Hotwire Hotel: Too early?

[OutSider]

Do you think it's too early to be looking for hotels in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale for late feb 2010? I'm not really fining much in the way of good deals for 3* and up

[AaronJB]

For Florida I don't think it would be too early to start looking for deals. What are your dates of travel/budget?

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchase.

[OutSider]

We're going to stay 1 night pre-cruise in FLL feb 17, then we'll stay Feb 28 and Mar 1 in Fll. We'll drive to Orlando and spend 3 nights there Mar 2-5.

I lIke I drive south area. Last year we were luck to get Hyatt Place for $39 per night.

[thereuare]

Please use only one thread per stay... we'll continue this for your pre-cruise stay of 2/17, feel free to start a NEW TOPICs for your post cruise stay(s).

Which zone(s) within Ft Lauderdale are you willing to accept? What is your desired and/or minimum star rating? What is your maximum bid?

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[taliategan]

I think it is possible to get a good deal this far out, but more likely closer to your travel date. When I run my dates in mid-January for Orlando on HOTWIRE (compared to running dates for October, November & December), I see less total hotel listings, there is not a listing for the primary star level and zone I am interested and prices for some hotels I believe I have identified for January compared to the other earlier months are much higher. However, I do see some good deals - but mainly at the 3* and lower ratings. I have made some unsuccessful bids on Priceline in the WDW zone for my dates in the price ranges I have seen for other successful bids on this board and have not even obtained a counteroffer at this point.

For a couple overnight stays I have in early October in Cincinnati and Columbus, I did make bids on PRICELINE in late July and mid-August respectively, and I feel I got pretty good prices in both instances. I have also not noticed any significant changes in the Hotwire prices for these stays from when I made the succesful bids on Priceline compared to now (I am about 2-1/2 to 3 weeks outs from these overnight stays). Although after I made the succesful bid on Priceline for the Columbus overnight stay, I did notice that a listing I was looking at on Hotwire did drop about $15. It is still $6 higher than my Priceline bid, but it is a hotel (if I have identified properly) I would have preferred to the one I won on PRICELINE.

I do not think it hurts to look early on HOTWIRE or make bids on PRICELINE early at a price you would be happy, but I think for my Orlando trip I am still a little too far away to get the deal I am hoping I will get.

[OutSider]

Thanks for that post taliategan, very well thought out and informative. I personally feel that its a tad too early for the deals in my travel dates to appear but I still look. You never know right?