Complimentary upgrade?

[cseca]

OK, I've stayed at WDW resorts more than 25 times already and I've never had complimentary upgrade before.

Just out of curiosity (not to whine or complain or anything... really... ), do you have to ask for it? Or is it something that they automatically give you when they have availability.

thanks so much!

 

[KerryCM]

$ years ago I went on my annual girls only trip. We had 2 standard rooms at the BC booked, All I asked was that we be on the same floor. At check in we were told we were upgraded to 2 CL rooms! Well, 7 totally crazy women burst out into song in the lobby. We had a wonderful time. The next year we tried for the BWI CL, we were able to get it, was not much more than we were spending on a waterview room. Now, it is only CL for us and only at the BW. They really knew what they were doing to give us the comp. upgrade. I will only stay CL now.

 

[mostyn17]

I was thinking the same thing! I read on here about people getting upgraded to the suites at the GF!! We stay there every trip and nothing. Even if it was for 1 night, I would be happy......Here is Pixie dust to both of us!

Travis

 

[Lives4Disney]

We were upgraded at the GF from standard RPC concierge to the Walt Disney Suite!!! It was just this past July for my 40th birthday. The nicest CMs greeted us as we got off the elevator and led us to the most fantastic suite I have ever seen. We have stayed at the GF concierge several times in the past couple years and it is the most WONDERFUL concierge level and staff of any of the resorts I have stayed. They know how to make magic at the GF. It was a total surprise and the stay of a lifetime. I would never ask for a complimentary upgrade. Just not comfortable doing that, but that's just me. I know others that have had success with it.

I just have to add that we have stayed at WDW probably about 40 times, sometimes 2 weeks at a time over the past 15 yrs and this was our first ever upgrade. It was worth the wait, LOL!

Lives4Disney

 

[Armandocme]

We stayed onsite for the first time this year (June) at CR for a conference my wife was attending (my DD5 and DD3 tagged along of course). We paid for the normal conference room rate (which was a pretty good rate for the CR). I was expecting to be placed in one of the wings but when my wife checked in, she told us we were in the tower! My wife said she didn't ask for it, they just gave it to us. I was excited because I've always wanted to stay there so we go up to our room and lo and behold, we were in a Magic Kingdom view room in a newly refurbished room! I will always remember the first time we stepped out onto our balcony with a perfect view of Cinderella's castle and Splash Mountain!

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

I've found the best thing to do is smile smile smile and ask in your nicest voice if there is anything availible in x catagory .. water view, etc. All they can say is no. If so, just smile and say "thank you, anyway".

The only time I asked and had a CM answer a bit rudely was at AKL. I was paying $159 for a pool view room on an AP rate. I've heard deep discounted rates rarely get upgraded.

But, I believe you get them when they are out of your room catagory and bump you up before you get there.

 

[BeckWhy]

We were upgraded at the GF from standard RPC concierge to the Walt Disney Suite!!! It was just this past July for my 40th birthday. The nicest CMs greeted us as we got off the elevator and led us to the most fantastic suite I have ever seen. We have stayed at the GF concierge several times in the past couple years and it is the most WONDERFUL concierge level and staff of any of the resorts I have stayed. They know how to make magic at the GF. It was a total surprise and the stay of a lifetime. I would never ask for a complimentary upgrade. Just not comfortable doing that, but that's just me. I know others that have had success with it.

I just have to add that we have stayed at WDW probably about 40 times, sometimes 2 weeks at a time over the past 15 yrs and this was our first ever upgrade. It was worth the wait, LOL!

Lives4Disney

A bit OT, but do you have pictures?!?!


Now back on topic... The summer before 6th grade, so that would be like 1996 or something, a friend of mine and her family went, they were upgraded from CBR to CR.

 

[HaleyB]

We were upgraded last year and the year before. Both times were very busy and I know that last year our resort was sold out for the night we checked in (and the 2 nights before that) so I kinda assumed it was an avaliability thing.

I have never asked or even hinted for an upgrade. Also I did not make room requests except for non-smokeing both times that I was upgraded, and I do wonder if that has anything to do with it.

 

[AKLRULZ]

We've been to Disney maybe two dozen times or so and at least on 1/2 of the trips we've been upgraded to a better room including every single visit since 2002. For this reason, I've risked booking a lower category room for the past couple of years. I think it has a lot to do with how you interact at check in with the CM - I've never come stratight out and flat asked for an upgrade.

 

[antmaril]

We've been upgraded to Concierge twice. First time at Beach Club and most recently this year at the BWI. LOVED it!

I didn't ask for it. The CM took my information and then casually said "You have been upgraded to Concierge."

I was quite surprised and very pleased. Of course, I thanked him and he said "There were probably a lot of people trying to book standard rooms. Today is your lucky day."

YAY!

 

[ilovedisney_miami]

I can inform you this much when me and my hubi went to disney (all star movies resort) for our honeymoon we ended up having a king bed with a pool view. When I booked the trip I requested a King bed and something by the main pool. and they told me they'll add it as a request (not garented) and that they didnt have any and i keept called to check back to see if they have any rooms with a king bed and pool view and they kept telling me no and as soon as we got to check in they told me and my hubi that we had a king size bed by the main pool. Phisically i was tired but inside i was dancing with joy
Im hoping that since we are going on our aniversary that we will get a room upgrade (something by the pool )

 

[Karnak]

A couple of years ago my wife and checked in at the Poly for a four night stay during the first part of December. At check in, the CM upgraded us to a lagoon-view room in the concierge building. Another CM met us at the front of the main building, and drove my wife and I, with our luggage, to our room. Wonderful time there, with a great view of the castle, and the nighttime floating parade every evening, as well as the free food and all in the hospitality room. And all at no extra charge. Doubt that we will ever be that lucky again, but it sure created a bunch of Disney Magic for us.

 

[firkat]

We've been to Disney maybe two dozen times or so and at least on 1/2 of the trips we've been upgraded to a better room including every single visit since 2002. For this reason, I've risked booking a lower category room for the past couple of years. I think it has a lot to do with how you interact at check in with the CM - I've never come stratight out and flat asked for an upgrade.

So what is your secret?

 

[tammyg]

We have been on 12 trips to Disneyworld. We have been upgraded on all but one of the trips. We Have not had some of the big upgrade like some people get. I always book the standard rooms and I have never asked for an upgrade. We usually get upgraded to next room view type.

 

[hmp2z]

We've never, ever asked for an upgrade. I think that Disney has reasons for why they give them, i.e. they might upgrade you to a room that they figure next time you have a good chance of paying to be in.

We were upgraded on our wedding trip; we'd paid for GF LGV and got GF RPC honeymoon room.

On our next trip, we had a split stay and had paid for GF RPC. The first part of our trip was spent at the BWI, and they upgraded us to concierge. My thinking was that they'd already upgraded us for free once, and we'd then booked another trip in the concierge level, so maybe if they upgraded us at the BWI, we'd return as concierge guests.

On the trip after that, we'd booked the GF RPC honeymoon room, and were upgraded to the Victorian Suite, which was AWESOME!

We would never dream of requesting an upgrade, though; they are just extra magic We have had CM's ask us whether we're there on our honeymoon, though we've been married for 4 years now. Maybe we act like honeymooners & so get upgraded - I don't know. I do know that after 10 years together, I'm CRAZY about my DH

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[sstucush]

We've been upgrade to CL twice, once at AKL and once at BC. Both times we were on a passholder rate or FL resident rate and our travel party was one adult and 2 children. Once was the week before Christmas and the other was just last week. It seems to me that it was already in the computer when we arrived and must have been done by the room assigner. We've never been upgraded when my husband was with us. I know it's because he's the only one in the family who doesn't believe in pixie dust.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I have been there about 20 times and been upgraded only twice. First was BC lake view and upgraded to cl due to an available lake view room I think. The last time was last week we booked a standard room at AKL and got upgraded to pool view. I didnt ask either time I think it depends on the cm at the desk. We just smile alot and wear our mickey shirts of course.

 

[LAS2AMS]

My parents have been staying on site since WDW first opened; they've accumulated about 100 stays and I've made about a dozen additional stays without them. Many of these stays were short (long weekends visiting family in the area, etc.) -- ideal for upgrading.

We've received more DOWNGRADES than upgrades. Most of (our handful of) downgrades involved views -- e.g. going from a water view to a parking lot view at the Dixie Landings. Unfortunately, Disney isn't very accommodating in adjusting rates, usually insisting the reservation was errorous ("the reservation incorrectly listed water view... we do not guarantee water views, although we guarantee preferred views, which your parking lot room is since it's close to the main facilities.") One time during an AP-discounted stay at the Grand Floridian, we were assigned a garden view when we paid for a lagoon view. Disney wasn't persistant that they shouldn't deduct the difference since we both accepted the view and declined to switch rooms during our stay. I guess the lesson learned is that if you receive a downgrade, make sure it's know at check-in and have your rate adjusted accordingly!

The biggest downgrade was when we were "walked" from the Wilderness Lodge to the Coronado Springs. It was only for a night, but it was a major inconvenience. They comped us the one night, but made a big deal out of it. In comparison, I've been walked elsewhere and received larger compensation. For example, the Hilton WDW walked us (on a $60 Priceline reservation, no less) to the DoubleTree Suites and gave us three future nights free (the length of our stay). Mandalay Bay (in Las Vegas) walked us to Excalibur, comp our entire weekend stay and gave us $100 room credit to spend. The Hyatt Waikiki walked us to the Marriott Waikiki (also an ocean view...about the same price) and gave us $400 in certificates to redeem on a future stay at any Hyatt. But Disney? They acted like we were lucky they didn't charge us full price, let alone upgrade us to a "better" resort.

I now travel 200+ days a year on business, including about 20-30 to the Orlando area. I frequently choose to stay in/near Disney, even though I rarely attend the theme parks (I enjoy stuff like walking around DT Disney, or taking a boat from the Contemporary to Fort Wilderness). I rarely stay on property because I find Disney's service to be so poor.

I should add the one type of upgrade we did receive: when the Disney Institue first debuted, we got into the Bungalos at a rate of $79/night -- "a time-of-booking upgrade from the All-Star resorts." We repeated the feat one year later at a rate of $89. The hotel was probably less than 50% occupied both times (off-season).