staying at the miami edition for my birthday! used my points, and am a platinum elite member. any ideas on how to ask the hotel if they do anything nice for birthdays? also, how to get upgrades?
1) add a comment to your reservation that it a birthday is involved. 
2) email/call the gm or concierge and let them know
hi, diane! if you would like to upgrade your current ticket to an annual passes, simply take your confirmation numbers, paper tickets, magicbands, whatever you have to a guest relations location (my favorite is in downtown disney - the cast members there are amazing!) they will see what you currently have, give a value for it, and will apply that to the purchase of your annual pass. you can also try to call ahead to see if this is something you can do over the phone, but i am not 100% sure on that. please allow plenty of time as the lines have been a bit long at guest relations the last few times i have been to walt disney world. everyone is getting their magicband issues figured out, so plan to make the upgrade maybe on the day you arrive. then you will be set and ready to hit the parks the next day. i hope you enjoy all the fun benefits of an annual pass! i absolutely love my pass and all the great discounts that go along with it. have a great time on your magical holiday. you can actually pay off that balance today. i’ve used disney gift cards to pay for my stays at disney resort hotels many times over the years. just call (407) 939-5722 to speak to a resort reservation specialist, they will be happy to help you! hi misty! i love the in-room celebrations! they are amazing and so much fun to experience! the dream makers really go all out to make the celebrations special, and i think are well worth the money. i think your daughter is just going to love it! tell your daughter happy birthday from me! have a magical vacation! amanda i recommend you call a cast member at 407-934-7639. they will be happy to note your additional room request. when you call in, let them know what is most important to you (location or king bed). while room requests are never guaranteed, the cast members want your vacation to be as magical as possible. they will do all they can to accommodate your requests. hi carrie! my own daughter spent many of her teenage birthdays in walt disney world and each one is memorable! there are many great things you can do to make this special for her 16th birthday. think about a special cake to be made and delivered to the restaurant on her big day. call the cake hotline, 407-827-2253, to discuss your ideas. make sure you get the dining reservation for a special dinner by calling or doing it on line 180 days out from your arrival date. check out the floral and room decoration options by going to www.disneyflorist.com. these cast members can truly make a room magical for your daughter. you might also consider booking a special tour for her and her friend. many have age restrictions so be sure and check that out. this might be just the time for her to learn how to maneuver a segway around epcot or fort wilderness! click here to see the listing of disney tours. if the budget allows consider booking a fireworks cruise either for illuminations or the magic kingdom show. you will have the boat to yourself and can order cakes, food, and drinks to be on the boat for a special occasion. on a lighter note i often made scavenger hunts for my children and their friends on their birthday. it would either be in one park or a few with the reward for finishing worthy of a birthday surprise! to this day they still talk about some of the hilarious things they did! walt disney world is the perfect spot for anyone's birthday and no matter what you choose to do for your daughter it will be a fun and successful vacation for all! hello and welcome to the disney parks moms panel! once you book a room at a walt disney world resort, you are more than welcome to take advantage of disney's magical express. simply call (407)939-1936 and a cast member will be happy to book your seat on dme. have your reservation and flight information handy in order to speed things along. thank you so much for visiting the disney parks moms panel. please join us again real soon should any new questions or concerns pop-up. may your upcoming wdw vacation be filled with many new and magical memories. diane's tip of the day: looking for some unique shopping and dining experiences? disney springs is a great way to wind down your day after a full day in the parks. there is something for the whole family, so make sure to check it out. have a magical day and see you real soon! ~diane g. hi melinda, yes you can definitely charge restaurant tips to your room, as long as you have enabled charges to your card. i did that last trip as for me it is much easier to just hand my key to the world card to the server rather than carry cash around the parks. you can also pay using a credit card. have a great trip and if you haven't done so already call 407-939-3463 to make your dining reservations, jo hi christine, disney is such a wonderful place to spend your anniversary! it's really tough to say right now what the crowd levels will be like on any particular day in june. you'll often find though that if one park is crowded, they all are, so i think it should come down to which fireworks show you want to watch on your anniversary. personally, as much as i love illuminations, i would choose wishes. the theme is just so magical and the soundtrack makes me teary everytime i hear it. it's perfect to watch with your spouse. to make your evening extra special, you may want to make reservations for the tomorrowland terrace fireworks dessert party. this would give you a really nice location to watch wishes from and it's a great party. i hope this helps and that you have a wonderful vacation and a happy anniversary! kaylene hi sabrina, november is a great time of the year to visit the walt disney world resorts. you have the cooler weather and you will see the beginning of the transformation to the holiday season. you all do not need to upgrade your tickets to the annual pass. you can have just your husband and sons upgrade their tickets. the only catch would be if you are on the disney dining plan. this is because your tickets are tied to the disney dining plan. if you did purchase the disney dining plan, you may not be able to upgrade because the annual passholders are only eligible for the disney dining plan at select times. you might want to purchase the annual passes prior to your arrival on this trip. you might be eligible for a room discount and other discounts on food and merchandise. annual passholders can also purchase a dining card, tables in wonderland, to receive a discount on meals. i would reach out to disney at 407-939-1936. wishing you a magical vacation! beth hi gina! dinner at the grand floridian's victoria and albert's is truly a memorable experience. you will experience the ultimate in fine dining at this award-winning restaurant. the setting is gorgeous, and the food is fantastic. guests must be aged 10 and above. reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (407) 939-3862 up to 180 days prior to your arrival. hope this helps gina! write us back with any other questions as you plan your magical vacation!