Getting a Room Upgrade

[Jose Guerrero]

I agree, it probably has to do with the resort needs. We were upgraded for our December trip this year from Coronado Springs to the Animal Kingdom Lodge because of a convention going on. Last year we were at the Coronado for almost the same dates (and with a convention going on) and we didn't receive an upgrade. I guess they just needed more rooms this time. But yeah, it was totally unexpected (I still can't believe it, and I probably won't until check-in haha), and I probably wouldn't count on an upgrade because of a celebration or the amount of times you've been there.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We were upgraded on our last week-long stay last December and I was shocked. They bumped us from a one bedroom to a two bedroom villa (we had a cash reservation). It was pretty awesome. I fully expect nothing like that to happen again. Ever. LOL.

 

[southjerseymom]

Our first Disney trip we got some Pixie Dust and got upgraded to a Courtyard View at Wilderness Lodge. It was a few years before I realized how stinking lucky we were!

 

[kiford]

As others have said, it has to do with operational convenience for the hotel, not you. My sister worked front desk at hotels for years and the only times she gave upgrades were for such reasons (or unanticipated maintenance). The only time I've ever been upgraded (not at Disney) was when I was young and my parents had booked two rooms for the four of us (parents and my sister and I). We were upgraded to a penthouse suite because there was a convention in town and they knew that they could rent those two rooms to convention attendees much more easily than a 2-bedroom suite; in fact, they probably already had rented those rooms out and knew that it was likely that a family of four wouldn't protest being upgraded to a suite.

IMO, you always rent the room category you want and assume that's what you'll get. You can ask for a location that you like better within that category and are more likely to get that accommodated rather than hoping for an upgrade.

 

[Mom2Kids2003]

We were upgraded on our trip last month but that was probably because I asked I'd never done that before but I figured I'd ask when we checked in if there were any upgrades available since we were celebrating our anniversary and they upgraded us from a standard view to a savannah view. We got 2x a year and this was the first time we had been upgraded.

 

[vinotinto]

We got upgraded once at YC. Booked GV and were upgraded to water view. I had no room requests, stayed for 4 nights, and hotel was packed because of Gartner symposium. That's the only time we've received an upgrade. The view was very nice, but I don't think I would pay for the view. We loved YC, went back a few years later.

 

[buzznina]

We have been pretty luck over our 30+ trips. We are 2 for 2 at AKL, upgraded from standard to savannah. Once at POR from garden to river view, twice at POFQ, also garden to river view. Once at CSR (we did not consider it an upgrade) from Standard view to water view (if you stood outside the door and looked to the right over some bushes you could see part of the pool Two other upgrades because of issues with room at check-in. And our trip coming up next month, we were upgraded to GF-Lagoon view from WL-Standard view, because of construction. Most of our trips were 7-8 nights and we almost always have requests.

 

[Warren Templeton]

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.

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

We were upgraded on our first trip to Disneyland...had a standard room booked at the Grand Californian and we were upgraded to a theme park view...it was awesome

Loved it so much that next time we went back we booked a Resort view room at the Disneyland hotel It was wonderful to see the fireworks from our room

We haven't been upgraded at WDW on any of our trips and I don't expect it but it would be a pleasant surprise if it ever does happen

 

[Bree]

Book whatever room you will be happy with and then you won't be disappointed when you check in and receive the room you booked.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

I agree with the belief many posters have noted -- book the room you want and be happy with it. If you book CBR but truly want to stay at Poly, well don't wait for WDW to pay for it for you - because odds are well against you. Expecting an upgrade is only going to cause you a let down. The last time I had to travel to company headquarters in Philadelphia, I went directly to meetings and then dinner, followed by a few after dinner drinks with colleagues - my room was guaranteed late arrival. So, when I finally got to the front desk, a very nervous young man at the counter said "oh no, we have a convention in town and it appears we gave your room away." The night manager came over and asked what the problem was, when she heard the problems, she said, well, let's put him in room 8592 (I don't remember the room number), the young man said "are you sure?" And the manager said absolutely. Next thing I know, I'm in a suite with a living room, dinning room, two bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. I think I slept for 4 hours and was out of there as I had to fly out in the morning.

Disney

 

[GreatLakes]

I believe the majority of room upgrades are done because it is more convenient for the resort to offer the upgrade for operational reasons. I do think, though, that all the analytical data they are gathering thanks to the MM+ project very well may be used in the future for upgrades offers but it will be offers made the the most profitable guests. Just an educated guest.

My upgrade story is that I checked into Paradise Pier on a solo trip for the inaugural Disneyland half marathon and was upgraded from a standard view room to a 1-bedroom suite. I have no idea why but I wasn't going to argue with them about it.

 

[sndral]

Fortunately upgrades happen a bit more frequently than downgrades - which also happen, particularly from one view or location category to a lesser one. That said, both are rare.
Several years ago we arrived late at POFQ and they sent us to a room that had not been cleaned (rumpled beds, sodas and food leavings scattered about) after a trek to the front desk they gave us river view rooms not sure if it was for the hassle of the dirty room or just what they had left that night for 2 cleaned connecting rooms (we had 2 rooms.)
A couple years ago we got a subpar people pen savanna view 1 br. on a cash reservation at AKL, we asked to be moved, but nothing was available so they credited us the difference between standard and savanna view, note, I didn't ask for a credit as I would have far preferred what I paid for, a decent savanna view, and was willing to move when one opened up (it was a 10 night vacation.)
The following year we booked garden view at YC and had a nice view of the Boardwalk Inn/Villas across the lake so a view upgrade I believe.
Every other trip we've gotten what we paid for.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Just back from food and wine. We booked a lake view studio at Bay Lake Tower, and when we got to our room it was almost directly on top of Space Mountain, with just a little bit of the lake visible. So I guess that was an upgrade. Unfortunately, it was a handicap accessible room and it just did not work for us (tiny closet with no floor space, tiny kitchenette and both a roll in and regular tub with absolutely no counter space). We moved rooms the next day and yet still managed to get a theme park view. The staff at BLT was awesome in listening to our concerns and fixing the issue.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Timing also has a lot to do with it. When the Hotel knows they need to upgrade a few rooms from standard to CL or a preferred location, they may do it to the first few people that check in that day. We received an upgrade last year from standard to CL at BWI. When I got there at 6:30 in the morning they were surprised I was checking in. There was one other couple also checking in and both of us were escorted up an elevator to the CL desk. We talked later and they were upgraded as well. I think they must have needed to upgrade a certain amount of people because the chances that both of us got random upgrades seems far fetched.

Was our fist time staying CL and we won't ever pay for it. The added security is the best thing, but we were on Deluxe Dining and had a full set of ADR's so we never really used the lounge other than drinks. Come to think of it, perhaps that may be one way they determine who gets an upgrade now that they know all of your plans....hmmmmmm?????

 

[LemonNeko]

We got an upgrade from a Standard View to Woods View at WL last week. Not a big upgrade but it was still nice.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

A lot of people who go to Disney are celebrating. I'm fact they based their marketing for several years on it. So that really has no bearing.

 

[Dug720]

One time (couldn't have been too long ago because I was on the app - or was there one before MDE?) I was on the Magical Express from MCO and looked and saw that they had "upgraded" me to a Pirate Room at CBR (I had booked standard with a CM discount). When I got to the desk, I nicely asked if I could "downgrade" to what I had booked as to me a Pirate Room isn't an upgrade, and I would rather they give a family with kids who would lose their minds to be surprised with a Pirate Room. A call to the room assigner and they moved me to a room in a preferred location - so a slight downgrade from the random upgrade, but still an upgrade from what I'd booked. That's the only time though.

 

[scrapquitler]

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?

I think it's based more on what happens to be available and pure luck rather than "I'm a good customer".

We've never been upgraded anywhere, until last month. We were staying at Cabana Bay over at Universal and I booked a standard room. We got upgraded into a suite, so we had the mini kitchenette and the living room area with a sofa, which was really nice. I think it was just because the whole hotel seemed to be full of mostly church groups going to the Christian music thing they had at Universal that weekend.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

We've been 9 times this year, usually for a long weekend. We've stayed at the Poly or the Boardwalk, and we were upgraded once at the Boardwalk from a standard room to a club level room. We had done online check in (as we always do). It was a pleasant surprise.