Concierge Question

[ZPT1022]

I was just wondering how we go about using the concierge to make PS's and such. Will they call us or should we be calling them? At what point would I call them, we're nearing our 120 mark so I am curious. We will be staying at the Boardwalk Inn. Thanks in advance!

Becky

 

[Tonyspad]

In my honest opion you should make them yourself. I stay at the GF RPC and always make my own reservations. I realize this service is part of the conceirge room rate but besides the fact I like doing it, it gives you more control and flexibility when you call Disney dining yourself. I do however use the conceirge to make changes to my dining while I am at WDW and it works out great.

 

[CaipiraBob]

They'll usually contact you about 90 days out. You'll receive an itinerary from them that you fill out and return. They'll book what they can. They came through for me with flying colors, including CRT. There's no reason to drive yourself nuts trying to book everything when all they have to do is pull up the info on their computer and put you down for your choice of time.

In addition, for popular restaurants, there is always additional seating available for concierge guests. Where you cannot directly book a table, they can get you in. This is just part of the service they provide, and you're paying for it regardless. It will add to your vacation "magic" by immediately eliminating the worry about handling it yourself.

We would sometimes have a last minute change of plans and would call the concierge desk to handle and changes in dining plans. They always came through for us.

 

[LvsTnk]

I think it all depends on where you are staying. Some concierge services are definately better than others even though they are all Disney. If something is very important to you book it yourself and if they come through then you can cancel one of the PS. I had one CM who has done an awesome job a couple years running miss my PS for Christmas dinner. He reviewed my fax and realized his mistake and more than made up for it, but you do have to keep up with how they are doing.

 

[LadyLt]

Originally posted by CaipiraBob
In addition, for popular restaurants, there is always additional seating available for concierge guests. Where you cannot directly book a table, they can get you in. This is just part of the service they provide, and you're paying for it regardless. It will add to your vacation "magic" by immediately eliminating the worry about handling it yourself.

Remember, they can only guarantee you a PS at the restaurants at your resort. For examply, Flying Fish at Boardwalk, 'Ohana or Kona at the Polynesian, Narcossee or Citrico at the Grand Floridian, Yacht Club Steakhouse at the YC/BC, etc. They will attempt to get your PS at all other restaurants, but they pull from the same dining inventory as everyone esle.

 

[LvsTnk]

Originally posted by LadyLt
Remember, they can only guarantee you a PS at the restaurants at your resort. For examply, Flying Fish at Boardwalk, 'Ohana or Kona at the Polynesian, Narcossee or Citrico at the Grand Floridian, Yacht Club Steakhouse at the YC/BC, etc. They will attempt to get your PS at all other restaurants, but they pull from the same dining inventory as everyone esle.

I would double check that with the individual concierge service you are booking with. They MAY be able to get you in, but nothing is a guarantee. I just don't want anyone to be dissapointed, there have been some real sad stories of people not getting the services they expected.

 

[sherry8253]

I stayed at the AKL concierge. I called and they gave me an email address for me to send my requests. However, they did not do a very good job. I really wanted an Illuminations cruise and CRT the night of MVMCP. We were staying 8 nights. When I found out they were not successful the first 6 days they attempted to book the CRT and Illuminations, I called myself for an illuminations cruise for either day 7 or day 8. I asked about CRT and booked that at the time I wanted and day I wanted on my first try. It was for the 3rd night of our stay so I am not sure why they couldn't manage that one. I got the Illuminations for our last night there on my second try. I contacted concierge to tell them to cancel CRT and Illuminations if they had booked either and it turned out they had not. There was also a problem with my two MVMCP tickets. I ordered 2 and received 1. After several promises that the 2nd ticke was in the mail, I called and got the 2nd ticket myself. So my suggestion is that if you really want something, do it yourself. If you don't care, then let them take care of it for you. If you get their email address it is cheaper then calling them. When I did call, I usally got voice mail anyway and sometimes they returned my call and sometimes they didn't.

 

[nicurnc]

sherry8253-
That is really dissapointing news

We are staying at AKL in Oct....I was hoing they would be able to handle all the PS. Isn't this part of the extra service you are paying for?

I'm already having a bit of trouble, the email address they have given me has returned as undeliverable, then the back-up email address I was sent reurned the same way. Twice I've made phone calls to find out why the email doesn't work. My service says it's b/c Disney is under going some kind of work..but the CM I spoke with doesn't know anything about it

Loretta

 

[>>^..^<<]

Loretta... Sharry is one of the few DIS'ers I have heard have a problem with AKL Concierge. My experience with them was excellent.

They booked all my PS's including breakfast with Cinderella - and I had front row table at Hoop Dee Doo even though I only booked the day before.

I never had to wait for a table - I was always seated immediately and the tables were excellent. They were also able to get me into Boma at 6:30pm when the hostess told me nothing available until after 8:00pm.

Here is the email address

WDW.AKLodge.Concierge@disney.com

I really feel Sharry's poor service was a isolated incident - don't worry about anything.

>>^..^<<

 

[nicurnc]

>>^.^<<-
For the positive note, your website and review of AKL concierge was one of the things that tipped the AKL in our favor

We LOVE to feel pampered on our trips, so we decided to do concierge this trip...now I'm afraid we won't be able to go "back", know what I mean ?

Loretta

 

[>>^..^<<]

Originally posted by nicurnc
so we decided to do concierge this trip...now I'm afraid we won't be able to go "back", know what I mean ?

Loretta

Oh Loretta - you are so right, there is NO WAY I could stay at AKL in a regular room now - I would feel so sad looking up at the lounge above the lobby knowing I am not allowed.. LOL

You will have an excellent time - are you doing the sunrise safari?

>>^..^<<

 

[nicurnc]

Yes, we have already booked that thru the concierge. I can't wait!

We are there for a week, taking advantage of the FTP prior to a cruise on the Magic

Now I'm just trying to plan things like CRT for b'fast and the Illuminations cruise. If the concierge can't make these reservations, then I'd like to know in time to make these myself!

Loretta

 

[>>^..^<<]

Here is a linik to the PS Calculator - it will give you the dates that PS's can be made.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/pscalc/dispscalc.html

Concierge at the Beach CLub was able to get me an illuminations cruise - so I would definately try to have AKL Concierge do this.

CRT - well, maybe you should try yourself 60 days out - concierge has so many tables per week but you don't find out if you have a booking through them till just a week or so before.

Have fun planning.

>>^..^<<

 

[nicurnc]

for the link. I will try to make some of these myself, then

Loretta

P.S. DH thought your "Most magical thing to happen at WDW" was the sweetest thing
Even told the fellas at work about it when they teased him about all our trips to Disney

 

[ducklite]

I've never had the concerge planners not be able to get the PS's I wanted, although I've also never had them try for Cindy's or an Illuminations cruise. The AKL concierge did set up the Grand 1 fireworks cruise for DH.

I was extremely pleased with the service at the AKL and Poly.

Anne

 

[ZPT1022]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I think we will just try our luck and see if they can make PS's for us. We would like to try CRT one day, but most of our other reservations are more "ordinary" such as Liberty Tree Tavern, Ice Cream social, etc..... This is our first concierge trip and I am looking forward to relaxing and letting someone help me with the planning for once! Thanks so much for all your input!

 

[jdaa1]

I am staying concierge at the Yacht Club next month, and made all my own PS. Now I'm wondering if I should have let concierge make them. Does anyone know if you get better tables, etc. if concierge makes your PS's for you?

 

[>>^..^<<]

Originally posted by jdaa1
I am staying concierge at the Yacht Club next month, and made all my own PS. Now I'm wondering if I should have let concierge make them. Does anyone know if you get better tables, etc. if concierge makes your PS's for you?

Hi there... I would not mess around with your PS's already made - but if you have anymore - have concierge do it for you.

There will be different opinions on your question - I can only go on my experience.

One year we stayed at Port Orleans - I had lots of PS's, I felt like we always had to wait when we arrived at the restaurant.

Last year we did AKL Concierge and it was a whole different ballgame - we were always seated immediately, we had great tables, I booked Hoop Dee Doo last minute and had a front row table - the server said there was a VIP satus on our PS...

Others may argue it does not make a difference - but to my experience, it does.

Have a great trip

>>^..^<<

 

[LvsTnk]

AKL has one of the better concierge services, IMHO.

 

[jacksmom]

We stayed at Poly concierge June 2001. They were able to get CRT for the date I requested. And, we also decided at rather the last minute we wanted to do the Luau and they were able to get us a wonderful seat right up front! We are also staying at AKL Concierge in Oct. I have already answered the planning info they sent, I requested Hoop De Doo. I hope they will be able to get us as good a table as Poly!