WDW vs. other websites

[sramille]

For my dates, Nov.7-11, I was told that the All Stars are booked. The WDW website shows the same, but Travelocity and Expedia show that rooms are available. Can this be true? Do you think it would be safe to book through one of the other sites?

 

[RNMOM]

The big travel sites have blocks of rooms available to them reserved and might very well have rooms available. It certainly is worth a try. They should also have an 800 number to call if you have a question.

 

[4greatboys]

You might want to consider booking thru Expedia anyway. We booked our trip thru them and got 40% off our room rates. Apparently all the rooms are broken up to different types of discounts and agencies. They have x number of rooms for Expedia, x number of rooms for AP discounts and so on so if you cannot book a room thru one means you can still usually get a room thru a travel agency or another discount code.

 

[2vets]

I have been trying in vain to get a standard view room at BC for our October trip - none are available according to CRO. I checked Expedia, which showed that they were available, and at a rate similar to the CKO rate!! I was overjoyed...and went through the whole rigamarole of booking the room (putting in names, addresses, credit card info, etc) - and at the very end of the process, a message popped up saying that the room could not be booked at that time through Expedia...meaning (presumably) that the room was no longer available. I repeated the process with standard rooms at YC and BWI - same thing happened. My screams of frustration permeated the house....OK, not really, but you get the idea!!

This doesn't always happen at Expedia for WDW resorts, but I wanted you to be aware that just because the room shows up as available doesn't mean it actually IS.

Your best bet might be to use a Disney-specializing travel agency like Dreams Unlimited ( I think there is another agency that advertises on this site - name escapes me). Many of these agencies will re-check room availability/rates for you daily. I have often had my room or rate improved upon by using DU!

 

[2vets]

Oops - I meant that you might want to use an agency if you can't get exactly what you want, rate-wise and room-wise, via WDW or another website.

 

[gschmerl]

When I called the Swan/Dolphin for our trip this past July, I was told that both hotels were fully booked. I went to Dreams Unlimited website and got a room at the Dolphin for the nights I wanted at a great rate.

 

[followme2disney]

I assume that you are trying to book through the fall funshine savings. I, in doing price comparisons, have noticed that sometimes a resort will be booked one day but then may have something available the next day. Maybe you could check again tomorrow. You probably could book on the WDW site without going through the fall savings link, but that would probably be silly if you can get a code rated room another way. Have you tried calling CRO with one of the codes listed on mousesavers? I have never booked through any sites other than WDW.

 

[DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP]

In July I booked a room at a hotel in Houston through Expedia at a great rate after the hotel told me they were all booked. Guess what-got to the hotel and they were all booked. They managed to put us up in a smoking room that someone was checking out of early (it stunk but it was a room). They turned other people with reservations away while we were standing there. Anyway, the people working behind the counter told me never to book with Expedia because they tend to overbook the rooms and this is a very common problem. They told me that priceline and some of the other online booking sites are much more reliable.

After my experience, I don't know if I would take the chance with Expedia on a Disney vacation.