What are my chances of being upgraded?

[FigaroandFifi]

Hi, I booked a "standard pool view" at Pop Century October 14-19, should I book a higher grade room to get closer to the front or do you think I will get a free upgrade? Just curious because I actually booked 2 rooms, one for me and one for my sister. I don't want to bug Disney for something free but....

 

[dansdad]

I would book the category you want. Yes pixie dust upgrades do happen, but they are very rare.

 

[Lynne M]

Complimentary upgrades are a lot less common than you would think from reading these boards. People love to talk about them, but they're not frequently given. Thousands of people check into Disney resorts every day, and all but a tiny percentage get exactly the room they booked.

 

[loves to dive]

I wouldn't spend extra money for a preferred room at Pop, the resort is not that big and views aren't something you are going to be looking at from the room since there are outside corridors. I booked in the 60s section (I think that was it, it was right at the parking lot across from the bus stop). Just had to walk through the parking lot to the bus stop and the food court. I would rethink a pool view, it can get loud.

 

[hawaiilife]

If I were you, I would just ask. I know a lot of people will probably get mad at me for saying that, or say that it will hurt your chances of getting an upgrade but in my experience that just isn't true. If you are friendly with CM's (having cute kids helps too), they will really bend over backwards for you to make you happy. With that said, don't expect it or avoid paying for an upgrade if you won't be happy in a standard, but if you are just looking for a bit of extra pixie dust just ask. It is also more likely if you are going off-season where there is likely unsold rooms available. I do agree with others that it is definitely rarer to get upgraded than it may seem on these boards, however, in my experience, any time I have asked about an upgrade they have made it happen. Honestly.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

We booked a standard room at Pop through Orbitz for our recent stay, and when I checked in (did not do on line check in) asked for a room closer to the parking lot (since we drove and had to lug suitcases), preferably first floor, and was given a wonderful corner room in the 50;s section directly across from the lake. As others said, Pop isn't so spread out that things are all that far from the main building.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Book the category you are willing to be in.

Don't ask for a free upgrade....however, I don't think there is anything wrong with asking if a closer room is available (if you are unhappy about where you are assigned). Just know it may not be granted.

 

[JasonMouse]

I don't think being close to the front is that advantageous, but you should have "close to transportation" as an option when you do online check-in. The last value I stayed at, I checked ground floor and didn't get it. We do go to the front desk and ask for a king bed though. That makes a huge difference to me given we are two adults who have a hard time fitting on a double.

 

[Tara1988]

I wouldn't pay for preferred at pop either. I booked a standard room, only request was ground floor. We stayed in the building that was furthest out. We were 2 steps from our car in the parking lot, very short walk to bus stop and everything else. The main pool was a little further, but that's what we wanted, to be away from the noisy pool area for days we wanted to sleep in. With the size of the resort, it's not worth paying extra if the only reason is to be close to everything.

 

[Saimaeve]

It's not nearly as common as people say. I've seen it happen. But I think people get the thought it happens all the time when that's not necessarily true. Book what you're okay staying in or be willing to pay for an upgrade.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I've been to Disney over 60 times, many of those trips being split stays. I'd estimate I've had over 100 reservations and never once been upgraded.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There's no way you should ever count on a free upgrade. If the preferred room is what you really want, you would be better off booking one. The odds are even slimmer when you are talking about two rooms.

 

[tobikaye]

If you requested standard pool view, then you are likely to be in the 50's section or 80'/90's section. If these are farther than you want to be, then I would pay to upgrade. If either of these sections look to better to you, then just call and put in a request for a specific section.

I stayed in the 50's section and found the walk to be just fine. In fact, one day, we did a down morning to do a bit of laundry since it was a longer trip overall and spent a bit of time walking around and did not find that any one area seemed to far out of the way.

 

[AngiTN]

Book what you want.
Unless I drive I never want to stay at a Standard room at Pop again. It was a ridiculously long walk from the buses/food court to our room
Had we driven it would have been fine as the parking lot was steps away.

 

[hsmamato2]

with 2 rooms, and if you want rooms near each other.... probably not. Book where you want to stay. Pop isn't very big,from front to back-

 

[hsmamato2]

We booked a standard room at Pop through Orbitz for our recent stay, and when I checked in (did not do on line check in) asked for a room closer to the parking lot (since we drove and had to lug suitcases), preferably first floor, and was given a wonderful corner room in the 50;s section directly across from the lake. As others said, Pop isn't so spread out that things are all that far from the main building.

That;s a standard room.... honoring a request is a bit different from an 'upgrade' That's alos my favorite section to stay when at Pop......

 

[goofy4tink]

Book where you're comfortable staying. Upgrades truly don't happen that often.
I've stayed at Pop 5 or 6 times now. Only once did I book a preferred room. Never again. It was noisy and while close to the food court, only about 70 steps closer.
I've been in 50's, bldg 2, all the way to the back, in the third floor. It was about as far out as you can get. Still took just 5 mins to get to the food court/bus stops.
Yes, it's spread out, but I've had much longer walks at POR!

 

[Dug720]

If you want a preferred location, book a preferred room. If you want to wait and ask at check in, be prepared to ask if there are preferred rooms available and what would the cost be to upgrade. Don't ask for a free upgrade - that is just tacky.

 

[Polydweller]

Being a hotelier, it's always ok to ask for an upgrade but not a free upgrade. Upgrades are given for the hotel's business reasons and one of those reasons is not to lose revenue. Asking me for a free upgrade is asking me to lose revenue. I'll give free one's for business reasons like good will, showing you what an upgraded room looks like in the hope you'll buy it the next time but not when you ask to take advantage of me by asking for a free one. Let me decide to be nice to you and you might be surprised.

It can seem like Disney gives lots of upgrades but with about 27,000 rooms and about 9,855,000 room nights per year if their rate of upgrades is 2% that works out to about 197,000 upgraded room night per year. But still 98% or 9,657,900 room nights are not upgraded. So, despite how it may seem on boards like this upgrades are very uncommon so it's best to book what you want.

 

[TML2012]

Like others have said, it may not be worth paying the extra money for preferred so that you can be closer to the main building. Both times we stayed at POP we were given rooms in buildings that were "far" from Classic Hall (e.g. 50s building 2- standard and 80s building 9- standard pool view). It maybe took us 5 minutes or so to get to Classic Hall and I am by no means a fast walker...lol...plus we had 2 little kids in tow.