Free room upgrades?

[renes]

We have been very lucky regarding upgrades. Each time we go (booking only one room) we receive an upgrade. They range from a view upgrade at GF from garden to lagoon view to an upgrade at BWI from a standard club level to the Vice-Presidential suite!! When we go sometimes we book more than one room, family is growing with grandkids, we do not receive any upgrades. I assume it is because it is easier to upgrade one than two or more. We have gone to WDW over 25 times and stayed on property every time.

We have never asked for an upgrade, we book the room we will be happy staying in. We are going in October, 3 rooms at BWI, standard club level using the military discount and do not expect to be upgraded. Our last upgrade was from WL standard view to junior suite CL.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I have been so many times and never got an upgrade. Maybe it is b/c I use my DVC? I am always nice to the CM and never ask for one and still nothing!!!!!!

DVC points stays seldom get up grades because the villas are usually booked ahead of time. Cash stays might get upgrades to free up rooms for scheduled points stays. A short stay of a day or two might get an upgrade.

 

[Tink_Or_Belle]

one trip we were offered an upgrade from Pop Century to Saratoga. we didn't take it.

 

[diddldonna]

Wow loving all your replies, Its nice to see people get upgraded what ever the reason It just gives a bit extra magic.

We also in 2010 was upgraded from value to OKW and it was amazing.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I think it happens most at AKL . . .

1) Actually, Wilderness Lodge has the most upgrades.
2) About 2004, they changed many Standard Rooms to Woods View.
3) This substantially increase revenue.
4) But, it cut back on cheaper rooms.
5) So, now they oversell the Standard rooms.
6) Thus, there are several upgrades EVERY day.

 

[kapoof]

We got upgraded at the bc from a standard to cl

The dolphin from a standard to resort view

The poly standard to cl

Akl standard to a pool view.

We loved them all!

 

[WendyWuWu]

In 2010, we had booked Woods view at WL, but were upgraded to a beautiful lake view overlooking the pool. In 2008, however, we had booked (and paid for) a "king" room at CBR. They apparently had overbooked "king" rooms though, because when we arrived, there were not any "kings", so we were forced to take a room with 2 double beds. We were quite upset, as DH and I are both tall. They did however, try to make up for the mix up by giving us a waterfront room instead of the standard view we'd booked.
Heading back to the YC this fall and hoping for an upgrade!

 

[disneychic2]

I was about to say we have never received an upgrade when someone mentioned the email upgrade from value to OKW, which we did receive. We got a 1 bedroom at OKW, but while the rooms were quite large and beautiful (over 900 sq ft), we didn't enjoy how large the grounds were and the lack of food court. Still, we appreciated the chance to experience a new resort. We've never received an upgrade while checking in, and for that matter, we've never even gotten a single request we've asked for such as floor or building. Still, we book where we'd be happy to be and if we ever get any pixie dust, we'll be thrilled with it when it comes. The true magic is being there!

 

[twinboysmom]

In 2008 we booked a regular standard room at the Disneyland hotel (on DVC points when you could still do this) and we were upgraded to a one bedroom park view suite. Everybody checking in at the time was receiving an upgrade, I believe due to construction. This June during our CSR stay we were upgraded to a water view preferred room (booked standard view on AP discount). I figured since they lost our reservation that maybe they felt sorry for us. I knew the view was upgraded at check in but the cm didn't mention it and I didn't either. I have lost track of how many visits we have made. We think over 30 and maybe closer to 40 and that's the only 2. About half of our visits are DVC so very little chance of upgrade there.

 

[Gorechick]

I just got upgraded last week from Garden View Royal Room at POR to River View Royal Room.

 

[Vidia1975]

we were upgraded last trip in Nov/Dec. we had a Standard Vw CL @BC ended up w/a View of the Lagoon and the BWI area. We also had a Standard Vw @ Poly. When we checked into Poly, they had put us in a Theme Park Room instead.

 

[rcraw45425]

twice at YC from std view to WV, once from water view to standard view CL. Three times at GF from garden view to lagoon/theme park view Best upgrade was last CR stay, from Atrium Club (12th floor) Theme park view to Tower Club (14th floor) theme park view in a one bedroom suite. That totally spoiled our teens, they beg us to book a suite from now on!

 

[Karlzmom]

We were given a surprise upgrade to CL at the WL last December. I had booked a BB room, but they cold not accomodate us, as I found out at checkin. Sadly, with our plan we really couldn't use the CL amenities much at all, but it was a nice gesture....

 

[tracynwu]

Wow. How exciting for all of you. Do any of you mention that you want to upgrade and they just surprise you that it's free or do they just randomly put you in a better room?

 

[katyj26]

We were staying at Boardwalk Inn in March 2008. We got in late and they didn't have any Water view club level rooms left so they upgraded us to a two bedroom suite in club level. It was awesome. We found out when we got home that this room for the 9-10 days we were there would have been like $8000 more than what we paid for our package!! It was incredible and we got to put the snorer in the other room!! Lol!

 

[MarineVet]

I guess you can say we have gotten an upgrade 50% of the time - because it happened once and we have only stayed at a Disney Resort hotel twice! Our trips before that were at Shades of Green (nice, but when the dining plan is free, its cheaper overall for us to stay on property).

We checked into Coronado Springs last December with a Standard Room reserved, and we got a water view, which we didn't know until we got to the room. I didn't ask for one, I just told the CM checking us in I was so excited to be there, it was our first time at a Real Disney Hotel, stuff like that. It was also not full that week (1st half of December) so maybe that had something to do with it. We got no upgrade at Bay Lake Towers in April, but I am hoping for more pixie dust when we go back to Coronado Springs this December.

 

[UncleScrooge]

Last year we did a split stay between CR and BC. We stayed 4 nights in a standard wing room at the CR. I was hoping to get bumped up into the tower, but no such luck. As it turned out the room was great. We parked about 60 feet from the door and we really were on the go most of the time so we didn't miss the view. After 4 days we switched to the BC. It was a Sunday and we hit the MK prior to going over to the BC to check in. While we were at the MK it started to rain and it didn't stop and of course the ponchos were in the luggage. Anyway...we waited it out and then started to walk back to the CR to get our car. We got to about the buses went it started to downpour and it stayed that way until we got to our car. So...the 3 of us were soaked, and at that point roomless, so we went to the BC in the hopes that our room would be ready. We drove up and parked under the canopy and I went inside to check us in. No line inside, so I walked right up to the desk. Meanwhile my wife and daughter started to make their way inside when they met a CM with a clipboard and she asked if they were a part of the Chambers party. My wife said yes and the CM said "Well, we have been waiting for you! You have be upgraded to Club Level!" So they came inside and found me just as I was giving the CM our name. The CL CM said that she would take care of our check in she took us up to the 4th(?) floor to check us in. My wife must have asked 2 or 3 times if they had the right Chambers family. I had surprised my wife with CL before and she thought it was something I had done, but it wasn't me this time.

In any event they bumped us up to CL with a standard view. We were about as far away from the Club as you could be, but it was a very nice surprise.

I am a firm believer that we were upgraded because we were only staying 3 days and we were checking in on a Sunday, a day when many people would be checking out.

 

[FloridaDreaming]

We were offered the value upgrade in 2009. Unfortunately, I was too late getting back to them and we would've had to change dates and figure out how to get the airfare changed. So, we declined.
In 2010, we were upgraded from a standard room to a water view room at POFQ. Great view of the Sassagoula River. Nothing huge but, it's always nice.

 

[mickeypedia]

I have only recieved an upgrade once....I booked a standard room at POP and when I got there we were moved to CB. It was really nice since hubby and I were celebrating our anniversary.

 

[TandLMommy28]

2010 at POFQ we booked standard and ended up with a gorgeous courtyard view. I was expecting to face the parking lot or something. We made no requests. It was FD but the resort seemed pretty empty to me.