Can't believe the prices

[LuvLDM]

I haven't seen lower rates in years, but it's also why we've decided to only rent DVC points and that's that. Better rooms for much better value.

I agree, renting points is an excellent option. Much better value in my opinion.

Prices are absurd. I love all the moderates but I’m not paying $250+ to stay there.

 

[MillauFr]

Disneyland is much more affordable

 

[gottalovepluto]

Alas, I think this is the crux...The new wait times to even look at hotel prices = the appearance of high(er) demand.

Manipulating/inflating wait times to increase demand is an illusion game WDW has been playing for many years.

Also Disney has crap IT…

 

[MuppetFan418]

Just a thought, try and find convention schedules and see about booking under them. I host a convention once a year at WDW and also a couple board meetings, and I always get great rates! Our early December GF convention has a rate of $251 per night. GF is pretty much sold out for our dates and when they did have GV availability it was over $800 per night. Ugh! CL is $1400+! I had $191 rates at CSR last month........anyway, I know there's a website that lists upcoming conventions, and maybe check the Exhibitors website for a resort room booking link. We all have minimum nights we're contracted to sell, so you can bet I'll be posting here later in the year if I don't get my rooms sold.

Agree--I searched high and low for a conference for my dates a few weeks ago. Can't help but wonder, though, what happens if the conference is cancelled due to COVID? Would folks lose their reservation?

 

[tup1830]

Keep in mind, the prices are crazy, and they don't have proper daily housekeeping (if you want it). Other hotels will still come into the room and make your bed and do a proper cleaning

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Keep in mind, the prices are crazy, and they don't have proper daily housekeeping (if you want it). Other hotels will still come into the room and make your bed and do a proper cleaning

I'll take the lack of housekeeping for the convenience of being onsite. And I stayed off property for years before I was able to afford staying onsite. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Spazz2k]

We live in Florida and everything here is getting super expensive...from housing, to rent, to groceries are going up up up.

So just to compare...try booking a room in Clearwater Beach...Middle of the road hotels are $300+ with most good hotels around 475+ fees and tax it is crazy right now

Just the way it goes...but if you keep checking...deals pop up. Next week we are staying at CSR for $175 a night

 

[Laurieannc]

Can someone please tell me how to find out about when and where these conferences are taking place? TIA!

 

[dreynolds1982]

Yeah unfortunately it's a product of demand. The prices are wild. Good thing is, one would hope that we're reaching a bubble-bursting point and the market will correct, but then again, the way pricing is going with lots of things out there, who knows.

I'm a huge Disney fan obviously and my wife and I are doing a Disney trip in late March in combo with a DCL for my 40th. It's pricey, but worth the money for me. THAT being said, we've also stayed at the Royal Pacific at Universal and I've stayed at Cabana Bay in the past as well. Both are fantastic resorts, especially the Royal Pacific. Do they have the "magic" or Disney feel? Nah, but they are still very very nice and more affordable. The Royal Pacific is like if a Westin and the Poly had a baby haha.

I think a lot of Disney fans think it has to be Disney vs Universal. I say, enjoy both of them. They are both great resorts/parks for different reasons and people should experience all that's out there. It doesn't have to be one or the other. Also, I'm a big proponent of smaller local/regional parks and think they deserve some love too but that's another discussion for another day

 

[a1tinkfans]

And the Cream on Top…
The Site Itself is not even working.. pathetic IT
says to .. be patient, my wait is 7 minutes..
Try online chat, over 2.5 hours HOLD, to have them jump on, say they were sorry to miss me and I could try back
Gotta laugh… or just Give Up

 

[DodgerGirl]

The main problem that Walt Disney World has always had with it's resorts is not only does Disney raise prices every year for it's resorts but they have to share competition with the other Good Neighbor hotels in Walt Disney World's area like Buena Vista Palace and Regal Sun Resort and many other hotels in Orlando. And the most simple answer that many travel agents advise is if you're heading to Walt Disney World wisely the most common answer is "when a deal presents itself grab it while you can" And when you have rewards points to use at any off-site hotel such as Best Western Wyndham Marriott or Holiday Inn when you can't find a room at any Disney Resort these rewards clubs can save you money. Also another reason why Disney Resorts raise their prices and sell out of rooms faster is during times when they have huge events and happenings like companies such as Orkin Pest Control and Quaker Oats and Apple will often hold regional meetings and training seminars for their workers at these resorts and the same thing with cheerleading and dance teams and also if you look at the weekend that the Daytona 500 starts the rooms sell out quickly too. But for most people who want to go to Walt Disney World and want to stay in a resort try to always travel smart and do NOT panic if your resort is sold out and like riding a bike keep on trying until you get the right deal. But I think once Spring hits you will start seeing a lot of deals especially during Easter weekend and another piece of advice that gets overlooked by people is that if they are 55 and over AARP does offer senior discounts for Disney Resorts and seniors can also get into the parks with special deals that the resorts offer. But for people I think the prices will go lower as Fall and Summer debut because that's the most busy times for the parks

 

[cindyfan]

Agree.... prices have gotten just plain ridiculous!!
And the new "discount"?!?! So for a value resort... use for example Pop Century.... Only $20 per night?....... At best... you can save a mere 9.4% for the least expensive room during the "regular" season. The new discount does not include any value seasons. The worst .... you'd only save 6.1%!!! Really!?!?! It is a joke!

 

[chimo2u]

Disneyland is much more affordable

I must say, I disagree with that statement! I went to DL for my birthday in Sept 2019 prior to all this Covid world. I usually always stay CL at WDW at and I was floored at the rates at DL. We paid $10,000 for our family of 4 for 5 nights at Grand Californian hotel with Club level and 5 day tickets. It was way pricier I found! Although WDW right now is crazy pricey..... we are paying $3200 for 3 nights in WL CL with 2 day park tickets, no hopper this time and Genie plus. We will still need to pay extra for the lightning lane for ROTR ... it's nickel and diming at every turn!

 

[MillauFr]

I must say, I disagree with that statement! I went to DL for my birthday in Sept 2019 prior to all this Covid world. I usually always stay CL at WDW at and I was floored at the rates at DL. We paid $10,000 for our family of 4 for 5 nights at Grand Californian hotel with Club level and 5 day tickets. It was way pricier I found! Although WDW right now is crazy pricey..... we are paying $3200 for 3 nights in WL CL with 2 day park tickets, no hopper this time and Genie plus. We will still need to pay extra for the lightning lane for ROTR ... it's nickel and diming at every turn!

The big difference between the two parks is that staying onsite in Florida is way more convenient. In California the offsite hotels are actually closer to the front gate than the Disneyland hotel. You can walk to the front gate in 10 minutes. The added cost for the Grand really doesn't pencil out in any sort of cost benefit analysis. I am a bit shocked that they can inflate the prices at the Grand so much for little added benefit and still keep the rooms filled.

 

[chimo2u]

The big difference between the two parks is that staying onsite in Florida is way more convenient. In California the offsite hotels are actually closer to the front gate than the Disneyland hotel. You can walk to the front gate in 10 minutes. The added cost for the Grand really doesn't pencil out in any sort of cost benefit analysis. I am a bit shocked that they can inflate the prices at the Grand so much for little added benefit and still keep the rooms filled.

I must say though that on my trip in 2019 I was soooo happy that we where staying at the Grand because to me, it felt so much closer due to its dedicated entrance in the park. I was so happy I didn't have to walk to the promenade and out the front doors of the park to get to a hotel, and I could just scoot in through the private entrance by grizzly river rapids (??) and get to my hotel. that trip about did me in for walking and how sore my body was!

 

[Cheburashka]

I just looked at the prices for a short stay in March and my eyes almost popped out of my head.
How does an average family afford hotel prices like that? Granted the cheapest room available for my dates was Coronado, but still. I've stayed there before at around $200 a night... it was now $370 per night. It's a room... nothing special. WOW
Don't even look at the Deluxe resorts.. $1000 + a night, what the heck.
What am I not getting?

International travel is extremely difficult right now, cruising is risky because you have to test negative right before sailing, airline tickets to Hawaii have stratospherically shot up in price, and many nice continental U.S. destinations are closed or extremely restrictive due to Covid policies.

When vacation options are fewer, the remaining options can charge a lot more.

 

[sp'smom]

Just a thought, try and find convention schedules and see about booking under them. I host a convention once a year at WDW and also a couple board meetings, and I always get great rates! Our early December GF convention has a rate of $251 per night. GF is pretty much sold out for our dates and when they did have GV availability it was over $800 per night. Ugh! CL is $1400+! I had $191 rates at CSR last month........anyway, I know there's a website that lists upcoming conventions, and maybe check the Exhibitors website for a resort room booking link. We all have minimum nights we're contracted to sell, so you can bet I'll be posting here later in the year if I don't get my rooms sold.

You are ok with people booking who are not attending the convention? Is that common?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

You are ok with people booking who are not attending the convention? Is that common?

No, it’s not common. And FYI, offering links as was suggested by posters above would be against DISBoard policy.

 

[mom2rtk]

After the sticker shock at Disney hotel prices, I did do some research on Universal hotel prices.
Wow what a difference. Not cheap, but reasonable prices.
Packages that are affordable including many perks for staying onsite, unlike Disney anymore.
I'm curious how long Disney can keep this up before people just stop paying those prices.

Be sure to check out AP hotel rates as well. Depending on your dates, you can get an AP for around the price of a 3 day park to park ticket, then use that AP for a hotel discount. We stayed at Hard Rock (with free express pass) for $262/night a few weeks ago.

ETA: I see this has been discussed. And I had no problem actually finding and booking an AP rate. But I was watching every day for them to be released. If we hadn't, the room was still much more affordable than a deluxe resort at WDW. When you add in the price of EP, it's a no brainer.

 

[Pickles516]

Maybe chill......anyway, what might be worse than my pos,t is the fact that when these wedding couples/and or convention folks sign contracts for these room blocks, and if they don't meet the minimum contracted room nights booked, guess who pays? Imagine having half your wedding money go to WDW cause you have unallocated rooms in your block. Ouch. Anyway, been doing Conventions at WDW for 18 years and would never have a problem with a non-convention attendees book from my block, helps my numbers and allows a Disney lover to get a good deal. :-D

That must be a really big or expensive wedding, because I’m attending a wedding at GF in March and the wedding block rates for CR and CBR are both more than that.