Hotwire & Priceline Deals for Disney World Hotels
You can successfully “guess” which on-site Walt Disney World resorts are discounted via Priceline Express Deals and Hotwire Hot Rates with these tips to score a great deal. This covers how to save money on Orlando, Florida hotels with hacks & matching tricks. (Updated March 8, 2024.)
Priceline Express Deals and Hotwire Hot Rates are similar to the popular “Name Your Own Price” feature or bidding on hotels based upon amenities and a general area. You can score a deep discount on a great hotel (or not-so-great one, if that’s more your style), but the tradeoff is that don’t know the name of the hotel until you pay. In other words, it’s a surprise…but like children snooping under the Christmas tree, there are certain ways to ‘spoil’ that surprise!
Hotel chains, including Walt Disney World, do this to dump unsold inventory at the last minute while concealing to the general public that they’re unloading rooms at such a cheap rate, which might tarnish their brand or irritate guests who paid significantly more. Let’s start by taking a look at the current Priceline Express Deals for Walt Disney World…
At their best, Priceline Express Deals and Hotwire Hot Rates offer deep discounts of up to 60% off, not just a “deal” of 10-15% off a room-only rate. We’re talking $60 per night or less for Values, ~$100/night for Moderates, and ~$200/night for Deluxe Resorts. We primarily focus our searches to Priceline here (which often has more availability), but the below deals can often be replicated on Hotwire with the same strategy…
Inventory Update: Spring 2024
February 8, 2022. That’s the last time this post was updated before today, and that was basically to address reader questions and explain how “discounts have dried up at Walt Disney World.” Although pent-up demand had already entered the vernacular, it didn’t occur in full force until Spring 2022. (Our first post about the topic was “Revenge Travel” at Walt Disney World, published August 15, 2020…which seems way too early to have been talking about that. Very much wish I would’ve been wrong with those predictions!)
For the next year or so, not only were discounts difficult to come by, but so too were full-priced room reservations. Another popular topic at the time was Limited Hotel Availability at Walt Disney World in 2022. That was driven by a confluence of circumstances, from pent-up demand to strong bookings for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary to not all hotels being open or operating at 100% capacity to staffing shortages. But it’s unnecessary to recap all of that in full. You either lived through it and remember (or have blocked it out), or didn’t and don’t care.
The moral of the story is that there was absolutely nothing in the way of Priceline Express Deals and Hotwire Hot Rates for Disney-owned resorts from September 2021 until some point in Winter or Spring 2024. Back then, we remarked that this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but it is the longest Walt Disney World has gone in recent years without dumping any unsold inventory onto Priceline and Hotwire. However, we also attributed it to the lack of inventory, and said that we expected it to change by later in the year as demand dropped and supply improved. How young, how naive.
Fast forward over 2 years, and so much has changed. Pent-up demand has been exhausting itself for over a year now and Walt Disney World has been pulling from what we call the “2019 discount playbook,” which is to say that almost all of the same deals offered then–including more obscure ones like PIN Codes and Bouncebacks (not to mention fan-favorite Free Dining) have all made their triumphant return.
Up until now, all but one niche discount was back–the Priceline Express Deals and Hotwire Hot Rates. Well, there are once again signs of life on that front after a 2.5 year absence! So that’s the very good news. The bad news is that in spot-checking dates on Priceline Express Deals throughout March and early April 2024, the only resorts I could find were the All Stars and Coronado Springs. (The hotel above is almost certainly one of the All Stars; Bonnet Creek, 8+ score, 600 ratings, and 3-star hotel are the big giveaways. See below for tips & tricks on identifying the resort.)
The good-within-bad news is that we’re entering the heart of Spring Break 2024 Season at Walt Disney World (literally–it starts today!), so it’s wholly unsurprising that I can’t find much. It’s a miracle that there’s anything, and makes me wonder what I might’ve missed over the last couple of months. Since these last-minute deals are only added a few weeks out, my expectation/hope is that there will be more during shoulder season (approximately mid-April through Memorial Day 2024).
So stay tuned–I’m going to be checking this a lot more regularly and, fingers crossed, reporting back with a lot more in about a month! Or perhaps not. Maybe this was a one-off blip and you won’t see another update to this post for another 2.5 years. Who really knows anymore!
In addition to Disney-owned hotels, here are the third-party options on-site that you might find on these opaque booking sites…
Another option that regularly appears on Priceline Express Deals is the Swan & Dolphin Resorts. Keep in mind that there’s also a mandatory resort fee, so what you see is not the final price–but both of these resorts still tend to be far cheaper than anything else in the Crescent Lake area.
We love the Swan & Dolphin for a few reasons. Namely, they’re within walking distance of both Epcot and Hollywood Studios–perfect for rope dropping Slinky Dog Dash before going back to the pool for a mid-morning break. For the most part, Swan & Dolphin guests have similar advantages to guests staying in Disney hotels. They even offer access to Extended Evening Hours, which Moderate and Value Resorts don’t even offer!
The JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa is also a frequent fixture of Priceline Express Deals. We reviewed this new on-site hotel and gave it generally favorable marks.
The one big thing it lacks as compared to other luxury resorts near Walt Disney World (including other Bonnet Creek properties) is a sprawling pool and lazy river. While the JW Marriott is perfectly family-friendly, it’s not catering to kids like some of the other hotels in the area.
There are usually also scattered options at Disney Springs. We don’t do extensive research into these, but the usual suspects are as follows: B Resort & Spa (soon to become Marriott Renaissance), DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, etc. We have Hotel Rankings for the Disney Springs Resort Area if you need further resources to help you choose one of those properties.
We’ve also seen availability at Flamingo Crossing, which is about a 10-minute drive from Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. These hotels are pretty attractive because they’re all brand-new.
Keep in mind that Priceline Express Deals inventory changes frequently, meaning you might find hotels we didn’t list if you search later today or next week, and you might not see what we’ve found. We’ll keep you posted as we continue to scour Priceline for new Express Deals! For now, here’s everything else you need to know about booking these discounted rooms…
How to Book Priceline & Hotwire Deals at WDW
For starters, Hotwire and Priceline Express Deals really can amount to substantial savings at Walt Disney World–that’s not just marketing fluff. Priceline advertises the service as offering savings of “up to 60% off” but we’ve saved more than that on Deluxe Resorts (and, to be fair, significantly less than that on others).
In fact, for a few weeks around our stay at the Poly, during which we received a free upgrade to the King Kamehameha Club Level, the Polynesian was under $300/night via Priceline Express Deals…and the rack rate ‘value’ of our room was over $800/night. Obviously, that’s an extreme example with tremendous luck involved, but even “just” 60% off is not uncommon.
With the reward of substantial savings comes risk. Priceline Express Deals is a “semi-opaque” booking site, meaning certain details and amenities are revealed in advance, but not the hotel name. Fortunately, those details narrow things down considerably, to the point that internet sleuths have made the process pretty predictable for anyone willing to do their homework.
Of course, there still are no guarantees. You’re locked in to a non-refundable hotel before knowing the exact property for sure. That means there is some risk and uncertainty inherent to the process. It’s certainly not for everyone. Another drawback is that these deals are mostly last-minute. Walt Disney World hotels are typically added to Hotwire or Priceline’s Express Deals around 1-2 months prior to travel dates, sometimes a bit longer.
Finally and along those lines, Priceline Express Deals are offered to fill unsold rooms. If you’re trying to book a Christmas stay, you’re unlikely to have success. You’ll have a tough time finding good rates for multi-night stays during peak tourist seasons; the best options tend to be short, weeknight stays in the off-season.
It should also be noted that the ‘hacks’ for revealing hotels are constantly in flux. Internet deal spotters have been great in helping to uncover which hotel corresponds with which amenity sets and descriptions. Unfortunately, Priceline (and other bulk wholesaler sites) are always one step behind, meaning that successful strategy for uncovering a deal might work one day and stop working the next.
The best options for narrowing hotel choices yourself is deselecting each “Neighborhood” except “Walt Disney World – Bonnet Creek” and “Walt Disney World – Disney Springs.” Every official Walt Disney World resort is located within those areas on the Priceline map.
Additionally, Walt Disney World hotels will have an amenity set of only Free Internet Access, Restaurant, and Swimming Pool. To my knowledge, this amenity set is a recent change (and inaccurate as compared to what WDW resorts actually offer).
In terms of star rating, Values are 3-star, Moderates are 3.5-star, and Deluxes are usually 4 or 4.5-star.
The big bummer is Priceline’s removal of the one-line descriptions, such as “enjoy jazzy evening entertainment at this well-designed resort” for Port Orleans French Quarter. These were the decisive ‘clue’ in determining which hotel you were booking. With the description, accuracy was 100%. The Hotel Canary extension no longer works, which is another big blow.
Now, you’ll need to do a bit more legwork to match hotels on your own. Consequently, the confidence rate is far lower. You’ll want to match up the following:
- Number of reviews (rounded up or down)
- Guest ratings (rounded off)
- Rack rates (the pre-discount price vs. discount price, also rounded off)
- Other clues in conjunction with the amenity set and location.
Basically, this means comparing the normal Priceline listing for a particular hotel with the listing. If you aren’t comfortable doing this on your own, resources like BetterBidding.com can help–but even then, know that you’ll be rolling the dice a bit.
Here are some observations I’ve noticed while searching. First, Moderate Resorts are pretty common, but Coronado Springs is the most prevalent, especially outside of peak convention season. While prices fluctuate highly based upon season and occupancy rates, I’d say a “good” rate for a Moderate is $150/night or less.
Second, the Deluxe Resort you’ll see most frequently is Animal Kingdom Lodge, with rates in the neighborhood of $200 to $300. Other Deluxe Resorts have appeared on Priceline Express Deals. I’ve seen almost every single one, including the Polynesian and Grand Floridian. I’d say Yacht Club–another convention hotel–is probably the most common after Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Finally, Value Resorts also have appeared on Priceline Express Deals with some degree of regularity, with common options including the Little Mermaid Rooms at Art of Animation and All Star Sports (Movies and Music have been less common). Of all resorts, the All Stars appear most commonly, and we’ve seen them for prices as low as the mid-$60 per night range. However, that was also several years ago–and prices have shot up since then!
Overall, Priceline Express Deals is a great option for saving a lot of money on Walt Disney World hotels, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s no longer the ‘sure thing’ that it once was, but with a bit of legwork, you can narrow down the possibilities and still have a high degree of certainty before booking.
If you’re willing to gamble and don’t mind the possibility of getting a third party hotel like the Dolphin or Wyndham Bonnet Creek (both great options that are on par with Walt Disney World Deluxes), we’d highly recommend using Priceline Express Deals for savings that are far superior to room-only discounts directly from Disney.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Have you tried any of these hacks or tools to book on Priceline Express Deals? Any other strategies you use? If you’ve used it, what’s the best rate you’ve scored? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? If you’ve yet to book, any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
This is in the description of several of the Priceline Express deals:
“The resort fee includes: – Exclusive access to Disney’s Extra Magic Hours Program – Exclusive access to Disney’s 60 Day FastPass+ Program – Continuous Disney theme park transfer services – USA Today newspaper available in lobby daily – Access to onsite recreational activities including fitness center – En suite safety deposit box.” That sounded like a Disney Property to me. What do you think?
Another listing states: “10% off on any retail or spa service at Blue Harmony Spa -Access to Club Wyndham Mini-Golf Course, shuffleboard & grilling areas (Reservations may be required) -Pool concierge at hotel Oasis pool & hot tubs -Access to Club Wyndham pool & hot tubs” This seemed like it for sure wasn’t Disney. Thoughts?
When you get to payment details it has the rate, taxes and fees, and an “Additional Mandatory Fee” that seems to vary with # of nights. It states that the mandatory fee is collected at the property.
Does this sound like a Disney Property? All the hotels I’ve tried have the “Additional Mandatory Fee.” It just seems to vary in the amount. Would a Disney Property have the “Additional Mandatory Fee?”
Thank you!
Disney properties do not have those fees. The Swan and Dolphin do. Disney does have parking fees.
Hello. Do you know if an April blog will be coming out soon for info on hotel deals or events happening? Thanks
I have a larger family. We would need 2 rooms. Any idea what the chances of getting 2 deals to match up would be? Then getting disney to put the rooms anywhere near each other? It’s my hubby, 4 little kids (7,5,3, newborn) and I.
Since your fourth child is an infant, you can get ONE room at Caribbean Beach Resort that will fit all of you. Riverside would also accommodate you if they were open. If you are going to try the Express Deal and need two rooms, you want to make sure that you put two rooms down in your search to begin with. Disney will do everything they can to put you in a connecting or adjacent room, but nothing is guaranteed. There are not a lot of connecting rooms at Disney, but there are a few. Good luck!
YAY! I just found a deal at Hotwire for 2/8 at Pop (already had 2/9 & 2/10 booked through Disney for $72.80–an ASMovies res changed to Pop). The HW web site showed $71 but the app was only $68. Of course, taxes/fees are a little higher because of the “deal,” but it still cost just $1.27 more for that night than the other two. After a while of checking these sites and turning up nada, I stop looking. Then Tom comes along and jostles me awake. Thanks, Tom!
I’m just afraid to take the leap to Hotwire deals because they say no refunds. Has anyone else ran into this? Thx
If one books through a third party retailer like priceline do you still get the ability to book fast passes, meals, and the magical express with the same early timing as if you booked directly with disney? Would you still get magic bands?
This is assuming life was still normal and that fastpasses were happening and magic bands were still free of course….
Thanks!
Yes! The difference is it it is up to you to link your reservation on the My Disney app. Depending on the website you book through, you may have to contact them to make sure you have the correct reservation number, etc or troubleshoot to get it to work properly on the Disney app. Extra steps but usually worth it, though you do hear some people having lots of problems. But that is the exception I would say..
If booked through Priceline, do you still get to use the Magical Express at the airport?
Yes until Disney discontinues the service in 2022.
Hello! If Hotwire shows 3 star hotel, Bonnet Creek area, 4.3/5 rating and Murphy bed, does it sound for sure like it’s Pop? I’m afraid to take the plunge…. thanks!
That’s what mine said and I got Pop century. It also said the actual price was $114 on Expedia so I double checked that too. Disney resorts don’t have hotel fees either. If there is an additional hotel fee along with the taxes, it isn’t Disney.
Wow, those are good deals. I’m paying $209/night in February for a Comfort Inn & suites in the middle-of-nowhere, Indiana!
I just got Pop Century for $72/night 2/8-2/11. We were staying there anyway, but now it’s cheaper. Thanks!
We just looked and couldn’t find anything, that I know of for the last weekend in Feb-First weekend in March. 🙁
Does anyone know which Deluxe Resorts are in the “Neighborhood” called “Walt Disney World — Bonnet Creek” — and which ones are in “Walt Disney World — Disney Springs.” ?
Almost all of them are in Bonnet Creek, the only ones listed as Disney Springs are Saratoga Springs and Old Key West
Not Priceline or Hotwire – but I managed to get Pop Century for about $100/night for President’s Week (aka a ridiculously busy week that’s hard to find good rates for) on Agoda. I don’t typically check them out – they popped up on a larger hotel search engine, but they had pretty good rates for Beach Club and Yacht Club for the same week.
I’ve also been seeing Caribbean Beach on Priceline Express Deals for dates I’ve been checking out (President’s Week and the week following Easter). It hasn’t been a particularly great rate, but it’s there.
Thanks for sharing! I have been weary about using agoda. Have you used it in the past? Was it easy to link reservation?
I’ve used them in the past for international travel without any issues (they’re owned by the same company as Priceline). I was able to link my reservation to MDE, but it was a bit of a pain to get an email through to someone to get my Disney confirmation number, but in the end I was able to get it.
Oh wow didn’t know they were owned by priceline! This is helpful thank you!
I’m confused. When I search, I have 2 adults and 3 children listed… so are previous comments saying that if I book a Express Deal, I may end up with a room that only accommodates 2 adults?!
It doesn’t matter what you search. Express Deals are only guaranteed for 2 adults.
Yes. That happened to me before. I was traveling with four and was given a king bed at Coronado. I immediately called Disney Wholesale who arranged a cancellation with Priceline. Lesson learned.
This is a little off topic but along the lines of the resorts and deals we booked a Deluxe Room at Beach Club for March right when reservations for 2021 opened up since we need a room that will accommodate our family of 6 and not many at Beach Club(or in that area) do. As of now it’s still not open and now the website says until further notice. I am worried where they will relocate us if Beach Club doesn’t open with 6 people. Our package price is not discounted and we don’t want to do Art of Animation or the value resorts, we really choose Beach Club for location. Any thoughts as to where they may rebook us or does anyone have any first hand knowledge of this?
I’ve never done this. Our family goes to Disney World about once a year, and we always do a resort package. But these prices seem pretty amazing! One question, you said these sites are ideal for spending a few days during the off season. My family likes to stay 7-10 days when we go. Is Priceline good for longer trips too?
Helpful article.
Minor error that escaped your updating- staying at the Swan will not help you “rope drop ROTR” since they’ve changed to the MDE boarding party method.
Wow, thanks. I have 3 nights at Pop but wouldn’t spring for the extra charges for Thurs 12/3/20, figuring we could drive back and forth to do AK early on Friday. Now, even taking parking into consideration, with a small discount, Thur night at CS for $118.73, is cheaper than my cheap Pop days.
And the weather is still looking great!!!
Haven’t seen any deals in November on these sites…
My wife and I spent 6 days in the middle of September at both Pop Century and the Swan. The first three days were at Pop and we utilized the hotwire deal to get it for $89/night. What a steal! We then switched over to the Swan for the final 3 days. We paid about $145/night (before the resort fees) and had booked it directly through Marriott. We had a fantastic time! When we take the kids next year (fingers crossed) we will probably spend the whole time at Pop. While we had a blast at the pools for the Swan, I think the kids would enjoy Pop more.
I have a reservation for the refurbished Pop Century in October with a Passholder discount for $112.00, much better than any so-called Priceline deal.
If you are an AP, then sure the $23 more per night might be worth it to be able to cancel if you need to; however even using the hotwire discount to get the standard room we were able to pick which building within Pop we preferred.
Any thoughts about Disney offering the discounted military rates? They are usually published right about now.
How should I search for my family of 6 to make sure rooms will accommodate all of us?
Priceline Express is guaranteed for TWO adults only per room. If you want to accommodate a party of six, and are willing to take a risk, you will need to book AT LEAST two rooms at the same time (and maybe even three rooms depending on if you get assigned rooms with just one king bed or if you have more than four persons over the age of 17 in your party). However, please be aware that the hotels are not required to add more than two people per room.
Request adjoining rooms or stay Art of Animation
Sorry I replied to KH instead of you. My best luck has been finding adjoining rooms or staying at the Art of Animation
Thank you for this! We just booked Swan on Priceline express and will be canceling our Yacht stay for the last week of October. We’ve saved $1700. Admittedly, I have anxiety about the non-refundable part. We’ve still been holding off, because I’m concerned about what Disney could change between now and October 25th. We will only be in the parks that Mon-Friday, though. Do you anticipate things staying much the same that week? Limited capacity and masks being enforced? Thanks again!
You should be fine! My one recommendation would be doing Magic Kingdom earlier in the week, as I’d anticipate it getting busier closer to Halloween.
Can you give some clues on the listing that clues you in to what hotel it was? I’m not opposed to Swan/Dolphin
Non-refundable is never good as the weather could be terrible, and you’re stuck.