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Priceline Hotel: Need bidding help -- Orlando Resort 1/24-27/06


RLD1118
By RLD1118,
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Will be in Orlando for Disney trip from 1/24/06 through 1/31/06. Was able to get Gaylord Palms resort, but only for 1/27 - 1/31, at $ 100/night via Priceline. Have tried every possible way to get a resort-level room for 1/24 - 1/27, including bidding all zones and up to 120/night. Would be thrilled to get Gaylord Palms or Hilton WDW, but would be happy with getting the nicest hotel room in the 80 - 120 price range. Also, have seen that some have gotten Hilton WDW for $ 60???

Any suggestions? Is it still early enough that I can wait and keep trying?

Thanks.

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Specifically which zones did you bid for at the Resort level?

Are you willing to bid for the Universal area as well, or are you only bidding for the WDW zone? If you're looking to consider dropping your star rating, are you comfortable with the 3* properties in the Priceline Hotel List for this area?

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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I ended up bidding in every single area listed, adding 5-10 dollars each time I added an area. (Most of the other areas, except Universal did not list resorts available, so felt pretty safe). We will be renting a car, so staying in Universal area, or in another area within 5-10 miles of WDW would be fine. I would like to get into a resort-level hotel, or possibly a 4* if possible. I considered staying on-site, but have been hearing a lot of complaints about on-site hotels, including the moderates. Would consider a Deluxe on-site if could get a good price. Swan or Dolphin would be nice, as would WDW Hilton. Easier yet would be to get into the Gaylord Palms for those 3 nights, as we are there (via Priceline) for our last 4 nights.

Thanks for your assistance.

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Rates are the same for the stay that you won as for the above dates, so the hotel may just have slightly higher occupancy levels or perhaps may be holding some rooms for a special event (in either case, the hotel may release more rooms as your date draws near). I would remain hopeful that something may come thru for you with the opaque providers since the rates for each stay are the same.

Continue to try Priceline and/or Hotwire as you have been, but i would also book a cancellable back up in the meantime to protect yourself in case something doesn't come thru. You may want to check EasyClickTravel whose offices are local to the area so they may have some decent deals (and their rates are fully refundable up until 3 days before check-in, except for on-site disney property which are cancellable up until 5 days (i believe) before check-in)

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thank you for your assistance. I wasn't aware that EasyClickTravel reservations were refundable. I will reserve a room with them and keep trying Priceline.

One more question --- I would be happy to get either Hilton WDW or Gaylord Palms via Priceline (if I can get either). It seems as if people get Hilton WDW for at least $20/night less than Gaylord Palms. Should I start at a lower bid? (I started at $ 90/night when I thought that Gaylord Palms was the only option). Hilton WDW is listed as a resort-level hotel in WDW area, correct?

Thanks again

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RLD1118, I have a good suggestion since you're willing to bid on another zone and you will accept comparable to Resort, how about 4* in Universal. Peabody has typically been coming up for $75, and I'm almost sure you could get it for no more than $90 which would save you money because you're already spending what $100 on the Gaylord Palms a night

about your question in post#5, the idea most people use is that if they start low $50's or $60's they'll end up with the Hilton or the Hyatt and we never see the Gaylord that low, but if they're willing to start higher $80's and above then they're more likely to get the Gaylord or Omni

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if you've only been bidding Resort level, then you should still be able to bid 4* in Universal area......unless I'm not thinking straight..............it is 2AM and my mind is mush from traveling back from my most recent Priceline stay!

anyways, problem is the Resorts in the Orlando area usually have resort fees that will really tack onto your bill and sometimes a lot of people think Resorts should be rated more like a 3.5* vs. a 4.5*

Peabody is really really classy and absolutely fabulous!

People have gotten the Swan and Dolphin and Marriott have come up before.....but that was quite a while ago......and we might not see them come up again anytime soon

if you're worried about quality, everbody is always thrilled with the Gaylord, but people never seem to get this hotel for much cheaper than say $83

the Omni people seem to really enjoy as well, but most people say it's too far from the Disney area and it doesn't come up very often

thank goodness the Wyndham Palace doesn't come up anymore, that was an awful place that always came up in the Hilton/Hyatt range

good luck

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Still patiently waiting to find a great deal on lodging for our Disney trip in January. Here is my question:

I check the Hotwire offerings as well as trying to get a good Priceline deal. Every so often I get an email from Hotwire stating that the prices for hotels are going down for the dates I wish to travel. So....would it stand to reason that if I can get a room now for $ 100 on Hotwire when it was $150 a few weeks ago, that I can also probably get the same room via Priceline for less than I would have when I first tried?

Thanks for the info

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Please keep all your posts for the same stay in the same thread...

Your logic above does not necessarily hold true as:

1) Hotwire marks up their hotel prices. In certain situations they may reduce their mark-up (as an example) from 20% to 10%.... thus the rate decreases yet the hotel has not changed their own price at all.

2) Another hotel (a low acceptor) may have added rates to the system, thus lowering the cost of available hotels in the area. This hotel may or may not participate with Priceline and/or may not be rated the same in the Priceline system.

These are just two scenarios, but there are others as well.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Oh well, I guess this isn't the first time that my logic isn't very logical!

Thanks for the info, though.

I'm just going to keep my eye on the rates and keep trying Priceline every 72 hrs until I get lucky.

Have noticed by looking at various hotel's websites that there seems to be a lot of hotels that are sold out for the Jan 24-27 time slot. Wonder if there's something big going on in Orlando at that time.

Thanks again.

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Yes, Joe, I have tried your suggestion as the Peabody looks like a nice property. I have bid up to 115/nt for 4* in Universal Area, but was rejected. I'll keep trying. I'm starting to wonder if there's some big convention at that time, or if everybody's going to Disney because they think, like me, that the crowds will be low.

Thanks again.

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If it makes you feel any better, I had a similar problem getting accepted with reasonable bids in D.C. this time last year. I still suspect it had something to do with hotels not giving availability for the next calendar year as soon as I thought they would have; I think that somehow it takes them longer between Dec and Jan than it does between other months of the year. I know it is difficult (exceedingly difficult for a Trip Commando like me-- I like everything planned out, down to the restaurants I want to try), but I think you should keep checking the rates and bidding reasonably relative to them.

I have a hard time believing that you should be paying $115 for the Peabody during that time period; don't let PL and the hotels "get your goat" and make you bid higher than you should. Keep in mind that the JW Marriott is a resort in the Universal/SW area. It is next door to the Ritz-- both are just gorgeous properties and are quite new. They have a lazy river pool (less of an attraction in Jan, though), marble bathrooms with separate shower and tub, and they're on a lake. I paid $115 for it last year, and, although I have not stayed there, I have seen the Peabody, and although it looks nice, it doesn't look like it could touch the JWM. You still have plenty of 3-day lockout periods to go, so don't get crazy with the bidding. Orlando has loads of hotel rooms, and I am positive you will end up with a fabulous room at a great price if you keep your cool.

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if this is really about money then you could take your chances with 3* and likely get something and not have to worry about this anymore

because there are far more 3* hotels......I know it's not the star level you want BUT think about it this way.....it looks like all the hotels are going to be expensive that weekend, so even if you did snag a Resort it would probably be for well over $100 and then tack on the resort fee and all of a sudden you don't feel like you're using priceline anymore

you have time, but as you draw closer into 2006 you probably don't want to hope at the last minute you'll get what you want

set a deadline, if you can't get by the end of the 1st week in january, then you'll consider a lower star level or other travel plans.....for now you have time, but if it's really that busy that weekend you'll want to have some kind of plan B just in case

let's hope for your sake that you do get what you want, because you really do have plenty of time to try bidding until your trip

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Thanks Schoolmom and Joe for your suggestions. I wasn't aware of the JWMarriot, but it sounds nice.

I'm travelling with my teenage son, he is my youngest. When each of my older kids were in their senior high school year we took a trip to Disney as a mini-celebration. My youngest has a number of health problems and his high school years have been a struggle, so this is a well-deserved trip for him. (He had his Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii, which was phenomenal, but that was 2 yrs and at least 3 surgeries ago).

So, although money must always be an issue, I have put enough aside to see that we can have a good time. We got 2 free 5-day hopper passes through the rewards program at our bank, and flights for $ 69 each way on Jet Blue. We spend a good part of our day at the parks and other attractions, but we would like to be able to come back to a nice, clean hotel with courteous staff. I know that you can find that at many 3* hotels, but it seems to be more hit and miss. So, I will keep bidding and hope to get a good 4* or resort level hotel for those 3 nights (Tues/Wed/Thurs). And we already have the 4 nights at Gaylord Palms via Priceline. If it gets too close, then I guess I'll look at all the options again, perhaps Hotwire where I'd have a little better idea of the hotel we'd be getting.

Thanks so much for all your help and ideas.

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Just to keep up to date on the bidding...

Tried again last night, starting at Resort Level (WDW area) at $60...denied

Added Sea World area for $ 65...denied

Added 4* hotels for $ 70...denied

Added Maitland (as there are no 4* or Resort there) for $ 75...denied

Added Sand Lake (for same reason) for $80... denied

Will keep trying :))

Same question, tho... checking individual hotel websites, am finding a number of the higher end hotels are sold out for one or more of these nights (1/24-27). This is a Tues-Fri. Anyone in the Orlando area know if there's a major convention or something going on then that might affect the crowds?

Thanks for this board. I've learned so much.

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Bidding Update --- Tried again today...

Orlando (WDW Area) $ 75 Resort level....denied

Added MCO Airport Area $85...denied

Added Sea World/Universal Area $95....denied

Added 4* and Sand Lake Area $100....denied

Should I consider higher bid or wait it out? Obviously no one has a crystal ball, but any gut instincts?

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

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I guess it depends on how you feel about waiting until closer to your deadline vs. spending the big bucks! I just looked up my DC trip for fun, and, although I spent about 3 wks bidding (and for me that means EVERY 72 hours!) on it, I wasn't able to pick up my rm at normal PL rates until Jan. 17 for a stay starting only 2 weeks later (Jan. 31)!! I could not have justified the cost for this 2.5 week trip without the PL rates, so although I was nervous about having to wait until the last minute, I HAD to. Also, to save the $$, I was willing to stay in several different areas and at a few different * levels; so I felt more comfortable about waiting since I had a good measure of flexibility. With that DC experience behind me, if I were in your place I would book a cancellable bookup (EasyClickTravel or travelzoo would probably help with that-- don't forget to use the hotel links here if possible) and keep my bidding at normal-win rates until at least 2 weeks before the stay will begin.

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Tried again tonight..... (for Jan 24-27, 2006)

Orlando (WDW Area) Resort $ 80......denied

Added Maitland, up to $ 85.....denied

Added Universal area, up to $ 90....denied

Added Winter Park, up to $ 95....denied

Added MCO, up to $ 100....denied

Added Kissimmee, up to $ 105 ....denied

Added 4*, went back to $ 80.....denied

Added West Disney, up to $ 85....denied

Added another area (can't remember which), up to $ 90....denied

Oh well, guess I'll keep trying.

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I'm following this thread with interest because I'm looking for accomodations for the following weekend in Orlando. I'd prefer Resort or 4-star, but don't "need" that level. I've bid up to $80 so far for "resort" without success. From what I can tell so far, and confirming the poster's experience in this thread, there's not much priceline/hotwire inventory available yet during that time period.

The nice thing about Orlando is that there are tons of hotel rooms. I think patience is really a virtue in this market. I plan to wait until about a month before hand to book alternative cancellable reservations, and won't get serious about bidding for 3 stars until 2 weeks prior.

BTW, does anyone know of an Orlando convention calendar? I tried googling for it, and couldn't find one. I figure that's my only real risk (as this is a very off-peak travel period). It would be nice to know if a huge convention poses any unusual problem (although I wonder if, unlike in Vegas, any convention could be big enough to be a problem in Orlando).

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I think you're right about the lack of significant inventory at this time. I tried bidding again tonight, going up to $ 90 for Resort Level in WDW area and going up to $ 85 for 4* in Universal Area. Was unsuccessful. I haven't yet even gotten a counter-offer. Wonder if that means that I've not even come close to what they'll accept.

I have been watching the various hotel websites and it looks like they do have rooms available at the end of January and that the prices are starting to come down. The prices seem to be coming down some on Hotwire also. I think I'm going to just wait a bit and keep trying Priceline.

Good luck to you, LoneStar

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I've read in a couple of places that the weeks between MLKJr's birthday and President's Day are among the quietest in Orlando (i.e., good for visiting Disney World). In reviewing the non-opaque reservation sources, I see nothing to indicate any difficulty in finding a room during that time period. Not sure why more priceline/hotwire rates aren't loaded, but I see no reason not to be patient.

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