Free Upgrade??????

[andmomlau]

I keep seeing people talking about free upgrades that they have received. In all of our trips, we have never been offered a free upgrade....how do you get lucky enough to get this? We are going to POR in a few weeks. Have to say, I'm a little nervous. We were there a few years ago and it wasn't quite as nice as it was when we stayed there as Dixie landings....I'm sure it was just "bad luck," but a free upgrade would sure make up for it!!!!

[Dsnygirl]

We've only had it happen once out of our trips (well, actually, we were offered a second time, but turned it down... :blush:) and I'm actually not quite sure what set it in motion.

Both times we were at AKL, and both times it was an offer to move from a pool view room to a Savannah view... the first time, we took it, as we'd never stayed there before, and our girls were with us... and it was WONDERFUL. The second time, it was just my DH and I, and we actually wanted a pool view, so we turned down the offer.

I'm guessing the first offer was because my girls were with me at check-in, they were just SO excited to just be there... I think the CM was being very kind and "rewarded" their enthusiasm. ;) It was also our anniversary, and that may have played into it...

The second time, we were also there on our anniversary, so maybe that was it the second time around, as well... but I also wonder if maybe AKL has Savannah view rooms routinely open for some reason, and they are allowed to offer them at their discretion??

We've also stayed at CBR and two value resorts, and never were offered an upgrade to "preferred status rooms"... but then, at CBR, we had specific "island" requests, so maybe just getting our preference was our upgrade... :thumbsup:

All I know, is it defintely seems to be random... good luck to you, I hope you get a fun offer for one!! :)

[Polynesian Dweller]

Upgrades are given for the business purposes of the hotel and the front desk must follow the hotel's policies. Its things like maintenance, staffing issues and even good will, but its not random. The best way not to get a free one is to ask for it. But you can ask do an upgrade but be prepared to pay for it.

[gaffz70]

We were upgraded once. I believe it was partly b/c the bldg I requested was probably filled and not as many people were willing to pay for concierge. We were upgraded to the Hawaii concierge bldg at the poly. I also swear that it helped that my ds was celebrating his birthday that week! Either way, it was awesome and I thanked them endlessly!!!

[BrerGnat]

I was upgraded to Club Level at the Boardwalk Inn in May. It was 100% due to overbooking the standard room category, and a last minute convention booking. The front desk CM told me. I had booked a Standard Room at a steep discount, so this was a really great upgrade! Totally random, though.

[Ian]

I've been to WDW over 50 times and only once have I ever been upgraded ... and of course it was for a one night stay!

But it was nice ... we got bumped up from an annex room to Club Level at the Contemporary.

In fairness, though, we've been DVC members for the last five years almost, so upgrades aren't quite as common with DVC.

[c&d]

We were upgraded twice at AKL. We were there in early December in the early 2000's. At that time it was definitely not crowded. We were upgraded from standard views, once to a pool view and the other time a savannah view.

[SBETigg]

There's nothing you can really do to get one. It's usually due to booking issues and what works out for the convenience of the hotel. Sometimes, there's a little extra magic involved, like when we went for my 17th anniversary to the Grand Floridian, where we honeymooned, they gave us a view upgrade from garden view to MK view. It's more common to get that kind of upgrade in a deluxe, I think, but still rare.

We asked for an upgrade on arrival of one our trip to the Polynesian, that we intended and stated we would pay for. What we wanted wasn't available when we booked and we were hopeful. But no, even though we were ready to pay for it, there was no availability in club level that time. If they overbook one resort, they might ask if you would mind an upgrade to another, say you're booked for POR and they ask you to go to Beach Club. That happens very rarely and it's all just depending on the booking needs of the resort.

[brownie]

I've been to WDW over 50 times and only once have I ever been upgraded ... and of course it was for a one night stay!

Wouldn't your castle stay count, too? :D

[MOJoe]

We were upgraded from a woods view to a courtyard view at the WL this past May. Timing was the main issue. I drove straight through the night and arrived at WDW before 8 a.m. I was unsure i would be able to get a room that early, but was surprised with an upgrade.

The next day i asked the front desk if this was a coincedence. The reply was as such. "If you arrive that early in the morning, we are going to do everything we can to get you into a room as soon as possible." So the fact that the woods view category was still occupied, the higher category was not fully booked, and my early arrival all worked together for my benefit. But, i can see how during a more crowded season i could have been left to enjoy the lobby until a room opened up that afternoon.

[MNNHFLTX]

I've also stayed at WDW resorts (value, moderate and deluxe) numerous times and never received a complimentary upgrade. We tend to book preferred or better view rooms, though, so that's probably why. I guess there's always the possibility of getting upgraded to concierge, but I'm not holding my breath. :)

[andmomlau]

Thanks everyone!!! I doubt we will be upgraded, but I thought I'd ask! Like I said, we have stayed at POR several times, but the last time, we were very disappointed in the room, the service....

We're staying there this time because we booked last minute and that was what was available with the winter discounted rates...hope we enjoy it as much as we did the first several times we stayed there!!!

[Jeri Lynn]

We've been upgraded from a standard room at the Beach Club to a waterview. Have never been lucky enough to be upgraded to concierge!

[Disney4us2]

Last December we were staying at CBR. I had booked a standard room. On check in we were upgraded to a perferred room near the OPR. Nice garden view as well. This was the only time I have been upgraded.

[Chic-a-pin]

We were upgraded from a standard studio to 1 bedroom savannah on our first and only time at AKL staying on DVC points. Too bad we only stayed one night! When I asked the gal checking us in, she just replied "Disney Magic at work!"

[Bethanymouse]

We have been upgraded before- Once on our honeymoon at the Poly and another at the WL to a great room! I think it is just luck of the draw!

[floridamom]

We have been fortunate to receive many upgrades over the years- probably on more than half of our visits. But I think it's because most of our stays are only 2 or 3 nights, when chances are slim that the upgraded room they give us will be booked at a higher rate at the very last minute. I imagine that it's less likely that Disney would "give away" a higher priced room for a stay of a week or more.

[Cinderelley]

Wouldn't your castle stay count, too? :D

:laughing: I thought that too.

[KODABEAR]

:knit::old:We've been upgraded a few times at AKL, Beach Club,CRB, and last Dec at BW. NO reason for any of them. Like others say it's just timing. We are a senior couple so no kids. We just enjoy WDW :cloud9:

[spoiledraf]

We've had a few upgrades. Twice to a pool view at the Beach Club and once the ultimate! We had a club level at the Boardwald and got upgraded to the "Steeplechase Suite", the presidential suite. It's the biggest room in the Boardwalk! Incredible room and view. It was bigger than my house! Taalk about luxury. Fresh flowers in the bathroom???? Who knnew!

[Katzateer]

We have never received an upgrade at WDW but our one cruise we got upgraded quite a few levels. We got a balcony and there were chocolate dipped strawberries and other treats in our room when we arrived. I even called to make sure we were in the right room.

It was a year or two after 9/11 and a lot of the passengers had used passes they had given out (either their cruise had been ancelled or cut short) and had filled the lower decks. We had booked our cruise a year in advance and just lucked out with the upgrade

[TheVBs]

We've never been upgraded at WDW, but we were upgraded at Disney's Hilton Head Island resort. We got an email offer for special rates, booked a studio for $68 and they upgraded us to a 2 bedroom suite!! I think we were there for 4 nights. We felt so spoiled. :mickey: The girls had their own room and we had ours. Have no idea how we got so lucky, but we made sure they knew how grateful we were. We're not DVC and have never stayed at a DVC resort, so I don't know if it was meant to tempt us to join. Just know we loved it!

[nfrustaci]

several years ago (2) we booked the POP which is my favorite of the values and I received an email that they overbooked the hotel and was offering to upgrade us to the boardwalk or Saratoga Springs. We chose Saratoga because of its close proximaty to DTD. We also received free dining that trip. That was a late summer deal in september, just after the kids started school. The room was really nice and the beds were AWESOME ! Honestly we thought that the buses there were horrible. waiting at least 20 min every morning for a bus to take us to any of the theme parks. but the return from the parks was great. and what a treck to the main area. we were just acros the lake but it was a good 15 min walk. Good Luck !!! Magic does happen.

[mom2morgan]

Well, I have a theory that if there are "better" rooms available and they have decided to offer upgrades, they are more likely to give them to people already in the 'worst' rooms. Since I really want to save money this trip, I've requested standard view in both resorts. I'll save money, and MAY just get lucky enough to score an upgrade, but of course I'm not counting on that. I think they are most inclined to do that at AKL when they have Savannah rooms that aren't being used - good way to encourage people to BOOK Savannah next time around ;-)

[kangan2roos2]

My family was upgraded once when we stayed at Poly in the concierge level. It was a great surprise because she gave us our room key and didn't tell us that we now had a MK view. She enjoyed when we went back to the desk with the most surprised looks on our faces. We kept saying Thank you, Thank you. We went off season and my son was 6. I think it was because like others have said, it was off season, not crowded, and my son was so excited!

[DisneyFan1979]

We've been upgraded from a standard to a waterview at the Beach Club and from a standard to an MK view at the Poly. Both times we arrived fairly early--I have the feeling that if you arrive early and the room they've assigned you to isn't cleaned yet, they'll put you in another one that is cleaned (and sometimes you just happen to get lucky and the room that's unassigned and clean is an upgraded one).

I wish Disney had a "frequent guest" program like other hotels do. I stay at the Omni in NYC once a year or so and am in their frequent guest program--I've received some kind of upgrade every single stay dating back to the second time I stayed there!

[Polynesian Dweller]

Upgrades aren't as common as the various forums would make it seem. If Disney upgraded just 1% of its roughly 25000 rooms that would be 250 upgrade per night or over 91000 per year. Still, 99% or slightly over 9,000,000 room nights aren't upgraded.

If its 3% then that's 750 per night or 274000 per year and 97% not upgraded or 8,850,000 room nights not upgraded.

The point is, the shear number of rooms mean that there are lots of people who can report upgrades. But there are far more who didn't recieve obe. Don't go expecting an upgrade and be happy when you get it.

[brownie]

The point is, the shear number of rooms mean that there are lots of people who can report upgrades. But there are far more who didn't recieve obe.

People who receive an upgrade are probably more likely to "report" it than people who don't, so that can make it seem like it happens more than it really does.

Nice perspective on the numbers.

[Buttercup]

The only upgrades we've ever gotten were from a "Standard View" to a "Preferred View" room -- most recently at Caribbean Beach Resort. I think it was because they over booked the standard rooms, and there was a cheerleading group there so they wanted to keep all of them together in one area. So we happily took the upgrade!
But I've been going to Disney every year for 30+ years now, and the upgrades have only happened 2-3 times for us, so it's definitely not something we plan on getting each time. It's just if the hotel has overbooked in one way or another. They don't tend to do it (at least for us!) just to be nice!