Who does the room upgrades?

[*I'msoooBelle*]

I had a wonderful stay with my family recently in which our room was upgraded. We didn't know we had been upgraded until we walked into the room. Was the person who checked us in at the registration counter responsible for the room upgrade or was this decided by the room assigner days prior to our arrival?

I'd like to write a heartfelt thank you and would like to give credit where it is due.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Lynne M]

Front desk CMs occasionally have the ability to do an upgrade, but by far, most are assigned in advance, because of an operational/business need. A room or set of rooms needs to be taken out of service for maintenance, a room category is overbooked, etc, and your reservation happened to fit the room type and date range they were looking for.

 

[*I'msoooBelle*]

Thank you, Lynne!!

 

[*I'msoooBelle*]

I just thought of something else, the person at the registration counter would have mentioned something, like "you are being upgraded" or something like that if she had been the person to have done it, right?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I just thought of something else, the person at the registration counter would have mentioned something, like "you are being upgraded" or something like that if she had been the person to have done it, right?

Not necessarily.

 

[Sandiz08]

I think the lady at the registration counter at AKL upgraded us one time, because it was our first time there , she asked. Our daughter got given a magic wand and our son a hat. She was very friendly and informative and gave us tips. That time, we did not do online check in. Im sure it depends where the upgrades come from.

 

[FSU Girl]

I've only been upgraded twice. Once I was in college with my friend staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge in a standard view room and he was very flirty with us and told us he was going to move us to a savanna view room instead, was a really nice view. The second time was really recent and we were upgraded to an amazing club level suite at Grand Floridian and I have no clue who did that upgrade. I don't know when it was changed, but I think it happened when we arrived. No one said anything to us, except what floor we were on when I asked since the room wasn't ready yet. They did say it's a really nice room, but that was it.

 

[Wild4Walt]

We were upgraded in September - we did online check in and never went to the front desk. I think Lynne is correct - most are done prior to arrival. I picture a beleaguered guy with charts all over the walls balancing bookings and check in's. LOL!

 

[starry_solo]

We were upgraded in September - we did online check in and never went to the front desk. I think Lynne is correct - most are done prior to arrival. I picture a beleaguered guy with charts all over the walls balancing bookings and check in's. LOL!

And going cross-eyed!

 

[Disneypro1]

Well, we almost always get a free upgrade...we also NEVER do online check in. I just ask when we get there...

 

[Micharlotte]

When We were upgraded at AofA it was definitely done before we got there. The cast member checking us in looked surprised and really excited for us!

 

[bcbmommy]

Well, we almost always get a free upgrade...we also NEVER do online check in. I just ask when we get there...

You ask to be upgraded? I always thought it was just luck of the draw, but wow! What do you say? lol. We've never been upgraded, so I guess I'm doing something wrong!

 

[KenHutch]

We have done 5 trips since 2006. On the 1st one we got the 2 standard rooms I booked. I book standard since I have to get 2 rooms and pay for all of my daughters extended maternal relatives. We have had some kind of upgrade on all of the following 4. Standard to garden view, standard to pool view being the most common. During our last trip (at AKL) they put us above one of the people pens which had an incredible savanna view.

 

[Dug720]

You ask to be upgraded? I always thought it was just luck of the draw, but wow! What do you say? lol. We've never been upgraded, so I guess I'm doing something wrong!

I would never have the cajones to ask for one without asking how much it would be to upgrade to a higher category. I could never ask for a free one. That is just...not magical IMHO.

 

[Brett Wyman]

As magical as it may seem at the time most likely you'll get an upgrade because something else went wrong and granting you that upgrade fixed that other problem.

At other hotels that don't maintain 90%+ occupancy, guests(usually members of that hotels points system) are moved into more expensive rooms that don't rent as well, which frees up the cheap rooms to be rented. This doesn't happen as often at Disney because EVERYTHING sells out at Disney. But Im sure it happens some.

 

[tobikaye]

I agree with the pp that sometimes the upgrade is due to necessity and not so much a want to "surprise" the guest. I was upgraded from Standard to Club Level Savannah at AKL due to the room I booked not being available. The room was assigned before we arrived at the resort as my sister and aunt saw the room listed on MDE. We just did not know it was Club Level until the cast member met us as I pulled up to valet. When we were escorted to the club lounge to check in, it was explained that the room we booked was not available.

 

[Disneypro1]

I would never have the cajones to ask for one without asking how much it would be to upgrade to a higher category. I could never ask for a free one. That is just...not magical IMHO.

Why? you just ask. Its not a big deal. Lots of perks at Disney if u just ask.... Its something almost every Disney planning podcast even talks about..cant get what u don't ASK for.

 

[T0rrent]

Just ask when you check in what room upgrades are potentially available and they will check and let you know the price. When the wife and I went to Vegas for my birthday last year, we stayed at Paris and when we checked in we asked if anything was available. Was able to upgrade to a jr suite for just an extra 30 a day, so we jumped on that.

 

[Dug720]

Why? you just ask. Its not a big deal. Lots of perks at Disney if u just ask.... Its something almost every Disney planning podcast even talks about..cant get what u don't ASK for.

Why? Because I book the category I will be happy with to begin with. If Magic happens, it happens. But asking for it is not Magic.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Just ask when you check in what room upgrades are potentially available and they will check and let you know the price. When the wife and I went to Vegas for my birthday last year, we stayed at Paris and when we checked in we asked if anything was available. Was able to upgrade to a jr suite for just an extra 30 a day, so we jumped on that.

That works in Vegas but not really at Disney due to occupancy levels.