How to get room upgrade

[toodycat]

I’ve stayed at Disney resorts 16 times at WDW and been pixie-dusted with upgrades about a third of the time. There’s no strategy to my good luck at all, which is, I guess, why they call it Pixie Dust. It’s just a nice, unexpected surprise.

 

[Disneypro1]

Especially when hotel chains around the country advertise or actively encourage you to ask for your free upgrade at check in.

Thats just it....Its more unusual NOT to ask for one. WDW/ DLR and Vegas are 3 places that will hand out a lot of perks....if you just ASK.

 

[Ecomommy09]

I don’t think it is the “people who come from money are horrified”. Most people these days don’t come from money. I sure don’t and said I think it’s a bad idea. Why in my view- because once someone gets a free super upgrade and posts it then others think it happens all the time. They don’t get a free upgrade and come and complain and then it’s oh go to manager and they’ll pixie dust you. (Now that might be extreme but.... upgrades are rare and happen in few cases).

We all think Disney should be perfect, but like everything else it’s not. People need realistic expectations there. It’s understandable if something is a horrible experience (reading on theme park boards OP had awful experience at DAH at AK) to go and ask for help. It is unreal to expect pixie dust for everyone and everything! Imagine if they gave freebies for everyone celebrating (all those celebration buttons for birthdays, anniversaries, engagement, selling the most Girl Scout cookies, getting an A, potty training, etc). They can’t and it’s unrealistic.

Sure ask for upgrade if you are willing to pay, if not book the room and view you want and enjoy your trip. It is not about people with money being offended.

People on this discussion are obviously offended. Someone said asking for an upgrade is ‘distasteful’. Someone else noted they’d never ask for something free. That it’s tacky to request a gift. Why? Why does it cause a visceral reaction? What do you think is the difference in people that makes some people here horrified to even ask someone, whether they get it or not, for an upgrade. It’s just a question.

Who cares if they are disappointed, or set up other people’s expectations for disappointment? For some reason, people are upset at the idea, and I don’t know why. Is it the idea of being embarrassed? Are you upset to think if other people being embarrassed by asking for a ‘hand out’.

Anyway, not picking at you! I’m just really interested by the social experiment this thread started. Why is it offensive to ask for an upgrade!

 

[toodycat]

IMHO, this thread divides people into two groups: 1. those who think it is preferable to be happy with what they have and that asking for anything additional shows greediness and a lack of fiscal responsibility and 2. Those who think asking for an upgrade is worth a shot because “you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
As for whether or not this has anything to do with “coming from money,” I would argue that the same financial status can produce differing reactions. There are less wealthy people who will be too embarrassed to ask for an upgrade because it makes them look like they can’t afford things and other less wealthy people who think that since they can’t afford the upgrade, the only way they’re going to get a better room is if they ask, so they might as well. Wealthier people might not ask for upgrades because they book exactly what they want, weighing considerations other than cost. On the other hand, they may be so used to receiving upgrades from flying frequently or using a certain hotel brand often that it wouldn’t occur to them not to ask.

 

[Ecomommy09]

IMHO, this thread divides people into two groups: 1. those who think it is preferable to be happy with what they have and that asking for anything additional shows greediness and a lack of fiscal responsibility and 2. Those who think asking for an upgrade is worth a shot because “you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
As for whether or not this has anything to do with “coming from money,” I would argue that the same financial status can produce differing reactions. There are less wealthy people who will be too embarrassed to ask for an upgrade because it makes them look like they can’t afford things and other less wealthy people who think that since they can’t afford the upgrade, the only way they’re going to get a better room is if they ask, so they might as well. Wealthier people might not ask for upgrades because they book exactly what they want, weighing considerations other than cost. On the other hand, they may be so used to receiving upgrades from flying frequently or using a certain hotel brand often that it wouldn’t occur to them not to ask.

Nice summary! Thank you!

 

[HopperFan]

What's strange for us is we got an upgrade every stay since then this year. In October we were upgraded to a water view at the YC. Stayed there again in May, upgraded from standard to a pirate room at CBR for 1 night, then from standard to CL at the YC the next day for the rest of our trip. In August we got upgraded to a water view at Grand Destino then our string was broken at AKL, but we had a CL level reservation so really nowhere to go from there since the only upgrade for CL would be a DVC unit and those are never open. Maybe they were making up for all those years I never got anything! lol

I've stayed in them and that is a downgrade. You get put in the farthest rooms, with full beds (others have queens) and bunk style mattresses. The next time they tried the "upgrade" story I declined.

We often stay at AKL and until recently always booked pool view. We were upgraded to savanna view several times without our mentioning anything, but we have also not been upgraded when we asked and were willing to pay, since there were no savanna-view rooms available for our complete stay, and we didn't want to change rooms. So--it all depends.

One thing about the pool-view rooms at AKL: there are good pool views and terrible pool views. At least, to me. I realize others may not agree. But there are pool-view rooms there that are directly over the roofing for the lower floors and there's only a sliver of a view of the pool and mostly a view of the thatched roof. When we've gotten rooms like this, we've asked to be moved to another pool-view room and they've accommodated us.

There are some pool-view rooms that have kind of a distant partial savanna view. I've had rooms like that, where you can see past the pool to the edge of the savannah that's on the other side of the flamingo pond.

But, in case you don't get upgraded (either by pixie dust or paying), know that most of the pool-view rooms at AKL have lovely views and many of them are super conveniently located to the Mara (the QS restaurant), which is a plus.

We had one of these. The closer you are to the lobby the more likely your room "view" will be bad. We couldn't even see the pool ... only hear it. The key to all booking is Disney uses the word "view" but all it really means is which way your room will face.

 

[cwis]

Those who think asking for an upgrade is worth a shot because “you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

Disney Cast Members are trained to make guests confortable and please them in every appropriate way. Did you notice anytime you wear a badge saying it's your birthday, or you're celebrating something, it's always like it is the first time IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE they have seen someone wearing those, and they're overly exciting like I can't believe this is happening? This is exactly the same training for the front desk cast members.

I'm curious because, usually, people on these boards like to share technical, behind the scenes infos, about how things are working at Walt Disney World, and this is clearly not happening on the “upgrade” threads.

 

[Dug720]

My upcoming trip I will be getting in LATE - as in the flight is not scheduled to land until midnight (stupid changes after I booked the flight, but no other options were workable with my schedule). So I know I will get whatever is left once they have shifted all the people who fuss around. That’s life.

I’m at Pop and have booked a Standard room. In my TP room request, I said that I know I booked a Standard room, but since I am getting in so late I would appreciate the closest Standard room I can get so I am not walking across a semi-dark and deserted resort. I am in no way asking for a bump to Prefered and made that clear. We shall see what happens.

 

[Mousemom234]

Disney Cast Members are trained to make guests confortable and please them in every appropriate way. <snip>

But as my DH says - first you have to have a Cast Member - not an "employee" Sadly, we've seen too many of the latter, not only on our last few trips, but in postings on these boards. Those are the ones going through the motions, looking bored to be wherever they are, and couldn't care less about adding a touch of Pixie Dust to a guests vacation, even if they are able to.

 

[cakebaker]

I've stayed in them and that is a downgrade. You get put in the farthest rooms, with full beds (others have queens) and bunk style mattresses. The next time they tried the "upgrade" story I declined.

It was a one night stay, just my grandson and I so bed size was irrelevant to me. A tropical storm was approaching and SW cancelled our original flight the day before we were leaving. I had the choice of leaving that day and beating the storm or waiting and possibly not going at all. I made a quick reservation at the only resort that wasn’t over $500 a night since the YC where we were staying was booked and we got there at midnight. I didn’t care what resort or where we were located, I just wanted a bed.
It’s a pricier room and I was paying rack rate, something I never do and had booked a standard. My grandson loved it and so it worked for us. They didn’t offer it to me as an upgrade, just assigned it to us. I didn’t know it was a pirate room until we stepped in. I thought and still do, that it was a nice thing to do for us.

 

[Disneylover99]

I’m at Pop and have booked a Standard room. In my TP room request, I said that I know I booked a Standard room, but since I am getting in so late I would appreciate the closest Standard room I can get so I am not walking across a semi-dark and deserted resort. I am in no way asking for a bump to Prefered and made that clear. We shall see what happens.

Your reasoning for requesting a close standard room makes perfect sense to me. But why bother making it clear that you are not asking for a preferred room? Would you not take one if it was offered to you?

Honestly, it either comes across as a passive aggressive way of asking for an upgrade or confusing to the room assignor. Does she want preferred or not? I’d either leave that part out completely, or just be direct that you’d appreciate a preferred room if there is availability and there are no close standard rooms available. The preferred rooms at Pop are closest to the main building, so they would be ideal in your situation.

 

[Dug720]

Your reasoning for requesting a close standard room makes perfect sense to me. But why bother making it clear that you are not asking for a preferred room? Would you not take one if it was offered to you?

Honestly, it either comes across as a passive aggressive way of asking for an upgrade or confusing to the room assignor. Does she want preferred or not? I’d either leave that part out completely, or just be direct that you’d appreciate a preferred room if there is availability and there are no close standard rooms available. The preferred rooms at Pop are closest to the main building, so they would be ideal in your situation.

I did not include that sentence in the message.

 

[cakebaker]

Your reasoning for requesting a close standard room makes perfect sense to me. But why bother making it clear that you are not asking for a preferred room? Would you not take one if it was offered to you?

Honestly, it either comes across as a passive aggressive way of asking for an upgrade or confusing to the room assignor. Does she want preferred or not? I’d either leave that part out completely, or just be direct that you’d appreciate a preferred room if there is availability and there are no close standard rooms available. The preferred rooms at Pop are closest to the main building, so they would be ideal in your situation.

I think it's a really bad idea to ask for an upgrade in a room request. Even if you have a standard view at a resort that offers preferred- it's much better to ask for close to transportion, close to elevator, pool..or whatever it is you're wanting. Just asking for an upgrade doesn't tell them anything in regards to what it is exactly you're as far as specific location or view. Not that it would happen, but I could just ask for an upgrade to Club Level and still end up with a room that doesn't offer what I'm looking for in way of location.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I've gotten a water or pool view when I just booked a standard view. That's about as good as it gets.

I've been upgraded from garden view to club level. I think that's a little better.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Most complimentary upgrades I keep reading about is standard view getting pool/water/savannah views. Technically they are better room categories, but WDW sells more standard view that they have anyway (because of yield), and who knows maybe you're losing something like being in a preferred building...

We were upgraded from garden view to Club Level at Beach Club last year. We got an amazing room- there was no downside to it. It was doubly awesome because we were staying there at a steeply reduced rate offered by the travel agency we use. So we got Club Level for a song. Did online check-in, arrived late at night (1am) exhausted, just me and a teen, so no cuteness factor. Didn't ask for an upgrade, pure pixie dust. It happens.

I've never asked for an upgrade but have asked to be switched to a better room within our category.

Nothing at all wrong with asking if an upgrade is available, though.

 

[Dug720]

I think it's a really bad idea to ask for an upgrade in a room request. Even if you have a standard view at a resort that offers preferred- it's much better to ask for close to transportion, close to elevator, pool..or whatever it is you're wanting. Just asking for an upgrade doesn't tell them anything in regards to what it is exactly you're as far as specific location or view. Not that it would happen, but I could just ask for an upgrade to Club Level and still end up with a room that doesn't offer what I'm looking for in way of location.

I did NOT. And I did not include that phrase or anything about Standard vs Preferred. I merely requested based on my late arrival to be as close to the main building as possible - the implication being the closest within my requested category.

Online check-in is highest floor, 70s so I am clearly not asking for what I did not book.

 

[SamanthaH]

My upcoming trip I will be getting in LATE - as in the flight is not scheduled to land until midnight (stupid changes after I booked the flight, but no other options were workable with my schedule). So I know I will get whatever is left once they have shifted all the people who fuss around. That’s life.

I’m at Pop and have booked a Standard room. In my TP room request, I said that I know I booked a Standard room, but since I am getting in so late I would appreciate the closest Standard room I can get so I am not walking across a semi-dark and deserted resort. I am in no way asking for a bump to Prefered and made that clear. We shall see what happens.

The past few trips we have gotten in very late. Don’t worry about getting a less desirable room because you are getting in so late. They tend to assign rooms a few days before. They can just as easily swap someone with a 1pm check in time with an existing guest who complains about their room in the morning. In fact, the worst room that we got for the category paid was when we had designated a check in time of 3pm. I have noticed that even if I designate on the online check in that we are getting in after midnight, I still have gotten a text message that our room has been assigned and is ready around 2-3pm. Just focus on what you prefer in your room request.

 

[cakebaker]

I did NOT. And I did not include that phrase or anything about Standard vs Preferred. I merely requested based on my late arrival to be as close to the main building as possible - the implication being the closest within my requested category.

Online check-in is highest floor, 70s so I am clearly not asking for what I did not book.

I understand that. I was commenting on the suggestion that you should.

 

[Disneylover99]

I did NOT. And I did not include that phrase or anything about Standard vs Preferred. I merely requested based on my late arrival to be as close to the main building as possible - the implication being the closest within my requested category.

Online check-in is highest floor, 70s so I am clearly not asking for what I did not book.

So you asked for a standard room close to the main building and requested a location that has standard rooms. That makes sense.

I’m just not sure why you bothered to mention in your post that you made it clear that you were not asking for a bump to preferred when all you did was make a building request with standard and preferred rooms. That part was confusing.

Some of the rooms in the 70’s can be far out. If you want the closest room you can get, I would just ask for that or maybe add 50’s and 60’s to your request as well.

 

[Disneylover99]

I think it's a really bad idea to ask for an upgrade in a room request. Even if you have a standard view at a resort that offers preferred- it's much better to ask for close to transportion, close to elevator, pool..or whatever it is you're wanting. Just asking for an upgrade doesn't tell them anything in regards to what it is exactly you're as far as specific location or view. Not that it would happen, but I could just ask for an upgrade to Club Level and still end up with a room that doesn't offer what I'm looking for in way of location.

Normally I agree. I only suggested it because I thought the preferred part was mentioned in her request. I think if you’re going to go that route, your request is better to be direct rather then indirect.