Priceline Hotel: Resort Orlando (WDW) Gaylord Palms

[Megg33k]

I'm a 1st time Priceline bidder. So, I have a question or two... if ya don't mind.

My DH and I are looking for a resort in the Orlando area for this May 16-19. When I've searched for listed properties, it only lists: Gaylord, WDW Swan, Hilton, JW Marriott Grand Lakes, Marriott Orlando Wolrd Center, & Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

Question 1: Any suggestion on starting price? (dates are Fri-Sun)

Question 2: It seems like JW Marriott Grand Lakes is the only resort in the Univeral Studios/SW area. I wouldn't mind some of the DWV properties... but, there are some I would really prefer not to get. I'd love to get into the Omni... but it's not even listed when I search.

Basically, we don't really want the Swan or Hilton. For the most part, I think I would be very happy with all of the other options.

Question 3: Any advice on how to avoid those 2 properties?

Question 4: Anyone gotten a BAD resort through Priceline???

It looks like all the ones they're showing are Zagat surveyed and did rather well. So, quality isn't going to be an issue... I don't think. We don't have any kids though... so, I don't want to really be bombarded with a billion kids b/c the resort we get is so family oriented. Swan and Hilton both strike me as those types of places. Please, correct me if I'm wrong! :)

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

~Megan

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

It sounds as if you're using priceline's "Retail" product (where the name of the hotels are given) to determine what you will receive thru the "Name Your Own Price" product (where you bid for a hotel)... but this isnt' the case. See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ.

If you're trying to target/avoid a specific property, HOTWIRE may be a better option since you can often determine (or at least make a very educated guess) as to the property you will receive before making your purchase. However, this will usually cost you a little more than what you would pay on Priceline.

Feel free to ask any additional questions you have and/or how you would like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

[Megg33k]

Thereuare: Thanks! I'm not sure how I didn't find that FAQ before. I thought I'd read everything there was on here about it. As far as how I'd like to proceed...

The information about how many and what Resorts were located in the Universal/SW area was information directly from this site's hotel list. It only showed the JW Marriott and there was another that was, at least temporarily, removed from Resorts and put into a 4* b/c of possible construction or something.

I really do want to bid for it. So, my remaining questions would be:

1. Suggestion on starting price?

2. Is there any rationale for the commonality of getting the Swan or Hilton if I did bid in the DWV?

3. Are there any BAD resorts in the Orlando bidding game?

Thanks again!

~Megan

[thereuare]

1. Suggestion on starting price?

We'll need to know which zone(s) you're willing to accept as well as your maximum bid (so that we don't suggest a strategy which goes higher thank you wish to pay)

2. Is there any rationale for the commonality of getting the Swan or Hilton if I did bid in the DWV?

Hotels are awarded based upon the rates they load into the priceline system, and these rates are determined by the hotel's own occupancy levels, so nobody can say if either of these two hotels are likely for your own stay or not. You should be willing to accept any hotel in the zone at the minimum star level you select, otherwise go with HOTWIRE or some non-opaque booking service, or keep your maximum bid low enough so that you would still be happy if you received one of the hotels you were trying to avoid.

3. Are there any BAD resorts in the Orlando bidding game?

This is highly subjective, while you are trying to avoid the Swan or Hilton (so are these 'bad' in your book?), i'm sure there are others who would be perfectly content with them.

[Megg33k]

Alrighty! :) Let's see...

We'll need to know which zone(s) you're willing to accept as well as your maximum bid (so that we don't suggest a strategy which goes higher thank you wish to pay)

There are only Resorts in 2 zones. So, I guess I'm only interested in Universal Studios/SeaWorld (1st zone choice) or DWV (2nd zone choice). My maximum bid is pretty flexible. I'm willing to bid up to around $120 if I have to... of course, less is always better, or I wouldn't be here! :)

Hotels are awarded based upon the rates they load into the priceline system, and these rates are determined by the hotel's own occupancy levels, so nobody can say if either of these two hotels are likely for your own stay or not. You should be willing to accept any hotel in the zone at the minimum star level you select, otherwise go with HOTWIRE or some non-opaque booking service, or keep your maximum bid low enough so that you would still be happy if you received one of the hotels you were trying to avoid.

I'm willing to accept any hotel in that zone... I guess it's more of a "hope" than a requirement. I'd definitely be happier about certain hotels if the rate was low enough. If only they didn't have MOST of the Resorts in ONE area. But, that's not up to me. Hotwire and other such sites seem to have an abundance of very questionable quality "Resorts" that have horrendous reviews. I'm not willing to risk ending up miserable just to stay out of one of my least favorite Priceline choices.

This is highly subjective, while you are trying to avoid the Swan or Hilton (so are these 'bad' in your book?), i'm sure there are others who would be perfectly content with them.

No, I wouldn't call the ones I'm trying to avoid "bad." Not by a long shot. I mean the not-so-subjective kind of bad. The kind of bad where the reviews talk about sheets with stains and holes, dirty everything, cloudy pools, cockroaches, etc. I haven't read anything terrible about the Resorts that I've seen listed as past bid winning locations, but I haven't read everything there is to read. I was just wondering if any specific place stood out as somewhere that several people have been disgusted or horrified by?

I hope that clears up a little bit about what I'm wanting to know. Basically, I'm a little (but not overly) picky... I want a nice resort with a good pool area, comfortable beds, and reasonably pleasant staff. I'm not one of the people who will be upset if my pillow isn't fluffed just right or a coffee cup is missing and I have to get a new one. But, I don't want to pay ~$100 and spend 3 nights suffering in grimy, nasty conditions. I don't get the impression that any of the opaque purchase Resorts fall into that category though. I'm a little paranoid... but, it's from some not so pleasant hotels I've ended up with in the past when I DID know where I was staying. I definitely want to try to do it through bidding though. I've got my mind set on that.

Thank you so much for all your help!

~Megan

[Megg33k]

Quick Update: I did a trial run on bidding. I figured that the worst that could happen was I would get what I wanted at a price I was ok with. So I did the following:

Travel Dates: 5/16/08-5/19/08

Universal Studios/SeaWorld zone > Resort level > Bid $60... REJECTED

Added Dummy Zone of MCO > Resort level > Bid $65... REJECTED

Added Dummy Zone of Winter Garden > Resort level > Bid $70... REJECTED

That's when I gave up for the night. I reasonably expected them all to be rejected. No big shock... no real disappointment. I intended to wait a little longer to book anyway... but I can't say I'd have been heartbroken if I'd won. :) I'm going to do a bit more reading to see what's reasonable for me to realistically consider a winning bid.

As long as I wait 24 hours, I can start over in any way I see fit... yes?

~Megan

[yellowdog]

Megg33k,

some info about the Orlando hotels.

Rates are high for your dates. I don't know what's going on in Orlando. I know that your dates are same as Orlando Health & Fitness Show. But I don't know how big this is.

Best rate for the JW Marriott Grand Lakes is $339/night. And the JW is very rare at Priceline and you never see this hotel at HOTWIRE. Boards GTA Hotels sometimes got nice deals for JW and Ritz Carlton. But if your max is $120 is this unlikley with current rates.

The Swan and Dolphin are also rare at Priceline. Have not been reported for a very long time. But things can change fast at Priceline.

Hilton is not that bad. But it's the lesser resort in Orlando. Most of the times you see Hilton at Priceline wins is when the rack rate is $120 and under. But dont take this for granted. Rates for the "regular" resorts like Gaylord Palms and Omni is around $300. Hilton is currentley the best priced resort for your dates. The reported 4* in Universal/SW zone is better hotels.

You should not overlook the 4* in Universal/SW zone. Both the Peabody (gotta love the ducks!) and Renaissance are great hotels. The pool area at Renaissance is so nice. And this star level is your best chance with the current prices.

I did a search at HOTWIRE for your dates but there is nothing for the moment.

And I also would take the reviews with a grain of salt, especially the TA ones.

Good luck!

Henrik.

[Megg33k]

But if your max is $120 this is unlikley with current rates.

What max bid do you think MIGHT get me in? It's not that I can't afford more... it's just that no one wants to HAVE TO pay more. So, I'd be willing to reconsider my max bid.

And the JW is very rare at Priceline and you never see this hotel at HOTWIRE.

Does that mean that, more often than not, there are no resorts in the Universal/SW zone, even though it lists it as a zone with resorts? Because, I don't see any other resort listed on this site as being found in that zone. I find that very confusing as to why they would offer Resort Level in a Zone where there is often no resort offered. It's ok though... sometimes I get confused easily! :) LOL

You should not overlook the 4* in Universal/SW zone. Both the Peabody (gotta love the ducks!) and Renaissance are great hotels. The pool area at Renaissance is so nice. And this star level is your best chance with the current prices.

That's actually a very good point. I had in my head that I wanted a resort and didn't even really look to see what 4* hotels were listed in that area. I might have to seriously consider that. I'll go take a look at their websites, read some reviews, and see what I think.

And I also would take the reviews with a grain of salt, especially the TA ones.

Some of the reviews I saw were at TA and some were on other sites. Any advice on where to go to read fairly accurate, legitimate reviews?

Again with the thanks again! I really appreciate the help!

~Megan

[thereuare]

I'd be willing to reconsider my max bid.

You should research (use our BetterChecker.com rates) to determine the best deal you can without the opaque suppliers... then base your maximum bid to a discount of your next best deal.

Does that mean that, more often than not, there are no resorts in the Universal/SW zone, even though it lists it as a zone with resorts? ... I find that very confusing as to why they would offer Resort Level in a Zone where there is often no resort offered.

Why shouldn't they show a hotel that is only won rarely... it may be available for a given set of dates, shouldn't a user looking for a hotel on those dates be given the opportunity to win it?

[Megg33k]

Why shouldn't they show a hotel that is only won rarely... it may be available for a given set of dates, shouldn't a user looking for a hotel on those dates be given the opportunity to win it?

Of course. I was mistakenly under the impression that it would only show Levels per Zone that were available on your specific travel dates. In other words, if I clicked on Universal/SW, the Resort Level option would only be available if there were rooms available at that time. I wasn't thinking in the realm of the "big picture" and a Zone w/ Resorts is always going to be a Zone w/ Resorts even if it might not be available at that time.

You should research (use our BetterChecker.com rates) to determine the best deal you can without the opaque suppliers... then base your maximum bid to a discount of your next best deal.

I'll go check that out now. Thanks!

~Megan

[trav555]

Hi Megan, Thought I'd wade in with my twopence's worth (excuse the idiom I'm English) I book Orlando all the time, unless your the sort of person who always wins a coin toss or for whom the lights always just turn green your not going to get Swans, Dolphin's, or Hard Rock Hotels, you do have a realistic chance of getting the Gaylord or Peabody but only closer to your travel time (IMHO). I note your NOT making the usual newbie error of bidding too high, good for you! and don't worry about reviews, at the level your looking (4*/resort) they are all fine really, negative reviews are written by people who paid way, way too much. You have already made the first step from being one of the chickens to being a fox, once you get your first 'kill' on priceline you'll never look back! I'm also booking for May (and March and April) if you want any detailed step by step help let me know, otherwise good hunting!

[Megg33k]

Thanks! I looked at the 4*s with my DH, and we really do want a resort at this point. The 4*s are nice enough, but the resorts are just too tempting. And, it's my first trip to Florida... so, I want top notch... just can't really pay $300-something/night for it! LOL But, not too many people can.

The Gaylord would be FANTASTIC! My fear is bidding in the WDV zone and getting the Hilton. With everything I've seen (including their direct website and realhotelphotos.com), I just don't want to stay there. Since you book Orlando so often, can you offer any insight as to what my luck might be in avoiding it?

I wouldn't be heartbroken if I got the Hilton, I just would really prefer not to. Even the people who enjoy it seem to think that it's not "resort" quality. Have you stayed at any of the resorts? Which ones? Personal opinions?

Thanks again for the help!

~Megan

[jmcin]

3rd try, to post. hoping they don't all show up .

Bottom line, the Hilton is not at all bad. The proximity to Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island makes it nice for grown ups! We have been there for two vacations and would go back for about $100/night.

We are going to Gaylord Palms for $93 this year and are happy with that. We were very lucky about 3 or 4 years ago and got the Dolphin for $71, and Universal Double Tree for about the same. All are wonderful. Hilton is likely the least resort-y of em 'all, but, that it is walking distance to downtown, right across the street, not even much of a walk, and free parking, it is still a win win. Good luck bidding. I learned some good tips here, and 2 rooms for a week at GP for under $100 is a nice treat.

I sure wish Priceline still did its grocery thing!

Jan

[Megg33k]

Glad to hear the Hilton isn't so bad. Of course, I consider it's being near Disney a detraction. I have NO interest in going anywhere near anything Disney or Disney-related. My cruise just happens to leave from Port Canaveral, and Orlando is the closest thing to it, as far as I can tell. We want something very resorty (not a word, but should be), as it will be the main focus of what we're doing in Orlando for 3 days.

What days are you booking for in May? How soon are you booking? I'm very interested to see what someone else gets in the same time-period for the same area. I'm not trying to be overly cautious, but I'm picky... unfortunately, I also can't afford to spend upwards of $1,000 for a 3 night stay (without the cost of food)... our cruise isn't even that much and includes food!!!

I guess I'm just stressing. I'm waiting on a payment to come in so that I can book. So, it's like a countdown... but, the more time I have, the more time I worry and stress. I just want it done and over with.

Do you know a rough estimation of the avg. retail prices of the locations you've won on the dates you've won them for?

Thanks again for your help... and for any further help you may provide.

~Megan

[timetraveler]

I have NO interest in going anywhere near anything Disney or Disney-related. My cruise just happens to leave from Port Canaveral, and Orlando is the closest thing to it, as far as I can tell. We want something very resorty (not a word, but should be), as it will be the main focus of what we're doing in Orlando for 3 days.~Megan

All of Orlando/Kissimmee is Disney-related. Have you considered Cocoa Beach instead? It's closer to Port Canaveral than Orlando and very resorty.

[Megg33k]

All of Orlando/Kissimmee is Disney-related. Have you considered Cocoa Beach instead? It's closer to Port Canaveral than Orlando and very resorty.

What would be a good, resorty kinda place in Cocoa Beach? Priceline lists a 3* max level in that area. Maybe they're nicer than the star-ratings let on?

~Megan

[timetraveler]

I was referring to the whole town of Cocoa Beach as "resorty". I'm not sure I mean the same thing by "resorty" as you do. The only "resort" I know of in the area is Ron Jon Resort Cape Caribe. http://www.ronjonresort.com/maps.aspx It's an "oceanfront resort/waterpark in Cape Canaveral. I've never been there, so I can't recommend it. It's a timeshare resort, but they do have rentals.

[thereuare]

See our sister site: Hotels By The Pier.com

[Megg33k]

I was referring to the whole town of Cocoa Beach as "resorty". I'm not sure I mean the same thing by "resorty" as you do. The only "resort" I know of in the area is Ron Jon Resort Cape Caribe. http://www.ronjonresort.com/maps.aspx It's an "oceanfront resort/waterpark in Cape Canaveral. I've never been there, so I can't recommend it. It's a timeshare resort, but they do have rentals.

I'm not sure we're meaning the same thing either. I can't imagine why there would be an unclear definition of a completely made-up word. LOL

Hilton is likely the least resort-y of em 'all

I imagine I mean it in much the same way that you meant it in the above phrase.

I want something that is more than just a hotel... a resort with resort amenities. Of course, there are some things I want to see/do in the Orlando area... but, I want to stay somewhere that I can really enjoy just partaking in the various activities available at a more "resorty" kind of resort. Everything about the Hilton reads like it is simply a hotel that's been added into a resort category.

I don't know. I think I might have found the Gaylord on HOTWIRE for $106/night. I'm just stressing over it all. Isn't that what people do when they plan vacations though? LOL If not, I'm doing it wrong. :)

~Megan

[Megg33k]

Travel Dates: 5/16/08-5/19/08

Walt Disney World Vicinity zone > Resort level > Bid $90... REJECTED

PL counter-offered adding $22... I REJECTED

Added Free Re-Bid Zone > Resort level > Bid $91... REJECTED

Added Free Re-Bid Zone > Resort level > Bid $92... REJECTED

Added Free Re-Bid Zone > Resort level > Bid $93... ACCEPTED!

Your Price Was Accepted

Congratulations, your price of $93 was accepted by Gaylord Palms Resort. Save even more when you add a rental car below. Your Priceline Hotel Request Number is xxx-xxx-xxx-xx.

Gaylord Palms Resort

Disney World Vicinity

6000 West Osceola Parkway

Kissimmee, Florida 34746

407-586-0000

See Hotel Website

View Map and Directions

Check-In Date:

Fri, May 16, 2008 / After 03:00 PM

Check-Out Date:

Mon, May 19, 2008 / 11:00 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $93.00

Subtotal: $279.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $47.27

Total Charges*: $326.27

I couldn't possibly be any happier or more excited about this win. Thanks so much to Trav555 (and everyone else) for all your help in booking this location.

Of course, I used the SavingsBarn link to book!

Good luck, I'll let everyone know how it went!!! :)

~Megan

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you're happy with the results and the board was able to help.

Thank you for sharing your win and for using the SavingsBarn.com PRICELINE links to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.