AKL Guests who have received an upgrade...

[Cabe]

Hello All ,
I've been reading a lot about people getting upgrades at AKL. Let me say that I do not expect to get one, but that small part of my brain that says maybe.... prompts me to be curious.

I've begun wondering about several questions if anyone would care to indulge me with their experiences.

What view you were originally booked for and what view you received?

Did you ask if any upgrades were available or were you just surprised when you went to your room?

If you paid to upgrade once you arrived, was it the full price or a discounted price??

Where you paying rack on arrival or discounted (AP, AAA)?

Thanks to any and all who share!!

 

[shady]

Best upgrade ever.

Had standard view booked. 2 rooms for 2 families. It was a busy weekend in January last year. We got in on Friday night and had requested adjoining rooms. Well the CM said :sorry no adjoining rooms at standard view, how would like Savannah?" We were thrilled. But when we got to the rooms, one of them had been used as an ashtray (it was in the non-smoking section though). So we traipsed back to the lobby, another 20 minutes in line and get to the counter. ANd I guess we lucked out because we got the Manager (of some sort) to check us in, and he apologized for the smoke. It wasnt that big of a deal, we really would have been fine with 2 new rooms nonadjoining. He walked back to the office and came back after a few minutes and gave us the 2 bedroom suite!!

More flies with honey than vinegar I suppose.

 

[micksterlee]

We got an up grade from a standard view to a pool view.When we checked in I told the CM at the desk I had messed up thinking that standard view meant I would see animals she said she could up grade us to Savannah view but it would cost like 60.00 more so I declined.Nothing else was said about changing rooms but when we got to the room the bell man opened the curtains and said surprise you got apool view.

 

[Lewisc]

AKL is the exception that makes the rule. Not much more than 5% of the rooms have standard views. Unless the hotel has very high occupancy upgrades seem very common, even without having to ask or beg.

 

[rgf207]

we had our first visit to AKL i March. I booked us for a standard view room. We arrived at about 10am and checked in. The CM at AKL said that we had received a complimentary upgrade to a savannah view room. We did not ask for anything and we were just given it.

 

[joliesmom]

In January we booked standard and were told at check in that we were upgraded to savannah view. In Feb my sister was booked standard view and she was upgraded to pool view without asking.

 

[barblue]

My sister and I stayed at AKL mid-March this year. We had originally planned to stay off-site - my family had actually never stayed on-site in all the years we went to Disney! To make a long story short, the hotel we chose just didn't work and after staying one night we were desperate to change. We basically wanted a guaranteed nice place by that point so we called Disney. CRO said that there were literally only a few rooms left throughout the property (it was Sat. morning and a spring break week - i.e., peak time). Since there were no moderates available, we used our AAA discount to book one of the few remaining standard rooms at AKL.

We hoofed it over to AKL (no pun intended) and waited in line to check in. We finally get up to the counter, the CM gets my name and check-in info, and bam - his computer freezes up. It took a while before his computer was up and running again, and he apologized for making us wait as he finished our check-in. I'm always pretty understanding about these types of things and I responded, "Don't worry about it, I waited 25 years to stay on-site, I can wait another few minutes!" I hear a couple more keystrokes and next thing I know the CM says, "Ms. XXX, we've upgraded you to a savannah view room." I couldn't believe it!

So that was our upgrade - AAA rate standard room to savannah view, in peak season! And the kicker is that asking/fishing for an upgrade never even crossed my mind because I was so relieved just to have a room!

After reading the posts above, it seems like AKL upgrades are more common than I thought they were. I almost fell over when we received ours . But I also definitely think there's something to the "more flies with honey than vinegar" comment that Shady posted.

 

[Selket]

For our trip 2 years ago we'd booked an AKL standard view room - this was mid-August. We were upgraded to savannah at check-in without asking (or faxing or anything beforehand either).

AKL is beautiful - worth staying at in the standard rooms I think - they are a great price and lots of places to see the animals. The pool is awesome too.

 

[SeattleMark]

We got upgrade from standard to savannah view. The only "strategy" I used was to make sure my daughter's birthday was noted on the reservation as well as our anniversary (even though it wasnt, but how would they know?). I figured if it came down to choosing between two people to upgrade, the assignor might choose the one with the special occassions on it over an empty one.

(BTW, nothing was done to acknowledge either event when we got there. Just the upgrade was fine with me!).

 

[dizneyfan]

We were there last May, booked standard view with a great code, and had requested a room near lobby and restaurants via fax 3 days prior to check-in. We were pleasantly surprised at check-in when we were upgraded (without asking!) to Savannah view, with all of our other requests fulfilled as well. Now, the room we had overlooked the Sunset Savannah and one of the much maligned "People Pens"...funny, I didn't know to be appalled by such a thing! We had terrific views of giraffes in the morning and late afternoons as well as most of the other animals, except zebras.

It wouldn't be my style to ask for a complimentary upgrade, but I have NO PROBLEM accepting one that's offered to me!

Good luck...I think that your chances for an upgrade are good, but don't expect it. It is a beautiful resort with or without animals outside your balcony.

--dizneyfan

 

[4DisneyFreaks]

We have received an upgrade at the AKL. We had ressies for a Standard Room Memorial Week. Upon check-in were were told that we were upgraded to a Savanah View Room. What a great surprise. And no, we did not ask for the upgrade.

 

[Bride2Be0705]

I was wondering the same thing... I was curious if this would happen to us, as EVERYTHING I have booked said it's our HONEYMOON, so I am hoping, but not getting my hopes up.

What are the odds of a couple of Indiana-bred Newlyweds getting an upgrade? And are upgrades usually COMPLIMENTARY or DO YOU HAVE TO PAY?

 

[TNAngie]

We stayed at AKL December 4-11, 2004. I booked a standard view room with the AP rate of ?$109/ nt. I had heard of the many upgrades offered, and had hoped for one, but I never asked for one. When we checked in, the bellman told us we were in a pool view room. My excitement was short-lived. We could only barely see the pool over the roof of the restaurants. It was actually the worst possible view. I was a little upset, but as the trip went on, I was more than satisfied with the room. The location was great (close to the elevators and quiet),) and the room was extra clean. I decided that most people would have complained and moved to another room when they saw the view. I thought that maybe this led to a lot less wear and tear on the room itself. I ended up being very happy with it. We don't stay in the room much anyways.
-- Angie

 

[happybratpack]

We had a standard view room booked with an AP rate in September 04. We had a horrible driving trip down, had to sleep in the car due to the hurricane damage, etc then my tooth "exploded" and we had to stop for ER care. By the time we got there we looked (and probably smelled) like death. The very nice CM took pity on us and told us she was working out a little surprise for us which was a deluxe savannah view. It really started the magic out right that stay.

 

[Meezers]

Do people really "fib" on their reservations about a special event? What if others who truly have a special event check in after you and guess what...you got their surprise upgrade?!

Off my soapbox now....sorry!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

On a whim this past fall, dh and I made reservations at AKL for our anniversary -- over the long Halloween weekend. Originally, we had booked a king, standard view room. Upon check-in around 10 a.m. on the busy Saturday morning, we were told that no kings were available so we were being upgraded to a savanna view room with.

 

[Cabe]

Thanks all for sharing your experience. Guess it can't hurt to hope just a little bit....but if not, I will enjoy my standard "parking lot" view (you'd think they could make it sound a little more enticing). From everything I've read here, I can't wait to experience the atmosphere of this resort first hand!

 

[SeattleMark]

I was wondering the same thing... I was curious if this would happen to us, as EVERYTHING I have booked said it's our HONEYMOON, so I am hoping, but not getting my hopes up.

What are the odds of a couple of Indiana-bred Newlyweds getting an upgrade? And are upgrades usually COMPLIMENTARY or DO YOU HAVE TO PAY?

I'd say odds are pretty good, base on the total number of standard rooms (not many) vs the total rooms available.

If the hotel upgrades you, then you never pay. If you ask for one at the front desk, you may or may not have to pay, depending on the CM and how busy the hotel is.

 

[Bride2Be0705]

That's great... Just have to remember to NOT get my hopes up in case it doesn't happen.

But EVERYTHING, I mean, EVERYTHING, is plastered with 'HONEYMOON TRIP' the AWESOME CM I dealt with on the phone was GREAT!!! And the girl who did our dining, made sure that she put it on everything too!!

Plus the outfit I am wearing on the plane says 'THE NEW MRS. BROWN...' And the butt of my pants say 'NEWLYWED!!' YAY for being the

 

[MEM]

We stayed at AKL in August 2004 and paid $109 AP rate for a standard view. When DH checked us in, he joked with the CM that he was checking in for his "dumpster view". The CM said he could probably do better and gave DH a bunkbed room with a savanna view! DH managed to surprise me and when we got to the room and the kids and I looked out the window, there were two giraffes looking at us! This kind of Disney Magic elevated my opinion of WDW even higher than it had been, if that is possible.

BTW, the CM did tell DH that the earlier in the day you check in, the better your chance for an upgrade...later in the day the rooms are already assigned. Still not sure if that makes sense to me, logically, since DH checked in at 9:00 a.m., but worth a try.