On-line check in - upgrade

[NeedMoreMickey]

Has anyone checked in on-line but gotten a surprise upgrade once you got to the resort? I go at least once a year but I can only talk my husband in to going to WDW about every 5-6 years and this time we will be celebrating our anniversary. We are staying at Beach Club

 

[Tuvalu]

We have at the moderates (view upgrade, king bed upgrade) but not at a deluxe. Is your anniversary noted on your reservation? You *may* have a better chance of an upgrade if it is.

 

[Innkeeper's Club]

I remember reading somewhere that once you do online check-in it basically takes away any chance at an upgrade. Plus all free room upgrades are determined a few days before you check-in, so it won't matter if you are there for an anniversary and chances are you won't be the only people staying at WDW who have it noted on their reservations.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Of the deluxes, only AKL where guests booked in a standard view room often see a request for savannah view.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I remember reading somewhere that once you do online check-in it basically takes away any chance at an upgrade. Plus all free room upgrades are determined a few days before you check-in, so it won't matter if you are there for an anniversary and chances are you won't be the only people staying at WDW who have it noted on their reservations.

This is not true. I did online check in last year and got bumped to a lake front room when we paid for standard view. It was our anniversary and it was noted. We also got there at 7:00 am and was able to go straight to the room.

 

[Minnie's BFF]

I remember reading somewhere that once you do online check-in it basically takes away any chance at an upgrade. Plus all free room upgrades are determined a few days before you check-in, so it won't matter if you are there for an anniversary and chances are you won't be the only people staying at WDW who have it noted on their reservations.

Also agree that this is not true. We always do online check-in because we arrive before noon and would like a room ready. 3 out of our last 4 stays we have been upgraded. Once at YC from standard to waterview, again at YC from waterview to club-level waterview (selected as Family-of-the-Day) and our last trip, first time at BWI, from standard to 2-bedroom suite.

 

[tem325]

So, if I'm staying at the Boardwalk in December for our honeymoon (and we got engaged in Disney last year!!!), I could note this to someone somewhere and get upgraded?? Online? On the phone? In person? AND, we're arriving later in the evening, 8 pm arrival at the airport.

 

[stevehousse]

On our trip in May we got an upgraded room view! We did online check in.

 

[Innkeeper's Club]

So, if I'm staying at the Boardwalk in December for our honeymoon (and we got engaged in Disney last year!!!), I could note this to someone somewhere and get upgraded?? Online? On the phone? In person? AND, we're arriving later in the evening, 8 pm arrival at the airport.

You can request to have it noted on your reservation, however if a lot of other people do the same thing it won't improve your chances of an upgrade and you should not go expecting one unless you pay for it. So if everyone who was going to WDW for their honeymoon and has it noted on their reservations what about others celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and etc. Not everyone will get something be it an upgrade just because they are celebrating it.

 

[Tuvalu]

AND, we're arriving later in the evening, 8 pm arrival at the airport.

Late arrivals may have less of an upgrade chance due to others checking in earlier in the day with their own requests. The room pool is smaller.

 

[worldfanatic]

As long as people understand that upgrades are a bonus, and shouldn't be expected.
If a successful vacation depends on a particular view or location..... pay for it up front
Just because your office co-worker got an upgrade on his trip last month, doesn't mean you should feel slighted if you aren't given the same treatment on your vacation.

 

[Master Yoda]

Upgrades are done based on the operational needs of the resort. How you check in has no bearing on you receiving an upgrade.

The only thing that can negatively affect your chances for an upgrade are special requests. If you request a particular floor, building, location, etc and the "upgrade" goes against those requests, they will typically give it to someone else.

 

[emcclay]

I have been upgraded twice from standard view to water view.

 

[Innkeeper's Club]

Upgrades are done based on the operational needs of the resort. How you check in has no bearing on you receiving an upgrade.

The only thing that can negatively affect your chances for an upgrade are special requests. If you request a particular floor, building, location, etc and the "upgrade" goes against those requests, they will typically give it to someone else.

I know that when an upgrade is given that decision is usually made a few days before the guests checks-in, I want to say it's done at least 5-7 days prior to an arrival. So what if the person getting the upgrade decides to do online check-in and does the process 2 or 3 days before they arrive and makes room requests. Would that make their upgrade voided and it goes to someone else?

 

[Master Yoda]

I know that when an upgrade is given that decision is usually made a few days before the guests checks-in, I want to say it's done at least 5-7 days prior to an arrival. So what if the person getting the upgrade decides to do online check-in and does the process 2 or 3 days before they arrive and makes room requests. Would that make their upgrade voided and it goes to someone else?

As I understand it, room assignments are done 2-3 days in advance. The vast majority of online check ins are done the first day they can be done leaving quite a gap between the two making your scenario incredibly rare.

If the situation did come up, it would be up to the person assigning the rooms to decide what to do. If the upgrade did not directly conflict with the request I would imagine that they would keep it.

Where it would get dicey is when one of the requests conflicts with the upgrade. Most that I know try to honor requests as they have conformation that is what the guest wants whereas the upgrade is an unknown especially since the guest did not know they were getting upgraded in the first place. You would be surprised at the number of people that would complain about something like getting upgraded to a Royal Room at PORS because it was not close to the food court.

 

[Innkeeper's Club]

As I understand it, room assignments are done 2-3 days in advance. The vast majority of online check ins are done the first day they can be done leaving quite a gap between the two making your scenario incredibly rare.

If the situation did come up, it would be up to the person assigning the rooms to decide what to do. If the upgrade did not directly conflict with the request I would imagine that they would keep it.

Where it would get dicey is when one of the requests conflicts with the upgrade. Most that I know try to honor requests as they have conformation that is what the guest wants whereas the upgrade is an unknown especially since the guest did not know they were getting upgraded in the first place. You would be surprised at the number of people that would complain about something like getting upgraded to a Royal Room at PORS because it was not close to the food court.

I thought a computer does room assignments? The only Cast Members who actually do them are the Club Level ones who actually choose rooms for Club Level guests.

 

[Master Yoda]

I thought a computer does room assignments? The only Cast Members who actually do them are the Club Level ones who actually choose rooms for Club Level guests.

They do to a point. How much might have changed since I knew people that worked the front desk.

 

[JusticeDisney]

Why would an unsolicited upgrade be given? I mean, is it just a case where the hotel is not at full capacity so they just fill up the "better" rooms?

It hardly seems fair that one person has to pay, for example, for a water view, whereas another person is just handed the same view without having to pay for it. But I know, I know, life's not fair.

 

[Innkeeper's Club]

Why would an unsolicited upgrade be given? I mean, is it just a case where the hotel is not at full capacity so they just fill up the "better" rooms?

It hardly seems fair that one person has to pay, for example, for a water view, whereas another person is just handed the same view without having to pay for it. But I know, I know, life's not fair.

Using that type of logic I guess it's also unfair that some guests at WDW are getting 35% off their room rate and during that same time others might be getting 25% off. For example this December I got a 35% pin code that I used for a reservation the Boardwalk Inn, however a few weeks ago WDW released a 25% room only public offer for the same set of dates. It's not my fault I was able to take advantage of a great offer like that and WDW decides to drop it by 10% for the public offer.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I would like to also point out, that although we note our anniversary on reservations, for the little cute pixie dusted tables and such, we never asked for the upgrade for a room. We were actually floored when we got it. Amazing, extra magic, that we did not expect.