joeman

On-property, you really can't go wrong as all resorts are up to Disney standards. As I said before, they all have elaborate theming and excellent staff, and the grounds are immaculately kept. Each resort has unique pools that go with the main theme of the resort. I would recommend any/all of them, if they are in your budget. If safety is a concern, note that all resorts are well-lit and have manned gated entrances. I have stayed at Pop Century and All-Start Sports, which are Disney's "Value" resorts. Depending on the season and available discounts, you can get these rooms for as low as around $100/night. If you consider that the per night rate includes parking at both the hotel and theme parks, and no 'resort fee,' the Value resorts can really be a bargain. They feature 'motel-style' buildings in that they have exterior corridors, and they are both located such that you will need to take a bus or drive to all theme parks. Between the two, I would give a slight edge to Pop Century for better transportation (1 central bus stop vs. up to 3 separate stops at the All-Stars). As for the "Deluxe" resorts, I have stayed at the Boardwalk Inn, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Saratoga Springs Resort. Again, I would recommend any of these, if they are within your budget: Boardwalk -- Walk or boat to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; lots of restaurants/activities including dancing, mini golf, biking, etc. within walking distance. Wilderness Lodge -- A less expensive alternative to the "Monorail Resorts" (Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian -- closes access to the Magic Kingdom), but still only a 7 minute boat ride to the Magic Kingdom. Animal Kingdom -- Closest to Animal Kingdom, but still a bus or car ride away; Definitely spring for a "Savannah View" room to see the animals literally right outside your window. Saratoga Springs -- Probably the "Least Disney" of the Disney Resorts -- more subdued theming; A ways from all 4 parks, but a short walk to Downtown Disney (now called Disney Springs), and right in the middle of the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course. If your budget allows for a Deluxe resort, I'd consider what you want to do at WDW, and choose the one that is closest to where you want to go. At Disney, time is money, and the less you have to travel to get where you want to go, the better. Of the off-property hotels I have stayed at, I can recommend the Buena Vista Palace. It is a very nice 4* hotel that is right across the street from Disney Springs. At the time, they had free transportation to/from the parks that ran every 1/2 hour or so. They have a hefty resort fee, and I believe they also charge for parking, but I was able to pick it up on Priceline for an excellent price. Technically, this is still on Disney-owned property, but for all intents & purposes, it can be considered off-property. If you are travelling with a large group, I would recommend the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa. They have 2- 3- & even 4- bedroom villas with a kitchen, sometimes for the price of a regular room at a similar property. If you are on a budget, I would recommend the Buena Vista Suites. It's very close to Disney (Epcot and Hollywood studios being the closest parks). They often have very good deals, and their rooms include a free breakfast, free parking, and no resort fees (at least they did 2 years ago).

The on-property vs. off-property is one of the age-old Disney conundrums, and it is actually tied-up with your second question about rental cars. Disney hotels are almost always more expensive than Non-Disney properties with similar amenities. Sometimes, in the case of Disney's "Deluxe Resorts," the difference is significant ($100's per night), compared to a comparable 4-star resort off-property that you can get using the Hotwire or Priceline links on this site. However, for the extra cost, you do get things that off-property resorts cannot. First off, Disney resorts do not charge any "resort fees," or parking fees. In addition, if you are staying at a Disney resort, you can park for free anywhere on property, including at the theme parks, an $18/day (I think) value. Also, if you are staying at a Disney resort, you can use their "Magical Disney Express" service (MDE), which is Disney's airport shuttle. Free of charge, they will pick you and your luggage up from the airport and take you to your resort, and at the end of your stay, do the same for the return trip to the airport. This is all free of charge, and eliminates the need for a rental car. However, if you do this, you are essentially "trapped" at Disney World for the duration of your trip -- not necessarily a bad thing, right? :) But, if you want to spend a day at Universal or eat (less expensive) meals at off-property restaurants, you'll have to find other transportation (often a taxi), which can get expensive. Possibly the 3 best amenities that Disney resorts provide are: location, location, & location. The Disney World property is huge and sprawling, but many of its resorts are either within walking distance of one or more theme parks, or no more than a short boat or monorail ride away. Some of the less expensive resorts on property are a bus ride away, but the Disney transportation system is by far, more convenient and efficient than any shuttles run by off-property resorts. If you drive from an off-property resort, be prepared for up to an hour or more from the hotel to the park turnstyles, depending on which park you visit (Magic Kingdom is the most remote.) Finally, Disney resorts have that "Disney Magic" -- it's hard to describe, but is a culmination of elaborate theming with attention to every detail, the pleasantness of every employee (Disney employees are actually called "Cast Members"), and the fact that you are really secluded from the "outside world." This is a game-changer for some, but will get a "Meh" from others. Please note that there are some resorts (Swan & Dolphin come to mind, but there are others) that are located on Disney's property, but are not run by Walt Disney World. That may or may not have some of the above mentioned amenities, but may also have the feel of off-property resorts. So, having said this, why stay off-property? Well first, there is the cost factor. You can find resorts (especially using Hotwire or Priceline) for much, much less. We have actually found some gems off-property over the years (some not-so-much-gems, too). And, depending on which park(s) you plan to visit, you can find some resorts that are actually closer than Disney resorts. For instance, some hotels in the "Maingate West" area will be closer to Animal Kingdom than most Disney resorts. Also, as you might imagine, everything from food to souvenirs will be cheaper outside of Disney. Off property resorts usually have some kind of shuttle to the various parks. Some are free, but many charge. Schedules are often very limited. You can get by without renting a car during your stay, but it might make more sense to rent one. Finding economical transportation to & from the airport might be the deciding point in whether or not to rent a car. If you do decide to rent, make note of which resorts offer free parking, and which do not, and remember that the theme parks will also charge for parking. One other thing we have found, is that while the Disney resorts have sometimes magnificent theming throughout the resort, the actual room quality does not always live up to the rest of the resort. We have found that the furniture, flooring, bath fixtures, etc. are often nicer in the less expensive off-property resorts than in even the Deluxe Disney resort rooms. Also, note that you can visit any Disney resort, even if you are not a guest there. So, you can still stay off-property, but still consume some of the resort's "Disney Magic." We have done this before, for example, taking the monorail or boat from the Magic Kingdom over to the Grand Floridian resort just to take a look around. In the end, it all comes down to your budget and what is important to you. For some, the "Disney Magic" goes a long way. For others, it's not worth the extra cost. Good luck with your resort purchase, and have a great trip!

I would like to second this suggestion. It appears now that both Hotwire and Priceline Express are showing the Resort Fees on their respective purchase pages. An accurate Resort Fee added to the amenity list on the Hotel List pages would now be a big help towards identifying a given property. Note that I have been looking at properties in Orlando, but I'm sure this applies to anywhere that is charging Resort Fees. I really appreciate how much work that those who run this board have put in over the years to make betterbidding.com into such a comprehensive, essential, and -- most of all -- free resource to those of us who bid on travel. I also appreciate that the guys here have already put in the work to compile the Resort/Parking Fee lists on this website. While I can flip between pages and try to cross-reference fees & properties, it would be much simpler if the fee was shown on the amenity list. Thanks for your consideration, betterbidding.com crew!

Yep, I bid Priceline 4* up to $156, 3.5* up to $150 , and 3* up to $130. All bids were rejected, so I took the Hotwire deal @ $127 (127 x 2 nights + 59.35 taxes & fees = $313.35 total). The listed amenities were the same as noted above except Wheelchair Accessible was not listed on the hotel details page. However, after the hotel name was revealed, the Wheelchair Accessible amenity returned??? Even though I was hoping for a different property, I have read the reviews of the BW Plus Promenade, and I'm sure we'll enjoy our stay.

Oh, and as an aside regarding the OT, when I bid this selection on PL, the Best Deal icon was on the 4* option when I selected the Historic zone. However, when I added another zone without a 3.5* or 4* property, the Best Deal jumped to 3.5*!???

To update, we have pretty much firmed up our plans for Savannah for the weekend of 10/17-19. I say "pretty much" because I haven't found a hotel room at a price I like. Though not a 'firm' budget, I would prefer not to spend more than $150 on a room. On Priceline (using the Quick Quote link above), I have bid 3.5* properties up to $125, and 4* properties up to $140, with no luck. I also used the "Bidding Helper" in the Tool Box dropdown (Bidding Helper is quickly becoming my favorite tool on this site!) to check Hotwire and PRICELINE EXPRESS deals. Currently, there is a 3* property (looking at Historic Riverfront District only) on Hotwire for $126. The amenities listed are: Free Breakfast Free Internet Pet friendly Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Pool(s) Business Center Internet access In-room accessibility Wheelchair accessible This doesn't appear to be an exact match to any of the properties on the Hotwire Hotel list. Any ideas on which property this is? Any on the list would do, but we would prefer it not be the Best Western. My plan is to do another round of bidding on PL, 4* up to $150, and 3.5* up to $135. If neither of these works, then I would go with the Hotwire 3* for $126. Any thoughts on this plan? Thanks so much for your help! Just a housekeeping question... if/when I secure a deal on Priceline or Hotwire, should I add the win to this thread or start a new one in the proper section?

Thanks for the quick reply, Aaron. This trip is more in the planning stages at the moment. This is going to be an anniversary trip for us, and our destination is not set in stone just yet. We have wanted to go to Savannah and were planning to take the train, if we do. So, without a car, the most important factor for us is location. We don't really need the 4* amenities. I guess I am so used to getting such good deals on 4* properties from Priceline, that's my first inclination. :) We would probably be just as happy with a 3.5* or 3* property. It's been years since I've been to Savannah, but I recall even the 2.5* - 3.5* brands were nice properties in the Historic District. We haven't set a firm budget for our trip yet, but I was hoping to get a room for around $100 per night. Looking at the Express Deal prices and other websites, it doesn't appear likely to find a deal at that price for these dates. However, we are still a couple of months out, and our options are open. I'll keep you posted if we do get a room through Priceline or Hotwire, using the Quick Quote links above, of course! The main thrust behind my original post was about the significance of the "Best Deal" icon. I guess it is self-explanatory to some extent, but I wasn't sure what it meant exactly. Greatest % discount makes a lot of sense.

On Price.Line's Name Your Own Price hotel initial bidding page, there will be a green '$' icon with the words "Best Deal" next to a particular City Zone and another such icon next to a particular Star Level. I have also noted that the star level "Best Deal" may change if a particular city zone (not the "Best Deal") is selected. I am wondering if there is a particular significance to this. I could see where this would indicate where the cheapest rooms are, or the greatest discount vs. retail, or best value based on some sort of sliding "price vs. star level" scale. Call me a cynic, but I could also see Price.line using this to steer the customer towards inventory they want to sell, or even rooms where they would make the biggest commissions -- a "Best Deal" for Priceline, so to speak, not necessarily the bidder. Specifically, I was looking at Savanna, GA's "Historic Savanna and Riverfront" for Oct. 17-19. I was planning to bid on a 4* property, but the 3.5* level shows the "Best Deal." Either of these levels will have the same bidding strategy since none of the other city zones have properties higher than 3*. Would the "Best Deal" indicate a significantly lower price for the 3.5* vs. the 4*? I would be happy with the 3.5* if it were say, $25 cheaper. Or should I just not let it influence my decisions? Anyone know what the NYOP "Best Deal" means?

Thanks, AaronJB. We have dinner reservations @ Lawry's for Friday night. It looks like it's only about 4-5 blocks away. I'm not sure we'll have time for much else, This is the tail end of a business trip, and we're flying out in the morning. I think we're coming back in January 2015, so maybe I'll have more time to see the sights then.

I used the Price.line QuickQuote link on the upper right section of this page to start the process. I wanted a hotel in the "N Michagan Ave - River North" zone only (3 re-bid zones for a 3.5*). Bids were rejected @ $60, $65, & $70; accepted at $75 on final re-bid try. Offer Price: $ 75.00 Rooms: 2 Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $ 150.00 Taxes & Fees: $ 32.56 Total: $ 182.56 FWIW, Priceline.Express showed a 3.5* property in this zone for $83 for the same night.

I used the PRICELINE link at the top of the page to start the process. I started at $40 with rejected bids up through $60; accepted @ $62. Downtown was the only 4* zone I included. Offer Price: $62.00 Rooms: 2 Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $124.00 Taxes & Fees: $29.24 Total Charged to Card: $153.24 FWIW, Priceline listed "7/10" (customer satisfaction) as a "Guaranteed Amenity" before I finalized my bid. Also, Priceline showed a 4* Downtown Atlanta hotel as one of their Express Deals for $74.

Oops. I was trying to keep an eye out for the mention of Resort Fees, but I must have glossed over that section. I guess I was hoping for more of a concrete notification like Hotwire uses. Ah, Resort Fees... another topic for another thread...

I used the PRICELINE link at the top of the page. Rejected bids: $51, $53, $55, $57, $59, $61, $63, $65. Finally accepted @ $67. There was one "Guaranteed Amenity," which was the "7+" (over 70% customer approval). Offer Price: $67.00 Rooms: 1 Nights: 2 Room Subtotal: $134.00 Taxes & Fees: $26.26 Total: $160.26 Add to that $22 resort fees (plus tax, I'm sure) and it comes to about $210 "out the door." I wasn't surprised by the resort fees -- most of the hotels near Disney have them. I was a little surprised by the lack of disclosure on Priceline's part about the possibility of mandatory fees on top of their total. Even after I won the bid, there was no mention of mandatory resort fees. I haven't been inside the Palace, but it looks like a nice property, and the location is great -- across the street from Downtown Disney. Here's to a fun weekend with The Mouse!

Initiated through the HOTWIRE link on the Support/Travel Links page. Amenities: Suite Smoke Free Rooms Complimentary Breakfast Pool Laundry Facilities High-speed Internet Access Hotwire hot Rate: $33.00 Nights: 2 Rooms: 1 Subtotal: $66.00 Tax recovery charges and fees: $14.99 Total price: $80.99

Initiated through the HOTWIRE link on the Support/Travel Links page. TripAdvisor reviews were mixed for the Ramada Celebration, but we figured we would chance it at this price, and save the rest of our vacation budget for The Mouse! Amenities: Smoke Free Pool Restaurant Business Center High-speed Internet Hotel rate per night: $28.00 Nights: 2 Rooms: 1 Subtotal: $56.00 Tax recovery charges and fees: $14.43 Total price: $70.43

Booked through the PRICELINE link at the top of the page... I bid up through 150 yesterday. Today, rejected @ 150, 165, 175, 185, 195... accepted @ $200. Hilton Times Square 4* Times Square - Theatre District 234 West 42nd Street New York, New York 10036 212-840-8222 Check-In Date: Fri, Oct 3, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sat, Oct 4, 2008 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $200.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $40.89 Total Charges*: $240.89

Amenities: Fitness, Business, Laundry 1 room(s) @ $57.00 per night x 3 night(s) $171.00 Taxes recovery charges and fees $24.08 Total $195.08

FYI, the listed amenities now include High-Speed Internet: - Complimentary Breakfast - Pool - Fitness Center - High-Speed Internet. $46 plus taxes and fees came to a total of $52.98 per night.

I booked using the "Priceline Hotels" link from SavingsBarn.com. Rejected bids at 40, 45, and 50 ... Accepted at $55. Details: Omni Severin Hotel Downtown Indianapolis 40 West Jackson Place Indianapolis, Indiana 46225 317-634-6664 Check-In Date: Thu, Sep 28, 2006 Check-Out Date: Fri, Sep 29, 2006 Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $110.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $25.08 Total Charges*: $135.08

I used Priceline through www.SavingsBarn.com, and bid on two different days. Rejected bids on 5/8: $26, $31, $35, $39. Rejected bid on 5/10: $42 ... Accepted at $45. Details: Augusta Towers 2651 Perimeter Parkway Augusta, Georgia 30909 706-855-8100 Check-In Date: Saturday, May 13, 2006 Check-Out Date: Sunday, May 14, 2006 Your Offer Price: $45.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $90.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $20.14 Total Charges: $110.14

Rejected at 45, 50, 55, 59, 62 and 65 -- finally accepted at $67. You gotta love Indy for the bidding strategy that this board outlines... 7 zones and only Downtown has a 4* property! Once again, I checked Hotwire first, and they showed a 4* for $73, so I used that to set my "ceiling." Actually, since the date was so for out, I was able to bid this room on Priceline on two separate occasions previous to this round of bidding. On 4/20, I bid $39 through $51, and on 4/24, $37-$59. These previous bids were all rejected obviously, but it allowed me to "sneak up" on the lowest acceptable price since I was able to use smaller bid increments. Thank you, betterbidding.com! Details: The Westin Indianapolis 50 South Capitol Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 317-262-8100 Check-In Date: Thursday, August 3, 2006 Check-Out Date: Friday, August 4, 2006 Your Offer Price: $67.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $134.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $28.50 Total Charges: $162.50

Rejected bids: 34, 44, 52, 58... Accepted at $62. I selected the Downtown Zone initially, and added a zone for each rebid (Downtown was the only zone with a 4* hotel). I checked first with Hotwire and found a 4* hotel in Downtown IND for $69. I checked what the final price would be (with taxes and fees) on both sites, and determined that a $69 room on Hotwire was equivalent (in final price) to a $67 room on Priceline, so I set that as my price ceiling. Details: Congratulations, you got your price of $62 for a 4-star hotel room. Omni Severin Hotel Downtown Indianapolis 40 West Jackson Place Indianapolis, Indiana 46225 317-634-6664 Check-In Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 Check-Out Date: Thursday, July 14, 2005 Your Offer Price: $62.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $124.00 Taxes & Service Fees:$23.58 Total Charges: $147.58

Thanks for the information. After thinking about it and talking it over with my friends (and factoring in $30 extra per room, per night), I think we are going to decide against bidding for the Venetian. It looks like the Monte Carlo (I know it's not 5*, but I hear it is nice) has some good rates on their website for these days ($69 -$79). Thanks again for all your help.

Thanks for the info. As a follow-up, do you know what the charge is? And should I call to request this as soon as I secure a winning bid, or should this be arranged at check-in? As for the strategy, I think I have found plenty of good info from the other posts here. I've already checked Hotwire for those dates, and they listed a 5* for $137, so I figure I will start bidding a little below $99, and increment up to $135 or so. Also, I've got to run the details by the other folks in my party to see if that's what the group wants to do. If we decide to go this route I will probably bid sometime next week. Thanks for all your help, and I will post my results here if/when I get the rooms.

I am planning a trip to Vegas with some friends on 6/10 - 6/14, and was thinking about bidding for a 5* hotel on the strip (The Venetian) for the 6/12 - 6/14 portion of the stay. We would like to get non-smoking rooms that have 2 Queen beds and I was wondering what the "default" (if there is one) room configuration (2 Queens, N/S; 1 King, Smoking; etc.) is for rooms booked through Priceline. Also, if I wanted to request a certain room type, what would be the best way to do so, and will they honor such a request? Would it help any if I sumbitted a written request on the back of a $20 dollar bill upon check-in? :) Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Note to Mods -- I wasn't sure where to post this thread. Feel free to relocate it to a better spot, if necessary.