Do you book hotels ahead for the road trip down?

[Jessie]

I'm not sure if I should just plan a general area I think we may stop for the night, or definitively pick a city. I'm reluctant to book ahead of time in case I can't make it that far, or if I think I can keep going. So, do you book your hotel stop over for road trips to wdw, or do you just stop wherever you need to, for the night?

[Bethis26fan]

I do just because I want to know what I'm getting in to. I like to look online see the reviews and everything, plus a lot of times you get a discount for booking in advance.

[princessgirls]

I do book a hotel ahead of time. We are AAA members and they do it for you!

I had a problem finding a room a few years ago on a road trip to Florida, and we wasted a lot of time stopping going in and out of hotels.

Julie:mickey:

[Mickey'sGirl]

We don't make reservations, because we often go further than we think we will. We have never had trouble getting a room.

[buzznwoodysmom]

We don't make our reservations ahead of time. I'll usually use the GPS to find hotels in the area when we feel like we'll be stopping soon. I just go with a trusted brand. Hampton Inn is what we try to use. I've yet to stay in a dirty Hampton Inn and we've used them all over the country. Rates are usually around $100 a night, the rooms are clean, the beds comfy, and you get a great, free, hot breakfast in the morning. If we can't find a Hampton other brands we like are Comfort Inn and Holiday Inns. If we think we'll make it all the way to WDW I'll call and book a room on the road. We've never been left without a place to sleep and we've always managed to find good, clean, safe, places for the night.

[BrerGnat]

If you are planning to stop along a major interstate, you will have so many options that having a reservation in advance is not necessary. My husband just drove cross country from CA to VA and never had an issue stopping wherever he needed to and getting a room at his first choice (Holiday Inn Express).

Plus, as others mentioned, not making a reservation allows more flexibility in case you need to stop sooner or want to keep driving longer than you planned.

[Buttercup]

I do only because I use my credit card travel points to pay for it, and so you have to book in advance. We've driven down enough times to know where we like to stay & how far we're able to get each day.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inns are our hotels of choice en route too. Really clean bedding and a good breakfast bar.

[Tink#64]

We've done both. But I really don't like to be locked into having to drive certain distance, or stop if we'd rather drive a few more hours!

The first time we drove to WDW, our experience was horrible, it rained & rained & rained, 9 hours on the raod & we only drove what should have been about 5 hours, so much water on the roads, & it seemd that all of the interstate in GA was under construction, driving conditions were terrible! So we decided to call it a day early & not make it to WDW that evening as planned & found a hotel, & when we left in the early AM, the rest of the trip was a breeze! I always plan - maybe too much :blush:, but sometimes for us - it's in everyone's best interest to deviate from "The Plan"!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We only stop on the return trip and yes we reserve our room ahead of time. However, we usually go during the Christmas season so you probably won't have a problem unless its during a holiday.

[BigRedDad]

If you have internet access on the way down, you can hold off. You can usually get a great deal through that Negotiator web page. You may also get some from that Hotels website as well.

Otherwise, just book ahead.

[Dulcee]

We book ahead when we travel with the pooch!

When its just us human travelers we wing it.

[brivers222]

I have only ever driven the 19 hour trip from michigan straight thru... So originally this december trip i promied my fiancee (will be new wife on trip) that I would make stops both before and after.

So i used mapquest and figure out how far I could get along my route in a certain amount of hours (pretty much the maximum she would tolerate) then i found a cheaper priced hotel in that town and made reservations.

But, we found very reasonably priced airfare so we cancelled those ressies and are now saving 38 hours in a car :)

[dizneydeb22]

We do on the way down. I do this because everyone is so excited to get there, noone thinks of how we'll all be feeling after a 20hr drive. Once we decided to drive through and the first day was a complete waste. Everyone was so exhausted that even though the adreniline was flowing, it only got us through the first few hours. If I book the hotel, we are forced to stop and continue the next morning. We arrive in Disney around noon and we hit the ground running!

On the way back we wing it. We never know when we're going to need to break, so we carry our AAA card and hope for the best.

[NJGIRL]

The one time we drove to Disney we just winged it. I would never do that again. I didn't look into anything. A few hotels that we stopped at had no rooms available and the one that we ended up with was not very nice at all.

[NJGIRL]

I just go with a trusted brand. Hampton Inn is what we try to use. I've yet to stay in a dirty Hampton Inn and we've used them all over the country.

You must not have stopped at the one in SC that we stayed in then.:blush:

We had stayed in very nice Hampton's in DC and VA prior so we figured that they were all nice, but that one was not. :(


The other problem we encountered on that trip was finding a non smoking room without a reservation.

On the way down we stayed in a dirty Holiday Inn and the way back was a dirty Hampton Inn, both were in SC.

[PETE FROM NYC]

We use Best Western because we belong to their travel club. I keep their directory in the car and when I feel I have done enough driving for the day, I pull over and look for the next BW on our route. Most of them give a free breakfast, and I have never gotten a bad room.I think that the cost varied between $60-90 per night.

[Jessie]

Really great tips and advice. Thanks so much everyone!

[DonLefNY]

We do. Sometimes you can not get a discount as a walk in and have to pay rack rate. Plus last trip north in Georgia while we were checking into a Holiday Inn Express another couple were turned away as walk ins.

[frozman]

When I go on road trips, I use my iPhone to make reservations in a city I am approaching. It saves me the hassle and time of going into hotels that are booked, and since I know what I'm paying, I don't look like a cheapskate by turning down a $300 room at a Quality Inn. I've never understood why major chains like Holiday Inn don't have Vacancy/No Vacancy signs.

[Altair]

The earlier in the day you stop, the less important it is to call ahead. Once it gets around 5pm available rooms can dry up in summer. Nothing is worse than being tired and not being able to find a room easily.
If you are a AAA member, you can use their Tour Books, or if you have a favorite chain you can pick up one of their directories before you leave. That way you can call from the road and go as far as possible.:mickey:

[tennantsrwe]

I'm a planner so I always try to book ahead. Sometimes we use our free night reward points for various chains. I just like to know where I'm staying & how much it's going to cost me. One year we tried to just wing it and ended up paying more than we would have if we'd booked online. Also a lot of internet rates are discounted 20% or more so it saves you some $$.

[January-2007]

The last two trips we've had reservations and cancelled them without penalty while on the road because we ended up driving straight through. I think we may eventually stop at that nice Sleep Inn I've researched over and over in Georgia this coming trip. We'll see.

[dinahvixen]

I downloaded the app "hotels by me" on my smartphone, and now I just hit the app and the hotels, their distances, prices, AND reviews pop up. They usually give the online price which is generally cheaper than popping in. I can see if the hotel has a pool, breakfast, etc. It's very convienent and a free app.

[luvdiznee]

I woulld depending on how far I have to drive. Just to be sure. And plus I need to get some rest in between driving. DD gets bored, too. ;)