Concierge Level...Is It Worth It?

[roozlilone]

Going in June 2005 for 7 nights. We have stayed at WL, AKL, CBR and PO! I'm still trying to decide between Yacht Club and AKL! (AKL has been my favorite so far) We go every summer and I'm trying to make this trip extra special. So my question is... IS CONCIERGE LEVEL WORTH IT? I been thinking of doing concierge level instead of a standard room...but the price is so much more! We have 2 girls, ages 5 and 7, and we do spend a lot of time at the resort. We usually eat lunch at the resort and breakfast in our room, so concierge level is very appealing to me. Is it worth the extra price? And do you know if you can get AP discounts on concierge level rooms? If so, which is better AKL concierge or Yacht Club? Should I splurge on a concierge room or keep bringing my cooler? Any suggestions or opinions would be great!!

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

We have only done conceirge one time, and it was at the Poly and only because we were given a free upgrade because our air conditioner quit working. Although it was nice having a light breakfast, snacks, and beverages provided, I would never pay for it. I would rather use that extra money for other fun stuff, like t-shirts, tours, boat rentals, mini golf, and charactor meals. Even with AP discounted rates, it is still expensive. Pack the cooler and splurge on the extras that your children will remember more than the food that they ate in the hotel. Have a great time no matter what you decide!

Laura

 

[mom_rules]

You might want to check out the "who's been bitten thread".

 

[Greg K.]

A couple years ago, the only rooms we could get at the BoardWalk were on the concierge level, so we decided to give it a whirl.

The lounge was nice, and the snacks were neat -- for a day or two. But how often can you nibble on goldfish and bagel chips and hummus? By the third day, it had lost its appeal, and I only went there in the mornings for my coffee.

One thing that WAS nice: they called us a few weeks before we left for our vacation, to see if they could make any ps reservations for us. We asked for Cinderella's castle for breakfast -- and they got it for us!.

Otherwise, my advice: save your money.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Originally posted by roozlilone
Going in June 2005 for 7 nights. We have stayed at WL, AKL, CBR and PO! I'm still trying to decide between Yacht Club and AKL! (AKL has been my favorite so far) We go every summer and I'm trying to make this trip extra special. So my question is... IS CONCIERGE LEVEL WORTH IT? I been thinking of doing concierge level instead of a standard room...but the price is so much more! We have 2 girls, ages 5 and 7, and we do spend a lot of time at the resort. We usually eat lunch at the resort and breakfast in our room, so concierge level is very appealing to me. Is it worth the extra price? And do you know if you can get AP discounts on concierge level rooms? If so, which is better AKL concierge or Yacht Club? Should I splurge on a concierge room or keep bringing my cooler? Any suggestions or opinions would be great!!

I've done it at WL and though we had a great time and everything was lovely, I think I'd spend my money on other special things, like cruises or something.

With your girl's ages, I know they would LOVE Grand Adventures in Cooking at the GF. My girls loved it and they got a chefs hat and apron that they painted there to keep. I would spend money on things like that.

But.........if you haven't done CL than you'll always wonder if you would like it, so maybe you should give it a try.

Do a search for "concierge" in the TITLE for the resorts board and you'll get tons of info.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[JayCT]

We (me, DW, DS9, DS7) generally have found the concierge upgrade to be worth it, but it really depends on the resort, price and how you will use it.

We did not think that the Tower Club at CR was worth the price when we were there in May. They only offer a very limited breakfast and snacks in the afternoon. There is nothing offered in the evening, there are no drinks and the staff was not very helpful to us.

We also stayed at YC in May and found their concierge to be worth it though it was more expensive than CR Tower Club. There was a great selection of food at breakfast, great snacks during the day and great food and drinks in the evenings. The staff at YC was wonderful and were abel to get us PS's we did not think we could get. Very similar to the concierge lounge at the Poly where we had stayed two years ago. We made the added cost worth it by eating all of our breakfasts there, having a bigger lunch at the parks and then having a light dinner at the concierge lounge in the evening. When we stayed at the Poly we got our food in the lounge and ate it by the pool which was wonderful.

We do not necessarily eat at the concierge every night but we did have their great desserts. We love it and are thinking of going again next year.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Now I'm even starting to question our/my decision to book Poly. concierge!

Figured we'd at least enjoy breakfast every morning, but read on another thread that they've gotten rid of the one healthy choice I make for myself every morning -- oatmeal -- and replaced it with a fancy coffee maker (I don't even drink coffee). Danish and sugared cereals -- we can do way better just eating every morning at the reg'l. dining. They've also gotten rid of the reasonable-sized water bottles.

When I compare people's great experiences, they seem to be from a few years ago.

 

[ctrabada]

I stayed at the AKL concierge a couple of years ago and I thought it was definitely worth the money. We used the facilities quite a bit because they had such a varied selection. I fell in love with their capuccino machine! Plus they have 3 different types of juices... we usually made a punch (mixing a little of each juice) and it tasted delicious... and, in the evenings when they had a wine, I added a little red wine to my punch, and voila! Instant Sangria! yummy

The CM's at the AKL concierge were great. The lounge is very nice with a huge TV, couches, tables & chairs and a wonderful view of the lobby. Plus you can do the Sunrise/Sunset safaris as a concierge guest. I didn't get a chance to do them, but I hope to be able to return.

I stayed at the WL concierge last year and was disappointed because it just was not at the same level as AKL.

Here are a couple of pics:

 

[supamaki]

I didn't like WL concierge at all, it was some food in a hallway.
BEach Club was nice, but I liked the Yacht Club's a little more.
The Polynesian's is the best out of these 4 I have tried. The room itself is worth the extra $$, and the lounge is spectacular with a great view. I think if I had kids it would be even more worth the $$ since there are alot of kiddie type foods as well as adults. There's also a TV with Disney stuff on it in the lounge.

 

[steveanddonna]

It depends so much on your vacation style. For us, CL is worth every penny just for the convenience of the lounge and having the concierge staff to handle last-minute changes, problems, etc. For someone who is used to taking care of everyone else, having the CL CMs take care of me is priceless. When we bring young nieces or nephews, one of their favorite things is always watching Wishes or EWP in their jammies from the lounge or from our room. I'd say try it once to satisfy your curiosity, and be sure to use the planning staff and other services available to you, not just the free food and drink in the lounge. And yes, AP discounts are available for CL, but on a very limited basis. We have been lucky enough to get a discount on all or part of our stays for all but one of 16 trips, so just keep calling!

 

[auntpolly]

I think if you are at all on a budget - no. If you have money to burn or get it at a really good price, go for it.

It's not like it's not lovely. It's so convenient. We all went rolled out of bed and went down in our pjs (they are more like sweats) and it was really nice and convenient. It was nice to grab a drink or an apple or a snack whenever you were just passing through.

But is it cost effective? I don't think so.

 

[CaipiraBob]

My wife and I are "lodge/lounge lizards". We have been to Disney so often that a few hours a day in the park are enough for us and the kids. Following that, we like to kick back and relax, dine at different resorts and parks, and generally explore the grounds.

In this scenario, concierge is ideal. They are extremely helpful in preplanning and obtaining dinning reservations on a moment's notice. they handle every aspect of planning for you, such as last minute Kids club reservations and swapping dinning times.

And when we spend time on the resort grounds, access to juice and snacks for the kids is a major convenience.

We love the Polynesian for the view of the park by day and the fireworks by night. It's truly magic to be able to snack on chocolate, enjoy cordials and sit back with the family and enjoy the fireworks from the beach or your room's patio.

We don't enjoy being "park commandos" and take vacation at Disney at a slower pace. For us, this makes concierge a big plus, as we maximize utilization of the convenience of their planning service and lounge offerings.

If this sounds like you on vacation, then concierge service are worth the money. If not, it comes down to a personal decision on whether or not you feel it's worth a try to see what it's like.

On your worst day there, you will still be at Disney. It's a win-win choice. Good luck!

 

[CaipiraBob]

<P>Oh, and BTW, we thought that AKL and BWI have the best concierge on the ground. We love the Polynesian for it's location, though. Monorail and TT Center proximity gives you a wide variety of transportation options. AKL has great bus service, though.</p>

 

[roozlilone]

Originally posted by CaipiraBob
My wife and I are "lodge/lounge lizards". We have been to Disney so often that a few hours a day in the park are enough for us and the kids. Following that, we like to kick back and relax, dine at different resorts and parks, and generally explore the grounds.

In this scenario, concierge is ideal. They are extremely helpful in preplanning and obtaining dinning reservations on a moment's notice. they handle every aspect of planning for you, such as last minute Kids club reservations and swapping dinning times.

And when we spend time on the resort grounds, access to juice and snacks for the kids is a major convenience.

We love the Polynesian for the view of the park by day and the fireworks by night. It's truly magic to be able to snack on chocolate, enjoy cordials and sit back with the family and enjoy the fireworks from the beach or your room's patio.

We don't enjoy being "park commandos" and take vacation at Disney at a slower pace. For us, this makes concierge a big plus, as we maximize utilization of the convenience of their planning service and lounge offerings.

If this sounds like you on vacation, then concierge service are worth the money. If not, it comes down to a personal decision on whether or not you feel it's worth a try to see what it's like.

On your worst day there, you will still be at Disney. It's a win-win choice. Good luck!

You describe us to a tee! I've been doing Disney since I was a kid....I had my honeymoon there, and have been back every summer since, 11 years and going strong, with 2 kids in tow now! So, we too are not "park commandos" we spend the majority of our time at the resorts, we always eat breakfast and lunch at the resort, in our room or by the pool. That is why concierge has always appealed to us. I was trying to figure out if I eat enough food in the lounge, maybe I'll make up the difference in the price, Crazy logic hugh? Thanks for such great insight. You're right, regardless, I'm at Disney World! I can't wait!