Priceline Express Deals

[MusicalAstronaut]

HW and PL are not currently needed to fill excess inventory. Disney is using Free Dining, AP discounts of up to 40% in late April thru June 30 to meet their inventory loads directly. The same cycle has happened before and I expect it will return again unless SW GE breaks everything.

Dave

Last year my AP discounts were abysmal - the worst one was a whopping 4% off, lol. I guess I'll keep waiting for Star Wars to open & the hype to die down before I can go back.

 

[Renee1061]

I have a Priceline reservation for AKL in September. On the Priceline website, it gives me an option of adding a day. I am thinking about doing this. If I do, will the dates automatically update in MDE, or wil I have to link again? It almost took an act of Congress to add another person to my original reservation, so if adding a day is going to cause similar problems, I probably won't even try it.

 

[mum22girlz]

I have a Priceline reservation for AKL in September. On the Priceline website, it gives me an option of adding a day. I am thinking about doing this. If I do, will the dates automatically update in MDE, or wil I have to link again? It almost took an act of Congress to add another person to my original reservation, so if adding a day is going to cause similar problems, I probably won't even try it.

I added two days to my reservation. The add on will be treated as a totally different reservation. I had to add contact Priceline and Disney to add my family. It went so smoothly for the first reservation, but not quite as smooth for the add-on days. I also show two reservations in MDE.

 

[Renee1061]

I added two days to my reservation. The add on will be treated as a totally different reservation. I had to add contact Priceline and Disney to add my family. It went so smoothly for the first reservation, but not quite as smooth for the add-on days. I also show two reservations in MDE.

Thanks! I think if I decide to add days, I'll just do a split stay and book through Disney. The only way I would book another Priceline Express deal is if there are just two of us.

 

[MermaidMommy]

I've been watching for Priceline rooms for May for the last few months. I've never seen anything come up but either Swan/Dolphin or Wyndham/Hilton Bonnet Creek. Until tonight.

Tonight, I finally a choice that Hotel Canary says is a Disney hotel, but the catch is that it's for $757/nt! According to Hotel Canary, it's YC, BC, WL, CR, Poly, BWI, BWV, AKL, or Boulder Ridge. 8+ star rating, 10% off, Pool, Restaurant, Internet. (Dates are 5/15-5/19.)

Obviously, not going to book this, since I could get a better rate direct from Disney. However, is it positive at all that there is a Disney hotel on Priceline again -- finally?

 

[atykay]

I saw a couple Disney resorts pop up for my dates on Hotwire yesterday but now see a new one on PL. it’s so hard for me to tell what’s what on PL though. Can someone help me identify this one:
4/20-4/26
3.5* $129 save 46%
Outdoor Pool
Free Internet
Restaurant
Indoor/outdoor pool

 

[CosmicGirl]

I saw a couple Disney resorts pop up for my dates on Hotwire yesterday but now see a new one on PL. it’s so hard for me to tell what’s what on PL though. Can someone help me identify this one:
4/20-4/26
3.5* $129 save 46%
Outdoor Pool
Free Internet
Restaurant
Indoor/outdoor pool

I'd say it's CSR or CBR with CSR being more likely.

 

[momofkids]

These aren't express deals, but everyone here seems to have a good idea on what great deals are. We are considering deluxe for the first time. I found Grand Floridian for $381/night and Animal Kingdom Lodge for $248/night in June. Both are before taxes. Is one of these a better deal than the other? Either can be cancelled 5 days out if we find a better Express deal.

 

[Ashley Marie]

I saw a couple Disney resorts pop up for my dates on Hotwire yesterday but now see a new one on PL. it’s so hard for me to tell what’s what on PL though. Can someone help me identify this one:
4/20-4/26
3.5* $129 save 46%
Outdoor Pool
Free Internet
Restaurant
Indoor/outdoor pool

This is likely Coronado

 

[Ashley Marie]

These aren't express deals, but everyone here seems to have a good idea on what great deals are. We are considering deluxe for the first time. I found Grand Floridian for $381/night and Animal Kingdom Lodge for $248/night in June. Both are before taxes. Is one of these a better deal than the other? Either can be cancelled 5 days out if we find a better Express deal.

That’s almost 44% off rack rate for AKL and about 46% off rack rate at GF for June rates, so I’d say either one is pretty good! Are these standard rooms? If it’s an upgraded room category, it’s an even better deal.

 

[momofkids]

That’s almost 44% off rack rate for AKL and about 46% off rack rate at GF for June rates, so I’d say either one is pretty good! Are these standard rooms? If it’s an upgraded room category, it’s an even better deal.

I believe that Grand Floridian is a garden view, and I assume AKL is just standard. I'm tempted to do a split stay, but they are a lot of extra work.

 

[Ashley Marie]

I believe that Grand Floridian is a garden view, and I assume AKL is just standard. I'm tempted to do a split stay, but they are a lot of extra work.

We have done split stays and they’re really not bad — Disney moves your luggage for you. The only downside (besides repacking) is that your new hotel room might not be ready until later in the day, so you’d want to plan accordingly.

Both hotels have had better percentages off on PL express deals but there’s no guarantee one of those will pop up.

 

[iujen94]

In the last few days, a couple of posters have mentioned doing split stays. I debated posting this here because I do NOT want to derail this thread, but I don’t want any of you to be blindsided either. In the last month, Disney has made some changes to the FP system. As a result, FPs can no longer be booked for the entire split stay when the booking window opens for the first part of the stay. You’ll have two separate FP booking windows - one that opens 60 days before your first checkin date, and one that opens 60 days before your second checkin date. The FP FAQ over on the TPAS board has been updated to reflect this change. Again, just didn’t want anyone to be very unpleasantly surprised when their FP booking window opens, because Disney has not publicized this massive change to the system.

 

[siren0119]

In the last few days, a couple of posters have mentioned doing split stays. I debated posting this here because I do NOT want to derail this thread, but I don’t want any of you to be blindsided either. In the last month, Disney has made some changes to the FP system. As a result, FPs can no longer be booked for the entire split stay when the booking window opens for the first part of the stay. You’ll have two separate FP booking windows - one that opens 60 days before your first checkin date, and one that opens 60 days before your second checkin date. The FP FAQ over on the TPAS board has been updated to reflect this change. Again, just didn’t want anyone to be very unpleasantly surprised when their FP booking window opens, because Disney has not publicized this massive change to the system.

True. And just to point it out, this was already how ADR's worked with split stays.

 

[JJTNY]

I've been watching for Priceline rooms for May for the last few months. I've never seen anything come up but either Swan/Dolphin or Wyndham/Hilton Bonnet Creek. Until tonight.

Tonight, I finally a choice that Hotel Canary says is a Disney hotel, but the catch is that it's for $757/nt! According to Hotel Canary, it's YC, BC, WL, CR, Poly, BWI, BWV, AKL, or Boulder Ridge. 8+ star rating, 10% off, Pool, Restaurant, Internet. (Dates are 5/15-5/19.)

Obviously, not going to book this, since I could get a better rate direct from Disney. However, is it positive at all that there is a Disney hotel on Priceline again -- finally?

I've been watching various dates for awhile - when all of the deals in January passed and the AK Villa Jambo deals in summer went away, PE continued to have quite a few high cost ($600s - $1100s) Disney deluxe "deals" out there.

But, today's appearance of some actual deals in the Spring are a good sign!

 

[keishashadow]

You want to look at either Bonnet Creek or Disney Springs on both HW and PL. PL usually only lists three amenities for Disney properties - restaurant, pool, and free internet. HW usually has Disney properties as receiving airport shuttle service. With either, if there's any kind of mandatory fee on the booking page or some other resort fee, it's definitely not Disney.

Having said that, I see on the regular deals CSR for $195/night and Pop for $177. I don't see any express deals for Disney properties for those dates. Looks like B Resort in Disney Springs is $97/night though.

Ok, are these the current things to look for (things have changed since my last go-round):

Search Bonnet Creek or Disney Springs

Priceline lists 3 amenities for WDW: restaurant, pool & free internet

Hotwire: free airport shuttle (only or should the PL ones above be listed too?)

No mandatory fees/resort fee?

 

[JJTNY]

Ok, are these the current things to look for (things have changed since my last go-round):

Search Bonnet Creek or Disney Springs

Priceline lists 3 amenities for WDW: restaurant, pool & free internet

Hotwire: free airport shuttle (only or should the PL ones above be listed too?)

No mandatory fees/resort fee?

For Priceline you've got most of the info, but note that they split pool into 2 amenities now. Plus there are a couple of resorts that have different amenities. Below is info from a post I wrote last month earlier in this thread for reference:

Just wanted to throw a note in the thread for posterity: PE has recently changed things up a little and Disney properties have pool split into 2 amenities now.
So, for most Disney resorts it looks like 4 amenities: Free Internet Access, Restaurant, Outdoor Swimming Pool, Swimming Pool.
(In some cases one might also see a "bed choice" icon if that is available for the deal.)

Exceptions to the rule above are Saratoga Springs, which does not have does NOT have Restaurant showing on Express Deals, and AK Villas - Jambo House, which in addition to the 4 amenities above has Airport Shuttle, Fitness Center, and Spa.
(Besides that difference, Jambo Villas listings are easy to spot since it is the only 4.5* resort in Bonnet Creek that has NO guest rating at all.)

 

[keishashadow]

For Priceline you've got most of the info, but note that they split pool into 2 amenities now. Plus there are a couple of resorts that have different amenities. Below is info from a post I wrote last month earlier in this thread for reference:

Just wanted to throw a note in the thread for posterity: PE has recently changed things up a little and Disney properties have pool split into 2 amenities now.
So, for most Disney resorts it looks like 4 amenities: Free Internet Access, Restaurant, Outdoor Swimming Pool, Swimming Pool.
(In some cases one might also see a "bed choice" icon if that is available for the deal.)

Exceptions to the rule above are Saratoga Springs, which does not have does NOT have Restaurant showing on Express Deals, and AK Villas - Jambo House, which in addition to the 4 amenities above has Airport Shuttle, Fitness Center, and Spa.
(Besides that difference, Jambo Villas listings are easy to spot since it is the only 4.5* resort in Bonnet Creek that has NO guest rating at all.)

Thank you, appreciate it!

Taking a screen shot so I don’t lose this but, IMO, would be great if the 1st post in this thread could be continually updated with the current hints/info.

 

[DrFacilier]

Does "bed choice available" mean it's not Disney? I'm still new at this and I'm trying to simplify my searches.

 

[siren0119]

And now it suddenly makes sense why no good WDW deals have been showing up on PL LOL