How do you find the best rates for hotels or rental homes?

[Tigger Trainer]

What are your methods for finding the best lodging rates. We are a family of 7 so I am just trying to find ways to get the best hotel or vacation home rates. Looking about 1 year out.

 

[Geemo]

What are your methods for finding the best lodging rates. We are a family of 7 so I am just trying to find ways to get the best hotel or vacation home rates. Looking about 1 year out.

All you can do is search around for what will work for your family.
Besides "best lodging rate" and "family of 7", what other needs are there?

Book early for the lowest nightly rate. Some hotels have their booking calendar open for Jan 2019.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Anaheim Desert inn & suites is your best bet. About a year out will
Be cheapest.

 

[HuskyGal]

May I piggyback onto your question I booked courtyard many months ago but then disney released their deals a few months ago for February. Is there any predictability to their deals, are they always released at the same time?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

There has been some issue with short term rentals in Anaheim, so be careful about renting homes this far out. I think the city council was supposed to ban the practice after 2/2018, but there were so many applications for hardship exemptions that this has been put on hold. Still, there are good and bad reports from people here about their experiences with renting homes. And now that the security boundaries have changed and you can no longer cut through the M&F parking lot to get to the tram (making the walk rather far, even if the location looks close on a map), it is even more important to be extra careful about the fine print in looking at home rentals near the parks.
There are more hotels with suites now (and more of these are quite new) near the parks. Also look in surrounding cities, like Garden Grove. GG has hotels only a mile south of the parks on Harbor, but the rates can be much lower than Anaheim rates.

 

[Geemo]

May I piggyback onto your question I booked courtyard many months ago but then disney released their deals a few months ago for February. Is there any predictability to their deals, are they always released at the same time?

Are you asking about Disney releasing deals?
I've been tracking Disney's room promotions since September 2017.
These are the two I've found.
Released September 6, 2017
https://www.disboards.com/threads/special-room-promotions-for-oct-22nd-dec-21st-are-out.3632204/
Released October 25, 2017
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dlr-room-promotions-are-out-for-jan-7th-to-apr-12th-2018.3643060/

Disney released 2017 January to April promo on October 25, 2016.
I try to go to DLR every January, so I actively watch for Disney room specials for this time frame.

I wondered the same thing so now I actively check Disney's website for specials.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/offers-discounts/

I'm hoping to find a trend with Disney's room promotions.

Geemo

 

[darph nader]

I'll check rates online and then call the hotel directly,,,no #800s. Tend to get a better deal that way. Your mileage may vary.

 

[HuskyGal]

Are you asking about Disney releasing deals?
I've been tracking Disney's room promotions since September 2017.
These are the two I've found.
Released September 6, 2017
https://www.disboards.com/threads/special-room-promotions-for-oct-22nd-dec-21st-are-out.3632204/
Released October 25, 2017
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dlr-room-promotions-are-out-for-jan-7th-to-apr-12th-2018.3643060/

Disney released 2017 January to April promo on October 25, 2016.
I try to go to DLR every January, so I actively watch for Disney room specials for this time frame.

I wondered the same thing so now I actively check Disney's website for specials.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/offers-discounts/

I'm hoping to find a trend with Disney's room promotions.

Geemo

Yes! Thank you so much!

 

[ludari]

When booking rooms I often use my company corporate discount code or my AAA card for better rates. Also you may want to consider changing a credit card to obtain points for a particular hotel (they may have bonus points if you sign up). You may also want to check out the DVC page to see who might be selling points that you can use to stay at Grand California. Good luck.

 

[HuskyGal]

Are you asking about Disney releasing deals?
I've been tracking Disney's room promotions since September 2017.
These are the two I've found.
Released September 6, 2017
https://www.disboards.com/threads/special-room-promotions-for-oct-22nd-dec-21st-are-out.3632204/
Released October 25, 2017
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dlr-room-promotions-are-out-for-jan-7th-to-apr-12th-2018.3643060/

Disney released 2017 January to April promo on October 25, 2016.
I try to go to DLR every January, so I actively watch for Disney room specials for this time frame.

I wondered the same thing so now I actively check Disney's website for specials.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/offers-discounts/

I'm hoping to find a trend with Disney's room promotions.

Geemo

One more question: do you book as soon as available then apply the deal after you’ve already booked or do you wait until disney announces the deal then book your room? I’m thinking book as soon as possible...

 

[Geemo]

One more question: do you book as soon as available then apply the deal after you’ve already booked or do you wait until disney announces the deal then book your room? I’m thinking book as soon as possible...

I pick my travel dates and book a room at one of the DLR hotels.
Then I sit back and wait for a special to appear.

Just because I have a room booked doesn't mean I'll get an adjustment if the rate goes down.
Disney only sets aside so many rooms at the special rate. If I call for an adjustment early on when it comes out, I get it.
If I call and the numbers of rooms in the special are booked, I wouldn't get a credit.

The other trend I've noticed is the specials have been coming out on a Wednesday.
When I see the next room promotion I'll make a new thread sharing the info here.

Geemo

 

[HuskyGal]

I pick my travel dates and book a room at one of the DLR hotels.
Then I sit back and wait for a special to appear.

Just because I have a room booked doesn't mean I'll get an adjustment if the rate goes down.
Disney only sets aside so many rooms at the special rate. If I call for an adjustment early on when it comes out, I get it.
If I call and the numbers of rooms in the special are booked, I wouldn't get a credit.

The other trend I've noticed is the specials have been coming out on a Wednesday.
When I see the next room promotion I'll make a new thread sharing the info here.

Geemo

Got it. Thanks for the info!