Club level debate - AUGH!

[gopherit]

Ok, I am 2nd...3rd...and 4th guessing myself - this is getting ridiculous!

Booked RPR at Club Level on an AAA price back in Jan. for our Aug. trip - the price diff between 2Q club and 2Q-nonclub was such that, with 5 in my family, it made sense to take it. Price of stay, pre-tax: $790 plus $75 for roll-away, so $865.

Then AP rates came out, and I also realized that the PFB club room already has that "sleeps 5" thing readily available (sleeper sofa in room), and the room there is much more generous than the other two hotel club levels. So yesterday I switched to PBH 2Q club (for total of $807, pre-tax... saved $58).

NOW I'm not so sure! A 2Q Deluxe at PFB (same room, no club) is $627 AP rate. And with every buck you spend on the hotel price, add an extra 11.5 cents on the dollar in tax.

So basically we are paying about $200 ($180 plus $20 in tax) for 3 days of club use.

Is that worth it?

$60/day, with an AP and AAA card in hand for discounts, and our car if needed to go grab some groceries - am I going to get that from the Club room? Convenience does mean something - but does it mean that much? A moderate/continental breakfast for a fam of 5 - what's the going rate for that around US/IOA? And a few bottles of water? I'm also worried that we might feel pressed to return to the hotel to "make the most" of our club service, when we might otherwise just stay in the park. Is US/IOA the sort of place you leave in the evening? Is the park so small that lots of folks come back for club chow? And is the type food at club level conducive to kids aged 6-11?

HELP!

 

[lindalinda]

I discussed this issue in my trip report. I think that for the money it is definitely worth it, however for the exact reasons you stated, I doubt if I will do it again. It did make me feel like we should be back at the hotel at certain times to get our moneys worth. I would rather just stay in the parks later. When are you going? If it is later in the fall, the parks close early anyway, and you might just find it convienient to go the the club lounge then anyway. This probably didnt help, but it is also very neat to try it at least once I would say.

 

[robvia]

It's really a toss up.

If you have the money, then you midas well try it just so you know. With 5 people, it will be worth it. Breakfast in the park is $5-$8 depending on what you get. And then the snacks at night would mean you woudn't have to pay for dinner one night or two.

On the other hand, if you can pack a cooler with drinks, milk, juices, and bring doughnuts, then you've got breakfast. Then you can order pizza in from Flippers as dinner and put the leftovers in gallon size ziplock bags.

It comes down to convience of whether you want to do some work to save the money.

 

[Dislifer]

I tossed this decision around too! I did do conceirge at the Polynesian, we liked it! Now, I'm going to RPR and decided not to do it.....THEN...gave it a bit more thought and decided to go for it!
It's great having breakfast right there, I like that the kids can get snacks during the day and we live on bottled water.
Try it...you only live once!!!
When I stayed at the Polynesian I hardly ever (maybe once) took advantage of the evening snack (I don't know how to spell hors d'????), but, when we came back my kids (who am I kidding...I did too) LOVED the desserts and the drinks!
Go for it!!! Have fun!!! I'll be there in about 1 week so I'll post a trip report and definitely mention if I would do club level again!!!

 

[gopherit]

Well, I THINK I'm finally SETTLED! And then again.... maybe not?

Decided we (a) needed a bit of space and bed for all but
(b) could probably get by with our own b'fast provisions and snackies.

I bought the WDW dining plan for the latter part of our trip (which is 8 days, versus the US part, which is 3). SInce we're shorter on time at US and have NEVER been there (figured we would be clueless wanderers, LOL) and will be in the parks each day, we probably won't want to be hoofing it back to the room just to get a snack or drink. For about $40 less per night, I was able to move us from a Deluxe 2Q CLub at PFB over to a Deluxe 2Q (non-club) at HRH.

So here's the zinger - looks like CLub level at HRH is only $30 more per night (add the 11.5% taxes and we're talking a total of $100.35) Can our fam of 5 eat $30 worth of "stuff" per day if it's just b'fast / some beverages / evening dessert? Parks are open til 9. Probably will eat 1 big meal perday, and graze on counter/cart stuff the other parts of day.

$30 per day for Club. Hmmm.... a real toss up. To CLub, or not to Club? That is the question?!?

Hey Dislifer - we are leaving soon too, in just 11 days! We are all getting pretty excited about it too - although I think I'm confusing the heck outta the kids! ("Now WHERE did you say we are staying this trip, Mom?!?" )

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Take the space over HRH's club! HRH's club doesnt ever get rave reviews and RPR and PBH's club level reports are mostly positive.

For reasons you and others already pointed out we have never in all our trips stayed CL. I dont want to feel tied to the hotel during certain hours. Maybe for the breakfast alone and the water it would work out.

When we have gone its usually $100 a night more for club and I never opt to pay that but your rate isnt so bad at all.

like lindalinda said it really should be tried at least once.

We spend approx. $30 a day on breakfast (quick at parks) and about $50 for one of the hotels buffet full breakfasts.

 

[lindalinda]

You would definitely spend more than 30$ on breakfast alone for 5. And that is very conveinient.

 

[gopherit]

Ooops - I miscalculated again, though - forgot that at HRH, the club room is NOT the same floor plan as the Deluxe - it's the smaller size, sans the sofa. Which means we would have to get the rollaway... which means the diff between club and non club for us, anyway, is more like $55 per night, and a smaller room.

If I just buy a bag of apples, 2lb of bananas, some Pop-Tarts, a set of those little boxes of cereal... and then go out in the am and grab a pint or two of milk (and a good cup of coffee for me!) it would readily cover our crew for 3 breakfasts. Im sure we would have morethan enough left over for snacks and such. Probably could "splurge" on a Cinnabon 6 pack one day, LOL.

I don't want to feel like I need to come back to the room just because it's "feeding time".... at least, not on this first trip, anyway! Now on a future trip - once we know roughly how long it takes for our group to navigate the park, best times tio "escape" and come back to the room, well, THEN it might behoove us to grab a club level and relax. As appealing as it sounds right now, though, I just can't make the math work for us...

So looks like I HAVE FINALLY made a decision - it's a 2Q Deluxe for us at HRH... whew. Glad that's done!

 

[lindalinda]

I'm sure you made the right decision...now just get ready to have some fun!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I didnt even see in your calculations the HRH deluxe option! Thats the room we just stayed in and it was perfect! We had the best time and the room was quite spacious for 5. Good Choice You have decided right?

 

[gopherit]

I didnt even see in your calculations the HRH deluxe option! Thats the room we just stayed in and it was perfect! We had the best time and the room was quite spacious for 5. Good Choice You have decided right?

I'd BETTER have decided - the folks at the US phone center are growing very weary of me!!

Glad to hear it's a good choice! I don't need the Graceland, LOL, but I DO need for everyone to have a bed such that little folks don't migrate into MINE. 2 of my kids I swear turn like the hands of a clock while they sleep - and they kick. Hard. Ugh. You wake up the next day feeling like you were trampled at a World Cup event.

And if Momma ain't happy...... well, you know!

Thanks all for your help and sage wisdom!