Concierge/Club Level Information - Part II (Sept 2009)

[Mamu]

We have done club level at AKL and The Poly we are doing club level at Sugarloaf Lodge this September. Loved both, although the food at AKL was better, but it was always very crowded, we also stayed on the 5th floor and had to take the elevator up to the 6th floor. The Poly Lounge was Magical (you stay in a separate building) and it was never over crowded, we stayed on the second floor and 3 doors down from the lounge. Both were very helpful in getting ADR and doing small favors.

If you've stayed at any, what is the difference, not so much the food but the overall experience?

I love the GF and chose Sugarloaf because it away from the main lodge, which I also love, but we have little ones, and teens in our group so I though Sugarloaf would be a better choice. Hoping I made the right decision.

 

[scottmel]

WEcome back, clare!!! so glad you had a great time! I can relate to the tears part!!! I can't wait to read your trip report!!!! Can you make sure I know it is out there?PM me if you could? I don't want to miss it and not sure where trip reports are placed. Is Pete just not the best? My daughter loved this guy and will miss him at YC this year. He always saved her choc. covered strawberries!!! What a fab. room view you had! I wonder if it is the same room I had the first time? Was it OUTSIDE the looked glass doors? Kind of just around the bend? We had that last year for a day but King bed and daybed not so hot for DD. She wanted 2 queens...So I lost my BW view!!

 

[emilymad]

We just got back from a split stay at BWI CL and Poly CL. We loved the BWI. We had a Boardwalk view room and my parents had a garden view room down the hall. The garden view room was way bigger and had a great view of Illuminations. We loved Scott. He was really helpful and nice. We had a themepark view at the Poly and that was really the only great thing about it. After coming from the BWI the Poly seemed dark and old. We liked the food selection better at the BWI and lounge was much more peaceful. The Poly lounge always seemed crowded and full of kids literally running around the tables.


We also did the Wildlife Discovery Tour. It was fantastic! Our guide was great and we saw a lot of animals. We were on the tour for almost an hour and a half. We did the morning tour which I think is the way to go since I can see that the bus would get hot. It was not an issue on our particular tour.

 

[RachelTori]

As the OP of this thread, I just want to say: PLEASE feel free to post your reviews/thoughts/pictures about your CL stay, but also PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE post a link to your Trip Report on this thread. I know many of us are interested to read all about your trip!

Thank you

 

[ClareH37]

I have a link of last year's trip report in my signature I'll also be working up this year's report in the next few days and will post a link there too.

WEcome back, clare!!! so glad you had a great time! I can relate to the tears part!!! I can't wait to read your trip report!!!! Can you make sure I know it is out there?PM me if you could? I don't want to miss it and not sure where trip reports are placed. Is Pete just not the best? My daughter loved this guy and will miss him at YC this year. He always saved her choc. covered strawberries!!! What a fab. room view you had! I wonder if it is the same room I had the first time? Was it OUTSIDE the looked glass doors? Kind of just around the bend? We had that last year for a day but King bed and daybed not so hot for DD. She wanted 2 queens...So I lost my BW view!!

Thanks Melissa No problem at all, I'll send you a PM when it's up. Pete is wonderful, I received an email this morning from him of the best MK castle picture ever - he is such a wonderful man.

My room (4237) was directly opposite the lounge, I really couldn't have asked for a better location.

 

[ElizabethB]

If the evening offerings at BWI are now from Kouzzina, that ought to be a huge improvement from our stay a year ago. When we stayed there, it seemed to be all kabobs, all the time. We got very tired of the food very quickly.

It's so funny, though, that Disney seems annoyed that people were "treating it like a buffet". What is that supposed to mean? That people were eating the food? What's the point of putting food out if people aren't supposed to eat it?

Is everyone supposed to take only a "dainty" portion? Tell that to families traveling with teenage boys!

In any event, Innkeeper's Club is a bit more tempting to us for a repeat stay if Kouzzina is providing the food now. Frankly, though, not tempting enough for us to re-book. Too many other things we didn't like about Innkeeper's Club.

 

[Little Lulu]

If the evening offerings at BWI are now from Kouzzina, that ought to be a huge improvement from our stay a year ago. When we stayed there, it seemed to be all kabobs, all the time. We got very tired of the food very quickly.

It's so funny, though, that Disney seems annoyed that people were "treating it like a buffet". What is that supposed to mean? That people were eating the food? What's the point of putting food out if people aren't supposed to eat it?

Is everyone supposed to take only a "dainty" portion? Tell that to families traveling with teenage boys!

In any event, Innkeeper's Club is a bit more tempting to us for a repeat stay if Kouzzina is providing the food now. Frankly, though, not tempting enough for us to re-book. Too many other things we didn't like about Innkeeper's Club.

ElizabethB-Being a mom of grown DS, I understand where you are coming from. But, CL was and is never meant to be a meal plan.
Just a little something to "hold one over " until dinner or until their next meal.

Nice to see the BWI pics and everyone back from there!
I'll be posting my pics from WL CL soon!

 

[ClareH37]

Here's some pictures of room 4237 at the BWI CL - king bed boardwalk view room, directly opposite the lounge.

 

[Little Lulu]

You got a fabulous room, Clare!
Great pics!

 

[ClareH37]

From what I was told, Disney are not saying one can't eat, but more to encourage people to treat the evening offerings as pre dinner appetisers and not a meal replacement.

The plates are now so small (a very small saucer type plate) that it really is impossible to put too much on the plate.

Here is a picture I took earlier this week (containing 2 pieces of celery, a few olives, a desertspoon of greek salad and the same of orzo salad, the 'plate' appears larger in the photo than it is in reality:

I really enjoyed the appetisers this year, more so than last year, but they are more 'grown up' and I think for younger children they might not be so happy.

 

[ClareH37]

You got a fabulous room, Clare!
Great pics!

It really was beautiful, I was in heaven

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Clare,
Thanks for posting those photos.

 

[scottmel]

Well I will just plan to take 2 plates next month! I don't mind! But I think it is ok for a smaller plate b/c last year I saw so many kids espcially just piling their plate and leaving most of it to waste. so this way, pile your small plate, if you want more, go back up...or just grab a second plate. I did NOT do the dininig plan this summer b/c last year it was too much with CL. So I do plan to rely on CL for a mini meal (I am not a real big eater) and just grab some CS later on the boardwalk, etc. if still hungry....

 

[ClareH37]

People were definitely not taking advantage of the evening offerings at the Boardwalk compared to last year - I loved the olives (could have eaten a whole bowlfull lol) but a lot of evenings I was one of the only people eating them, quite often there were serving platters full of food each evening left over

 

[scottmel]

I am so glad you posted, clare about the food. That doesn't sound so hot for kids, you are right...I am pretty picky too actually! Your room was FAB! Oh I bet you didn't want to leave! How gorgeous....Having LOVED it last year, was it just as good 2nd time around or did you find yourself comparing a lot?

 

[ClareH37]

Honestly Melissa it was even better than last year and I really can't believe how it did that as last year was so good.

I was welcomed like family, the CMs are just wonderful, I felt so at home I really didn't want to leave, I'm going to return next year, probably December.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I'm also just back (today) from a 7 night stay at the BWI CL - lovesdumbo your pictures are so similar to mine lol

Hi there! It was great meeting you in the lounge! Sorry we didn't make it to the Dis meet-we just had to get in a few more hours of park time on our final night.

I really enjoyed the appetisers this year, more so than last year, but they are more 'grown up' and I think for younger children they might not be so happy.

I really enjoyed that orzo salad! My DS will try anything-he loved the fried raviolis one night but much of the other hot appetizers were too spicy for him. BUT...those PB&J pinwheels were really good-much nicer than uncrustables. He enjoyed those, the apples with carmel sauce and the fresh veggies.

People were definitely not taking advantage of the evening offerings at the Boardwalk compared to last year - I loved the olives (could have eaten a whole bowlfull lol) but a lot of evenings I was one of the only people eating them, quite often there were serving platters full of food each evening left over

I too noticed that we were often the only ones in the lounge too. A nice change from hunting for a table at AKL or Poly.


I have to say I think I'm suffering from a very bad case of post Disney depression. I was NOT ready to come home. The week just flew by soooooooo fast! I had some issues with my feet that also put a damper on my visit-I just couldn't do the 14 hour days I'm used to. I must be getting old. I'm still torn about what to do for July. DS really enjoyed BWI and I know DH would too. I may just keep the reservation I have-I'll just be sure to call and add "not near ESPN" to my room request.

 

[ClareH37]

Hi Bernadette, I forgot it was *you* lol

It was great meeting you guys too, it was generally very peaceful in the lounge wasn't it, so civilised.

Did you work with the IPO at all? I believe as a returning guest it will be noted as such so hopefully you will get a nicer room, have a word with the IPO and say you were not overly impressed with the room and ask them to put in a request for a boardwalk view room/non ESPN room.

It went way too fast didn't it, I also took time out and relaxed, I can't cope with 14 days either lol

I so didn't want to come home but the ash cloud is coming back and there's talk of the airspace being closed again for a couple of days from tomorrow evening so from that perspective I'm happy I got home when I did.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

At GF RPC right now - heaven as always.

Tonight in the lounge there was a delicious tarragon lobster canape that I couldn't stop eating. Never seen it in the lounge before, but I'm not complaining!

 

[wdwfan]

I'm a little disappointed to hear that the evening offerings have changed to Kouzzina. I can't see my husband and kids liking olives. I love BWI CL, but I don't want to hear my family complain that "it used to be so much better than it is now." I love the cm's and the lounge, but it's not just about me. Maybe we'll try something else?? Come on BWI CL - do better and keep that top notch ranking.