Reservation failing to upgrade

[regatta333]

This is not the first time that this has happened. I have a studio booked for a 4-night reservation. I requested an upgrade to a larger unit. We are now within the 45-day window for VIP gold upgrades. A 1BD unit has been available for several days now, but my reservation has not upgraded. When I called Wyndham they are giving me excuses as to how the upgrades work, that units are held back for "resale" (whatever that means) and that there is a priority queue for upgrades. I said that in that case, the unit should have already been assigned. She said I needed to check the owner's guide for the rules on upgrades. I asked her to point me to where in the directory I could find that and while I was checking it, she hung up on me.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

[paxsarah]

People have.
A recent thread: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/vip-room-upgrade-limitations.377074/
An older thread: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/auto-upgrade-process-recent-experiences.358961/

 

[Floridaman76]

I dunno, maybe try re-booking it. I have seen instant upgrades work more reliably than auto upgrades at the upgrade window.

Cancel and re-book if you have the ability.

But for whatever it is worth, I booked two suites in October in Williamsburg, one at Patriots Place and one at Kingsgate, and both hit the upgrade window today, and both auto upgraded. I booked both during the 50% off sale a few weeks back, and was going to keep whichever one upgraded. And they both upgraded...

So I guess my choice is stay at Kingsgate and pay the resort fee, or stay at Patriots Place one last time before it closes... Difference in points is minimal.

 

[Pink_Warrior]

I had a HUGE go round with them today, starting at 8am.

I am in my 14 day window. I requested a PR unit at a PR resort. One popped up in availabilty. Maybe I'll get it. Nope!

So last night I see another unit. I grabbed it and called in. Nope!

So the excuses that I heard:

*Upgrades are NOT guaranteed.

*It will not upgrade if there is only one unit available during the period. (Wrong! I second one popped up so I picked them both up and dropped them. Still no upgrade.)

My personal favorite though:

You don't get upgraded until you check in at the resort. So units go into inventory so that others may book them, hence taking away your upgrade at check-in.

"I'm sorry. Excuse me??"

I was disconnected well over a half dozen times. The PR line could not transfer me over to owner resolution without disconnecting. So I called on the non-PR line. They answered and told me that they could not see my account as I had to use the PR line.

One time they sent me to the Spanish line.

Is it too much to ask that the customer service line doesn't treat the customer like they are stupid (and wrong!)

 

[Sandi Bo]

How awful, really... I haven't tried to fight this battle for a long time. But yes, I have heard all of those excuses and a few more. My favorite might be that someone else is ahead of me and so I didn't get it. Meanwhile, anyone can book the unit. They REALLY need to bring back the functionality we had pre-voyager where we (or a VC) could upgrade a unit if an upgrade is available. It is a lost VIP benefit and I just don't how we get Wyndham's attention on this. Besides the incredibly horrible customer service and insane things they make up and thing we'll believe.

@HitchHiker71 is this something you can take to Wyndham? Auto upgrades do not work as they should. Why can't the old functionality of us selecting and upgrade, if it's available. We've also lost the ability to upgrade from a deluxe to a presidential unit of the same unit size. But surely they could bring back the ability to upgrade to an eligible room if it becomes available after our initial booking?

 

[chapjim]

How awful, really... I haven't tried to fight this battle for a long time. But yes, I have heard all of those excuses and a few more. My favorite might be that someone else is ahead of me and so I didn't get it. Meanwhile, anyone can book the unit. They REALLY need to bring back the functionality we had pre-voyager where we (or a VC) could upgrade a unit if an upgrade is available. It is a lost VIP benefit and I just don't how we get Wyndham's attention on this. Besides the incredibly horrible customer service and insane things they make up and think we'll believe.

@HitchHiker71 is this something you can take to Wyndham? Auto upgrades do not work as they should. Why can't the old functionality of us selecting and upgrade, if it's available. We've also lost the ability to upgrade from a deluxe to a presidential unit of the same unit size. But surely they could bring back the ability to upgrade to an eligible room if it becomes available after our initial booking?

They're in training for positions in Sales.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I had a HUGE go round with them today, starting at 8am.

I am in my 14 day window. I requested a PR unit at a PR resort. One popped up in availabilty. Maybe I'll get it. Nope!

So last night I see another unit. I grabbed it and called in. Nope!

So the excuses that I heard:

*Upgrades are NOT guaranteed.

*It will not upgrade if there is only one unit available during the period. (Wrong! I second one popped up so I picked them both up and dropped them. Still no upgrade.)

My personal favorite though:

You don't get upgraded until you check in at the resort. So units go into inventory so that others may book them, hence taking away your upgrade at check-in.

"I'm sorry. Excuse me??"

I was disconnected well over a half dozen times. The PR line could not transfer me over to owner resolution without disconnecting. So I called on the non-PR line. They answered and told me that they could not see my account as I had to use the PR line.

One time they sent me to the Spanish line.

Is it too much to ask that the customer service line doesn't treat the customer like they are stupid (and wrong!)

That's really terrible.

I had a tiny 1 bed suite at Branson Meadows and was never upgraded. I was hoping for an upgrade and saw larger units. I called one day, when I saw a one bedroom deluxe and was told that upgrades happen at check-in, no longer ahead of time. We were only there for 3 days, and it was okay. For a unit so small, it was arranged well. We realized the first morning that opening the curtains/ blinds in the bedroom was not a great thing to do, as the bedroom was a view of the walkway to the stairs and to the elevator. And we woke to a leaf blower right outside our window that first day.

The place didn't look that busy. We never had issues parking our car. Busy times, it's tougher to find a parking place.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Instant upgrade at time of booking works if units are available.

The background batch upgrade process is a crap shoot. By my observations it works about 15% of the time, when a larger unit is sitting out in inventory. Now that might not be my reservation that is top priority in the queue to get it, but days go by and I didn't get it and I guess someone else didn't get it either because it is still out there.

 

[Floridaman76]

I've had really good luck this calendar year for both instant upgrades and auto upgrades. It seemed like when they did the big website upgrade in 2020 the auto upgrades didn't work as well as they used to but they seemed to have fixed it.

Auto upgrades this year:
January: Ocean Blvd 1BR DLX Lower Level to a 2BR DLX Ocean Front Upper Level in tower 2
February: Star Island 1BR suite to 2BR LO
July: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO
October: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO
October: Kingsgate 1BR Suite to 2BR DLX

And also had 5 instant upgrades including 3 at Ocean Walk from 1BR suites to 3BR DLX.

I think my only booking this year I didn't get upgraded was my week at Nashville, but it was booked way in advance and it was a high demand week in April

 

[chapjim]

I've had really good luck this calendar year for both instant upgrades and auto upgrades. It seemed like when they did the big website upgrade in 2020 the auto upgrades didn't work as well as they used to but they seemed to have fixed it.

Auto upgrades this year:
January: Ocean Blvd 1BR DLX Lower Level to a 2BR DLX Ocean Front Upper Level in tower 2
February: Star Island 1BR suite to 2BR LO
July: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO
October: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO
October: Kingsgate 1BR Suite to 2BR DLX

And also had 5 instant upgrades including 3 at Ocean Walk from 1BR suites to 3BR DLX.

I think my only booking this year I didn't get upgraded was my week at Nashville, but it was booked way in advance and it was a high demand week in April

I'm just guessing that many of the upgraded reservations were relatively short (e.g., three or four nights). Longer reservations seem less likely to be upgraded, both auto and instant. Also, I think reservations that start and end on a weekend day, especially Saturday, are more likely to be upgraded.

 

[FL Guy]

And also had 5 instant upgrades including 3 at Ocean Walk from 1BR suites to 3BR DLX.

I thought they only did 1 level upgrades: 1BR to 2BR?

 

[Floridaman76]

I'm just guessing that many of the upgraded reservations were relatively short (e.g., three or four nights). Longer reservations seem less likely to be upgraded, both auto and instant. Also, I think reservations that start and end on a weekend day, especially Saturday, are more likely to be upgraded.

Nope, all but one of them was at least a week:
January: Ocean Blvd 1BR DLX Lower Level to a 2BR DLX Ocean Front Upper Level in tower 2 (8 nights)(sat-sun)
February: Star Island 1BR suite to 2BR LO (7 nights)(sun-sun)
July: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO (6 nights (mon-sun) (i had to book KG Sat/Sun)
October: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO (8 nights (sat-sun)
October: Kingsgate 1BR Suite to 2BR DLX (8 nights (sat-sun)

I will be cancelling one of the Williamsburg October reservations. I booked both hoping one of them would upgrade, but they both did.

 

[Floridaman76]

I thought they only did 1 level upgrades: 1BR to 2BR?

If you book a 1BR or suite, and there is no 2BR available, but there is a 3BR available, it will upgrade you to a 3BR. I've done this at other resorts like BC too.

Also at some resorts, such as Ocean Blvd, where they have "better view" or "bigger room" presented as an option, you will sometimes be presented with the option to upgrade from a 1BR to either a 2BR Ocean Front or 3BR Deluxe. I've seen this before.

But the trick is, usually there cannot be "the next sized room" available, or you will get that.

 

[chapjim]

Nope, all but one of them was at least a week:
January: Ocean Blvd 1BR DLX Lower Level to a 2BR DLX Ocean Front Upper Level in tower 2 (8 nights)(sat-sun)
February: Star Island 1BR suite to 2BR LO (7 nights)(sun-sun)
July: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO (6 nights (mon-sun) (i had to book KG Sat/Sun)
October: Patriots Place 1BR DLX to 2BR LO (8 nights (sat-sun)
October: Kingsgate 1BR Suite to 2BR DLX (8 nights (sat-sun)

I will be cancelling one of the Williamsburg October reservations. I booked both hoping one of them would upgrade, but they both did.

You have the touch!

 

[Floridaman76]

You have the touch!

I think I have been extremely lucky lately, admittedly. But also I think behind the scenes, things WERE broke for a while, and they fixed some of it.

Also I do have a couple tricks and know where to look for inventory. Some resorts are easier than others to get upgrades at.

I'm leaving tomorrow to go to Ocean Walk in Daytona, got instant upgraded from a suite to a 3BR Deluxe which is an Ocean Front room. Luck would have it that there's going to be a hurrican skating by on Monday or Tuesday, but that's not stopping me. This is my second trip to this resort in the last 4 months, both times got upgraded from a suite to a 3BR Deluxe

In 2026 with all these resorts closing, I think it's going to be "game over" for upgrades in a lot of cases. Especially in Williamsburg.

 

[FL Guy]

I think I have been extremely lucky lately, admittedly. But also I think behind the scenes, things WERE broke for a while, and they fixed some of it.

Also I do have a couple tricks and know where to look for inventory. Some resorts are easier than others to get upgrades at.

I'm leaving tomorrow to go to Ocean Walk in Daytona, got instant upgraded from a suite to a 3BR Deluxe which is an Ocean Front room. Luck would have it that there's going to be a hurrican skating by on Monday or Tuesday, but that's not stopping me. This is my second trip to this resort in the last 4 months, both times got upgraded from a suite to a 3BR Deluxe

In 2026 with all these resorts closing, I think it's going to be "game over" for upgrades in a lot of cases. Especially in Williamsburg.

You have been lucky!

I'm checking in at Ocean Walk tomorrow too. I got upgraded, but only from a 1BR to a 2BR.

At Ocean Blvd last year I got upgraded from a 1-BR to a 2-BR, but it came with a definite downside of my view being changed from ocean view, which I had booked to street view for the 2-BR unit. I wasn't happy about that, but at check-in they told me there was nothing they could do about it because they were fully booked and no 2-BR ocean view units were available. When I went to the owner update, I complained to them also. Of course, they told me they knew there were 2-BR ocean view rooms available, but I needed to buy more points before I was eligible for that upgrade. Ugh.

 

[Floridaman76]

At Ocean Blvd, if you got a street view you must have been moved to Tower 4 which is across the street (not beach side).

The only tower there that has 1BR units is Tower 2 and they are all ocean view. So it's definitely possibly to be moved from a 1BR ocean view to a unit in tower 4, of which very few units have any sort of view, and what you do have is looking across the street and inbetween buildings.

Technically all the units in Towers 1-3 are either ocean view or ocean front. But the very last unit at the ends of each building, the only ocean view you actually can get is by going out on the balcony and REALLY looking out towards the ocean. I've been in the second to farthest unit back a time or 2.

But if you need the space, an upgrade is great.

Towers on the Grove offers strictly "street view" units which view West and have no ocean view at all.

Also some Florida resorts do not have the ability to specify ocean view or not, in fact I think all of them do not. You can get an inland facing unit at Clearwater, Sea Gardens, Royall Vista, Ocean Walk and Mystic Sun because it;'s complete luck of the draw.

 

[FL Guy]

At Ocean Walk I always request the South Tower, ocean front. The South Tower is supposedly predominately condominium units, with some Wyndham units. They always tell me that they cannot guarantee any location request but will try to honor the request. So far, my request has always been granted. I was told by someone at Ocean Walk that "ocean view" only means that you can see the water from your balcony, but "ocean front" means that your balcony faces directly toward the water. I believe all the 1-BR units in the North Tower are street view, while at least some of the 1-BR units in the South Tower are ocean front.

 

[Floridaman76]

At Ocean Walk I always request the South Tower, ocean front. The South Tower is supposedly predominately condominium units, with some Wyndham units. They always tell me that they cannot guarantee any location request but will try to honor the request. So far, my request has always been granted. I was told by someone at Ocean Walk that "ocean view" only means that you can see the water from your balcony, but "ocean front" means that your balcony faces directly toward the water. I believe all the 1-BR units in the North Tower are street view, while at least some of the 1-BR units in the South Tower are ocean front.

A trick at Ocean Walk is all 2BR Standard LockOffs (not 2BR Deluxe LockOffs) and all 3BR Deluxe and 4BR Presidential units are ocean FRONT. The 3 and 4BR units are also all in the North tower.

2BR Deluxe and 1 BR Deluxe is a crap shoot as far as views go. Some have West (inland) facing units, some have partial Ocean views and some are ocean front. And NO 1BR Suites have any external views, they have a window into an internal corridoor. I have never stayed in the South Tower, but yes it's mostly privately owned condos. I believe Wyndham owns all units in the North Tower there.