Pop Cent through hotels.com

[PolyDreams]

I see they'll send me a $50.00 gift card if I stay there 3 nights-- and the hotel cost is about exactly the same as through disney. Has anyone booked for disney resorts through them? Any problems?

Making it about $250/night for 3 nights (after the gas card). Then I could maybe stay at contemporary the last 3 nights-- and be at about the same price POFQ was going to cost me for all 6 nights--

NEVER stayed in deluxe hotel before....

[Vito]

I can't speak from experience specifically with Hotels.com, but I know sometimes these "gift card" offers or rebate offers can be more trouble than they are worth.

The gift card offers are usually sent well after your stay has been completed, and as with rebates, sometimes they simply don't sent them and you have to call or write to find out what's going on.

Just as an example, I checked out the Hotels.com gift card offer, and they'll send you a $50 pre-paid mastercard (works sorta like a credit card) 30 days after the end of your stay. It expires on Dec 31st of this year.

I'm not necessarily saying this is a "bad" idea, but as with most things, it's sometimes a pain to get "something for nothing" like in this case. There are just sometimes issues with the ease in which your special bonuses (like a $50 pre-paid mastercard) are obtained, when they're obtained, and how easy they are to use.

Also keep in mind there are usually special offer rates available through Disney that will bring the price down on the Value resorts, usually lower than what you could get on Hotels.com or anything like that.

Also remember that the "up front" prices on most websites don't show tax in the nightly rate - only after you select the hotel do they add up the full total.

Just some things to keep in mind, anyway. I don't think the offer is a scam or anything like that, but just that most of the time these offers require you to put up with some hassles (waiting 30 days after your stay to get the card, expiration dates, etc) to get your special offer.

Just for the heck of it you might want to check with Magical Journeys and see what kind of rates they could give you for FQ. I know that sometimes switching hotels mid-stay can be a pain, and although staying at a Deluxe for the first time would be great (something I've never done!), the trouble saved by not having to switch hotels as well as saving some $. By the time you pack up your stuff, move it over to another resort, unpack and settle in, you're probably going to lose half a day or so.

My honest recommendation would be to book your full stay at a cheaper hotel (Value or Moderate), and save as much money as you can. Then (hopefully in the not-to-far future) you can keep saving up a little here and a little there and just splurge on a full-stay at a Deluxe. It just might be a more relaxing experience that will end up being even more rewarding in the end with a longer stay at a Deluxe as opposed to the hassle of the mid-stay transfer.

[PolyDreams]

Thank you so much for taking the time with such a great response!

I know- my husband wondered about switching mid-stay as well-- it is nice to just 'stay put'.

ANd the gas card expiring end of Dec, you're right- if they fudge at all sending it- would be cutting it close!

Had not checked out magical journeys-- with having my entrance tickets already-- didn't know if they could do much for me or not-- but I will check it out.

Thanks again!!

[crazeedizneefinatic]

Hello- You may want to check because we used hotels.com for a weekend getaway to Niagra Falls a few weeks ago and they charged a booking fee which I was not aware of at the time. We also got sucked in by the gas card promotion, LOL. They also have a price guarantee which they make almost impossible to utilize. I found out that if I booked directly with the hotel I could have saved about $80. I called them to let them know so they could adjust the price and the person on the phone made it so difficult. I had to repeat the website address to him several times with him still not getting it right. He kept telling me he needed a screen shot, which is totally understandable. I just could not get him to understand how to get to the website. He kept telling me it was not there even though I was on my computer at the same time. I ended up cancelling the reservation and just booking with the hotel. I think there customer service is lacking. When I asked to speak to a supervisor he told me they were all busy, I told him I would hold and he told me that was not possible, he then hung up on me! Called back again, hung up on again by someone different. Come to find out I was calling a call center in India! I would advise against using them.