Asking for "free" upgrades at check-in?

[Stacy's a freak]

I just read a poster in another thread mention that he/she always books a standard room and requests a "free" upgrade at check-in. Do others do this? What is your experience? Is this kosher? I suppose the worst that they can say is "no", but I wonder how people attempt this and what results they have had.

TIA!

 

[daisyduck123]

No, never.

If I want an upgrade, I'll just pay for it at booking. (Although when we stayed at CBR, I called for 3 months prior to our arrival, trying to get a "preferred" room, & nothing ever opened up).

 

[jmlaw]

I usually get my heart set on whatever it is that I want and just pay for it up front to make sure I get it.

 

[G8r4evr]

I usually get my heart set on whatever it is that I want and just pay for it up front to make sure I get it.

Same here. If I want it badly enough, I will just pay for it. If they want to offer me a complimentary upgrade, I sure wouldnt turn it down, but I would never just ask for it.

 

[Native NYer]

I would never ask. I pay for exactly what I want. We booked a theme park view room at the Poly because that's what we wanted. We would never leave it up to chance that we'd get a free upgrade.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I'd have put in another choice on the poll... I ask for free upgrades and occasionally get them, but do not depend on them.

 

[sarha]

If I really want a specific view I'll always book it.
Sometimes I'll book a standard view because I really don't mind what view I get. In that case, I'll ask at check-in if an upgrade is available. I'd say I've been upgraded about half the time I've asked. So, if I'm upgraded it's a pleasant surprise and if not, Im still happy with the room I booked.
Again, if I really would be disappointed if I didn't get a view, then I will book that view.

 

[kimsuenew]

I would never dream of asking for a free upgrade, it seems pushy to me and that is just not my nature, (no offense if it is yours, just my opinion).

If you get a surprise free upgrade when checking in... be thrilled and thankful!!

We are staying at Pop in 2008 and just went ahead and booked/paid for a preferred as we thought it work best for us

I guess I figure that if you want one (an upgrade), book one, and pay for it! That way you ensure getting what you need right from the start and there is no disappointment!

 

[Atchley]

We got a surprise upgrade to Preferred/Water view at CBR. It was wonderful! That being said, I won't ask. I might just keep sweet talking the CM at the desk though.
You have a beautiful lobby!
The fireplace is gorgeous!
Pictures just can't really do this place justice!
This is so unbelievably incredible.
We are going to love it here.


Hey, it never hurts!

 

[tiger4me2]

I just read a poster in another thread mention that he/she always books a standard room and requests a "free" upgrade at check-in. Do others do this? What is your experience? Is this kosher? I suppose the worst that they can say is "no", but I wonder how people attempt this and what results they have had.

TIA!

I asked & was given a upgrade to concierge level at BWI but had to paid for it. I would have booked it that way but when I booked it there was none was there so the CM member told me just to ask when we check in as she put in all they can say is no. Not sure if you ask for a free upgrade though. Only time that happen to us is when we booked a non smoking room due to medical reasons (which Disney back then guranture it) & when checking in the room was a smoking. I was very nice when I told the CM I request a non smoking room & couldn't take anything else. She said tough luck you get what I give you. Well that set me off but before I could say anything, the CM next to her & said welcome back Mrs ***** & told the other CM to look for a non smoking room as this person has been staying with us over 15 times & not to be rude to the guests. Well she wouldn't give it to us but the other CM went into the back & got a manager out there. He told our CM he would handle our check in, and he would talk to her later. He said he was sorry for the mess up & gave us an upgrade to concierge's level free. I told him I would pay for it. But I didn't like the CM attitude towards me since it was on my resversation that I had with me , a non smoking room guranatee. He said no it was free since I was given an attitude from the CM. From then on I was hooked on concierge & pay for it no matter what, it's worth it to us. I did wonder if that CM was still working at front desk though but I had no pity for her as her attitude towards us was unacceptable since we were very nice when we walked up.

 

[eliza61]

Nope,
I generally just book what I want and leave it at that.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I voted for the 1st question and I agree with everyone else that if you wanted a specific room then you should have made a reservation for it and not hope for a free upgrade. Just because others may post here that it happened to them I think it's a small percentage, because not everyone who stays at a WDW Resorts posts on Disboards. So that is why I think it's misleading of the number of guests who get free upgrades at the various their Resorts.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I voted for the 1st question and I agree with everyone else that if you wanted a specific room then you should have made a reservation for it and not hope for a free upgrade. Just because others may post here that it happened to them I think it's a small percentage, because not everyone who stays at a WDW Resorts posts on Disboards. Think about it you don't hear anything from those guests and chances are they did not get a free upgrade. So I think when others read about guests getting free upgrades the numbers are misleading, because they are only reading about the Disboards members who are at WDW and we know WDW has more guests everyday then there are members of Disboards who visit there.

I agree that you should EXPECT what you made a reservation for. I always reserve what I can afford, and expect to get just that...but if I can sometimes get a room that I could not otherwise afford, that is a wonderful, magical thing.

I do NOT agree that you should not HOPE for anything. One can always hope, one can not expect that everything one hopes for can come to pass.

I also see no harm in ASKING. If the asking is done in a pleasant way, with no whining or expectations, and a "no" is acceptable, then by all means ask. I think there's enough anecdotal evidence to support the notion that sometimes upgrades are given, both to those who ask and those who don't.

Please don't confuse ASKING for something with EXPECTING something.

 

[G8r4evr]

We got a surprise upgrade to Preferred/Water view at CBR. It was wonderful! That being said, I won't ask. I might just keep sweet talking the CM at the desk though.
You have a beautiful lobby!
The fireplace is gorgeous!
Pictures just can't really do this place justice!
This is so unbelievably incredible.
We are going to love it here.


Hey, it never hurts!

I might have to try that approach!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

I have never asked for a free upgrade but have gotten them on all but one stay at a deluxe resort.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I do NOT agree that you should not HOPE for anything. One can always hope, one can not expect that everything one hopes for can come to pass.

I mean no one should go in thinking there is a chance of a free upgrade, because if they do even if it's a little thought then they might set themselves up to be disappointed if it does not happen.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I mean no one should go in thinking there is a chance of a free upgrade, because if they do even if it's a little thought then they might set themselves up to be disappointed if it does not happen.

So, banish all hope, all ye who enter here?

 

[G8r4evr]

So, banish all hope, all ye who enter here?

I dont think that's what anyone is saying...

But seriously, if a vacation is riding on said hope, shouldn't you just book and pay for it?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I dont think that's what anyone is saying...

But seriously, if a vacation is riding on said hope, shouldn't you just book and pay for it?

That's excatly what I was trying to say. The best way to aviod disappointment if you did not get a free upgrade, is not to think of getting one at check-in. So if you happen to get one that's a great start to a vacation at WDW and if you don't be happy with the room you made a reservation for. Of course just like everyone else said if getting a better room is a high priority make a reservation for it and don't take the chance of getting a upgrade at check-in, because there is a higher chance of it not happening.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I dont think that's what anyone is saying...

But seriously, if a vacation is riding on said hope, shouldn't you just book and pay for it?

Seriously, who said the vacation is riding on said hope? That's putting a straw man in front of the argument. What is being debated here is, should you ask? Does asking imply that the whole vacation rides on the premise that only with an upgrade will my vacation be worthwhile?

We're not children here. I think we can all understand that just because we ask for something, doesn't mean we'll get it...yet sometimes asking pays off. Why is it so harmful to ask? And what is wrong with hope?

I enter a contest. There is a one in 188 chance I will win the contest. Yet I enter anyway, with the hope I might get lucky. If I lose, is my life over? Do I throw a tantrum? Not if I'm a reasonable adult, I don't. But sometimes I win. Does that make me a bad person, because I won? Not everyone can win, but you surely can't win unless you enter the contest, and you surely shouldn't fault the entrants for giving it a try.