Another thread asking about why people don't like on-line check in made me wonder about this: Are free, magical, pixie dust room class upgrades more likely if you check-in online or check in at the front desk in the traditional way. I'm not talking about cases in which something went wrong and upgrades were given as a way to ease your pain. I'm talking about the "for no reason at all" kind of magical upgrades. What kind of check-in did YOU do when you were magically upgraded?
I have received room upgrades using online check in a few times. The last two recent ones were upgrade from standard to savanna view at AKL and upgrade to a car suite from LM room.
We got a couple of upgrades from standard view to river view at POR last January. Got two rooms that were really easy to get to too. Used On-Line Check-in.
From what I've heard, no effect at all. At Disney resorts, most upgrades are assigned in advance of your arrival, and are done for the resort's operational needs, not anything to do with you personally. For example, they need a certain type or location room for some reason - overbooking, maintenance, etc - and they've got to move someone out of one of those rooms. You just happen to be booked for the date range that they need the room.
They are not always done ahead of time. We received an upgrade to Concierge at the Poly when we checked in. We had a nice chat with the CM checking us in, and she noticed on our reservation we were celebrating an anniversary. After a few minutes of chit chat, she said she would be right back, that she was going to try to get a manager to assist her with something magical. She came back with the manager, the manager stood at the computer for a but, and said "yep, we have one available". At that time they told us they were upgrading us. It was on the spot, and clearly hadn't been pre-arranged, even though our event was on our reservation. You never know when a friendly conversation at check in can turn magical!
I love reading about the upgrades!!!!! We stayed at the WL in 2010. At the time we received an upgrade to bunk beds but did not notice.
I don't think it has any bearing whatsoever. In our many stays, we have done on line check in for as long as it has been offered. We had never received an upgrade until our trip this past April. We did on line check in and were upgraded from a standard view YC CL room to a lagoon view CL room!! We were also chosen as Family of the Day!!! Obviously doing on line check in had no affect at all.
