Free extras?

[goofy&tigger2]

Has anyone received anything free from your resort that you were staying at or from the parks. If so what, why & where? Example: Fast Pass, Dinners, flowers, balloons, something more, etc......

 

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

We received complementary sparkling wine for our honeymoon. A couple years later for our anniversary we received a Belle & Beast autographed picture.

 

[Jasminetigger]

A couple of years ago we were staying at Wilderness Lodge on Father's Day. After returning from the parks, there was a beautiful fruit basket waiting for us from the staff. The kids have received autographed pictures and balloons for their birthdays when we stayed at AKL. We've also received a basket with crackers and cheeses while staying at Wilderness Lodge. We were not celebrating any special occasion at the time. The card just said "Thanks for staying with us".

 

[KatMark]

Like upgrades in rooms, this is very hit/miss and very random. The first time we stayed at the CSR, the boys each received a bag of goodies--water bottle fans, mugs, Mickey ears and autograph books. I received balloons and a wine and chocolate basket for my 50th birthday and this past September we received autographed photos of Mickey & Minnie, a floral bouqet, cheese & crackers, robes, turn down service--it was our 25th anniversary. On the other hand, my DH received nothing for his 50th birthday nor did my son for his high school graduation. I never go in expecting anything (room upgrade, special little gift) and am quite surprised when we do.

 

[Shannon12]

We stayed in POFQ this past Feb. My nephew got very sick and had a trip to the hospital. The hotel manager sent him an autographed pic of Mickey and a Cars toy set. The mousekeeper made him special animals and told him to take them home. They were very sweet.

 

[jliucci]

During our trip in Jan 08 we recieved a few free things from CSR...

When I was planning our vacation I ran into a problem with disney and when I wrote them an email I never recieved a response..Well my mom and I ended up sending 6 emails and it took about 2 months to get a response. Disney said they were sorry that no one responded to us and promised to have a basket waiting in my room on our first night....

Well 4 days into our vacation and no basket appeared..my boyfriend told me to forget about it but i was a little miffed and called the front desk from my room.. No lie I was on the phone for over an hr!! The CM said that there was no gift basket under our reservation and connected me to someone else. After the hr wait my boyfriend started to get mad because it was taking time away from the parks. So the next day our basket arrived full of snacks and drinks..and the front desk gave us $50 in disney dollars due to the wait on the phone.

 

[goofy4tink]

Never. I've stayed at WDW 20+ times since '99. I have celebrated birthdays there...my dd actually turned both 6 and 13 there. DH turned 50 there. Birthdays have been noted with nothing special occuring. These boards have done a disservice in my opinion. We read about those who have received all sorts of great stuff on their birthday, anniversarys, whatever....then we go hoping for the same thing to happen. When it doesn't, we feel letdown. I always plan something myself...I plan it and pay for it. That way, if Disney doesn't do something special, the person celebrating will still feel special..at my expense.

Now, when my dh went to WDW with a group (a Transitions lenses convention) he turned 50 the day before he arrived. I arranged for something from the Disney Florist to be given to him..which he loved. And he did get upgraded to concierge..but he was told that was part of the YoMD. I don't think it had anything to do with his birthday simply because the YC didn't know it was his birthday. His company booked his room, not me. So nothing was noted at that level.
We are headed back in August...I will be celebrating my 60th (when the heck did that happen!!!!) and my youngest dd's 16th. My other dd will have just turned 33 a few week before we go. Granted, none of the birthday occur when we are there. We picked a time that was in the middle (July and Oct birthdays), while youngest dd was still out of school. I don't expect anything to be done by Disney. I will do my own planning.

 

[NanaV]

We've stayed at WL twice on our anniversary. The first time there was a signed card from Mickey and a champagne glass of chocolates waiting for us. Last year for our 30th anniversary, there were "Happy Anniversary" balloons and a card signed from Belle & the Beast. Nice little touches!

 

[tinkabella627]

I have an odd story about this...

2 years ago, I got engaged there and my fiance's brother called our hotel and told them to see if they could do anything. We were at all star sports and they told him "value resorts don't do anything"

My mother also called and talked to someone and we ended up getting 2 cards signed from characters and a wedding picture frame. We also got a towel animal that wasnt an animal haha... they set it up to look like a basket of flowers and made a heart on our bed. I thought that was kinda cute.

IDK who sent it up or why the CM that talked to his brother said they don't do anything but it seemed kinda weird to me.

Obviously we found this all out later in the day, after the stuff was in our room. But that is the extent of what was left in a room for us ever. I agree with whoever said that people end up expecting things because of reading that other people got something. I don't expect things when I go and this past time I went with my best friend there was a towel animal in our window with a happy birthday ribbon wrapped around it. It was niether of our birthdays so we just assumed the last people ther had a bday and left it in the window..so we didn't take it apart and left it also. But my friend got a kick out of it because she had never seen one.

 

[love2embellish]

We were at POP and last year in June for my son's 8th brithday after returning to the room one night we found a huge basket full of toys and candies and balloons attached with a picture of Mickey signed for his birthday. We were so surprised. it was huge!

 

[a1tinkfans]

FREE UPGRADE at AKL to savannah room on my Bday.

Got autographed mickey picture one year at POR left for my DS....
and LOVE the towel animals.

If we don'[t get any the first 2 or so days, I usually leave a note saying, something like....
we know how very busy you are, but if you can leave a towel animal for our son, he would LOVE it!
We always get them...and I always TIP, regardless...from first day onward......

 

[a1tinkfans]

FREE UPGRADE at AKL to savannah room on my Bday.

Got autographed mickey picture one year at POR left for my DS....
and LOVE the towel animals.

If we don'[t get any the first 2 or so days, I usually leave a note saying, something like....
we know how very busy you are, but if you can leave a towel animal for our son, he would LOVE it! and we sign it!
We always get them...and I always TIP, regardless...from first day onward......

 

[summermac]

I got a card on my birthday in '01 - it was signed by Mickey, Minnie and my "cousin" (waitress at 50s PTC)



Oh wait, this was for resorts specifically. Sorry.

 

[clanmcculloch]

One trip we were upgraded from 2 rooms at CBR to a 2br suite at SSR because of problems (long story). When we got to our room at SSR, there was an autographed picture of Mickey and Minnie plus a couple of balloons for the kids.