Don't Be Afraid to Ask!

Most people make their travel plans and go and are very happy with everything that they get. And while a trip to Walt Disney World is a dream-come-true type of vacation, you can make it even more!

For example: On a trip that I went on with my sister, we were staying at the Boardwalk Inn. We were traveling without the kids or husbands and were looking to be able to relax a little. So while we were checking in and chatting with the desk clerk, we asked where our room was. He said "First floor". We asked "What view?" and he said it was a parking lot view. We looked at each other and then at him and said "Justin, do we look like first-floor-parking-lot-view kind of people to you?" We said it lightly, but really, we were serious. It just so happened that a manager was standing near-by and heard our conversation and when he came over to investigate, he upgraded us (for free!) to a fifth floor, water view room! Could we have lived with the first floor room? Absolutely. Was the fifth floor better? No doubt!!

We had the same experience when we went two years earlier (again, just my sister and I) and stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We wanted to stay in a quiet section of the hotel. I know, big request being that most people there were traveling with children! But the desk clerk took our original room assignment and changed it and while we ended up with a much longer walk to our room, we had a corner room overlooking the Savannah! It was beautiful!

Don't be afraid to ask for what you want! Disney is more than happy to try and accommodate you wherever they can! Room requests are only one aspect of what you can ask about. On another trip where we were celebrating my birthday, I had on my "It's my birthday" pin and a cast member came over to talk to me and asked what I wanted for my birthday and I said that I always wanted to be the first rider of the day on Space Mountain (it was early in the morning at Magic Kingdom). Well, he escorted us under the rope and over to Space Mountain! I was pretty psyched!

Back in the day you used to be able to request a ride up in the front of the monorail. After an accident last year, Disney has suspended that policy but I had the opportunity to do that twice - because I asked!

Speak up! It's your vacation and you've paid a lot for it. There's no need to get greedy but if there is something that you would prefer or something that you would like to do (within reason), don't be afraid to ask. You may be pleasantly surprised by the answer!