How do you ask for an upgrade?

[theduck619]

For those of you have ever had your room upgraded at check in, how did you ask? Was there begging involved?

 

[dvczerfs]

the one and only time it ever happened to me, they told me they were over booked. that was at the cbr. they moved me up from a standard view.

 

[cj9200]

We were at Animal Kingdom with a standard view (only thing available when I reserved). At check-in I told them my daughter had her heart set on a Savannah view room. And then asked if it was possible. DD told me later than when I asked, she had her pitiful child look. It worked.

 

[AJRitz]

Just ask politely.
It's all a matter of what's open at the time you check in, and how much flexibility the room assigners have left the check-in desk with. Begging doesn't help. Demanding doesn't help. All you can do is ask. Just remember that these sorts of upgrades are rare. Don't expect one, and you just might end up with a magical surprise.

 

[ancestry]

For those of you have ever had your room upgraded at check in, how did you ask? Was there begging involved?

You don't ask. You pay for the room category that you want. If you are really lucky you may be upgraded but the vast majority of people are not. The quickest way to guarantee that you don't get an upgrade is to ask for one.

 

[AJRitz]

You don't ask. You pay for the room category that you want. If you are really lucky you may be upgraded but the vast majority of people are not. The quickest way to guarantee that you don't get an upgrade is to ask for one.

I've heard that said before, but I don't buy it.
It's simple really. True, most upgrades are pre-assigned by the room assigners, and have mostly to do with capacity planning issues. But particularly during slower times, there are rooms that go empty.

There's nothing wrong with a polite request. The CM at the check-in desk can check, and 95% of the time (or more) will come back and say, "Sorry, there's nothing available." Another 3% of the time or so, the CM at the desk will come back and say, "I can upgrade you to X level for $X per night." It's usually not a deal. But if you happen to have the extra money, they'll let you buy the upgrade. And then there's that last 2%. It's rare, but it happens. If you don't ask, the CM won't check. So there's no harm in asking, but don't expect to hear the answer you want.

 

[theduck619]

Thanks for he suggestions. I am not expecting one at all or have my heart set on it. I know the people working the desk gt hit with this type of question a lot.

 

[DEA]

Here's what I think about the upgrade issue:

1. You are more likely to get upgraded if you book the lowest category room. It is by no means guaranteed, but it's a calculated move to get you to book a more expensive room next time. The whole, "Once you go Magic Kingdom View, you never go back" theory. Our first year, we booked a Garden View Poly room. We got upgraded to an MKV room. We had been waiting around for our room for a while, but it was still not too long after 3pm.

The next year, we booked virtually the same room. So, yeah, it worked for Disney to do that for us. On that trip, we met a family who had booked Garden View, and got upgraded to MKV Concierge at the Poly. THAT, my friends, is an outrageous upgrade.

2. Have a special occasion. My wife and I booked a standard view Boardwalk Inn room for an anniversary trip, and we got upgraded to a Water View. Our next year anniversary trip, we almost got upgraded to a water view room at Beach Club, but turned it down because it was an HA room, and we didn't want to take it.

3. Offer to pay for it. I have heard of success stories where, instead of paying double the price for a particular view, or concierge level service, people have just asked if there was anything from the higher category available, asked for the price for such, and gotten it for $30-$50/night over the rate they had booked.

So, rather than ask for an upgrade, ask something like, "After I booked, I saw that you had (Savannah view, concierge, bunk bed, preferred, whatever...) rooms here. Those looked really cool. Do you happen to have any of those available for our stay?" They may very well not, but if they do, you can innocently ask how much it would be. Now, being the Disney pro like most of us here are, you know how much that category would normally cost, and have rejected it as too much. If the person at the desk comes back with a lower price, or, amazingly, says that they can get you in there for the same rate that you had for the other room, then you will need to decide if you want to take it. For free, it's a pretty easy call, but if it means more money, or losing something ("Well, we DO have a concierge room available for your length of stay, but it is a standard view, and not the Savannah View that you originally booked..."), you'll have to way that for your particular circumstance. If you're booked in a 1BR, for example, it would probably take a lot to get you into a room with less space, even if it did have a better view. Just a way to guide things to those outcomes Aaron suggested above.

When I was upgraded, it happened without me asking, but I do think that there is a chance that if they have not upgraded you when you get to the desk, you might be able to work something out. It's still a rare thing.

 

[theduck619]

Here's what I think about the upgrade issue:

1. You are more likely to get upgraded if you book the lowest category room. It is by no means guaranteed, but it's a calculated move to get you to book a more expensive room next time. The whole, "Once you go Magic Kingdom View, you never go back" theory. Our first year, we booked a Garden View Poly room. We got upgraded to an MKV room. We had been waiting around for our room for a while, but it was still not too long after 3pm.

The next year, we booked virtually the same room. So, yeah, it worked for Disney to do that for us. On that trip, we met a family who had booked Garden View, and got upgraded to MKV Concierge at the Poly. THAT, my friends, is an outrageous upgrade.

2. Have a special occasion. My wife and I booked a standard view Boardwalk Inn room for an anniversary trip, and we got upgraded to a Water View. Our next year anniversary trip, we almost got upgraded to a water view room at Beach Club, but turned it down because it was an HA room, and we didn't want to take it.

3. Offer to pay for it. I have heard of success stories where, instead of paying double the price for a particular view, or concierge level service, people have just asked if there was anything from the higher category available, asked for the price for such, and gotten it for $30-$50/night over the rate they had booked.

So, rather than ask for an upgrade, ask something like, "After I booked, I saw that you had (Savannah view, concierge, bunk bed, preferred, whatever...) rooms here. Those looked really cool. Do you happen to have any of those available for our stay?" They may very well not, but if they do, you can innocently ask how much it would be. Now, being the Disney pro like most of us here are, you know how much that category would normally cost, and have rejected it as too much. If the person at the desk comes back with a lower price, or, amazingly, says that they can get you in there for the same rate that you had for the other room, then you will need to decide if you want to take it. For free, it's a pretty easy call, but if it means more money, or losing something ("Well, we DO have a concierge room available for your length of stay, but it is a standard view, and not the Savannah View that you originally booked..."), you'll have to way that for your particular circumstance. If you're booked in a 1BR, for example, it would probably take a lot to get you into a room with less space, even if it did have a better view. Just a way to guide things to those outcomes Aaron suggested above.

When I was upgraded, it happened without me asking, but I do think that there is a chance that if they have not upgraded you when you get to the desk, you might be able to work something out. It's still a rare thing.

I appreciate the input