Concierge

[martinrmn]

Just wondering what to do. We are definitely going back this year to Disney and will be staying for about a week on site. We were lucky enough last year to have Concierge for free and are now tempted to have it again. We are curious if people think it worth it? We are also torn where to stay, Poly or Wilderness Lodge? This of course all depends on price.

 

[TinkTatoo]

We've been lucky enough to stay concierge a few times and if you can afford it, it's well worth it, especially during busy times at Disney, when the IPO office cam make all your ADR's and book tours for you. We've stayed at ALK, the Poly, the Contemporary and the GF. Our favourite place is the Atrium Club at the Contemporary as the view and the service was second to none.

Our next couple of trips are on a budget so it will be a while before we stay concierge again, but I'm sure we will at some stage.

 

[ClareH37]

I'm another concierge 'fan'

TBH I do not think it is worth it in monetary terms, however the 'perks' including the IPO, snacks and drinks, a lounge to relax in make it a very nice experience. I've stayed CL at the GF, YC and BWI - BWI being my favourite, with the YC a close second.

Currently Disney UK are offering an early booking discount of 15% off for 2011 bookings (I've just taken advantage of this for the YC CL), due to the £/$ rate they are in any event more competitively priced than if you're booking through Disney US, irrespective of the discount.

 

[meldud]

Excuse me for appearing dozy....what is concierge?

 

[ClareH37]

Excuse me for appearing dozy....what is concierge?

A good way of describing it is as 'enhanced' service - all the deluxes offer concierge service, it's usually a keyed access floor or a separate building (apart from AKL which if you're in a non DVC unit you are on a 'normal' floor with 'normal' rooms).

You have the services of the IPO (itinerary planning office) who will make all your ADRs,tours, other arrangements for you, there is a lounge where continental breakfast is served, appetisers (think along the lines of M&S party food) each evening, mini desserts after that and drinks 'on tap' throughout the day.

The rooms are not normally any different from the normal Disney rooms, apart from you get different toiletries, automatic turndown service (i.e. bed made up and lights dimmed each evening), a phone in the loo (yuck!) at some resort concierge rooms, the rooms at the Yacht Club CL are also slightly larger than their normal counterparts.

There's also CMs located on the concierge floor/building which are on hand to help with anything you so desire (within reason lol).

 

[meldud]

I see...and you have to pay extra for this??

You would think that the price of the deluxe hotels would come with good services... such as help??

My husband and I often stay in 4 and 5 star hotels and expect this sort of service as the norm........... are we going to be disappointed??

 

[ClareH37]

I see...and you have to pay extra for this??

You would think that the price of the deluxe hotels would come with good services... such as help??

My husband and I often stay in 4 and 5 star hotels and expect this sort of service as the norm........... are we going to be disappointed??

The service will be there, whether you stay concierge or not (there is a 'lobby concierge) (but obviously not the complimentary food/drinks which is specific to Disney concierge), turndown service can be requested but is not automatic.

I love my Disney stays but TBH I don't really look at them in the same league as other 4/5 star resorts - they are nice and certainly deluxe in comparison to the other Disney resorts but even the Grand Floridian is not a 5 star resort.

I've also stayed in 4/5 star resorts both in the US and outside, and service wise I prefer the Disney 'way' but if you are after a 'true' 5 star resort you might be better looking at the Ritz or Waldorf.

 

[Danauk]

The hotels do have a conceierge desk to help with planning things when you are there (we have only stayed deluxe so am not sure if the mods/values do this). Concierge level offers something different which is what you pay extra for. Concierge level gets you access to a club lounge, breakfast, snacks and some hot food, wine/beer and deserts in the evening. You also get access to a CM who you contact before your trip who can make all your ADR's, backstage tour etc for you (saves you phoning up 180 days before hand to do this yourself.)

DH and I stay in 4 and 5 star hotels on our holidays and Disney deluxes (WDW, DL etc) measure up to this standard. You will not be dissapointed.

 

[meldud]

Ok. So can you upgrade to concierge after booking and how much more approx is it for this service?

Sorry...but I am a novice at all this...having never been to WDW before.

 

[ClareH37]

Yes you can upgrade, ie change your room category once booked . It depends what resort and club level room category you are interested in - eg animal kingdom lodge works out to around £50 extra a night, wilderness lodge a little more (these 2 offer the lowest cost club level), then you have the epcot resorts which offer garden view and lagoon view club level rooms, lagoon view working out about £100+ a night more than a non club level room, then there are the monorail resorts offering different categories.

You can also ask when you check into your resort if you can pay to upgrade if there is availability - do you have a resort in mind?

 

[meldud]

We have booked Beach Club Water view for the middle of august this summer.

 

[Disneymad]

Just also to clarify on the concierge service.

When you book concierge with Disney, that service begins immediately and they will book your ADR's, tours etc as soon as the appropriate booking window opens for the occassions you want.

On a normal reservation you get access to a concierge desk in your resorts reception area who will help you with dining etc too but this service is only offered on arrival and obviously they are working within limitations (ie by that point the restuarants and tours you'd like to go to may already be fully booked).

Aside from the lounge/food aspect, this is the principle difference between a dedicated IPO advance service that comes with a concierge reservation and a concierge service that all guests have access to on arrival at your resort.

 

[Disneymad]

On topic.

If you can afford it and obviously having tried it you enjoyed it then yes, I'd pay for concierge. It's definitely a splurge of course, but what price can you put on happiness? Sometimes you just gotta say 'ok, it's expensive...but I enjoy it'.

Personally I've always fancied trying Concierge at the Polynesian or AKL (you get access to a special safari at that resort) - though I've also heard good things about WL too

 

[torsie24]

Here are the rack rates for the BC, as you can see there are varying prices in CL rooms (Stone Harbor Club) depending on view.

http://www.mousesavers.com/beachclub2010.html

We've never stayed CL although we will be next trip, but that's just so we can be in the Main Building of GF, rather than having the service, (not that free champagne won't be nice )

Have stayed CL in non-Disney hotels and enjoyed the service, but have never been blown away. A free cocktail is nice but if you're paying extra it's not really free...

I think currently the only other resort we'd consider staying CL would be AKL so we could so the Sunrise Safari, but we opted out for next year and just went for Savannah view as we won't have time for the Safari due to lots of wedding commitments on our AKL days.

For me the extra $$$ is more beneficial as I wouldn't eat much from the lounge, and the money could be spent on making our stay longer/buying more things etc.