Question about Upgrade at Check-in

[mrsclark]

Questions about upgrading at check in:


We are going in September and will be in a studio at BCV (paid through Disney - we are not DVC members and did not rent points from someone else - we did book under the room only discount). What are the chances that a one-bedroom would be available to PAY to upgrade into (best guesses are fine)?

Second, IF an upgrade were to be available, would the cost to upgrade be the normal difference between the cost of a studio and a one-bedroom or do they offer discounts if bookings/reservations aren't full? For example, in Las Vegas we have been able to upgrade to a nicer spot at check-in for a much cheaper price than if we would have just reserved it to begin with, but I am not sure Disney operates that way.

Finally if I do want to see at check-in about an upgrade should I avoid doing online check in because then a room will be assigned before we get there?

Let me just preface the above by saying I will be perfectly happy and content if we stay in the studio that we booked. I am just asking because of our upgrade experience in Las Vegas. Again, I am only asking about paying for an upgrade not a free upgrade.

 

[Missytara]

Disney is exactly the opposite; if you pay to upgrade at check-in it is considered a new ressie and you could potentially pay full rate. It could be at the discretion of management to do some kind of deal at a slow time. But slow times are few and far between anymore.

Case in point, I have gone the week after Thanksgiving since 2000. Which to be a slow week is now fairly bustling; free dining, parade taping, Pop Warner showing up a few days early, etc. It is no longer walk-on attractions anymore.

 

[Sandisw]

The couple times I considered changing rooms at check in, the difference was the same as had I booked it prior so no difference.

 

[mrsclark]

Thanks for the info - so it sounds like we should just check in online and not even worry about trying to upgrade - it sounds like it will just take time at check-in with no real result!

 

[Marthasor]

You can definitely ask! Yes, you would have to pay for the upgrade and they will charge you rack rate. We stayed at Poly in June in a standard and I really wanted to stay GV-CL, but there was nothing available. I checked up until the day before we left! I checked in online, but I still asked when we got to the front desk at Poly. There still wasn't anything available, but if there had been, I could have just simply paid for the upgrade!

 

[dansdad]

Finally if I do want to see at check-in about an upgrade should I avoid doing online check in because then a room will be assigned before we get there?

All rooms are assigned prior to your arrival whether you do online check-in or not.