EXPIRED: Part ONE of 2015 CLUB LEVEL (CL) INFORMATION and HELP Thread DO NOT POST HERE!!!

[MinnieMeep]

So if the AKL CL lounge is always crowded/no tables available, I guess that implies they are overbooking Club rooms, or have allocated too many rooms to 'club' status?

I really don't think these are the reasons. We were there last week so I can attest. There's about 10 tables in the lounge, so there's just not a lot of seating to go around. Also we noticed many, many, extended families on vacation who would take up multiple tables at a time. I think it's just a space issue unfortunately. The lounge is still great and very enjoyable, just difficult to get a seat at times!

 

[perditax]

For what it's worth I wasn't expecting a table during breakfast rush when everyone is gearing up for the parks, but I figured in the afternoon it would be quieter and we'd be able to "lounge" in the lounge. Even that's not sounding likely based on recent posts.

 

[wdwfan]

I used to love club level at Disney, but after my last stay at YC, and don't get me wrong, it wasn't awful by far, it just lacked the special quality that club level used to have at Disney. I don't think it's just YC, but since all the club levels have chosen to skimp and cut back, what used to be special is now no where near special, in my opinion. For our next trip in June, we'll stay at Beach Club and just buy what we want instead of relying on club level for snacks, drinks and wine/beer. We'll get much more variety that way and having a level of variety instead of slim pickings will help us to continue to enjoy our visits to Disney.

 

[Koh1977]

Question about BWI CL...someone mentioned beignets at breakfast on a different thread... Are they still offered? Anyone have a recent menu of the weekly appetizer offerings? Any special non-alcoholic beverage? (Like the cranberry lemonade at WL CL). TIA!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

So if the AKL CL lounge is always crowded/no tables available, I guess that implies they are overbooking Club rooms, or have allocated too many rooms to 'club' status?

Kind of. I tried to describe the situation a we saw little while back, and people labeled me judgmental.

It was our impression that the problem was due to repeat families hoarding tables. Maybe there is a shortage in general, but repeat families appeared to be the habit of sending one family member ahead to hold 'their'* table and chairs until the rest of the family arrived, some time later. I don't pay much attention to other guests, but at AKL, I got a sense that the folks who were doing this were regulars- staff called them by name, and they hogged the same table every meal.

In all our other CL stays, we've never seen CL guests being combative over chair ownership. (in the parks, yes. )

We found we either had to stand, or share the one empty chair by the kid tv.

 

[suse66]

Any recent reviews of the Beach Club CL deluxe rooms? We have one booked for our upcoming trip March 14-20 and am curious to know what other's experiences have been.

TIA!

 

[sailored]

Problem fixed!

 

[ready2vacation]

Is there any reason to send anything back to the IPO after your receive their welcome email if you've made all of your own arrangements? Thanks

 

[focusondisney]

Is there any reason to send anything back to the IPO after your receive their welcome email if you've made all of your own arrangements? Thanks

I make my own arrangements too. I haven't returned the IPO form in the last several years. I sometimes send an email letting them know what time I anticipate our arrival so there might be a room ready, but this last trip I didn't even bother with that. Since all the ADRs are linked to our resort stay on MDE, the IPO has access to them & they all are listed on the itinerary we are given at check in.

 

[Koh1977]

Uh oh...found a Poly CL room for only a few hundred more than what we're paying for the Standard BWI room...hmmm...

Any other recent reviews of Poly CL?

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

Staying AKL end of April into May. First time at AKL and first time CL at WDW. Are there any CL rooms that are undesirable? Our top thing is seeing the animals obviously. While I know that it depends on where they room but are there rooms that offer little view or views of mostly trees? I seem to remember reading about someone getting AKL CL room with mostly a view of just tree tops.
Thoughts?

 

[jewels1916]

Interesting comments about AKL Club level! We did a split stay AKL Club/GF Club the second week of December and found the club at GF to be far more crowded than the AKL club. Also there was less seating for bigger parties (by this I mean parties of more than two, as we were a party of four) at the GF, where as the tables were bigger and more accommodating at AKL. I guess it just depends on when you are there.

 

[Mommy_Jen]

We are staying 3 nights CL at YC in April and now we might add 2 more nights at Disney. Our extra 2 days we might move to another resort and not stay CL. My question is how late on the day of check out can we enjoy the CL?

 

[Koh1977]

We are staying 3 nights CL at YC in April and now we might add 2 more nights at Disney. Our extra 2 days we might move to another resort and not stay CL. My question is how late on the day of check out can we enjoy the CL?

Until the end of the day!

 

[SeaSpray]

We haven't been back to WDW since they started FP+. Is this something that IPO can book for us, like ADRs? Thanks.

 

[psac]

Staying AKL end of April into May. First time at AKL and first time CL at WDW. Are there any CL rooms that are undesirable? Our top thing is seeing the animals obviously. While I know that it depends on where they room but are there rooms that offer little view or views of mostly trees? I seem to remember reading about someone getting AKL CL room with mostly a view of just tree tops.
Thoughts?

I think the worse rooms are probably closest to the lobby, since the Arusha savanna is shaped a bit like a W, with the closest to the lobby stuck in the lower points instead of having a view of the big open center. We were on zebra trail near the first outer elevator, and we loved the view and location -- it was easy to take that Elevator down to the Mara and the pool. Good luck!

Interesting comments about AKL Club level! We did a split stay AKL Club/GF Club the second week of December and found the club at GF to be far more crowded than the AKL club. Also there was less seating for bigger parties (by this I mean parties of more than two, as we were a party of four) at the GF, where as the tables were bigger and more accommodating at AKL. I guess it just depends on when you are there.

I agree, we were there in April (not an Easter week), and we had plenty of seats, much more than other club levels (BC was the worse, but that was before they extended the lounge.). But I think there was a big race then the Presidents' Day weekend, so it was a real peak time. I saw somewhere that Presidents' Day is the third busiest time close behind Xmas and easter.

 

[AliceIn]

We haven't been back to WDW since they started FP+. Is this something that IPO can book for us, like ADRs? Thanks.

Yes, the IPO can book your FP for you if you like.

 

[SeaSpray]

Yes, the IPO can book your FP for you if you like.

Great! Thank you for answering.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Yes, the IPO can book your FP for you if you like.

I'm not sure this is correct. As of last month AKL was NOT offering to book FP+.

If you mean some resorts are now willing to book your first three FP at 60 days, then it is a new development. (not offered anywhere last summer) Just last month AKL IPO said they don't offer this service.(either advance FP+ at 60 days, nor 4th FP via texting.)

Some resorts have been 'testing' a new texting service since last summer. Via text, the IPO will book the 4th FP, and other FP requests DURING your vacation. At last report, the monorail resorts, YC, and BC were part of the testing. Maybe others. AKL and WL were NOT included in the new service - as of January.

In August, no IPOs were booking the first three advance FP+. AKL was not booking advance FP+ as of last month. Their message says, '[Many of] Our restaurants, recreational opportunities, spa treatments, and shows can be booked 180 days or more in advance of your visit." I take that to mean they will help secure tickets to La Nouba, ADR's, Hoop de Doo, a tour or a spa treatment. So they will help you book other types of reservations.

That said, if you get to WDW, and haven't booked your FP, I am confident in-person CM's probably would help you book your first three FP.

Since AKL was not part of the texting service, they told us we had to use kiosks to book our 4th FP. One of the resort CM's looked at us like we had two heads when we asked about the texting service.

It may be that some IPO's are NOW willing to book your first 3 FP at 60 days out. Seems like something that SHOULD become part of IPO services, so maybe changes are in the works. I would ask!

 

[AliceIn]

If you mean booking your first three FP at 60 days, then it is a new development. Well, sort of....

Some resorts have been 'testing' a new texting service since last summer, to help CL guests with booking their 4th FP, and other FP requests DURING your vacation. Booking your 4th FP via text message is part of the new service. At least report, the monorail resorts, YC, and BC were part of the testing. Maybe others. AKL and WL were NOT included in the new service - as of January.

As of last summer, booking your first 3 FP at 60 days was NOT part of the IPO services provided at any resort. As of January, AKL does not book advance FP+. Their message says, '[Many of] Our restaurants, recreational opportunities, spa treatments, and shows can be booked 180 days or more in advance of your visit." I take that to mean they will help secure tickets to La Nouba, ADR's, Hoop de Doo, a tour or a spa treatment.

That said, if you get to WDW, and haven't booked your FP, then I am confident they would help you book your first three FP.

Since AKL was not part of the texting service, they told us we had to use kiosks to book our 4th FP. One of the resort CM's looked at us like we had two heads when we asked about the texting service.

It may be that some IPO's are NOW willing to book your first 3 FP at 60 days out. Seems like something that SHOULD become part of IPO services.

When I talked to the IPO for my upcoming visit to the CR, they said that they would book the 60 day FPs for us. I didn't ask about the 3rd and up ones, however. They gave me the date that I can have them start doing my initial ones.