Getting a Room Upgrade

jzswank · Oct 13, 2015

We are a family of 3 and have stayed on Disney Properties at least once a year for the past 5 years. Grand Floridian, Yacht Club and Beach Club. Mostly the latter 2. I read on this board and on other websites that people get upgraded out of the blue upon checking in. We have never been upgraded and are always celebrating something! Can the front desk see your stay history and see we are repeat, high incidental charging guests? Does anyone know how the front desk decides who to upgrade?

BudgieMama · Oct 13, 2015

I believe it's mostly to do with what rooms are available and what rooms they want to keep available.

We took our first trip last summer, and booked a studio at SSR. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary, and it was noted on our reservation. We arrived pretty late (9pm maybe) due to flying from the UK, had a nice chat with the CM, and went off to our room. When we got there, we had been upgraded to a 1 Bedroom Villa. The CM said nothing, but I've since been told that's common as they've usually needed more cheaper rooms, and so have upgraded you to help themselves, and they don't want you to turn it down!!

I don't believe there is a lot of rhyme or reason to it, and it's all down to the luck of the draw with how they allocate your room, which must be a huge task!!

rwdavis2 · Oct 13, 2015

Upgrades are due solely for the needs of the hotel. Nothing to do with past spending, etc.

wilkeliza · Oct 13, 2015

Upgrades are up to the individual hotel. We've only been upgraded at AKL and usually from a garden view to a Savannah view room. I've heard that if you request anything they won't give an upgrade but rather will try to fill that request. Also it is up to demand. If you travel during busier times they aren't going to have anything to give you but if you travel during a slow time they may give you an upgrade because they know the cheaper rooms will more likely be booked last minute.

BudgieMama · Oct 13, 2015

wilkeliza said:
Upgrades are up to the individual hotel. We've only been upgraded at AKL and usually from a garden view to a Savannah view room. I've heard that if you request anything they won't give an upgrade but rather will try to fill that request. Also it is up to demand. If you travel during busier times they aren't going to have anything to give you but if you travel during a slow time they may give you an upgrade because they know the cheaper rooms will more likely be booked last minute.

We requested near transport and higher flower, we were upgraded and the room met neither request, but that was OK!

OhMari · Oct 13, 2015

We got upgraded to a Beach View room at the Beach Club. It was ESPN weekend and they wanted to keep the ESPN people all in the same area. We over looked a quiet pool and we were with all the ESPN people. I think they forgot to give us the upgrade, but our room was fine.

cgh · Oct 13, 2015

I've never been upgraded but I've come to think that one of the reasons is because we stay longer- a week. I would think you'd have a greater chance with a shorter stay. (but this is just a guess) People who I have heard of getting upgrades are those with 1-2 night stays (thinking DL also). Would love to be upgraded sometime though. (who wouldn't?)

BudgieMama · Oct 13, 2015

Keep the hope, @cgh - we had a week long stay!

PrncessA · Oct 13, 2015

We received an upgrade at the Yacht Club from a Garden View room to a Club Level Water View room last year. We were there for 6 nights. We were not celebrating anything, we checked in early at around 10am and it was already noted in computer, we were escorted upstairs immediately to check in, plus our room was already ready. It was a handicap accesible room, which they probably hadn't sold and had available.

I don't know why we were picked to be pixie dusted, but I was told it was random. We had originally booked a CL room, but downgraded and moved our dates, but I don't think that had anything to do with it.

DisneyWishes14 · Oct 13, 2015

We go four to six times a year. Stay deluxe every time and really don't spare any expense. We have never been upgraded. We book the resort and room category we will be happy with and go from there. As others have said, it seems more to do with the needs of the resort than the spending habits of the guest.

Lynne M · Oct 13, 2015

Upgrades are rare, and are done for the operational needs of the resort. It's not really about the guest or their spending history or what they're celebrating, it's about the room type the guest is booked into, and the dates that they're staying. In other words, if you've booked a garden view room at GF for the first week in March, and the resort needs to clear out some of those rooms for that week because of overbooking, or because they want to turn off the water in that section so they can do some preventative maintenance, you might be upgraded.

butterfly71076 · Oct 13, 2015

We have been several times, staying at all resort levels. We have only been upgraded one time, March 2014. We were booked in a standard room at CBR and we were upgraded to a Pirate Room.

aaarcher86 · Oct 13, 2015

A lot of people staying in those resorts are repeat, high amount spending guests. That's not a unique situation.

KonaKaiTom · Oct 13, 2015

We were upgraded once -- completely different resort. We were booked at CBR and were called a couple of weeks before--for $400 total more, would we consider moving to the Grand Floridian. That was a 5 night trip. I have no idea why they gave us such deal, but I wasn't arguing.

Tom

Babsy · Oct 13, 2015

We have been going since 1971 and spent a small fortune over the years at WDW! We have never been upgraded unless there was some problem that Disney had to correct that led to an unavoidable upgrade (that only happened twice, and both times I would have been happier without the problem leading to the upgrade). I believe that getting an upgrade is pure luck and has nothing to do with anything that you do, are celebrating or spending. As PP's said, it is done when Disney has no choice due to its own constraints NOT due to any desire to make YOUR vacation more magical.

You read of upgrades on these boards, and they do happen, but they are by far the exception rather than the rule.

Sorry, but booking a room shouldn't feel like buying a lottery ticket where you are hoping to win. Nor does Disney have a rewards program where you can 'earn' extra pixie dust. If anything, I think that the more often you go, the less likely you are to get an upgrade.

In short, if an upgrade happens it is best if it is an unexpected pleasure.

loves to dive · Oct 13, 2015

I've been upgraded maybe 3 times in 30+ years of going at least every other year and staying mostly in deluxes and almost always at least 5 nights. First time was upgraded to CL at CR, me and my son who was probably around pre-teen at the time. That time was actually at booking, you had to call back then. Not sure why we even wanted to stay at CR, it wasn't our go to resort then but when we called they didn't have any standard rooms and asked if it would be o.k. to upgrade to CL at the same price as standard. I was o.k with that. Last May during F&G we did a split stay 2 nights in a 1 bdroom at AKV and 3 nights BWV studio. Arrived at AKV on Mother's Day, DS, DIL and myself. They had issues with my MB (I have 2 of each color and then some). I booked a standard view and ended up getting a Savannah View. Last upgrade was my recent trip last week of Sept. I was 4 nights at YC solo. I booked and paid for a standard view room, somewhere between when I booked and checked in it was upgraded to a garden view. When I checked in I ended up getting a water view of the lake and BW, it was a room with one king bed and I'm thinking the upgrade might have been because I was solo so a king room worked for me. I checked in on line with the AKV and YC but didn't put a room preference, just early check in.

MermaidMommy · Oct 13, 2015

We were upgraded once from a standard view to theme park view at GF. When we checked in, I was chatting with the CM at the front desk, and mentioned that we were staying there for DD's birthday. I said that I had wanted to book a room in the main building but there wasn't one available, and asked if I could pay to upgrade if they had one available. There was a manager who was standing behind him watching us, and she stepped in, telling me that CL was all booked, but she had a "nice" room she could put us in. I actually saw the first CM's eyes bug out when he saw which room it was. Needless to say we were thrilled! But, I think it was just being in the right place at the right time -- with the manger standing right there, and no one else at the front desk. Plus, I asked if I could pay for an upgrade, rather than asking for one for free. We were also only there for three nights, so that might have helped, too.

Sue M · Oct 13, 2015

wilkeliza said:
Upgrades are up to the individual hotel. We've only been upgraded at AKL and usually from a garden view to a Savannah view room. I've heard that if you request anything they won't give an upgrade but rather will try to fill that request. Also it is up to demand. If you travel during busier times they aren't going to have anything to give you but if you travel during a slow time they may give you an upgrade because they know the cheaper rooms will more likely be booked last minute.

I always have room requests, but have been upgraded.

cgh said:
I've never been upgraded but I've come to think that one of the reasons is because we stay longer- a week. I would think you'd have a greater chance with a shorter stay. (but this is just a guess) People who I have heard of getting upgrades are those with 1-2 night stays (thinking DL also). Would love to be upgraded sometime though. (who wouldn't?)

It may be short stays may be upgraded more freq, but we have had stays ranging from 7-14 days and received upgrades.

disneypanda11 · Oct 13, 2015

We were upgraded once from a Bay Lake View room to a Club Level Theme Park View room at CR. It was our honeymoon, and I do believe that the upgrade was granted right while we were standing there checking in once the kind cast member became aware of that fact. She was chatting us up and when she found out we were honeymooners she called a manager over, there was some whispering, and before we knew it we were being escorted up the elevator and given the club level tour. Totally unexpected- I don't even remember if we'd noted our reservation that we were honeymooning (I didn't know half as much back then as I do now about planning!). I do believe upgrades are very rare and almost always an operational need- after all, many many people are at WDW celebrating.

tinkerbella16 · Oct 13, 2015

Upgrades do not work that way. It usually has to do with the availability when checking in, if a certain resort is fully booked for something and they need to move people around. I have done 22 trips, all on property and have never received an upgrade, nor do we ever expect or hope for anything. It is okay to be hopeful, but I would not count on it just because you have gone for the last 5 years and spent a lot of money. Most of us have. Those who have gotten upgrades unexpectedly, rarely ever know the reason why. I am sure it has happened to some who were celebrating something special, but it is not something that happens on the regular. Like many others have stated, it is more of an operational need than anything when this happens.

Getting a Room Upgrade

Earning My Ears

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

WDW PreTrip and Trip Moderator

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Dis_Mom_

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Registered

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Mouseketeer

DIS Veteran

Share this page