Ever been "upgraded"?

[akl-fan]

We were upgraded on our honeymoon from a standard view to Savannah view at AKL. We were staying for 14 days so this was quite an upgrade but it was the year of a million dreams. I worked well for Disney though as after a week we signed up to DVC. This was my husbands first trip to Disney so he must have have been really impressed.

 

[Chee Chick]

I have been upgraded twice. I was given a water view room at the BC when I had booked a standard room. I received a courtyard view room at the Wilderness Lodge when I had booked a Woods view. I did do online check in on the WL trip.

One both trips we where traveling with family and had requested to be near each other. Both times we were upgraded and our family members were not, but they were located directly across the hall from our room. Maybe this had something to do with being upgraded. Maybe they needed to upgrade us for location purposes to be near each other.

 

[JohnnySilk]

in October of 2009, we were booked at Bay Lake Tower @ Contemporary (it had just opened 2 weeks prior) with a 2 BR Villa for the 5 of us. WHen we got to our room, they had put us up in the 2 STORY, 3 BR GRAND VILLA. We just knew there had been some mistake but. . . . I beleive the website said it was 2500 sf???? There were 3 full BR's, 3.5 baths and a monster living and kitchen. We were spoiled. We are headed back this October and I beleive the price per night for that was $2000+! I guess since it was new and not booked they knew we woudl be hooked.

I do plan on trying to request an upgrade to a Magic Kingdom view from my Bay lake view. Haven't decided if i'm going to try the $20 trick or not. I've done that all over the country and it works quite often. Just not sure at Disney. Something about it makes me feel dirty trying it with the nice folks at Disney. We will see.

 

[murphnjamie]

Back in 2008 we received an upgrade at WL from a standard to a woodview. I am not much to care about the view but it was a really nice surprise. We had a nice quiet balcony are which our daughters loved to hang out on.

I'm not sure why we got it, but we did have it marked in our reservation that it was our 10th anniversary. That may have helped.

 

[Lynne M]

I do plan on trying to request an upgrade to a Magic Kingdom view from my Bay lake view. Haven't decided if i'm going to try the $20 trick or not. I've done that all over the country and it works quite often. Just not sure at Disney. Something about it makes me feel dirty trying it with the nice folks at Disney. We will see.

About all the $20 trick will get you at Disney is a horrified look from the CM. It would be a firing offense for the CM to accept it.

The culture is a bit different at Disney resorts. As previously stated, most upgrades are done for operational reasons before you even arrive, and front desk CMs only rarely have the ability to grant an upgrade. Even in those cases, they prefer to surprise a guest with an upgrade. We've had multiple current and former front desk CMs post here that asking for a free upgrade is the best way to ensure that you won't get one.

 

[DVC-Don]

Stayed at WDW resorts over 50 times so far (both DVC and non-DVC) and have never been offered an upgrade.

 

[anut4disney]

We have been upgraded in the past at the Wilderness Lodge we got a Courtyard view from a standard.

Now let me tell you what happened this past June 2011
We are DVC members and stay at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge. We got in early and knew our room would not be ready and we were ok with that. We checked in and went to Downtown Disney to eat lunch and shop a little. We had a one bedroom reserved at the villas. My wife left her cell # so we could get a page when our room was ready. While we were at Earl Of Sandwich she must have missed the call. We walk out and she checks her phone and calls the number back. It was the front desk at the Lodge telling us we have an offer for you. We would like to move you to the Yellowstone Suite at the lodge instead of the villas. Well that ended shopping for today. We headed back to the front desk and they took our keys and gave us gold keys and brought us to our room. We got full access to concierge and everything. We hardly left the room…. Hahaha it was great. We have no idea why we got the upgrade but we were not going to ask to many questions.
We had always dreamed of staying in that suite and it made it a trip we will never forget.

That is so awesome!

 

[Monknmom]

Oh I see! I don't plan on doing online check in so I was just asking! It's our very first time though and I am just excited to be going with my little family!

 

[luvthemouse71]

In 2008, upgraded from Poly GV to Club Level. In May of this year, they upgraded us but it was a room with a king bed- I had to go back down and tell them that I was traveling with my dad, lol. So we ended up back in a standard. I wasnt upset though.

 

[Christine9125]

BC CL Deluxe room to BL CL 2 bdrm suite

 

[Amy&Dan]

I was only upgraded once and it was a DL, not WDW. I had a standard room at Paradise Pier and was upgraded to a suite. I was there for the inaugural Disneyland half marathon so it was September 2006.

My one and only upgrade was also at the PPH at Disneyland. I had booked a standard room (which would have been a pool view) and was upgraded to an upper level theme park view room. It was my dd's 9th birthday so it was a nice surprise.

Never gotten one at WDW and I am not holding my breath!

 

[scjo68]

In our 7 trips, we have gotten upgraded once.
THis was last year at the Contemporary. We had booked a Standard view in the Garden Wing, and with a 40% off code.

We checked in at 6:00, and found out we were Family of the Day and were given the Hospitality Suite. It was huge-2 1/2 baths, kitchen, really nice!

We did do onlline check-in.

 

[mommy2emily]

How would you know if you were upgraded? I am staying at GF in a Garden view room for the first time in November. I wouldn't know the difference unless the Cm told me.

 

[Keegansmommy]

We were given a river view room at POFQ instead of a standard view when we went in June. With two small children, I couldn't appreciate the loveliness of the river...all I kept thinking was safety hazard.

 

[rcraw45425]

How would you know if you were upgraded? I am staying at GF in a Garden view room for the first time in November. I wouldn't know the difference unless the Cm told me.

Gv rooms face the center of the resort, the gardens per se. You may see the quiet pool or look back toward the main building. Every time we've stayed at GF we've been upgraded to lagoon or theme park view (before tpv was a separate category). First time we had a dormer room with view of Polynesian and water. Second time was even better, straight on view of MK And Castle. Last time was BigPine Key again with lagoonview.

 

[neville04]

bump

 

[raven69david]

I've had 100% success rate (over 10+ times) getting standard view to savana view upgrade at AKL. I only go during value season and the resort is never sold out. This may not work during holiday or non-value seasons and/or when the resort is booked solid.

I've also gotten upgrade at WL from standard view to WL CL. When we got this, we overheard two other couples that got the same upgrade.

 

[roydavid7771]

Last year's trip for us was smothered in pixie dust! First, our travel agent (first time I ever used one in planning a Disney vacay) was able to upgrade our standard room at WL to Courtyard View for free before we left. Second, we were able to upgrade our airline tickets to first class for free (it's amazing what a little kindness can do for someone having a bad day). Finally, once we checked into the WL, we were upgraded once again to one of the bear face rooms facing the pool and lake for free without even asking! Now that was a great vacation!

 

[weswife]

I enjoy reading all of the upgrades!!! CONGRATS!!! to everyone!

 

[rao363]

Awesome stories! Love hearing about the upgrades..I would LOVE one on my trip next month!