even with their fall discount.

I was able to link my Orbitz room res onto my MDE account, was able to check in online, was able to request a specific room type (I asked for 'close to transportation and got a fantastic room that was probably an upgrade from my garden view), was able to order magic bands, make restaurant ressies, etc. I bought airfare through my USair credit card and went into my MDE account, put in flight info, and got my ME vouchers quickly.

The only issue I had was with the park tickets I bought through Orbitz. They had a deal where I got entry to water parks, DisneyQuest and more for the price of regular park tickets...I wanted to take my kids to DisneyQuest but balked at the prices, so I went ahead and bought park tickets through Orbitz to save admission to DQ. I had originally bought tickets through Disney's website (along with my room, which I canceled when the great rate through Orbitz came up)...but the tickets never got 'canceled' on my MDE account. I tried linking the tickets I'd bought through Orbitz, but no go. At one point, I thought I'd successfully linked my new tickets and could do fastpass ahead of time, but those were reserved on the 'ghost tickets' (as I called them) from my canceled reservation and did not link up to my actual tickets bought through Orbitz.

When I arrived at Disney, the cast members at YC tried very hard to link my Orbitz tickets to my magic bands, but again no go. So we had magic bands to charge stuff, enter our room at YC, but had to carry cards (that we had to get at a Will Call window at a park) to get into the parks. We couldn't link fastpasses to our bands and used the old fashioned paper FPs during our trip.

Lesson learned: I'd book a room through a travel site like Orbitz or Travelocity without qualm, but will always buy my park tickets through Disney.

 

[weesignlanguage]

You aren't the first person I have heard say this about tickets from Orbitz!! Thankfully, I have annual passes for my family so we don't have to worry. But it is sad they can't get that to work out b/c it's a huge let down when you want things to go smoothly and they don't!!

 

[bltman]

Public Orbitz codes that generally range from 10% to 20% off can be reused. But Orbitz also sends special unique codes (often 30%) and these can only be used once.

As for adding kids, it is far easier to add your kids in to the res using the chat function with Orbitz customer service. Simply craft your request in advance and then cut and paste it into the Orbitz chat once you are live with the agent. Your note should state the following: 1) that you want to add your kids to the res and understand that they need to contact their Disney rep to do it properly (since Disney does not charge for kids), 2) the Orbitz booking number, 3) the names and ages of your kids. They may ask a couple of other verification questions but I found the whole chat process took less than 5 mins.

 

[weesignlanguage]

When I went to chat (to add my son) it had me choose whether I am asking about a new reservation or modifying one already booked. I chose the modify option and it told me I would have to call. I'll have to try back and see if I can pick new reservation to get someone on chat and see if they will help add my son to the third ressie I made last night. I called with the first two I made this weekend. It took a long time on hold. Ugh! But worth it for the savings!

 

[Hayuk]

Rosiebean, how did you make your room request? Were you able to call Disney with your confirmation number or did you do it through Orbitz? Thanks much.

 

[rosiebean]

Rosiebean, how did you make your room request? Were you able to call Disney with your confirmation number or did you do it through Orbitz? Thanks much.

I linked my Orbitz room res to my MDE account and checked in online via Disney's site.