Ack! Water Bottles GONE from Concierge now????

[Muffy]

Just got back a few weeks ago from a 2 week stay at the Dolphin club level. They did have bottle water out at night. You had to ask for bottled water in the morning. They would bring out as many as you needed. They were 8 oz Auqafina water bottles. Hopefully WDW will bring back bottled water to the other concierge resorts! Even though the Dolphin is onsite it is not owned by WDW. It is a Starwood property.

 

[KELLIE JONES]

this is what the WDW website said about the AKL

"Concierge-level Guests also receive these special amenities:
-Comfy robes available in your room
-Turndown service
-Staff available prior to and during your visit for reservations and vacation planning
-Access to the exclusive Kilimanjaro Club featuring Continental breakfast, snacks and evening wine and cheese reception
-Ability to participate in the Sunrise Safari Breakfast Adventure — an exclusive early-morning tour of Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park — offered only to a limited number of Concierge-level Guests for an additional fee

THIS IS WHAT CONCIERGE LEVEL IS!! Concierge level is not a restraunt, your personal servant, nor is it a grogery store!

You should have called Disney or the AKL and gotten the number for the concierge. If any one needs it, its (407)938-4755.
As far as for the complaint about the fact that they wouldnt go and get a toy from the lost and found, how are they to know what is yours and what is not?? If they brought back the wrong toy, you would still be mad!! YOU LOSE IT, YOU SHOULD GO GET IT!! come on people, give disney a break!!

 

[Majestic]

Wow, I didn't expect this thread to become so hostile.

 

[KerryCM]

I wasn't going to reply to this tread, but have changed my mind. To decide not to stay concierge level because of the water is absurd. (IMHO) If this was why you were there, then you stayed for the wrong reasons. I have to agree with LvsTnk, I feel like I am home when I walk into the Innkeepers Club. The cast remembers you by name, they are interested in your plans and how your day was. They will help you make plans for special occasions, but most of all they make me feel oh so special.
Yes, the convience of having beverages and snacks available is wonderful, but I don't feel you save money on food by staying there. Although my husband makes quite a pig of himself when there!!
I have been spoiled by staying at the BWI concierge and will not stay anywhere else now. I certainly wouldn't change my plans because smaller bottles of water were not avaiable!
This is all just my opinion so please don't flame me for my opinions.

 

[floridafam]

I'm also surprised at some of the responses.

I haven't seen where anyone said they weren't going to stay concierge because they didn't offer water.

I also haven't seen where anyone said concierge was a restaurant or grocery store.

 

[Puffy2]

I'm sorry folks, but I've stayed at conceirge at the Polynesian, The Contemporary, The Yacht and Beach Club and the Swan - with the exception of the Swan (Mama T was great and so were some of the other folks), the conceirge staff appeared totally disinterested. They weren't friendly in the least. Often they were uninformed. And they didn't "do" anything except for sit at desks, check people in and put out refreshments. When I asked the conceirge at the Contemporary if I could get a small gift wrapped - I was told "no, well, maybe down stairs in the gift shop"... Do you think they even bothered to "call the giftshop and ask" - no, I had to find out for myself. Well, just what are they for if they can't pick up the phone?

To discontinue the water bottles is a greedy move by Disney - to make the conceirge guests buy the water in the parks. It is a small thing - something I DO expect when I'm paying $405.00 a night for a room! For $5.00 bucks they could put a case of water in the room. For me it is the principal.

And I'm not "attacking" anyone, I'm just stating how I feel on this issue. Will it keep me for staying in concierge...it might - or perhaps I'll try the Dolphin next. Or another visit to the Swan - they have superior beds now anyway.

 

[Disney's Deluxe Princess]

Originally posted by Puffy2
[B. When I asked the conceirge at the Contemporary if I could get a small gift wrapped - I was told "no, well, maybe down stairs in the gift shop"... Do you think they even bothered to "call the giftshop and ask" - no, I had to find out for myself. Well, just what are they for if they can't pick up the phone?
[/B]

I would never expect concierge to get my gifts wrapped. This has nothing to do with reservations or vacation planning. I agree with the person who stated that the concierge is not our personal servants. Now, if they wouldn't help you with a PS or something like that, I'd be upset. Maybe some CMs might go above and beyond and help you with the gift wrap situation, but I wouldn't expect it.

 

[Puffy2]

"I would never expect concierge to get my gifts wrapped. This has nothing to do with reservations or vacation planning. I agree with the person who stated that the concierge is not our personal servants. Now, if they wouldn't help you with a PS or something like that, I'd be upset. Maybe some CMs might go above and beyond and help you with the gift wrap situation, but I wouldn't expect it."


I didn't expect them to wrap the gift.

I expected them to assist me in how to get that accomplished. A very simple request that only required a phone call to the gift shop. NO phone call. No help what so ever.

And special requests ARE in their job description. That is what a concierge IS. A good concierge should be able to put there hands on the phone number for any service requested. They don't preform these services themselves, they pick up the phone, find out who can do it and for how much and relay this info to the hotel guest. Show tickets, flowers, tux rentals, limos, catering, medical assistance, auto repair, the list goes on and on.

Ok, I'm finished.

 

[happydays]

Well - I'll say it.

I will no longer pay for concierge level at WDW now that they have eliminated the availability of small bottled waters.

Frankly, the rooms are not that much nicer than those which are not concierge level - at least not $100 - $200 a night nicer. Additionally, I have yet to encounter a concierge attendant at AKL or the Poly (my family's favorite resorts) that truly impressed me with extraordinary service. (btw - the gift wrapping story is a classic. What a lack of serious guest service training that showed. That was such an easy opportunity for that CM to shine and they blew it) I understand that some of you have - but that has not been our experience. As far as reservations go - on two occasions, I actually called WDW Dine and got a reservation that the concierge staff told me was unavailable. So I'm not convinced that they can do a better job than I can with a few phone calls. I will say that it seemed like we always had better seats when the concierge made a reservation - but I don't know that that was not coincidence and this is not a guaranteed service.

What it absolutely comes down to for us is the fact that the food and beverage offerings are convenient and they save us money during the course of our stay because we eat fewer meals at the full service restaurants - particularly breakfast. This is the primary reason we have stayed concierge.

No one in my family drinks soda and rarely do the kids drink juice. Water is our drink of choice. We drink a lot of it and it is a big deal to us.

Incidentally, on all four of our concierge stays, we were ENCOURAGED by cast members to pack the bottled waters for our trips to the parks. This was put across as a benefit of being a concierge guest.

So .... the cutting back begins. We still love WDW and will probably be there twice each year for years to come, but we won't be in concierge to see what goes next.

 

[AspiringCindy]

Asking others whether paying an additional $100/night for concierge is so subjective. I know that I plan on staying Poly concierge in August...and it is not for the water.
I can buy my own stinkin water! Like Majestic and others have stated, "walking through doors of certain hotels feels like coming home. Although I believe that wherever Fred stays...I am sure they all know his name!
Besides, many of us save all year long for that 1 special vacation a year to enjoy, be pampered and not have to worry about anything! That is what concierge is about...not how much food we can horde!

 

[BambiTamby]

Originally posted by AspiringCindy
Asking others whether paying an additional $100/night for concierge is so subjective. I know that I plan on staying Poly concierge in August...and it is not for the water.
I can buy my own stinkin water! Like Majestic and others have stated, "walking through doors of certain hotels feels like coming home. Although I believe that wherever Fred stays...I am sure they all know his name!
Besides, many of us save all year long for that 1 special vacation a year to enjoy, be pampered and not have to worry about anything! That is what concierge is about...not how much food we can horde!

 

[AndieCT]

I'm teaching my children the fine art of drinking from a water fountain. I remember doing that as a child and have had no repercussions. We have and will continue to enjoy concierge level services.

And Majestic, I appreciate all the info you have shared on the resorts.

 

[Majestic]

Thanks. I do it for people like you.

Originally posted by AndieCT
And Majestic, I appreciate all the info you have shared on the resorts.

 

[corky805]

ok, well I wasn't going to get in this thread BUT---I just can't help myself this time.

I agree that wether or not someone SHOULD pay $100 more a night to save some money on bottled water IS subjective.

IMO concierge is about alot more than getting some free bottled water. Although for the outrageous price that Disney charges for it in the parks....it is a perk. It's a combination of things that make for feeling pampered.....I have stayed WL concierge and I am sorry that some have felt that their concierge staff at other places was not worth the extra$$ My advice...give the WL a try.....they are great.
I definitly felt pampered and was treated in a special manner as well as they were very good to my DS which for me is really "WORTH" the $$.

My perception of what concierge is all about....at Disney or anywhere is that they are there to take care of you and to make your stay as nice as possible. To help IN ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN....if they can't do something for you they should at least be able to tell you how to get it done.

I'd like to add that while it won't keep me from staying concierge, taking away the ability to take some water to the parks/pool/boating is IMO a mistake.....this is a small thing that had a big effect on my family as we drink alot of water and also one of the things I MOST appreciated about being able to get bottled water to start our day was that it was such a TIME SAVER for us. It meant one less line I had to stand in for the day....which may have led to one more fun ride for my DS.....that to me is "worth" alot of money.

As I said, in the future I will probably still stay concierge.....and I will go to the store first to get my own bottled water.....if Disney thinks that they will sell more in the parks if they don't give it out at the resorts....well not to me they won't.

 

[Aisling]

My perception of what concierge is all about....at Disney or anywhere is that they are there to take care of you and to make your stay as nice as possible. To help IN ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN....

I thought this was the directive of ALL Disney resorts and levels of stay.

 

[Trekker]

Well this has turned out really nice!

The information regarding water at concierge has been communicated.

There have been enough nasty post, insinuations, etc.
Lets just call this one closed.