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Cutting Costs - Before Booking a Room - Services and Amenities - At Your Hotel - Discounts
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Throughout Orlando, within the 3 main tourist districts of Lake Buena Vista, International Drive, and Kissimmee (each a rather distinctive area with its own unique personality and atmosphere) you’ll find a seemingly un-endless array of hotels, resorts, and vacation homes to choose from. There are quite literally thousands of rooms (at last count upwards of some 14,000 or so) within the hundreds of hotels and resorts (before even taking into account the numerous available vacation homes) – ensuring that there is at least one (though likely a few) that will suit both your families taste and budget.
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Cutting Costs - Not the Fun
Keeping Hotel Costs Down
With the exception of transportation costs, whether plane tickets or rental car fees, hotel and resort fees will likely be the single largest and most substantial expense you’ll incur on your vacation (though dining expenses and under certain circumstances [vacationing at Walt Disney World for instance] the cost of recreational activities may not fall too far behind). Unless you’ve won the lottery or have just happen to have unlimited resources (which most of us don’t), finding a few creative ways to cut these costs may be your best (and only) defense against a severe case of sticker shock when faced with your bill upon
check out.
Take a Strategic Approach
With a bit of preparation (and a degree of self restraint) cutting down your hotel bill can be relatively simple.
-Thoroughly check the published rates for each hotel that you’re considering (and be sure to check the rates from wide variety of sources).
- Be flexible (if possible) with your travel dates
- Consider (and compare) several different hotels and resorts before making your final decision (making sure that any preconceived ideas you may have don’t prevent you from considering all of your options - you may be surprised to discover that Orlando’s hotels and resorts, regardless of whether they are better known as business-friendly hotels elsewhere in the world, cater to vacationers in one way or another.
- Make a complete and detailed list of the amenities and services that you consider to be an absolute necessity and must have available at your hotel or resort (including any additional cost that may be associated with them)
-Make a second list, in this case a wish list, of the amenities and services that you would like to have (however aren’t absolutely necessary). Again, include any costs that may be associated with them.
Check the lists you have created against the services and amenities actually offered at the various hotels and resorts under consideration. This will help identify which resorts offer what and how much you’ll likely be paying for it all.
-If there is more than one tourist area (as is the case in Orlando), list the pros and cons of staying in each area. Be sure to include the costs associated with staying in each area (for example if you stay in one area your transportation fees like gas, the additional mileage on your rental car, taxi fees, shuttle fees, may be higher or lower than if you stay in another area. The same follows for dining costs (as the restaurants clustered in certain areas may tend to be more upscale restaurants and in turn more expensive or more casual and in turn less costly). Other expenses may also differ from area to area and should be considered when making your decision.
Before Booking Your Room
Check the Rates: Being as informed as possible is your best defense against high hotel costs. Peruse the individual hotel websites themselves as they often list Website only specials, special packages, or promotional pricing that isn’t listed anywhere else (and in some cases you may never have expected). If the hotel happens to be a chain, it may very have two separate websites – the chains main site (listing all of its worldwide locations) and a second site that’s specific to an individual location (which often includes detailed information about the property or promotions specific to that hotel that the main site may not). Check the auto clubs including AAA (or other motor club that you may belong to or be interested in joining), the various discount travel sites including (but not limited to) Expedia, Priceline, Hotwire, Travelocity, and leisuretravel, and for Walt Disney World resorts be sure to check the official Walt Disney World website.
Another good web source worth checking is Mousesavers (www.mousesavers.com). They feature a list of
reservation codes and discounts that can be used to save at not only Disney resorts but a handful of off-site resorts (even car rentals) too. The resort codes are well organized andcategorized making it easy to find which may apply to you. For example, you may find the codes listed by categories such as “available to residents of …”, “available to anyone”, “available for annual passholders”, and so on.
And last but not least, be sure to check with the local visitor bureaus (www.orlandoinfo.com for Orlando, www.visitflorida.com for the entire state of Florida, www.floridasbeach.com for the Gulf Coast, www.visittampabay.com for the Tampa area, and www.space-coast.com for the Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral area) as they too often offer discounts and specials available at the area hotels and resorts.
Additional Discounts
The Orlando Magic Card (you did order your vacation planning kit from the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau didn’t you) and the Entertainment Book (available for the Orlando area for roughly $27) are filled with coupons good for discounts at area hotels (with coupons good for discounts at area attractions and restaurants too).
Promotions, packages, and limited time offers are available (though at times rather sporadically throughout the year) – finding them however requires a bit of extra effort.
Flexibility You can often save even more money if you can be flexible with your travel dates, if you can consider and compare a variety of hotel brands and room styles, and if you can decide which amenities and services you absolutely need and which you can live without.
Timing and Traveling
Hotels and resorts often offer the deepest discounts (whether special packages or some other type of promotional pricing) during non-peak travel times (which generally runs during the early fall months, late winter and very early spring months, and the late spring months excluding any holidays). If you can adjust you travel dates accordingly, the savings can be substantial. A similar theory applies to travel during peak times however the discounts are far less significant. If you can book your stay to include additional weeknights (not simply weekend to weekend) you will find that the rates tend to be slightly lower.
The Services and Amenities; What You Need and What You Don’t
Make a list of the services and amenities that you simply can’t do without as well  as a list of the services and amenities that you would like, but you don’t really need to survive your stay. Check to see what (if any) extra charges apply for each. For example; The view, do you absolutely have to see Cinderella Castle from your window or could you live with a view overlooking the garden. Ask what the difference is in cost between the two types of views and then ask yourself if the cost is worth paying for in the end.
Another example; If you would like a fridge and microwave for convenience (which I highly suggest if you’re traveling with children), will you need a suite with a full kitchen or would simply having the two small appliances do? Again, find out the cost of the suite and then compare it to the cost of a room that includes only the fridge and microwave.
Then you can determine which would be more cost effective in the end. Here’s a Checklist to get you started:
The Amenities
1. The Type of Room Itself (studio style, studio with a separate living area, a jr. suite, a full suite, KidSuite, concierge or club level, and so on)
2. The View (garden, pool, parking lot, a higher floor, and so on)
Does the room include (and are there charges for):
3. A Refrigerator
4. A Microwave
5. A Coffee Maker
6. A Sofa Bed (that can accommodate additional people)
7. A Mini Bar or Honor Bar
8. A Kitchenette (mini fridge, microwave, small sink)
9. A Full Kitchen (and is it stocked with dishes and other necessary items for preparing food)
10. A Balcony or Deck
11. Internet Connection (Via WiFi, Cable, or Phone Line)
12. TV(s), Pay Movies, Free Cable TV, A VCR or DVD Player (with movies available for rent), A Game System (with games available for rent).
13. A Work Table and/or Dining Table and Chairs
14. An Iron and Ironing Board
15. An In-Room Safe
16. Dressers and/or a Separate Closet Area
17. Are Elevators Available (where are they located and how many are there)
18. Are there Interior and/or Exterior Corridors
Recreational Facilities:
19. A Pool
20. A Water Park
21. A Playground
22. Tennis Courts
23. Golf Course
24. Sports Courts
25. Basketball Courts
26. Fitness Center
27. Activities (for children and adults)
Does the Hotel or Resort offer the Following Services (and is there an additional charge
to use them)?
1. A Rental Car Desk
2. Concierge Services
3. Guest Services
4. Guest and/or Valet Laundry Service (where are the laundry facilities located and what are the costs)
5. Guest Parking and/or Valet Parking
6. Bell Services
7. A Spa (Full Service or Otherwise)
8. A Salon
9. Shopping (convenience store or market, news stand, apparel, souvenirs, and so on)
10. Restaurants (how many, what type, and what do they offer – including room service)
11. Business Services
12. Shuttle Services
13. Child Care (either onsite or in-room through an outside service)
14. Children’s Check-In
Additional considerations should be given to what type of businesses, services, shops, restaurants, attractions, and transportation services are located nearby.
Know Before You Go: Be sure to check (either on the Website or over the phone) if your hotel charges for self parking (and yes, some do), for valet parking, if there is a daily resort charge (including how much it is and exactly what it covers), if there is a charge to use the pool (including renting towels or water toys), the exercise facilities, or other recreational facilities, if there is a charge for a frig or microwave, is there a charge for a roll-away bed, a cot or a crib, what the charges are for child care (if available), and so on.
Make a list of all the amenities you plan on using (including those you may only be thinking about using) and check if whether there are any extra charges for using them. These can add up quickly and if you’re not prepared for them cause sticker shock when you arrive (and more so when you depart and have to hand over your credit card).
At Your Hotel
The Right Amenities: Make sure, especially when you’re traveling with kids in tow, that your room, at the very least, has a refrigerator (large or small) and a microwave. This ensures that you’ll have the ability to keep drinks and snacks at the ready for whenever the hungries strike (and with kids that could be at any time, day or night). Often times heading out to the nearest restaurant or grocery store is simply not an option and the snacks and drinks available at the hotel convenience stores (if there even is one) are generally greatly overpriced. As an added frustration, many of the snacks and drinks available at the hotel convenience stores are not always appropriate for younger children.
Having a fridge (and at times a microwave - especially for warming bottles, though you must use extreme caution when doing this) ensures you can stock your room with exactly what you need.
You may also want to consider the option of a full kitchen. Having the ability to make a meal every now and them (or more often if you so desire) can save a substantial amount of money when compared to eating out during your entire vacation. You will however have to weigh the additional costs of a larger room (often a suite) in addition to the cost of the groceries you will require against the cost of the dining out for all of your meals. There are instances where it can really pay off, especially if you have a larger than average family. Other times however you may find the cost difference may not be worth the time and effort it takes to shop for the groceries and to prepare the meals. There may however be a happy medium.
Personally, I like to stock our room with munchy style snacks and drinks of every sort (milk is a favorite, followed by juice - of any type, and as an occasional treat a bottle or two of soda pop), with breakfast items (cereals, breads, oatmeal, yogurt, and occasionally bacon and eggs), a handful of lunch items, and a few special treats (like ice cream) too.
We mix up our meals a bit by planning on one, maybe two big breakfasts out, the remainder we eat in our room (which saves not only money but tons of time too).
Generally we’re not anywhere near our hotel during lunch (though on occasion when we are - especially if we’re planning on a late evening out) however having yogurt, fruit, veggies and dip, lunchmeat, and bread (picking up extra packages of condiments at the restaurants when you’re out), makes for a good snack when the kids skip a meal (which happens more often that we would like as a result of the heat and all the added excitement). I’ll concede to making one, maybe two, dinners at the hotel, for the remainder however I insist on dining out - or taking out. Ordering a pizza for example is quite cost effective (especially if you already have drinks on hand) when compared to an evening out at a restaurant (even a relatively inexpensive one).
Stocking Up on Snacks and Supplies:
Stocking your room with a variety of snacks and drinks for when little stomachs begin to tumble can be a real lifesaver when you’re traveling with kids. It can save not only time (having to walk, possibly even drive to the closest convenience store or worse - wait for room service with hungry kids can seem like a lifetime) and money (hotel convenience stores are excessively expensive and is room service) but your sanity too. Kids (and even adults) often get hungry at the most inopportune times (like the very moment you’ve left a restaurant, the minute you arrive back at your hotel [after you’ve left the restaurant], the very second upon waking up, or smack in the middle of the night. In addition, kids often eat on their own schedule – and not the one the rest of the family is on. Florida’s high heat and humidity, not to mention the excitement of being on vacation can take their toll on eating habits too. Just because the clock says it’s time for lunch or dinner, their stomachs may not necessarily agree.
Having something decent to snack on back at you room ensures that at the very least they won’t go hungry.
 Many hotels now have small convenience stores right on site. While they’re definitely quite convenient, they are often way overpriced. For the emergency bag of chips or soda pop it may be okay, however if you plan on stocking up (as I suggested above) a trip to the nearest grocer is definitely in order.
Keep in mind that the hotels and resorts that offer the most extensive amenities, services, and facilities, are often (though exceptions exist) the most expensive. If you don’t plan on sitting around the lushly landscaped pool, floating down the lazy river, rejuvenating your body and soul at the full service spa, working off extra calories at the fully equipped fitness center, or eating at one of the ten on-site restaurants (which may or may not be family-appropriate – you’ll have to check), there is certainly no need to pay simply for the privilege of having them available.
Discounts at Disney
Unexpected Upgrades: If you are attempting to book a room at one of Disney’s Value resorts and they happen to be booked up (which really can happen even with the thousands of rooms between them), occasionally, Disney may offer a room at one of their moderate resorts at a discounted rate. In turn, if you are attempting to book a room at one of Disney’s moderate resorts, occasionally, Disney may offer a room at one of their deluxe resorts - possibly even one of their Vacation Club resorts at a discounted rate.
Disney will even on occasion send out e-mails or snail mail with discounted or special offers however you must be registered in their system to receive these. To ensure your name is on their list just request their vacation planning kit (which will alert Disney, or at least their computer system, that you’re interested in vacationing at Walt Disney World, not to mention that I highly suggest sending for one just for planning purposes anyway) or go to their Website (www.disneyworld.com) and register to receive e-mail (and snail mail) offers and news.
Passholders Discounts: If Walt Disney World is a destination that you plan on visiting more than once, keep in mind that annual passholders receive added perks including discounted Walt Disney World resort rates. For the most up to date passholder benefits be sure to check out www.disneyworld.com for details.
Disney Vacation Club Points: Even if you’re not a Disney Vacation Club member, there’s a way to save a few dollars as if you were. Vacation Club members who, for what ever reason, are not using all of their allotted number of points (vacation club members pay a certain number of points to stay at the various Vacation Club resorts - the number of points depends on the resort as well as the room type they choose, even the week they choose to stay) may at times opt to rent out their unused points for that year. Rented points however are not offered directly through Disney, you must first find a Vacation Club member willing to rent their points and then deal directly with them from there on in. Two very popular websites that often list members looking to rent their points include www.disboards.com and www.mousesavers.com.
The necessary points are purchased directly from the vacation club member and then they in turn make the reservations for
you (in your name of course). The savings can be substantial as the number of points required to book a room (costing roughly around $12 per point) often add up to a much smaller price tag than the rack rates for the same room charged directly by Disney. It is however, a hit or miss proposition - you must first find someone willing to rent their points, then feel comfortable dealing with an unknown individual. Before doing this be sure to read up on exactly how the point system works, and most especially understand what the pros and cons of booking your resort this way are. For the most up to date and detailed information regarding renting Vacation Club points (as well as finding Vacation Club Members willing to rent) I suggest heading to www.mousesavers.com.
Package Deals: A plentitude of vacation packages are available and through a variety of outlets. Prices often reflect discounts on hotel stays, park tickets, airline fares, and more.
The savings can be substantial when compared to cost of purchasing everything individually however keep in mind that you only save if you’re not paying for unnecessary and unused extras (meaning it must includes only appropriate and usable options). If you don’t watch out, packages can end up costing you more if they includeextras that you have no interest in using. And be sure to actually compare the package price against the individual costs to ensure it’s really a deal and not a dud.
Travel Agents: If you’re planning a trip to Disney, be sure to find an agent who specializes in Disney vacation planning (usually noted as “Earmarked” in their credentials). Agents often have access to discounts that the rest of us don’t. And if they’re Disney experts, they have extensive knowledge about the entire Walt Disney World resort (parks and hotels included). They’ll do most of the leg work for you, offering you the choices and options best suited to your particular needs instead of overwhelming you with unnecessary information. Do keep in mind however that they are generally paid on commission and at times this could make booking with them more costly than doing it yourself - doing a bit of homework to determine which way is best for your is well worth the effort in the end. If you do choose to use an agent, there are simply so many complexities to planning a Disney vacation that having an agent who’s particularly knowledgeable (and has completed Disney’s extensive education programs and are therefore an authorized Disney vacation planner) is the best way to go.
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Be Aware; Be Very Aware!
Make sure that you are aware of the hotel’s charging policies before giving them a debit or credit card upon check-in. If you intend to leave your debit card (as opposed to a credit card) at your hotel or resort upon check-in to secure any charges you may make during your stay, be sure to find out just what their policy is regarding the deductions that may be taken from your account on a daily basis. Some hotels have been known to hold up $50-$75 per day (some even up to $300), while others may also include an additional charge equivalent to 1 night’s stay (however this will only be charged once – not daily as the other amounts are).
This amount will be unavailable for you to access once it has been put on hold by the hotel, and it can add up quickly regardless of how much you actually charge to your room. Even if you don’t charge a single purchase or dinner to your room during your stay, the amounts will still be deducted automatically each and every day – and the money may not be refunded (or become available) until 7-10 business days after you have checked out and settled your bill. |
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Currently the Walt Disney World Resorts do not charge your debit card – they simply verify that funds are available and allow you to charging privileges (up to the amount available in the account) to your room. No charges or holds will appear on that particular card unless you choose to use the same card to settle your final bill.
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