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  1. #1
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    Default Is This Even Possible Anymore?....

    Was having a CalgonTakeMeAway moment while ago, and was just trying to picture myself in two weeks gone and soaking up some Magic. 'Back in the Day' when I was a tiny child , before online reservations and such , adventurous travelers just got in the car and went places, then found a hotel room somewhere when they go to their destination. Is it possible to get a room at any Disney resort if one just impulsively gets in the car and heads over? Does that ever work, or are the hotels always booked to capacity?....
    79,0,1
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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    I think that would be hard to answer. It would depend on the time of year etc. However, with all the hotels in the area, I'm sure you could find something even if it's not on property. However, doing your homework, and planning ahead usually get you the best prices and the best location. It's kind of like trying to walk up and get ressies the same day for a restaurant in one of the parks.

    So yes, you might be able to but maybe not where you want or for the price you want.
    ºoºKathyºoº TimeShare 12-12
    GKTW June 2011,Off site Feb/March 2011
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  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by PAYROLL PRINCESS View Post
    So yes, you might be able to but maybe not where you want or for the price you want.
    Oh, I think that would definitely be true. I just wondered if anyone's ever done that and successfully got a room onsite?...Nice to fantasize about--just take off and go.
    79,0,1
    91 Co
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  5. #4
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    You can definitely do it, but as noted, the price would be high. Resorts are only at 100% capacity maybe one or two weeks per year. But just picking up and going to stay onsite you'd probably have to pay full rack rate.
    Chris, aka Strmchsr
    INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning, Guests with Special Needs, and Weather Guru

  6. #5
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    Well, no not really. You can't just show up and ask if there is a room available. You would still be directed to call the central reservations line and then THEY will tell you where you can go with an available room.

    And then, you're paying rack rate.

    It can be done, just not so "on a whim" as you describe. Although, if you are just talking about finding a hotel room in Orlando on any given day, that would not be hard at all.
    Natalie
    INTERCOT Staff: Disneyland Resort-California, The Water Cooler

  7. #6
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    Smile

    Quote Originally Posted by BrerGnat View Post
    Well, no not really. You can't just show up and ask if there is a room available. You would still be directed to call the central reservations line and then THEY will tell you where you can go with an available room.
    Definitely not true. I walked up and got a room at All Stars once without calling. Just went to the front desk, told them I had arrived a day early unplanned, they took my credit card and driver's license, and gave me a room key.

    FWIW I've never seen that sign as you exit Magic Kingdom when it didn't say "Resort Rooms Available."

    Go for it!
    Ian ºOº
    INTERCOT Senior Imagineer

    Veteran of over 60 trips to Disney theme parks and proud to have stayed in every Disney resort in the continental United States! º0º

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  8. #7
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    I think the key to planning and booking ahead for us is saving hundreds of dollars. I can't imagine driving up to AKL and just asking for whatever room they have available! It would cost a fortune. Not to mention alot of people would miss out on the free dining promo.

    It would be fun to jump in the car and just be spontaneous (my dad did that in the 70's and got the penthouse suite at the Contemporary for about $75 a night...that will never happen again), but in this day and age it pays big time to plan ahead! I guess if money is no object then go for it
    1980-2001 CR;CBR 2001 AKL 2002 AKL 2003 AKL 2004 AKL; CB; AKL 2007 WL 2008 AKL 9/09 AKL Jambo 12/10 AKL Kidani 9/11 AKL Kidani 9/12 AKL 12/12 AKL 5/13 AKL 12/13 SS 9/14 BLT 12/14 SS 2/15 Aulani DVC 7/15 CBR 10/15 Yacht Club 12/16 DS 7/17 Aulani 01/19 POR 08/19 Yacht Club

  9. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by BrerGnat View Post
    You would still be directed to call the central reservations line ...
    ... and to add to Ian's post, even if there is no availability at that particular resort, the CM at check in will make the call for you.
    Jeff

  10. #9
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    Oh... and I have received a discounted room as a walk up at The Dolphin.
    Jeff

  11. #10
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    Oh, well that's good to know then! I have read so many trip reports where people wanted to extend their trip, or stay an extra night, and they always called CRO to check availability. Didn't know the front desks at the resorts could still do that right there. Good info!
    Natalie
    INTERCOT Staff: Disneyland Resort-California, The Water Cooler

  12. #11
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    Cool! Fun to dream about! And you never know. I would give it a shot! We always plan months ahead, and Terrisue always takes good care of us, but I just like the idea of being able to up and go! Neat to know it can still happen.
    79,0,1
    91 Co
    8 M
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    4 P,Mu,AKL
    5 S
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    7 S/D,CB
    8 CB,G 30
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    10 CBP,P
    11 Mu,Do/Ret,P
    12 Mu,CB,AA AK
    13 P 35
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  13. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ian View Post
    FWIW I've never seen that sign as you exit Magic Kingdom when it didn't say "Resort Rooms Available."

    Go for it!
    I've seen that sign. Yes, there always seem to be rooms available, but I think you are taking a chance on where they might be available. If you have no preference and you're prepared to end up paying more, I think it can be done. But not if you have your heart set on one and only one resort and won't take anything available. It's always safer to call ahead, I think, even if you called on the day of arrival. But as Ian said, it apparently can be done.
    Sherri
    Next: Aulani Celebration 10/2018 (50th)
    Past Stays: Contemporary, GF, Poly, BC, POP, POR, Dolphin, AKL Kidani, BLT
    1990 August Honeymoon- GF
    Delighted Disney Return Guest since 1981, DVC (BLT) since 2014


  14. #13
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    My parents did something similar once back in the 80's. We were staying just outside of Disney World and my father was not happy with the hotel so while were visiting the Contemporary my father told my mother to call reservations and see if there was a room available anywhere. My mom went to the lobby and called and she was able to get us a garden wing room at the Contemporary for the rest of our trip. That was the first time we stayed at a Disney resort.

  15. #14
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    Like a pp mentioned, it depends on when you want to go.

    I've mentioned this story before, but in Sep '05, DH and I were driving from NJ (actually, DH was riding his motorcycle and I followed behind in my beloved Jetta TDI that I just sold a week ago ). I actually had my own bike, but I was an inexperienced rider, so I thought that a 2500 mile trip was a bit too ambitious for me. Anyway, we knew where we wanted to stay, but we didn't want to lock ourselves into an arrival date, so we didn't book our room. I checked the WDW Websites up to the day we left and I knew that there were plenty of rooms available.

    So when we were nearing FL, I called the WDW reservation number and booked room at WL for that night. Standard view, rack rate, but our room was #2125, which is one of the handicapped rooms off the lobby that overlook the courtyard. We loved the room and had a great time.
    Amanda
    Mom of Jay and Sam

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    mantengase alejado de las puertas'


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  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by BrerGnat View Post
    Oh, well that's good to know then! I have read so many trip reports where people wanted to extend their trip, or stay an extra night, and they always called CRO to check availability. Didn't know the front desks at the resorts could still do that right there. Good info!
    Natalie, what you mentione about calling CRO has been our experience as well. At the end of our trip in June of 2010 we ended up going to WL to eat lunch before driving home, and decided to stay for one more night. DH walked to the check in desk to see if anything was available. We were told to call CRO. We called from the lobby then walked over to check in. Silly as it seemed, that's how we had to do it.

    Having to pay rack rate would be the main reason I wouldn't want to do a trip last minute. We did a trip sort of last minute, planned it a week ahead of time one year. We were using the military discount which was available for the whole year (minus a few black out dates). So we were lucky enough to be able to use that discount when booking. There would have been no other discounts available to us at that time.
    Denise

    Resorts we've stayed at in 20+ trips: ASMo, ASMu, ASSp, PC, CSR, CBR, POR, POFQ, WL, AKL Jambo, AKL Kidani, Poly, Contemporary, BC, YC, BWV, OKW, SSR, Swan, Shades of Green, Vero Beach, Disneyland Resort

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  17. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by buzznwoodysmom View Post
    DH walked to the check in desk to see if anything was available. We were told to call CRO.
    Hmm... Perhaps this may have to do with how busy they are. When the CM booked the room for me, it was 11:00PM and no line.
    Jeff

  18. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scar View Post
    Hmm... Perhaps this may have to do with how busy they are. When the CM booked the room for me, it was 11:00PM and no line.
    at 11pm DRC/CRO would have been closed.

    Nanc
    Nanci Rossetti
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  19. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scar View Post
    Hmm... Perhaps this may have to do with how busy they are. When the CM booked the room for me, it was 11:00PM and no line.
    Nope, it wasn't busy at all. After we made the reservation we walked right back up (or we might have had lunch first) and checked in with maybe one person in front of us. The reservation was already in the computer too. It may just be like everything else in WDW, depends on resort, as well as CM.
    Denise

    Resorts we've stayed at in 20+ trips: ASMo, ASMu, ASSp, PC, CSR, CBR, POR, POFQ, WL, AKL Jambo, AKL Kidani, Poly, Contemporary, BC, YC, BWV, OKW, SSR, Swan, Shades of Green, Vero Beach, Disneyland Resort

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  20. #19
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    I would say it definitely depends on the time of year, but I'd imagine most of the time there'd be some available Somewhere on property.

    But as a pp mentioned, we made a spur of the moment trip a few years ago, and when I called a week prior to our anticipated arrival, I was told there was NOTHING available! ** We had a fall trip planned - but a kink with DH's job through us for a loop & it was either go during spring break that year or not at all! ** We were to arrive during my DS's spring break, and I even asked about a campsite as we're experienced campers! Alas, we had to spend our first few days offsite before moving mid week onto WDW property! I was so concerned about crowd levels, I told DS' that this trip wouldn't be like our others, that it was going to be super crowded & we'd just hope to be able to experience our fav attractions. To our happy surprise crowds weren't bad at all! I'm not sure why we couldn't score a room, must have been a convention or something!

    So I suppose if you aren't deadset on staying in the World or even a certain property, it's probably doable most of the time, but I know first hand - Don't count on it!
    Shari
    -"There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow..."

    '02 - All Star Movies
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  21. #20
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    We kind of did that last July. I had to drive to pick something up for work in Oscala so we said hey maybe we should got to MK for a day. I called around 7pm on a Wednesday and made reservations at Pop for the next day for Thursday until Saturday. Thursday morning at 7am when we were driving to Disney I called and got reservations at 'Ohana Friday night for 5 people at 7:30. I was so shocked when the reservationist was like how is 7:30! I am a serious planner and never thought I could do a last minute trip but I ended up great. There is hope for the unplanned traveler at Disney. Although, I doubt if I ever got the opportunity again it would work out that great!
    Yacht Club May 2015
    AoA Holiday 2013
    Pop Century May 2012, July 2011, May 2008, and May 2006
    All Star Music Sept 2007
    All Star Movies May 2006
    Many Trips as a Child Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Swan, Dolphin, and Board Walk

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