I notified HWV via e-mail as stated but no one was at KOA when I arrived (on time and as scheduled) in July 2007.
Not a big deal to me because I think that through "regular" check-in at the HWV, I received a much better upgrade (two-room ocean-view suite on the sixth floor of the Ocean Tower, with free rollaways -- and more importantly, plenty of extra room and space -- for my two kids).