Anyone use priceline?

[wdworbust]

I keep seeing people getting fantastic rates (on Hilton in Disney) at priceline. Not a problem, but we would need two rooms, connecting. Is there anyway to guarantee this? I have always been wary of priceline, but the deals are just too hard to resist!

 

[jesserin]

Resist. I urge you. Call Pam from Kingdom Konsultants.. she is much more capable of finding you a legitimate deal... you'll find that priceline, travelocity, and expedia all have great deals (that don't include tax, or other hotel fees) you'd be suprised at how many hotels have seperate fees such as parking (even if you don't have a car), an additional hospitality tax (around 10%)

Imagine our suprise upon checking out of our hotel we had $216 in additional charges that we had no idea about... we had a $10 per day parking feel, $12 per day in additional taxes, and then there was a phone charge of $3 per day - when we didn't touch the phone once...

Online can be legit about 1 in 100x's - Now I'm sure a hundred people will pipe up and say how wonderful online companies are... but you just wait... let them get screwed just one time and you'll be hearing another tune...

There is no way of guarenteeing connecting rooms although you can put in a request.


Trust me, resist. Fight the urge - don't even look for the deals online... just go to Hilton.com and you'll find the best rate guarenteed if you must do things online... they will include all the tax, surcharges, and everything...

Good Luck!

 

[DisneyJill]

I work for Hilton and I STRONGLY recommend that you do NOT use Priceline. If for some reason there is a sellout the evening you arrive, Hilton HHonors members WILL get rooms before you (as will anyone else who has booked at a higher rate) and Priceline reservations are the first to be walked to another hotel. Priceline seems like a great idea, but if you're paying a lower rate, you will not get first choice of rooms and views. PM me if you want more info! :wave:

 

[shakes20]

All right, I'll stick up for Priceline. I've had great experiences everytime that I've used it, often paying less than half of what I found on other websites. Our favorite trick is to put in insanely cheap prices for a hotel in downtown Des Moines (where we live). Since most downtown hotels cater to the business traveler, they will take our bid for a weekend, and we get a cheap mini-vacation at a top notch hotel.
That being said, I have to admit that I agree with the others when it comes to WDW. You are investing enough money for other parts of the vacation that it would be horrible to let the unknown/uncontrollable ruin your trip. I have heard of people getting amazing deals on the Swan/Dolphin resorts, but there is no way of knowing if you will get those or another hotel, and once someone accepts your price, there is no backing out. Priceline has its place, and I will continue to use it for many of my hotel stays, but never for a trip to WDW.
I hope that helps. Feel free to PM me if you want to know any specifics about how I use it and how it has worked for me!

 

[shakes20]

Sorry to double post like this, but here is a link to MouseSavers.com with a section that discusses using Priceline for WDW stays. That might help as well.

http://www.mousesavers.com/nondisney.html

 

[slappy magoo]

The more popular the destination, and the more popular the travel time is, the greater a risk you take using Priceline or other online companies. Orlando is obviously a popular destination, so when were youn planning to travel? If we're talking Easter week or Fourth of July, you're taking some kind of chance, though I won't predict anything as dire as some of the others here.

I used travelocity for airfare only late last August. Not only did I get a great rate, but when the airports closed due to hurricanes and we wound up driving our rental car home, travelocity reimbursed my credit card half the round trip air fare before I even had a chance to call and ask if I would/could get any sort of reimbursement.

 

[wdworbust]

Thanks! We are Hilton Honors member (we are using points for a mommy and daddy vacation only to the bahamas, so most of them are gone).

I don't like taking chances, so I guess I'll skip priceline. We are most likely staying at Port Orleans, but if I could still be in the park, with TWO rooms, that would be fantastic (for the price of one, if the reports are true).

So I'll stick with the known.

Thanks!

 

[coasterphil]

My family used to use Priceline for airfare all the time and ended up getting amazing rates with the name your own price option. The one time we used it for hotels we ended up in a very nice Marriot that was not in the best neighborhood.