Priceline express deals

[Msinnott43]

Thanks for posting this, I have been checking daily on the express deals trying to see if I can snag a cheap room for the nite we getting in. So far noting for my dates yet. Right now I went ahead and booked Disney Caribbean Beach Resort got that nite at 216$.

 

[mgf]

Does anyone have a sense for how/when inventory is added to the Express deals? I've got a reservation for 11/11 and 11/12 but would like to add 11/10 if possible. Disney's own system is showing very low inventory during those dates but at the same time I have a bounce back offer (that admittedly excludes weekends) for that same period. We went last year at the same time and had lots of flexibility on resort location and pricing -- even rebooked a couple of times to lower costs.

Has something changed for that time frame or does Disney hold back inventory across the board during heavy promo periods?

 

[Msinnott43]

I would just keep checking not sure how they release rooms to priceline. I have seen them on there thru the end of December.

 

[bee]

I shared this thread with my brother and he was able to get the Dolphin with an Express Deal using these tips (Sadly I don’t get to join him ). Thanks everyone!

 

[spmonilp]

I think it's their code that the room wasn't booked through Disney. When I checked in, the CM knew I had booked through Priceline. Also very interesting - not sure if this is because it is relatively new - but we were not charged for parking when we stayed at CBR after booking through Priceline. I was expecting the charge, but did not get it.

Were you traveling with more than 2 in your party? Priceline books the room for 2. Is it a problem to call to add ADDITIONAL CHILDREN (up to 2) to the reservation. If the children are not on the reservation they will not get Magic bands or be eligible for Extra Magic Hours,

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Were you traveling with more than 2 in your party? Priceline books the room for 2. Is it a problem to call to add ADDITIONAL CHILDREN (up to 2) to the reservation. If the children are not on the reservation they will not get Magic bands or be eligible for Extra Magic Hours,

So I think I can help you with this. I booked a room at ALK through Priceline then realized that I forgot to add my kid and the reservation on MDE just listed adults. I did a chat with Priceline and she called over to AKL who told her that I could contact them and that she can be added but it may be an additional cost. I ended up cancelling the Priceline reservation, as Disney was offering the same rate and I can pay for it with my Disney Visa. What I would do is call the hotel before booking to see if there is a cost associated with adding a child on a reservation. We stayed in New Orleans at the JW Mariott, which I booked as an Express Deal, and didnt have to pay for the kids, but I think thats because kids under 12 stay free at Mariott's anyway.

 

[slappy magoo]

Welp, not to hijack the thread but I'd appreciate feedback

I didn't take advantage of any express deal, but in a prior thread I mentioned that I had extended our trip an additional night so we can be there for the beginning of the Food and Wine Festival, moving to Beach Club from Bay Lake.

Never thought to look or book via Priceline. Turns out they had a room at Beach Club for $90 less than what we booked via Disney direct.

Now granted, it was a standard room at Priceline, versus a "Water view" room at Disney. But we don't know what the water view could be. It could be Stormalong. Could be the lake. Could be the quiet pool.

But the standard room wasn't even an option direct from Disney. I guess priceline buys blocks of room effectively taking them off the market for anyone else including Disney?

The 90 bucks will pay for the character breakfast the next day though. And my two biggest concerns were addressed through Priceline Customer Service...
1: Even though I specified we were a party of 2 adults and 2 kids, our itinerary only specified 2 adults. I was worried we'd therefore get a king sized bed assigned to us causing us grief later.
2: We wouldn't be able to link our priceline reservation to our Disney account, so we'd have to check in in person, get new wristbands or cards for the night, not have a credit card on file etc.

As you can tell I don't really book via priceline all that much.

But our priceline reservation is now connected to the rest of our trip. I was able to decline wristbands and merge it with the rest of our trip, my card's still on file, and since they know we're a party of 4 they know we'll need a room with 2 queen beds.

The only potential "drag" is the standard view vs. water view. As a result I haven't yet canceled my original reservation and I have a few days before I have to.

Do any of you think for a one night trip extension, the water view is worth it, especially not knowing what water you'll be viewing?
I also worried that if we're overlooking Stormalong or Crescent Lake, there might be more foot traffic and thus more outside noise. But are there Standard views that are noisy?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[Tuvalu]

Welp, not to hijack the thread but I'd appreciate feedback

I didn't take advantage of any express deal, but in a prior thread I mentioned that I had extended our trip an additional night so we can be there for the beginning of the Food and Wine Festival, moving to Beach Club from Bay Lake.

Never thought to look or book via Priceline. Turns out they had a room at Beach Club for $90 less than what we booked via Disney direct.

Now granted, it was a standard room at Priceline, versus a "Water view" room at Disney. But we don't know what the water view could be. It could be Stormalong. Could be the lake. Could be the quiet pool.

But the standard room wasn't even an option direct from Disney. I guess priceline buys blocks of room effectively taking them off the market for anyone else including Disney?

The 90 bucks will pay for the character breakfast the next day though. And my two biggest concerns were addressed through Priceline Customer Service...
1: Even though I specified we were a party of 2 adults and 2 kids, our itinerary only specified 2 adults. I was worried we'd therefore get a king sized bed assigned to us causing us grief later.
2: We wouldn't be able to link our priceline reservation to our Disney account, so we'd have to check in in person, get new wristbands or cards for the night, not have a credit card on file etc.

As you can tell I don't really book via priceline all that much.

But our priceline reservation is now connected to the rest of our trip. I was able to decline wristbands and merge it with the rest of our trip, my card's still on file, and since they know we're a party of 4 they know we'll need a room with 2 queen beds.

The only potential "drag" is the standard view vs. water view. As a result I haven't yet canceled my original reservation and I have a few days before I have to.

Do any of you think for a one night trip extension, the water view is worth it, especially not knowing what water you'll be viewing?
I also worried that if we're overlooking Stormalong or Crescent Lake, there might be more foot traffic and thus more outside noise. But are there Standard views that are noisy?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

Our 3rd Floor standard view last month

The room was in the front of the resort and the stones are on a roof covering service areas.

It was a very quiet location but a long walk from the elevator.

One of two long hallways we had to use.

But due to the resort layout, even rooms with views can be a long walk from the elevator or lobby.

We stayed in this room 5 nights. For one night I would definitely stay standard to save $90.

 

[KIsAPrincess]

Were you traveling with more than 2 in your party? Priceline books the room for 2. Is it a problem to call to add ADDITIONAL CHILDREN (up to 2) to the reservation. If the children are not on the reservation they will not get Magic bands or be eligible for Extra Magic Hours,

We were a party of 4. I assumed that my reservation was for all of us. (We are passholders, so my children already had magic bands). The CM just added the girls to the reservation, updated their bands so they could unlock the doors and we went on with our day. We had no problem.

 

[BuddyThomas]

After you have paid. I have an algorithim that I use and it worked for me a few weeks ago when I booked a room in New Orleans. First, you find an express deal in the price range you want. Priceline gives you the price, the percentage savings, area, and usually there will be a little pop up that says 'someone just paid xyz for this hotel'. I take that information and begin to narrow down the results. I go back to the results page, and narrow down beginning with the area. Once you have filtered it by area, I then filter by stars and guest reviews, you can then try and see if one of the listed prices matches what 'xyz paid'. For example, if on the mystery deal it says that someone paid $100 for this hotel, there should be a result that is or close to $100. If there are more options, filter even more. If the mystery rate is $75 with a 25% discount, you would know that the hotel is listed normally for $100. I also find it easy to filter results faster with free parking or breakfast options. You know that Disney hotels won't have a free breakfast option, so you can rule out those mystery deals. The express deals won't show you any of the reviews, but they will say '763 reviews' you can then look for hotels with 700+ reviews. It sounds much more complicated than it is, but we were able to save 50% on our hotel in New Orleans using this trick. Of course I still hold my breath, but it works.

This is great information. Thanks for taking the time to post this!

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

This is great information. Thanks for taking the time to post this!

When looking for a room last week I was able to figure out which room was the Swan. If anyone ever needs any help I definitely don't mind trying to help you figure out which hotel may be the one you are looking for.

 

[Tomi-Rocket]

After you have paid. I have an algorithim that I use and it worked for me a few weeks ago when I booked a room in New Orleans. First, you find an express deal in the price range you want. Priceline gives you the price, the percentage savings, area, and usually there will be a little pop up that says 'someone just paid xyz for this hotel'. I take that information and begin to narrow down the results. I go back to the results page, and narrow down beginning with the area. Once you have filtered it by area, I then filter by stars and guest reviews, you can then try and see if one of the listed prices matches what 'xyz paid'. For example, if on the mystery deal it says that someone paid $100 for this hotel, there should be a result that is or close to $100. If there are more options, filter even more. If the mystery rate is $75 with a 25% discount, you would know that the hotel is listed normally for $100. I also find it easy to filter results faster with free parking or breakfast options. You know that Disney hotels won't have a free breakfast option, so you can rule out those mystery deals. The express deals won't show you any of the reviews, but they will say '763 reviews' you can then look for hotels with 700+ reviews. It sounds much more complicated than it is, but we were able to save 50% on our hotel in New Orleans using this trick. Of course I still hold my breath, but it works.

And people say it’s “too much trouble” to make ADR’s and FP’s for a WDW vacation....

 

[deeevo]

These are the descriptions you will see and which resort you should get:​

Value:​

​

Pop - This vibrant, lively property boasts beautifully landscaped grounds.​

​

AoA - Enjoy kid-focused colorful, fun indoor and outdoor spaces here.​

​

All-Star Movies - Take advantage of the walking trail and lovely pools at this centrally located lodging.​

​

All-Star Sports - Get active on the sports courts at this location close to the best attractions.​

​

Moderate:​

​

POFQ - Enjoy jazzy evening entertainment at this well-designed resort.​

​

POR - Find lots of amenities amid the Southern style at this upscale resort.​

​

CBR - Numerous pools and lush surroundings are hallmarks of this tropically inspired spot.​

​

Deluxe:​

​

Boardwalk Inn - The kids will love the super pool at this resort with plenty of old-fashioned charm.​

​

Beach Club/Yacht Club - Enjoy the water features and dining at this Orlando resort.​

​

AKL - Breathtaking décor and plenty of entertainment options welcome you to this unique property.​

​

Poly - Soak in the waterside views and tropical decor close to area attractions.​

​

GF - Pamper yourself in the smartly designed rooms or at the spa of this grand choice.​

​

Deluxe/Other:​

​

Dolphin - Both the decor and varied recreation options are fun and colorful here.​

​

Swan - You'll be wowed by this property's contemporary rooms and verdant grounds.​

​

Has anyone ever booked Poly or GF using Priceline express deal? Also I saw a 5* on Priceline in the Disney Springs area and Hotel Canary said it might be Four Seasons. I wonder if that is possible.

 

[Msinnott43]

I booked Disney Caribbean beach resort Priceline a couple weeks ago. It only showed me and my husband in the DME app and I was afraid when we got there we would have problems without my kids on the room. I called Priceline and they got a hold of Disney all of us are on the room now yay.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Has anyone ever booked Poly or GF using Priceline express deal? Also I saw a 5* on Priceline in the Disney Springs area and Hotel Canary said it might be Four Seasons. I wonder if that is possible.

I am curious about this one too, specifically The Four Seasons. I love that place!

 

[Epcotfan21]

I am curious about this one too, specifically The Four Seasons. I love that place!

I saw this too and Hotel Canary said it was more likely the Waldorf and not the Four Seasons. Something like 85% accurate. Plus the price of the room made me feel like it was more likely to be the Waldorf.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

I saw this too and Hotel Canary said it was more likely the Waldorf and not the Four Seasons. Something like 85% accurate. Plus the price of the room made me feel like it was more likely to be the Waldorf.

I thought that too and didn’t it. Not that the Waldorf isn’t great, but I love the Four Seasons and didn’t want to be disappointed.

 

[Msinnott43]

I just found a nice loophole with booking a night at the beginning of your Disney stay with Priceline you get to book fastpasses a day early. I wasn’t suppose to get to do my fastpasses until tomm. I went into to see how it works and I was able to pick them tonight score I don’t have to get up at 550am.

 

[eb3257]

I've looked into the Priceline express deals a little and wondered if anyone could offer any advice on location. Some of the locations say Bonnet Creek, Disney Springs area, Lake Buena Vista, etc. I know these could all end up being on Disney property but are there any areas that might ensure this more? Thank you in advance!!

 

[disneyworlddad]

I've looked into the Priceline express deals a little and wondered if anyone could offer any advice on location. Some of the locations say Bonnet Creek, Disney Springs area, Lake Buena Vista, etc. I know these could all end up being on Disney property but are there any areas that might ensure this more? Thank you in advance!!

I think Bonnet Creek and Disney Springs are the only ones that will give you an actual Disney resort. I just did a disney springs deal and got B resort. It was pretty nice. Just be prepared for the $30 a night resort fee and $22 a day parking fee as well, not included in your priceline express deal.