Pixie dust room upgrade (question for those that have received it)

[AprilDreamsOfDisney]

I agree about them not always being "upgrades". When staying at CBR a few years ago, we arrived and were told we'd been upgraded to a Pirate Room from the Standard I'd booked. THANKFULLY, all of you had warned me about the Pirate Rooms (distance and double beds)! I politely declined, and instead was upgraded to a water-view room, right on the beach in Aruba. It was actually quite lovely.

I'd checked in online beforehand, arrived around 2 pm, resort was apparently quite full, but certainly didn't feel like it. It was last week of January.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We were lucky to be upgraded from a standard view to inner courtyard view at the WL and from standard view to lagoon view at YC. Other than that we've just been lucky to always get our room requests so far, which I greatly appreciate!

 

[sachilles]

As mentioned up thread, it makes a difference what resort you are in, and the room type reserved. Value's have a less to upgrade you to, even if you book a standard room.
Moderates have a bit more, and can really only give you a location upgrade, and maybe their Premium room, which may or may not appeal to all.
The deluxe's have a bit more to give in terms of upgrades.
It is truly random chance, and is usually in the hotels best interest. Just because it is in the hotel's best interest, doesn't mean it doesn't benefit the customer. While is may or may not cost the hotel any more money, usually the good will is something that can be returned in guest loyalty.
Obviously, if you book a preferred room, you'll have less opportunity for an upgrade.

For me, an upgrade would be finding your moderate accommodations had an issue and they walked you to a deluxe, which is a pretty rare case. An in resort upgrade can be cool, but doesn't usually change much in the grand scheme of things.

 

[1911]

we got upgraded from a standard view to garden view last year at POR.The cast member told us we were upgraded when the rooms were assigned, ours wasn't ready yet and she was looking to find us one that was(6 am). She also said that they do this when they have over sold or need more of a certain level of room. It wasn't very magical or feel like pixie dust but we got a very nice room which we appreciated.

 

[heath92681]

We had a one night stay at Beach Club, and we were upgraded from standard view to water view. We had a perfect view of the fireworks. It was so appreciated, especially since my son caught a stomach bug and he was stuck in bed.

 

[crazedprincess]

We were upgraded at BWI in Sept. 2014. I had booked a standard view and we were upgraded to water view/boardwalk view. We loved it and I knew we could never top it again, so I've never wanted to book at BWI since for fear of being disappointed. LOL We didn't list anything special and we arrived around noontime/1 pm. We were met in the lobby by a cast member with an iPad and he said that we would for sure enjoy our room and view.

 

[Melemonie]

We've been upgraded twice. Once from a standard to water view at a moderate and on our last visit, we were upgraded from a deluxe room to a two-bedroom suite at the Beach Club! THAT was an amazing upgrade. I think it was probably due to the fact that the resort was under renovation and they only had a few deluxe rooms to begin with so there was probably an availability problem. Our stay was also only for 3 days at the tail end of a split stay, so we weren't taking up the suite for very long.

We walked in to check-in at the end of a long, hot day in the parks and I was a little distracted at check-in trying to remember where I had packed the snacks before my 7-year-old had a meltdown. The lovely front desk person told me that they had a terrific room for me and I smiled politely and said a quick thank you, thinking that he was being friendly. When we got to the room and realized what he meant, I had to run back down-stairs and thank him much more profusely!

 

[pillowbook]

In 2011 my friend and I were upgraded from All Star Movies to the Beach Club. I don't think anything is ever going to be that, to be honest. We went toward the middle/end of May, and I think they overbooked the rooms for High School groups at the time and since there were only two of us it would have been an easy move.

I think whats interesting to me is people saying they've already decided to upgrade you before you get there. The castmember checking us in got on the phone and talked to someone and then asked if we wanted to be upgraded to a moderate. Then he got on the phone again, talked to someone and asked if we wanted to be upgraded to deluxe. So he might have just been having some fun with us about it.

I think a lot of it depends on the size of your party. I've gotten a few little pixie dust things throughout my stays just because I usually only travel with one other person. So its easy to move us around or give us extras without causing to much of a fuss.

 

[mdsouth]

My trip was in Feb. 2014, the week before President's Day. We were staying at POR French Quarter. I checked in online and arrived in the morning. We were updated from a standard view room to a River view room we were there seven days. I do not know why I got the upgrade. It was wonderful!

 

[vinotinto]

10 trips to WDW and we were upgraded once, at YC from garden to water. Beautiful room. A couple of things that I think helped us get that pixie dust:
1. We had no room requests (so they were not trying to meet a specific location, etc.)
2. There was a large convention and the resort was full (I'm sure there weren't any empty rooms)
3. Our stay was short, only 4 days (much easier to upgrade on a short reservation than a long one).

 

[figmentedfollies]

I have been lucky enough to be upgraded twice. In 2015 I booked a Garden View room at the Beach Club. It was noted that we were celebrating my birthday during the trip and it was during their recent renovation. When we got there, I thought about asking if any water view rooms were available (it never hurts to ask, right?) and the young woman at the desk said absolutely. Then told us we were on the fifth floor and someone was going to come meet us to take us up to the Club Level. That totally spoiled me.

This January I booked a Standard Room at the Wilderness Lodge through a travel agent. It was also noted that it was for my 30th birthday. We were upgraded to a courtyard view. I never had to go to the front desk.

We'll see what happens when I go back to the Beach Club in March. We've noted birthday celebrations and someone's first visit. After that, who knows.

 

[focusondisney]

I have had a few very magical upgrades. First was about 10-12 years ago. Usually we stay club level at YC. We had a week long club level stay booked for September. We decided to also take a short 3 day stay in May. We booked a standard waterview room since it was an extra trip & short stay, I didn't want to spend the money for club level. When we checked in, we were upgraded to club level! I was very happy about it!

In December of 2014, I was staying club level at YC. I booked 2 bounceback stays for the following December, 3 nights Tower Club at Contemporary Resort followed by 4 nights YC club level. The bounceback cast member was very friendly & we chatted about our vacation plans for the year. I told her we were going to Disneyland in September for their 60th anniversary then we'd celebrate my DH's 60th birthday at WDW in December. She mentioned at least 3 times that she was noting our celebration because "you never know what pixie dust might happen".

We arrived at CR in December & when we were escorted to our room, we were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite! It was very unexpected & we were very surprised. Three days later, we were checking in to the YC. As the CM was escorting us to the 5 th floor check in, she mentioned that we were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite. I wondered how she knew we had been upgraded at CR, but she kept talking about how much we would like the room. I was in shock & asked her what she meant. She said that we were being upgraded there! I told her that we just left CR & had been upgraded there so I thought she was talking about that. The CMs were as surprised as we were! They laughed & said they wanted to vacation with us! We were not just given a suite, but the Captain's Deck Suite, which is the biggest suite at the YC according to the CM. This was so amazing & we were thrilled of course. Something we will never forget!

 

[klacey1]

I've stayed on property six times (seven if you include the Dolphin), and have been upgraded twice. On our first on-property stay (and my boyfriend at the time's first-ever visit to the World), we were upgraded from a regular room at POR to a preferred room. That was fantastic. Our next trip we were in a regular room and I vowed I wouldn't stay at POR again unless I booked a preferred room.

Then at the WL I was upgraded from a standard view to a woods view. That didn't really impact us at all, we never hung out on the balcony.

 

[antmaril]

I have been upgraded to Club Level twice at The Beach Club and twice at The Boardwalk Inn. I have also been upgraded from a standard room to a junior suite at Coronado Springs. I have no idea why I received these upgrades. I am always very appreciative and have never asked why I was chosen to be upgraded.

 

[waltdisfam4]

I have been upgraded to Club Level twice at The Beach Club and twice at The Boardwalk Inn. I have also been upgraded from a standard room to a junior suite at Coronado Springs. I have no idea why I received these upgrades. I am always very appreciative and have never asked why I was chosen to be upgraded.

Curious...What view did you,originally, have booked at BC...and how long was your stay? Nice upgrades!

 

[aprhj]

Generally, the upgrades are made in advance of your stay, and they're usually done for the resort's operational needs. The CMs sometimes describe it in a way that makes it sound like they just decided to give you an upgrade because you're wonderful, but it really boils down to the fact that you happened to book a certain room type for a certain range of dates, and they needed to free up that room for that particular time frame. In other words, you were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

There's really no way to game the system to make an upgrade more likely. And, at Pop, there's really not much of anything to upgrade you *to*. All they could do would be to put you in a preferred room.

That is actually what I was thinking, but I was wondering if there were any common factors. I'm really enjoying reading everyone's, even the not good upgrade, stories. Thanks

 

[aprhj]

Thanks everyone for sharing, really enjoying the details.

 

[Order66]

I've been upgraded twice. The first time was during the "dreams" year....whenever that was, and I added a 1 night stay at AKL to our trip, which was 6 nights at an All Stars. I booked a standard room and we were given a 1br CL suite as family of the day. That was a fun upgrade but being only 1 night we really didn't get the time to fully enjoy it. The second was a stay at POP where I booked standard pool view and requested 50's. We were given the last room of the first 50"s building just before the Tramp statue. At the time I though...wow we got the worst pool view they had to offer as it was quite a stretch to look all the way over to just glimpse the pool. I came to find out well after the trip we'd actually been moved into the furthest preferred room in that building. LOL So that upgrade was totally lost on us. Either way, the room was a nice short walk to the main building. I've gotten rooms with requests at POP, All Stars and CBR resorts, within what I booked, but also what I've asked for in location, floor, even connecting rooms.

Except at POR. No matter what I've done we always get the room that is the furthest from everything. I joked last time that 10 more feet and we'd be off Disney property. We're staying there again next trip because it's what my sons asked for. Despite the long walks, it's their favorite resort. It's their graduation and a friend is coming along (graduation and first time visit) and I still expect to be 1/2 way to Miami. I've never expected an upgrade, but that is the only resort I can never seem to get even close to any request I've made.

*edit to add to answer your questions. The first, as I said was the Year of Dreams. We checked in some time in the afternoon after a morning at a park. I'm sure we were picked ahead of time because they had 2 stuffed animals for the kids and a little certificate for us all ready. I'm sure the 1 night stay also added to it. I did not check in online. I don't even know if that was an option then? The POP upgrade we arrived well after midnight due to a late evening flight. Perhaps it was what was available at the time? They never even mentioned it was an upgrade.

regards

 

[iheartbelle87]

I love, love, love reading about peoples upgrade stories! Even if it only happens .02322921% of the time. Keep the stories coming!

 

[windcriesamy]

Last spring when we stayed at All Star Movies, we were upgraded from a standard view with a queen bed to a pool view with a king bed! We checked in online ahead of time, but I had called at one point to extend our stay by a day and the CM noted that we were celebrating our anniversary, so I suspect that's where the pixie dust came from!