room upgrade

[Suz36]

Has anyone ever received a room upgrade at check-in? Any idea why or how it happened? Does anyone regularly request one?

[Jen C.]

We received a free upgrade last year at CR. We had booked Tower, Bay Lake view, and were given Tower Bay Lake view, Atrium Club concierge. It was VERY unexpected. At check in the CM simply told me, "you are on the 12th floor, here is your room number."
I did not, nor would I dream of asking for something free.:blush: It was a very pleasant surprise. I have no idea how it happened. It was our third stay in as many years in the month of Sept., but I know of many people who stay more often than that and never are fortunate enought to experience it.

[dizneeat]

It happened to us twice.
First time we were upgraded to a preferred room at ASMovies. CM just said - "there is a preferred room, would you like it". We were very stunned about it.
Second time happened last year. I had booked an AP discounted studio at OKW and the CM said that she had asigned us a 1 bedroom suite!!! We were speechless!!!
We never asked for anything, but it SURE adds to the magic.

[Strmchsr]

It happens very rarely, but it does happen. There's no real rhyme or reason to it other than it's much more likely to happen during a time that is slower (becoming fewer and far between).

You can request a room upgrade anytime you would like, but if you request it, you're expected to pay for it. If they offer then there's no additional charge.

[pixiegoose]

We were upgraded to a Jr. Suite in place of a standard king room at CSR for our honeymoon last July. We certainly didn't ask for it but were very pleasantly surprised when we got to our room (which ended up being pretty close to the size of our apartment!). As much as we'd love an upgrade on our September trip, I'd never dream of asking for one- I think getting one is just part of the Disney magic.

[kathiep]

Last fall, we were upgraded to a preferred location at Caribbean Beach.

My DD, 20 months, was really hamming it up with the CM at checkin.

Next thing I know, she asks if we'd like to move to a preferred room!

[Flower]

We were upgraded from a standard view to savannah at AKL, but I think it had to do with an 'ordeal' prior to our arrival.

I had called strictly to inquire about the cost of upgrade using the AP rate from standard to savannah. The CM ended up changing our ressie when I said I wanted to stick with standard. A few days later I called to request something on our ressie (probably non-smoking room) and when they confirmed our ressie they confirmed it as savannah, no, I did not change my ressie. Well, all of the standard AP rate rooms were taken at that point. I ended up on the phone for over and hour and later complained thru guest relations. I was able to get my original AP rate of a standard room, but when we checked in we were given a savannah room at the standard rate.

[jans2kids]

It has happened to us twice. The first time was at ASmo and we had requested the Toy Story section. We did not arrive until 11pm and I guess all the non preferred room s were filled so they upgraded us to the preferred section. With a room facing the pool we would have rather been in a non preferred secion. The 2nd time was at AKL. We were supposed to have a room with a parking lot view, but the place was half empty so they upgraded us to a Savanah View room with bunkbeads. the kids loved it and this was the best room we ever had.

[yasmina]

Two years ago, for no apparent reason, we were upgraded from standard room at BW to concierge level! It was awesome! Between that and the DDP, we paid next to nothing extra for food during our stay.

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

We always take a look at our room whereever we stay first, and if we don't like it, we ask for another room. Everytime, that second room was an upgraded room.
We were magically upgraded once on a cruise.

[garymacd]

This past May, we checked into WL at 8 am and received an upgrade to a great room facing the pool on the sixth floor - right up in the eaves of the roof on the south side. And the room was ready right then!

We have no idea how it happened. We were checking in to attend the Adventures on the Seven Seas Lagoon for the opening of POTC: At World's End. It might have been that.

It could have been that we were checking in on the day of our 26th anniversary.

It may have been that we were just such a cute couple that the CM couldn't help herself!:hug:

[Chrisx2]

We have been upgraded twice. I never asked for it and I just like to explain it as a "pixie dust moment". The first time was when we went to the Polynesian for our 10th anniversary/DH home from deployment trip. We booked garden view concierge and were given lagoon view. We had a 3rd floor room with an unobstructed view of the castle and Wishes! It was amazing!

The second time was just the kids and I. We decided to stay one more night after a short DVC trip so we booked a standard view room in the garden building of the Contemporary. We went to check in and the CM asked us if we would mind staying in the 12th floor concierge of the tower.:cool: When my DH found out he was more than a little jealous...

I know some people ask for them but I just can't.

[PawleyPlatoon]

:mickey:

Just returned about a week ago from Disney's Beach Club Resort. I had booked a standard view room and was upgraded to a lake view/walkout balconey. It was an awesome view of the quiet/not-so-quiet pool, the lake and the Boardwalk. Really enjoyed it!!

Go figure.....:pixie:

BTW, to cover up the noise from the quiet/not-so-quiet pool, I asked the front desk for a box fan to keep in my room and, voila, I received it in 10 minutes!

[iheartdisney]

Our best upgrade happened at Disney's Hilton Head Island resort. We were there for a gymnastics meet and the Marriott across the street was booked and referred us to Disney's resort. Big mistake on Marriott's part! We reserved a "studio" room for the four of us. At check in they had upgraded us to a two bedroom suite! We were stunned. But as my DH pointed out upgrading is a very savvy business move. Because once we experienced a two bedroom suite we never wanted to "go back." And yes, ever since we discovered Disney's HHI Resort, we've been back numerous times, paying full price for a 2 bedroom suite. A similar thing happened to us at Wilderness Lodge. We were there for my birthday and had booked a pool view room. At check in there was confusion with our reservation. Not sure what the problem was but when the original CM called over her supervisor they upgraded us to a concierge pool view room for "our trouble." (there was no trouble...we just had to stand at the check in counter a little longer than most!) Once we experienced concierge we haven't gone back and have paid, full price for concierge (now club) ever since. Disney knows what they're doing - with this family, anyway!

[mrsgaribaldi]

This past May, we checked into WL at 8 am and received an upgrade to a great room facing the pool on the sixth floor - right up in the eaves of the roof on the south side. And the room was ready right then!





We got this upgrade years ago too:thumbsup:

[Gotta Love the TTA]

AS others have said, upgrades are solely at the discretion of the check-in CM.

Often you will not know the reason why, but typically they are given for operational reasons--overbooking for your room type, some sort of problem with the rooms (just sprayed for insects, just sprayed for smokers, leaky faucet, etc), or simple unavailability at the time you check in.

Consider it a random thing and a gift.

Asking for a free upgrade seems to guarantee that you won't get one.

[Florida Dreamer]

This has happened to us twice-a real Disney magic moment!:mickey:The first time, we were checking into the WL for a standard room and were told that there was a villa available for the same price as the standard room!!:thumbsup: The second time, we were checking into the CR for a standard room again and were given a room in the tower overlooking Chef Mickey's!!:thumbsup: Then, the best deal yet---we were supposed to stay a week at CBR and they notified us about two months before that the resort was overbooked and so they offered us the YC for the same price as the CBR!!! It was amazing!!!!:mickey:

[DisneyorBust]

A few years ago, we were returning to our second home, the POLY!:tikki:
We normally try to get a room in Tokealu or Rapa Nui, this trip we were given an upgrade to the Samoa longhouse with a great view of the marina.
Like others have posted, I would never ask for an upgrade. I say, let the magic just happen!:mickey:

[mainemajor]

Several years ago we took my FIL and booked into Poly. It was a long trip and we were tired at check-in when it was taking longer than expected my wife was worried that something was wrong. However that was not the case - the CM was explaining how we had been bumped up to a consiage room and asking if we minded???:confused:
No, of course we did not mind having a lagoon view in the consiege building :cloud9:
We could view the water pagent from our room and one night we stayed in and viewed the fireworks from our room :fworks:
DW and I ended a couple of evenings sipping champaign sitting alone on the Poly's beach
What a great surprise we received.
FIL talked about his trip to disney and the poly until he passed a couple of years later. He is gone, but not our memories of how much joy it brought him:mickey:

[goofygirl67]

I have been upgraded 2 times, both at AKL. The first I had booked pool and got Savannah, this view was even better than the Arusha rock view I had on another trip. 2 savannah's combined and there were tons of animals around.
The second time I booked standard. I did ask at the desk for a free upgrade and was told none were available. The CM did disappear a couple of times in the back, I figured he was new and just having the normal problems. Whe he came back and gave me my room it was pool view. I don't know if they had already given it to me or he had it changed, I didn't complain.
I was once down graded at ASMovies from a preffered to a standard. It was fine with me I didn't know I had a preffered to start with and my stay was for only 1 night, I got some money back and had a little extra cash for that trip.

[Donalds Duckie]

I asked if I could buy an upgrade at YC Dec. 2005. I paid for the upgrade from garden to water view at check-in and it was definitely worth it for me.

I'm not sure if it's considered an "upgrade" but I paid for a "King" room at CBR Memorial Day weekend for a AAA discount. When I checked in I had a room with 2 queen beds but it was a corner room in Aruba (I always request Jamaica or Aruba) right on the water! When I opened the blinds on both windows all you could see was the lake. I would actually request that room again. I was sorry I was only there for a couple of days and only slept in that room.

[Dicecatt262]

Yes...and I am lucky enough to usually receive my requests, also.

POR: Requested and got building 14.
Poly, 9 night stay, Garden view reserved, received upgrade to conciege upon check in
POFQ: asked for a water view upgrade, and offered to pay for it...I had been calling in the week prior but no availability. They just gave it to me for nothing.
WL: upgraded from Courtyard view to concierge at check in.
AKL: no upgrade but certainly a fantastic room, ready at 10 am, CM gave me a choice of several spots and I told her to pick!
Pop: no upgrade, but as requested I got 70's building.

[MinniesMom]

We've been upgraded the past 3 trips and each time there was a reason behind it. We are also AP holders but I don't think that has a lot to do with it.

AKL - We booked pool-view and requested connecting rooms. When we arrived, there were no pool-view connecting rooms available. When we explained to them that our daughter had a medical condition and that we were willing to downgrade to std view, the manager came over and upgraded us to DLX Savannah view connecting rooms.

BC - We booked std view. When we checked in they told us that we were upgraded to water-view because there was huge convention going on and those people were all placed in std view. This might happen quite often at the BC.

POLY - We booked garden-view during the time they were in the process of upgrading the rooms. When we checked in they asked us if we would like a refurbished garden-view or if we would like to be upgraded to a non-refurbished lagoon view. Of course we took the lagoon view! My guess is that regardless of view, people wanted to try the refurbished rooms and that's why we were offered the upgrade.

POFQ - This isn't really an upgrade but worth a mention. We checked in really late one night and got a CM in training at the desk. He asked if we had a building preference and since we had never been there before, we said that we didn't as long as it was non-smoking and close to the main building because of our two little kids. Anyway, dh finished the check-in process and really wasn't paying attention to the map. When we got to the room we realized that we were the farthest away from the main building! It was late and the kids were really tired plus I didn't want to go through the aggravation of calling and changing rooms so we just settled in. The next day I had to go to the front desk for another reason but when I was there I figured that I would casually mention about what had happened the night before with the CM in training. The CM asked me to wait as she told the story to the manager who came over and apologized then offered to put us in a different room. I told him that at this point we were just going to stay put since we were only staying 2 more nights plus we were already settled in so instead, he refunded us one night! That was quite a surprise!

[Bubbie Girl]

Last year over the 4th of July when we checked into the Poly for 9 night stay the CM said this must be your lucky day you have been upgraded to a lagoon castle view! We had booked a garden view. It was a newly referbished room and we were thrilled! A Disney Magic Moment for sure.:magic:

[CandleontheWater]

I was upgraded this past weekend, at least I think I was. I paid for a standard view at POFQ, but I had a really nice view overlooking a pretty courtyard and not a parking lot in sight! The cast member didn't say anything when I checked in, but I did chat with her for a while about how much I loved Disney, and how often I come down, so maybe she decided to spread some magic. Anyway, it felt magical, and thats all that counts, right! :mickey:

[sacandjac]

In May 2005 we were upgraded to concierge (castle view) when we checked in at the Wilderness Lodge. We were booked in a standard view room. We were so excited-the guy working the front desk usually worked the concierge floor, but had been pulled down there because someone called in sick. I think he was mad, but it worked for us. We had a great time!!

[dog-ears]

We always take a look at our room whereever we stay first, and if we don't like it, we ask for another room. Everytime, that second room was an upgraded room.
We were magically upgraded once on a cruise.

When we've had rooms we didn't like (DH didn't like the location we got at BW & YC and once we actually got a dirty room at GF!) and asked to change them, we've never been upgraded - they've always been the same type room. Even at GF, when we had a lot of problems getting a decent room - 1st room was dirty (!), 2nd was a smoking room although we stated non-smoking, 3rd room was right next to the elevator - and this was in Nov, so not a busy season - we did not get upgraded nor did we even get an apology for the bad rooms. Needless to say, we were less than impressed with GF and will not stay there.

[moe513]

What a nice surprise to get a check in.