I understand how you are feeling discouraged right now about the rooms showing booked in YNP, BUT trust me when I say that you will see cancellations from now thru summer and you should be watching the web site but more importantly calling Xanterra (and only Xanterra, others charge a booking fee) to check for rooms daily. You will get in park lodging with patience and perseverance.
Give the Xanterra reservationist the week you would like to visit and they can pull a week at a glance showing all lodging. My personal experience recently has been that they tell me "there's nothing available". I press them to check each lodge one at a time and actually they have found rooms. They are very helpful but getting slammed with requests right now and they get a little worn down. Use patience with them and you'll find rooms eventually. Many of us move nightly or every couple of nights just to stay in park, it's worth it. Also it's a good idea to move your lodging around because you see more of the park with less driving.
Children may sleep on the floor in sleeping bags or cots if that's an option for your family and you are offered a dbl/single bed configuration.
If you feel like you want to have lodging assured while you keep calling Xanterra, which imho is a good idea, I can give you a couple of properties in West Yellowstone to try. You want to stay in the park or in one of the gateway towns of West Yellowstone or Gardiner. Many of us on the site feel like Cooke City and other towns further out are too far to commute daily. Wherever you book make sure they have a generous cancellation policy and nightly rates without a 3 night minimum so that as you start picking up rooms in the park, you can cancel the gateway city rooms.
For West Yellowstone try the Pony Express motel very basic and old but budget friendly. Their sister property is the Branding Iron but there is a $100/night difference in the rates. You should also look at a cabin or home rental thru VRBO in these towns, this could be a great option.
For Gardiner you may look at sites like Expedia for avail motel rooms
In the Tetons you will find an easier time getting lodging. One of the in park lodges, the town of Jackson or Teton Village thru VRBO all work. For great value properties in Jackson try the Virginian with good TA reviews. Also the family owned Kudar Motel and Cabins is excellent, affordable and in a great location. They don't accept online reservations and begin phone reservations in March. You can call and leave them a message with your number with dates and he will call back.
Best of luck and don't give up, you'll get in park...it will just take a little work.
Crystal
Edited: 8 years ago