Turn up and book hotel?

[a seagull]

Has anyone just turned up to a Disney hotel and basically said 'we are here and we would like two nights, what deal will you do?'.

We are going away with our Ds and his gf, staying in a villa. They would quite reasonably like a bit of space and, as we are only doing Disney parks this time, thought they could book a couple of nights at a hotel if the rate was good.

Anyone any experience of this scenario?

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by a seagull

Has anyone just turned up to a Disney hotel and basically said 'we are here and we would like two nights, what deal will you do?'.

We are going away with our Ds and his gf, staying in a villa. They would quite reasonably like a bit of space and, as we are only doing Disney parks this time, thought they could book a couple of nights at a hotel if the rate was good.

Anyone any experience of this scenario?

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You will pay rack rate in those circumstances generally. In other words, the highest price they can get out of you. Book in advance if you can

[cliver18]

You would be better pre-booking it as they will charge you the 'rack rate' otherwise (if they have rooms available) and this tends to work out more expensive, not done it at disney but have had this elsewhere in Orlando in the past. Must say though I have had a bargain a couple of times as well but that was in November during the quiet season

[a seagull]

Thank you for your speedy replies. I guess I was hoping that 'better an occupied room than an empty one' would be the Disney response.

Looks like Plan B ... long walks around Sunset Lakes will be the order of the day. To be fair, I can think of worse things to do in the World!

[Guest]

The rooms do show up on some of the discount sites. We live 40 miles away and we usually pick up a booking at the last minute. We went up Princess Marathon weekend and they had two moderates on Trivago. They were just a bit more than 1/2 price. I've never tried negotiating with Disney themselves.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Ilivehereorland

The rooms do show up on some of the discount sites. We live 40 miles away and we usually pick up a booking at the last minute. We went up Princess Marathon weekend and they had two moderates on Trivago. They were just a bit more than 1/2 price. I've never tried negotiating with Disney themselves.

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That can be the case (though looking at the time when OP's countdown is, it may be unlikely) but Disney will not budge on their rack rate if you try to book then and there. People must do it - that big sign outside the MK parking lot says "rooms always available" but it will be at rack rate.

[Guest]

But the OP is talking about getting a Room while they're there. No harm in looking. We always book in the morning for later that day.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Ilivehereorland

But the OP is talking about getting a Room while they're there. No harm in looking. We always book in the morning for later that day.

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I'm violently agreeing with you, and that would be my first course of action but that wasn't the question:

Originally Posted by a seagull

Has anyone just turned up to a Disney hotel and basically said 'we are here and we would like two nights, what deal will you do?'.

We are going away with our Ds and his gf, staying in a villa. They would quite reasonably like a bit of space and, as we are only doing Disney parks this time, thought they could book a couple of nights at a hotel if the rate was good.

Anyone any experience of this scenario?

See more...

(I'm also not sure that PHM weekend - which is crowded with runners but dors not lead to sold out rooms across the WDW estate - is a good comparator with peak summer season which is when it looks like OP is going)

[a seagull]

Thanks Karen. We are going on June 21st for two weeks so they would be looking for something from say June 25, but very flexible.

We have only ever stayed in an offsite villa so know nothing about DVC, is that a possibility?

By the way, your last paragraph meant nothing to me

[sammykitten]

i think the advice you have about booking online maybe the day before (so still very flexible for them) is the best way to go - i have done that whilst in Turkey, we wanted a full day's facilities on our last day, our hotel couldn't accommodate us (they were fully booked) so I booked another hotel online the day before our last day, it was about a third cheaper doing it that way, compared with the walk-in price.