Room upgrades at check in???

[joecatz]

Staying at PBH this weekend. booked a standard garden queen. When we stay at the deluxe resorts at WDW, whenever I've asked about complimentary club level upgrades, if a room is available, I tend to get it free of charge. (Happened at GF twice, AK twice, and WL. Only time in recent memory I didn't get it was at cont.)

Anyone ever had luck with this at Universal? Will it help that it's my birthday check in day?

thx...

 

[dorisdvu]

Do they automatically upgrade you or do you have to ask? I'm only blue at Loews First. I'll be checking into RPH Wednesday for the 1st time. Have stayed twice at PBH. I hope I won't be disappointed.

 

[okiedokieartichoke]

PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT be tacky and ask for an upgrade at check in. As a front desk-er at a Disney resort I will be totally upfront with you and tell you that whenever someone asks me or any of my co-workers for a free upgrade (whether it be a nicer view, a suite, or club level doesn't matter which) the LAST thing we want to do is give it to you. More than likely we will just laugh at you later on for even bothering to ask. It's something t hat I have seen property-wide at Disney and I'm positive, seeing as I work for one of the Loews properties as well, that it will be no different there. You not only make the person checking you in feel awkward because it's hard to say ''No'' but you will probably cause some inconvenience as well seeing as how they will probably have to move rooms around in order to accomodate you. It's totally rude to do it, so PLEASE do NOT ask for a free upgrade. Even if you get it...if that's what you want so bad just pay for it like everyone else.

 

[okiedokieartichoke]

also, in response to what I just wrote above, at Disney when we give a free upgrade to a guest who asks, more than likely (especially if the guest was rude to us about it), we will write notes on your reservation so that if you come back to the front desk and make any sort of complaint we will see that at check in you were difficult to handle and probably not take your complaint as seriously as we normally would...I'm just being honest. We really cannot stand people who ask for free upgrades.


A tip: if you want to be less obvious, you can try asking about available upgrades that you are "willing" to pay for. Sometimes I have had people say they are willing to pay for an upgrade and I'd give it to them free of charge.

 

[justprettynpink]

As a Blue level, it is a benefit to receive an upgrade (if available) upon check in.

I would ask when you check in.

On our honeymoon in December, they upgraded us even though we had not reached blue level yet.

The worst they can say is "No"

 

[mjohnson96]

Upgrading to club for free is pretty much a nope They will give you upgrades to water veiw, etc but prob not club. If it is a busy weekend it might also be harder to give an upgrade.

Now okiedokieartichoke I also used to work at WDW and I was a Front Desk Manager at another resort, I really hope you don't use that attitude in front of the guests Yes, if someone just says give me a free upgrade then I might not have one laying around.

From experience I usually receive upgrades when just talking friendly with the CSR and letting them know why we are there. I did try this last year at RPR and asked what the fee was to upgrade to Club, it was no different than if I was to book it myself online.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

I just COULDN'T ask a CM or check-in clerk at any hotel for a free room upgrade...it would put them in an awkward position for sure. How can they decide who should and who shouldn't get one? The family with the cute kids, the family who was most insistant, and I'm sure they hear a litany of "why" someone "should" get upgraded.... It must really put them on the spot...

I expect to get what I paid for and nothing more....however at CBR last year I lucked into an upgrade - I had paid for a standard room and was assigned a room in the preferred section with a water-view ...I didn't realize that WDW did upgrades like that from time to time, and I was trying to explain to the CM that there was an error because we only paid for a standard - she just smiled and told me it was "a little something that happens sometimes" and to enjoy my vacation.

I figured I was very fortunate and am very grateful for that, but I realize something like that happening again is about as likely as getting hit by lightning (or losing 100 lbs, whichever comes first)....and I would never want to put any CM/desk clerk in a sticky situation or increase their work load by them having to start re-allocating guests that had yet to arrive.

That having been said, as an OP mentioned, some people have club or reward cards that have upgrades as part of the package if there are rooms available. I might not openly ask for a room upgrade, but I would ask if I had any benefits or rewards on check-in because I have a "xyz purple frequent card" type thing. Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned (or Canadian....)

 

[mjohnson96]

That having been said, as an OP mentioned, some people have club or reward cards that have upgrades as part of the package if there are rooms available. I might not openly ask for a room upgrade, but I would ask if I had any benefits or rewards on check-in because I have a "xyz purple frequent card" type thing. Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned (or Canadian....)

That is true, if you have the Premier AP then you can requeset the $50 club upgrade if one is available or if you have stayed at least twice with Lowes in the last year then you are eligible for an upgrade. The Great Wolf Lodge is like that too, based on the number of stays you can be eligible for an upgrade. I do ask there since we stay often, they are close, and 8/10 times there is one available. But I ask only because we are frequent visitors.

 

[Purseval]

At HRH you can ask for a free upgrade if you have the Hard Rock All Access card. We got upgraded from garden to pool view last visit.

My daughter worked as a front desk clerk. If anyone just walked up and asked for a free upgrade she simply puttered at her terminal for a few seconds then said that nothing was available.

 

[diskids2]

I usually ask how much the upgrade would be to whatever I was thinking about. Sometimes I pay the upgrade, sometimes I get it for free. When I really want the upgrade (or know I can "afford" it ahead of time), I always pay for it when I make the reservation.

 

[MaleficentandGoons]

PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT be tacky and ask for an upgrade at check in. As a front desk-er at a Disney resort I will be totally upfront with you and tell you that whenever someone asks me or any of my co-workers for a free upgrade (whether it be a nicer view, a suite, or club level doesn't matter which) the LAST thing we want to do is give it to you. More than likely we will just laugh at you later on for even bothering to ask. It's something t hat I have seen property-wide at Disney and I'm positive, seeing as I work for one of the Loews properties as well, that it will be no different there. You not only make the person checking you in feel awkward because it's hard to say ''No'' but you will probably cause some inconvenience as well seeing as how they will probably have to move rooms around in order to accomodate you. It's totally rude to do it, so PLEASE do NOT ask for a free upgrade. Even if you get it...if that's what you want so bad just pay for it like everyone else.

Well with that being said can you explain when/how/why do guest "randomly" chosen for free upgrades? I'll be celebrating 30, my 2nd anniversary and the birth of my child on vacation would I "qualify" for an upgrade or would I be laughed at?

 

[Worfiedoodles]

We were upgraded to a King Suite at RPR once. I think it was because when we went to check in there was a huge convention checking in ahead of us, and the line stretched out the lobby. The clerk suggested we go sit by the pool for a couple of hours and then come back to check in. We didn't mind at all, and when we came back we found we'd been upgraded. We were very grateful, it was definitely an unexpected bonus!

That said, I am a Loews First member at the Blue level, and free upgrade to a water view room upon at check in (if available) is one of the perks. I ask for it every time! If they can't provide it I understand and certainly wouldn't be upset, but why would I not ask for a benefit that is listed on their website?

Maria

 

[MonorailNate]

Wow! That's all I can say in response to okeydokieartichoke. I, personally, would never ask for free anything but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with that. I certainly hope okeydokieartichoke doesn't check us in at any Disney or Universal Resort. It's that kind of attitude that devalues the whole experience. Even if okey is not blatant, I'm sure the guests can sense the poor attitude.

 

[02134_HHN]

I appreciate the post artichoke. I've been in customer service and customers can sometimes be brutal to deal with. So when I'm a customer, I never want to be THAT person!!

 

[kmc]

My friend works front desk at a nice resort and says 75% of people who check in say the are celebrating a birthday or anniversery of some sort and a lot of them expect to get a free upgrade, free cake, or free somthing---I personally have never asked to be upgraded for free because of a special occasion because if the occasion is really that special I would of paid for it in advance

 

[SnowWitch]

Room upgrades use to be nice suprises that just magically happened, with the popularity of these boards and others and threads such as "If we're celebrating blah,blah, blah -Can we get a free upgrade?" I have seen a steady decline in suprise-for no reason- upgrades. I think alot of people now go with the- we're celebrating something therefore we should get a free upgrade mentality.

We book what we can afford and if we're granted with an upgrade great if not we'll still have a great time.

 

[goofie4goofy]

Well with that being said can you explain when/how/why do guest "randomly" chosen for free upgrades? I'll be celebrating 30, my 2nd anniversary and the birth of my child on vacation would I "qualify" for an upgrade or would I be laughed at?

"Qualify"??? Why not just PAY for the room category you can afford and enjoy yourself.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I think there is a lot of confusion about room upgrades and Loews Hotels. At Loews Hotels, if you are a Blue level member of their loyalty club, you qualify for a room upgrade from standard to a water view at check-in, if there is a room available. They do not offer it automatically, you have to ask for it. So, if you are a Blue level member, and you would like the upgrade, you should ask. If not, you shouldn't --it is a perk of membership for Blue level members, other levels receive other perks and upgrades in advance of check-in. Disney does not have a similar program. That is the instance where you would qualify for a very specific upgrade, not because you are celebrating anything. Anything else is pure Mummy Dust, and unpredictable. There are not rooms waiting for persons saying they have a personal life event going on.

Maria

 

[MaleficentandGoons]

"Qualify"??? Why not just PAY for the room category you can afford and enjoy yourself.

Because a random perk is just that, random. I have a Lowes membership but I was told my vacation doesn't qualify. We are celebrating our anniversary and my 30th and I'm not saying i'm entitled to an upgrade but it would be nice.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Because a random perk is just that, random. I have a Lowes membership but I was told my vacation doesn't qualify. We are celebrating our anniversary and my 30th and I'm not saying i'm entitled to an upgrade but it would be nice.

You should ask for the upgrade. I have taken trips that didn't qualify as a "stay" which will help you move up in the loyalty program, but you are still qualified for the Blue level perks (assuming you are a Blue level member), including upgrade from standard to a water view room. A non-qualifying stay does not mean you are not eligible for the perks at your level of membership, at least as I understand it and in my experience. However, I can certainly be corrected by someone with greater longevity!

Maria