Just wondering about upgrades.....

[MUNUMom]

I have seen many posts here with people getting upgraded rooms. I am just wondering for the people who have been, do you ask for the upgrades or were you just really lucky at check in? Also, are the upgrades more common at certain resorts? TIA

 

[TrixyA]

Last summer, we had a "standard view" room reserved and were overlooking the river-- with absolutely no obstacles in view-- at POFQ. We didn't ask, it just happened. Lovely surprise. We checked in at about 4:45am and had no idea we had a river view until the next morning when we opened our door.

We had a 5th floor corner room with a view of the canal to HS at the Swan once. We could see the Epcot fireworks off in the distance. It was pretty cool. Again, just happened-- not requested.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would not put to much into what you read here about free upgrades. Whenever they happen at WDW they are totally random and your only reading about ones that happen to Disboards members. Well there are also a lot of other guests checking-in everyday to all WDW Resorts and chances are they are not getting upgraded, or might not even post here. So that's why I think the numbers are misleading when it comes to upgrades. My advice if there is a specific room you want then make a reservation for it, this way you won't feel disappointed if you don't get an upgrade. The other option if you still want that room but could not get it, ask to upgrade at check-in with the intention of paying for the upgrade. Finally as I said before since upgrades are totally random, they do not happen more at one specific Resort.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

In all our trips we only received a free upgrade one time. It was at the Poly, January 2007. We had reserved a garden view room and we got a perfect MK view room. We definitely did not request it - and it was a great surprise.

That being said, I would never expect an upgrade, so I won't be disappointed.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I book the minimum room category I will be happy with and will inquire upon check-in if they have any room upgrades available. And even then it will depend on if its a slow time of year and if its busy at the desk when I check in, both I figure will decrease the likely hood of getting one. And in my 15 plus trips down to WDW we have got 2 upgrades, one I paid to upgrade from a garden to a lagoon view but at a lower rate than CR had and the other I went from standard to Savanah view and I didn't ask for that one.

 

[tasha99]

Last year I was upgraded from ASMu with free dining to a 1BR at Old Key West. I got an email and responded immediately to accept it (soooo lucky my daughter called me home from work because she felt sick. Something good came out of her getting the flu, go figure.)

I didn't ask for it and would never expect it again. I think Disney knew what it was doing--was it an upgrade or a timeshare preview? I am sold on the 1BR vs. small hotel room for future family vacations and am in the process of purchasing a small BCV resale contract for future stays.

 

[Lamandpercy]

We had a weekend stay at the Poly last August. It was busy in the hotel, and we were lucky enough to get a free upgrade to MK view. When we checked in we were wearing our Happy Anniversary badges and the CM told us when he gave us our keys we had a free upgrade!

The room was slightly bigger than the standards and had a good view of the lake and MK. The downside was the noise from the ferry horns - I couldn't nap in the afternoons for it.

 

[mmmears]

It's really not as common an occurance as you would think if you read on these boards about upgrades. But having said that, it's a random combination of being in the right place at the right time, having a short stay, being there at a slow time or a time when they have oversold certain categories, etc. It's not something you can plan on, so we always book the room that we really want so we're not disappointed.

 

[sherry8253]

I agree it is the luck of the draw. We have been to Disney more than 25 tims and have never received an upgrade.

 

[pennyplanner]

We had an upgrade from courtyard bunk bed to concierge last August at WL. It was a totally random occurrence according to the CM on the 7th floor. They overbooked our room choice and we got bumped up.

It was a lovely surprise and my non-Disney loving husband liked it very much. As for our teens, they thought it was very cool. It was a five day stay, I think. I wanted a Disney fix after a tough year that included radiation treatment for breast cancer and also wanted to go to WDW one more time together before my oldest started college. While Disney couldn't possibly have known any of that, it was wonderful.

Will it ever happen again? I doubt it. Some times, the stars are aligned just right!

--penny

 

[TrixyA]

Unless you are celebrating a special event that's noted in your paperwork, I think getting an upgrade is a totally random piece of luck-- based on how many people are coming in over the next week and rooms available for those incoming people. If you are scheduled to get a room that is overbooked, you might get an upgrade if the upgraded room level is underbooked.

In Las Vegas, we got a huge upgrade from a standard nothing room to a penthouse for a single night stay. A friend in the travel industry told me that it makes sense to leave the cheaper rooms empty in that sort of location as the walk-in folks are more likely to take the cheap room. It was a very cool occurence for us as we had expected a really crummy room as we had Pricelined it and paid practically nothing for the room.

 

[biolabetty]

We were traveling with friends at WDW in February. When we were staying at the WL, we were upgraded from a woods view room to a courtyard view room, and our friends were upgraded from a woods view room to a concierge room. I was actually hoping to stay in the woods view room, but was quite happy with the view we ended up with of Bay Lake.

 

[bytheblood]

I recieved a waterview upgrade at the Beach Club this past December where we were looking over the lake and could see straight across to the Boardwalk at night. We did not ask, we were told upon check-in.

I was also booked on a discount code. I was paying a rate of $226 a night.

 

[EnnEss]

Was upgraded at WL my first ever time there and to WDW for 8 days from standard to pool view on the 6th floor, was very nice. They just gave it to us, we checked in around 7am.

Also upgraded at AKL this may from standard to animal view but they said it wasnt really an upgrade because those rooms were temporarily downgraded as there were cranes visible in the background, way background too. There were still giraffes, ostriches, zebras and some kinda cattle aplenty right outside our room all the time, that was about a 8am check in. We always fly red eyes.

The reason they upgrade is pretty guessable at any hotel. 1, and unlikely, they have no other room available for the stay you booked because of poor room management meaning you'd have to move mid trip, and they now have to upgrade you.
2) They have rooms available in the higher price category a plenty and not so in the category you're in, they want to make the lower one and the higher one available to possible last minute guests, as being out of the low room rate could mean a loss of sale, and if they have high lvl rooms available too that means keeping both available. The added bonus here is the customer that gets the upgrade is really happy too and is more likely to come back and the hotel really didnt lose money as you can never ever count on an upgrade.

Both of these are just flat our business reasons. We've been really really lucky with room upgrades at deluxes in the two we got, never asked and the second wasn't even a real upgrade. I feel very lucky though. I don't think asking will help you at all because I bet room upgrades are determined by management ahead of time in order to maximize sales, or maybe a really sophisticated program. Who gets them would just be total luck and i bet its just who's vacation fits what is needed the best in terms of length of stay, then its probably first come first serve, but who knows when they update that, could be any time of the day so first come first serve could be 7am one day and 5pm the next.

 

[Alaska DogCat]

We were upgraded to concierge once at the Beach Club. At AKL, we were upgraded to a Savannah room view. Nice surprises.

 

[kidgamesafetydotcom]

We have been upgraded every time we've been to Disney in the last few years. A couple of years ago we were upgraded from a standard room to the concierge level at WL for $25 extra a night. Needless to say, my wife was ecstatic.

 

[RMulieri]

In 20+ trips never, ever been upgraded.I don't expect to.If I have my heart set on a specific resort category, I book it.That way no disappointments.If it happens fine if it doesn't fine. I think that it is alot less of a common occurence then you would think by readingthese boards.

 

[SmileRockon52]

Last August we booked a standard room at the Beach Club, but had requested a king size bed if it was available through our AAA travel agent. When we got there, the CM looked at her monitor and then smiled and said "Well..looks like we found a king size bed for you". We smiled.

Then she looked down again at her monitor and said.. "Well, and it looks like you have been upgraded to the concierge level". My heart almost stopped.

Let the magic begin!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I cant tell you how many times and years we have been to Disney. I always fax or make a room request, nothing demanding. Just usually a specific longhouse at the Polynesian. Well last month we sent a letter asking for 1 or 2 longhouses and I did ask for a 3rd floor balcony since it was our anniv. and said it would make our trip special. I only asked what we paid for a garden view room etc. We did a split stay with the Poly and Yacht Club. I never told the Yacht Club it was even our anniv. since we booked both through AA vacations. We were upgraded to concierge at both resorts and it was truly magical. I did a report. Something we will never forget.

 

[magicalfoursome]

We have not been upgraded on any of our visits. We don't expect it but if it ever does happen it would be a great surprise!!!