How to use Priceline to your advantage in Anaheim

[sir clinksalot]

We have been using Priceline to book our hotels in Anaheim for at least the past 5 years. And have never had any problems.

So I thought I'd share with you some tips so you can make the best out of your stay.

When you go on Priceline, click on the "Name your own Price" button. Select Anaheim.

Make sure you are selecting "Disneyland Area" and the highest number of stars which I believe is 3 1/2 stars.

The starting price you should use is ALWAYS $50 per night. This will make it about $62 per night with taxes.

If they do not accept the first price, you will have to change the price and the star level. So for your next search, I usually go up to $65 and select 3 stars. But don't worry, even though you selected 3 stars, if there is a 3 1/2 star hotel available for your new price of $65 you will get the higher hotel.

Generally, if it's not a HUGE convention weekend you will get a very nice hotel for a very reasonable price. If it's the holiday's or a convention weekend I wouldn't use Priceline.

Positives of Priceline:
Low Prices, generally more than 1/2 what you would pay normally. Paying $50 per night for something like the Doubletree when you would pay $100 for HoJo's feels GREAT!!!

Negatives of Priceline:
No cancellations. If you book a room, and can't go or something happens, your stuck. (This has happened with us more than once), but it's the price you pay for saving $$ sometimes.
Inability to pick your hotel. If you don't have a car, or aren't planning on renting one, I wouldn't use Priceline. If closeness to the parks is your #1 priority, then I wouldn't use Priceline as the only hotel we have gotten that is within walking distance is the Anaheim Hilton, which we don't care for.

These are the 5 we have been getting over the last 2 years or so with the most frequency.

Hyatt Regency (Corner of Harbor and Chapman)
Positives: Easy to drive to Parking Structure, Clean, Comfy Beds, Starbucks in hotel, Target caddy-corner to hotel. Nearby restaurants include Buca Di Beppo, Red Robin, Joe's Crab Shack and Outback. Hook-Ups in rooms for DVD players/Playstation, etc.
Negatives: $12 per day for parking, shares bus with other hotels
http://orangecounty.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp

Crowne Plaza (Corner of Harbor and Chapman)
Positives: Easy drive to parking structure, Clean, Comfy beds, Target across the street. Restaurants in same area include Red Robin, Joe's Crab Shack and Outback.
Negatives: $9 "resort fee" includes parking and internet. Weird parking lot and entrance behind the hotel. Room Service/Hotel restaurant closed at 11pm. Shares bus with other hotels
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/...lsearchresults

Doubletree Orange (near the Block of Orange on Chapman and The City Dr.)
Positives: Easy drive to parking structure, Clean, Comfy Beds. The Block within walking distance of hotel.
Negatives: $10 per day for parking. Room Service/Hotel restaurant closed at 11pm (even on New Years Eve!!!
http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/...YSHUCSGBIVM22Q

Hilton Anaheim (Near the Convention Center)
Positives: Close to park, walk to park in 20 or so minutes. Renovation now complete.
Negatives: $15 per day for parking. Weird parking structure.
EDIT: With the renovations almost complete, the hotel is VERY nice, comfy rooms, big TV's, etc.
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hote...K4BSCSGBIVMVCQ

Hilton Suites Anaheim/Orange (Near the Big A)
Positives: Easy drive to park. All Suite hotel with 2-room suites. Free Parking. Gorgeous hotel. Clean. Comfy beds and pull-out couch bed. Flat Screen TV's.
Negatives: None as long as you have a car. Not sure if they offer resort transportation. Nothing listed. Hotel now charges $12 for parking.
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hote...ornia/index.do

Priceline isn't for everybody. I wouldn't suggest using it in an area you aren't familiar with unless you do some research. There are LOTS of sites out there that give priceline tips to other area's.

If anybody else has anything to add, please feel free to do so.

[pratt55]

So I thought I'd share with you some tips so you can make the best out of your stay.

When you go on Priceline, click on the "Name your own Price" button. Select Anaheim.

Make sure you are selecting "Disneyland Area" and the highest number of stars which I believe is 3 1/2 stars.

The starting price you should use is ALWAYS $50 per night. This will make it about $62 per night with taxes.

Generally, if it's not a HUGE convention weekend you will get a very nice hotel for a very reasonable price. If it's the holiday's or a convention weekend I wouldn't use Priceline.

Positives of Priceline:
Low Prices, generally more than 1/2 what you would pay normally. Paying $50 per night for something like the Doubletree when you would pay $100 for HoJo's feels GREAT!!!

Negatives of Priceline:
No cancellations. If you book a room, and can't go or something happens, your stuck. (This has happened with us more than once), but it's the price you pay for saving $$ sometimes.
Inability to pick your hotel. If you don't have a car, or aren't planning on renting one, I wouldn't use Priceline. If closeness to the parks is your #1 priority, then I wouldn't use Priceline as the only hotel we have gotten that is within walking distance is the Anaheim Hilton, which we don't care for.

If anybody else has anything to add, please feel free to do so.

Great tips, but a few clarifications that I have found. In the Disneyland area Priceline does not have anything above 3* Recent updates to Priceline all our old 3* are now 3 1/2*.

I usually start my bidding at $40. I review what others have recently won at www.biddingfortravel.com and use that information to my benefit. I also highly recommend READING their FAQ BEFORE bidding using Priceline. They explain what free zones are available and provide bidding tips.

I think it is a pro that the Crowne Plaza and Hyatt Regency have a private shuttle bus to the park. I do not have to use ART or pay for the ride.

If you bid 1* and it is accepted most likely you will end up at the Extended Stay America. We have gotten this hotel for $32.00.
Pros: cost, free parking, mini-kitchenette.
Cons: uncomfy Queen size beds, I usually bring my own sheets for comfort. Not a lot of amenities.

[sir clinksalot]

^ I couldn't remember if it was 3* or 3 1/2* that was the max in Anaheim. It's been about 2 months since we have booked through priceline. Thanks for the clarification.

[dsnylndmom]

Great tips! I'm always hesitant about using Priceline, this makes it seem less nervewracking.

[PirateMickey]

We've used it for quite a few of our "last minute" trips, and pretty much the way that you have indicated. I go up $5 with each bid.

Luckily, we have been able to stay at the Hyatt the most, and for $50.00.

We're totally happy with their service (at least the way that we use it).

[PirateMickey]

Oh, I forgot to mention that we have used PL for a few stays in Burbank as well.

Got the Marriott off of 134 and the Holiday Inn Towers (the green trimmed ones along the 5) near Alameda for $50.00 as well.

I was a little hesitant about staying at the H-I (haven't been to one in over 20 years), but once we got there, it was quite nice. Very nice staff, too.

[sir clinksalot]

^ Good point.

These tips work for any area, but like I said, I will generally do it only in an area I'm familiar with. We did it in DC a few years back just because and got a REALLY good hotel for about $70 per night. (I believe it was a Hilton, or Hyatt or something). We actually ended up not using it, we went to Hersheypark instead. But it still worked.

[Dustysage]

Here is another idea. If you use Priceline, please post in here with the Star Level, Rate, and Dates you bid on and whether or not your bid was accepted. That will make it easier for others to know what to bid.

[disneybanks]

Okay, here goes. I was looking for a 3 star for one night - December 3rd. On Oct. 24th, I started at $45 and was rejected. I went through all of my re-bids and added $2 to each offer. All were rejected. On the 25th, I started at $48 and was accepted on the first try. We are booked at the Anaheim Hilton; with tax it comes to $61.25.

[stinkerbell]

I'm also a vote for www.biddingfortravel.com. I'd never use Priceline without it in any city, but esp. Anaheim. There are hotel reviews and lists of fees at each hotel, plus specific strategies to get what you want for the price you want.

[Dustysage]

Okay, here goes. I was looking for a 3 star for one night - December 3rd. On Oct. 24th, I started at $45 and was rejected. I went through all of my re-bids and added $2 to each offer. All were rejected. On the 25th, I started at $48 and was accepted on the first try. We are booked at the Anaheim Hilton; with tax it comes to $61.25.

Thank you Disneybanks. $48 for a 3 star on December 3rd sounds like a rockin' sweet deal!

[flynnibus]

Use the free rebid!

What is a rebid? When your initial offer gets rejected, PL will let you increase your bid and try again. The requirement is you must either EXPAND your search area or lower your star count.

However, doing this as instructed may lead to an undesirable location.

How can I rebid without expanding my area or lowering my standards? This is what people refer to as a 'free rebid'. PL does not exclude areas that do not meet your star criteria. However, PL will never assign a hotel that is BELOW your star criteria. So put these two items together. If you add a region to your bid that does NOT have any hotels at or above your star criteria, the region is added, but has no possible effect on your bid's results.

Example: You are searching for a 3 star hotel. If you add a region who's MAX star count is 2, you can add this region and can not get assigned a hotel in that region.

How do I use this to my advantage? Before you bid, use the PL website to look at all the regions around where you want to stay. Note the max star hotel available in each region. You will find 2-3 at least for anaheim that top out at 2 stars.

Now place a bid for a 3 star in your DL area. If the bid gets rejected, add a region that has a MAX of 2 star to your bid and increment your bid (usually 4-8 buck range depending on how low you bid to start). You will have gotten a second chance at bidding at a 3 star hotel ONLY in your DL area.

All of this is from biddingfortravel.com - go there and find what people have been winning as bids in your time period to estimate what you should start as an opening bid. For Disneyland area for 3 stars... 45-60$ seems to be the average winning bid range most of the time.

[PirateMickey]

^^^^^

I've never had to lower the star count or expand the area in order to increase my "bid".

Isn't that the idea of "bidding"?

I just raise the amount by 5 bucks each time until I get it or I decide that I'll try it again later.

And I have found that the closer to the arrival date that you are, the better the chance of getting a lower bid. Of course, you also run the risk of not having any rooms available.

[Darkbeer]

Don't forget, there is another option, Hotwire.com

This site will let you place the dates of your trip, and then show you the prices and the amenities of discounted places in the area, but not the name of the hotel.

This is a better option if you want a specific location, as usually you can match up the amenities, betterbidding.com also provides Hotwire.com tips and helps you match up the offer to the specific location.

Another benefit, you can tell what the "going rate" is on the exact dates of your visit. You can go to Priceline.com and bid prices less than Hotwire.com, and if Priceline declines the offer, then you can always buy from Hotwire.

[flynnibus]

^^^^^

I've never had to lower the star count or expand the area in order to increase my "bid".

Isn't that the idea of "bidding"?

You can't just increase your bid and bid again immediately - PL doesn't allow it. If you want to do that alone, you must wait 24hrs.

Right from PL's website

If priceline does not accept your offer, you can change the star level or area you requested and try again immediately. Or, you can try your exact same request again 24 hours later.