Overpriced hotel rooms.

CPboy77 said:
Well, I was just looking to book a room or two for July at Breakers, Sandcastle, or LP and man, everything is so expensive! ...
The cheapest I could find for two nights was like between 300 and 400 dollars and that was in Bon-Air.

Screw CP's properties. Go to Kalahari, where you can probably get a whirlpool suite (w/fireplace) for around $300/night. And I understand that Kalahari's accommodations don't suck like CP's, so there's that.

Or try LaQuinta. It's certainly nothing special, but it's a fine value.

No, you won't be on-site with either of those choices, but who cares? Get a Platinum Pass! :)

A room in Bon Air is not worth $300-$400 a night. Frankly, I don't think the nicer suites are worth $300-$400 a night. But, that is one person's perspective.

Plenty of people stay in those rooms at those prices because they think there is a value in staying on property. Until people stop staying in those rooms the prices will remain inflated.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge is my favorite Disney hotel but I don't stay there because I don't think it is worth that much money. I stay off property at any of a number of comparable resorts for half the cost because I don't place a high value of being that close to the parks. But, sure enough the Wilderness Lodge stays plenty full.

In peak season a room in Bon Air goes for $165 a night. Is that worth it? Heck no. I've stayed at nicer rooms in downtown Chicago and Toronto for less than that. But it's location location location. I'd much rather spend the $88 per night that I'm paying to stay in the beginning of June. I've also been looking around, just out of curiosity, and the Presidential Suite atop Breakers Tower goes for $1000 a night. From what I can see in the pictures, it doesn't look all that special. It better be one damn good view for a grand a night. Kudos to CP though, according to their reservations page there are a lot of dates where the suite isn't available, presumably because its already been booked. I also see now that the rate drops to $665 per night during Halloweekends. If I win the lottery sometime between now and then, I may have to splurge and see just how special that suite is (or isn't).

Vince, that room is huge. This is when you get a group together and all go in on it, especially during halloweekends. My family does that every year. Usually ends up being $100 or so a person.

Is it really as nice as one could expect (paying $650-$1000/ night)? Does it look onto the lake as well as the park? Or just one? The pictures on the reservations page don't really give a great view of it.

Yeah, I was just looking at those suites too and they are pretty much booked up until August. Nice to see for CP.

Question about Sandcastle: So there is going to be 4 of us and none of us want to share a bed. It's my friend and I and his mom and my mom, so it would be a little weird for any of us to share a bed. Do they have cots? I know they have 2 beds and a pullout so that's ok, but one of us is left. Or if they don't have cots would there be enough room to put an air matress somewhere?

Vince, it looks out onto both, the huge balcony faces the lake but is shaped like a bay window, you can see a little bit of everything. It also has a small balcony like all the other regular suites that looks over the pool area and a nice view of the park facing wicked twister and raptor. I would say it more warrants the $650 a night price being that it has a separate room with 2 queen beds/w attached bathtub and shower like regular rooms, a separate room with a king size bed and jacuzzi tub, a big living room with 2 sofas (not sleepers), a dining room with a huge table and lots of chairs, and a small kitchen/sitting area with a cirlce table and 4 chairs, and another bathroom area with shower only and toilet closed off and the sink area outside of that. Lots of room for air mattresses in the livingroom, dining room areas, so alot of people could go to chip in on the cost and not have to sleep on the floor!

If i'm not mistaken, it has 5 air conditioners. 1 in king room, 2 in living room, 1 in dining room, 1 in queen room. If its hot outside, you will be freezing in there, trust me! :)

Wow that sounds great. Thanks for the info JW.

I believe the $1000 a night for the Presidential suite has been the same rate since the day it opened. There is a segment of society that will always want the best.

The Grand Floridian is a pretty nice resort at WDW but Disney found that there was a segment of society that would not even stay there. (Too kid friendly, not exclusive enough, don't like the monorail running by, etc.) So, the Four Seasons is being built on property and will likely be filled on a regular basis.

When I took reservations for Cedar Point resorts you would, once in a while, get the call from someone who would say, "give me your most expensive room." They would not need the details of what the room layout was, or the location, or the cost. They just wanted to make sure it was "the best". Hmmm...tough life indeed.

Last time I stayed at Hotel Breakers, there rooms were over priced. We got a small room with two queen size beds, small old TV, for around $300 at night, and this was during Oct of '08. To me that was to much for a small room.

I remember hanging out on the beach with some family members a few years ago. We met a couple from out of town that was staying at Sandcastle. They were visibly disappointed and said they expected so much more for the price. They were thinking about transferring to Hotel Breakers if available, as it at least had more action. CP needs to consider this feedback as I don't think this couple is coming back, or they are definitely staying elsewhere if they do. For $300 a night, I would stay at Kalahari. Then again, I'm sure they are charging these rates because they can get them.

If last season was any indication, their ability to fill rooms at such absurd rates isn't holding up in this economy.

If the reservations agent is good he/she will inform callers of the differences between Sandcastle and Breakers. I knew plenty of people who chose to stay at Sandcastle particularly because it was "quieter" as there was less going on.

I told folks with younger children that they would likely prefer Breakers over Sandcastle.

As for filling the rooms, there is actually method to the madness. It might be more economical to fill a portion of the rooms at full price instead of all of the rooms at a reduced price. If you have to pay X housekeepers to clean 75% of the rooms and Y housekeepers to clean 100% of the rooms then maybe it is more economical to fill 75% of the rooms. That is, if they can even recruit a large enough workforce to do it.

That is one reason why Sandcastle closes in early September. They don't have the staffing resources to keep both hotels (not too mention Breakers Express, Lighthouse Point and Castaway) open in the fall...even if people wanted to book the rooms.

To me the extra money for lighthouse point is worth it. Ive been at least the last 4-5 years at lighthouse and slept very well every night. It is very quiet. I have had numerous bad experiences at many CP and CP area hotels. Slamming doors, running through halls, fire alrams pulled(this sucks when you dont grab your room key) and so on. Ill gladly pay an extra hundred bucks for a good nights sleep so I can enjoy the next day.

With kids, especially mine, lol, we go back to the room alot during the day. Like everyone says, you are paying for location. On a hot day, you can't beat "walking 5 minutes" back to your freezing cold room to recharge, instead of going to your blazing hot car or trying to find a place to cool off. Do i wish the rates were cheaper? Hell yeah i do, but we are spoiled by the advantages and convenience of staying right inside the park. We prefer the Breakers, Sandcastle is to far off the beaten path with tired, cranky kids, plus it doesn't have the atmosphere of the Breakers. You can actually "enjoy" the beach in front of the Breakers!

Just when I thought the prices for the rooms could get no worse, they have kept the package rate the same and took away the coupon books. All you get in the package is the park tickets. No more munch money or free golf/ go cart coupons.

I just called for my brother to find out the rates, and this is how I found out. Yet another great move.:(

I booked a non lakeview suite at Breakers in July in Breakers East section for one night for $340. We would have stayed two nights but that's a lot per night! It should be fun though since I have not stayed on Point since 2004!

$340 for one night?

Does that include the vaseline?

I just booked a room at the hojo right across the street from the thirsty pony for $34 a night. Booked it for 3 nights, and it's costing me $117 after taxes.

I remember hearing something about Bon Air getting renovated over the off season. Does anyone know if it actually happened?

I don't think it was. I did hear a rumor that CP may get rid of the section and rebuild it more like the newer wings.