Special thread for those evacuated Dibbers seeking a room.

[Br'er Bear]

Originally Posted by sky13

I think I read somewhere that expedia.com/Florida is updating hotel room availability in real time or close to it. This is the website that MCO is suggesting to look for room availability. (Apparently it works slightly differently from the regular Expedia website from what I read elsewhere, not sure how accurate this is though)

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Many thanks sky13, just checked Expedia/Florida and out of 2,055 properties in Orlando and vicinity there's only 6 showing availability for the 9th Sept with prices ranging between $56 for a Day's Inn Kissimmee to $238 at Reunion, all the others show sold out.

Worst still at 02.45 (21.45 EST) there's only 2 properties with availability for 3-nights from the 9th but hopefully this will get updated when rooms are cancelled.

UPDATED at 08.40 (03.40EST) Expedia/Florida.com now showing 2-hotels available for the 9th for one night and when entering 3-nights from the 9th there are 7-resorts showing availability.
But when clicking through to book on some of those resorts it states Rooms are unavailable for your trip dates on Expedia.
Changing by the minute, best of luck.

UPDATED at 15.20 (10.20 EST)
Expedia/Florida.com now showing 2-hotels available for three-nights from today the 9th, with 1-room at Day's Inn Kissimmee at $49 per night and 3-rooms at Day's Inn and suits Altamonte for $107 a night

UPDATED at 20.20 (15.20 EST) 9th Saturday.
Expedia/Florida.com still showing 2-hotels available for tonight at Day's Inn Kissimmee and at Rosen Inn, close to Universal. While from tomorrow on the 10th there's 10-properties listed with price ranging between $42 and $276 per night so 2,045 properties are sold out.

UPDATED at 05.30 (00.30 EST) 10th Sunday.
Expedia/Florida.com showing availability at Ambassador Inn Maingate East at $63 per night and The M Hotel International Drive at $108 per night.
At this time all other resorts around Orlando showing sold out and nothing for the 11th Monday, but it does update when rooms become available but these are snapped up quickly.
When checking other search engines like KAYAK they do show availability at other resorts but when clicking through I haven't yet found one with availability as it states rooms are now unavailable.
For Disney Vacation Club the online system won't allow searches from the 10th but showing various room sizes available from the 11th at SSR, BV, GFV and PV starting from 11-points.

UPDATED at 09.00 (04.00 EST) 10th Sunday.
Expedia/Florida.com now showing availability at Quality Inn & Suites near Universal Studios at $109 per night, Candlewood Suites Lake Mary at $130 and Courtyard by Marriott Orlando Downtown at $239, all other resorts showing sold out but some good news that currently from Monday 11th there's over 100 properties showing availability.
And for Disney Vacation Club the online system won't allow searches from the 10th but still showing various room sizes available from the 11th at SSR, BV, GFV and PV starting from 11-points.

UPDATED at 14.00 (11.00 EST) 10th Sunday.
Expedia/Florida.com now showing availability only at I-Drive Grand Resort & Suites at $64 per night and Orlando Continental Plaza Hotel at $95, all others showing sold out but from Monday 11th there's over 100 properties showing availability.
And for Disney Vacation Club the online system won't allow searches from the 10th but still showing various room sizes available from the 11th at SSR, BV, GFV and PV starting from 11-points and from the 12th also at BLT, OKW, AKL with a Jumbo value studio starting at 9-points.

UPDATED at 18.10 (13.10 EST) 10th Sunday. Expedia/Florida.com.
Now showing availability at only Red Carpet Inn W. Irlo Bronson Memorial HWY Kissimmee FL 1-866-599-6674 at $60 a night, all others showing sold out but from Monday 11th there's over a page of properties showing availability.
And for Disney Vacation Club Member Services is closed and the online system won't allow searches from the 10th but it's still showing a lot of various room sizes available from the 11th at SSR, BV, GFV and PV starting from 11-points and from the 12th it also includes BLT, OKW, AKL with a Jumbo value studio starting at 9-points.

UPDATED at 07.30 (02.30 EST) 11th Monday.
Expedia/Florida.com.
Showing good availability from the 11th with around 100 properties starting from $34 per night at Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Maingate Central W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee FL 1-855-873-6561 to $306 at The Villas of Grand Cypress, One North Jacaranda St Orlando FL 1-866-599-6674
And for Disney Vacation Club the online system is only showing availability from Tuesday 12th at OKW in a studio for 10-points and a 2-bed at 29-points a night and from Wednesday 13th it also includes AKV at Kidani in a studio using 14-points, a 1-bed using 22-points and a 2-bed at 30-points.

LATEST UPDATE at 12.00 (07.00 EST) 11th Monday.
Expedia/Florida.com.
Showing good availability from the 11th with around 100 properties starting again from $34 per night at Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Maingate Central W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee FL 1-855-873-6561 through to $299 at The Villas of Grand Cypress, One North Jacaranda St Orlando FL 1-866-599-6674
And for Disney Vacation Club the online system has changed from the earlier update and is now showing availability from Tuesday 12th at AKV Kidani in a studio, 2-bed and 3-bed, BLT in a studio and 2-bed, AKV Jambo in a studio, 1-bed and 2-bed and lastly at OKW in a studio, 1-bed and a 2-bed.

LATEST UPDATE at 18.00 (13.00 EST) 11th Monday.
Expedia/Florida.com.
Still showing good availability from the 11th with around 60 properties starting from $40 per night at Rodeway Inn Kissimmee Maingate West W Irlo Bronson Highway Kissimmee FL 1-866-599-6674 through to $220 at Ramada Plaza Resort and Suites Orlando International Drive International Dr Orlando FL 1-855-809-3509
And for Disney Vacation Club the online system has changed from the earlier update and is now showing availability only from Wednesday 13th at BWV in a studio, 1-bed and 2-bed and from the 14th at CCV in a studio, AKV Kidani in a 2-bed, BCV in a 1-bed and studios at PV and GFV.

LATEST UPDATE at 12.00 (07.00 EST) 12th Tuesday.
Expedia/Florida.com.
Showing even more availability this morning from the 12th with over 3-pages of properties starting from $34 per night at Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Maingate Central W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee FL 1-855-873-6561 through to $339 per night at The Villas of Grand Cypress One North Jacaranda St Orlando FL 1-866-599-6674
And for Disney Vacation Club the online system only showing availability from Thursday 14th at BRV in a studio for 15-points and that's it. It seems that Vero Beach is also available from the 14th with various sizes of rooms.


LATEST UPDATE at 20.40 (15.40 EST) 13th Wednesday.
Expedia/Florida.com.
Hotel room availability seems to be back to normal which is good news for those just seeking a few days, Expedia even has availability at many of the DVC resorts and even DVC using points is showing availability over the next few days at a number of their resorts.

But for those who have longer stays booked or for larger groups might find it difficult to find alternative accommodation over the coming months.

Therefore for those owners like Magnificent in post #13 whose villas have not been affected by the storm and who has availability over the next month or so might want to follow Magnificent example and add their villa/condo to this thread.

Good luck.

[Br'er Bear]

As with IRMA we can’t predict if and how this thread is going to work-out, hopefully it won’t be required as everyone finds their own alternative accommodation but as IRMA seems to be tracking east it might mean that those on the east coast (Naples/Tampa) might now have to evacuate towards Orlando or even further east towards the coast.

Therefore in the meantime it might be wise to prepare and come up with a standard request form so to make it quick and easy to understand what an evacuee Dibber is desperately seeking.

And fellow Dibbers please make any suggestions to the following form but please start a new thread with a title Suggestion for standard accommodation request form and I or a Dibb Administator will make the amendments, that way we’re not clogging up this Sticky-thread which should be for evacuee Dibbers seeking accommodation.

Or for Dibbers in Orlando who know there's availablity at their resort and if so then please list it with the phone number of the hotel reception or website.

So for any evacuee Dibber seeking emergency accommodation then please copy and paste the following details into a new post to this Sticky and enter the details and hopefully someone might be able to help/advise.

Evacuated from:
Evacuating to:
Planned arrival day/time:
Number of Adults:
Number of Children:
Number of Infants:
Special Needs or Accessible Room:
Minimum to Maximum Number of nights required:
Do you hope/expect to return before your flight home:
Return Flight Date:
Flight delayed:
Minimum size of room/number of beds:

And for those expecting to return to where they were evacuated from, last year after Matthew we returned to the east coast after evacuating to Orlando for 3-days only to find our accommodation was okay but we had no power as overhead lines were down. It took a further 2-3 days for the overhead lines to be repaired so bear that in mind and therefore it might not be best to rush back and stay that little bit longer, especially if you have children/babies.

Also when roads have been cleared of debris there will be the same amount of traffic returning so bear that in mind and be prepared for a long journey.

And as important for any first-timers, I believe in most states if the traffic lights are not working then you'll need to treat each junction as a 4-way stop so please be prepared when approaching all junctions to slow down and stop but also be mindful of those close behind you (tailgating) who might not be able to stop in time and/or don't know this rule.

I've pasted this from floridadriver/topics/...me=chap11.html

Broken or Inoperative Traffic Signals

If you come upon an intersection with blacked out or inoperative signal lights, treat it as you would an all-way stop. Stop completely at the limit line, the crosswalk, or the entrance to the intersection. Check for hazards and proceed only when it is safe.8

Good luck.

[Guest]

In case it is helpful and now that my management company have been to check all is well, I have availability in my 5 bed villa until the 18th and due to a cancellation in my 8 bed villa for a few weeks. If this is better posted elsewhere, feel free to move it.

[Br'er Bear]

LATEST UPDATE at 20.40 (15.40 EST) 13th Wednesday.
Expedia/Florida.com.
Hotel room availability seems to be back to normal which is good news for those just seeking a few days, Expedia even has availability at many of the DVC resorts and even DVC using points is showing availability over the next few days at a number of their resorts.

But for those who have longer stays booked or for larger groups might find it difficult to find alternative accommodation over the coming months.

Therefore for those owners like Magnificent in post #13 above whose villas have not been affected by the storm and who has availability might want to follow Magnificent example and add their villa/condo to this thread.

Good luck.