Showing up without a reservation

[DLM1980]

I realize staying at WDW is usually a planned out event, but lets say you just show up to a resort, how likely are you to be able to get a room for a night or two without actually calling the reservations line?

Could you get a deal that way by saying something like why let the room go vacant when you can have XX amount from me right now?

I'm just curious if just showing up and playing hotel roulette gets ya a better deal or are disney prices set in stone and they would rather a room go unsold ?

 

[Hopefully]

I realize staying at WDW is usually a planned out event, but lets say you just show up to a resort, how likely are you to be able to get a room for a night or two without actually calling the reservations line?

Could you get a deal that way by saying something like why let the room go vacant when you can have XX amount from me right now?

I'm just curious if just showing up and playing hotel roulette ge
ts ya a better deal or are disney prices set in stone and they would rather a room go unsold ?

No
They would rather a room go unsold

 

[WEDWDW]

but lets say you just show up to a resort, how likely are you to be able to get a room for a night or two without actually calling the reservations line?

Less than zero.

 

[Lynne M]

I realize staying at WDW is usually a planned out event, but lets say you just show up to a resort, how likely are you to be able to get a room for a night or two without actually calling the reservations line?

Could you get a deal that way by saying something like why let the room go vacant when you can have XX amount from me right now?

I'm just curious if just showing up and playing hotel roulette gets ya a better deal or are disney prices set in stone and they would rather a room go unsold ?

If there's a room available, they'll sell it to you, but it will be at rack rate (highest published price). Your best chance at a discount is actually well in advance of your trip.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Disney keep very tight control over discounting, and the desk staff have to work through central reservations to book people who show up. There will be no discount. The assumption is that you won't walk, and if you do, brand integrity has higher value than what you are willing to pay for the room.

 

[cutigerlady]

I have shown up and was able to add a night onto a reservation and they did add the discount I had in the other nights (I didn't ask or was expecting this). We were going to drive down and stay the night off of I75 and we made better time than we thought and realized we would arrive before 10 pm. We were there during one of the slowest weeks of the year which may be why that was possible.

I have learned that it works out better to book a room online and not at the desk for hotel rooms anymore. We stayed just off property once and had I not done that, we would not have had a room.

 

[hertamaniac]

Interesting question. Thinking aloud on this one...

If I was in charge of Disney resort and I saw the occupancy map for that day/night (assuming there are openings), I would consider a discount clock. Start with rack rate until a certain time, then every couple of hours implement a discount rate until a mandated cut-off time.

However, I would not publish/advertise this as the masses would/could assemble the closer to the cut-off.

Of course, the opposite model might work too. The later in the day, the more "desperate" a guest would become to settle in for the night and you could justify the exact opposite as above.

So, in my mind, I would rather have higher nightly revenue than focusing on occupancy % so long as it translates across the resort. But, the counter is that higher occupancy % will contribute higher to overall resort revenue for the "non-lodging" expenses (food/drinks/souvenirs/etc.)

 

[Deb & Bill]

Interesting question. Thinking aloud on this one...

If I was in charge of Disney resort and I saw the occupancy map for that day/night (assuming there are openings), I would start a discount clock. Start with rack rate until a certain time, then every couple of hours start to add a discount rate until a mandated cut-off time.

Of course, the opposite model might work too. The later in the day, the more "desperate" a guest would become to settle in for the night and you could justify the exact opposite as above.

However, I would not publish/advertise this as the masses would/could assemble the closer to the cut-off.

The count down (discount) clock would become public knowledge that very night with social media and the internet.

 

[hertamaniac]

The count down (discount) clock would become public knowledge that very night with social media and the internet.

You could randomize it. If it was broadcast via social media on "that very night" you might see walk in traffic jump up significantly at that resort.

On the other hand, if I was a guest and found out that my neighbor just got a steep discount on a room that I didn't get by being diligent and booking ahead of time, I would be very upset.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

It's difficult enough to actually get on resort property without a reservation... so it's hard to even get to someone to ask! LOL!

So funny enough, we did this on our very first trip several years ago. We were so unprepared and knew nothing about how Disney works. We were planning on making the drive over two days, staying in Ocala or something whenever we felt tired. Well, we didn't feel like stopping so just trucked on to WDW.

Showed up around 5pm and figured we'd just drive up to CR and see if they had a room for the night. WRONG. Weren't getting past security without a reservation! Oops. We ended up sitting in that MK gas station parking lot (used to be a Hess station) calling the reservation line and booked AOA for a night, then drove over. Paid rack rate.

DW and I look back at that and just laugh. We were so dumb, but didn't know any better!

 

[DLM1980]

I dunno, the discount thing sounds great but what I was really wondering is if you could make a same day reservation in person or must you call. I've been to plenty of resorts I don't have resizes for and security just looks at the ID and says go on in

 

[dansdad]

I dunno, the discount thing sounds great but what I was really wondering is if you could make a same day reservation in person or must you call.

If there's availability you can definitely make your reservation in person at the Check In Desk. You do not have to call.

 

[AngiTN]

I dunno, the discount thing sounds great but what I was really wondering is if you could make a same day reservation in person or must you call. I've been to plenty of resorts I don't have resizes for and security just looks at the ID and says go on in

We did this at Poly, more or less.
We were at CSR and didn't want to stay there any more
We went to Poly, checked about moving.
We could, but we would have to pay rack rate.
I could however, stand there in front of them and book a discount rate on my phone, for the same room
So I did that.
I believe as PP stated, at the desk, without another reservation to add on to, they must sell rack rate.
But if you work online or on the phone, and there is a promo offered at at that moment, you can book it

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We did this at Poly, more or less.
We were at CSR and didn't want to stay there any more
We went to Poly, checked about moving.
We could, but we would have to pay rack rate.
I could however, stand there in front of them and book a discount rate on my phone, for the same room
So I did that.
I believe as PP stated, at the desk, without another reservation to add on to, they must sell rack rate.
But if you work online or on the phone, and there is a promo offered at at that moment, you can book it

Yes, I had a similar experience. We had a situation in which we traveled down to WDW 2 days early to avoid Hurricane Isaac as it blew through NY 6 years ago. I was able to book a room for the two nights prior to flying down, but our friend, who was going to travel with us, didn't know if she would be able to get out early. Once we arrived at BC, she called and said she got on a flight. I went to the front desk at BC and they could have given her a room at rack rate, but if I called CRO, I could get a AAA discount (which don't exist anymore, unfortunately!).

 

[Clare Voince]

When I was a kid, we always arrived a day early for our vacation and were able to score a room for that extra night. This was back when the Poly, CR and FW were the only hotels on property and you had to book ages in advance to get a room on site.. Inevitably, someone would have cancelled or left early, and we were always able to get a room at the last minute. No idea what my parents paid for it though. We would just walk up to the Poly desk and ask. Sometimes we would have to change rooms, and once we were only able to get CR Club level... but we always got one.

 

[Nancyg56]

You could randomize it. If it was broadcast via social media on "that very night" you might see walk in traffic jump up significantly at that resort.

On the other hand, if I was a guest and found out that my neighbor just got a steep discount on a room that I didn't get by being diligent and booking ahead of time, I would be very upset.

Random or not, there would be a discussion all over Social Media, and the backlash that would happen if one got a discount and another did not would negate any benefit that came from filling an empty room.

 

[Pooh2]

We recently bought airline tickets 12 hours before the flight but booked Coronado Springs before we left home.
We did get the discount.
Would have been too nervous about arriving without any reservations!
When we arrived, they said they were pretty close to sold out for the weekend.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They would have to have someone (and software) doing active monitoring of social media, with immediate alerts to resort GMs that would then be broadcast to frontline CMs, and possibly influence the rates being offered in the computer system. Across 27 resorts.

This is a lot more complex than people seem to think it is.

 

[BK2014]

Of course, the opposite model might work too. The later in the day, the more "desperate" a guest would become to settle in for the night and you could justify the exact opposite as above.

This is generally the thinking used by the hotel. I have worked at the front desk of a luxury hotel, but not a Disney resort, but I would guess that things are not significantly different when it comes to people walking in or booking at the last minute. From the hotel's perspective, the later the guest (or their call) comes in, the more likely they are to pay whatever rate you quote them, at least for that night. Chances are they are not asking for a room at the last minute if they don't really need some place to stay. If they are in person at the front desk, they will likely not want to drive around until they find something else. If they are tech savvy and can call or look online, they likely have not found any other options, or if they have other options, are still asking at your hotel because that is where they really want to stay. Now, if people were to call a few days ahead, and the hotel was looking to be fairly empty for the night(s) requested, then we would be more likely to negotiate a much lower than normal rate.

 

[PlainJane]

We, actually, did book a vacation for a few days on the spot for CSR. We had an issue at our original off-site hotel and chose to cancel. We called the reservation line from the resort we were leaving and even got an AP discount. This was several years ago. I don't remember how many resort choices we had. We ended up in a standard room, which is the same category we would have booked in advance.

We've done this a lot now that I come to think of it. One time I think we used a bounce back code to extend our vacation. We were staying at BWV and then made the reservation at BCV. Another time there was a wild storm that was preventing our departure and we stayed at BRV with an AP discount.

There was one time my mother tried to add a day and there were only very expensive rooms, like suites, available at the resorts she wanted.

However, we always went through central reservations or the bounce back number. We have never made a reservation at the front desk. Disney is not going to sell the room at a discount unless it is one currently available that the room qualifies for, they would rather it sat empty because as someone else said it devalues the product.