The Twenty Dollar Trick

[ValpoCory]

"The twenty dollar bill trick is sweeping the travel industry and becoming extremely popular, especially in Las Vegas. When you check into a hotel you simply slip the front desk clerk a $20 bill with your credit card, while asking "Do you have any complimentary upgrades available?". The general rule of thumb is that the front desk clerk will check for upgrades and if they cannot find anything they will return the $20 tip, making it risk free!"

http://www.thetwentydollartrick.com/


I know that website linked above is largely Vegas-centric, but has anyone ever tried this in the Disney Vacation Club, or anywhere in Disney World?

Has anyone asked something similar without the $20 bill?

 

[DVCconvert]

Your women. I want to buy your women...The little girl, your daughters... sell them to me. Sell me your children...

 

[dianeschlicht]

I might be willing to try that, and if it worked, I'd report the front desk person who accepted it to member satisfaction, because this is something that SHOULD NOT happen at DVC!!!

 

[NewDCLGuy]

The general rule of thumb is that the front desk clerk will check for upgrades and if they cannot find anything they will return the $20 tip, making it risk free!"

*cough*bullcrap*cough*

I've been going to Vegas for longer and more often than I go to Disney. The $20 "trick" isn't sweeping the travel industry. It's been around longer than DVC.

Does it work in Vegas? Sometimes. But you odds are no better than if you just ask nicely. The reason it works in Vegas is because the system is built with so many levels anyway. Disney has a totally different setup.

Keep in mind that "work" is a nebulous term. People brag about getting an upgrade, when they've gotten the exact same room class they booked. Weird. Not sure how paying an extra $20 to get what you paid counts as risk free.

If you are in Vegas and want to try, give it a shot. Vegas is all about gambling. Worst case scenario, you are out $20.

 

[CarolMN]

Even if they wanted to, the Front Desk CMs at the DVC resorts could only VERY RARELY accommodate guests who wants a free upgrade. The system is designed such that the resorts are at full occupancy year round (and they usually are). So no empty rooms are even available to do upgrades. Plus, the CM could lose his/her job.

OTOH, the resorts are Las Vegas are seldom booked to capacity and I agree with a previous poster that if you ask politely or are a "coveted" guest, you almost always get a nice upgrade there without bribing anyone. That's been our experience.

 

[needtogomore]

I might be willing to try that, and if it worked, I'd report the front desk person who accepted it to member satisfaction, because this is something that SHOULD NOT happen at DVC!!!

Yet it does happen to non members

 

[Lynne M]

"Sweeping the industry?" It's been around for as long as there have been hotels. Scratch that, it was being done when travelers parked their horses outside the inn.

A few problems with bribing front desk CMs at Disney:

1) DVC is a timeshare, not a hotel. You get the room you booked, unless there's a maintenance issue that renders the villa uninhabitable.

2) I understand that it's a firing offense for a front desk CM to take money in return for a better room. Try it, all you're likely to get is a horrified look from the CM. WDW is not Las Vegas.

3) In some markets (such as Vegas), its almost expected to ask for a complimentary upgrade. That's not the culture at Disney. I can't count the posts from current and former CMs saying that asking for a free upgrade is a great way to guarantee that you won't get one.

At non-DVC resorts, guests are sometimes upgraded for operational reasons, but it's not common. It's best to book the room category you want.

 

[CarolMN]

Yet it does happen to non members

Who are almost always cash guests who booked through CRO. Their rooms come from a totally different inventory than the rooms available for points.

When a member gets an upgrade, it's because there's some type of issue that prevents the resort from assigning them what they booked, usually something to do with maintenance.

 

[drakethib]

Ok let me say this.

I have tried something similar on several occasions both at DVC resorts (I am a DVC Member) and at other hotels.

There have been times where I have been given a preferred room, better locations, the room number we wanted and sometimes not.

With that being said, each time I offered the CM the money, They politely told me that they could not accept tips.

Maybe being polite is the key !

Not what I will tell you is that when I get to my room I found a Mouse keeper and ask for extra towels coffee etc and give them a few bucks and during my trip I always seem to have a good supply !

 

[Chuck S]

Ok let me say this.

I have tried something similar on several occasions both at DVC resorts (I am a DVC Member) and at other hotels.

There have been times where I have been given a preferred room, better locations, the room number we wanted and sometimes not.

With that being said, each time I offered the CM the money, They politely told me that they could not accept tips.

Maybe being polite is the key !

Not what I will tell you is that when I get to my room I found a Mouse keeper and ask for extra towels coffee etc and give them a few bucks and during my trip I always seem to have a good supply !

That is correct, most Disney CM positions are not allowed to accept tips, it places their job in jeopardy.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I don't think it would work with DVC, but I do want to share with you about an awesome upgrade we did get once, by slipping a tip and asking...

In Hawaii, we had booked a room at a resort in a certain tower using the internet. My DH asked at the front desk while tipping $20 if they had any upgrades to another certain tower (that we knew was closer to the beach and had better rooms.) The man at the desk said for another twenty he'd upgrade us to an oceanview room in that tower. We got a bigger better room with a great balcony in a better tower with a magnificent view of the ocean and Diamond Head! It would have cost us a couple hundred dollars more per night to reserve that room, but we got to stay there for 5 nights for $40!

So I'd say, it's worth the gamble!

 

[JWG]

This should never work on a points reservation, the only exception I could think of being view. Standard to preferred possibly. I just don't see someone on a studio reservation getting upgraded to a 1BR on a $20 tip.

Even in low capacity situations.

 

[Deb & Bill]

This should never work on a points reservation, the only exception I could think of being view. Standard to preferred possibly. I just don't see someone on a studio reservation getting upgraded to a 1BR on a $20 tip.

Even in low capacity situations.

Not even standard to preferred. That would be a points difference.

This weekend we were in a hotel away from home to celebrate a family birthday in that location. When we checked in, I asked if we might be able to get the room with the king bed and the small sleeper sofa instead of just the king sized bed. When I asked what the price difference in the two rooms would be, the clerk at the desk said that it was available and she would just upgrade us. We thanked her, told her the room was great a few minutes later as we headed out to my in-laws home and thanked her again.

We'll probably stay there again when we visit the in-laws.

 

[TiaMaria]

"....sweeping the travel industry...."

:

 

[Brian Noble]

I can't count the posts from current and former CMs saying that asking for a free upgrade is a great way to guarantee that you won't get one.

Exactly so. If you are on a cash reservation, I think Mary's suggestion at MouseSavers makes more sense: asking how much it might cost for an upgrade. You might be given it at a substantial discount...and maybe even a modest upgrade for nothing, if available.

If you're on a points reservation, well, no soap. You get what you booked.

 

[quirty30]

Even outside DVC the "twenty dollar trick" is pretty much a joke. I've always had pretty good luck with just asking nicely.

 

[TiaMaria]

Even outside DVC the "twenty dollar trick" is pretty much a joke.

It's just such a "Clark Griswold" thing to do!

 

[DVCBELLE]

I booked for my in-laws to stay at the Boardwalk for 3 nights last year in a standard studio. I had one booked as well.

When they checked in they told me how WONDERFUL their room was and they could not believe the view.

I walked down to their room and was shocked to see they had been upgraded to a Boardwalk view with a large balcony. They were in the alcove part of the BW by the lobby with a gorgeous morning view of the water without the noise of the BW.

So DVC does upgrade...and in this case it happened to a non-member staying on points.

 

[chalee94]

So DVC does upgrade...and in this case it happened to a non-member staying on points.

it can happen but usually due to the original room being out of service due to maintenance or refurb work...which was probably the issue in your case.

 

[Danamy]

If it did work, what kind of upgrades would be available other than a larger room?