The $20 trick

[thumper*]

Note on room upgrades:

Disney 99% of the time doesn't do them. They book a room category, end of story. However, if they oversell a category they double-down and make it a lottery.

If "Garden View" is overbooked by 10 rooms but "Magic Kingdom View" has opening they select DOUBLE the number of rooms meetings the criteria, so in this example 20. They take 20 random reservations checking in on the day/dates they need and flag them.

When any of these 20 people check-in they are offered the upgrade, either until the 10 slots are filled or if there are too many refusals the last 10 are "forced" to upgrade in which case they begin to sweeten the deal if people still don't want to. This rarely happens.

Thanks that is interesting to know.

And let me restate for some of you who I don't think read my OP fully. I don't plan to do this...I have booked a Savana view @ AKL because that is what I want. I think the only upgrade they could offer is CL and not sure I would except it because I would prefer 3'rd-4'th floor vs 6'th and I have DDP no need for CL food/drink.
I have never done the $20 trick...sorry I am too cheap I book what I want and can afford and accept that anything that happens beyond that is just good fortune.

 

[mousermerf]

Probably because your "explanation" is not consistent with the experiences of many on this board. Just a guess.

Many people on the DIS couldn't begin to explain how anything works behind the "show" they're presented. They make all kinds of simple assumptions - we even had a report of "pixie dust" as an explanation (no disparagement meant to that particular poster).

It's just astonishing how easily a rational explanation is discarded.

What? I made up all those details for the fun of it?

 

[let'sgo]

Note on room upgrades:

Disney 99% of the time doesn't do them. They book a room category, end of story. However, if they oversell a category they double-down and make it a lottery.

If "Garden View" is overbooked by 10 rooms but "Magic Kingdom View" has opening they select DOUBLE the number of rooms meetings the criteria, so in this example 20. They take 20 random reservations checking in on the day/dates they need and flag them.

When any of these 20 people check-in they are offered the upgrade, either until the 10 slots are filled or if there are too many refusals the last 10 are "forced" to upgrade in which case they begin to sweeten the deal if people still don't want to. This rarely happens.

So does this mean that the earlier you check in the better chance you have of getting an upgrade if you were flagged for one? Hmmmm.

 

[luckyprincess]

Also much less effective in Disney World? Dropping a quarter into Ariel's clam shells and trying to pull down on her arm.

Lol!

 

[sydneysmom]

never mind that it would get me slapped silly by both Ariel and my Wife!
Heck I'm not even allowed to HUG Ariel!!(or Jasmine)

don't feel bad....my DH isn't allowed to hug "his hottie" Belle !

 

[Disneyholic]

Thanks that is interesting to know.

And let me restate for some of you who I don't think read my OP fully. I don't plan to do this...I have booked a Savana view @ AKL because that is what I want. I think the only upgrade they could offer is CL and not sure I would except it because I would prefer 3'rd-4'th floor vs 6'th and I have DDP no need for CL food/drink.
I have never done the $20 trick...sorry I am too cheap I book what I want and can afford and accept that anything that happens beyond that is just good fortune.

The Lounge is on the 6th floor, but the rooms aren't necessarily there. We paid for CL Savannah View a few years back and our room was on the 4th floor. We had to walk down a long hall, across the bridge above the lobby, down another long hall and up the elevator to get to the lounge. If they offer an upgrade to CL, find out where the room IS before rejecting the offer.

 

[Sammie]

Why do I remember reading this same post a couple of months ago? And no, it does not work.

Because for some reason it just seems to keep getting posted again and again.

 

[CindyMcClung]

no never tried or even thought too.

 

[Ceila]

What? I made up all those details for the fun of it?

For all we know, you do.

 

[tinkerone]

1) Great way to get a CM fired.
2) They are nto allowed to accept cash or monetary tips.
3) Besides, they need the permission from the "ROOMS" person to upgrade.
4) Vegas is Vegas.
5) Disney is not.

NOTE: In most cases, if a guest were to ask for an upgrade upon checking in, we would give the same or worse room than what was already assigned to them - the guest would never know we changed his room assignment if in the same category. We consider such folks as moochers, and trying to get something (an upgrade) for nothing (free). If they wanted an upgrade, they should have booked it.

are you a cm? your note shocked me . talk about missing the magic, holly! this really happens? you would assign a worse room just because someone ASKED for an upgrade? wow! thats mean. doesn't exactly seem friendly but we really never know what goes on behind the scenes i guess. kind of makes me not belive in pixie dust. sorry.

 

[Shreggor]

Oh, these are free. And most of the time it's taken well in advance - but people say "no" for all kinds of reasons most of us wouldn't considering. Being near family, not wanting concierge level for god knows what reasons, business trips, wanting to be near Roaring Forks, wanting to be near the Pool etc..

When it gets time to "Force" they start with the usual "You've been upgraded, whoo hoo!" and if the person doesn't want it they start down a line of service recovery efforts - aka: free stuff.

I called to make a change to my reservation and was told I was upgraded to a water view room at YC from a standard. I asked to be changed back to a standard. I don't want a water view because I want to be further away from the business and the boat noises.

 

[Disneyholic]

are you a cm? your note shocked me . talk about missing the magic, holly! this really happens? you would assign a worse room just because someone ASKED for an upgrade? wow! thats mean. doesn't exactly seem friendly but we really never know what goes on behind the scenes i guess. kind of makes me not belive in pixie dust. sorry.

I don't think that's mean at all. I think it's just a form of Karma. Pixie Dust is when you get something unexpected, not when you ask for something.

It's not because someone asked for an upgrade, but asked for a FREE upgrade. I book what I want (Savanah view. Water view. Boardwalk view. Courtyard view.) and pay for it. It kind of irks me no end when I read on here that people go into the hotel after booking a cheap room and want to be upgraded for FREE what I paid for. If Disney decides to upgrade someone that hasn't asked for an upgrade, that's different. That's Pixie Dust. 2 years ago I booked & paid for Concierge at Beach Club. I wanted that type of room so I PAID for it. When we went to check in, a gentleman from concierge met us in the lobby & said how nice it was that we had been upgraded to concierge for our visit. I didn't have the heart to tell him that we had booked it that way. He seemed so happy for us. Now if I had been at the desk and someone at the next station was asking to be upgraded for FREE, I would have been royally ticked off. I have never been upgraded in all the trips to WDW, but I have always booked & paid for the kind of room that we would be happy with even if it meant scrimping & saving elsewhere. If you are willing to pay for an upgrade, if there is a room available, I'm sure they will try to accomodate you.

 

[nytimez]

Pixie Dust is when you get something unexpected, not when you ask for something.

 

[fla4fun]

I don't think that's mean at all. I think it's just a form of Karma. Pixie Dust is when you get something unexpected, not when you ask for something.

I think the note came across as a little mean because it wasn't specified at the beginning that the person was asking for a FREE upgrade, just that if anyone asked for an upgrade they would be given a bad room. Obviously there is a difference in asking about a paid upgrade or expecting to get one for free, and there are many reasons (such as a special bonus or overtime at work) why a person might book one room type, but be willing to pay to upgrade to a better room type when they arrive. Those people aren't doing anything wrong, and shouldn't be treated as if they are. I guess it's a good idea for anyone asking for a paid upgrade to be sure the CM understands that they are willing to pay for the upgrade so they don't end up in a bad room somewhere.

I try to book a standard view room whenever possible, to save a few dollars. However, I have on more than a few occasions been upgraded to the next room type (garden view, woods view, etc.). Once we were even upgraded to a suite from a standard view. But any upgrade I've received was purely at the discretion of Disney. I book the room type I am willing to pay for and happy to stay in. I'm certainly not disappointed if I get what I paid for and nothing more!

 

[tinkerone]

I don't think that's mean at all. I think it's just a form of Karma. Pixie Dust is when you get something unexpected, not when you ask for something.

It's not because someone asked for an upgrade, but asked for a FREE upgrade. I book what I want (Savanah view. Water view. Boardwalk view. Courtyard view.) and pay for it. It kind of irks me no end when I read on here that people go into the hotel after booking a cheap room and want to be upgraded for FREE what I paid for. If Disney decides to upgrade someone that hasn't asked for an upgrade, that's different. That's Pixie Dust. 2 years ago I booked & paid for Concierge at Beach Club. I wanted that type of room so I PAID for it. When we went to check in, a gentleman from concierge met us in the lobby & said how nice it was that we had been upgraded to concierge for our visit. I didn't have the heart to tell him that we had booked it that way. He seemed so happy for us. Now if I had been at the desk and someone at the next station was asking to be upgraded for FREE, I would have been royally ticked off. I have never been upgraded in all the trips to WDW, but I have always booked & paid for the kind of room that we would be happy with even if it meant scrimping & saving elsewhere. If you are willing to pay for an upgrade, if there is a room available, I'm sure they will try to accomodate you.

i still think its mean. theres no harm in asking. i'm not speakiing about throwing a fit, but asking. i mean really, all they have to say is yes there are upgrades but there is an additional cost. you don't have to put someone in a bad room because they asked! thats like a waiter spitting in your food cause you asked for extra dressing on your salad.
i guess i just expect more from disney, an employee saying how they went out of their way to help a visitor, not how they went out of their way to put a visitor in their place. thats all i'm saying. its not what i expect at all. i really hope i never run into this cm EVER! i don't think i would like this person at all.
just my thoughts......

 

[thumper*]

Because for some reason it just seems to keep getting posted again and again.

Sorry I did do a search and nothing came up.