Concierge/Club Level Information - Part III (October 2010)

[TwoIfBySea]

Interesting if there are services available ONLY at the least expensive resorts. I wonder what else that is true about.

 

[hthrbells]

I have to vent, I am so upset!! My plan to surprise my DH with a TPV CL room has been flushed down the tubes!! I saved the extra money and I emailed our TA just to find out they were booked!! I was so surprised, and sad!! I was looking forward Hawaii again!! I really was looking forward to surprising my DH!! Dec 11? I can not believe they were booked!!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I have to vent, I am so upset!! My plan to surprise my DH with a TPV CL room has been flushed down the tubes!! I saved the extra money and I emailed our TA just to find out they were booked!! I was so surprised, and sad!! I was looking forward Hawaii again!! I really was looking forward to surprising my DH!! Dec 11? I can not believe they were booked!!!

I just checked on the WDW booking page for December 11 (- 17) and both CL and non-CL Poly TPV rooms are available at rack rate, at least. Were you trying to book with a pin code that's sold-out?

 

[Anonomom]

I think we've decided to go back to WDW in October, for a quick weekend trip. After we had such a great experience with CR's CL in May, we're definitely staying CL again. Sadly, CR is sold out the weekend we want, so we're trying to decide among the Poly, YC or BC.

Does anyone have experience with all/any two of them? Do you have a preference? Our paramount interest is convenience, since it'll be our very first trip as a family of five (kids will be 5.5, 2.5 and 2 months old). How quick is it to get to MK from the Poly's Hawaii building? Similarly, how close are the YC/BC club areas to transportation/the path to Epcot?

 

[hannahdrewmom]

I think we've decided to go back to WDW in October, for a quick weekend trip. After we had such a great experience with CR's CL in May, we're definitely staying CL again. Sadly, CR is sold out the weekend we want, so we're trying to decide among the Poly, YC or BC.

Does anyone have experience with all/any two of them? Do you have a preference? Our paramount interest is convenience, since it'll be our very first trip as a family of five (kids will be 5.5, 2.5 and 2 months old). How quick is it to get to MK from the Poly's Hawaii building? Similarly, how close are the YC/BC club areas to transportation/the path to Epcot?

We've stayed at both... honestly BC is closer to a park than Poly. This is because you can walk about 2 minutes and get to IG. The boat works well to HS.

Poly isn't that hard to get to MK... although the boat does not allow strollers unless they are folded. So your only option really is a monorail. It is easy transpo to Epcot and MK.

So personally I'd figure out which 2 parks are more along where you are going to be. Our kids are 4 and 2.... we love BC... but honestly it's hard to give up the location on Poly since we end up at MK more than anyplace else. The beach for fireworks at night is also nice so the kids can see them without having to go into the park.

I have a love hate relationship with the Poly. If it weren't for the kids we'd go to BC... but with kids... Poly is the only way I'd go. (We also thought CL offerings at Poly were better for the kids.)

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I think we've decided to go back to WDW in October, for a quick weekend trip. After we had such a great experience with CR's CL in May, we're definitely staying CL again. Sadly, CR is sold out the weekend we want, so we're trying to decide among the Poly, YC or BC.

Does anyone have experience with all/any two of them? Do you have a preference? Our paramount interest is convenience, since it'll be our very first trip as a family of five (kids will be 5.5, 2.5 and 2 months old). How quick is it to get to MK from the Poly's Hawaii building? Similarly, how close are the YC/BC club areas to transportation/the path to Epcot?

I have stayed Club Level at both the Polynesian and Beach Club, well between those two resorts I would go with the Polynesian. They have a much bigger lounge, better theme, atmosphere and most important their Club Level Cast Members are friendly.

At the Beach Club their Club Level Cast Members are rude and when we asked if they had Sprite Zero they acted like it was a big deal to actually find out. Plus I thought the Cast Members who work in the lounge clearing plates and etc off the tables were looking at us as we took food and were eating, so it wasn't a great atmosphere. In fact we hated it so much that after 1 day we asked to be moved back over to the Boardwalk Inn where their Club Level service is a lot better and my opinion the best one in WDW. Finally while I was happy to try it once I thought Stormalong Bay is very overated because the whole pool area is to confusing and it's not great when you have a lot of little kids trying to always watch them.

 

[Fuhnuh]

I don't dispute CR Resort fan 4 Life's' post, but, we finished a 3 week DW trip staying at BC and Poly CL and had the opposite experience. We enjoyed the beautiful and large lounge at the Poly better, but found the CL CM's less friendly and helpful (both desk and lounge). We felt like the CM's at the lounge at the Poly seemed irritated by the guests. We did have a great stay though, we changed our last six nights back to BC because our daughter liked the pool better. I can see how it might be hard to keep track of multiple children at Stormalong Bay at BC. The CL CM's at both resorts can vary in attitude/aptitude, so maybe the differences in opinion has to do more with which CM's you run into. That being said, we still might go back to the Poly for the 5th time next August.

 

[micknme]

We loved the CM's at the BC...found them to be extremely friendly and helpful, loved the fact that they took away our dirty dishes and that I didn't have to cart them over to a dirty dish tray like I've had to at other CL lounges (I really can't stand trying to balance my dishes on top of strangers dirty dishes). At times we actually sat down at the BC CL desk, just to chat with the CM's on duty if no one else was needing their help. They were great.

The Poly's CM's were less friendly as well as being less helpful when compared to the BC but we still enjoyed the lounge, especially the view during Wishes. Hawaii building is very close to the boat dock which is how we usually travelled to the MK.

I would not return to CR CL ever again as I was made to feel as if I didn't even exist when entering the lounge.

Each trip at these three resorts staying in CL were for 13 days so I did get to experience all or most of the CM's working and again I have to say, BC was wonderful!

 

[micknme]

It sure does and I am already planning what nights my Dad and I will go to the ESPN Club and watch some Toronto Maple Leafs games, so at least that gives me something else I can look forward to doing.

Always happy to see another Leafs fanatic! Will have to try watching a game at the ESPN Club!

 

[jdd]

We stayed at the Poly CL last year and loved it! CMs were very friendly and helpful - we asked once for apple juice for our youngest and they gave us the whole package of 6! Food offerings were perfect for us. The whole atmosphere, theming of the Poly was fantastic and the monorail is very convenient for trips to MK and Epcot.

We didn't stay CL at the Beach Club, but I just didn't like the feel of that resort. More like a hotel to us - and I agree about SAB being overrated. I kept reading about it being a mini water park, and the kids were really disappointed. We had no problems there - it just wasn't for us.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

I would not return to CR CL ever again as I was made to feel as if I didn't even exist when entering the lounge.

I think this goes to show how the quality of CMs at any resort's CL can change over time. We were just at CR CL last month and the Atrium Club staff could not have been nicer to us. They were friendly and warm when we were sitting in the lounge, and they always seemed pleased to help when I made my daily (or more) trips down for whole milk and hot water for our toddler.

Of course, that doesn't help people trying to plan far in advance, but I at least feel confident in saying that the current CR CL CMs are much better than when you visited in 2008.

 

[Anonomom]

Thanks to everyone who gave their opinions. I think we are decided on the Poly.

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

Hi everyone! We are returning to the BC CL next month and wondering if the lounge is still open 24 hours to grab drinks. When we were there in Dec. even if we came back after the dessert service had ended, it was open and stocked with drinks.

 

[princessdi]

Hi everyone! We are returning to the BC CL next month and wondering if the lounge is still open 24 hours to grab drinks. When we were there in Dec. even if we came back after the dessert service had ended, it was open and stocked with drinks.

When we stayed at WL CL, the CL was never open past 10 or 11pm. We stay at the BWI beginning tomorrow.... I wonder if the BWI keeps their CL open for drinks too?? Serious Diet Coke-aholic here!! lol

 

[nascargirl]

princessdi- The BWI-CL is open from 6:30am to 10pm only. Enjoy your stay there as it is our favorite CL resort.

 

[micknme]

Of course, that doesn't help people trying to plan far in advance, but I at least feel confident in saying that the current CR CL CMs are much better than when you visited in 2008.

Good to know especially since the location of CR is fantastic! Thanks for the update!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We loved the CM's at the BC...found them to be extremely friendly and helpful, loved the fact that they took away our dirty dishes and that I didn't have to cart them over to a dirty dish tray like I've had to at other CL lounges (I really can't stand trying to balance my dishes on top of strangers dirty dishes).

I have always wondered why do some people think like that because it's not the first time I read that type of comment. I mean in the Club Level lounges where you put the dirty plates and etc on a specifc table like at the Contemporary, Polynesian and Boardwalk Inn you are just walking a few feet from your table. So I personally don't see what's so wrong about doing that and I noticed the Cast Members always clear that table right away, so you won't need to balance your plates on top of others. At the Beach Club I felt like we were being watched by the Cast Members who clear the plates off the tables because once they saw we were finished with them they came right over before we knew it and it made us feel uncomftorable.

Always happy to see another Leafs fanatic! Will have to try watching a game at the ESPN Club!

In December 2010 I saw their games being over there when they were in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. Plus the Edmonton game was scheduled to be shown on their big screen with the sound and that was a nice surprise, plus I was the only one paying attention to it when they scored.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

princessdi,
I just wanted to add that Diet Coke is one of the cans of Soda kept inside the Innkeeper's Club Level lounge, so you won't have to worry about always having some.

 

[WDWKOOK]

When we stayed at WL CL, the CL was never open past 10 or 11pm. We stay at the BWI beginning tomorrow.... I wonder if the BWI keeps their CL open for drinks too?? Serious Diet Coke-aholic here!! lol

You can always put as many drinks as you like in your room's fridge so that you can have them anytime you'd like, even after the lounge closes.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Do you know if they can get you MNSSHP tickets with the DVC discount? That would really make my like so much easier. We check in to AKV concierge a week from tomorrow.

Yes, they can. We were able to get our MVMCP tickets when we stayed at AKV CL in December. Just remember that in order to get the discount, you have to buy the tickets a few days in advance.