Asking for an upgrade... rude?

Is it possible to upgrade from a value to a moderate?

I'm able to pay the difference just wondering if you can be upgraded from a value to a moderate.

My situation: I wanted to stay in a Royal room at POR for my birthday, but didn't know how to book a split stay, so I booked the entire stay at POP

I have the extra $$ but didn't know if you can upgrade to a different resort once u are there.

Sure, you can upgrade when you arrive at Pop, but there may not be any Royal rooms available at POR by then, and you would likely have to pay rack rate (full price) - any discounts you have available now may not be usable. Much better to call and make the change now.

Booking a split stay just means you're making two separate reservations. You make your reservation for POP for the dates you want to stay there, and then make another reservation for the Royal room at POR for the dates you want to stay there.
 
Sure, you can upgrade when you arrive at Pop, but there may not be any Royal rooms available at POR by then, and you would likely have to pay rack rate (full price) - any discounts you have available now may not be usable. Much better to call and make the change now.

Booking a split stay just means you're making two separate reservations. You make your reservation for POP for the dates you want to stay there, and then make another reservation for the Royal room at POR for the dates you want to stay there.


Thank you so much for the info Lynne! I'm going to give them a call :)
 
Is it possible to upgrade from a value to a moderate?

I'm able to pay the difference just wondering if you can be upgraded from a value to a moderate.

My situation: I wanted to stay in a Royal room at POR for my birthday, but didn't know how to book a split stay, so I booked the entire stay at POP

I have the extra $$ but didn't know if you can upgrade to a different resort once u are there.

If you are willing to pay for it and there is availability, yes, you can do so.

You would have to check out of the resort; take a credit for the night not used and then check back into POR.

If you want to do so now, you can book a split stay by booking two separate reservations. As long as you are less than 45 days from check-in, you can decrease your stay at POP by one day (or how many ever days you wish).

Then you can book a new reservation with a room-only reservation and pay one night's deposit.

You leave your tickets as needed for your entire stay.

If you have dining, you will need to pay OOP for your POR stay.
 


I think it’s very rare, unless something is wrong with the value, like there’s construction going on, or it’s completely full and double booked.

She was asking about split stays; not being upgraded for free from a value to a moderate for her stay.

She was clear in her post that she did not know how to book one; however myself and another long-time poster have given her the instructions on how to book a split stay - so she is good.
 
I have a 6n/7d package reservation at POP with DxDDP Mar 6-12

My birthday is at the end of my trip (11th)

Since you have DxDP - before creating a split-stay you will need to decide if you are willing to pay out-of-pocket meals for the last night or 2 (however long at the 2nd resort). Any DDP requires a ticket purchase and that would be a waste of money to purchase additional tickets on the 2nd half of the split stay. Or if you are willing to take the expense now, you could buy the minimum ticket and set it aside for another trip that won't be part of a package.

I mention this particularly in the event you have birthday dinner plans that you expected to have covered by the dining plan, but that night would be on the 2nd half of the split-stay.

Enjoy your vacation - and happy birthday!
 


Since you have DxDP - before creating a split-stay you will need to decide if you are willing to pay out-of-pocket meals for the last night or 2 (however long at the 2nd resort). Any DDP requires a ticket purchase and that would be a waste of money to purchase additional tickets on the 2nd half of the split stay. Or if you are willing to take the expense now, you could buy the minimum ticket and set it aside for another trip that won't be part of a package.

I mention this particularly in the event you have birthday dinner plans that you expected to have covered by the dining plan, but that night would be on the 2nd half of the split-stay.

Enjoy your vacation - and happy birthday!

Keep in mind that any dining credits you have do not expire until midnight of the day you check out. So as long as you have not used them up, you could spread them out perhaps on your transfer day so they last through dinner.
 
I am amazed that people think it would be rude to ask for an upgrade. I have at times asked and I have at times not cared. I don't know about the GF, but this is how I have usually got an upgrade at the Grand Californian in DL, I book the room that is what I can live with, and we go off season a lot, when I get there I ask how much more it would cost for concierge, several times I get it for $50, which is a better room and an upgrade from the garden view and cost me less than if I had booked a theme park view to begin with. This also worked at Disneyland hotel and at paradise pier. Some times they say $150 a night and I say no thank you, and then they upgrade me to a park view. This way I have the choice to say no, I also am not asking for it to be free and either way I get the room that I can live with so I am not disappointed.

I'm sorry I have only stayed at POR and SoG at WDW so I don't know if it works the same but I would try it because as I say you are not asking for something free just asking how much more it would cost and maybe when it is to much they will be willing to give a little pixie dust your way. At POR I did get upgraded without paying the difference but I think it was a technicality, I am blind and in 2008 went with teens and an infant. It was pouring out and I was left with baby in stroller and my cane during a down pour, I could not figure out the paths to get to the mansions and then when I was told and found it I could not get up the steps with the carriage and cane, so a maid finally came and helped me, she called the front and I was moved to building 14 the next morning, which is an upgrade that normally would cost but they did not charge me.
 
Does the old practice of booking a hotel and then showing up to whatever hotel you want and if they have availability, you can stay there for free still work at WDW?

By " free", I mean for no additional cost beyond what you've already paid for the resort you booked.
 
Does the old practice of booking a hotel and then showing up to whatever hotel you want and if they have availability, you can stay there for free still work at WDW?

By " free", I mean for no additional cost beyond what you've already paid for the resort you booked.

You mean book a room at Pop Century, then show up at GF and get a room there for no additional cost?

Nope. You'll be charged the difference, most likely full rack rate.
 
conandrob240 said:
Does the old practice of booking a hotel and then showing up to whatever hotel you want and if they have availability, you can stay there for free still work at WDW?

By " free", I mean for no additional cost beyond what you've already paid for the resort you booked.

Did this ever really work?
 
We booked at standard room at CSR. It sure would be fun if we got upgraded to a room with a view, but it's not in the budget. I guess it needs to be some of that Disney "magic" for it to happen.

If we ask at checkin what it would cost to upgrade, any chance they would do it anyways when we say "no thanks to the higher price"?

Also, does it make a difference if we don't do on-line check in or does that not matter in the least?

Arriving on a Tuesday morning in March...will on-line check-in really save any time?
 
We booked at standard room at CSR. It sure would be fun if we got upgraded to a room with a view, but it's not in the budget. I guess it needs to be some of that Disney "magic" for it to happen.

If we ask at checkin what it would cost to upgrade, any chance they would do it anyways when we say "no thanks to the higher price"?

Also, does it make a difference if we don't do on-line check in or does that not matter in the least?

Arriving on a Tuesday morning in March...will on-line check-in really save any time?

Nobody knows if they would upgrade you if you ask. That's not really something that can be predicted.

How you check in makes no difference. Online check in can you save you time depending on when you're checking in. They essentially just print your documents and have them ready. Regular check in has always been pretty speedy for me. IMO it isn't a big deal to do.
 
We booked at standard room at CSR. It sure would be fun if we got upgraded to a room with a view, but it's not in the budget. I guess it needs to be some of that Disney "magic" for it to happen.

If we ask at checkin what it would cost to upgrade, any chance they would do it anyways when we say "no thanks to the higher price"?

Also, does it make a difference if we don't do on-line check in or does that not matter in the least?

Arriving on a Tuesday morning in March...will on-line check-in really save any time?

In 2010, we stayed at CSR. We booked just a standard room but requested Casita 3 and a "pretty view". LOL When we arrived, we did have a water view ...the lion water fountains between Casita 3 and Casita 2.

I know we prefer to not do online check in but have done it once. I almost certain that one time was for this CSR trip.
 
We are at Boardwalk right now. I have never asked for a free upgrade in my life. I think I was scarred by the rudeness of it when I was just getting old enough to travel and witnessed a man at the Chicago airport walk up to a rental car calendar with a printout from Priceline (for a compact car) and tell the employee "upgrade this". Those were his first words to the employee. I just don't want to be thought of like he must have been.

Anyway, yesterday, we got off of DME and were the only ones getting off at Boardwalk. The first CM we saw welcomed us and said that the next lady would take care of us. As we approached her, she called us by name and said "I have a surprise for you." She then told us that we had been upgraded from standard view to club level. My wife was floored and very excited. Turns out that we are in the garden suites/cottages, not on the 4th floor, but these suites are amazing.

I know there was a business reason for the upgrade (extra space, overbooking standard view, etc.) and that this wasn't random magic, but we are very happy with this. The cynical part of me thinks they did this because they know we travel frequently and that we might pay for CL the next time. Or that they know my APs expire next week and want us to renew. However, I know that neither is true...just good timing in our part.

As a side note, we witnessed someone in the club lounge complaining about her room. We heard the CM say things like "Ma'am, there's nothing wrong with your room" and "You have a deluxe room with a water view". But, we heard her saying that she wanted the Steeplechase Suite (3-bedroom suite, I believe). The CM seemed to call someone and ask for her, but she didn't get it. It seemed like she was demanding an upgrade.
 
In 2010, we stayed at CSR. We booked just a standard room but requested Casita 3 and a "pretty view". LOL When we arrived, we did have a water view ...the lion water fountains between Casita 3 and Casita 2.

I know we prefer to not do online check in but have done it once. I almost certain that one time was for this CSR trip.

I stayed at CSR recently, and could not do online check in. (New website wouldn't take my confirmation #, but that's another story!) I had requested
Cabanas, but nothing was available. I had booked standard, but was given a
preferred room in Casitas 3 with a wonderful view of the lagoon! I did not
ask to be upgraded, but indicated I would be fine with whatever was ready.

This was my 7th stay at CSR, but I doubt that had anything to do with my upgrade. Perhaps they just had lots of rooms available and the CM decided to throw some pixie dust my way? pixiedust:
 
Whenever I ask for an upgrade, I always ask two things: 1) is there a chance to upgrade my room and 2)how much would it cost me to upgrade. I have never asked for a free upgrade and I makeit very clear that I would consider paying for it if the price were reasonable. Often times I am quoted the difference between the two rates, and sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I was given a free upgrade once at WL and I made sure that my appreciation was received all appropriate parties.

Bottom line, I never ask for anything for free. If I receive something gratis, I make sure to say thank you.
 
I have asked for an upgrade every year for the past 7/8 years.....how many times do you think I have received one? 7 or 8. Every year we get an upgrade for free, I don't know if its that we have been so many times, or we just know a lot of people who work in the results (met them many times), but asking never hurts.
I have over 30 stays at WDW since late '99. The only resorts I have not stayed in yet are: GF, CSR, CBR ASMovies/Sports. I have stayed at all the others, and most of them multiple times....BWV/BCV/S/D/POR/Pop/ASMusic. I have never asked for an upgrade. I have been upgraded once...at the CR. And I truly think that was my TA's doing.
I wouldn't have an issue asking if a 'better' room was available and what was the addtl cost. But, going up and asking if there were any free upgrades? Nope.

I have an issue with that whole 'squeaky wheel' mentality. I try to be a nice person. So, when I see someone getting something free, when I am in the exact same situation, but got nothing, Yes, I am peeved. It seems that good manners and trying to be understanding gets you nothing. But, if you get 'up in someone's face' you can get just about anything you want.

I find it very hard to accept that someone gets a free upgrade every single time they go to WDW. And tends to make the rest of us look like schmucks for taking what is given to us. That's just sad.
 
What if the cm asks for an upgrade on your behalf? I would never book outside of my price limit, and I would never ask to be upgraded without paying for it, but when I upgraded to AKL when the promotions came out last month the CM helping me saw it was our anniversary and was in the middle of explaining about AKL's valet parking when she said, 'I'm going to request savannah view for you!' I am still not expecting it, and will not even mention it if they give us our key and it is facing a parking lot. I'm just wondering if they are going to look at me like I'm trying to get something when it wasn't even my idea?
 

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