Has anyone succesfully asked for an upgrade?

[Smydovro]

Just curious. Has anyone asked for an upgrade at check-in at a disney resort and gotten one? Any interesting experiences you all have had that you care to share? I remember reading a while back that someone had been offered a great rate for an upgrade to concierge but other than that I have seen very little on these boards about this.

 

[goofy4tink]

I personnally have never gotten an upgrade. I know that in years past, people have been pleasantly surprised with them. Maybe they are less frequent with the resorts being closer to capacity. I always reserve what I want and don't trust to the 'fates' so to speak.

 

[msmayor]

We booked standard at WL this past August and got an upgrade to a courtyard view. All I did was ask if any rooms with bunk beds were available (my kids really wanted them!).

We got a great bunk-bedded room that had a pool-courtyard view.

 

[Deweysgirl]

We have stayed at Disney resorts for years. Never got an upgrade. So we decided to ask at AKL when we went in May and were politely turned down. We paid for an upgrade to savannah view at check-in after we were turned down.

Ironically, we went to Swan/Dolphin in July (not owned by Disney) and at check-in we were upgraded from a lakeview to a Jr. concierge suite!

I think Disney is very stingy with free upgrades.

 

[MLAinVA]

Once we asked for a lagoon view room at GF and got a wonderful view of the castle, but it was a long time ago and we didn't know much other than we wanted to see the castle. It was the week right after Thanksgiving and the hotel was pretty empty and we lucked out. At YC last December we were upgraded from standard view to a view of the wedding gazebo. That time we didn't ask for anything special. But in July we hit the jackpot and were upgraded from Poly standard to GV concierge! But in none of these instances did we pay for an upgrade.

 

[mef78]

We got a free upgrade at AKL (from standard to savanna view), but that was back in 2003 when WDW was still in a relative tourism slump (and AKL was still relatively new).

 

[Fast Pass]

We kinda got a free upgrade at Pop. We were suppose to have a room of a wonderful parking lot on the 3rd floor of building 9 but we asked the nice clerk if we could have a first floor or second floor room with a pool view. She said sure,no problem and she said I tell you what no cost to you! It was even more convenient to the lobby.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Once we asked for a lagoon view room at GF and got a wonderful view of the castle, but it was a long time ago and we didn't know much other than we wanted to see the castle. It was the week right after Thanksgiving and the hotel was pretty empty and we lucked out. At YC last December we were upgraded from standard view to a view of the wedding gazebo. That time we didn't ask for anything special. But in July we hit the jackpot and were upgraded from Poly standard to GV concierge! But in none of these instances did we pay for an upgrade.

Wow! You must have Tinkerbell following you on your trips....lots of pixie dust!

 

[disneymouse]

once we had a garden view at the poly and when we checked in with the concierge desk she said we were upgraded to a lagoon view! that was the best view we ever had.

 

[Meezers]

Without sounding cynical. No I have never gotten an upgrade...I just have yucky karma that way.

That said....we saved and are staying AKL Savannah view and GF RPC....so don't think there would really be any upgrades from that! Our dream trip!

Hope Mom doesn't catch this thread....just made plans for her to have truffles delivered to our room at GF and for my brother to have the "dog bones" eclairs!

 

[kaytieeldr]

We kinda got a free upgrade at Pop. We were suppose to have a room of a wonderful parking lot on the 3rd floor of building 9 but we asked the nice clerk if we could have a first floor or second floor room with a pool view. She said sure,no problem and she said I tell you what no cost to you! It was even more convenient to the lobby.

Um, really not to burst your bubble, Fast Pass, but there are only two levels of rooms at Pop - Preferred, which is any room in either of the Sixties buildings (which, granted, have no parking lot views) or Standard, which is everything else. So while the CM kindly pointed out "no cost to you", she COULDN'T have charged you more anyway unless she put you in Building 4 or Building 5!
But she did make you FEEL good, and that matters a lot!

 

[laurabelle]

I've never asked, but have been pixie dusted a couple of times...

My sister and I got a beautiful Epcot/Boardwalk area waterview room upgrade at the Dolphin in May 2004. Gorgeous! My family got a Kudu savanna room on the 3rd floor in July. Perfect view! I always book a standard, it's what I can afford. The upgrades were fabulous, and I loved every minute of them, but if I hadn't gotten them, I'd still be just as happy...I'm at Disney World!

 

[ducklite]

I was upgraded from a 1BR to a 2BR at AKL. I was upgraded to a waterview room at the BC. Otherwise, no upgrades. In all honesty with the hundreds of nights that I've stayed at WDW, the two upgrades I've had are far lower than industry standard.

Anne

 

[helenk]

I was upgraded at the YC to a waterview room, we had a great view of the lake....but this was 2 months after 9/11 and the resorts were pretty empty. Other than that I've not been upgraded.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

I've only been upgraded once and this was at AKL, from a standard view to a pool view

I usually stay with passholder discounts, so I don't know if that makes a difference. We usually go during value seasons so I'm not sure it has to do with occupancy per se, although it seems the resorts stay reasonably full at any time. We've also had many, many stays, and only had that one upgrade, so needless to say, I haven't experienced upgrades too commonly !

 

[jennib5426]

I have had great luck with upgrades and room requests.
We were upgraded at AKL from standard view to deluxe savannah.
All my moderate stays have been upgraded to water view(i always book standard), and I have always gotten the building requests I put on my ressie over the past 10 years.
I guess I am just lucky. I also go during off season and alway check in early in the morning, which probably helps.
Hopefully my luck will follow us to CBR next week

P.S.
I have never asked for an upgrade, but I always make a building request on my reservation.

 

[Skroops]

I have always hoped, and have never gotten an upgrade. I would never ask, because I wouldn't want to pay for one!
I try to be happy and kind as I check in, but in all honesty I am happy to get what I pay for and that probably shows in conversation.
I think that is great when it happens for others! There are so many huge WDW fans who spend a lot more money than we do, and it would be great to see perks such as free upgrades to them. Kind of like the airlines who upgrade to frequent flyers.

 

[stoudt6]

just got back from 10 days at AKL. Not only I, but everyone else who has standard or pool view, was upgraded. We had passholders rate for $129 so wasn't expecting upgrade.When got there was in middle of asking to have room on 5th floor (highest floor) to avoid noise from parking lot, when Nice CM said "I think you'll like the room we have for you". Ended up in Room 5424 directly overlooking pool! When I started to thank the CM she told me that because it was so slow there that all standard and pool views were automatically upgraded.

 

[TENIA66]

watching this one!! great thread!!

 

[david2u]

In all the years I have been going to Disney, I have never been turned down for a free upgrade.

Must just be luck, but at wilderness lodge, always got upgraded to pool view.

This past August at the Beach club, I handed the desk clerk a 20, and she upgraded us to a room with a large balcony, pool view, and told us that we had "concierge" priviledges.

If I had to pay for the concierge room....it was not worth it for money, but it was nice for a quick breakfast.

I guess it's the time of year, the way you ask, and how much you smile!