Imagine getting to your hotel at Disney World to find out you just got upgraded to a bigger, better, closer to the bus stop room! Of course, you should never expect to get this honor when staying at Disney World. In my lifetime of trips, we have only had this magical pixie dust bestowed upon us twice. So this is definitely NOT an every trip thing. However, if you want to tip the odds into your favor I figured I would share a few secret insider tips with you.
Share your Celebration
This magic happened to us on our Honeymoon at Disney World. Not only did we get special in-room surprises during our honeymoon stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge but when we checked in we found out we got upgraded. We paid for a standard view and got upgraded to a beautiful Savannah Room, which we should have booked in the first place. There is nothing better than enjoying breakfast while taking in the animals roaming the savannah that surrounds the hotel.
Celebrations are not limited to just weddings at Disney World. Be sure to share if it’s a birthday, anniversary, graduation, conference, etc.! There are so many things in life to celebrate don’t limit yourself.
Book Your Trip with a Travel Agent
Authorized Disney Vacation Planners, like my favorites over at Magical Travel, are pros at booking Disney Vacations. Seriously, these folks book vacations for a living! They know the ins and outs of everything Disney and are trained to be able to assist in all aspects of Disney travel. If you are booking with an agent be sure to mention your celebration or that you have a preferred room location. This will let them know to put in the request ahead of time with Disney.
Kill Them with Kindness
This means don’t expect or demand for your room to be upgraded. There is a lot of truth in, “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” Never demand or get rude with the front desk if you don’t get the happy surprise of having your room upgraded. Simply a sincere friendly request can go a long way in this world.
Avoid Peak Season
This point is pretty straightforward. When the hotel is full to the brim it’s harder to make magical surprises happen. When you going during the quieter times of the year, though I admit these are far less frequent these days, it’s easier to move rooms around.
Be an Early Bird
Official check in time is 3 pm at all Disney World Resorts. By arriving early this essentially puts you at the front of the line for an upgrade. So if you have a room request in and you arrive to the hotel first you may luck out and get it over someone that comes right at the standard check in time. This is because the later you get there the higher odds that they aren’t going to have any of the preferred rooms left.
However, sometimes when you show up early your preferred room may not be ready yet. Sometimes the front desk assumes you just want to get into a room as fast as possible. If you do show up early let them know that you don’t mind waiting if it helps getting the room preferences you requested when booking.
Reasons Why You May Not Get the Room You Want
Just remember that every time you make a room request odds are you won’t get the upgrade. Here are some the top reasons why things may not pan out for you. First is that your room of choice is already taken. If it’s busy or your room request is very popular it could already be occupied by someone else. This is why when you make room requests it’s a good idea to list fallbacks.
If all your requests are for a room that is more expensive than the one you paid for there are just no guarantees. It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask in this senerio but an upgrade to a more expensive room is something you should never expect.
Lastly, don’t be confusing. You may think you are building a bond by sharing a short novel with Disney on your room preference but odds are you are just complicating things. Clear and concise is the best way to go when making your request.
Have you ever been upgraded when staying at a Disney World hotel? Let us know about it in the comments below! If you have any additional tips as well please share them! Also, if you do get an upgrade be sure to thank the Cast Member that helped you. You can’t give them any cash but if you let their manager know how helpful they were it helps them out. You can find out How to Say Thank You to a Disney Cast Member here.
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!
