Hotwire Hotel: Orlando WDW/LBV

[stan1162]

I'm trying to get the Swan (1st choice) or Dolphin (2nd choice). I too have noticed that LBV is gone, now just WDW zone. I am trying for the end of July, for 2 days, 2 rooms. I am having no luck.... I know which star level and ammenities I am looking for. Am I bidding too far out? I know that just recently there have been some winning Priceline bids for the Swan. Do we suppose whoever releases the rooms for Hotwire/Priceline alternates??? Some to Hotwire this week, some to Priceline the next. I search in the morning, evening, late night. Any comments or suggestions.

[thereuare]

I don't think rooms are handed out to each company in alternating fashion as you propose.... the hotels objective is to unload excess inventory, so they're not typically holding back any inventory that they expect to give out in the following week. Whatever they don't expect to sell, they'll make available at once so there is the greatest opportunity for Pricleline/Hotwire to sell it. With that said, there is indeed different criteria for what levels of occupancy are necessary for Priceline to get hotels and a at what level Hotwire gets hotels.

One problem that you may be encountering is how Hotwire rotates properties (ie- how Hotwire determines which 4* property to show you, if more than one is available) I'm not sure if the cookies on your computer are used so that you're not given different hotels from search-to-search, but you may want to try clearing them between searches.

I'd also check to see if either the Swan or Dolphin are available for your dates via the Vacation package. This should at least be an indication if Hotwire potentially has availability for your dates thru their 'regular' hotel product.

Let us know how it's going and if you make any head-way by peaking into the Vacation product as mentioned above.

[stan1162]

Original poster here.. I had my son (helpful 15 yr old computer geek) clear my cookies. Tried searching again with still no luck. I had in the past checked Packages to see if the hotel was even offered on my particular dates. It is. I just checked again and it is still available in the air & hotel pack. My dates are kind of flexible within a few days, and have been checking surronding dates as well. I checked dates within the next few weeks, as well as dates into Sept/Oct with no luck. I would even take hotel+ car package is price was right (obviously) even though I do not need the car. Travelocity, Expedia and Westin's own site show avail. so I guess I will just keep checking multiple times daily, and every day. I'll post anything new. Thanks.

[thereuare]

One more idea....

see if you can 'identify' the hotels that are being offered to you via the regular hotel package and then see how much extra those hotels costs via the Vacation Package.... the difference in price should theoretically equal the cost of the airfare or car rental (depending which package you're looking at).

Then subtract the cost of the car rental or airfare from the Dolphin or Swan vacation package to figure out how much the hotel would cost on its own (if it was offered).

How does the cost of the Swan/Dolphin compare to the cost of the 4* hotel that is being offered to yo.

Not really sure if i did a good job explaining my thought process on this one, so if you need clarification of what i mean, feel fee to ask.