Club Level AKL - Can You Sneak In?

[Goldilocks07]

Hi All,
We are going to AKL in October, my husband and I are staying in the club level 1 bedroom, my parents are in a SV studio-
Does anyone know the level of security to get into the club level? Can my parents just walk in with me?

(I suppose I can just put my parents' names under my room, but they already have a room under their name, and I don't want to get busted)
Thanks!

 

[fers31]

I would recommend putting them under your room as well. It shouldn't be an issue and nobody here will tell you it's ok to sneak them into the Concierge lounge.

 

[Goldilocks07]

Hmmm....that's true.
I just wasn't sure if they check EACH person's key card.

I will just put their names under my room then.

 

[kaffinito]

No need to sneak. Just ask the CM's at CL when you check in. I'm sure they won't have a problem with it. I asked if my DN's babysitter could go to the lounge and they were fine with it.

 

[Scott MC]

Actually, if I'm being honest, I'd have a problem with you attempting to do anything to "sneak" your parents into CL. The fact that you used "sneak" in your thread title implies that you know this is wrong.

I'm staying at AKL in August, and I paid extra to have access to club level services. I wouldn't think it right to sneak anyone into the lounge who hasn't paid to be there or been (luckily) upgraded to CL.

No one can stop you from bringing your parents some edible goodies from the lounge, but I honestly hope that the CMs turn them away from actually entering the lounge, and I think that putting them under your name when they're not paying for the CL room is sneaky.

I'm sorry if this offends you, but you're asking opinions, and that's mine.

 

[THERESA522]

Actually, if I'm being honest, I'd have a problem with you attempting to do anything to "sneak" your parents into CL. The fact that you used "sneak" in your thread title implies that you know this is wrong.

I'm staying at AKL in August, and I paid extra to have access to club level services. I wouldn't think it right to sneak anyone into the lounge who hasn't paid to be there or been (luckily) upgraded to CL.

No one can stop you from bringing your parents some edible goodies from the lounge, but I honestly hope that the CMs turn them away from actually entering the lounge, and I think that putting them under your name when they're not paying for the CL room is sneaky.

I'm sorry if this offends you, but you're asking opinions, and that's mine.

I agree!

 

[scanne]

I'm staying at AKL in August, and I paid extra to have access to club level services. I wouldn't think it right to sneak anyone into the lounge who hasn't paid to be there or been (luckily) upgraded to CL.

I agree with you! Guests are paying for the added benefits of club level. Allowing guests of guests to use the service doesn't seem right. I'm surprised a CM (as mentioned in an earlier reply) allowed this. I would think it would be more exclusive.

 

[Goldilocks07]

Yep, you guys are right. Of course I know it's wrong, but I didn't know to what extent, which is why I'm asking.

I paid extra as well, to have a 1 bedroom on the club level. It sleeps 4 people. Should I not be able to bring in 4 people into the lounge?

Either way you guys are right, my wording wasn't chosen properly, and I didn't mean to offend anyone. So I am sorry about that.

I just wanted to know if my parents could use the lounge (considering we probably won't use it at ALL).

All good in the Disney hood.

 

[ElizabethB]

Add them to your room. That way they'll have their own keys and can visit the lounge without you. There is usually an extra charge for additional adults in a room (which could be a consideration in your decision). I'm not sure the extra charge applies to DVC rooms, though. A DVC expert can advise.

You're certainly entitled to have four people using the lounge. If the additional two adults cost extra, I'd pay. If they don't, no worries -- just put them on your room and you're done! All the talk about the morally right thing to do is, in this case, just so much talk. You're entitled to have four people visit the lounge -- and that's how many you have!

There is no problem having their name on your room -- and their having their name on their own room as well. You can have as many rooms as you're willing to pay for! In these hard economic times, I'm sure Disney would love to sell as many rooms to each guest as that guest will pay for!

We are actually thinking of doing this with our teenage boys this time around -- a CL room for all of us, and a separate non-CL for the boys to sleep and shower in. Obviously, I'd put the boys on our CL room, too.

 

[Aisling]

No need to sneak in! When I stayed club level, I brought 4 non-club friends with me into the lounge for nightcaps. It was later in the evening when no one was there, after the food offerings were already taken away. The CM was very accommodating to us while we chatted and drank.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If you ask one of the Cast Members working in the lounge if your parents can come up there and maybe have a drink or something they might say yes, if they are not busy and etc. So this way if they say it's ok you are not doing anything wrong and you won't need to pay extra for your roon by adding them to your reservation.

 

[MartDM]

Actually, if I'm being honest, I'd have a problem with you attempting to do anything to "sneak" your parents into CL. The fact that you used "sneak" in your thread title implies that you know this is wrong.

I'm staying at AKL in August, and I paid extra to have access to club level services. I wouldn't think it right to sneak anyone into the lounge who hasn't paid to be there or been (luckily) upgraded to CL.

No one can stop you from bringing your parents some edible goodies from the lounge, but I honestly hope that the CMs turn them away from actually entering the lounge, and I think that putting them under your name when they're not paying for the CL room is sneaky.

I'm sorry if this offends you, but you're asking opinions, and that's mine.

Ditto here. If they aren't paid club level guests of the resort, they should not be partaking of the club level amenities.

OP, you mentioned you wouldn't be using the club...why not put your parents in the club level room so they have access and you can take the regular room? Seems to me that would solve the problem without being sneaky or helping yourselves to benefits that don't go along with their room.

 

[ElizabethB]

What am I missing here?

Admission for four persons goes along with the CL villa booked by the OP (actually 5 plus one under 3 but who's counting?!).

The OP is entitled to more than four spots in the lounge and plans to use four spots. Nothing sneaky about it whatsoever -- just good planning.

Moreover, for those who are as proprietary about the CL lounge as they are about the pool, we've been told by Club Level CM's to feel free to invite others in our party not staying CL to enjoy the lounge, including food offerings and drinks.

 

[wdwfan]

Op, when I've stayed CL level at BWI I asked to have my neice and her husband join us during the 5-7pm time and it was not a problem. Asking first is probably the best route to go. Don't get upset when others "bring down the hammer" behind the guise of "just expressing my opinion." These boards are great for information and learning about WDW, but you'll lots of different personalities for sure.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

Just like pool hopping the CM may say it is ok other guests will be hopping mad at the idea. Club costs a lot of money, the offerings are often small ans few of them. To have someone taking for free what you have paid for is unfair.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Actually, if I'm being honest, I'd have a problem with you attempting to do anything to "sneak" your parents into CL. The fact that you used "sneak" in your thread title implies that you know this is wrong.

I'm staying at AKL in August, and I paid extra to have access to club level services. I wouldn't think it right to sneak anyone into the lounge who hasn't paid to be there or been (luckily) upgraded to CL.

No one can stop you from bringing your parents some edible goodies from the lounge, but I honestly hope that the CMs turn them away from actually entering the lounge, and I think that putting them under your name when they're not paying for the CL room is sneaky.

I'm sorry if this offends you, but you're asking opinions, and that's mine.

ITA. We're going with my in-laws to BC CL in July. I guess I was a fool to book both of us in CL rooms. I could have put my in-laws in a standard room and just "snuck" them in. CL is for the people who stay CL. Of course the OP can just put them on her room reservation, no problem. It seems like more and more people are posting though that they just brought extra people in. Maybe that's why some of the CL offerings keep going away - too many people who didn't pay to stay CL just coming on up!

 

[ElizabethB]

No, the offerings are going away because

1. Disney seems to be selling nearly every CL room (except true suites) at a 40% discount these days,

2. Disney has tons of pencil pushers who just can't resist showing some kind of happy result from cost cutting (in order to ensure their own year-end bonuses),

3. Disney deluxes have convenience to the parks, meaning regular rooms don't have to compete with real rooms in the real world, and concierge/club level rooms don't have to compete with real concierge/club level rooms in the real world.

For a time, Disney was really pulling in the dough by offering club level rooms. The bit of wine and nibbles offered didn't cost nearly as much as the ridiculously high rack rates for club level rooms. Hence, club level was added to WL and BC and GF Sugar Loaf, even though those hotels/buildings originally were never designed with club level in mind.

No doubt club level is still a cash cow (amazing how many people will pay for the snoot factor of a gold card -- and I admit I'm among them), but the cash cow provides a lot less milk when nearly every room is sold for 40% off rack rate.

One of the worst things to happen to GF RPC was the decision to provide exactly the same offerings to Sugar Loaf that were being offered to GF RPC. This did not raise the level of the offerings in SL. No, it lowered and reduced the offerings in GF RPC.

A few extra visitors in a lounge is not causing the problem. No one eats that much -- plus, if one follows the Club Level thread, Disney seems to be changing Club Level food offerings, at BWI anyway, to things that are less appealing to most people and not appealing at all to teens and children!! At Innkeeper's Club, I asked why no muffins at breakfast. Answer: oh, we stopped offering them some time ago. Instead, there was an array every morning of dry (and no doubt cheap) pastries.

Club level has been a cash cow for WDW resorts and the cut backs (and the food/wine choices) are made in an effort to keep it that way, plus pencil pushers are determined to show real results for their cost cutting so their year-end bonuses keep coming.

 

[tinktwice]

Several years ago when we stayed at the Poly CL, as we were headed down to the lounge from our room for the appetizer hour, a young family asked us how to get to the lounge. I thought it was strange, as if they were staying CL, the concierge explains all that upon check in but we told them how to get up to the lounge. The lounge that night was packed. I remember just trying to find a seat was difficult. After surveying the crowd, I realized the young family I saw in the hallway was part of a larger family group. Looked like Grandparents, adult children, and all their children - a vast majority of the crowd. Given the couple not knowing where the lounge was, I assumed then as I do now that only part of the group (maybe just grandparents) was staying concierge and most of the others "sneaked in". The family group wasn't in any hurry- they looked like they were just planning to hang out there for most of the evening. It was just not a great experience for others in the lounge as the group was loud, lots of kids not being fully supervised as adults were busy conversing with each other, and they took up most of the tables and couches. I was disappointed that the lounge wasn't "policed" a bit better for the comfort of other guests.

Having said all that, I'm not sure where I stand with the OP. Maybe in their case, as they are only two people, they should be allowed two others as that is the capacity allowed for their room? But I guess I feel the line has to be drawn somewhere as the lounge is only so big and the amount of food is obviously estimated based on the amount of guests registered CL. If every room brings "a few more", it would be beyond what the lounge could handle comfortably if at all.

 

[Goldilocks07]

OP, you mentioned you wouldn't be using the club...why not put your parents in the club level room so they have access and you can take the regular room? Seems to me that would solve the problem without being sneaky or helping yourselves to benefits that don't go along with their room.

Because I booked my 1 bedroom CL a few months ago, and 2 days ago I booked the deluxe SV studio for my parents (birthday gift )- and there wasn't availability for CL for them. (actually, there was barely availability at all!)
That being said, my husband and I want the space the 1 bedroom has to offer, as we typically stay in the room and take our time and hang out.
My parents are out the door at the crack of dawn, and would use the lounge for breakfast and whatever.

I totally agree with the poster who stated something about a family reunion type thing were EVERY person was in the lounge- that IS ridiculous.

I'm only asking to bring in people allowed on my reservation, so if I have to change it, I will.
First though, I will simply ask. I agree that stating up front my intentions is much more honorable- it seems the general consensus on this board is that the CMs don't mind so much anyway.

Thanks for all the opinions, and advice-

 

[ChristaDeVil]

Okay, I can see both sides. Yes, if I had paid for CL I would be MAD if I knew someone else was using it that hadn't paid for it. On the other hand, I kind of see the OP's point about having a room that sleeps four. I think I would at least ask a CM and go from there.