How Does The Resort Upgrade Process Work?

[AndyMcV]

Hi Gang

I'm just wondering about getting upgrades as I've never asked for an upgrade. My question is more towards walking into the resort Disney or S/D with your standard or preferred room booked and just asking for an upgrade. When you do this what does the CM actually do? For example with our lake view room, if I asked "Are there any upgrades available?" if they see a better room empty for my stay do they just let me have it?

I also ask this because in 2003 with our stay at the Swan we had a resort room view club level priviledges. To make a long story short our first night was aweful due to problems with the resort staff/service. In any case on our second night to the 11th night we were upgraded to a Swan Studio Suite by the night Manager. It was awesome and we were VERY VERY thankful. I assume that this room was not booked and they just put us in it for that duration. In any case I still wonder how the upgrade process works if you just walk in and ask at check in.

Does anyone have any insight??

Thanks
Andy

 

[ducklite]

Bascially, ask if there are any upgrades available. You'll be told one of three things:

1. "Sorry, no."
2. "Sure, it will cost $"X" per night for an upgraded room."
3. "Let me see what I can do for you. How does a "X" View room sound?"

Bottom line, book what you'll be happy with, never expect an upgrade, and be pleasantly surprised if you get one.

Anne

 

[AndyMcV]

Thanks for the info Anne.

It sounds like you are at the mercy of the CM you ask or am I wrong? If you get a grumpy one are you SOL and if you get a nice CM do you have a better chance? Is there a standard procedure when customers ask "Are there any upgrades available?"?

 

[ducklite]

Thanks for the info Anne.

It sounds like you are at the mercy of the CM you ask or am I wrong? If you get a grumpy one are you SOL and if you get a nice CM do you have a better chance? Is there a standard procedure when customers ask "Are there any upgrades available?"?

I don't think it has too much to do with the CM. More how full the resort is and what's available.

We've found that if the rooms area available, they're generally inclined to upgrade your view for free. If the resort isn't that full, there's generally a reduced charge to upgrade to CL, which varies by resort and what you've booked to begin with.

Upgrading to a suite is rare at best, and almost never free. I was once able to upgrade to a 1BR suite by paying the difference between rack rates of the two, added to my discounted room rate, then they gave me an upgrade to a 2BR suite. For example hypothetically I paid $100 a night for the room. The rack was $200. The rate for a 1BR suite was $300. They charged me $200 for the suite and gave me the upgrade from 1BR to 2BR for free.

Anne

 

[Lewisc]

Look at the number of rooms in each category in your resort. Not much more than 5% of the rooms in the AKL are standard. Unless the hotel is sold out many of the guests booked in standard rooms get upgraded. Look at the POLY. There are a lot more GV rooms than LV. People who want LV book LV. Don't count on a complimentary upgrade. Hotels like the BC have a lot of water view rooms that are basically pool views. If you're willing to accept a room with a long walk from the elevator and lobby you have a shot of an upgrade.

In some cases a request for a smoking room, handicap room or even a room close to the elevaor may be more important to you than a view upgrade.

I don't agree with Anne, I think a CM that's been "beat up" by previous guests looking for a free upgrades may just say no. I think some of it is the luck of the CM you get.

 

[aubriee]

We did a split stay in January (WL & AKL). When we checked into the AKL there was a VERY rude lady checking in ahead of us. We wound up with the CM next to her. She very angrily and sarcastically said "no I didn't book a savanna view room, because everyone knows the AKL always gives free upgrades". I could not believe her gall and apparently neither could the CM who was helping me, because we both just stopped and listened. (Sorry, but just couldn't help it, as she was loud and getting louder.) Anyway a manager came by trying to diffuse the situation and she tore into him. He finally offered her a pool view, she took it, but then said as soon as a savanna view opened up she wanted it. She then walked off to meet her husband who had been standing back in the lobby with the kids. I told the CM I couldn't believe she was DEMANDING a free upgrade and he said people do it all the time. The manager heard us and quietly said 'she'll get that savanna view when hell freezes over'. I then asked him why he offered her the pool view then for free, and he said it was his job to make the guests happy. Anyway we saw them the next morning at the bus stop and the husband was fussing at the wife, because she hadn't gotten them a savanna view. The wife said 'Well, we'll have one by the end of the week or there will be hell to pay and besides I got us a free pool view, if you think you could do any better you should have dealt with them'. If I had to deal with people like that every day, I would never offer any kind of discounted upgrade and definitely not a free one like she was DEMANDING.

 

[ducklite]

People like that I just like to close my eyes and wish something unpleasant (although not tragic) on, like puking all over herself after eating too much junk food then riding Mission Space, or having her bathing suit rip off as she's going down the pool slide, or something along those lines. Might not happen, but gives me a little personal satisfaction LOL!

Anne