So I have been telling DH about CL rooms, and he cannot wrap his head around the "free beer" (yes I know it is part of the price for that level room). He is convinced there must be a limit to the amount of beer a person can get from the lounge each day. Is there? And when is it available? Thanks!
Deidre
So, I know that the questions I am about to ask have been asked a hundred and one times, but, I have been sifting through all of these threads and can't seem to find very basic info.
Basically, until coming across this thread I had no idea this existed.
So, what's the deal... Do you pay a fee to be club level or do you have to book a certain room? Can you do CL if you are DVC? Are you allowed to bring drinks and food back to your room or do you have to leave snacks and alcohol in the concierges club lever room?
DVC resorts and CL are two different options. More or less you pay a fee to be on CL compared to regular prices- AND - they are their own room category. With the 30%off-type deals WDW usually offers it often works out to be about $140 day. It is a flat rate fee on the room. It doesn't matter if there is one person or four. So obviously it is a lesser deal for a solo guest. A solo guest is not likely to benefit $150/per day, IMO. I have seen plenty of business guests doing just that at convention resorts, so they must think it worth the added convenience.
Each resort has it's own quirks. At BC, the rooms are mostly all on two floors, at Poly the CL rooms are all in one building. the rooms themselves are no different from regular rooms. Each resort has it's own categories. Most CL's have 'standard' view rooms (often on the parking lot side), and garden/deluxe/theme park view rooms. the easiest thing is to go to WDW's website, look up the resort you want and look at each description. Usually, the DVC resorts are separate resorts altogether. There are no CL rooms at say, Saratoga Springs or Bay Lake Tower.
One more room option at the deluxes (non DVC) are the suites. They are similar to DVC, in that they are one, two and three bedroom suites. They also have access to the CL. They also run like $900 -$3300 per night, and are rarely - to my knowledge - offered at a discount. (except maybe WDW corporate partner CEO's and celebrities )
You are allowed to bring food to your room from the lounge. The limits are largely limits of practicality. The CL are also full of families; they are not pubs. Food in your room = dirty plates. You can bring drinks to the pool in paper cups. How many are you willing to carry?
Another limit is the tiny dorm fridge/drink cooler. They are tiny, not very cold. Too small for a dessert sized plate. We've never tried beer. CL wine is by the glass, so also no good. Dunno if the staff would give you a full bottle. Maybe. Room service will.
As far as limits on beer...there was a lively discussion a few pages back on food/drink limits. I don't care to rehash all the points. Please do read back a few pages. One limit is that you have to go to the lounge in your resort only. Via bus, that's an hour away from most e-rides. Even a one way trip pool to lounge can be a ten+ minute walk.
Another limitation is that food is only offered during certain hours. Beer/wine are on the line from 5-7pm each day. Cordials are out from 8pm-10pm. Beyond that, you are allowed to ask the CM for a beer, and they will get you one. (say, noon to 10pm) I don't really pay much attention to the other guests, but most are families. It's not like the CL lounge is a bar, and folks are plastered. It just doesn't happen. There are much less $$$ places to drink than CL at WDW.
Beyond that, from 5-7 pm, guests are kind of limited by what is put out. Just per social norms, most folks aren't going to walk over and take ALL the beer that's there. The snacks and cordials are, in my opinion, even more self limiting. anything more than a small amount of either kettle-style greasy chips and cordials makes me ill.
I think the fact that during the day you have to personally ask a CM to get it for you cuts down on anyone abusing it. Then in the evening they'll have it pretty well stocked, along with wine too. We've been given entire bottles of wine to take to our room, they are always encouraging us to help ourselves and asking if we'd like more. I think as long as you are being responsible they are happy to provide whatever you want.
