Disney's Club Level (CL) Information & Questions

[mickeynut1]

thank you, saw that AFTER I posted the question lol

You're welcome!

I hadn't seen that post but that's what we're hoping for during our sister trip, so I will keep my eyes peeled!

Hope you have a great sister trip .

 

[gottalovepluto]

About the "alcohol guards" are the wine pours small or something? I'm trying to figure out why it's getting people's goat so to speak because I've noticed it mentioned throughout this thread. Is it because it's a change (I'm not judging! I HATE change!) or are the alcohol CMs judgy about how much people drink? (Out here in Disneyland we have always had to ask for the wine at appetizer time and then a CM brings out a glass from the back. The pours are always very generous and they often come by and ask if we want another one so this all sounds quite different.)

 

[Lisann]

Ewoks...thanks for the pics. Love everything about the rooms (especially the shower), but wish there was at least an area rug. I don't like bare floors in my bedroom. Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[Ewoks]

@gottalovepluto are you a Disneyland CL pro? Cause if so I would LOVE to hear your experiences with CL stays at GC and/or DLH! We're gonna make a DL trip at some point in the next year and I've heard a lot of mixed review of CL out there.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

About the "alcohol guards" are the wine pours small or something? I'm trying to figure out why it's getting people's goat so to speak because I've noticed it mentioned throughout this thread. Is it because it's a change (I'm not judging! I HATE change!) or are the alcohol CMs judgy about how much people drink? (Out here in Disneyland we have always had to ask for the wine at appetizer time and then a CM brings out a glass from the back. The pours are always very generous and they often come by and ask if we want another one so this all sounds quite different.)

For me, I use the term as a joke, I mean nothing negative by it. In fact, many CL CM's I've encountered go out of their way to make sure you're well served (both food and drink), offering to go cups, encouraging you to ask for more, beers for the room, etc. Not all CMs are like that, but many are.

The setup at the ones where they serve you does make me chuckle a bit. At RPC they have the evening drinks out sort of in the middle of the lounge in a spot that could easily be self serve. When I was there last Feb the CM would stand there for most, but not all of the time. She hadn't been at her "station" for awhile and I wanted another beer. I went up, started to grab one, and she came out of nowhere in full sprint from the other side of lounge to stop me. She was nice about it and all and we shared a laugh, it was just funny situation.

I haven't been to AKL CL which seems to have a bit of a different overall vibe about it based on some posts above?

That's my take! Hope that helps!

 

[PolyTigger]

Thank you for your response sorry old sig going to stay YC CL and wanted to know what there wine selection and also cordial offerings were.

 

[Simba's Girl]

Yes, I'm trying to figure out the "Alcohol" police state as well. We won't be on the same floor as CL (Deluxe room) and would love to take some to our room.

 

[Lovinallthingsdisney]

About the "alcohol guards" are the wine pours small or something? I'm trying to figure out why it's getting people's goat so to speak because I've noticed it mentioned throughout this thread. Is it because it's a change (I'm not judging! I HATE change!) or are the alcohol CMs judgy about how much people drink? (Out here in Disneyland we have always had to ask for the wine at appetizer time and then a CM brings out a glass from the back. The pours are always very generous and they often come by and ask if we want another one so this all sounds quite different.)

Our first experience with this happening was at AKL. We were there for 11 nights and the while experience was just meh. So unlike our previous stays there. The CM's were not overly friendly and seemed "bothered" when you asked them for anything, not just alcohol. I would stop in the lounge mid-day (on my way back from shopping or whatever) and ask for a couple of beers to take to the room for later and they acted like they were paying for my drinks or something. I would stop and ask to pay on my account and you could tell they were not "happy to help". It was just not the "same" as it had been. This year at RPC, I found that they too serve you, but they seemed very happy to do so. A couple of nights they would walk over to us as we were seated to see if they could bring us anything else to eat or drink. Many times this would also happen during breakfast. It was just much more customer oriented.

 

[gottalovepluto]

@gottalovepluto are you a Disneyland CL pro? Cause if so I would LOVE to hear your experiences with CL stays at GC and/or DLH! We're gonna make a DL trip at some point in the next year and I've heard a lot of mixed review of CL out there.

It is a mixed bag. I'm only pro(ish)-level on Grand Californian's club level but I've picked up bits and pieces about the others from the boards.

GCH: We love CL at GCH, the CMs that serve as concierges are helpful when things go wrong, the CM servers inside the club are great. I even recognize some of the servers year to year! The food selection is practically minimal when compared to the photos I'm seeing out of WDW, but its never really felt like that to us. They are great with allergies now, have a special menu and everything (it's taken them a few years but they got there). Breakfast has the usual nespresso machine (which saves my fam $20/day in Starbucks purchases!) and the same selection of fruits (cut melons, strawberries, grapes, as well as whole bananas and apples) and pastries/muffins/toasts each morning along with a meat platter and hard boiled eggs. I'm never around for late morning-early afternoon snacks so I don't know what they serve then. Afternoon tea time has chocolate covered strawberries & freshly made scones with a sweet white cream sauce that I simply adore- oh I almost forgot the little tea sandwiches, you can see my priorities are not the healthy items Appetizers are two hot dishes and a tray with a variety of bread slices (and crackers?) and cheese toppings to pick from. There's also a veggie platter with like carrot and cucumber sticks. There is a wine and beer list (always the same) and you ask the server for whatever you want off that. They also have a champagne/sparkling wine but they don't list it. Evening desserts are lousy, not gonna lie. But the cordials are nice for adults as is a hot chocolate in the evening for kids. They hold story time before the fireworks for young children who go to bed early (which is adorable! almost makes me wish I had a young child to share that with!) and they even have coloring pages and crayons available all day for the kids. Rooms for CL are usually located on the 5th and 6th floors of GCH. They are not exclusive to club level guests and you can be located a long ways away from the club level so ask to be close to the lounge if that matters to you. (I swear I've never seen hallways as long as GCH has.) Oh, hours are 6:30 am to 10 pm and the club does not close between offerings.

Rooms at GCH are small, similar to AKL actually. The hotel is currently undergoing a MAJOR refurbishment (the pools don't even exist right now, they've been entirely dug up, but should be back by summer!) which should be done the end of this year so any photos you see right now won't be what you'll actually encounter if you do go next year. This includes the Club Lounge which is to go under refurbishment Aug-Oct (I think) and we have no idea what that will entail except that they are temporarily relocating the club during the work. There is a balcony outside the club where you can see the monorail go by through the hotel (and bemoan that they nixed the plans of having the monorail stop in GCH!) and you can see the tips of Disneyland (Splash Mountain and Matterhorn Mountain) over the hotel from the balcony and club windows. Fireworks in the evening are only the top half of the show although they do dim the lights and play the soundtrack.
GCH CL was the first time my family ever stayed on site and we adored it, so admittedly I have an emotional attachment. We save up and keep doing it every couple years. Even when one of our trips started off horribly (and it was completely Disney's fault, we were ready to never stay in a Disney hotel again) the CL CMs stepped up and fixed it. The service we got from them when everything was going pear shaped on day 1 locked us in as customers for years (yeah, that was a day of extreme emotions going from never-Disney to always-Disney in the space of a few hours).

Access isn't as generous as WDW, you get access to the lounge as soon as you check it but it terminates as soon as you check out. They let us enter again right as we were leaving one afternoon but that's entirely up to the CM on duty at that moment.

The little bit I know of the others...
DLH: full service CL, beautiful view of Downtown Disney and the Disneyland fireworks at night, no afternoon tea. Cheaper than GCH, some DIS members actually prefer DLH CL to GCH CL (I am not one of them but I've never tried it, I just love the location of GCH too much)
Fwiw PP: limited(ish) CL due to closing early- hours are 6:30am to 8pm, runs the breakfast and appetizers with wine and beer that the other CLs do, no windows in the club, cheapest of the club level options

They all have the usual canned sodas, none have water bottles. We've never had a problem bringing food back and I've never heard of anyone being given any hassles about doing that. (Honestly one of my biggest/only complaints is that housekeeping will leave dirty dishes in the hallway for a couple days. Seen that on multiple trips, I do not know WHAT their problem is!)

I hope you're able to make it to DLR with your family next year! There is SO much that is going to be awesome next year! We get our train back, the new feature on our Rivers of American will open, should be pretty! Fantasmic will be back/new/hopefully even more awesome! Yeah, I'm excited even though I have no plans to return in awhile Oh, if you are able to consider multiple times of the year to visit ask for advice on which to choose in the DL forum, people are really helpful knowing when there tend to be lots of ride closures, high crowds (well, always high crowds but the crowd scale these days is closer to: busy/super busy/crazy super busy/freaking insanity), holiday knowledge, etc.

 

[Surgie2]

The setup at the ones where they serve you does make me chuckle a bit.

DisneyDad, what is it like at the Poly as far as getting beer and wine in the evening? And actually earlier in the day as some in the group like an afternoon beer or two!

 

[DG25]

I can speak a little more about PPH CL, I think he covered GCH and DLH CL. The best part of PPH CL, is the room view, talk about a park view room. Sorry the pictures are not the best but I laugh my butt off whenever anyone says they are paying more for a theme park view at WDW, no PPH has TPV no other place does. The lounge is great, very quiet. It is on the second floor. Since you will probably be the only one there, we were everyday we went for 8 days, you can make yourself at home. They went out of there way with soda and water and juices for the park. They refilled your wine glass very quickly. The breakfast was plentiful, the snacks were great and they had plenty of appetizers out. They staff was helpful. I will say they have lower floor rooms also, they are down off the roof top pool area, and those rooms all have a private deck out onto the pool. So where no other Disney rooms are different for concierge, PPH is, the rooms upstairs face the TPV and those on the roof top have a private deck out onto the pool area. But best of all, every time we get club level at PPH, we only pay $13 more than a standard room, you need an AP and then wait for the discount, when it happeNs, the club rooms cost only $13 more, now that is the best bargain at Disney, we had them 4 years in a row for that price.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

DisneyDad, what is it like at the Poly as far as getting beer and wine in the evening? And actually earlier in the day as some in the group like an afternoon beer or two!

Beer is in the fridge starting during afternoon service. To-go cups and bottle opener are next to the fridge. Always serve yourself! This was a change from the prior setup where it was by request during the day and self-service during evening apps. New setup is way better.

I am not sure if wine was out starting mid-day too or just starting during evening apps, but I think it was out most of the day. I'm just not sure though.

 

[Surgie2]

I'm just not sure though.

I'll report back in 14 months!!

 

[JennLTX]

Hi, CL Veterans. I would really love some suggestions for "tipping" the club CMs. I do always make a point of collecting names so I can mention the CMs personally in follow-up surveys and emails (I usually contact Guest Services so I can get compliments to the appropriate managers), but these folks work so hard making things perfect that I'd really like to be able to thank them in a more material way. I've heard food goes over well, and I'm thinking I may bring some Texas pralines and/or little jars of salsa. Ideas? Gifts that have been successful in the past?

 

[Maxie86]

Beer is in the fridge starting during afternoon service. To-go cups and bottle opener are next to the fridge. Always serve yourself! This was a change from the prior setup where it was by request during the day and self-service during evening apps. New setup is way better.

I am not sure if wine was out starting mid-day too or just starting during evening apps, but I think it was out most of the day. I'm just not sure though.

I was last at the Poly in August and I don't remember it out until evening apps, but the CM's knew what we liked and went in the back and got us some, we didn't even have to ask.

For those worried about CM"s serving the alcohol...don't... they are very generous with the pour and once they know what you like and are drinking they will come around and refill your glass...frequently...never had an empty glass at the YC. I actually like being served...I'm on vacation I don't want to get up and pour my own...I have to do that at home. Last time we were at the AKL it was self serve so I have no experience with how they do it now. We have been at the YC, BWI and GF several times since they started pouring it for you and never felt they were trying to limit how much you drank in any way. Of course YMMV, you can always run into a new CM or one that thinks they are the alcohol police.

Ewoks, Thanks for posting the YC pics. I love the shower, hoping we get a shower room in May.

 

[Zife]

Thanks for all the info earlier! I'll make sure to contact SS (unfortunate acronym...) mid-late April to try to get ADRs done.

Hi, CL Veterans. I would really love some suggestions for "tipping" the club CMs. I do always make a point of collecting names so I can mention the CMs personally in follow-up surveys and emails (I usually contact Guest Services so I can get compliments to the appropriate managers), but these folks work so hard making things perfect that I'd really like to be able to thank them in a more material way. I've heard food goes over well, and I'm thinking I may bring some Texas pralines and/or little jars of salsa. Ideas? Gifts that have been successful in the past?

I was actually going to ask something similar. I've read about not being aloud to tip them monetarily, and have also read about giving gifts instead. I think I saw something once about not being able to give gifts over a certain amount, and found an old thread here on the boards (2013) saying that alcohol can't be accepted. Anyone know if this is still the case?

 

[sls23]

Does anyone know what types of beer and wine are currently available at YC? Thanks!

 

[trishadono]

@gottalovepluto are you a Disneyland CL pro? Cause if so I would LOVE to hear your experiences with CL stays at GC and/or DLH! We're gonna make a DL trip at some point in the next year and I've heard a lot of mixed review of CL out there.

I took dd for her 21st to DLH last march. We stayed in the honeymoon aka FairyTale suite.

Our room was adjacent to the lounge and we had our own "secret" door to leave the lounge. Unlike WDW you used your room key to access the lounge.

I found dl in general had much older employeees at parks , hotels and lounges. So in general people had these jobs for years and really seemed to enjoy it. Many wore name badges with number of years worked.

I found the view of DLH similar to CR. It's on the 11th floor and you can see both parks and mountains in the distance.

Food similar to CR too. No cordials but they did have champagne and did make mimosas upon request.

They gave generous pours and put in plastic if you left. EXCEPT since I'm chatty I made friends with the cms and they enjoyed watching me and dd because we were having fun they tried to help as needed. A few would walk me a glass to the room or help carry snacks.

Dd got a treat delivered every day around 4-6pm(signature suite bonus?). I would run to lounge and tell them what fun dd was having with her chic covered strawberrries and they would fill a 20 oz plastic cup FULL of champagne for me to give her, and one with red wine for me.

For 1000 a night I found that suite was worth every penny!

Ok the pool was fun with a monorail slide and traders adjacent for an afternoon beverage.

The lobby had a poly feel with rugs and furniture,

You walked safely thru DTD to get through the parks.

 

[trishadono]

@Ewoks since you tried honeymoon at poly here are these pix.

 

[trishadono]

The honey moon suite had:

Remote control curtains

Tv remotely raised and lowered in the cabinet so not to block view

Classical music throughout of Disney songs

Twinkle lights in the bathroom countertop

A steam shower and huge tub

Entryway had a neat feature, as door opened tinker bell flew from one picture and landed on another and lit up the castle

Dd laid in that lounge chair every night and listened to the piped in wishes music with that great 2 sided of windows view.

Special treat each night too!

Oh and a basket of fruit that was replenished ! Great assortment!