Five years ago when the economy was in the dumper we actually received 2 upgrades in the same trip. It all started several months prior to arrival when we received an e-mail offering us a free upgrade from AS Sports to a studio at OKW. Well, it took me about 1/2 second to get on the phone with Disney to try to take advantage of the offer. I was on hold for about 15 minutes while the details were getting worked out. The lady I was speaking with came back and said they were already out of studios, but that they would put us in a 1 bedroom villa. SWEET!!!!!!!!! Fast forward to our night of arrival (an all day drive up from Key West). We arrive about 9:00 pm and I go to check in and am told we're being upgraded to a 2 bedroom villa. WHAT??? So, for the rest of our trip, the two of us rambled around a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, laundry equipped second story villa facing the gold course at OKW. True story I swear. It'll never, ever happen again!
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Room Upgrades
- Thread starter Disney Family 4
- Start date
That is actually a semi common thing that happens when the values get overbooked and/or too many rooms go out of service.
Most guests respond like you did and are 4 steps past thrilled that they have been upgraded from a value to a DVC room. The same would generally not be true if all they did was offer to move you another value resort. It also works as a nice little advertisement for the DVC.
So in the end, the guest is ecstatic and the DVC bug has a chance to bite you.
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
@Master Yoda I have a theory and I'm curious if you can confirm or deny. I've definitely seen specific types of rooms listed as unavailable when there's general availability at a certain resort. Pirate rooms, princess rooms, MK view, savanna view, etc. But I don't think I've ever seen a standard room, standard view listed as unavailable unless the resort was just completely booked. My theory is that Disney will never mark standard rooms as "sold out" if there are any rooms available in the resort, even if those rooms are in a higher category. For example, if I wanted to book AKL and all the standard views are booked, I suspect that the booking system would allow me to book standard view even if they know very well that they'll have to bump me (or someone else who did the same thing) to a savanna. I think they're more afraid of losing my by "forcing" me to pay for a savanna view that I might not want to pay for than they are worried about losing any incremental premiums I'd pay to upgrade voluntarily.
In my time as a TA I saw many occasions were there were no standard rooms available which does kind of kill your hypothesis.
That being said, there is little question that there is some kind of digital voodoo at work behind the scenes in Disney's booking software. There almost has to be as it would be kind of dumb not to have it to assist in filling the resorts in the most beneficial way for Disney during times of lower occupancy.
maine native
New Member
Booked a garden view room at the GF and we were upgraded to a water/MK view when we arrived. It was the third week of August when crowd levels drop. I think it is the luck of the draw.
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
Never really been "upgraded", but most of the time have been given our room request ( except the year they were refurbishing POLY rooms 2012).
Missymoe4
Well-Known Member
Any pictures? I'd love to see them.
Also, I'm ignorant of the "Family of the Week" title. Is this for the GF only? Can you explain more? I'm curious!
Missymoe4
Well-Known Member
That is AWESOME! Although, I don't know what I'd do with all that room. I do have a fascination for hotel rooms when I travel. I know this may sound really, really odd -- but hotel rooms scream vacation to me. I think this would feel too much like a condo, and thus, take away my appeal.
CSR upgraded us to Wilderness -- that was quite nice, too. Although, since you required more space, I don't know if the Wilderness has that, hence why they gave you the Executive Suite.
- In the Parks
- No
Having only been to Disney 3 times (4th coming this year!) never had or asked for an upgrade, staying at All Star Sports again this time and paid a bit extra for a preferred room for myself as last time I was pretty much as far away from the main building as you could be only way they could upgrade me would be to send me to another resort. As others have said I wouldn't expect to be upgraded if I had paid for a normal room anyway, if I had been last time bonus but mainly I am at Disney and that's more than enough for me.
zero creativity
Active Member
We got upgraded at the poly once. We went from garden to maybe theme park view. I say maybe because there was a tree blocking our view but you could see the magic kingdom through the leaves. We didn't ask for the upgrade they just gave it to us
edit: a massive storm rolled in the day we checked in and it was solid rain for 2-3 days. That may have had something to do with it.
edit: a massive storm rolled in the day we checked in and it was solid rain for 2-3 days. That may have had something to do with it.
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jlevin
New Member
We've been upgraded twice in the dozen or so times I've been to Disney. Summer of 2012 we made reservations with family for CBR in adjoining rooms with my in-laws. When we arrive that day we are told that we have rooms next to each other but nothing connected is available. We take the rooms and go to the park for the day. Around 7PM on the way back to the hotel I tell my family I'm going to stop back at the front desk to ask if something else has opened up. The receptionist says after a few minutes that they do have connecting rooms available in CBR and they'll make the changes. She goes to the back to change the reservation. After 15 minutes I begin to wonder what the problem is. Finally she comes out and tells me that they've moved us to Polynesian if we are interested. Well of course we took it.
The following year we book CBR again because we figured we'd try to stay there again. The room they gave us smelled horrible. The only thing I could compare it to was wet socks after hiking in them the entire day. So my mother-in-law this times decides to call the front desk from the room to see if we can again change rooms but stay in CBR. The desk tells us they'll call back in about 20 minutes. We get the call and we've again been upgraded to Wilderness Lodge.
In no way did we ask for an upgrade and would have been happy just moving to another location at CBR but Disney went above and beyond. On a side note, moving us was smart on their part. I don't think I'd stay at a value or moderate after staying at a deluxe resort.
The following year we book CBR again because we figured we'd try to stay there again. The room they gave us smelled horrible. The only thing I could compare it to was wet socks after hiking in them the entire day. So my mother-in-law this times decides to call the front desk from the room to see if we can again change rooms but stay in CBR. The desk tells us they'll call back in about 20 minutes. We get the call and we've again been upgraded to Wilderness Lodge.
In no way did we ask for an upgrade and would have been happy just moving to another location at CBR but Disney went above and beyond. On a side note, moving us was smart on their part. I don't think I'd stay at a value or moderate after staying at a deluxe resort.
CJLove79
Active Member
So here's my situation......I have split ressies at the Contemporary, one is a package with 4 nights at 12th floor Theme Park View Atrium Club Level, the second is a Room Only ressie, 4 nights at a 1 BR Theme Park View Suite on the 14th Floor. Its me and my girl who are going, we'll be celebrating our 5 year anniversary and I plan on proposing to her while there. I'm planning on asking the Club Concierge for a free upgrade to the 1 BR Theme Park View Suit at Check In. The reason is because I want to propose to her in the luxurious Suite instead of the smaller Atrium room. From you guys experience, how good are my chances of getting the upgrade for free? Or an upgrade at all? And let's assume that there's a 1 BR Theme Park View Suite available.
I'm figuring from a Customer Service standpoint, if I was a CM, I'd do it because the customer is going to be in the Suite anyway, its for double special occassions, its available, ressies are paid in full, etc. But one never knows when it comes to upgrades at Disney World, which is why I'm asking.
I'm figuring from a Customer Service standpoint, if I was a CM, I'd do it because the customer is going to be in the Suite anyway, its for double special occassions, its available, ressies are paid in full, etc. But one never knows when it comes to upgrades at Disney World, which is why I'm asking.
Tuvalu
Premium Member
Was the suite not available for your entire stay?So here's my situation......I have split ressies at the Contemporary, one is a package with 4 nights at 12th floor Theme Park View Atrium Club Level, the second is a Room Only ressie, 4 nights at a 1 BR Theme Park View Suite on the 14th Floor. Its me and my girl who are going, we'll be celebrating our 5 year anniversary and I plan on proposing to her while there. I'm planning on asking the Club Concierge for a free upgrade to the 1 BR Theme Park View Suit at Check In. The reason is because I want to propose to her in the luxurious Suite instead of the smaller Atrium room. From you guys experience, how good are my chances of getting the upgrade for free? Or an upgrade at all? And let's assume that there's a 1 BR Theme Park View Suite available.
I'm figuring from a Customer Service standpoint, if I was a CM, I'd do it because the customer is going to be in the Suite anyway, its for double special occassions, its available, ressies are paid in full, etc. But one never knows when it comes to upgrades at Disney World, which is why I'm asking.
CJLove79
Active Member
Honestly, didn't check for it because I don't have much money for it. LOL. So that's why I'm trying to see if I can possibly get a free upgrade to the Suite if it's available. That way, I can get four free nights added for a full vacation in the Suite. So I'll basically have one paid Tower Club Suite ressie and the other a free Tower Club upgrade ressie.
So I'm asking everybody how good are my chances of getting the free upgrade, given my situation.
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MissingDisney
Well-Known Member
With all due respect, if Disney granted free upgrades to suites, club level, etc. based on "situations", I could only imagine the rehearsed stories folks would come in with upon check-in....how would they decide who was deserving, or honest, for that matter. I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask but if you truly want a particular experience, you should be willing to pay for it. You're going to be in a larger suite for a portion of the stay as is, I would presume you plan on proposing at that location regardless so an upgrade isn't truly necessary for the experience. Congrats to you!Honestly, didn't check for it because I don't have much money for it. LOL. So that's why I'm trying to see if I can possibly get a free upgrade to the Suite if it's available. That way, I can get four free nights added for a full vacation in the Suite. So I'll basically have one paid Tower Club Suite ressie and the other a free Tower Club upgrade ressie.
CJLove79
Active Member
You have a point, a very good point and that's true, I'd propose even if we didn't get the upgrade. What can I say? I want to go all out for my girl y'know? LOL. Hey, it's worth a shot and let the cards fall where they may.
pajammies
Well-Known Member
A couple years ago, my daughter and I booked a Coronado room. I had a terrible headache, so when they started whispering with each other at the front desk, I was thinking, oh no!
But they said they were going to send us to Saratoga Springs. Now I know some people would jump at that, but I had a 13 yr old with me and it didn't seem like either one of our styles. Also, to be honest, we really wanted to stay at Coronado. Every time we go to Disney we say, next time we want to stay there, but we always stay at Values to save money. So I sort of said no thank you, and asked why they were trying to move us. They said due to over booking from a convention. At that time without saying anything else, another guy said, how about Animal Kingdom. That got my daughters eyes wide and we said Yes!
So they put us in a cab and when we got there, the lady asked if we wanted a Savanna view. I had no clue what she was talking about as far as differences, I assumed we would never be staying there due to how much it costs, so never really looked into it. So I said sure.
It wasn't til we got home that we realized how much that would have cost us. And as lucky, happy and thankful as we were, we still want to stay at Coronado.
We are going in November but will be staying at a value, so we will miss it one more time.
But they said they were going to send us to Saratoga Springs. Now I know some people would jump at that, but I had a 13 yr old with me and it didn't seem like either one of our styles. Also, to be honest, we really wanted to stay at Coronado. Every time we go to Disney we say, next time we want to stay there, but we always stay at Values to save money. So I sort of said no thank you, and asked why they were trying to move us. They said due to over booking from a convention. At that time without saying anything else, another guy said, how about Animal Kingdom. That got my daughters eyes wide and we said Yes!
So they put us in a cab and when we got there, the lady asked if we wanted a Savanna view. I had no clue what she was talking about as far as differences, I assumed we would never be staying there due to how much it costs, so never really looked into it. So I said sure.
It wasn't til we got home that we realized how much that would have cost us. And as lucky, happy and thankful as we were, we still want to stay at Coronado.
We are going in November but will be staying at a value, so we will miss it one more time.
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natolij02
Active Member
We have had 2 upgrades. Once on our honeymoon at POR, we were upgraded from a standard room to a room with a view of the water way which honestly you could only see if you stood outside your door and really didn't matter to us but it was a bit of a closer walk to everything central. We had a one night stay booked on our last trip for at ASMovies and they "did not have a room for us" so they put us at ASmusic in a family suite for our "inconvienence" After our one night stay there we moved over to POP for our full week stay/package
So here's my situation......I have split ressies at the Contemporary, one is a package with 4 nights at 12th floor Theme Park View Atrium Club Level, the second is a Room Only ressie, 4 nights at a 1 BR Theme Park View Suite on the 14th Floor. Its me and my girl who are going, we'll be celebrating our 5 year anniversary and I plan on proposing to her while there. I'm planning on asking the Club Concierge for a free upgrade to the 1 BR Theme Park View Suit at Check In. The reason is because I want to propose to her in the luxurious Suite instead of the smaller Atrium room. From you guys experience, how good are my chances of getting the upgrade for free? Or an upgrade at all? And let's assume that there's a 1 BR Theme Park View Suite available.
I'm figuring from a Customer Service standpoint, if I was a CM, I'd do it because the customer is going to be in the Suite anyway, its for double special occassions, its available, ressies are paid in full, etc. But one never knows when it comes to upgrades at Disney World, which is why I'm asking.
1 - is the anniversary noted on your reservations? (I'd possibly suggest adding the proposal, but I've heard too many stories of surprises being ruined....)
2 - did you or your travel agent have the reservations linked so that Disney knows that you have continuing reservations at the same resort?
3 - ASSUMING there is availability and they see that you are celebrating an anniversary and will already be going to the suite, the room assigner may POSSIBLY work some magic when he assigns your rooms, which usually happens a few days before you arrive. If that happens, you will know at check in. If not, then you could ask for them to check, but they may ask for you to pay.....
FYI - you will still need to do the check in for the 2nd reservation at the front desk even if they work the magic.