Disney hotel upgrades

[emmybee]

What do you think goes into the decision to give someone an upgrade? Length of stay, special occasion, outright asking for one? It seems as though some people have been upgraded more than once, so to those people I ask, what has made you so lucky?

 

[mom2rtk]

Disney's need for an extra room in the category you originally booked?

 

[Geemo]

What do you think goes into the decision to give someone an upgrade? Length of stay, special occasion, outright asking for one? It seems as though some people have been upgraded more than once, so to those people I ask, what has made you so lucky?

Each time I have booked one weeknight, Standard room at PPH, I've been given a premium view room.
It's usually the end of January, so that might have something to do with it.

 

[Malcon10t]

It really depends on if there is an upgrade available for your length of stay. The longer you stay, the lower your chances. Week nights have a better chance than Fri-Sat nights. If they are booked, it will be almost impossible to get an upgrade. They aren't going to have upgraded rooms available because they are already sold.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Are upgrades free or do they offer them for a price?

 

[Niltiac]

Are upgrades free or do they offer them for a price?

I've heard of both scenarios, but I assume OP is talking about the free variety, which can happen if they need to free up some lower-level rooms.

 

[BriannaRuth]

I agree; length of stay has a lot to do with it. We've been upgraded to a suite twice after booking a premium, non-suite room ... both times it was on a one-night stay because we were switching hotels. Once when we stayed at the PPH one night before moving to the DLH and the other time at the DLH when we had a one night stay. I think in that case the fact that my requested room was unavailable might have had something to do with it. I had requested pool view, high floor Fantasy Tower and they said it wasn't available but they had a suite in the Frontier Tower if we wanted one. Uh, yeah!

Last month we booked a standard room at the DLH because that's all we could get due to being there on a convention rate. I was chatting a lot with the CM at check-in and just asked for anything that didn't have a parking lot view. Ended up with a pool view Fantasy Tower. Didn't request an upgrade but I think it was one. That was a little different; we were there a full week.

These were all free. At most hotels if you ask for an upgraded room, they'll offer you one for a price.

 

[StormyCA]

I've only been upgraded from a standard to a Woods/Courtyard View. I've never asked specifically for an upgrade. I asked for close to the elevators (mobility issue) on a reservation for a standard room and ended up with Courtyard rooms. The other time it was a complete surprise at check in. The clerk just said 'You've been upgraded'. I didn't ask why!

 

[tarheelalum]

We have been a number of times but never given any upgrades. We usually stay for at least 4 night's and over a weekend. A few people I know have stayed for 1 night during the week and gotten significant upgrades.

 

[emmybee]

I guess the consensus confirms what I most suspected. Oh, well!

 

[l4dyj8]

It has always felt random. Better chance if checking in later and booked through them originally (vs third party site.)

We have never asked. And nothing major beyond the view. At PPH, have gotten a park view room twice. Not high level but still a view! At GCH, a Friday in November with a park view from the Napa Rose wing.

 

[Malcon10t]

I guess the consensus confirms what I most suspected. Oh, well!

My way is simply book the room I really want, and if I get an even better room, great!!

 

[ParkHopper1]

Part of it is inventory in each category...for example I know the GCH sells WAY more "standard" rooms then they have what they have in standard room inventory...which is why many "standard" room reservations wind up in thing like Courtyard views even thought that is a higher room category.

PPH for example is almost 50% Standard and 50% Theme Park views just by nature of the building. They sell higher than just 50% of the available reservations as "standard".

Now, who gets those better rooms vs looking at a parking lot...good question.

 

[wench]

I have been upgraded to Deluxe/pool view twice while staying at DLH. I had booked a standard room both times & did not ask for an upgrade. The only request I had made was to be in the Fantasy Tower. And the CM didn't tell me they we're upgrading me either time. I just realized when I got to the room. I really think it's pure luck of what rooms they have available, what reservations they need to fill & what time you check in. I always arrive fairly early in the morning on my check in day.

 

[wowsmom]

A few years ago, my son and I decided on a Sunday afternoon that we wanted to stay over for a night on Tuesday - it was his Spring Break. We booked a standard view room at PPH. Checked in around 9:45 a.m. and headed into the park. When we got to our room later that afternoon, we were shocked - they'd upgraded us to the Huntington Suite!

It was gorgeous! And huge - 2 full bathrooms (the one off the bedroom was huge), 2 large beds in the bedroom plus a queen sleeper sofa in the living room, a kitchenette of sorts (nothing to cook on), dining room table with 6 chairs. And since we had the table, we ordered breakfast from room service the next morning.

 

[AC7179]

Over our past three visits, after being assigned and arriving to our booked room (all standard view) at PPH, I have called twice to complain about an issue with the room. Both times, after speaking with the front desk, we were upgraded to a room on one of the top floors. Once was with a pool view, but the room must have been a club level room because the room and the bathroom were significantly larger. The other time was an upper-level theme park view room. We were staying for a week and so enjoyed the upgrades! Alas, the last time we went we got a third floor room, but you could see a little of the park from it, so it really wasn't a bad deal, either.

 

[ddwlms]

We've been upgraded more than our fair share. (probably 7 out of 10 visits). With our general travel scenario, we likely arrived in the morning each time, and I tend to be obviously very excited about being there when I'm checking in (my theory is that it is all based on my excitement level.) At least half, if not more, of these trips were probably Sat - Monday, the rest were likely for 5 nights. Once there was a group of us, two rooms, asking for rooms close together, and both rooms were upgraded.

Note: 2 of the times we were not upgraded were our last 2 trips. I was chit chatting to a random CM and this topic came up, and this CM said that it was likely due to the fact that the DLR hotels have been running at high nineties percent capacity.