How does instant upgrade work?

Hi there! We generally use my in-laws Wyndham points to book at Bonnet Creek for an annual Disney trip. My MIL is wonderful, but doesn't really understand a whole lot about how their Wyndham contracts work and so I have tried to learn more so I can help her maximize her points. I was talking to another owner, lamenting the high points for a 2 bedroom the week I needed and he asked me what level my in-laws are and said he thought it had now changed to an instant upgrade so we could book a 1 bedroom and automatically get a 2 bedroom, which is different from the 60 days out upgrade check I knew you could do. They are silver members. Can anyone explain this to me more?

Thanks so much!
Melissa

Silver VIP provides for upgrades 30 days before check in subject to availability

So if a three bedroom had been available inside 30 days, you could have upgraded to a 3 bedroom. (And if you had a one bedroom reserved and if a 2 bedroom was available inside 30 days you could upgrade into it)

Here's what it says on the website

CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Resort Unit Upgrades/Instant Upgrade Feature
Receive one (1) upgrade on existing reservations to the next desirable unit available. Receive an instant upgrade at the time of booking to the next desirable unit available Within 30 days of check-in date

CadensMommy said:

Hi there! We generally use my in-laws Wyndham points to book at Bonnet Creek for an annual Disney trip. My MIL is wonderful, but doesn't really understand a whole lot about how their Wyndham contracts work and so I have tried to learn more so I can help her maximize her points. I was talking to another owner, lamenting the high points for a 2 bedroom the week I needed and he asked me what level my in-laws are and said he thought it had now changed to an instant upgrade so we could book a 1 bedroom and automatically get a 2 bedroom, which is different from the 60 days out upgrade check I knew you could do. They are silver members. Can anyone explain this to me more?

Thanks so much!
Melissa

Click to expand...

There are 2 ways to upgrade.
1. Call in and ask the call center reps to see if an upgrade is available for your reservation.
2. Log into their account online and click on the last column VIP Status Upgrade. It will show if an upgrade is available and you click on the larger size unit to upgrade.

I'm guessing they may not have set themselves up to be able to access their account online. It isn't that difficult to do, you just need their account number, names, address, etc. then set them up with a user name and password. Sounds like you can be a big help to them in assisting them with booking stays and getting upgrades.

Thank you both! That is how I thought it worked but my friend was telling me he thought the upgrade was automatic. I appreciate the input! I think they do have the online account, but am not sure she really knows how to utilize everything available to her!

CadensMommy said:

Thank you both! That is how I thought it worked but my friend was telling me he thought the upgrade was automatic. I appreciate the input! I think they do have the online account, but am not sure she really knows how to utilize everything available to her!

Click to expand...

The automatic part is being able to see in your online account when an upgrade is available so you can act on it. Before that we would have to call in at 30 days just to see if there was anything. I can remember calling in every day for a month to see if an upgrade had become available.

ronparise said:

Silver VIP provides for upgrades 30 days before check in subject to availability

So if a three bedroom had been available inside 30 days, you could have upgraded to a 3 bedroom. (And if you had a one bedroom reserved and if a 2 bedroom was available inside 30 days you could upgrade into it)

Here's what it says on the website

CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Resort Unit Upgrades/Instant Upgrade Feature
Receive one (1) upgrade on existing reservations to the next desirable unit available. Receive an instant upgrade at the time of booking to the next desirable unit available Within 30 days of check-in date

Click to expand...

And, the "next desirable unit available" isn't always a limitation. Sometimes, there are two or three more desirable units and it is possible to upgrade into any of them.

chapjim said:

And, the "next desirable unit available" isn't always a limitation. Sometimes, there are two or three more desirable units and it is possible to upgrade into any of them.

Click to expand...

Presuming the ones in between don't get in the way.

OP, "automatic" basically means if it's available then you have to do it when you are aware it is available. WYN is not going to do it for us. Also keep in mind that if you booked a 2BR unit but want a 1BR-to-2BR upgrade, the upgrade has to come FROM the 1BR TO the 2BR. So you have to have an already booked 1BR, for the same dates, that will upgrade into the available 2BR.

As Ron has explained many times, mega-renters will pull both a 1BR unit and a 2BR unit for the same dates. At the 30 / 60 day mark (depending on VIP level) they will cancel the 2BR and then "upgrade" it in the online system when the 2BR unit comes back. It is no longer immediate online and sometimes the larger unit gets lost in the process.

If you want to practice the process (presuming your MIL has unlimited transactions) find a resort with lots of availability at the 30-day window, log in and do a short-stay search of 2-3 days, and a 1-2 day overlap of the dates in the search criteria.

Usually the winter mountain / inland properties will have more availability that anything beach, urban or coastal. Stay away from holiday dates because those will usually be stripped out months in advance. The online system will show you the "available upgrade" which will be an option to select and that qualifies for the "automatic" version of the upgrade. It's always based on availability.

If you see a 1BR, 2BR, 3BR and you want to go from 1-3, you cannot jump the 2BR. ChapJim isn't wrong, it can be done, (and done all the time by mega-renters) but it takes a bit of wrangling.

Some call this process abuse of the system. Others, not unlike yourself, consider it "maximizing" points. Wyndham created the VIP levels and gave them benefits of how to use their points. Good for you to be interested enough to help the MIL figure it out!