How to get room upgrade

[buzznina]

Have you tried performing the online check-in? The process is really easy, and will actually save you some time as you will be able to register a credit card to your room and make quick choices of room requests. You should give it a try on your next trip!

You're right online is easy but like the PP, our family enjoys walking into the lobby to check-in, it's like the official "our vacation has begun" The room requests online leaves a lot to be desired, so even when we do online check-in we always skip that part. We always add our room/building request(s) when we make our reservation.

I'm still confused about all these upgrade threads. Do people that wish for upgrades at WDW also wish for a free upgrades from Tall to Venti when going to Starbucks?

Book the room you want. If, for operational reasons, you'll get upgraded, then, nice. If, for no operational reasons, you'll get pixie-dusted to an upgraded room, nicer.

I do book the room I want, but I will also ask if I can get a better room, but I do not expect it. I have traveled for business and pleasure for decades (yikes) and have gotten a good number of room upgrades just by asking, including WDW.
I do not understand why it bother's so many people if someone else asks to be upgraded?

 

[DSLRuser]

back in the day when my kids were young and cute I would use them to get upgrade.

I would be at the check in counter, knowing full well I purchased a trash dumpster view. My cute little girl would run up to me as I was talking to the CM checking me and she would say something like....."daddy, daddy, you can see zebras from the room, will our room have that?"....... I would just reply , "I don't know punkin, we have to see what the nice lady behind the counter assigns us." (while giving the CM a <help me> look"

We were 50 / 50 on getting an upgraded room category. Who can resist a kid. CM's can and do adjust assigned rooms all the time.

Now my kids are old and rotten (joke) and we still book the cheap views, but dont worry about upgrades at all. Let the younger ones have that stuff.

 

[Babsy]

I do not understand why it bother's so many people if someone else asks to be upgraded?

It doesn't bother me at all. However, I do worry about people's expectations being unrealistic and leading to potential disappointment when they arrive. Also, IDK if there is anything to it, but I did once read that asking for an upgrade reduces your chances as CM's are tired of being asked for them.
Regardless, the advice to book what you will be happy with is the best advice, IMO, even though it its not what we want to hear.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We were 50 / 50 on getting an upgraded room category. Who can resist a kid. CM's can and do adjust assigned rooms all the time.

Hm. Apparently, 50% of the CMs subjected to this scenario can resist a kid

 

[Disneypro1]

Ask! We always book standard rooms at say POP Music and POFQ. When we get there to check in...I ask if i could get a free upgrade....Honestly, 75% of the time..we get a preferred room. Yes, We go in early May and its not busy..so that helps. I always have my Veteran ID card...that also helps. But you have to ask..and many times you shall receive. You got to create your own pixie dust sometimes!

 

[Disneypro1]

You're right online is easy but like the PP, our family enjoys walking into the lobby to check-in, it's like the official "our vacation has begun" The room requests online leaves a lot to be desired, so even when we do online check-in we always skip that part. We always add our room/building request(s) when we make our reservation.


I do book the room I want, but I will also ask if I can get a better room, but I do not expect it. I have traveled for business and pleasure for decades (yikes) and have gotten a good number of room upgrades just by asking, including WDW.
I do not understand why it bother's so many people if someone else asks to be upgraded?

Not sure why it bothers people either...its not hurting them. We always ask for one. And like you...we always do in person check in....NEVER online. There is pod casts that talks about why to check in in person....A very good reason! Some do some don't...we always do in person check in. Why mess with something that works.
You have to ask...some people just dont do it i guess. And you are right, it's anywhere...not just WDW or DLR Vegas also, Even more so there!

 

[cwis]

Ask! We always book standard rooms at say POP Music and POFQ. When we get there to check in...I ask if i could get a free upgrade....Honestly, 75% of the time..we get a preferred room. Yes, We go in early May and its not busy..so that helps. I always have my Veteran ID card...that also helps. But you have to ask..and many times you shall receive. You got to create your own pixie dust sometimes!

If this is a low period, maybe there's a 75% chance you would have been in Preferred anyway, and that the CM was just trying to be nice pretending you got an upgrade by asking.

 

[armerida]

There is pod casts that talks about why to check in in person....A very good reason!

Which podcast are you referring to? We usually do online checkin and call in room requests ahead; do you think we’d be better off checking in at the desk and inquiring if there are any complimentary upgrades available?

 

[SaintsManiac]

I got an upgrade at POP in 2015 to preferred. Really awesome CM who decided to do it. It was 9:30am and I didn't expect a room to be ready at all. He was so nice.

I got upgraded at CR to garden view in 2018 and only because it was after 4pm and we were desperate to get in a room. They were trying to fill my Touring Plans request, but they took pity on our disheveled state and bumped us up. The CM tried to convince me to leave our bags with bell services and just go on to MK, but I really needed to freshen up. And no, I did not ask for an upgrade. I was willing to take any room available at that point.

Ask! We always book standard rooms at say POP Music and POFQ. When we get there to check in...I ask if i could get a free upgrade....Honestly, 75% of the time..we get a preferred room. Yes, We go in early May and its not busy..so that helps. I always have my Veteran ID card...that also helps. But you have to ask..and many times you shall receive. You got to create your own pixie dust sometimes!

Being upgraded to preferred at a mod or value is different, though. You're not rolling into GF expecting a free upgrade.

 

[Miffy]

I'd just like to point out that the OP asked how to get an upgrade. Nowhere did they say they wanted a free upgrade. Big difference.

I've gotten several free upgrades at WDW, and only a couple of times did I ask. The others were surprises at check-in. When I do ask, I ask if something is available and, if they say it is, then I ask how much it will cost. Sometimes the answer is $0. Sometimes it's $X and that's fine with me. Sometimes it's $XXX and the $ are not in my budget for that trip, so I don't do it.

There is absolutely nothing at all wrong for asking for a possible upgrade. The worst they can say is no. Demanding one or expecting one--that's a different story, but I don't think anyone here is implying that.

I do think some of the luck with upgrades has to do with the resort you're staying in--AKL seems a much more likely resort to get an upgrade at than some others--the time of year, the day you check in, how long you're staying, and a lot of other factors. Some resorts seem more able to upgrade guests than others.

BTW, other hotels upgrade guests, too. Not just at WDW. DH and I got upgraded last month at a hotel very not at Disney. We asked if they had room type X available and they did. No extra charge, although we were prepared to pay. The room category hadn't been a choice when we booked the room.

 

[Disneypro1]

Which podcast are you referring to? We usually do online checkin and call in room requests ahead; do you think we’d be better off checking in at the desk and inquiring if there are any complimentary upgrades available?

WDW today had a whole show on the benefit of checking in in person. That’s how we do it. And the upgrades work for us a lot. We just also prefer checking in at the lobby. Always have.

 

[DJFan88]

BUT, and it's a big BUT...... the only way I'd stay again at AKL is to have the savannah view. For us, that view makes a difference since it's such a pivotal part of the resort. I love to have my morning coffee on the balcony.

But it's not a necessity, there are so many lookouts to see the animals and walking trails, that guests can still have a great visit without the upgraded cost. It just comes down to preference and budget. But if you really want to have it, just book it.

If OP does not get a Savannah room, I just wanted to mention that even though I had bought a CL Savannah room which I loved-! I ALSO Loved drinking my morning coffee in a sort of common area that was hardly ever inhabited (surprisingly). I would go grab my coffee and then on the way back to my room past the registration desks, was the doorway with the spiral staircase. I LOVED sitting in the wood rocking chairs there In that little circle area to drink my coffee, music is piped in and gaze over that whole area. There are many neat areas at this resort, don't confine yourself to your room or balcony.

 

[Disneydreamer16]

We have never stayed at contemporary and booked garden wing for a few nights in mid December before the holidays. What is the next level above garden view that would be possible to ask for an upgrade to? We aren’t arriving til 9 at night so wasn’t sure if we should do online or In person check in To help our chances. It’s just me and my husband celebrating our 5th anniversary and our 2 year old son

 

[kaytieeldr]

Honestly, 75% of the time..we get a preferred room.

Aha! Down from 110% of the time, I see...

I got an upgrade at POP in 2015 to preferred.

Back during the first or second "Dining Plan Free" promotion, some guests were getting notified of, or at least offered, free upgrades to OKW. I was not one of them

 

[PA Princess 1988]

We've been fortunate to get a few room upgrades in the past without asking for it. We booked a Savannah view studio at AKL and we were upgraded to a 1BR savannah view. And we booked a Garden View at Yacht Club and we were upgraded to a Water View. Both were AWESOME and we felt very lucky.. BUT.. now we have a hard time going back to the regular rooms! So beware -- if you get an upgrade you may be spending more on rooms in the future lol. We must certainly be on their "upgrade suckers" list

This happened to us too! We received a call from Disney the day before we were supposed to leave. They moved us from a standard room in Coronado Springs to a suite at the Beach Club a few years ago. Wow, it was amazing! We had always wanted to stay at a boardwalk resort, but it was too pricey for us. Since then we have splurged and stayed at the Beach Club a couple of times. Probably wouldn't have if we hadn't gotten the previous upgrade!

 

[Disneypro1]

Aha! Down from 110% of the time, I see

?? I never said in any thread I get an upgrade 110% of the time??? That’s just a false statement you made.
But that’s ok.

 

[Polydweller]

I’ll add my hotelier’s perspective. As said previously, upgrades are always for the hotel’s business reasons. Sometimes it’s because the room has to be taken out of service, sometimes it’s because we notice you’ve been at the hotel before and an upgrade might make buy the better room in the future and so on.

A couple of caveats. One of the business reasons is NOT to lose revenue. And when they are given the staff doing so will be required to document why. There are accounting checks and balances.

And, the best way to get an upgrade is to ask at the front desk making it clear you are willing to pay the difference. You might be surprised to get a free one but don’t expect it.

Finally, the best way to NOT get a free upgrade is to ask for a free one. Remember the part about not losing revenue.

Finally, also as a previous poster said, they aren’t as prevalent as reports here make them seem. Even at a relatively high 5% upgrade rate per room night Disney would give about 1500 per night but that still would be more than 28000 not given. Not great odds so don’t expect it.

 

[fla4fun]

We have been staying on property at least four times per year for more than 30 years and in all those stays, we have received exactly one big upgrade. We had a garden wing room at CR and got upgraded to a one bedroom suite. We figured out later why. We were staying ten nights, checking out on September 30th. It was right before one of the big anniversaries (if I remember correctly, the 25th), and they wanted that room blocked for some VIP checking in for the festivities. We just happened to be the lucky party with the right check out date.

We have occasionally been moved up from standard to whatever the next level of a particular resort is, but I am sure those are cases where one room type is oversold and another undersold. We have never asked for any kind of upgrade, as we book what we will be satisfied with in the first place. But I agree it never hurts to ask how much it would cost to change to a different room type.

 

[sndral]

...I do think some of the luck with upgrades has to do with the resort you're staying in--AKL seems a much more likely resort to get an upgrade at than some others--the time of year, the day you check in, how long you're staying, and a lot of other factors. Some resorts seem more able to upgrade guests than others.
...

AKL has a lot of standard view rooms which overlook the savannas, a lot of people book standard view and end up in a room overlooking a savanna and assume they got upgraded when they just got one of the ‘partial’ savanna view rooms assigned to the standard category.

 

[kaytieeldr]

?? I never said in any thread I get an upgrade 110% of the time??? That’s just a false statement you made.
But that’s ok.

Oops! That (impossible) 110% gets thrown around so much, I confused it with always/almost always/75% .