Priceline Hotel: 3* Orlando (WDW) Sheraton Safari

[gator]

This is the most bizarre priceline transaction I've ever had. Here goes:

Wanted Jan 13-15 2 1/2 star: got no at $36.00. Decided to try resort for one of those days. So I put in resort and used free rebids for 51, 55, 58,60,63, 65, 68, 70, and 76. Got no for all.

Went back to 2 1/2 star (i don't feel the hilton is that special for over 76). I put in 13-14 hoping for an extension

and at 40.00 I got a no. For 14-15 with 2 1/2 star, I got a no at 42.

Went to 3 star (i don't like the sheraton safari and was trying to avoid it) and did just 13-14 and bid 45, got a no. Added sand lake rebid and got the sheraton safari at 50. :) Well, I figured that the point of this trip was more money savings than the hotel, so I would live with it but wouldn't extend my stay (offered).

So I looked up rebids on 2 1/2 star and found that they now have a hotel at this level in maitland by the way. So I rebid adding kissimmee and 45.00 and, guess what!, i got upgraded to the sheraton safari with the 45. accepted. Good grief. Well at 2 nights under 100.00, I guess I will just enjoy the upside of this hotel (near cheap restaurants) and spend time in parks. Plus, I didn't want 2 nights at the resort price of 70, so that is okay.

I guess I had heard you could get upgraded, but I had forgotten. Something must be going on that weekend, because the 14th was blocked off as check-out only on a lot of hotel websites that I check for specials. It did look like the Omni Championsgate popped up on hotwire for $148.00.

[runNgun]

Holiday weekend, plus most kids are out of school on Friday or Monday (at least here in Fla)

[thereuare]

Thanks for sharing your experience and subsequent win.

Enjoy your stay.

[LoneStar]

Bidding for a family member, I received the Sheraton Safari for these 2 nights (jan. 13 & 14) for $48. They wouldn't take $47. :)

I first bid up to $90 for a resort in the Disney area for these days. No dice. You never know about Orlando. It is always always better to bid during the last 2 weeks before your stay, however.

[yellowdog]

There is a teacher convention in Orlando that weekend.

Henrik.

[LoneStar]

"There is a teacher convention in Orlando that weekend."

That probably explains why the resorts are unavailable. Orlando is a funny market in that respect -- the expensive hotels (aka "the resorts") seem to largely rely on convention business to fill up. That's why you can sometimes snag them on priceline at "peak" times (like x-mas week) that are busy leisure days, but not busy convention days. Unfortunately, MLK Jr weekend has convention business.