Tell us your upgrade story from regular room to suite!

[arcticdisneylovers]

So there seems to be a theme here. Most if not all of these unexpected upgrades coincided with celebrations. Has anyone had pixie dust on a non celebration trip?

On our first trip staying at CR we were not celebrating anything and we booked a MK view room and we upgraded to MK view Club level It was nice but I figured it was to try to entice us to continue to stay club level but we only book MK view. DH doesn't think it's worth the extra money for us since we don't drink alcohol

 

[luvdzny]

We were upgraded from POFQ standard view to AKL Savannah view once, but it was 2 months after 9/11 so it was very quiet there. I think they closed some of the smaller resorts during that time.

Another time we were booked in a standard view at POFQ and were upgraded to a 1 bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs.

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

I have never posted this before because so many people have that hope that maybe just maybe they will be upgraded. I crossed my fingers for years. Every trip was a celebration, never an upgrade. But last year we had the upgrade of a lifetime. We walked into the beach club after a stressful 4 nights at the WL, 2 bickering sisters and one under 3. Before the trip I had begged my husband to book a one bedroom villa for some space (because of the fighting tween sisters). I even offered to cancel all our dining to pay for it. He said no we would be fine. By the time we got to Beach Club we were stressed out(the bickering sisters). We were staying CL at the Beach Club. They greeted us and checked us in at the regular desk instead of club level. Then they told us they had a surprise for us and every employee in the lobby and from the back offices came out and were staring at us. Then a manager brought out balloons and told us that we were the family of the day. I started crying and said thank you. I thought all we got was a certificate and balloons and I was thrilled and crying. True Disney moment. Then they said that it included a room upgrade. Normally the family of the day is upgraded to Concierge, but since we were already Club level that we were upgraded to a two bedroom suite with club level access. I cried harder and my husband told them how this would much this would mean to me and how a begged to just book a one bedroom and find a way to afford it. They then gave us a tour of the biggest suite imaginable. It had a King with a bath overlooking the boardwalk, multiple porches, huge living room and the kids way on the other side in their own room. We had fresh flowers delivered. It was truly magical. We gasped and screamed in excitement as they gave the tour. They said they had never had a more excited family. We were booked with an AP discount and no celebrations. The club level member later told me that each day a manager randomly picks a family for family of the day based upon availability for an upgrade. They look at everyone checking in that day and randomly pick. We just got extremely lucky. Clearly we got the suite because it happened to be available on the same days and we are just plain lucky. But they didn't have to upgrade anybody, but they did, and made us family of the day which is so Disney. I don't think we will ever go again without beach club being half of our split stay. Truly I cried just over the balloons and everything else blew me away. I agree with the other posts that you really need to book the room that you want so that you are not disappointed and never expect an upgrade. It just sets you up for a letdown. Now I checked rates for the two bedroom suite this fall and it is 1640 a night rack rate. So we won't be staying in that room. But we will be thrilled to stay in the concierge level room that we booked and be happy to be back at the beach club.

 

[vicki_c]

We were upgraded to that suite at the BC last year. In fact, I just posted photos of it on the Suites photo thread here on the board last week. It's amazing. That's the Newport Presidential suite. I told my kids I was pretty sure it would be the nicest room they ever stay in for their whole lives and they were only 11 and 13.

Similar to you, we were already staying club and were only there for 3 nights and the suite just happened to be unoccupied. We weren't Family of the Day though. Just lucky.

 

[Sunnyday3]

These are such great stories! Love to read about them!

 

[ElizabethB]

We've been upgraded twice -- once was a surprise, and once was not.

Our first stay at GF, standard view booked on a 40% discount. When we arrived to check in the castmember said there is a note in your record that you have been upgraded to main building club level! We really enjoyed it and have booked club level rooms ever since, so Disney clearly knew what they were doing.

The second time, we were already booked in a Beach Club deluxe club level room. We received a call to say they were remodeling the club level lounge and moving club level guests as a result. They offered us a two bedroom suite at BWI. It was gorgeous -- two bedrooms, three baths, living room with dining area, three balconies. We were also given SAB privileges so it worked out great.

 

[Scott MC]

We were booked last summer for 2 nights CL at BC. We'd never stayed there, and I'd always wanted to. It was also our anniversary. We arrived, and Teena the greeter had this huge...and I mean HUGE smile on her face when she was greeting us, and said that she'd talk to us after we saw our room and decided if it would be acceptable or not.
We knew we'd be CL, so going up in the elevator was no surprise, but Chip, who checked us in started off with, "Oh, so you're the ___(insert name)___ party," followed by a wicked grin. At this point, I began to sense that some Pixie Dust was flowing. I didn't realize that it wasn't just flowing...it was overflowing and flooding. After what seemed like the longest check-in ever (in reality...about 5 min)...and a quick check-in at the lounge....we walked to our room and as we approached the door, I noticed 2 things. First, the room had a doorbell (what?). Secondly, I didn't have my glasses, but I noticed that the little plate that should have said the room number, had writing on it instead. Before I could figure out what it said, Chip turned around and told us that we'd be spending our weekend in the BC Vice-Presidential Suite! They call it the Nantucket Suite, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Inside was a dramatic entrance, the first of 2 bathrooms, and the opening to the giant living/dining room and balcony #1, which overlooked Crescent Lake and the BWI. Then there was a master bedroom with the biggest bed i'd ever seen, and balcony #2, which overlooked SAB, YC, Swan and Dolphin. The bathroom was all marble and came with a giant jacuzzi tub, a walk-in marble shower that you could have fit 10 people in, a separate water closet, and a flat-screen facing the tub. My partner teared up and I was rendered speechless for about 1/2 hour. I can't tell you how much we appreciated this mountain of Pixie Dust, and the staff there, especially Teena, Chip and Jillian took such good care of us! It made us Beach Club fans for life. And no, we certainly never expect to be in that suite again, but just like the feeling at BC.

About 10 min. after leaving the lobby, to go upstairs, I went out to the balcony, and saw Teena below looking up, and yelling, 'Is your room OK?" Was it ever!

 

[KBoopaloo]

I have never posted this before because so many people have that hope that maybe just maybe they will be upgraded. I crossed my fingers for years. Every trip was a celebration, never an upgrade. But last year we had the upgrade of a lifetime. We walked into the beach club after a stressful 4 nights at the WL, 2 bickering sisters and one under 3. Before the trip I had begged my husband to book a one bedroom villa for some space (because of the fighting tween sisters). I even offered to cancel all our dining to pay for it. He said no we would be fine. By the time we got to Beach Club we were stressed out(the bickering sisters). We were staying CL at the Beach Club. They greeted us and checked us in at the regular desk instead of club level. Then they told us they had a surprise for us and every employee in the lobby and from the back offices came out and were staring at us. Then a manager brought out balloons and told us that we were the family of the day. I started crying and said thank you. I thought all we got was a certificate and balloons and I was thrilled and crying. True Disney moment. Then they said that it included a room upgrade. Normally the family of the day is upgraded to Concierge, but since we were already Club level that we were upgraded to a two bedroom suite with club level access. I cried harder and my husband told them how this would much this would mean to me and how a begged to just book a one bedroom and find a way to afford it. They then gave us a tour of the biggest suite imaginable. It had a King with a bath overlooking the boardwalk, multiple porches, huge living room and the kids way on the other side in their own room. We had fresh flowers delivered. It was truly magical. We gasped and screamed in excitement as they gave the tour. They said they had never had a more excited family. We were booked with an AP discount and no celebrations. The club level member later told me that each day a manager randomly picks a family for family of the day based upon availability for an upgrade. They look at everyone checking in that day and randomly pick. We just got extremely lucky. Clearly we got the suite because it happened to be available on the same days and we are just plain lucky. But they didn't have to upgrade anybody, but they did, and made us family of the day which is so Disney. I don't think we will ever go again without beach club being half of our split stay. Truly I cried just over the balloons and everything else blew me away. I agree with the other posts that you really need to book the room that you want so that you are not disappointed and never expect an upgrade. It just sets you up for a letdown. Now I checked rates for the two bedroom suite this fall and it is 1640 a night rack rate. So we won't be staying in that room. But we will be thrilled to stay in the concierge level room that we booked and be happy to be back at the beach club.

We had a very similar experience but at the Yacht Club. We had done a split stay and were transferring from AKL. We were already staying Club Level with a room only discount and during the planning phase, the one thing I asked the itinerary planning office for was to have "I'm Celebrating" buttons at check in for my mom who was celebrating the end of a year of cancer treatment.

The CM at the front desk said "Oh, we have been waiting for you!" Then he went out back and when he came back he brought a bunch of other CMs with balloons and a certificate that we were family of the day. The CM who escorted us to our room wouldn't say where we were going only that the walk would be worth it. We ended up in the Commodore Suite, which had three rooms (2 bedrooms and a living room). It was AMAZING. I think it helped that we were only there 3 nights midweek and the room was likely empty otherwise. It was a dream come true!

 

[pooksma]

We had it happen once. We had booked a split stay at POP and the Poly. Our first 7 nights were at POP. When we checked in at the Poly the castmember told us we still owed a balance. We said no, could she please double check. When she returned she was smiling and told us we were correct.

We didn't know but our ressie showed our room had been upgraded to CL.

 

[weswife]

Awesome!!!!! I love reading the stories!

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

For my bachelorette party my girlfriends and I rented a room at the Borgata in Atlantic City. When we first walked into the room, there were suitcases on the floor and someone was in the bathroom! We went back to the front desk and they gave us a suite to make up for this issue!

 

[jillgunter]

I know someone from my local moms group that their family got to stay in the Castle! So cool, I loved looking at all their pictures.

 

[bluejasmine]

Oh these are wonderful stories!! Thank you everyone for sharing!!

Sept 2013 Poly, 2012 Disney Fantasy, BC CL, GF CL, POR, 2011 Poly CL, CR, Poly CL, AKL, 2010 Poly CL, ASMu 2009, SSR 2008, Pop 2006, POR , Asmo 2005, Asmo 2003, offsite 2000, 1999,1989, Poly 1980, offsite 1979

 

[Jillinwonderland]

I've been lucky enough to encounter a few upgrades in the past few years.

The first was on a trip with my two older cousins. Our birthdays are in September and October we went during Free Dining for a weekend to just reconnect (they are the two oldest and I am the youngest). We went to check into POFQ where we had a standard room booked only to be told we had been upgraded to YC. Once at YC upgraded again from standard room to water view.

Second time I was with my friend for a short two day stay at YC. We were booked standard room and when we walked in we were greeted and gave the name on the reservation only to be escorted to the elevators. Well I knew that that meant but my friend didn't so she whispered "What's going on?" to me and I told her I think we were upgraded. We were brought up to club level and checked into a water view! That was the most magical trip really because after dinner our first night when we returned we had a Disney bag filled with snacks in our room from the Disney Florist. When I went to the desk to tell them I thought there was a mistake about the bag, the lovely cast member smiled and said it was just some pixie dust.

Just recently same friend and I were staying one night at the Contemporary with two other friends in a garden wing standard view and were upgraded to Tower Magic Kingdom View. My other friend who never stays on site cried she was so happy.

 

[amelia1]

I've been lucky enough to encounter a few upgrades in the past few years.

The first was on a trip with my two older cousins. Our birthdays are in September and October we went during Free Dining for a weekend to just reconnect (they are the two oldest and I am the youngest). We went to check into POFQ where we had a standard room booked only to be told we had been upgraded to YC. Once at YC upgraded again from standard room to water view.

Second time I was with my friend for a short two day stay at YC. We were booked standard room and when we walked in we were greeted and gave the name on the reservation only to be escorted to the elevators. Well I knew that that meant but my friend didn't so she whispered "What's going on?" to me and I told her I think we were upgraded. We were brought up to club level and checked into a water view! That was the most magical trip really because after dinner our first night when we returned we had a Disney bag filled with snacks in our room from the Disney Florist. When I went to the desk to tell them I thought there was a mistake about the bag, the lovely cast member smiled and said it was just some pixie dust.

Just recently same friend and I were staying one night at the Contemporary with two other friends in a garden wing standard view and were upgraded to Tower Magic Kingdom View. My other friend who never stays on site cried she was so happy.

Wow!! I think I want to take you on vacation with me! You seem to be the key to the magic!!!!

 

[Jillinwonderland]

Wow!! I think I want to take you on vacation with me! You seem to be the key to the magic!!!!

Haha i'd be happy to but it's not just me, it seems to be my friend as well. When I go with others (besides the cousins) I never get upgraded.

 

[mirage0306]

We have had upgrades (booked woods view, upgraded to courtyard view at WL; booked GV CL at Poly, upgraded to TPV) but never to anything like a suite.

However, on the bus to DTD one night, I was talking to a woman who was staying at one of the Epcot resorts with her family. They had just booked a regular room and were upgraded to the Presidential Suite :jawdrop She showed me pics on her phone. IIRC, it had three bedrooms and i believe was bigger than my house Talk about pixie dust!!!

 

[DisMom2HAS]

And here I was all excited that we got upgraded from garden view to preferred at POR in Jan. I can't imagine how awesome it would be to get a deluxe or suite upgrade.

 

[Letterhead]

we booked a standard room at wilderness lodge for our 10th wedding anniversary.. Our daughter was born on our actual anniversary and she was turning 8. Double celebration Our kids really wanted the bunk bed rooms they saw online but I wasn't paying extra for bunkbeds. They didn't say anything about us being upgraded when we checked in. When we got to our room not only did it have bunk beds but it was near the bear face overlooking the pool. Courtyard view! I couldn't of asked for a better room. If we ever get to stay there again I would want to be in the same section.

A pity we didnt get that! We're currently at WL for our honeymoon. They didnt (and still havent) even acknowledge that we were on honeymoon, then probably gave us the worst room on site. It overlooks a power generator,'and each morning at about 4am Im awoken my reversing trucks outside.

 

[bluejasmine]

A pity we didnt get that! We're currently at WL for our honeymoon. They didnt (and still havent) even acknowledge that we were on honeymoon, then probably gave us the worst room on site. It overlooks a power generator,'and each morning at about 4am Im awoken my reversing trucks outside.

I would go down to the desk explain your on your honeymoon & your being woken up at 4am by these trucks see if they can move you! Seriously!! Sending happy thoughts that pixie dust hits your honeymoon!

Sept 2013 Poly, 2012 Disney Fantasy, BC CL, GF CL, POR, 2011 Poly CL, CR, Poly CL, AKL, 2010 Poly CL, ASMu 2009, SSR 2008, Pop 2006, POR , Asmo 2005, Asmo 2003, offsite 2000, 1999,1989, Poly 1980, offsite 1979