Club Level or Water View at Royal Pacific

[wonderlandwego]

I was told that with Club Level it can not be guaranteed that we will have a water view room, only that we can request it.

Has anyone ever made the request and not been able to get it? I'm wondering if we are better off skipping CL and just choosing the water view.

 

[macraven]

yes, that can happen a request can not be honored

 

[bumbershoot]

CL would be way better for us. View-schmiew. Gimme the included snacks coffee and wine.

 

[wookiebeck]

You want a view? Go to the club lounge. CL is a waaaay better vacation.

 

[wonderlandwego]

yes, that can happen a request can not be honored

That's a big gamble I think. The reservations specialist said that IF we get the water view. that club level has the best view of the lagoon and IoA. Huge 'If' though.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Truly, IME, the views at RP aren't that spectacular. We've been on both sides of the resort.

If your top priority a nice view, consider Lagoon View at Sapphire Falls. THAT was a pretty view! Both resorts are within easy walking distance to the parks, boats are frequent, and the walk between the two is pretty short. (though no EP at SF.)

I'd personally also prioritize CL of the view, but we've also done RP non-CL. Of all the WDW and US resorts, we didn't mind staying non CL at RP. The quick serve breakfast area is very convenient. The breakfast offerings are similar, and our overall costs were lower with non-CL. We also had more freedom to in the evenings (instead of rushing back to the CL for the PM food.)

 

[mjhtvchick]

We had a water/theme park view when we stayed at RPR and you could barely see anything through the trees...I wouldn't pay more specifically for the view again. However, I really want to try club level there someday.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We had a water/theme park view when we stayed at RPR and you could barely see anything through the trees...I wouldn't pay more specifically for the view again. However, I really want to try club level there someday.

I find it isn't all that hard to cover the costs of CL if you meet a few criteria:
1. plan to eat in the CL- breakfast, appetizers, adult beverages/non-adult beverages, and desserts
2. you have more then 2 people in your room
3. you would otherwise eat in restaurants (as opposed to groceries)

Quick look for mid Jan: CL at RP add about $100 per night (w/3nights), plus 12.5% tax.
Quick look for 12/29 (peak holiday rates) at HR(RP isn't available): CL at HR adds about $140, plus tax.

If you have 4 people, that is $25-$35 per person per night.

In the grab+go Orchid Lounge breakfast: Coffee ($3.75), banana (Minions! $2), pancakes ($5), =$10.75.

ONE beer later in the day at Islands, = $6 + tax and tip. Wine starts at $9.

At Sapphire Falls' quick serve, a bottle of water was $4!
(though at any gas station a case of water is less than $6.)

Islands Dining room's Napa Cabbage Salad (offered in the CL during the appetizer hour) = $12 + tax and tip.
To be fair, the napa salad is only offered 1 of a 6 day CL rotation.
The restaurant portion is probably larger, but the lounge version adds tofu, plus raw veggie/cheese tray, General Tso's chicken, and rice. (Other days are different offerings.)


The trick of making CL work, is that you have to actually go to the lounge. If you are not used to taking afternoon breaks, then it is an adjustment to be certain. Same thing with making it back in time for PM desserts. You have to hightail it out of the parks at night. (Yes, we are the crazy people you saw jogging back to the resort at 8:40pm!)

It is also harder to make the numbers work with fewer people.

 

[hubbard53]

I'm trying to justify CL at HRH but it's $220 more than my current booked rate. I just dont think I could drink enough beer/wine, eat enough snacks and light hors devours to justify the additional $1200 to my week ... unless theres something I'm not thinking about...

 

[macraven]

You can do a lot with that extra money you are saving when not doing club

 

[gzmtlock]

Agree with everyone that, if your measure of whether or not CL is "worth it" is strictly money-based (do I eat/drink enough in the club to at least equal the cost of the CL room?), then you have to schedule around doing just that. Which may or may not work for you.

For us, it's more than that. Since my kids hit their mid-teens (they're now in college), four in one room has been a challenge. (Some vacations more than others!) But two rooms doubles the cost. So we started doing CL, mostly at UOR and WDW. For the early risers, we can go get our coffee and sit in a nice area without disturbing those who want to sleep in. For mid-afternoon break, if some of us want to nap, the others can head to the lounge. And sometimes, we just want a little more space than four adult-sized people in one room can get. CL fits that bill perfectly for us, while only increasing but not doubling our cost.

When DH and I travel alone, we rarely book CL. If we do, it's a "splurge vacation".