Club level value

[epcotobsessed]

If you have had several stays on Disney properties, do you believe the Club Level rooms are worth the extra cost? I found the planning assistance to be helpful on my first few trips, but now I think I am pretty well-versed in all options and tricks, so having the CM assistance in the lounges isn't something I need. I have found the food options to be less plentiful and less varied over the years, especially in the evening. I don't think the club level rooms are any bigger/better than non-CL rooms, but I am not booking suites. AK does have a beautiful lounge space, the others I've tried, not so much. Maybe I'm missing something? I have tried BC, BWI, AK, Poly club level.

 

[AngiTN]

If you can utilize the lounge offerings I most definitely think they are.
When we stay CL we only eat 1 meal a day in the parks. Everything else is in the lounge. That easily makes up the cost difference between the regular and CL rooms.
But, you must be able to plan your days to use the lounge. If you can't do that, then it obviously diminishes the value quite a bit. We can, and do. So there is a good value to us.

 

[reluctantredhead]

If you can utilize the lounge offerings I most definitely think they are.
When we stay CL we only eat 1 meal a day in the parks. Everything else is in the lounge. That easily makes up the cost difference between the regular and CL rooms.
But, you must be able to plan your days to use the lounge. If you can't do that, then it obviously diminishes the value quite a bit. We can, and do. So there is a good value to us.

I totally agree with this...which is why it's not usually worth it for my family. We aren't rope droppers, and we like our biggest meal of the day to be dinner, plus we're vegetarians, so we can't count on the lounge having a full "dinner" for us. I think the people who are able to get the most "value" out of CL are likely those who get up early enough to take full advantage of the breakfast offerings, have their biggest meal be lunch in the parks, and then return to the lounge for the dinner offerings (which can sometimes be substantial or sometimes more appetizer-ish). Also, if you take full advantage of the adult beverage offerings/sodas and come back for the dessert offerings you will get more value as well. Since H and I rarely drink alcohol or soda, and we also rarely manage to make it back to the room in time for desserts, we miss out on this value as well.

I will say that on our last trip we were upgraded to CL because the room category we booked wasn't available upon check-in, and it was really nice to be able to send H to the lounge every morning to pick up a yogurt and some fruit for our breakfast while I was getting ready. I wouldn't pay for CL just for that, but we did decide to stay CL for our Christmas trip this year in hopes that they are still running the CL FP+ program. Because time savings and making sure we get to experience all the attractions on our wish list are a more important consideration than money and value on this specific trip, we currently have a CL stay booked...but if the extra FP+ program is discontinued I will rebook us in a non-CL room.

 

[epcotobsessed]

Ah yes, the new FP+ CL option is definitely a new incentive. $50 per person per day with a 3 day minimum seems steep to me, but clearly many people disagree. For all of my visits (8, I think) since the FP+ system debuted, I have not been wise with my FP strategy and have usually only used three per day. Now that I feel pretty confident in obtaining more, thanks to the posts here, I am going to see how I do this time around. If I am unsuccessful, I may well be booking a CL room for my next stay so I can get the guaranteed extra FPs.

 

[Kimberle]

We used to stay Club all the time. We, too, find the service and food selections lacking over time. Back when the ADR window was 90 days, they would make our dining reservations before the 90 mark. We always got what we wanted. Housekeeping came at least 2x per day. The hosts greated you by name every time you entered of left.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think it depends on how you use the CL lounge and services. Last August, DS10 and I stayed at WL CL on a discount which put it around the same cost as a standard room at Poly. That, alone, was worth it to me. Smaller room and not on the monorail, of course, but I suppose, I valued the food and beverages more than the space and location. The CM's in the WL CL lounge were also fantastic. So, for that trip, CL was a good value for us.

We are staying CR CL on an upcoming stay at the request of a friend - so value there is that my friend will be happy!

In December, we have a deluxe BC CL room booked. DH comes with us and we typically stay in a 1-bedroom villa on our December trips. For the same price, we got the CL room at BC and I really want to try the extra CL FP+ perk so went with that instead of the villa. So I suppose I found value there because they are offering something I couldn't get otherwise.

We don't stay CL every time though. I got an amazing discount on a standard room at BWI in August and CL wasn't available. For the price of upgrading to CL on that trip, I could stock my room fridge and eat at signatures for every meal, so there's just no point in doing the upgrade!

 

[disneyvoice]

We don't think CL is worth the additional cost. We did it once, had a great trip, but decided CL is just not for us. I make all our own FPs, ADRs, etc so we don't need assistance with any of that. We don't care about turn down service at all. The biggest issue for us is that we are typically at the parks when any of the food is served and we would prefer to eat a TS or QS meal at the parks/resorts/Disney Springs as opposed to eating the food in the CL lounge. We also always have a car so we stop at Publix on the way to the resort and stock up on water and adult beverages for our room. There are a lot of people who love CL but it just doesn't make sense for us.

 

[kandb]

I was considering doing club level at the Poly for our upcoming trip in August. We are staying 3 nights at BWI and then moving to GF for 4 nights. I considered switching to the Poly for the 4 nights and doing club level but it was almost $1,000 more which is around $250/night. I would love to try it but it is just not worth that much. For that amount of money we could eat in a really nice restaurant for dinner and buy food during the day. I know they give you alcohol but the wine was $8 bottles and I only drink a glass or two a day, so the value is just not there. I would love to try it if I was a person who didn't watch the buck, but I do and don't feel it's worth it.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Depends on how you travel I would guess. We love it and we mainly love it because we look at the lounge as just an 'extra', we are not trying to 'get our money's worth' or trying to make them meals. We still get the dining plan most of the time and have pretty much agreed that the rooms are the same size CL compared to standard, except as you said for the suites.

We have stayed at all of the resorts on property and I definitely have favorite club levels and some that I probably wouldn't book again. We pay for the extra, because we like the more personal feel we get when staying CL, the cast members are attentive and so helpful before our vacation even begins! We've have such amazing experiences, that we keep doing it again and again! LOL. Concierge on the DCL? That one is one we waffle on whether or not it is 'worth' it and have booked without it more than with, so we don't just do it to do it, we have to feel as though we are paying for something extra and are in fact getting it.

 

[OneinThree]

If you have had several stays on Disney properties, do you believe the Club Level rooms are worth the extra cost?

Financial sense -no way. Not unless you're eating there two or three times with a room occupancy of 4 or 5 people. I would say the convenience factor is the major consideration in terms of value to your trip. Sometimes we stay CL and other times we do not, but it's based mostly on subjective value because really, you can do an awful lot with ~$200 extra per day.

 

[rwdavis2]

Did CL at AKL a few years ago to be able to do the Sunrise Safari. Nice but hardly worth the extra expense. We used it for breakfast and maybe a drink or snack in the afternoon.

 

[DLgal]

We find just the food to be worth it. We are generally light eaters and eat breakfast and dinner in the lounge nightly. We drink the alcoholic beverages there rather than buy overpriced drinks elsewhere. Our OOP food costs on a CL trip average well under $100/day for our family of four. We might do one QS meal per day and sprinkle in a couple TS meals. Works for us and I appreciate the variety of fresh fruits and veggies available in the lounges. When we don't stay CL, my kids don't seem to eat enough fruits an veggies and neither do I. It is hard to pay $3 for a banana or $5 for some apple slices at a QS location...

Plus, we appreciate the better room locations. Upper floors at the Contemporary, the Deluxe Lagoon View Rooms at BC, the top floor of WL.

I HATE ground floor rooms and many CL don't even have those.

 

[smiths02]

The only time we stayed CL was at the Poly. We had a rate where discount CL was really close to non-discount standard, so it was a no brainer (it was only a 3 night trip). For us, it really wasn't worth it. The food and drink choices weren't exactly what we wanted on vacation-we found them lacking, TBH. Breakfast we could have easily done a Prime Pantry order (or just brought stuff with us as we usually drive) and then we would have actually had that stuff in our room instead of having to go down to the lounge. They didn't plan anything for us. The service consisted of a printout of our FP and ADR and airline information (I could have easily done that or my TA would have done it for us) and turn down...neither or which were really extra to us. It was nice to stay in the same building to get help and not have to go to the front desk (to run gift cards, etc) However, our billing was initially set up wrong so we got embarrassed at Epcot on our first afternoon. (I know everyone makes mistakes, just saying it wasn't like we didn't have hassle). Our room had some wear and tear issues, everything was functional, but still you would think the room would be in mint condition (and it was not) and this was in 2016 not *that* long after the Poly rehab

 

[pixarmom]

We've stayed CL at GF (RPC), BWI, Poly, CR, WL, AKL and BC - some multiple times each. Planning to stay YC CL next trip. We've also stayed non-CL at all of the deluxe resort, mods (except cabins) and values. So we try and enjoy a lot of different types of stays. We go back and forth depending on the cost, the family members traveling and the purpose of the trip. There was a time that CL was really ideal - primarily when the kids were all younger.

Our factors:

Space: Our youngest absolutely loves the lounge space and the concept of having a home base in addition to the room, and so does my husband. Our older boys (17 and 18) don't care either way. I appreciate some down time and a glass of wine that doesn't cost $15, but not if everyone else is rushing me along to get back to the parks or dinner. Also, there have been times when the lounge is SO crowded that we end up grabbing a few items and going back to our room. In those cases (mostly runDisney events and primarily BWI) the extra space benefit evaporates. But when it's not too crowded, it's wonderful to have that extra space, relative peace and down time.

Timing: Our youngest is always up for a park break - really needs it. So for him, timing works out and he would always want to be in the lounge for evening appetizers. Same for me. My husband would take a park break all day, every day if he could! Our older boys would rather be out and about - they find the timing restrictive.

Food - Breakfast: Breakfast is the only constant. Almost everyone appreciates an easy breakfast that people can eat at different times, making the morning routine very easy for both the early birds and the sleepy heads. If someone wants a mickey waffle, they can usually buy it downstairs and bring it up.

Food - Evening: As for evening appetizers, it's often the most nutrition our youngest gets all day at Disney, and prevents crabbiness while waiting for ADRs. Our older boys would probably skip it even though they are always eating - they are about to sit down for a full dinner and don't really want that many appetizers immediately before.

Food - Snacks: Also, that whole idea of taking snacks to the park in the little baggies they provide - that happens maybe Day 1 and then they all prefer a mickey bar or something in the park. Same with the desserts - we like the idea, but usually get desserts to bring back from the parks. And then my husband is buying fountain sodas instead of grabbing a can in the lounge - ugh! On the other hand, I do love having small things like milk cartons available without having to go downstairs and wait in line to buy them, and the snacks are great for pool time when we don't want to buy a bunch of stuff.

Service: I plan in advance myself, but my husband and I appreciate the CL CMs for last minute changes in plan (which my husband always seems to like doing!) On the other hand, he doesn't always feel like chatting with CMs in the lounge or on the way in and out. Our older boys used to enjoy the chit chat when they were younger, but not so much anymore. Our youngest absolutely loves talking with CMs and meeting other kids.

In the end, at this particular point in time, I'm more likely to book CL if the price is right and it's just youngest son and me (maybe husband, but not with older kids.) That is likely to keep changing, so I just refer back to the factors above and make a decision for each stay!

 

[vinotinto]

We have booked CL stays in other resorts/places (my fave was CL at Charleston Place!), but never at Disney. The main issue that I have with the Disney CL offerings is the very limited food options. The only thing I would be able to eat for breakfast are hard boiled eggs. That would get old very quickly. I would rather spend that money on dining and then I can select whatever I want.

 

[HappyMomma]

To me club level isn't a "value" purchase but a convenience one. I love that when I want to make changes to reservations or have questions someone is right there to ask and deal with my issues. I literally tell concierge what I'd like to change that day and head to the park and let them worry about it. I also like that breakfast is right there in the morning. No waiting for my tea and bagel. But if you are considering value how much food you'll be able to eat and drinks you can consume like at a buffet? It's not worth it IMO. The offerings are mostly the same everyday with small changes and it's not the same as a hot, ordered meal.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

We are trying Club Level for the first time this year, but after reading the great advice on the Club Level thread, we planned it so we would get 'value' for us. We have 11 days at PORS where we have free dining and will be in the parks almost every day with tons of rope drop days. Then we are following up with 3 days of club level at BC (stayed here before but never club level). While at BC we will enjoy SAB and the lounge offerings. We only plan to do a couple of park hours each afternoon (including lunch) in Epcot, specifically so we can enjoy the lounge for breakfast/appetizers/evening drinks. Our CL stay will be very relaxed / only wander in and out of world showcase with no set schedule. This will be the relaxing part of our trip after 11 days of park intensive days. I think that if we like it, this is how we will plan trips in the future.

 

[plainoldt]

I don't think that it's financially "worth it" but a convenience I guess. We love going back and forth between park and Poly - pool breaks, tired and need a break, changing or showering before dinner...

We definitely take advantage of the adult beverages, but we don;t rush home for them. Our kids don't usually get soda at home (I just rarely remember to buy it) so they LOVE getting all the soda they want when we're back at the poly.

Being able to grab a quick breakfast is big for us since we're not first thing in the morning eaters in general. For a week, we may schedule 1 or 2 late character b'fasts but that's more for the fun, not the food.

 

[Tksolomom]

Ah yes, the new FP+ CL option is definitely a new incentive. $50 per person per day with a 3 day minimum seems steep to me, but clearly many people disagree. For all of my visits (8, I think) since the FP+ system debuted, I have not been wise with my FP strategy and have usually only used three per day. Now that I feel pretty confident in obtaining more, thanks to the posts here, I am going to see how I do this time around. If I am unsuccessful, I may well be booking a CL room for my next stay so I can get the guaranteed extra FPs.

If I wasn't DVC, I would do club level just for this. The $50 also gets you the nighttime show, and I would rather pay the $50 than do the dessert parties. I can say for sure that if they ever offer this to DVC members I will definitely be doing it.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

If you have had several stays on Disney properties, do you believe the Club Level rooms are worth the extra cost? I found the planning assistance to be helpful on my first few trips, but now I think I am pretty well-versed in all options and tricks, so having the CM assistance in the lounges isn't something I need. I have found the food options to be less plentiful and less varied over the years, especially in the evening. I don't think the club level rooms are any bigger/better than non-CL rooms, but I am not booking suites. AK does have a beautiful lounge space, the others I've tried, not so much. Maybe I'm missing something? I have tried BC, BWI, AK, Poly club level.

I think you answered your question and I agree with all you said.