LoneStar

I think you got a good deal. Even "off peak," 3-stars aren't really going for less in that area these days. It's supposedly a decent hotel for the money.

That is off-season, but still a terrific rate for Miami these days. Congrats! Hopefully, your plans are very firm (the only downside to booking priceline so far in advance).

Yeah, I could see using Park Hopper with the Extra Magic Hours. All the Disney "experts" say it's generally a bad idea to go to the park with the Magic Hours, because that will be the most crowded park. But if you swoop in for the extra hours with a Park Hopper and then leave well, I guess you're better off. That said, I don't think the Park Hopper is "necessary" to enjoy Disney. Just something to consider if you want to give them even more money. :) Definitely a sad moment to lose a "kid's meal" option in Disney. By Disney meal standards, they are certainly a bargain (indeed, unless you're snacking at one of the fruit stands, ordering a complete Disney meal seems like a much better value than eating "on the run" at the parks). I'd probably keep ordering kids meals thru age 11, but that's a matter of individual virtue. :) The other money-saving tip I would offer is that if your kids NEED to have a Disney souvenir, buy it in advance (maybe on ebay?), and surprise them with it in your hotel room. Unlike food, which is expensive but not shockingly so in the parks, souvenir prices are really unconscionable. That said, I noticed two types of visitors: those that bought nothing, and those that seemed to shop with abandon. So to each his or her own.

Got this tip from the flyertalk board. It's a good deal if you need some cheap (but characterless) accomodations in Britain -- and your nights happen to be available. http://www.travelodge.co.uk/supersaver_search

Having returned from my Disney trip, I will say I'm glad to have bought the 10-day tickets. I think my family will enjoy going back regularly over the next few years. The only thing I might consider is adding the "park hopper" option, which they charge a little more for. While "park hopping" certainly isn't really necessary, it might be useful -- especially on repeat visits. For instance, we found that there was less to do at Animal Kingdom than the other Disney theme parks, but there were a couple of attractions we really liked. I could see wanting to do those again, but necessarily spend the whole day in that park. With Park Hopper, we could swoop in and out, and then make our way to, say, the Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day. Whether it's worth giving Disney even more money I'm not sure, but it's something to consider. FWIW, I also highly recommend checking out some recent Diseny guidebooks from your library before going. I found many of the tips to be helpful. The Fodor's guidebook was among the easiest to use, but it's kind of worth reading more than one for different opinions.

Interesting. I have a family member who (unfortunately?) needs to spend a couple of days in Miami during the President's Day week -- where I'm assuming discounts will be very hard to come by. He likes to stay on Miami Beach, but I'm a bit leery about putting him in one of these now-hip, ancient SoBe hotels. I guess maybe I'll shoot for this if, as I expect, it will be difficult to get an affordable 3 or 4 star priceline reservation.

I see a previous poster also liked this hotel, but wondered whether it was "3 stars." To that, I say "HECK, YES!" In fact, I think this should properly be classified as a 4-star. Everything about this hotel is top notch. First, the location. If you want to stay by the airport, you probably want to stay IN the airport, and it doesn't get closer than this -- right in the main terminal building. Total time from room to security line: probably 2 minutes. Sweet. The only mild inconvenience is if you have a car. Parking is super convenient to the hotel (look for the airport signs to the Hyatt), but they charge guests $10/night. So, if you can, arrange your car rental pick up or drop off times to avoid keeping it overnight. The rooms themselves are easily 4-star quality. Large, recently refurbished, stylish, high-thread count sheets, etc -- and you get great views of the runways or terminals (your choice). Surprisingly, I didn't hear any airplane noise, but occassionally a loud "conventioneer" would disturb my tranquility from the hallway. Public spaces are also stylish and impressive. Helpful concierge will print your boarding passes so you don't even need to go downstairs. I guess you are somewhat captive to the hotel/airport restaurants if you don't have a car (with a car, the Semoran strip is probably 5-10 minutes away). Orlando seems to be one of those "food ripoff" airports. I bought my kids a meal at Burger King, and the prices were higher than at Disney -- and I refused them a $3+ ice cream cone next door. So be prepared on that front. Otherwise, you can't do better than to "win" this hotel.

Received this hotel for a $35 2.5 star priceline bid. It's not really a 2.5 star property -- at least in the rooms. They are vintage 70's motel rooms, kept clean and fairly up-to-date. I had a slew of plumbing problems (toilet tank not filling, shower/tub switch broken, clogged tub drain), but maintenance came and repaired them. Small microwave and fridge a definite plus. My room was extremely quiet, but I think that was more a function of coming at an off-peak time than due to any soundproofing. Outside the rooms, the property also shows its age, but has "resort-like" amenities like a playground, a couple of pools, sand volleyball court, etc. -- I suppose that's why it's bumped up from an otherwise more proper 2 star rating. Travelling with my family, the "kids eat free" program was a big benefit. The breakfast buffet was extensive (less than $8 for adults) and more than edible, but you can tell they were trying to keep costs down (things like country crock instead of butter). Kids don't drink free, and beverages are 2 bucks, so try to figure out whether the tykes will actually drink that OJ before you order it. :) There's milk on the buffet line by the cereal. At night they hold a popular all-you-can-eat lobster and prime rib dinner. They have just bumped the prices up 5 bucks (the early bird until 6 is $25), so it's probably only an exceptional deal if you have free-eating kids (who I think aren't supposed to eat the lobster, but there seems to be a "don't ask, don't tell" policy). The lobster (small, I ate 2) seemed a little overcooked to me, but hard to complain. The prime rib was surprisingly good. Overall, I was pleased -- but that's probably only because I was using the hotel solely to sleep and refuel on my way to Disney. The location is extremely convenient for that purpose -- all the Disney parks are 5 to 10 minutes away. If I was going to spend any other waking time on the property, I might recommend something a bit nicer. The other thing to consider is one of the budget "resorts" on-site at Disney, which in my off-peak period I could have gotten for $75/night. If you have the time, Disney currently offers free transport from the airport to their hotels (although my very convenient at-airport-terminal car rental including tax was less than $17/day). Disney resort guests can also use "magic hours" at the park, where a different park stays open a couple of extra hours a day. If you stay at the Disney Resorts, you also don't have to pay the $9 parking fee. On the other hand, at off-site at places like the Nikki Bird your food bill will certainly be a little cheaper. Nikki Bird also apparently offers some sort of infrequent Disney shuttle, so it's theoretically possible to stay there without a car. So figure out which option is best for you. My sense is that if you can get a Disney resort for only $40 night more than a priceline bid (keeping in mind that priceline also adds a reservation fee), you might do better on site at Disney.

Glad you found something, Nauticalman. Your experience confirms my theory that once your priceline bids start getting close to what you could book a decent room "conventionally," you're better off picking your own hotel. As you discovered, there are good non-opaque deals out there. Alas, one has to search for them. I kind of prefer when priceline gives you an "insane" rate, but sometimes you've got to hunt! BTW, the Park Central sure looks busy the next 2 months -- lots of sold out days. Either it's a very good hotel, or SoBe rooms are really scarce this winter!

It sure seems strange that somebody could get a resort for Easter week while someone else gets shut out for the quieter, early April period. I also noticed plenty of resort wins during X-mas break, another hugely busy week in Orlando. This seems to confirm my theory that peak vacation times are not necessarily bad times to bid for resorts in Orlando, as the lack of conventions during those times makes room availability better. Has anyone who has been following this longer seen such a pattern?

If you want to spend $100 on a room in Orlando, the Gaylord seems to be the best place to spend it. An excellent deal, as room rates generally begin above $200 there. And the hotel gets consistently good reviews. It's certainly somewhat surprising to me that the hotel would choose to "give away" their Easter-week inventory this early (as I mentioned before, most Orlando hotel deals are in the last 4 weeks), but that may be a function of their clientele. I think this resort relies heavily on conventions to fill their rooms, and Easter week is an off-time for conventioneers. So it worked out perfectly for you. :)

The problem this bidder may have is that his/her days are smack dab in the middle of the Easter vacation week. Judging by the rapidly rising airfares and reports of booking difficulties, Florida seems set to have a banner tourism season this year. Which means deals could be lean. That said, I would be far more optimistic that something will come up in Orlando than in, say, South Beach. The problem is that the best Orlando deals are at the last minute (within, say, 2 or 3 weeks of travel). For instance, we saw some spectacular deals come up during X-mas week. Given that your travelling during a peak week, I would make the best fully REFUNDABLE reservation you can find (and look for new deals every few weeks) and then wait. It's soooo hard to wait, but for Orlando you really have to. When it's less than a month, start bidding. Low ball at first, and then raise your bids 2 weeks prior (but still significantly below your existing reservation). Look to see if anyone else is finding deals around your travel days. As another poster noted, it's quite possible to get a fancy Orlando resort for less than $100 if you get a little lucky. That same luck would get you a 3 star for under $50.

As I mentioned in other topic, SoFlorida looks extremely busy through the Easter vacation period, and priceline bargains look scarce now. Just because someone got a good deal earlier won't help you now. And, as I also mentioned earlier, before offering $150 for an unknown hotel, make sure you fully explore your traditional booking options (including things like the 50% off Entertainment Card deal). While it's no guarantee, $150 can usually get you a pretty decent hotel. I'd be very leery bidding that high on Miami Beach on priceline.

Yes, you are trying for "super peak season." I think it's going to take a miracle on priceline -- of course miracles do happen, but rarely. In the meantime, it's time to do some serious research regarding conventional hotel options or a b&b stay, etc. I'd call Aston/ResortQuest and Outrigger and see if they'll give you the 50% off Entertainment Card discount. I'd also see if I could find a nice b&b, maybe with a cancellation (I don't think you're staying long enough for a rental property). Good luck, and get busy!

FWIW, South Florida looks very busy from mid-February through April, so I think the priceline deals will be few and far between. Once you get to $150, I think you did the right thing and found accomodations conventionally.

Travel costs are generally cheaper when you don't do anything unusual. Taking Amtrak -- especially outside the Northeast corridor -- is pretty unusual! So the car rental companies may not be geared up for it. That said, I suspect (hope?) that Amtrak itself could furnish you with info regarding which agencies assist their pax with either an in-station counter or a free ride to their rental station. Once you find out who will serve your needs, you can comparison price shop. My guess is you'll pay more than if you were arriving at the airport (where 90% of people rent cars), but not too much more because it's the competitive Orlando travel market.

BTW, the other thing about this hotel is that I would consider it a "boutique" property. And I'm not alone: Frommer's describes it as a "chic boutique hotel" (certainly better than a dilapidated boutique hotel!). Yet, at the moment, priceline doesn't have a "boutique" option for South Beach, even though you'd think it was practically ground zero for boutique hotels! I could see many customers not wanting to get a boutique property, while others would love it. I guess if Priceline doesn't want to separate out such hotels in certain cities, it's "buyer beware." Complaining to Priceline about getting a boutique property when you were expecting a Westin or Marriott would probably be useless (given Priceline's "take it or leave it" approach to customer service).

I'm glad this story had a happy ending, but I also think people should do some serious research before bidding almost $200 for a Miami hotel. I mean, it isn't hard to do such research online and perhaps with a few phone calls. The value of priceline is trying to snag a great deal by being flexible. So it's a very good idea to know how much a hotel would cost "conventionally" before bidding. While some "4 Star" Miami Beach hotels are going to cost more than $200 in peak season, the definition of a 4-star is broad enough that some won't -- and it's those cheaper hotels you're like to get "stuck in" on priceline (especially when availability is limited and overall market prices are high). So if you're going to spend the big bucks, my recommendation would be that next time you select your own hotel and get the best one possible for the money. And, often at these "regular" prices, you'll wind up with additional benefits, like a room upgrade or free breakfast.

I got the 2.5 star Holiday Inn Nikki Bird for $35 for earlier in February. It does have Disney shuttle service. That said, Disney area hotel shuttles (especially for off-site properties) are notoriously inconvenient. I got a car on priceline for $12/day. If you're able to drive, I think you could take your chances bidding on priceline for a hotel and then renting a car if you don't like the shuttle arrangements (or the hotel doesn't have one). I think the cost of a car in the context of Disney vacation is almost trivial.

I've been upgraded a few times on Hawaiian interisland flights. I can't imagine paying ANYTHING extra for it. But it's nice when they do it. :) If you have any other possible use for the extra miles, save 'em.

Condos are obviously popular in Hawaii (often in timeshare resorts). I'll defer to others on the best strategy for booking them, but you can certainly get an idea of what they cost by calling Aston/ResortQuest (which does both hotels and condos) and asking them for their 50% off Entertainmenet Card rate. There are also some condo deals on hotwire. Generally, if you can get a good price on a hotel through priceline, that will beat the pants off most condo rentals (unless you need to sleep a large group).

Hmmm. Your wife doesn't like to swim or fly, you don't like nightlife and you don't want to hike. Are you sure you want to go to Hawaii? :) Seriously, I think most folks would like the Islands. But not everyone. My own parents live in Florida and they don't see what's so great about Hawaii (they swim, but don't hike). The first thing you have to ask yourself is whether you like urban vacations or "peaceful" ones. Waikiki is a great urban beach. But if you're looking for "South Seas" tranquil, it is very much the wrong place to be. If you want to see an active volcano, you have to go to the Big Island. I recommend seeing the volcanoes, and the Big Island is fine (with generally better priceline resort availability), but the problem is that -- absent the volcano -- Maui and Kauai are nicer. So there are tradeoffs if you don't like to fly, and have limited time. FWIW, the iterisland flights last about 40 minutes and are relatively painless.

If you buy carefully, you can probably get tickets to Hawaii for $650 each from your area and resort hotels for $150. Budget $30/day for a car. I have paid less for all of these components, but I think that's a good baseline. So you can do it for less than $3000 for air, hotel and car, but you'll slightly exceed that budget when you include meals (which will cost more than on the mainland) and attractions/entertainment.

Interesting. I see that hotel is pricing like they're in Vegas. :) The rates are obviously moving around quite a bit based on expected demand. Their Entertainment rate for the early February nights I have booked through priceline has actually gone down from the high $50s to $48.99 -- making my $35 priceline bid (+ fee) a pretty lame deal. Not surprising that the time around President's Day (a huge travel week to Florida) would have increased.

If you have access to an Entertainment Card, the rate at the Nikki Bird should be in the $50s. You can book it direct on the holiday inn website -- just select Entertainment Card." Overall, this is a tough call on what to do. Given the need to keep an eye on the children, I think the odds are too high of getting another hotel on the opaque services for the modest potential savings.