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

[DonaldDoleWhip]

About a month to go until AKV concierge - can't wait to try Sunrise Safari and refurbished Space Mountain!

 

[roxiehartseeyore]

I made a rather short notice reservation for WL for mid december. We've never stayed club level so didn't really know to contact them (We made the reservation through ITT). So I emailed them sunday and got the email back saying someone would contact me in 24 hours. I still haven't heard from anyone. Should I wait a few more days or resend the original email? The only request I made was for 1 ADR which really I could make myself but figured maybe they could work some extra magic. Any advice is welcome!

 

[RachelTori]

I made a rather short notice reservation for WL for mid december. We've never stayed club level so didn't really know to contact them (We made the reservation through ITT). So I emailed them sunday and got the email back saying someone would contact me in 24 hours. I still haven't heard from anyone. Should I wait a few more days or resend the original email? The only request I made was for 1 ADR which really I could make myself but figured maybe they could work some extra magic. Any advice is welcome!

I would send it again and let them know you've been waiting since Sunday. They definitely should have contacted you by now. I'd be inclined to include my phone number and request they call me. Their service is included in the rate you're paying, so you should utilize them whether it's for 1 ADR or many.

 

[hstrickland]

Certainly call! We are staying Poly CL in May. I sent an email telling them I was staying CL and needed a request form. It was sent within 48 hours. 3 days ago I sent in my request form and received their confirmation a day later. The Poly IPO has been great. Give them a call...you might have to wait a bit...they are usually busy.

 

[roxiehartseeyore]

I think I'll give them a call tomorrow morning. I included all my contact info in the email but I guess it never hurts to try and talk to a live person. I'm super excited about this trip, its just my Mom and I. We've never been to WDW together so its a late in life mommy and me trip!

 

[tinkbyday]

I just wanted to post a note regarding my first experience with the YC IPO...I had booked the room several weeks ago and admittedly did not hear from anyone and I just went ahead and booked my own ADRs.

But, I really wasn't happy with the CP dinner pkg I booked and couldn't get the restaurant I had really wanted, so I sent them an email last night - this morning, I received an email back that they had found me a reservation at the place I had wanted and at a great time! I couldn't believe it!

Great experience so far!

 

[boymommyx2]

We are looking at booking CL for our first trip to WDW. If you have CL are you better off not getting the dining plan or maybe getting a lower level dining plan? Which CL's can you watch fireworks from? Kids are welcome in the CL's right?

 

[ClareH37]

We are looking at booking CL for our first trip to WDW. If you have CL are you better off not getting the dining plan or maybe getting a lower level dining plan? Which CL's can you watch fireworks from? Kids are welcome in the CL's right?

Absolutely, kids are welcome in the CLs

Speaking from a personal perspective, I wouldn't opt for the dining plan, but that is because I only have a light breakfast in the lounge in any event (i.e. cereal or fruit/muffin), lunch I have CS and I like to go out to dinner in the evening, having stopped off in the CL before and have a few appetisers/glass of wine. The food in the lounge is appetiser/finger type food, and there are reports on this thread of it being scaled back (i.e. downsized). You have to do what works best for you and your family, but if you're thinking about making a meal out of the evening food offerings you might be a little disapointed

 

[BCV23]

Wishes can be seen from the Polynesian and CR lounges (oh, not sure if from both though....someone else will know.

Fireworks can not be seen from either lounge at the GF nor from AKL's lounge.

Not sure about the other's.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We are looking at booking CL for our first trip to WDW. If you have CL are you better off not getting the dining plan or maybe getting a lower level dining plan? Which CL's can you watch fireworks from? Kids are welcome in the CL's right?

Personally I would choose to just do Club Level and not any form od the DDP or do the opposite and pick the DDP over staying Club Level, because it's to much food if you pick both of them.

Besides that Wishes can be viewed from both the lounges at the Contemporary and Polynesian, plus kids are always welcome in the lounge. Just make sure you don't let them run around and etc.

 

[RachaelA]

We are looking at booking CL for our first trip to WDW. If you have CL are you better off not getting the dining plan or maybe getting a lower level dining plan? Which CL's can you watch fireworks from? Kids are welcome in the CL's right?

We do Club Level and the basic dining plan, but we also don't book club level soley based on the food in the lounge. We use the lounge for breakfast, drinks, and occasional snacks. We eat a CS for lunch in the parks and a TS for dinner. Our snack credits go towards mickey rice crispy treats to take home

 

[mmmears]

We are looking at booking CL for our first trip to WDW. If you have CL are you better off not getting the dining plan or maybe getting a lower level dining plan? Which CL's can you watch fireworks from? Kids are welcome in the CL's right?

Welcome! Yes, kids are welcome in all the lounges. As for viewing the fireworks, only the Poly and the CR have lounges with good fireworks views. None of the Epcot-area resorts have lounges where you can view Illuminations since most of the "action" is so low to the ground in that show. You can get a great view from some of the rooms and the beach/marina at the GF, but neither of the lounges.

For us, we don't take the dining plan. We like the small breakfast in the lounges. Then we opt for a larger, sit-down lunch. For dinner, sometimes we have a sit-down meal, but we generally snack in the lounge then grab a bite to eat in the parks if we get hungry later on. I would find it hard to juggle all the "set" meals, trying to use all the CS and snack credits, plus taking the time to enjoy the lounge.

Many people do choose to take the DP and stay CL, though, and are quite happy doing so. Just depends on your dining habits and the amount of food you like to eat when you're at WDW.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Just have to say that AKL IPO ROCKS! They were not able to book a F! Dinner package at our 90 day mark, but I just got an e-mail tonight that they were able to get one for the date we wanted at the restaurant we wanted. They provided such great service to keep checking for us - I would have been calling many times every day to try to book it.

So far, I LOVE AKL IPO!

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Has anyone heard of the new category of rooms at the Poly? From what I understand there's a new bookable category of "TPV with Club Level Access" starting in 2010 - meaning that if you want a guaranteed Theme Park View in the Hawaii Bldg (CL) you have to pay extra for it - even if you've already paid the big bucks for the LV!!

Since it seems people complain when they can't see the castle with lagoon view (some rooms are blocked), they are separating the blocked from the unblocked. If you look at the CL options for GF for next year, there is a TPV CL option as well. The price for this view, for me, is absolutely outrageous! I always felt the LV CL ($715) pricing at over $100 more p/n vs a GV CL ($570 p/n) just across the hall was ridiculous, but the $760 p/n for a "TPV w/CL Access" is beyond ridiculous. . .they are the same rooms as they have always been and the offerings in the lounge are once again being diminished while the room rates rise.

It is interesting that the new view is still in Hawaii--if that's the case, what is the point of "with CL access" as a view type. . .seems redundant since you are already housed in the CL building.

As I said, I'm sure someone will think that this latest view is "worth the money", but it isn't me. . .CL at $760 p/night (regular season) to look at Cinderella Castle is too rich for my blood. . . I can find better ways to spend the additional $190 p/n difference and stick with GV or, , a non-CL room and save huge $$$$.
(This info was copied directly from the disboards.)

So - does anyone have any input? I just emailed IPO at Poly CL, but since it's after hours, I won't hear anything back until tomorrow.

We have 2 LV CL rooms booked for April 2010 - and this news doesn't make me happy...
Gretchen

 

[west&east]

We just booked 5 nights at the WL CL Dec 18-23rd, with the 40% off deal! Wow. We stayed at AKL CL in January and it was fabulous. The IPO is simply amazing. I know I am late to the party especially for Christmas time, but I hope they will be helpful for some ADRs.

Any special tips about the WL CL?

I can try to help out with AKL info. I started a trip report but unfortunately never finished. It does have some AKL CL info. The link in my signature is broken- I need to update it but can't deal with it tonight. In the meantime, you can find it at:

http://http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2046266&page=4

Karen

 

[LaWa]

We just booked 5 nights at the WL CL Dec 18-23rd, with the 40% off deal! Wow. We stayed at AKL CL in January and it was fabulous. The IPO is simply amazing. I know I am late to the party especially for Christmas time, but I hope they will be helpful for some ADRs.

Any special tips about the WL CL?

I can try to help out with AKL info. I started a trip report but unfortunately never finished. It does have some AKL CL info. The link in my signature is broken- I need to update it but can't deal with it tonight. In the meantime, you can find it at:

http://http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2046266&page=4

Karen

Hi Karen -

We'll be there at WL in CL at the same time. Maybe we'll bump into each other in the lounge. I'll be the lady with the smile!

The IPO staff has done a great job for me for ADRs. We didn't book a bunch, but the few we asked for we got at good times. Also they made a few suggestions for me over the phone.

Good stuff.

LaWa

 

[Canyon girl]

Has anyone heard of the new category of rooms at the Poly? From what I understand there's a new bookable category of "TPV with Club Level Access" starting in 2010 - meaning that if you want a guaranteed Theme Park View in the Hawaii Bldg (CL) you have to pay extra for it - even if you've already paid the big bucks for the LV!!

Since it seems people complain when they can't see the castle with lagoon view (some rooms are blocked), they are separating the blocked from the unblocked. If you look at the CL options for GF for next year, there is a TPV CL option as well. The price for this view, for me, is absolutely outrageous! I always felt the LV CL ($715) pricing at over $100 more p/n vs a GV CL ($570 p/n) just across the hall was ridiculous, but the $760 p/n for a "TPV w/CL Access" is beyond ridiculous. . .they are the same rooms as they have always been and the offerings in the lounge are once again being diminished while the room rates rise.

It is interesting that the new view is still in Hawaii--if that's the case, what is the point of "with CL access" as a view type. . .seems redundant since you are already housed in the CL building.

As I said, I'm sure someone will think that this latest view is "worth the money", but it isn't me. . .CL at $760 p/night (regular season) to look at Cinderella Castle is too rich for my blood. . . I can find better ways to spend the additional $190 p/n difference and stick with GV or, , a non-CL room and save huge $$$$.
(This info was copied directly from the disboards.)

So - does anyone have any input? I just emailed IPO at Poly CL, but since it's after hours, I won't hear anything back until tomorrow.

We have 2 LV CL rooms booked for April 2010 - and this news doesn't make me happy...
Gretchen

Gretchen,

It will be interesting to see what the IPO tells you. This category is so new the the WDTC people did not know and had to check. Also, the info online is incomplete at best. Please post what the IPO finds out for you. It would help the rest of us decide what to do. I currently have GV CL booked for Nov. 2010, but if they are going to open the lounge to lots of rooms from other buildings, I will probably rethink my resort choice. Decreased lounge offerings + increased cost + increased people (possible crowding) does not sound appealing to me. Hopefully, the answers will be logical, but like you, I wouldn't be happy booking LV expecting a castle view and not get it. There really ought to be more information available. I don't remember seeing this booking category when I first started researching the resort right after the 2010 rates came out. I wonder when they were added. Anyway, thanks for posting more info when you get it from IPO!

Naomi

 

[Tess]

Gretchen,

It will be interesting to see what the IPO tells you. This category is so new the the WDTC people did not know and had to check. Also, the info online is incomplete at best. Please post what the IPO finds out for you. It would help the rest of us decide what to do. I currently have GV CL booked for Nov. 2010, but if they are going to open the lounge to lots of rooms from other buildings, I will probably rethink my resort choice. Decreased lounge offerings + increased cost + increased people (possible crowding) does not sound appealing to me. Hopefully, the answers will be logical, but like you, I wouldn't be happy booking LV expecting a castle view and not get it. There really ought to be more information available. I don't remember seeing this booking category when I first started researching the resort right after the 2010 rates came out. I wonder when they were added. Anyway, thanks for posting more info when you get it from IPO!

Naomi

Naomi,

As I posted in parts of the quoted post, this TPV w/CL Access is a very new category. It seems the Polynesian attempted to do something like this before, but it didn't fly. As the Polynesian thread posts also indicated, the booking agents weren't even aware it existed. I doubt the CL CMs will know much about the booking categories at this point, but I'm sure they will research it for you and hopefully give you the answer you are seeking!

Please let us know what you find out.

 

[tarak]

Naomi,

As I posted in parts of the quoted post, this TPV w/CL Access is a very new category. It seems the Polynesian attempted to do something like this before, but it didn't fly. As the Polynesian thread posts also indicated, the booking agents weren't even aware it existed. I doubt the CL CMs will know much about the booking categories at this point, but I'm sure they will research it for you and hopefully give you the answer you are seeking!

Please let us know what you find out.

I'll email my TA and see if she knows anything about it. I would have assumed based on the price that these rooms were specifically in Hawaii - I can't see paying extra for the view and to have club level access, since it means you'd have to hoof it over to the lounge from another building. So you pay extra to get the non-tree blocked view. Which shouldn't even exist, in my opinion.

 

[Tess]

I'll email my TA and see if she knows anything about it. I would have assumed based on the price that these rooms were specifically in Hawaii - I can't see paying extra for the view and to have club level access, since it means you'd have to hoof it over to the lounge from another building. So you pay extra to get the non-tree blocked view. Which shouldn't even exist, in my opinion.

We've had an ongoing discussion about this new room cat on the Polynesian thread. I'll look forward to hearing whatever information you are able to discover!