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Great Smokey Mountain 1BR Dlx unable to upgrade

Wyndhamgirl

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I’m noticing a trend where the smallest units at resorts won’t allow instant upgrades. Todays issue is at Great Smokey mountain where I should be able to upgrade from a 1 BR Dlx to a 2 BR or a presidential reserve. The website completely skips the upgrade window and goes straight to the name assignment page. This is frustrating when this is a benefit I was sold and have always been able to do. It will let me upgrade from a 1 bedroom pool view to the larger presidential reserve room but that is more points. Is there anything that can be done to stop this pattern. I bought onto this for this benefit. I want the bargain when it’s available and should be able to get it!

This is a trend I am seeing often at multiple resort! The ones I can recall include Panama City LL studio and Emerald Grande 1 BR. Wyndham does not want to allow owners to upgrade from the smallest units! When you call they fill out a ticket and sometimes will reimburse the difference in points but they’re not always open to help and and even when tickets are filled out the problem is not fixed in the system:(
 

Sandy VDH

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I was able to upgrade from a 1 BR Suite to a 2 BR Lockout off Smoky Mountains, and from a 1 BR Deluxe to a 1 BR Pool view or 2 BR Deluxe at Great Smokies Lodge. I was NOT offered presidential reserve but that could just be the dates I was checking.

Since your title is sort of blend between the two I do not know what resort you were checking and I do not know what dates. But the dates I picked in February worked just fine for both resorts. So give us a better idea of location and date and let someone double check.
 

Jan M.

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I couldn't upgrade the one bedroom deluxe and called in but the person I spoke to couldn't do it either. We could both upgrade the one bedroom deluxe pool view. Other people have reported here on TUG about having this issue at this resort and it still isn't fixed but I don't know if anyone ever pursued it with owner care to have them put in a ticket on it.
 
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uscav8r

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Your limited experience is not a blanket policy or system-wide problem. I’ve gotten instant upgrades from 1BR units at Smugglers Notch and Old Towne Alexandria.

Some resorts (such as Smuggs) have different HOAs and therefore different upgrade paths. That should not be the case at Great Smokies Lodge or PCB, so not sure what is going on there.


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Wyndhamgirl

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It’s great Smokey mountain 3/3-3/8. It’s still not working today so I’ll call. Maybe if enough complaints occur they’ll realize we notice and stop limiting upgrades. Just needed to vent my frustration ‍♀️
 

Sandy VDH

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It’s great Smokey mountain 3/3-3/8. It’s still not working today so I’ll call. Maybe if enough complaints occur they’ll realize we notice and stop limiting upgrades. Just needed to vent my frustration ‍♀️

Great smokey mountain is NOT a resort. It is either:
A) Great Smokies Lodge
B) Smoky Mountains

Which one are you looking at.
 

Sandy VDH

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I got upgraded at Smoky Mountains from a 1 BR Suite to a 2 BR LO
I got upgraded at Great Smokies Lodge from a 1 BR Deluxe to a 1 BR Pool View or a 2 BR Deluxe. NO Presidential offered but I would not expect it as there is a 2 BR D available first.

What are you not getting that I am getting? Perhaps you might want to try a different browser.
 

uscav8r

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It’s great Smokey mountain 3/3-3/8. It’s still not working today so I’ll call. Maybe if enough complaints occur they’ll realize we notice and stop limiting upgrades. Just needed to vent my frustration ‍

Are you Platinum VIP? That is the only level that can instant upgrade a booking for 3/3, regardless of resort as that is still 48 days from today.

VIP Instant upgrade windows are:
30 days - Silver
45 days - Gold
60 days - Platinum


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Sandy VDH

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Are you Platinum VIP? That is the only level that can instant upgrade a booking for 3/3, regardless of resort as that is still 48 days from today.

VIP Instant upgrade windows are:
30 days - Silver
45 days - Gold
60 days - Platinum

OP profiles states PR, so that should be Platinum is it not. I don't have PR so I don't keep up to date on it.
 

uscav8r

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OP profiles states PR, so that should be Platinum is it not. I don't have PR so I don't keep up to date on it.

I can’t see profiles on Tapatalk unfortunately.

PR can be obtained via resale, so it is not exactly the same as Platinum ownership. But from what I recall, PR bought from Wyndham starts at 1 million points, and should be Platinum. (I have seen PR resale contracts for less than 1M points, though.)


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chapjim

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These are just more examples of the inconsistency in instant upgrades.
 

Wolf&Sprite

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As I suggested in another thread it is my opinion that these issues are unique to PR owners at PR resorts. I have only had the problem at PCB, Emerald Grande and the Great Smokies Lodge. I haven't tried to book other PR resorts much. I never had an issue with Bonnet Creek. It seems to only happen when there are multiple types of rooms of the same size, like UL and LL at PCB, pool view and not pool view at the Lodge. My results at EG are pretty erratic and I haven't figured out a pattern there.

But I have limited data from my own experience and a few other posts. Maybe someone else can explain it some way that doesn't involve PR ownership.
 

Sandy VDH

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I have VIPP not PR and was able to upgrade at Great Smokies Lodge. Perhaps you are on to something in the pattern.
 

chapjim

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As I suggested in another thread it is my opinion that these issues are unique to PR owners at PR resorts. I have only had the problem at PCB, Emerald Grande and the Great Smokies Lodge. I haven't tried to book other PR resorts much. I never had an issue with Bonnet Creek. It seems to only happen when there are multiple types of rooms of the same size, like UL and LL at PCB, pool view and not pool view at the Lodge. My results at EG are pretty erratic and I haven't figured out a pattern there.

But I have limited data from my own experience and a few other posts. Maybe someone else can explain it some way that doesn't involve PR ownership.

The problem at Emerald Grande, the way I see it, is that while there are units of different classes, there are really only three -- 1BR, 3BR, and PR.

There are very few 1BR units so even getting a reservation at one is a challenge. I managed to get one two or three years ago but when upgrade time came, it didn't upgrade to anything even though there were 3BR units and PR units available. So, I called a friendly reservation counselor, who pointed out something I should have noticed. A half-price 3BR Pool View unit was less expensive than my full-price 1BR unit. Booked the 3BR Pool View and loved it.

Amongst the 3BR units, there are several classes. I don't remember them all but many of the offered upgrades aren't upgrades the way most people think. You might be offered an upgrade from a 3BR Pool View to a 3BR Plus because the Plus units are larger. But, you lose any view of the harbor or Gulf. A slightly larger unit with a view of US 98 is not what most people would consider an upgrade. I don't particularly like Harbor Views but that's me. The view is too cluttered and you lose the sun midday.

Finally, one of the managers at Emerald Grande told me that you can't upgrade to a Presidential unit. This was when all the Presidential units were low in the building (offering less of a view of the bay and Gulf than Pool View units higher in the building). At that time, the same manager said the 4BR units were not available to Wyndham owners. That has changed and maybe it is possible to upgrade to a 4BR Pres unit.

I posted a unit map on an earlier post. It helps immensely in figuring out what units are where.
 

Crafty71

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Amongst the 3BR units, there are several classes. I don't remember them all but many of the offered upgrades aren't upgrades the way most people think. You might be offered an upgrade from a 3BR Pool View to a 3BR Plus because the Plus units are larger. But, you lose any view of the harbor or Gulf. A slightly larger unit with a view of US 98 is not what most people would consider an upgrade. I don't particularly like Harbor Views but that's me. The view is too cluttered and you lose the sun midday.
I have consistently had a similar experience at Smugglers Notch resort (my home resort)...they have many different unit sizes and categories (took me a while to get them all straight in my head...). When I want to make a reservation within the sixty (60) day window for discount and/or upgrade, if there is a 1-bedroom deluxe, a 2-bedroom and a 2-bedroom deluxe available, if I book the 1-bedroom deluxe, I get "upgraded" to the regular 2-bedroom, not the 2-bedroom deluxe...except the # of points required for each unit is identical.

It works to my advantage IF a 3-bedroom deluxe is available, because then I can get upgraded from a regular 2-bedroom to a 3-bedroom deluxe, but if a 3-bedroom is not available >>> :(.

Cheers!
 

chapjim

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I have consistently had a similar experience at Smugglers Notch resort (my home resort)...they have many different unit sizes and categories (took me a while to get them all straight in my head...). When I want to make a reservation within the sixty (60) day window for discount and/or upgrade, if there is a 1-bedroom deluxe, a 2-bedroom and a 2-bedroom deluxe available, if I book the 1-bedroom deluxe, I get "upgraded" to the regular 2-bedroom, not the 2-bedroom deluxe...except the # of points required for each unit is identical.

It works to my advantage IF a 3-bedroom deluxe is available, because then I can get upgraded from a regular 2-bedroom to a 3-bedroom deluxe, but if a 3-bedroom is not available >>> :(.

Cheers!

I've booked a couple of 3BR Presidential units at Smuggs this winter, upgraded from a 1BR of some kind. Listed them for rent, no nibbles, canceled them. I try to keep the reservations in Owls but I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to Smuggs. Too big, too many HOAs and villages, too many different class of units, too expensive to book units, and I pity ol' Dad who has to pay for all those rentals, lessons, passes, and lift tickets for the family.
 
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