Aggressive upgrade at AKV Kidani

[alvernon90]

We will be staying at Kidani this fall on rented points. For most of the week we will be in a 2BR but for the first night (before the rest of the family arrives) three of us are staying in a studio, also on rented points.

My question is: would the front desk consider putting the three of us straight into the 2BR on the first night by upgrading us from the studio? This assumes, of course, that there is a 2BR available and empty on our arrival night.

It seems that it would be more convenient for the resort, because they would not have to have housekeeping make up the studio we would have stayed in, and one more day in the 2BR would not lead to another day of housekeeping in the larger room. It would also be convenient for us, not only because we wouldn't have to pack and move the next day, but also because the rest of the family should be arriving around 7:00 a.m., and it would be great to already be settled in the room so they can drop their bags and we can head out to give the Mouse more of our money.

On the other hand, standard studio to savannah 2BR is a big upgrade. Is it even worth asking? If so, how should I do it? Thanks!

 

[pyrxtc]

If it is empty they might upgrade you if you have enough points to pay for it.

 

[disBOBney]

Generally speaking there are no upgrades in DVC. Since you are renting points I suspect you are not a member and if a room was available to purchase at the last minute, you wouldn't have the points to do so. As far as it being more expedient or cost effective, those are upper management concerns not those of the cm(s) that actually work at the resort, remember that you are also proposing to reduce someones availability to work. I wouldn't even ask, but that is me, unless it was in jest.

 

[POTCfan]

The DVC side very rarely upgrades (and usually only if they can't put you in the room you reserved because of overbooking or unplanned maintenance). There is a very high occupancy rate on the DVC side (so even on slow times, the DVC side is usually full). I was going to say that they may give you a lock-off studio that adjoins the other 1 bedroom to create the 2 bedroom, but that is doubtful because the views are different.

 

[supersnoop]

Don't ask. If the room is available, they'll convert the reservation and charge the extra points. And, since you're renting points, you shouldn't have the authority to do that. But they might, and then the owner you rented from will come after you for compensation. Totally not worth it.

 

[disneynutz]

The front desk typically messes up DVC reservations and points so don't do it. We had them cancel our reservation once, put the points in holding, borrow points and make a new reservation all without our knowledge. It took several phone calls when we got home to fix the mess.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

You would most likely be aggressively contacted by the person you rented from. Free upgrades with DVC are extremely rare. If they had an open room then they could rebook and would require more points which you have not paid for.

 

[alvernon90]

Thanks for all the good advice. I certainly do not want to make things worse.

For the room switch, would it be equally unavailing to ask on Friday night if we can have a room that is available first thing Saturday morning? (The idea being we can move straight to the new room rather than storing our luggage with Bell Services and checking in later.) Would it be better to just head down to the front desk on Saturday morning to see if the new room is available? Or will they require us to check out of the studio before we can check into the 2BR, even if a 2BR is available early in the morning?

 

[DenLo]

They do want you to check out of one room to check into the next one. Unlike hotels which work on 60-80 occupancy rate, timeshares are set up to have a 100% occupancy year round. The fall time period is one of the busiest periods for DVC resorts, so most likely you will be waiting for someone to vacate their room and for housekeeping to clean it. It looks like you will need to repack and place your luggage with bell services and go enjoy the pool or park for most of the day until you receive the text message that your room is ready.

 

[bumbershoot]

For the room switch, would it be equally unavailing to ask on Friday night if we can have a room that is available first thing Saturday morning?

They probably won't have one.

But do online checkin, and let them know you'll be there early through that process. That way IF they have epople checking out super-early their systems know you'll be there, and you have a possibility of it being assigned to you.

But PLAN to be ready to stash bags from when you are done with the studio to official checkin time for the 2 bedroom. If you decide to make it a pool day, have all your pool stuff available and put the rest with Bell Services. If you're going to the park, have that stuff ready. etc.

And make sure the other people in the party know to be prepared in that way, too.

 

[Judique]

We will be staying at Kidani this fall on rented points. For most of the week we will be in a 2BR but for the first night (before the rest of the family arrives) three of us are staying in a studio, also on rented points.

My question is: would the front desk consider putting the three of us straight into the 2BR on the first night by upgrading us from the studio? This assumes, of course, that there is a 2BR available and empty on our arrival night.

It seems that it would be more convenient for the resort, because they would not have to have housekeeping make up the studio we would have stayed in, and one more day in the 2BR would not lead to another day of housekeeping in the larger room. It would also be convenient for us, not only because we wouldn't have to pack and move the next day, but also because the rest of the family should be arriving around 7:00 a.m., and it would be great to already be settled in the room so they can drop their bags and we can head out to give the Mouse more of our money.

On the other hand, standard studio to savannah 2BR is a big upgrade. Is it even worth asking? If so, how should I do it? Thanks!

Most have told you not to request an upgrade as that is not how Member's points work.

But, you should mention that you will be moving to the 2 bedroom the next day. Go on down to the desk and see if the room is ready by about 10am. If it is, they will check you out and into the new room and you can roll your luggage to the new room. Or you can pay the price now and get your owner to try to book a 2 bedroom instead of a studio for that 1st night.

 

[alvernon90]

But, you should mention that you will be moving to the 2 bedroom the next day. Go on down to the desk and see if the room is ready by about 10am. If it is, they will check you out and into the new room and you can roll your luggage to the new room. Or you can pay the price now and get your owner to try to book a 2 bedroom instead of a studio for that 1st night.

Thank you, I will try this.

 

[alvernon90]

But PLAN to be ready to stash bags from when you are done with the studio to official checkin time for the 2 bedroom. If you decide to make it a pool day, have all your pool stuff available and put the rest with Bell Services. If you're going to the park, have that stuff ready. etc.

And make sure the other people in the party know to be prepared in that way, too.

Based on lots of other threads, I gather this is excellent advice in general at WDW resorts. We're only guaranteed what we pay for, but in this instance the minor inconvenience of stashing the bags with Bell Services isn't worth the several hundred dollars it would take to upgrade for that first night. Our whole group is more than happy to live with that. I just figured that if it was at all possible to massage the system a little, the Disboarders would know how -- and once again that has turned out to be right, as I've gotten the best answers for the situation. Thanks!

 

[Minniesgal]

Thanks for all the good advice. I certainly do not want to make things worse.

For the room switch, would it be equally unavailing to ask on Friday night if we can have a room that is available first thing Saturday morning? (The idea being we can move straight to the new room rather than storing our luggage with Bell Services and checking in later.) Would it be better to just head down to the front desk on Saturday morning to see if the new room is available? Or will they require us to check out of the studio before we can check into the 2BR, even if a 2BR is available early in the morning?

It would be very unusual for a DVC room to be ready for you in the morning an in fact highly unlikely.

 

[com_op_2000]

On the hopeful side, DW and I usually check-in before 09:00 and the room is ready 3 out of 5 times when we check-in; this is based on over 140 stays since '93. As PP have suggest be ready to store your luggage.
You can check-in to your new room as early as 07:00 - 07:30 and if a room from the previous night was unused most CMs will check you into that room.

 

[DenLo]

We have stayed at Kidani Village many times and never had the room ready before 11:00 am and we usually stay in a studio despite checking in at 7:00 am as we are usually transferring from one Disney resort to AKV Kidani. Since the OP is traveling in the fall, one of the business time periods for DVC resorts, it will just depend if the prior guest checks out early.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for all the good advice. I certainly do not want to make things worse.

For the room switch, would it be equally unavailing to ask on Friday night if we can have a room that is available first thing Saturday morning? (The idea being we can move straight to the new room rather than storing our luggage with Bell Services and checking in later.) Would it be better to just head down to the front desk on Saturday morning to see if the new room is available? Or will they require us to check out of the studio before we can check into the 2BR, even if a 2BR is available early in the morning?

Personally I'd try to just get the 2 BR for the extra night in the same booking category/view type so you don't have to worry about it. Plan B would be to change to the savannah view for the one night and make sure the other reservation is at the same building and is a lockoff. Then you could request at check in not to be moved. Then on the change day go to the FD about 6 am and make sure they know you're staying but changing rooms and ask again to be in the same room, just open up for the 2 BR when the other side is ready. IMO I don't think the savings of one night is worth moving. As you have it set up, you're essentially guaranteed to move if you have a standard studio and savannah view 2 BR.

 

[DenLo]

I think Dean is stating for you to rent the extra points now and book a 2BR for that first night. Hoping that you can request at the front desk to be kept in the same room. You can also ask the owner(s) to link the two reservations. Since your reservation is this fall you might have problems getting that reservation though since most of the resorts are already well booked.

 

[alvernon90]

IMO I don't think the savings of one night is worth moving.

I can understand this view and I desperately wish I shared it. Our "main" reservation for the week is a dedicated 2BR savannah view, which for the extra night would cost 48 points. The standard view studio for that night would cost 14 points. At a standard rental rate for points the difference between the two rooms would be about $475 for just one night. Unfortunately for me, I consider that to be a lot of money. I just cannot justify spending the equivalent of my entire F&W booze budget to avoid the need to move rooms. Stashing our bags won't be so bad, I hope.

 

[JWG]

Can you get both rooms in the same booking category (Savannah)? If you can, you can likely link your reservation such that you can get the studio for the 2BR (if you book a lock-off) and then get the adjoinging 1BR the next night. We do this at BWV on occasion. We'll head down a day early, stay in a studio and then convert to a 2BR when the extended family arrives. But, we just get the 1BR that is adjoining to the studio. No guarantees that will work, but it has for us. Obviously not if you're in standard view to savannah view or if you have a dedicated 2BR.