Resort Upgrade

[Lucyrella]

Last year we booked our trip for August 26th to September 3rd, we were originally booked at Pop. I had paid for most of our trip by May 31st, and on June the 8th, got an email that I almost deleted thinking it was spam, saying we could upgrade from POP to either SS, or OKW. We chose the OKW 1 bedroom villa. I was just wondering if anyone had gotten such an upgrade this time around. It was totally unexpected last year, and I doubt we would get such an upgrade 2 years in a row, but oh how I wish we could. So I was just curious if that magic had happened to anyone...:cloud9:

[mouseketeer mom]

Nope, I often read about these magical upgrades on this site...but its never happened to us! We always end up in the room we booked, and check in is always uneventful. So far no magical upgrades for us!

[sisterdisco]

Wow! That is great!
Did you have to pay something for an upgrade or was it free?
Did you have free dining w/ that offer?
Did you book through Disney Travel Co directly or a travel agent?
We are going same week this year!

[Lucyrella]

I just got an email on June 8th saying we could upgrade to one of the other resorts. I asked why when I called and if it was a scam or sales pitch for the DVC. Not any of those. Some people I talked to thought that maybe they had overbooked the values and since we had booked it so early, we were just at the right place at the right time. So I was just curious if any of those emails had surfaced for this year. I had booked the trip on April 2nd when the free dining was offered to Chase Disney Card Holders, so we had free dining included. Again the upgrade didn't cost us anything... it was just one of those little surprises that just make Disney even more fun.:blush:

[Brainiak5]

We got an upgrade at check-in in I think 2002 from ASMu to Coronado because the room wasn't ready. They apologized for not having our room ready at ASMu and drove us over to Coronado. No charge for the upgrade at all.

I've heard tales of upgrades given at little or no charge at checkin as well. I guess its OK to ask at check-in - I'll bet if you do it politely with no expectations, sometimes you might be pleasantly surprised.:mickey:

[dan40]

This is my first post here. :)

I happened to be staying at Port Orleans Riverside a few years ago and the first night when I arrived, I checked in and all was pretty uneventful. I got some good advice, and the check-in cast member was really nice, and even used the house phone to make a dinner reservation.

It was quite late when I arrived at the hotel anyway, so from 12 hours of flying and layovers, I was pretty exhausted when I got there. I got my room key, and proceeded to go to my room. When I got there, the key card didn't open the door! And I was staying way over on the other side of the resort, facing the street.

So, I had to schlep all my luggage back to the check-in counter and when I arrived there, I wanted to speak directly to the CM who checked me in but she was busy with another guest. The guest looked at me and said, "You look exhausted, go ahead..." and I thanked her. Obviously I looked awful... and felt like I could drop at any moment from exhaustion and frustration.

The CM who checked me in was very accommodating - instead of re-initializing the card for the same room, she re-booked me into a top-floor, water facing room, near the lobby (but far enough away that I couldn't hear any noise) at no extra cost! I think it was room 8774, in Magnolia Terrace. I'm surprised I still remember that!

It was a great room, near everything and I was so happy to get there and rest my weary bones...

They must do this sometimes in an effort to keep guests (and keep them happy!).

Dan

[Crow]

i had booked POFQ, the next day they announced it was closing for rehab so i was offered some others for a little more $ i went to BC.
the only other time i may have been, was when i was at WL my first time. i got a pool/courtyard view i guess it was. had booked a standard i think. of course they have diff views & definitions of them now there.
I booked shortly after free dining was announched this time so i can hope.

[mdhiggin]

On our last trip to AS Music, we were upgraded to a preferred room from a standard room at check-in. They just said it was complimentary. I don't know why we got it.

[sisterdisco]

Wow! Free upgrade w/ no cost!!
You were so lucky.

[Young@Heart]

We were upgraded to a waterview room at POFQ several years ago. :mickey: It was a very nice surprise-our room overlooked the river, and was close to the pool and foodcourt.

[TammiMcMan]

The upgrade last fall offered at the Pop was due to an oversell of the resort for a group. It doesn't happen very often and I believe last year, it was the Labor Day weekend.

So far, I have not heard of any similar upgrades.

[buzz638]

Ohhh all you lucky people !!!

I guess any reason is a good reason...
Hope it happens to us someday:mickey:

Buzz

[bruin1344]

my mom told me that one of the first few times we stayed at the beach club (early 1990s), Disney gave her an upgrade over carribean beach at no extra cost

[mom2morgan]

but I got one of those treasured "pin codes" in the mail, and it specified that it was good ONLY for a value resort. I think it was 40% off - and even though we had already booked at Port Orleans, it was such a good deal I was considering changing our hotel...but when I phoned and explained, they said I could use it on my current reservation for POR! I saved nearly $600 dollars.

[CardCollector]

This happened to us last year. Our parents paid for our room and plane tickets for our honeymoon and we were going to have to pay for everything else our self.

We were going to stay at AKL for our honeymoon last July. Our room was paid for in Feb. Sometime around June 1st I got a call saying there was some construction going on at AKL and was asked if I would consider moving to a different resort so we would not have to listen to the construction.

We were given an upgrade to SSR and given a Studio room. We were also given 8 days of park hopper passes and the DDP (at the time we had no idea what the dining plan was). We were also given 2 days of passes to the water parks as well.

Anyway, we were given all of this plus around $800 refunded to us. All for the "inconvenience" of us having to move to a different site.

We are going back in 3 weeks and this year we are having to pay for everything.

I keep hoping I will get another call this year. I will gladly let them inconvenience me this year as well.:D

[disneydoug]

It has been a few years, but we had a split stay reserved. It was 2 nights at AllStar Sports and 3 nights at Boardwalk Inn. We arrived late in the evening and after reaching the check in desk, things were taking way too long. Little did we know what they were doing. They asked us to follow them outside. Well, I knew I hadn't been checked in yet. They put us in a van--I had to set on luggage, haha. They took us to Boardwalk and checked us in at he AS Sports price for the first 2 nights. There was a refrigerator i the room. In those days, you had to pay extra. We told them about it. They said use it--no charge.

Doug

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I've never gotten an upgrade at any of the "official" Disney hotels. Only at the Swan or Dolphin, but that's because it pays to have friends in high places!
The only other time I've gotten an upgrade was whenwe stopped at Nassau on the Disney Cruise. We had booked an overnight room at Atlantis because it was cheaper than booking the shore excursion. They upgraded us to the Royal Tower. But I really thing that's because they new we wouldn't be using the rooms overnight. Not that we told them that but I'm sure they know when someone books a room for one night and there is a cruise ship in port, that it isn't going to be slept in.

[kathiep]

Our plans changes last year and we wanted to add an extra night at the beginning of our trip. We were staying at CSR and they weren't able to accomodate that. So we thought that it might be fun to try a one night, room only at Pop. We've never stayed at any of the values. We showed up about lunch time and planned on checking in and then eating before brining our things to our room & then going to explore. When I gave my name, the CM immediately pick up the phone and had a short, quiet conversation that I could quite make out with all the commotion around the check in area. When she hung up, she completely surprised us by saying that they were giving up our choice of either Old Key West or Saratoga Springs!! We chose Old Key West and had an amazing night.

[Disney4]

We booked a standard room for 9 nights at akl and got a savannah upgrade when we checked in.

THEN . . .

We transferred to the Contemporary for our last three nights because AKL had no availability. We were upgraded from a garden to a tower room. Strange too, because I received an email about the change to this reservation!

I had never received an upgrade at WDW before - ony DL.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Wow! There are some amazing upgrade stories here :thumbsup:

We've had nothing that exciting, but on our last trip to POFQ we were upgraded to a water view room, right at the pool! DD thought that she was in heaven :cloud9: and we appreciated being so close.

[PetefromRI]

We're going to the CSR for a week over Labor Day.Could the Disney Gods please upgrade us to the Poly for the week?We'd be happy with a garden view room!!!Just get in touch with MJ,Denise has all our travel plans!:D

[disneyboundagain]

We checked into the Contemporary on Dec 19 last year for a 7 night stay, one of the busiest weeks of the year. We had booked a garden wing room. While checking in, I asked the CM if there were any free upgrades available. She made a phone call, hung up, and said "congratulations, you've just been upgraded." We ended up staying in the tower, 7th floor, facing MK, on the MK end of the building! DD4 watched the fireworks over the castle while laying in bed! That upgrade was worth $600. I know because I am considering paying the extra $$ this Dec to get the same room.

[cinderellagrl]

my dad seems to be a very smooth talker when it comes to getting upgrades. By simply mentioning how many times we have visited, how magical the Disney is, and how my sister and I have grown up there, never mentioning a free upgrade (all from the bottom of his heart I might add) we have been upgraded to concierge, TWICE! First time was at the WL, second at Beach club. Both times we had booked water views, and were mighty surprised when a cast member led us to the elevator asked for one of our keys and gave us a tour of the lounges... ahh the magic of disney!

[magicofdisney]

... ahh the magic of disney!

:thumbsup: Indeed!