Have you ever been upgraded??

[SDSorority]

Hi all! Have you ever been upgraded from say, a studio to a one bedroom? Does it ever happen?

 

[millys]

Yup - twice actually!
It happened to us in May this year at OKW. We booked a 1 x bed and were given a 2 x bed.
Best one was in 2012 when I booked a standard room at the Beach Club and received a free upgrade to Club Level.
It's just random luck I guess.

Milly

 

[SDSorority]

Yup - twice actually!
It happened to us in May this year at OKW. We booked a 1 x bed and were given a 2 x bed.
Best one was in 2012 when I booked a standard room at the Beach Club and received a free upgrade to Club Level.
It's just random luck I guess.

Milly

Haha that was my next question! So you didn't request the upgrade, it just happened by chance?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you request the upgrade, expect to pay for it.

Surprise upgrades happen because rooms are out of service or otherwise for Disney's convenience.

 

[LisaS]

Haha that was my next question! So you didn't request the upgrade, it just happened by chance?

Upgrades happen due to rooms having to be taken out of service unexpectedly for maintenance reasons, causing an overbooking situation.

If you ask to be upgraded, the front desk PM will almost certainly charge you the extra points and likely mess up your account in the process, borrowing points you didn't want borrowed and leaving you with other points in Holding. It can take weeks and lots of phone calls to get your account sorted out again.

 

[CarolMN]

Agree with LisaS. Upgrades are very, very rare when you book for points.

We got an upgrade once - we didn't request it and it was not fun trying to get our account straightened out afterwards. Do everything you can to avoid having the front desk mess with your points. I'm sure their intentions are good, but many of them have no idea what they are doing when it comes to DVC accounts. (My opinion. Yours may be different).

 

[automaticsoap]

Been a member since spring 2013 and have had 7 DVC stays since then...no upgrades.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC upgrades rarely rarely happen so don't expect it. Even if your room has issues the policy is to not more you if they don't have to.

Bill

 

[crisi]

DVC is designed to run at a very high occupancy - so generally there are not rooms to "just" upgrade you to. If they upgrade you, its almost always because they have to shuffle people around due to an issue with a room going out of service, and then they'll do it to maximize their own flexibility - i.e. very short stays so that when the room gets back into service, they are back on track with reservations ASAP.

Unlike say, a cruise, where upgrading you from a lower priced cabin to a higher priced one that does not seem likely to sell out opens up more lower priced cabins for them to sell - with DVC we've already bought every room in the hotel.

 

[karenfm]

Several years ago we checked in at the AKL Concierge (we had booked a 1BR), and were told that the room we requested (??) wasn't available. They were sorry, but would have to give us another room. Imagine our surprise when we were moved to the Royal Asante Presidential Suite!! They even upgraded our dining plan to the premium dining plan. We were thrilled and to this day I don't know how it happened, but a little disney magic is always appreciated! It is my understanding that as DVC members, if they class of room you booked isn't available, they can not downgrade you, but can only upgrade you.

 

[Goofy G]

Yup - last year! Reserved a standard studio and received a 1 bedroom. It was a standard but had a terrific view of the animals, our niece who is studying veterinary medicine was thrilled. We were thrilled to have some extra space.

 

[millys]

Just to put some perspective on my 2 x free upgrades - I travel a lot for business and spend around 80 x nights per year in hotels so the two free upgrades I have received are quite rare. It's great when it happens but it is a bonus and not something I ever expect to get.

 

[crisi]

Several years ago we checked in at the AKL Concierge (we had booked a 1BR), and were told that the room we requested (??) wasn't available. They were sorry, but would have to give us another room. Imagine our surprise when we were moved to the Royal Asante Presidential Suite!! They even upgraded our dining plan to the premium dining plan. We were thrilled and to this day I don't know how it happened, but a little disney magic is always appreciated! It is my understanding that as DVC members, if they class of room you booked isn't available, they can not downgrade you, but can only upgrade you.

It depends though on what you consider a downgrade.

When VAKL first opened a whole bunch of people got moved from concierge over to SSR - same room type - when those rooms went out of service (it was almost immediately after it opened, I don't know why they did). Now, I would consider VAKL conceirge to SSR a downgrade, but Disney didn't.

 

[disneybride96]

We have had it happen twice.
First was a cash reservation (before we purchased DVC) at BWV. We were upgraded from a 2 BR to a Grand Villa. I did contact the hotel directly with a nice letter about a week before our trip explaining our celebration and asking for an upgrade if possible. Of course, you have to realize that this was backe when October was still a slow season.

Also got upgraded to Concierge at AKL because of construction. It was only a one night reservation and aside from the concierge lounge, I think the room was exactly the same.

 

[Tiki Sean]

I know of a few people who have gotten upgrades from a studio to 1 or even 2 bedroom. Usually it is because of a maintenance issue.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If happens more on cash stays than points stays. And shorter versus longer stays.

 

[darby888]

Just this last Independence Day at HHI. At 7 months out, we were able to get a studio for 7/5, waitlisted 7/4 and booked a cash ressie for 7/4 also as back up. Well, a studio for our waitlist never did open up. But upon check-in, we were informed of our upgrade to a one bedroom for both nights. I was afraid to question why & kept thinking while cast member checked us in that at some point she was going to say "Oh, I'm so sorry, there was a mistake made and your still in a studio...."
If we could afford the points, we'd stay in a one bedroom every time, they really are just that much better, especially the bathrooms.

 

[com_op_2000]

My 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 supposed 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
Reserved an inside stateroom on DVC points 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. When our luggage arrived it still had the old room number's tags on them.
4. AKL-Jambo
Booked a standard view room at 5 days out due to a last minute change in home plans. Given a Savanna View room.
5. AKL-Jambo
Got another upgrade in Aug ‘16. Reserved a standard studio, on Sunday before leaving the house checked status of points, made a reservation, etc; found that I had more points in my account than I should of had and points in Holding that should not of been there. On the way from home to AKL, I called MS, asked for a status of my points, and they stated they saw the same thing on there system.
After being put on hold, MS came back with an explanation, stating the we had been upgraded from a standard to a full-savanna view room. The points in holding are there for the backroom process of the upgrade. Checked my points on Sunday evening and everything is correct. The room we were given was 5268 with no pen in the view except across the savanna.

 

[carlbarry]

DVC member since 2009. In 2013 I got an upgrade.
I had booked a studio at OKW, near Hospitality House. They gave me a studio not near HH; said nothing was available near HH, unless I wanted to use points for a 1 BR, or maybe it was a 2 BR, I don't remember.
My Magic Band opened the door to my studio, allowing me to put in a bag. Went back to get the next bag, door wouldn't open. "Runner" finally showed up, got me into the room. I was waiting for the repairman for the lock, when I heard water pouring--looked up, there was a waterfall coming out of the ceiling from the AC unit, over by the kitchenette.
Runner came back to my room to check on progress of lock repair. I pointed out the flood. She said, "That's not acceptable. We can't have you here while the serviceman fixes that." And I got upgraded to a 1 bedroom for my 3 night stay.

 

[Kevin Stringer]

It was back in 2004 .....
We got an upgrade from a 2 bedroom villa to a Grand Villa at Boardwalk (staying on points).
It probably helped that we were only staying for one night.