Do free upgrades of your room (aka Disney "magic") ever happen with DVC rooms?

[ethanwa]

Do free upgrades of your room (aka Disney "magic") ever happen with DVC rooms?

For example, you book a room with your points for a Pool/Garden view, and instead they upgrade you to a Theme Park view on check-in? Or even better, you go from a Studio to a One-bedroom?

I have had this Disney "magic" on normal room bookings before... we went from a standard room to a 1-Bed Royal Suite at DL hotel on check-in for no cost, but does it happen with DVC rooms ever?

 

[crisi]

Almost never. When it happens its because a room is out of service and they don't have a choice. Usually it seems to be for very short stays - like a night or two before a cruise. If you ask and are upgraded, they pull points from your account.

 

[rmcildw2m]

It can and sometimes happens but not very often .

 

[ethanwa]

If you ask and are upgraded, they pull points from your account.

I'm renting points. Is it possible to pay cash for an upgrade? Or just points?

 

[crisi]

I'm renting points. Is it possible to pay cash for an upgrade? Or just points?

You cannot pay cash for an upgrade. Points and cash are like oil and water.

 

[DebbieB]

Upgrades often happen at non-DVC resorts because they intentionally overbook the lower priced rooms because the higher priced rooms are harder to fill. So if they overbook the lower priced rooms by 20, they hold 20 higher priced rooms to upgrade with. DVC does not do that, they only book the rooms they have.

 

[shellbelle1971]

We had booked a 2-br at Vero Beach and they bumped us up to a full beach cottage. No idea why, and I certainly don't expect it to ever happen again. But it was awesome!

 

[sechelt]

Booked a studio at VGC for a friend, over the half marathon weekend in 2011. They were given a 2 bdrm and no extra points taken from my account.

 

[Sammie]

It happens rarely due to an internal problem, of a room being taken out of service, damaged etc.

A point stay is very different from a cash stay in that the resorts do not have the liberty to make a move just to spread some goodwill.

If booking with you points, you will most always get exactly what you booked. If you want something else, then you would need to book that.

As the others stated you can not ask to pay a cash difference for an upgrade at check in.

 

[mom2rb]

When BLT first opened, we were upgraded from a one bedroom, theme park view to a two bedroom theme park view. I thought it was just because all of the rooms weren't ready to be occupied yet. It was great. The problem is that this is our first trip in a one bedroom since then. Now DH wants to buy more points. DVC is smart that way!

 

[cwdefouw]

The only time we have gotten something that would be considered an upgrade was once when we had a two bedroom booked at BCV and they told us at check in that they were overbooked and didn't have a villa for us. They ended up putting us in the "Captains Deck" suite at the Yacht club. This is the two bedroom suite that Michael Eisner used to stay in. They also gave us concierge lounge access and because the suite did not have a kitchen like a villa has, they also comp'd our breakfast at the Yacht Club Galley each day. All in all it was a very amiable solution to a situation that could have gone very badly.

I never really understood how the villas could be overbooked though. My only thought was that a cash guest probably extended their stay which put them short on units.

 

[Brian Noble]

...or damaged the room in some way. For example, smoking in a unit could take it out of circulation for a day or two.

 

[zavandor]

DVC free room upgrade? It happens.
And it happens that people win the lottery.

That's just something I would not count on.

 

[gonzalj1]

^ What they said.

Not likely. But lightening does strike.

 

[chalee94]

sometimes hotels upgrade guests. if i'm a guest, i'm happy if i get what i paid for and happier if i get upgraded for free. that's the hotel's prerogative.

if i book a studio and you book a studio and i'm an owner and you are an owner...then who is making the call that your points/annual dues/etc. are better than mine?

timeshares are different structurally than hotels. unless it is unavoidable for the front desk to have to move someone, you get what you use pts to get.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I was lucky in January, a 1 bedroom pool view instead of a 1 bedroom standard view. It was very nice view of the pool. I did check, no cost to me!

 

[BLTisforME]

I keep waiting for it to happen. No such luck.

 

[com_op_2000]

My three upgrade experiences:
1. Once cause of over booking at VWL:
Booked a studio at VWL, when we tried to check-in, we had been upgraded to a WL 2 bedroom lake view suite. Called some family members to come and join us for an unexpected vacation.
2. Once cause of problem with check-in at AKL:
Booked a standard view studio at AKL-Jambo, checked-in, given a room key as the room was suppose to be ready, went to the room, and found suitcases and purse in the room along with the room not being made up. Went back to the front desk, they gave us an on-the-spot upgrade to a savanna view room in another part of the resort plus four free breakfasts.
3. DCL
We reserved an inside stateroom but were upgraded to an ocean view room. We did not find out about the upgrade until we got to the room, what a surprise that was.
Just had a fourth this past weekend.
4. AKL-Jambo
Booked standard view room at 5 days out, due to a last minute change in home plans. Given a Savanna View room #5345.

 

[hygienejean]

A few years ago we were upgraded from a BWV standard to a pool view.
Last year our friends were upgraded from a 2 bedroom at the BWV to a 3 bedroom grand villa! They were there for 4 nights! How amazing is that!?!

 

[Shleedogg]

We've stayed on points probably 15ish times since we bought 4 years ago. We've been upgraded once. We were at AKV Kidani about 2 years ago. Booked standard and were given savannah. It was amazing.

We were at AKV Jambo last month and also booked standard and were kind of given savannah. It wasn't a true savannah which is why it was probably standard. It was at he very back of the resort and it was next to the holding pens/"kennel" for lack of a better word. These 2 experiences, and how much our kids loved it ya e pretty much guaranteed that next stay at AKV, we'll book savannah. We've never gotten a huge upgrade though.