Dolphin experts--upgrading strategy

[Fargoman2]

I already have my reservations for the Dolphin July 29- Aug. 5.

At the advice of many of you, I became a member of Starwood. My question:
What is the best upgrading strategy?
1. Do I just show up and hope my Starwood membership is worth a complimentary upgrade?

2. Do I call in advance to upgrade once I have enough points to do so? Or do I use my points upon arrival to get an upgrade?

3. And what precisely can I upgrade to? Deluxe? What is the diff. between
deluxe and standard? I'd also like to make sure we get continental breakfast.

4. My ultimate pipe dream would be to get a suite, but I know I'll never
accumulate 70,000 points in 3 months! If I had 15,000 points, would that
help "buy" my way to a suite at all?

I know my questions are tiring, but I love to obsess on such details--it's what I do.

Thanks!

[ozziewags]

Fargoman,
I am in the same boat, wondering what to do to upgrade. I reserved a jr suite at teachers rate for Christmas, then I joined starwood. I called back to give them my starwood number and asked them to send me a confirmation. When I recieved my confirmation it listed 'upgrade', which I didn't ask for (yet)! So I am hoping for one too(to an executive suite), but if I don't get it, it will be ok, as I am sooo happy to be able to do the suite at all.

Carol