Free Upgrade E-mail Offer?

[dahunter1129]

My BFF just called me, and said that she got an e-mail with an offer for a free upgrade from All Start Sports to either Old Key West or Saratoga Springs for our trip in September. The upgrade is for a studio at either. Has anyone else gotten this offer, and if so, are there any "strings"? Also, which would you take, and why? She is on hold with WDW as we speak. TIA.

[scoobydooby]

Take either before they change their minds!! I'd go for SS for the spa and proximity to DTD.

[dahunter1129]

That's what I said!!!! Actually, I told her "Call them NOW!!! Do NOT pass Go, do not collect $200.00...." I will let everyone know what happens when she calls me back. I checked, and those studios are $295.00 a night. That is about a $200 a night free upgrade. I wonder what's up?

[momof three]

My friend got this offer e-mailed to her on Thursday. They had two rooms booked (4 kids) at one of The All Stars (I think music.) She called asap and was on hold for about 20 minutes but got two studios at OKW. They are traveling 9/14-9/21. They have free dining and now the upgrade. She is so doing the Disney Happy dance.

I am wondering if Disney is doing the same thing they do on their cruise ships. Upgrading those who have early reservations to rooms that would be empty and then selling the low end rooms to get those resort full. Better to have low rate sales then no sales and empty rooms.

Anyone else get this offer?

Mily

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

I just went through a mini emotional roller coaster! I just saw this thread and rushed and checked my dh email and saw that he got the same thing on Thurs. So, then I was in a panic, because I knew the offer was great--but limited. So I did a hurried 2 min google search on the 2 resorts and the wdw map to see locations. Then my husband called while I was in the other room prematurely doing my disney dance--only to be told that there is no availability. I was brokenhearted! I actually cried for a minute! haha! I went from disbelief to excitement to anxiousness then panic then pure excitement (not w/o the dancing--literally) then major disappointment. I can't believe that booked so fast! He got it just Thurs! The CM said to check back in case of cancellations. We have till Aug 1 to get the deal. Oh well, I can't complain. Thanks for the info, though.

:(

[momof three]

Erin keep the pin code and call back around seven a.m. everyday. People do cancel. They update this in the late night /early am hours. If you call first thing you may get lucky and snag a cancellation. If not think how blessed you are to be going at all. That's all that matters. No matter where you stay you are going to be at WDW.

Mily

[dahunter1129]

They told my BFF to call back at 7 AM Monday...no rooms right now.

[Drince88]

I THINK (a dangerous thing ;)) that OKW is the only one with Studios that have 2 queen beds. I believe that Saratoga and all the others have a fold out bed and a queen.

If that makes any difference to your traveling group....

[TinaMouse]

Uh oh! Cathy's THINKING AGAIN! :p (Actually, I bow to your wisdom, O Great One! he-he)

Do you think that with the economy, all of the values are 100% capacity all of the time and maybe they're moving people around so that other, less full resorts get some occupancy???

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Do you think that with the economy, all of the values are 100% capacity all of the time and maybe they're moving people around so that other, less full resorts get some occupancy???

I think it's a combination of less congestion in value resorts and at the same time selling dvc.

or someone suggested on another thread that with the free upgrades from value rooms to rooms that otherwise aren't filling. They can sell the lower cost rooms to people trying to get in. I've heard that the value and moderate are full and a lot of people right now just can't pay for deluxe.

idk...those are my theories.

[dahunter1129]

I think it's a combination of less congestion in value resorts and at the same time selling dvc.

or someone suggested on another thread that with the free upgrades from value rooms to rooms that otherwise aren't filling. They can sell the lower cost rooms to people trying to get in. I've heard that the value and moderate are full and a lot of people right now just can't pay for deluxe.

idk...those are my theories.

I think the same...with this economy, the only rooms that are booking are the values. And since the deluxes cost more to operate, they might as well fill them up and "re-sell" the values.

[scoobydooby]

Actually I got an e mail offer a while back (not for a booked trip, just a general offer) for 42% off OKW or SS. Not at a time we were planning to travel but it was for those same resorts as noted above, so perhaps they are not selling well?

[absolutedisneyfan]

Hello. I received the same email upgrade offer, once I booked my reservation for a standard room at All Star Sports in September. I immediately called and accepted this upgrade. Now we will enjoy a one bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs resort instead, and best of all, it's free!!!! Enjoy your vacation!

[Sarah32384]

I am so sad that we're not included in this . . . we're going in September and it'll be my boyfriend's first trip to Walt Disney World. How special would that have been! Oh well. Maybe next time. =(

[shna]

I wonder if they're offering any upgrades from Moderates to Deluxes. :p We're going in September, and our final payment is due on Friday.

*crosses her fingers, acknowledging that it most likely ain't gonna happen*

[TinaMouse]

OOh---I'd like getting upgraded from Pop standard to Poly, Concierge please!:D

[absolutedisneyfan]

hello...you're wondering the same thing I was concerned about. are the upgrades only offered to value resort guests? I had a standard view room reserved at All Star Sports, and received an upgrade to a 1 bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs. I received my emailed upgrade offer 2 days after I made my final payment. I hope you have a magical vacation!!

[danyoung]

My understanding is that the value resorts are booked solid for the latter part of September. It's something of a no brainer for Disney to try to relocate people to the DVC properties that don't have much occupancy this time of year, and then open up more value inventory to sell. Makes money for them, makes people happy to get the upgrade, and does a great sales job for the DVC. Talk about yer win-win-win!!!

[shna]

If you're moved to one of the DVC properties, do you still have free transportation within the resort complex? Can you still have purchases delivered back to your hotel? Are there dining options at the DVC properties?

[dahunter1129]

OOh---I'd like getting upgraded from Pop standard to Poly, Concierge please!:D

Oooh, me too! Although I would prefer to be upgraded to the Contemporary, MK view, if you please....

[Drince88]

If you're moved to one of the DVC properties, do you still have free transportation within the resort complex? Can you still have purchases delivered back to your hotel? Are there dining options at the DVC properties?

Yes, yes, and yes. :) And yes, DME is available. And Extra Magic Hours. It's just another resort (and Disney will do a cash basis reservation at DVC resorts, it's just treated as another resort.)

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

I just went through a mini emotional roller coaster! I just saw this thread and rushed and checked my dh email and saw that he got the same thing on Thurs. So, then I was in a panic, because I knew the offer was great--but limited. So I did a hurried 2 min google search on the 2 resorts and the wdw map to see locations. Then my husband called while I was in the other room prematurely doing my disney dance--only to be told that there is no availability. I was brokenhearted! I actually cried for a minute! haha! I went from disbelief to excitement to anxiousness then panic then pure excitement (not w/o the dancing--literally) then major disappointment. I can't believe that booked so fast! He got it just Thurs! The CM said to check back in case of cancellations. We have till Aug 1 to get the deal. Oh well, I can't complain. Thanks for the info, though.

:(


Okay, I have an update!!! We've been calling off and on since we got the email on Saturday and no such luck anytime. My husband even called this afternoon and the CM basically told us that we won the disney lottery to even get the email and that it's completely random and that we had practically zero chance of getting it now. Well...my husband called again early this evening expecting to hear "no availability" and the CM said very casually, like it was no big deal, "okay, I've got you in a 1 bdrm villa at Saratoga Springs." He was in complete shock! When he saw me later tonight, he was casually telling me a story and slipped in that we got it and I
thought I heard wrong! When I finally believed him, I started crying! I'm such a dork! It takes a lot of worries away for me and this trip. I was worried about my daughter not napping well, but we'll have a separate room now. Plus, now we'll have a full kitchen, which will be awesome for breakfast time. So, now we won't be in as much of a rush in the morning.

I never won anything before. It feels great! Persistence pays off! If you got this email last Thurs, I suggest you just keep trying, because YOU NEVER KNOOOOOW...maybe they added more rooms to the promotion???

Oh, and on top of that, we got a $70 refund!! How did that work out??? Well, we're not complaining.

[Drince88]

You got a free upgrade from a Value regular room to a 1 bedroom at a DVC?

MAJOR SWEET!!!!

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

You got a free upgrade from a Value regular room to a 1 bedroom at a DVC?

MAJOR SWEET!!!!

Oh, no--not free. They paid us $70 to take it! We couldn't refuse! ;)

[MrsGrumpy]

Oh, no--not free. They paid us $70 to take it! We couldn't refuse! ;)
Congratualtions!

That's AWESOME!!!