Looking for a great discount on an Orlando hotel? Be sure to check out the MouseSavers Preferred Hotels first. These hotels close to Disney World have been personally selected by me, out of dozens of hotels I've inspected, and they offer excellent deals for readers of MouseSavers.com!

Besides the Disney-owned resorts, there are two other options: on-site hotels, which are on Disney property, but not owned or operated by Disney; and off-site hotels, which are not located on Disney property. Either option can frequently save you a lot of money compared with the Disney resorts. Virtually all of the non-Disney-operated hotels and resorts near Walt Disney World offer outstanding discounts in the off-season, and many hotels offer some sort of discount year-round.

On-Site Hotels Not Operated by Disney

The Swan and Dolphin hotels are within walking distance of Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios, and participate in the Disney transportation system. They are on Disney property but not Disney-owned. The rates at the Swan and Dolphin can be very reasonable when compared with Disney's Deluxe properties, yet you get many of the same amenities. Click here to see current promotional rates and discounts for the Swan and Dolphin.

The seven Downtown Disney hotels are on Disney property but not Disney-owned. They run their own bus transportation and are very close to the Downtown Disney complex. Be sure to read more about the MouseSavers Preferred Hotels in Downtown Disney, where you can get special MouseSavers offers:

• Best Western Lake Buena Vista

• Doubletree Guest Suites in the Walt Disney World Resort

• Hilton at Walt Disney World

• Royal Plaza in the Walt Disney World Resort

Off-Site Hotels

There are literally hundreds of off-site hotels in the area around Walt Disney World, at every level of price and quality. Since you will usually pay a premium to stay on-property, staying off-site can often be a huge money-saver.

After inspecting many off-site hotels near Walt Disney World, I've selected a few as MouseSavers Preferred Hotels:

• Buena Vista Suites

• Caribe Royale

• Celebration Hotel

• Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa

• Marriott Village hotels

• Radisson Resort Orlando - Celebration

All of these hotels represent an excellent value and that I feel confident will provide you with quality accommodations. All of them offer special deals for MouseSavers readers.

I would advise starting with the links above, but if you're looking for more off-site options, try these links:

Shop Around Online

Here are some other sites to try for discounts. When searching these sites, be sure to use Lake Buena Vista, FL if you want to be closest to Disney World. Other relatively close-by hotel areas are Orlando and Kissimmee.

Jump to:

Expedia and Travelocity

Two good sites to check out for hotel deals are Expedia and Travelocity. These travel agencies are constantly engaged in a battle to control the online travel market, so they are extremely competitive on price. I usually find the best deals overall on Expedia, but it's worth checking both sites if you have the time.

These sites often charge a service fee on your reservation, and they sometimes require full payment or a substantial deposit in advance. Be sure to read ALL the small print as you make your reservation (which may require you to click on a link that says "terms and conditions" or something similar), because sometimes these sites' cancellation and change fees can be unusually stringent. For instance, Expedia charges a $25 penalty on almost all cancellations.

Hotel Web Sites

Sometimes there are good offers directly through the hotels' own web sites. All of the major hotel chains have web sites:

AAA Rates

The majority of major hotel chains (and many independently-owned hotels) offer American Automobile Association (AAA) discounts, which can give you significant savings. (Generally the same rates are offered for the Canadian equivalent, CAA.) If you are a member, always look for the AAA rate when checking online, or ask when calling for reservations.

AARP Rates

Many hotels offer very attractive discounts to members of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). You only have to be 50 to join, and you don't even have to be retired. Membership in AARP is very inexpensive and might pay for itself in one night's stay!

Entertainment Book Discounts

The Orlando Entertainment Book will get you 50% off the "rack rates" at many Walt Disney World-area hotels, from very inexpensive motels up through such upscale selections as Doubletree, Sheraton and Marriott. Click on the link above to check out any current discounts or deals on the Entertainment book.

Government Discounts

If you are a government employee (local, county, state or federal), you should always ask if there is a government discount (be sure to carry your ID with you and have it available at check-in). Many contractors to government agencies also qualify. Most of the major hotel chains offer government rates, though you may have to call the hotel directly, since these rates don't show up on most of the hotel web sites. Thanks to ClaymoH for the info!

Government employees (city,county, state or federal) can rent a "space available" condo at timeshare resort locations worldwide for only $329/week through GETO. Because of the huge number of timeshares in Orlando, it's not unusual to find availability through this organization. Note that your plans will probably have to be flexible since the condos often don't become available until pretty close to the dates of travel. If you are not a government employee but are a friend or family member of one, the government employee can get you a "transfer certificate," which costs an extra $49. Thanks to Charlie G for info.

Military Discounts

If you are active duty or retired military, you should always ask if there is a military discount (be sure to carry your ID with you and have it available at check-in). Often the military discounts are among the best offered by hotels. Most of the major hotel chains offer military rates, though you may have to call the hotel directly, since these rates don't show up on most of the hotel web sites. Thanks to John G for the tip!

Military, retired military and reserves can rent a "space available" condo at timeshare resort locations worldwide for only $329/week through AFV Club. Because of the huge number of timeshares in Orlando, it's not unusual to find availability through this organization. Note that your plans will probably have to be flexible since the condos often don't become available until pretty close to the dates of travel. Thanks to Lisa S for info.

Please also see information about Shades of Green, a military resort located on the Disney property but not operated by Disney.

Priceline

Priceline is a service that allows you to bid on hotel rooms, airfares and rental cars. (Note: Priceline is making it harder and harder to find the bidding area of its site: be sure to click on "Name Your Own Price" to get the real deals.) There are some amazing bargains to be had through Priceline and I use it myself to bid on hotels all the time! I always choose hotels in the 3 star or higher category, and I've never been disappointed.

If you use Priceline you won't get to pick the exact hotel, and it's critical to keep in mind that once you've made your bid, there is no going back. If it is accepted, you will be charged for the room immediately and there are no refunds or exchanges allowed. However, you can pick the general location (first choice is "Disney World Vicinity") and the number of "stars" (ranging from 1-star up to Resort) -- meaning the level of service and accommodations the hotel provides.

Notes and Helpful Hints for Bidding through Priceline

A reasonable Priceline bid for 2.5-star and 3-star hotels in the Disney World Vicinity seems to be about $35-$50. Hotels in the Disney World Vicinity that have been showing up in this category tend to vary pretty widely in terms of quality. However, all of them are perfectly decent and a very good deal for the money. A few of these hotels do charge "resort fees" (typically $8 or less per night) and/or parking fees.

A reasonable Priceline bid for the luxurious "Resort" category in the Disney World Vicinity seems to be around $60-$95. That's a phenomenal deal as many of these hotels regularly charge $200 a night or more. However, keep in mind that some of the hotels in the Resort category also charge a "resort fee" (typically $10 or less per night), and they may also charge for parking. One of the hotels in this category reportedly charges for transportation to the theme parks.

Sometimes Priceline will reject a bid, but offer you an instant free rebid and suggest a rebid amount. I have learned that when they come back with a bid suggestion, you can almost always reduce the suggested rebid and still have the bid accepted. For instance, if you bid $60 and they reject it but offer a free rebid at $77, type in an amount that splits the difference (for instance $72) and they'll almost always take it.

Nervous about trying Priceline and getting stuck with a hotel you don't like for your whole vacation? Why not use Priceline just for the first night of your stay? This works especially well for those who are flying in from the West coast and arriving late -- you won't be spending much time in your hotel room anyway. (See my notes about staying off-site the first night.) This strategy will allow you to try Priceline out and see if you like it. If you're like me, you'll be hooked!

I recommend waiting until close to your travel dates to book rooms through Priceline. It reduces the chance that your travel plans will change (remember, Priceline bids are nonrefundable and nonchangeable);  it reduces the length of time Priceline has your money (better to have it in the bank, earning interest!); and it probably increases the likelihood that your bid will be accepted, since hotels with rooms sitting empty should be increasingly desperate for your business.

If your trip is months away, see if you can get a fairly good deal elsewhere, and book a room at the best rate you can find. You can later cancel your reservation (up until the cancellation date) if you get a better deal through Priceline closer to your travel dates.

Hotwire

Hotwire is similar to Priceline in that you don't get to choose the exact hotel (you choose the rough location and the star rating), and the room is sold on a "no refunds, no exchanges" basis. However, the difference is that Hotwire tells you exactly how much you'll be paying up front -- you don't bid like you do with Priceline.

Hotwire gives you a list of prices for unnamed hotels in various star categories (i.e. a 5-star hotel will be a luxury resort, while a 1-star will be a low-end motel) and with specific amenities. At that point you can choose to accept or reject the offered price for a hotel that has a rating and amenities you want. Once you have accepted the price, you are charged in full. It is only at that point that you're told the hotel name. There are no refunds or exchanges.

As with Priceline, I strongly advise you to do your homework using some of the resources above, so that you know what the going rate is. That will help you to evaluate whether the Hotwire price is a good deal.

Staying Off-Site the First Night

Even if you plan to stay on Disney property, if you are arriving after midday you may want to consider staying off-site for the first night. Why pay the big bucks for a Disney resort when you're not going to reap the benefits?

On our honeymoon, we arrived in Orlando late at night, so we spent our first night at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. It's an upscale hotel that is actually located in the terminal, so we didn't have to worry about traveling any further. We just collected our bags, took them up on the elevator, checked in and crashed. (The rooms are well insulated from the airport noise, by the way -- we did not hear the planes.) It was not only convenient -- we spent much less than we'd have paid to sleep in the Disney Deluxe resort room where we spent the next two weeks.

The airport Hyatt is a great option for those who need to catch an early-morning flight as well. You'll be right at the airport in the morning, so you can sleep in a little later!

Last Minute Package Deals

If you're willing to plan only a week or two in advance and you need both airfare and hotel, there are some good resources for booking a cheap last-minute vacation package:

• Priceline Packages

• Expedia (under "Build Your Trip" click on Packages)

• Travelocity

• CheapTickets.com

• LastMinute.com

Sometimes you can buy an entire package (airfare and hotel) for LESS than it would cost to book a last-minute airfare alone!

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