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

[princesspeach]

You get a 2nd TV in the sitting area next to the balcony. Also if you got a Deluxe Room on the 3rd floor those balconies are bigger then the ones on the 4th floor.

Thanks I'm booked with an airline employee discount and don't recall the cm offering me this so its probably not available. I have a feeling the public 40% off discount will be extended through May anyway so maybe I can upgrade then. I would love to have a guaranteed Boardwalk view. The 2nd TV sounds nice.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thanks I'm booked with an airline employee discount and don't recall the cm offering me this so its probably not available. I have a feeling the public 40% off discount will be extended through May anyway so maybe I can upgrade then. I would love to have a guaranteed Boardwalk view. The 2nd TV sounds nice.

You're welcome and good luck with whatever decision you make, however one good decision you made was choosing to stay Club Level at the Boardwalk and it's something you won't regret.

 

[marymac123]

We just returned from our WL CL stay Sept 2nd & really missed MNSSHP because it started so much later this year than last...so we decided last minute to go back for a quickie day stay in Oct to do the party...but, I can not get CL at all, online or calling. Could it all be booked? Or will they release the rooms closer to the date? The CM that I got on the phone was trying real hard to get it for me...she was typing way but nothing. What should I do? Thanks

 

[RachelTori]

We just returned from our WL CL stay Sept 2nd & really missed MNSSHP because it started so much later this year than last...so we decided last minute to go back for a quickie day stay in Oct to do the party...but, I can not get CL at all, online or calling. Could it all be booked? Or will they release the rooms closer to the date? The CM that I got on the phone was trying real hard to get it for me...she was typing way but nothing. What should I do? Thanks

Are you trying for a discounted room or a room at rack? It is possible that they're all booked, but I'd be surprised if something didn't open up.

One suggestion, besides calling constantly to see if a CL room has opened, is to check on the website too. You'd be surprised how often a CM can't find something, but it's available to book online. (and if you find it, grab it!)

Good luck!

 

[marymac123]

Are you trying for a discounted room or a room at rack? It is possible that they're all booked, but I'd be surprised if something didn't open up.

One suggestion, besides calling constantly to see if a CL room has opened, is to check on the website too. You'd be surprised how often a CM can't find something, but it's available to book online. (and if you find it, grab it!)

Good luck!

I am not sure, I've checked from the up to 40%off link below the wdw main page & from the link in the left hand corner. So I think both.

 

[tcuplvr]

Hi!!

I have a question. This is our first stay CL. Do they have bottled water that we can take to the parks??? Last time we ordered from GG but don't think we will need to due to the food offerings at the CL. But I am nervous about water - that is pretty much all I drink,

 

[TJA]

I am not sure, I've checked from the up to 40%off link below the wdw main page & from the link in the left hand corner. So I think both.

Search your dates by the night too because it could be just one of your nights is booked and that makes the entire time frame look booked.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Hi!!

I have a question. This is our first stay CL. Do they have bottled water that we can take to the parks??? Last time we ordered from GG but don't think we will need to due to the food offerings at the CL. But I am nervous about water - that is pretty much all I drink,

They have large glass bottles of water in the lounges. They will give you a bottle you can take back to your room but you would have to put it in another bottle as you can't take glass into the parks.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Hi!!

I have a question. This is our first stay CL. Do they have bottled water that we can take to the parks??? Last time we ordered from GG but don't think we will need to due to the food offerings at the CL. But I am nervous about water - that is pretty much all I drink,

At the Contemporary their fridge in the Atrium Club lounge has mini bottles of Dasani, however I can't speak for other lounges.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We just returned from our WL CL stay Sept 2nd & really missed MNSSHP because it started so much later this year than last...so we decided last minute to go back for a quickie day stay in Oct to do the party...but, I can not get CL at all, online or calling. Could it all be booked? Or will they release the rooms closer to the date? The CM that I got on the phone was trying real hard to get it for me...she was typing way but nothing. What should I do? Thanks

Did you check the special offers page of the WDW website? If you have not here is a link to it.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/

 

[marymac123]

Search your dates by the night too because it could be just one of your nights is booked and that makes the entire time frame look booked.

Thank you-tried it-no luck!

 

[marymac123]

Did you check the special offers page of the WDW website? If you have not here is a link to it.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/

Thank you, I was checking that, still no luck.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thank you, I was checking that, still no luck.

You're welcome and I would keep checking, because you never know when something might become available.

 

[I-Bike]

I have another question for you experts. In making ADR's for my trip I noticed that the Club Level CM's can do this for you. I was not able to secure a reservation at California Grill for the time I want, would the CM's be able to squeeze us in? How does this work?

 

[west&east]

I have another question for you experts. In making ADR's for my trip I noticed that the Club Level CM's can do this for you. I was not able to secure a reservation at California Grill for the time I want, would the CM's be able to squeeze us in? How does this work?

You can definitely email or call the IPO and ask them to make your ADRs but it is my understanding that they have the same access as everyone else, that there are no tables held for club level guests, etc. That being said, they may be persistent for you especially once you are onsite.

 

[coopersmom]

I have another question for you experts. In making ADR's for my trip I noticed that the Club Level CM's can do this for you. I was not able to secure a reservation at California Grill for the time I want, would the CM's be able to squeeze us in? How does this work?

I'm not an expert by any means (planning first trip now) but I am staying club level and have had some back and forth with Itinerary Planning Office about ADRs and can tell you my experience to date.

First off, no, they don't seem to have special access to getting reservations and are basically using the same data, in a different system, from what I gather, to make reservations as guests can online.

I didn't book my trip until well past the 180-day window (about four months out) and for the last two months, since I booked, I actually made most of my own dining reservations, including quite a few changes (to put it mildly), as I learned more/read more and my plans better came together, as well as checking daily and therefore finding better options than I initially booked.

I was just recently very gently chastised by IPO and told it was their job to do that for me (after they basically had to clear and repopulate my itinerary) and to just leave it in their hands. Anyway, I have everything mostly the way I want, but am still looking/hoping for a few time changes (have reservations on days I want, but not ideal time) and one more hard-to-get ADR that I know I probably won't find, but haven't totally given up on.

I emailed them back today, about a week after our initial conversation to leave it in their hands, with a follow-up about the two reservations I was still hoping to move and the one I hoped to acquire to see if they had, had any luck. I was told, oddly by the very same person who had told me they'd take care of it and that they didn't want me to make reservations myself, that IPO isn't supposed to look for guests reservations after the 180 day window and that reservations after that time never opened up anyway. Huh?

All my reservations were made after the 180 day window and I basically found new options just about every day as I was tweaking, working through my trip plan. I certainly don't mean to ask anybody to do extra work on my behalf and I'm perfectly capable of checking online myself every day or so (at this point it just takes about 3 minutes), but I'm definitely confused about the mixed message.

Anyway, they have always been absolutely nothing but nice and this isn't a complaint, per se, I'm just not totally sold on the value of this part of the service. They did make Victoria and Albert's and Wildlife Excursion reservations for us, and it was basically hassle free (though they lost the original V&A time they'd offered us and we had to take something else) but the rest, so far, I did myself. I will add that they've answered a lot of misc. questions for me too; always very patiently.

Now that I know more I wish I'd planned the trip 180-day-plus out and just let IPO handle everything. I think that would be very nice, and very easy. Maybe next time ...

 

[west&east]

This December will be our 3rd CL trip. Our first two trips were booked at most 75 days out. We have done a combo of booking our own ADRs and using the IPO for assistance. We have never been told they won't check after a certain window.
If I received an email from an IPO suggesting they wouldn't attempt an ADR for a guest less than 180 days out, I would reply, including the original email and politely question that stance. Hopefully, it will be received by a different IPO who can correct the situation. Alternatively, I would call and get it cleared up.

 

[RachelTori]

I emailed them back today, about a week after our initial conversation to leave it in their hands, with a follow-up about the two reservations I was still hoping to move and the one I hoped to acquire to see if they had, had any luck. I was told, oddly by the very same person who had told me they'd take care of it and that they didn't want me to make reservations myself, that IPO isn't supposed to look for guests reservations after the 180 day window and that reservations after that time never opened up anyway. Huh?

All my reservations were made after the 180 day window and I basically found new options just about every day as I was tweaking, working through my trip plan. I certainly don't mean to ask anybody to do extra work on my behalf and I'm perfectly capable of checking online myself every day or so (at this point it just takes about 3 minutes), but I'm definitely confused about the mixed message.

Do you have that in writing? I wouldn't just let that one go. It IS IPO's job to make reservations for confirmed guests at ANY point up until check-in day (then the CMs in the lounge take over).

 

[coopersmom]

This December will be our 3rd CL trip. Our first two trips were booked at most 75 days out. We have done a combo of booking our own ADRs and using the IPO for assistance. We have never been told they won't check after a certain window.
If I received an email from an IPO suggesting they wouldn't attempt an ADR for a guest less than 180 days out, I would reply, including the original email and politely question that stance. Hopefully, it will be received by a different IPO who can correct the situation. Alternatively, I would call and get it cleared up.

I basically did that (sent back a return email saying I was confused and not wanting to request special services) and they told me they would check again but intimated they were doing me a favor by doing so (favor is my word, not theirs) and they're really not supposed to. Though they did use the "not after 180 day" language, I got the impression that what they really meant is that they're not supposed to look more than once per guest or to keep checking for something that wasn't there the first time, though the same person had offered to do exactly that, in those words ("keep checking"), last week.

Who knows what the real story/policy is exactly. It's not a big deal to me at this point. Like I said, I can check myself pretty easily and I certainly don't expect anyone to provide above-and-beyond service on my behalf and sincerely don't want to feel like I'm asking for a special favor.

Frankly, I had the idea (perhaps made up in my own head) they had some sort of automated system to look for openings. Obviously, continuously, or even daily, checking for better times for guests by hand would be very unwieldily considering the volume of people they're dealing with.

At this point, I'm 90 percent comfortable with my choices (at least for the moment , and just need a few little tweaks, so it doesn't feel especially urgent anyway.

 

[coopersmom]

Do you have that in writing? I wouldn't just let that one go. It IS IPO's job to make reservations for confirmed guests at ANY point up until check-in day (then the CMs in the lounge take over).

Yeah, it was an email. While I don't want to share a name (obviously) or anything close to the full text, the first two sentences were: "We really are not supposed to keep checking for requests inside 180 days. However, we will go ahead and keep checking for you."

The previous conversation we'd had about not making my own reservations/changes anymore because it spoils their itinerary, which I was told they have to put together by hand (which seems odd), and causes other problems, was via phone.

Again, I want to stress that in all of my interactions with IPO they have been absolutely nothing but kind and polite. I was just a little surprised to see that response given our previous conversation.