AKL Room Upgrade Requests

[cicero]

I'd be interested in knowing people's experiences with upgrade requests at the AKL - i.e., what method of requesting is MOST EFFECTIVE:

(1) Faxed requests in advance?
(2) Phone requests in advance?
(3) Requests through travel agency on reservation?
(4) Requests at time of arrival/checkin?

My family and I will be at AKL 2/11-2/14 in a STANDARD room. We've usually been successful at upgrades in SWAN, DOLPHIN, and WILDERNESS LODGE, and would appreciate any advice on this.

Thanks.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I've been lucky enough to receive an upgrade on my last two stays from standard to savanah. It wasn't anything that I asked for ... I didn't even fax in a room request to AKL. It was just something that the CM offered us when we checked-in.

I think I've read recently that there is a sign at the check-in counter not to ask about upgrades. I didn't see it when I was there in December ... maybe the CMs feel it's become more of a problem lately.

I hope you'll get upgraded but if you're not... don't worry! There are a ton of places around AKL to view the animals.

 

[Bojangles]

You really shouldn't count on a free upgrade. If you wouldn't be happy in a standard view room, you really should pay for the room type you would be happy with. Some of it depends on how full the resort is and the CM you get at check-in. I have heard that all of the resorts have been so swamped with requests begging for free upgrades and room requests that most go unread.

Swan/Dolphin have a policy of upgrading their Starwood members if there is availability, which would explain your success there.

Good luck, though

 

[Mamu]

I don't know about upgrades, but we are also checking in on the 11th too! Hope to see you there. Always great to meet another Diser.

 

[Shells9]

Our experiences:
(1) Faxed requests in advance?
We have done this once, with several requests. (I know, I know, we should have only done one!). Our request was for Zebra Trail and bunk beds. We got Zebra Trail, but no bunk beds.
(2) Phone requests in advance?
No, and I don't even know if they take these calls. Seems to me I saw something where they were not really encouraging faxed room requests anymore, that requests should be made during the ressie process.
(3) Requests through travel agency on reservation?
Always make my own, so I don't know.
(4) Requests at time of arrival/checkin?
We got upgraded the first time we were at AKL to Deluxe Savannah, and the second time we got a fridge even though we had not asked/paid for it. Both times we found this out at check in, but we did not request it.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Zurgerific]

sorry to butt in, but -
is the Animal Kingdom Park within walking distance from the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and if so, how many minutes?
if not, how often are the busses and how long of a ride?
thanks

 

[johnsonet]

You cannot walk, unfortunately, but the bus gets you there very quickly...just a few minutes, really. Enjoy!

 

[Selket]

We were upgraded a check in without asking - from standard view to savannah view. However this resort is so awesome I'd be happy staying there in standard view - there are many places to see the animals and seeing them off your balcony is nice but we often got out and walked around to see them too. Although we had a view of the interior of the horseshoe it seemed like the animals that came closest to us were th ones that looked like brown cows with big horns. Nice, but I'd often go elsewhere looking for the giraffes and other animals

We did fax the room controller about something else however (a shoebox fridge for some meds my son was on) and we didn't get that at check in. I ended up keeping the meds in our cooler and not bothering with it. They seemed to have no record of that fax so I don't know how much good faxing does!

 

[mari1992]

what is a shoebox fridge? Does disney provide this free for meds (DH takes insulin)?