Concierge...what does it include?

[fabwallsmom]

I've been thinking about this, too. I read BambiTammy's thread on concierge, and it sounds very tempting. I've never done it at WDW, but have at other hotels. What does this include (I guess I'm most interested in Beach Club/Yacht Club)? I have a 5, 12 and 13 year old. Will this benefit them? My 5-year-old eats like a mouse and I was hoping that maybe he could just live off of the conciege food!!! My daughter is very picky, and if she can't find something she wants to eat in the park, maybe she can satisfy her appetite with concierge food. Besides the liquor and the food, what else is involved?

 

[mom_rules]

I'm bumping-I'd like all the info I can get!!

I spent 10 days in concierge at the Grand Californian
in Disneyland and it was heaven. Booked our PS's, provided maps and directions to different attractions, great room amenities, robes, turndown service, separate check in.

I'm hoping YC concierge will be similar. Booked a couple of weeks ago and thought we were supposed to be contacted in order to do some pre-trip planning but haven't heard yet. Waiting patiently (okay impatiently!).

 

[BambiTamby]

Hi, fabwallsmom.....first of all,

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and second, there are alot of links on my Concierge Bug thread...
but, if you have more questions...click here!

YC concierge is one of the best!
That one, or the Poly's concierge would be good for your family!

Here's another good link for concierge info!

Come on and join the Concierge BUG FUN!

 

[fabwallsmom]

Hmmmmmmmmm......not convinced yet. Thanks so much for the replies, and thanks for the links to the concierge threads and reviews. I'm wondering if the $150 a night extra is worth is for a continental breakfast (looked sort of blah in the photos) and some snacks. No hot foods? That surprises me! The room looked pretty small, too. I think I'd rather upgrade the room than get the concierge......unless someone else can give me some other feedback. I like the concierge idea, but I don't know if Disney's concierge is all that great????

 

[Aisling]

If you like to make your own PSs and like to eat in restaurants, then concierge may not be worth it.
I had concierge booked, but after really thinking about it, I cancelled. We really wouldn't use the lounge much, since we'd rather eat in WDWs wonderful restaurants. And even just relaxing in the concierge lounge, my family said they'd rather try the different lounging areas of the resort instead of feeling like we need to utilize the concierge lounge since we paid so much for the privilege. During the day, we'll be in the parks, so we'd miss the afternoon offerings.
As for turndown service, this is available for all guests, concierge or not. For non-c, you just have to make the call to have it done instead of it automatically being done.
What else...the extra attention you pay extra for in concierge you can get for free with the many CMs at the resorts.


The only reason my kids wanted to have concierge service was to feel "special", but I have always felt special at WDW resorts, so I can't see paying all the extra money for what I can get for free.

Many people love concierge, and maybe someday I'll go ahead and splurge after all, but I wonder if the benefits are more psychological than practical. Please don't flame me, I'm just wondering!

 

[BambiTamby]

I look at it this way....

it's like whether or not one wants to stay off-site or on-site.....
value, moderate, home-away-from-home, or deluxe....
standard view, garden view, water view, savannah view....
standard room or deluxe room.....
studio, 1 bedroom, 2bd, or grand villa.....
4,5,6,7day hopper or length of stay......

This is NOT about "psychological" or "practical".

This is about what kind of vacation one wants to have!

We are resort hounds, or "lounge lizards" (as Janet2k puts it),
us concierge LOVERS.
We spend alot of time at our resort, at our lounge, at our pools...
letting them pamper us.

We've been to the parks many times, rode many rides, many times.
Passsholder weekend in August, we stayed at the YC concierge, and only went to Epcot and rode Mission:Space, over and over.
DS did it 14 times first day...that was not even near the record.
Other than that, we got massages, had spa treatments,
DH played golf, relaxed by the SAB pool......

I think you get the picture.

It comes down to how much of the amenities you will use.
Whether it's a value, moderate, deluxe....
concierge or non-concierge.

JMHO........

 

[Aisling]

We spend alot of time at our resort, at our lounge, at our pools...

This is good criteria to see if concierge will be worth the extra money for you. The less time you actually spend at the resort, I think the less worth it concierge is.

 

[deb305]

Your right, $150 is steep. We did Concierge in Jan w Annual Pass rate so the difference was less than $75. For a family of 4 that was equal to a character breakfast, almost. For us it was the convience of having food down the hall we could bring back to the room and continue to get ready. Since our DS was 1 the free all day milk fill up was invaluable as well. I don't like planning/scheduling so the concierge came through with some great priority seatings for us, as well as making quick changes.

 

[Kajunswty]

What drinks are available 24 hours? bottled water / soft drinks / coffee? Are any snacks available after the "listed" hours? For instance is boxed cereal left out or is it only out in the mornings?

 

[SYDNCLAIRESMOM]

How late are the lounges open for drinks and food etc? Which one is the most romantic, with nice views etc...? Im thinking of treating myself and DH for next mothers day (ok mostly myself.)

 

[Aisling]

What drinks are available 24 hours? bottled water / soft drinks / coffee?

I don't think any concierge offerings are available 24 hours a day. DH asked about this when he found out that AKL doesn't have a 24 hr food court like the Contemporary does. That's why we usually brink our own drinks from the limo grocery stop.

 

[Kajunswty]

Do you think it would be frowned upon to grab a couple of extra soft drinks or juice for after hours? If not, is Mara available for drink refills with the pay one price cup? Although, after almost doubling the cost of our stay be adding concierge I would prefer not to have to buy a soft drink cup.

 

[ducklite]

We've always been encouraged to take "one for the road" by the concierge staff. i'm sure no one will notice or care. Taking enough to fill your cooler for the 18 hours drive home, that's a different story, but grabbing an extra soft drink or juice box is not a problem.

BTW--there are soda machines in all the resorts if you get a late night hankering

Anne

 

[Kajunswty]

thanks Anne,
that's great to know!

I had to laugh when you mentioned filling the cooler!

My BIL does that when we travel to relatives in Texas and it drives me crazy! I would "never" do that at a hotel or anyones home.

good to know about the machines ~ happy planning!

 

[BambiTamby]

Originally quoted by ducklite......
We've always been encouraged to take "one for the road" by the concierge staff. i'm sure no one will notice or care. Taking enough to fill your cooler for the 18 hours drive home, that's a different story, but grabbing an extra soft drink or juice box is not a problem.

ducklite is right~!

At the Poly concierge, you'll have a empty frig in your room for those extra sodas, water, milk, juice...
we also take extra cereal and extra bagels in the morning for a late night snack, as well as extra cookies and desserts.

No empty frig in the other concierges I've stayed, unless requested. sometimes I'm charged, sometimes I'm not.

At the YC, AKL, and Poly they were always encouraging DS to take a couple of "uncrustables" (P&J sandwiches w/o crusts) for later.

Extra fruit....apples, oranges, bananas, etc were always encouraged to take to our rooms.

As for the sodas, and the drinks at the Mara.....
Concierge has always given us complimentary refillable mugs!
At the AKL, DS asked for a cup for his soda, and CM gave him 2 mugs!(those were great when down by the pool....
you don't have to go back up to the lounge to get a drink!)
At YC concierge, there were four refillable mugs in our room when we checked in. We took two down to the pool, for refills at HH and B&C. when we came up from our swim, the maid had replaced the two mugs!
We were never charged for any of these refillable mugs either.
I even asked the CMs, and they each said that they came with concierge amenities.

I still have refillable mugs, still in their "shrunken plastic"!

Yes, concierge life is wondeful.

 

[Kajunswty]

that sounds great BambiTamby!!!

now, how am I going to keep myself from expecting the same??? lol Well, it sure would be nice ~ I hadn't thought of using Mara for drink refills at the pool. If we don't get the mugs I'll probably get a couple.