Is getting walked to a higher-level hotel ever a bad thing

[EdmondD]

Some people love love love "their" particular home resort and a big appeal of the trip is enjoying that resort. Let's say that's Caribbean Beach (which my wife happens to love) and due to some SNAFU they decided to give you a room at AKL.

I think we'd take it, but I could see circumstances where if you had your heart set on CBR and just don't want to go to AKL, even if it is deluxe. Personally, I love Beach Club, and would really only happily be moved to the Poly or GF.

Anyone ever turn this offer down?

 

[kcpinwdw]

I would imagine that there are lots of other hypothetical people who would be all too happy to take any upgrade that was denied by others... that being said, no, I would not refuse such a change! Moving between resorts in the same category is different, though, I often book my deluxes with the area in mind and plan the trip accordingly... so may not be thrilled having to move to a monorail resort if I planned on an epcot area resort.

That being said, I've never been offered a room change or upgrade ever!

 

[KrazeeK120]

I probably wouldn't refuse an upgrade, but I might (and have) refused a "lateral" move.

I booked at YC and had my heart set on it. At the time, they were doing refurb and asked if we would stay at BWI with one night for free. It was tempting, but I really really really wanted YC (and we'd already gotten 2 nights for free because of a promotion going on at the time). I declined the offer. We ended up in a handicap room, which was right off the lobby on the main level, so it was a great location. I didn't regret my decision one bit.

Coincidentally, we actually did book a trip several years later, staying in BWI. We were upgraded from a standard view to a cottage suite (which is also concierge). I definitely took that upgrade! But who in their right mind would turn that one down?

We are going to be staying at CSR in May. I expect we will have a standard view room at CSR, since that's what we booked. However, if we were hypothetically offered any deluxe, I'd take it. I'd also take POR or POFQ. I would NOT move to CBR voluntarily.

 

[MermaidMommy]

We actually turned down an upgrade from ASMo to CBR once. We were traveling with two little ones who were really excited about the theming at ASMo, and there were only two or three people in each room, so the smaller rooms weren't really an issue. We probably would have taken it if it had been to another moderate, but our group wasn't excited enough about CBR to make the change.

 

[HopperFan]

I would never turn down a complimentary upgrade to a higher level resort.
I have a car so no matter where they put me I know I can get to my plans easily.
I would not accept their idea of an upgrade within a resort if I consider it a downgrade, like CBR Pirate rooms.

 

[LilyWDW]

I think I might turn it down, depending on what resort they wanted to put me at. I usually stay at POFQ and make many meal plans based off of the easy boat access to DTD. Now, if during Food and Wine they wanted to move me to the Boardwalk, then I would say yes. Or maybe to the Grand Floridian because I have always wanted to stay there (but it would depend on the room type). But if they asked if I wanted to "upgrade" to say Animal Kingdom Lodge... I would say no without a thought.

 

[kreckl]

We once arrived for our stay at POR only to be told they had overbooked and there were no rooms! They offered to send us to Saratoga. I was not happy. We had planned meals and activities at POR and didn't have a car. Eventually- miraculously- a room appeared. This disagreement had gone on for so long there was no possible way to make our dinner at Hoop using regular transportation, so we were given a free cab ride over. But the hassle!

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

The only upgrade I wouldn't take is to the Animal Kingdom Lodge because it is too far from the other theme parks. With two little ones it is too much travel time during the cranky hours. I could only imagine the bus rides at night. If a Disney bus driver ever got pushed to his limit and threatened "I swear to god I will turn this bus around!" it would be because of my daughter.

 

[tee11]

I can see an upgrade to a different resort turning your whole vacation upside down, as you have to plan all these meals and fast passes so far in advance now. Travel times may be very different, and you may have based your daily plans around being in a different area.
Also, you may have researched nothing about that particular resort, that's being offered.

 

[DrunkJam]

I don't think I would ever turn down something I consider to be an actual upgrade.
We are booked at the Poly next trip, so, AKL would not be an upgrade, and I would really only consider GF an *upgrade* unless they did something really special at CR?
That said, there are resorts I would be more happy and less happy to stay at. I WOULD accept AKL *with* the animals view. (Not from poly, but from a mod)

 

[Disneylover99]

I would turn the offer down in many instances. There are certain resorts I just do not want to stay at.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

In general, I think it would be hard to turn down a deluxe upgrade because we've never (and probably will never) pay for deluxe. However, the last few trips, CSR has become our home resort and it's known for it's central location and better-than-average busing...so I don't think I could trade that for AKL which is said to have bad busing. If I was offered a monorail resort or Boardwalk area resort, then I'd consider myself pixie-dusted!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

It would really depend on the upgrade.

If I was staying at a mod I wouldn't upgrade to Saratoga or OKW. I would to AKL since we don't do much AT the moderate resort for ADR's or activities and AKL has a great pool which my kids really want.

If I was staying at the BC I may not take an upgrade because my kids LOVE SAB. Except YC or BCV with a great view.

If I was staying at another deluxe (Poly, GF, CR) the only upgrade I would take would be another monorail resort WITH a TPV. That's it.

 

[brockash]

Some people love love love "their" particular home resort and a big appeal of the trip is enjoying that resort. Let's say that's Caribbean Beach (which my wife happens to love) and due to some SNAFU they decided to give you a room at AKL.

I think we'd take it, but I could see circumstances where if you had your heart set on CBR and just don't want to go to AKL, even if it is deluxe. Personally, I love Beach Club, and would really only happily be moved to the Poly or GF.

Anyone ever turn this offer down?

Yeah, def. depends. There's def. some that I would never turn down (anything on monorail) & Beach/Yacht Club, however there are others that it would def. depend on the circumstances etc.

 

[loves to dive]

The only upgrade I wouldn't take is to the Animal Kingdom Lodge because it is too far from the other theme parks. With two little ones it is too much travel time during the cranky hours. I could only imagine the bus rides at night. If a Disney bus driver ever got pushed to his limit and threatened "I swear to god I will turn this bus around!" it would be because of my daughter.

AKL is actually not any farther away than any of the mods or values. It just seems that way but if you look at a map it's just as close.

 

[loves to dive]

I have turned down an upgrade to concierge more than once, I'm just not a fan, the only time I've taken it was at CR when my son was small. I tend to stay at the Epcot resorts so moving to any one of those from another would be no problem but I wouldn't move to a MK resort or AKL simply because I book the Epcot resorts because we enjoy Epcot and HS more than the other parks. I would turn down a MK resort before I'd turn down AKL, I'm not a fan of having to use the monorail. I would take it if they were going to do a split stay and put me in a MK resort or AKL for only a day or two then move me over to an Epcot resort. I would probably take it if I were in a Mod. I have received room view upgrades and gladly take those, although it wouldn't matter to me in a Mod since I keep my curtain closed in those.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

AKL is about twice as far by road (not so far as the crow flies) than POR.
When booking our stay I compared resorts based on estimated bus times and distance from the parks.

 

[smiths02]

I have heard of people moved from a suite at AoA to SSR or OKW one bedroom. I would not have been happy with that because my big reason for AoA is the theme...I have toddlers/preschoolers, they love the theme. Also, on our last two vacations, I had Amazon Pantry sent to AoA, etc. so it would be inconvenient to change plans.
If I was moved from value or moderate to one of the deluxe resorts other than SSR or OKW, I would be okay because I love AKL and all the other deluxe resorts have park proximity that I like. (Nothing against SSR or OKW as I haven't visited, just not Magic Kingdom or Epcot close by)

I could also see being upset if you had several rooms in your family/group and only some were moved.

 

[EdmondD]

I think @tee11 really nailed it - with all the advanced planning that must go into a trip now, location is a huge factor in that and changing that location at the last minute could cause some real problems.

Although honestly I couldn't see not taking it if it was moving from a value up to anything else. But if you're staying at a value you already have a suboptimal location.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If it's an upgrade, refusing it could be an option. If it's being offered because there is no room available at the original resort for whatever reason, you may not have the option of refusing it (although you could probably ask to go to a different resort than the one offered).