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

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

planning a split stay in October for food and wine ... We are going to do 2 nights in an Epcot area resort staying CL but can't decide between YC and BC...I know they are fairly similiar but was just wondering which one of the two you would recommend in terms of customer service, lounge offerings, etc

 

[PoohNFriends]

You have no need to be concerned. They usually get back to you by the next day. You get a generic reply so you know that they have received your email. You get that every time you email them. At least, that is from my experience with CR IPO. I think it depends on the time of day. Two of the emails I have sent gotten replied to the next and one was replied to the same day. I would give it another day or two before you should get concerned. Hope this helps!

Thanks, it actually came this AM!

 

[Bookmomhp]

Today is our 180-day mark for our October trip. I reluctantly gave up control and submitted all my ADR requests to the AKL IPO a couple of weeks ago, something that was VERY difficult for a type-A planner like myself I did it mainly to save myself having to get up at 3:00 a.m. Washington state time today.

I'm wondering when I can expect IPO to contact me with a list of my ADRs and reservations? I seriously doubt I'll be able to wait much more than a few more hours without going out of my mind. It is so tempting to just go on the WDW website and take care of things myself right now....

 

[OhThePain]

Today is our 180-day mark for our October trip. I reluctantly gave up control and submitted all my ADR requests to the AKL IPO a couple of weeks ago, something that was VERY difficult for a type-A planner like myself I did it mainly to save myself having to get up at 3:00 a.m. Washington state time today.

I'm wondering when I can expect IPO to contact me with a list of my ADRs and reservations? I seriously doubt I'll be able to wait much more than a few more hours without going out of my mind. It is so tempting to just go on the WDW website and take care of things myself right now....

Our 180 day mark was yesturday, Easter Sunday. The only reservation we wanted them to make for us was for the Wanyama Safari (which they had to do for us anyway). I got an e-mail at 6:30 AM (East Coast time) with a confirmation that we got it for the day we wanted. I was very impressed that they set it up for us not only that early on our 180 day mark, but also that early on a Sunday and even more that early on Easter Sunday.

 

[Bookmomhp]

Our 180 day mark was yesturday, Easter Sunday. The only reservation we wanted them to make for us was for the Wanyama Safari (which they had to do for us anyway). I got an e-mail at 6:30 AM (East Coast time) with a confirmation that we got it for the day we wanted. I was very impressed that they set it up for us not only that early on our 180 day mark, but also that early on a Sunday and even more that early on Easter Sunday.

6:30 AM east coast time IS impressive!! Although now I'm thinking I'd better contact them, since it is now almost 10:00 AM east coast time and I still haven't heard anything. I hate to be a pest, but I'm going crazy waiting!!!

 

[OhThePain]

6:30 AM east coast time IS impressive!! Although now I'm thinking I'd better contact them, since it is now almost 10:00 AM east coast time and I still haven't heard anything. I hate to be a pest, but I'm going crazy waiting!!!

It couldn't hurt to try. I hope you get all you wanted. I am sure my experience was nothing like most others, seeing as we only asked for one reservation and it was something that had to be booked through AKL-IPO anyway. I made all our other ADR's yesturday. We just weren't ready to take the step you took and hand over control of the rest of our ADR's. Maybe some day

 

[nemofans]

Today is our 180-day mark for our October trip. I reluctantly gave up control and submitted all my ADR requests to the AKL IPO a couple of weeks ago, something that was VERY difficult for a type-A planner like myself I did it mainly to save myself having to get up at 3:00 a.m. Washington state time today.

I'm wondering when I can expect IPO to contact me with a list of my ADRs and reservations? I seriously doubt I'll be able to wait much more than a few more hours without going out of my mind. It is so tempting to just go on the WDW website and take care of things myself right now....

This is going to be me! I don't know if I can hand that over. If I do, I will also be waiting anxiously trying to stay off the website. I may just do it myself.

 

[Missoutandabout]

You can always log into the Disney site and check to see if any ADRs have been added to your reservation page. (*cough*like I did*cough*)

 

[Bookmomhp]

You can always log into the Disney site and check to see if any ADRs have been added to your reservation page. (*cough*like I did*cough*)

Thank you I did this and it showed that no reservations had been made for us, so I ended up doing it myself I did end up getting everything I wanted at the times I wanted, though

I am still hoping the IPO comes through for the Illuminations cruise and the Sunrise Safari I requested.

 

[Missoutandabout]

Thank you I did this and it showed that no reservations had been made for us, so I ended up doing it myself I did end up getting everything I wanted at the times I wanted, though

I am still hoping the IPO comes through for the Illuminations cruise and the Sunrise Safari I requested.

Haha, good for you! I only wish I had followed my gut instinct for doing my own ADRs as the IPO came back with a time about 2 hours later than I wanted which would mean a late-late lunch for a 4 year old. (Though, I did wind up booking the same reservation, at the time we really wanted, on the day after. Hedging my bets and all. ) I'm a micro-manager. Not to take anything away from the IPO, I just prefer being in control. Then there's no one to blame but myself when something screws up!

 

[Lisa S.]

Thank you I did this and it showed that no reservations had been made for us, so I ended up doing it myself I did end up getting everything I wanted at the times I wanted, though

I am still hoping the IPO comes through for the Illuminations cruise and the Sunrise Safari I requested.

Don't count IPO out yet. . .my 180 days was on a Friday, and the only reason I gave up control and had IPO make my ADR's was because I was out of town that day. . .I got home that Sunday night and didn't have an email from them, so I panicked. . .went on the website and it didn't show any reservations either so I went ahead and made them myself. . .turns out that IPO HAD made my ressies (and got better times than I did) but for some weird reason the confirmation email didn't get to me. . .so I wound up going back and canceling all the ones I made. The same thing may have happened to you. Good luck!

 

[Bookmomhp]

Don't count IPO out yet. . .my 180 days was on a Friday, and the only reason I gave up control and had IPO make my ADR's was because I was out of town that day. . .I got home that Sunday night and didn't have an email from them, so I panicked. . .went on the website and it didn't show any reservations either so I went ahead and made them myself. . .turns out that IPO HAD made my ressies (and got better times than I did) but for some weird reason the confirmation email didn't get to me. . .so I wound up going back and canceling all the ones I made. The same thing may have happened to you. Good luck!

I'm hoping this did happen, because there is one ADR that I had to make a bit earlier than I am comfortable with, so if IPO made it and got the time I originally requested, I'll be very happy

 

[Lisa S.]

I'm hoping this did happen, because there is one ADR that I had to make a bit earlier than I am comfortable with, so if IPO made it and got the time I originally requested, I'll be very happy

I'm crossing my fingers for you!

 

[Sinderelly]

I am having some issues with BC IPO. Does anyone have a phone number or email address of someone I can contact with my concerns. I sent another email this afternoon to IPO after no one responded to my email sent 04-22.
I have the correct address as I just hit reply to one of their emails. I had asked IPO in a previous email to please check to see if my requests were added to my reservation and if there was a way to get some caffeine free diet soft drinks in the lounge as I can't have sugar or caffeine due to medical issues. (Got a reply saying they could send a "runner" to the store so that I could purchase my own drinks). Since we are paying for CL it just doesn't seem right for me to have to purchase the drinks. IPO is not being very helpful at all. Now I am really worried about our upcoming trip and wishing I had booked a different resort. I know someone on here said the conceirge staff was very helpful once they arrived but I can't help but worry.

 

[Lillian Gracey]

Thanks, it actually came this AM!

Wonderful! I'm glad you got a reply back.

 

[BC1836]

Question for recent BWI Club level folks: Is Merlot still the only red wine available?

All the best.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Question for recent BWI Club level folks: Is Merlot still the only red wine available?

All the best.

I don't remember 100% but when I was there this past December I believe that was the type of red wine they had. When I am back there this August I will try to pay more attention to things like that or make notes of it in my BlackBerry for questions like this.

 

[PoohNFriends]

Thank you I did this and it showed that no reservations had been made for us, so I ended up doing it myself I did end up getting everything I wanted at the times I wanted, though

I am still hoping the IPO comes through for the Illuminations cruise and the Sunrise Safari I requested.

Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you, have you looked since you made the reservations yourself to see if doubles showed up? I sent an email to IPO Friday afternoon with my ADR requests (I hadn't received their form) then called a little later to give them my credit card number. Sunday morning I received the email from them with the form. However, I worked yesterday so couldn't send it back until yesterday evening. Then I just crossed my fingers and hoped it all worked out. This evening I went to my reservations on WDW and saw my 3 ADR's were made, times were later but everything should still work.

However, like you I am still waiting to see if the Sunrise Safari and Illuminations Cruise were successfully booked. I asked on the October thread, but probably better to ask here is the Sunrise Safari and/or Illuminations Cruise are supposed to show up on the same page as dining reservations on WDW site?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

This is part of an article posted on the Orlando Sentinal which mentions how the WDW Resorts are getting renovated and the Tower Club 14th floor is part of it, so here is what the article says about it.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...y-princess-hotel-rooms-20110425,0,89771.story

Rucker said Disney is also developing new plans for the suites in its deluxe hotels — beginning with 23 in Disney's Contemporary Resort that will be refurbished to attract health-conscious travelers. Disney says it will convert the entire 14th floor of that hotel to a health-and-wellness theme, complete with a private yoga studio, custom-designed menus, and concierge services.

The rooms themselves will be outfitted with amenities such as bamboo floors, low-allergen pillows and mattresses, exercise equipment and massage tables. Disney says it expects the suites to open by November.

Some experts think those rooms may prove a tricky sell, even for Disney.

"For them to carve out any inventory and specialize in those kind of rooms, I'm not sure they're going to see a lot of returns," said Scott Smith, a lodging instructor in the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management. "It seems to me that it's such a small, niche market, whereas families going to Disney who like princesses or pirates are huge."

Disney says it views the Contemporary suites as a pilot program. "This is a test for us," Rucker said.

 

[OhThePain]

However, like you I am still waiting to see if the Sunrise Safari and Illuminations Cruise were successfully booked. I asked on the October thread, but probably better to ask here is the Sunrise Safari and/or Illuminations Cruise are supposed to show up on the same page as dining reservations on WDW site?

To be honest, I don't have a 100% answer for you, but the Wanyama Safari is on the same page as the dining reservations. It has it under a Jiko ADR.