Disney's Club Level (CL) Information & Questions

[Babsy]

Ok been doing tons of research and here is a first question...I don't know that much about WDW or the dining plan. Since we are staying CL at the Grand Floridian is a dining plan really worth it or should I just pay for meals out of pocket. I am planning on eating all breakfast at the lounge and picking up snacks there. So really only looking at lunch and/ or dinner out...staying 5 days. What do you experienced folks think? There are places I want to eat and try to get an ADR for of course. Thanks for input! I love this thread BTW!

We never get the dining plan when staying CL. Just way too much food for us. WE have breakfast in the lounge and then have a large lunch with a light dinner. I don't find that the CL food in the lounge is good for dinner every night, but it can be enough on a rare occasion when we have had a very large or late lunch. As a result the dining plan just requires eating more food than we want or losing money on the deal. I find the dining plan a hassle. It is easier for us to dine where we want and eat what we want (without worry of what is or isn't included) and simply pay as we go.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I've been reading most pages of this thread and thank you all for the great information. Here is my dilemma. We've been to Disney more times than I probably should admit and have stayed at value, mod and deluxe, but we've never done a club level. This January we are planning a short (3 night) stay and will be taking our grandson, age 5, with us. It will be his very first time at Disney. We would love to be able to give him a "special" experience with his grandparents and hope he is old enough to remember some of it. Would staying club level be an advantage or disadvantage in regard to our ages (50 ish) and his? It may be the only time we will be able to take him. We don't want him to be overwhelmed, so are planning to spend most of our time at the Magic Kingdom. DH thinks the Contemporary would be most appropriate because of the monorail going through the hotel. We have stayed there in the past and were pixie dusted to a Tower Park view room that was awesome. Right now, we are considering club level at either CR or Poly. DH does not care too much for the Poly - no offense to anyone, just his opinion. I would appreciate your thoughts and recommendations. Our goal with this whole experience is for our young grandson to have a delightful time with his grandparents and perhaps make some memories he can have for a lifetime. Thank you in advance.

I have stayed Poly CL three times and CR CL once over the last few years, so you can tell my bias is Poly! My son has been 3-5 in our travels so far. Obviously this topic is very subjective but IMHO, CL is an absolute advantage at either of these resorts when traveling with young children - it is one of the reasons that a WDW trip really works for our family and why we keep going back. The lounge adds that "living room" type space and keeps us all from being confined to the room. As someone else said above, for me it makes the trip so much more relaxing... not having to worry about breakfast, where to get a cup of coffee, what if I want 5 chocolate chip cookies at 9:30 at night and my son is already asleep, etc.

In terms of where you stay, with a short trip, I think you're on the right path with a monorail resort. I would suggest you can't go wrong with either CR or Poly, a lot will come down to individual style and preference. Since you're staying in Jan I'm not sure how much swimming will be important to you given the weather. We were just at Poly in June and the renovated main pool and new kids splash area were amazing. THe convenience of the Hawaii longhouse (CL) with a younger child also can't be beat. I'm not as much of a fan of the layout of the CR pools (distance, walk through main lobby, etc), and there is no large-scale kids splash area. The pool wouldn't stop me from staying at CR again, I just prefer the Poly. The vibe of the CR is a little "sterile" for me, but not enough for me to not go there. I mean, the views on the Theme Park side and from the lounge are simply incredible. Plus the convenience of walking to the MK on a 3 day trip is huge.

Not sure what's in your budget but the Poly CL Garden View rooms will still be looking towards construction at the oasis/quiet/east pool in Jan, so if I were in your shoes and planning something short/special, I would only be looking at Theme Park or Lagoon View for Poly CL. I have only stayed CR CL TPV but I left there telling myself I would probably book a Bay Lake view and save a bit of money since the lounge is so convenient for fireworks viewing.

Enjoy your planning - sounds like a fantastic time with your grandson.

 

[fairy oma]

Hello All,

Your opinion please:

1. Called the poly itinerary planning office (staying poly club in dec). I asked if they can help with a dining reservation. The CM wasn't all thrilled to help and told me to do it myself online. Said they only saw what i can see online...which i understand, but i don't want to be online all day every day to find something.

2. I asked for vegan items to be requested at the lounge (done it in the past). CM says they have stuff, and if we want others we can just do room service. Last few times i've made this request, they've provided items for us because the only vegan items out there...especially dessert time...is a piece of packaged fruit from the morning time. Clearly another CM wanting to be lazy.

If they are telling me to go online and find my own reservations, i don't need help with tix and they can't help put in a lounge request....what kind of requests are they used for?

I can do a lot on my own....like plan the entire thing from FP+, dining, tickets, etc....so what would i use the itinerary planning group for then?

I am so sorry to hear of your IPO experience. The CMs I have spoken with at the Poly IPO have been lovely and very helpful, they found reservations for us on our 180+ day because the computer site was down for a good portion of the morning. DDIL & DD have spoken with them also and reiterated they also had a very pleasant experience. Give them another try...I think you got a CM bad apple.

 

[jlundeen]

Ok been doing tons of research and here is a first question...I don't know that much about WDW or the dining plan. Since we are staying CL at the Grand Floridian is a dining plan really worth it or should I just pay for meals out of pocket. I am planning on eating all breakfast at the lounge and picking up snacks there. So really only looking at lunch and/ or dinner out...staying 5 days. What do you experienced folks think? There are places I want to eat and try to get an ADR for of course. Thanks for input! I love this thread BTW!

I am a spreadsheet obsessed person...I have a spreadsheet for planning EVERY Disney related option...

When we first started planning our Anniversary Trip (starting with the BC, but eventually moving to Boardwalk CL), we decided to get the Deluxe dining plan because we wanted to do several Signature meals, and not have to worry about how many credits we had left. Then as I started making reservations, I found that many of the really well recommended Signature restaurants weren't included in the plan.

Then I went through many iterations of my spread sheets, selecting typical meals from the menus, and adding in tip & alcohol (not covered by the dining plans) and comparing the Regular Dining Plan, the Deluxe Dining Plan, and No dining plan...we cut back to the Regular Plan, and figured it would be cheaper to just have some of the meals out of pocket.

Then...when the discounts came out, and we were able to move to the BW Club Level with the lounge food and beverages available, and it came out even costing less to pay all meals out of pocket. In addition, without the plan, we can go to Shula's (Dolphin) or some of the other excluded places, and we could order the meals we WANTED, maybe sharing appetizers and/or desserts, which the dining plans would not allow.

My suggestion would be to go to the Disney website and look at the menus for the restaurants you think you might be interested in, and add it up. Remember that while the dining plan does include the refillable mug, it does not include tips and alcoholic beverages.

Everyone is different...so you may be surprised how the results come out.

 

[Eastern]

I can't seem to find a menu for BWI, can anyone point to one that I might be able to look over. Based upon what we see, we may add a dinning reservation or two. Thanks so much for your help, this thread is wonderful and helpful!

Since no one has answered, I will tell you what we had in January 2014. Every night they had the usual fruit, cheese, and hummus assortment. There was also a bread and tomato salad every day, along with another cold (grain based) salad. The hot item were chicken skewers, bean quesadillas, some type of pork, things that had a Mediterranean style. Kouzzina made the items and since they have been replaced fairly recently, that may be why you are not seeing any recent menus. I would assume that the new restaurant is now making the happy hour snacks and the things I listed are obsolete.

During lunch they had the usual cookies and goldfish along with homemade chips and dip.

 

[Dispro1]

I have been stalking the threads and finally got done reading this one (entirely!) Everyone seems to stay and review Poly, BC, YC, GF, and AKL, but we are staying at WL CL. It's only for one night (8/15/15) for my DS5 birthday. I have only been to WL one time when I was about 14 (probably when it was first opening!) Obviously it was with my parents and we were upgraded to a Jr suite, what now looks like deluxe rooms. But I was super sick and never got to experience the lodge fully. Anyway, I have always wanted to go back and now we are! And this will be our first CL stay ever!!! So I had a couple questions.

1) Are there any bunk bed rooms on the CL?

2) I saw someone post about CL lounges being locked? Does this mean you can't grab a soda in between scheduled services? And does the WL have a locked lounge?

3) Can anyone give me any additional information or updated pictures (the ones I see posted have a time stamp of 2010). I, like most of you, am an obsessive planner and don't like surprises (especially bad ones!)

4) Are there any requests I should make for his birthday or otherwise?

Thank you so much for all your help! You guys are awesome!

I have never stayed at WL, so I can't help you with questions about that, but there are plenty of people on this thread that like it and can help you. I can say that not all CLs have doors that lock (GF for example). From what people have described on this thread, it sounds like the WL lounge is like GF RPC in that it overlooks the lobby, so it probably does not have doors that lock. The lounges that do have doors are locked during times they are getting ready for the next food offering (for an hour between breakfast and snack, for example...10:30-11:30). But during these times, you can always ask a CM for a beverage. Unfortunately, after the CMs go home at 10pm, guests are out of luck, so it's good to grab a few extra drinks for the fridge in the room.

 

[Dispro1]

Since no one has answered, I will tell you what we had in January 2014. Every night they had the usual fruit, cheese, and hummus assortment. There was also a bread and tomato salad every day, along with another cold (grain based) salad. The hot item were chicken skewers, bean quesadillas, some type of pork, things that had a Mediterranean style. Kouzzina made the items and since they have been replaced fairly recently, that may be why you are not seeing any recent menus. I would assume that the new restaurant is now making the happy hour snacks and the things I listed are obsolete.

During lunch they had the usual cookies and goldfish along with homemade chips and dip.

Fortunately, BWI has recently upgraded their lounge offerings! TinkerbellLiz just returned from her trip there and posted a summary of offerings on the BWI thread. Evidently, they've added meats and cheeses to breakfast, two types of tea sandwiches during snack time, and soups, etc. in the evening! It sounds really good

 

[mickeynut1]

The CMs at AKL have been so helpful. I couldn't find a specific ADR and they have been checking for me and finally found one yesterday. They also made our kids club reservations. I am happy with their help so far. Hopefully tomorrow when we arrive, the service will continue.

Glad they were able to get the ADR you wanted. I have read nothing but great things about AKL CL and can't wait to try it. Hope you have a great trip .

Ok been doing tons of research and here is a first question...I don't know that much about WDW or the dining plan. Since we are staying CL at the Grand Floridian is a dining plan really worth it or should I just pay for meals out of pocket. I am planning on eating all breakfast at the lounge and picking up snacks there. So really only looking at lunch and/ or dinner out...staying 5 days. What do you experienced folks think? There are places I want to eat and try to get an ADR for of course. Thanks for input! I love this thread BTW!

If you will be eating at least 1 CS and 1 TS a day, the DDP might be worth it. However, if you will only do one or the other (or just a few TS meals), I think OOP would be the better way to go. I would look at menus/prices for an idea of where you might go and what you might order and compare that the DDP. Good luck .

Thank you for all the helpful advice regarding my decision between BWI and WL. We have decided to switch to BWI since it is a new resort for us. I am excited for the extra room, but will miss the wonderful food offerings the WL provides in the evening. I can't seem to find a menu for BWI, can anyone point to one that I might be able to look over. Based upon what we see, we may add a dinning reservation or two. Thanks so much for your help, this thread is wonderful and helpful!!

So I guess that means I need my dates, and resort changed- We are no longer staying WL Oct 7-10, we are BWI Sept 30-Oct 4. ;-)

I'm sure you'll have a great time at BWI CL. We've never stayed at BWI and while I do agree WL CL is amazing and has great food offerings, BWI CL gets great reviews .

I have been stalking the threads and finally got done reading this one (entirely!) Everyone seems to stay and review Poly, BC, YC, GF, and AKL, but we are staying at WL CL. It's only for one night (8/15/15) for my DS5 birthday. I have only been to WL one time when I was about 14 (probably when it was first opening!) Obviously it was with my parents and we were upgraded to a Jr suite, what now looks like deluxe rooms. But I was super sick and never got to experience the lodge fully. Anyway, I have always wanted to go back and now we are! And this will be our first CL stay ever!!! So I had a couple questions.

1) Are there any bunk bed rooms on the CL?

2) I saw someone post about CL lounges being locked? Does this mean you can't grab a soda in between scheduled services? And does the WL have a locked lounge?

3) Can anyone give me any additional information or updated pictures (the ones I see posted have a time stamp of 2010). I, like most of you, am an obsessive planner and don't like surprises (especially bad ones!)

4) Are there any requests I should make for his birthday or otherwise?

Thank you so much for all your help! You guys are awesome!

WL CL is amazing, you're going to love it!

1. Bunk beds are available on CL but since they are not a bookable category for CL, they are by request only. I would call or email IPO to request a BB room.

2. The area where the food offerings are kept is locked during down times, but you can sit in the lounge 24/7. The seating is outside of the food service area and is arranged around the railing that overlooks the lobby. There are also some tables along the wall if you didn't want to sit next to the railing. If you want a soda in between services, you can always ask a CM and they would be happy to get you something.

3. Here is a link to the WL FAQ where you will find a lot of great information (as well as pics) on CL:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...nformation-thread-2015.3372315/#post-52944255

4. You can have your son's birthday noted the reservation. Also, if you want a certain location (close to lounge, etc) you can have that added as a request as well.

HTH

 

[Dispro1]

. The area where the food offerings are kept is locked during down times, but you can sit in the lounge 24/7. The seating is outside of the food service area and is arranged around the railing that overlooks the lobby. There are also some tables along the wall if you didn't want to sit next to the railing. If you want a soda in between services, you can always ask a CM and they would be happy to get you something.

So the lounge does overlook the lobby, but the food area is locked...hmm... So it's not exactly set up like RPC. It's hard for me to imagine since I haven't been there. Bummer that they lock it up at 10 like at BC and others. I wish they wouldn't do that. They didn't do that at BC last spring, but they did this June...frustrating!

 

[Lisaloo]

The CMs at AKL have been so helpful. I couldn't find a specific ADR and they have been checking for me and finally found one yesterday. They also made our kids club reservations. I am happy with their help so far. Hopefully tomorrow when we arrive, the service will continue.

We did not have a great experience with AKL IPO before our trip. I ended up doing everything myself. However, during our stay last week we had such an amazing experience with the CL staff. Sam, especially, was incredibly helpful and just really nice. Hope your trip is awesome!

 

[mickeynut1]

So the lounge does overlook the lobby, but the food area is locked...hmm... So it's not exactly set up like RPC. It's hard for me to imagine since I haven't been there. Bummer that they lock it up at 10 like at BC and others. I wish they wouldn't do that. They didn't do that at BC last spring, but they did this June...frustrating!

Yes, the lounge does overlook the lobby, but the food is in a separate room (unlike RPC where the food is on tables out in the open) which is locked in between service times. If you click on the link I posted above, scroll down to post #8 where you will find some pics of the lounge. The first pic is of the entrance of the food area (shown closed/locked).

 

[karasmom]

I posted this a few pages ago and no one really answered...possibly due to the question being embedded with my excitement about having changed my entire stay to CR Tower Cl...so here it goes again

Anyways... does anyone know if the menu on the 1st page is correct? I know its all subject to change but this menu reaches back years (from my searches about the food there).... have they really not changed the items since 2008? (http:// contemporaryresort.net /concierge_menu.html) remove the spaces...

 

[Penelope Brewster]

I have found that CL food is enough to cover all meals plus get your buzz on at night. Top shelf liquors and such devine sweets. The breakfast is to kill for. So no...a dining plan is not needed when staying here.

By the by when using this section I move ip from 50 a night for attendants to 100 a night. Plus 50 for the turndown attendant.

Enjoy!

 

[panfan2507]

I would like to share my experiences so far. We are the family that was upgraded to RPC as family of the day last Wednesday ....AMazing !!!! Food , room, view to lobby the whole thing and especially booking the " fourth fast pass " I don't think there is much they can't do there.

Yesterday we checked into Boardwalk innkeepers club , which was originally planned. We have three nights here. It so far has been fabulous EXCEPT they refuse to do the fourth fast pass !! I tried last night and again just now. All I was told is that they have to be made psychically while inside the park at a kiosk. Three different CM club level have told me this. Now ...I just walked my butt downstairs and made a Fourth fass pass for tonight in the MAIN LOBBY at the REGULAR DESK. I am not quite sure what is going on with this especially since I have been reading accounts of being able to get it via texting ??

I will have to say that I was over the moon excited to try club level at Boardwalk but so far have mixed feelings regarding the experience .

 

[Dispro1]

Yes, the lounge does overlook the lobby, but the food is in a separate room (unlike RPC where the food is on tables out in the open) which is locked in between service times. If you click on the link I posted above, scroll down to post #8 where you will find some pics of the lounge. The first pic is of the entrance of the food area (shown closed/locked).

Thanks for the link...nice pics The food looks wonderful and the pool looks really nice too, but I don't know if I'll ever convince myself to try it since the rooms are smaller and the lodge theme is just not for me. So I guess it's not "all about the food" for me...yet

 

[MeggerasMa]

Sincere thanks for the insightful replies! I can always count on the people of the DisBoards for great information. The comments helped confirm our decision to try club level with our dear grandson. Its especially helpful to know the poly garden view CL construction "view" as that was the room type I'd been considering. I also hadn't thought about or realized that with a theme park view in the lounge, a bay lake view for the room would probably work. Great $$$ saving tip - Thanks! And yes, can't beat having availability of cookies (and coffee for us). . . just don't tell his mom
Thanks again.

 

[exgator24]

WL CL is amazing, you're going to love it!

1. Bunk beds are available on CL but since they are not a bookable category for CL, they are by request only. I would call or email IPO to request a BB room.

2. The area where the food offerings are kept is locked during down times, but you can sit in the lounge 24/7. The seating is outside of the food service area and is arranged around the railing that overlooks the lobby. There are also some tables along the wall if you didn't want to sit next to the railing. If you want a soda in between services, you can always ask a CM and they would be happy to get you something.

3. Here is a link to the WL FAQ where you will find a lot of great information (as well as pics) on CL:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...nformation-thread-2015.3372315/#post-52944255

4. You can have your son's birthday noted the reservation. Also, if you want a certain location (close to lounge, etc) you can have that added as a request as well.

HTH

Thanks so much! Is the CL floor big enough that I would need to ask for a room close to the lounge? I saw it was only about 45 rooms, but is it a long walk or should we be ok? My ds is 5 and dd is 7. Bummed to hear it is locked. I am one of those people with persistent dry mouth and have to have some type of drink by my bed. Guess I'll grab an extra one earlier. So excited! 13 days to go!

 

[Ewoks]

Ok been doing tons of research and here is a first question...I don't know that much about WDW or the dining plan. Since we are staying CL at the Grand Floridian is a dining plan really worth it or should I just pay for meals out of pocket. I am planning on eating all breakfast at the lounge and picking up snacks there. So really only looking at lunch and/ or dinner out...staying 5 days. What do you experienced folks think? There are places I want to eat and try to get an ADR for of course. Thanks for input! I love this thread BTW!

I can only speak for my husband and I (we have no kids), so my opinion might not be exactly what you're looking for, but here goes. We always get the dining plan when staying CL. We have the Deluxe plan for our next trip and used it on our last trip as well. It's not that we're gigantic eaters or anything, but we absolutely love signature (2 dining point) restaurants and find that our trip would be more expensive if we ate at those places out of pocket. My husband's a math guy and did a big spreadsheet using all our receipts from our last trip, adding up what we would've paid OOP for each meal and snack. We ate at places like California Grill (the best!), Le Cellier, Jiko, Artist Point, etc. We didn't have to worry about what we ordered there, because if we ordered the most expensive entree (steaks and such) we didn't pay extra cause of the dining plan. It's vacation, and we both are big proponents of eating what we want on vacation! The snack credits were great when we were in the parks, especially EPCOT. You'd be surprised what counts as a snack credit. Lots of great stuff.

As for the food in the lounges, on our last trip we ate breakfast there almost every morning with the exception of two breakfasts at the Wave with dining credits because we looooooove the Wave. CL is great for breakfasts. As far as the other food offerings during the day, we grabbed a few snacks when we were back at the resort, and we enjoyed the wine and beer (saved us a bunch of $$ on alcohol this way by taking advantage of the CL alcohol instead of buying beer or wine with our meals). No offense to anyone else, but I'm really not a fan of the "use the CL food as a meal substitute" mentality. It's not very considerate of your fellow CL guests, the CL food isn't intended to be a meal replacement with the exception of breakfast, and finally... you're at WDW. Who wants to eat finger foods every day as their meal when there's SO much good food to enjoy at WDW? But to each their own I suppose.

Also, someone mentioned that they found the Deluxe plan didn't include certain signature restaurants. When we went back in January, that absolutely was NOT the case. The only restaurant not included in the Deluxe DDP was Victoria & Albert's and some of the special character dining stuff. We also never encountered any menu items (appetizers, entrees, desserts) at any of the signature restaurants that weren't included in the DxDDP. So we could eat anywhere and order anything on the menu. Just FYI.

 

[mickeynut1]

I posted this a few pages ago and no one really answered...possibly due to the question being embedded with my excitement about having changed my entire stay to CR Tower Cl...so here it goes again

Anyways... does anyone know if the menu on the 1st page is correct? I know its all subject to change but this menu reaches back years (from my searches about the food there).... have they really not changed the items since 2008? (http:// contemporaryresort.net /concierge_menu.html) remove the spaces...

I can't help as we've never stayed CR CL, but hopefully others will be able to help. Have you tried looking/asking on the CR FAQ? We are thinking of trying CR CL next summer so I have been reading that thread and have received a lot of great information about the CR .

I would like to share my experiences so far. We are the family that was upgraded to RPC as family of the day last Wednesday ....AMazing !!!! Food , room, view to lobby the whole thing and especially booking the " fourth fast pass " I don't think there is much they can't do there.

Yesterday we checked into Boardwalk innkeepers club , which was originally planned. We have three nights here. It so far has been fabulous EXCEPT they refuse to do the fourth fast pass !! I tried last night and again just now. All I was told is that they have to be made psychically while inside the park at a kiosk. Three different CM club level have told me this. Now ...I just walked my butt downstairs and made a Fourth fass pass for tonight in the MAIN LOBBY at the REGULAR DESK. I am not quite sure what is going on with this especially since I have been reading accounts of being able to get it via texting ??

I will have to say that I was over the moon excited to try club level at Boardwalk but so far have mixed feelings regarding the experience .

RPC is amazing and is hard to beat, IMO. Glad you had a great time in RPC, but sorry your BWI CL experience isn't what you were expecting. I hope your experience changes for the better and you enjoy your stay .

Thanks for the link...nice pics The food looks wonderful and the pool looks really nice too, but I don't know if I'll ever convince myself to try it since the rooms are smaller and the lodge theme is just not for me. So I guess it's not "all about the food" for me...yet

We love the lodge as the atmosphere is beautiful, the pool is great, and the CL offerings are very good, but I do know that not every resort fits everyone's style. Yes, the rooms are quite a bit smaller than the other deluxes (Epcot resorts are only slightly larger, but the monorail resorts are quite a bit larger) and while the food offerings are important, so is the overall feel of the resort . I know it's hard for us to try different resorts if the theme/decor doesn't appeal to us, so I can definitely see your point about the WL theme not being your thing.

Sincere thanks for the insightful replies! I can always count on the people of the DisBoards for great information. The comments helped confirm our decision to try club level with our dear grandson. Its especially helpful to know the poly garden view CL construction "view" as that was the room type I'd been considering. I also hadn't thought about or realized that with a theme park view in the lounge, a bay lake view for the room would probably work. Great $$$ saving tip - Thanks! And yes, can't beat having availability of cookies (and coffee for us). . . just don't tell his mom
Thanks again.

How exciting! I think you will enjoy CL. We've never stayed CR CL, but are hoping to try it next summer as I have read nothing but great things about it. I have also read reports that BLV CL is great as it's cheaper than TPV CL, but you still get the awesome MK view from the lounge. Have a great trip and enjoy the planning .

Thanks so much! Is the CL floor big enough that I would need to ask for a room close to the lounge? I saw it was only about 45 rooms, but is it a long walk or should we be ok? My ds is 5 and dd is 7. Bummed to hear it is locked. I am one of those people with persistent dry mouth and have to have some type of drink by my bed. Guess I'll grab an extra one earlier. So excited! 13 days to go!

You're welcome! I don't think any room is very far from the lounge, but you could always request a BB room closest to the lounge. Also, if you aren't happy with your room assignment, you can always ask if a different room is available. It's not guaranteed they will be able to change your room, but they will do everything they can to accommodate you. You can definitely take extras to keep in your room, but you can also ask the CL CMs for something outside of the service times. I think they leave at 10 pm, so just make sure to see them prior to that time if you need anything. Have a great trip and enjoy the lodge .

 

[Eastern]

No offense to anyone else, but I'm really not a fan of the "use the CL food as a meal substitute" mentality. It's not very considerate of your fellow CL guests, the CL food isn't intended to be a meal replacement with the exception of breakfast, and finally... you're at WDW. Who wants to eat finger foods every day as their meal when there's SO much good food to enjoy at WDW? But to each their own I suppose.

You don't have to agree with it, but to say "it's not very considerate" is rude, imo. One doesn't have to take platefuls of food to 'replace' a meal. A one inch square of cheese is 100 calories. So some cheese and crackers, a few hot items, and some fruit or vegetables can be quite filling and makes a full dinner unnecessary.

From what I have seen during cocktail hour, most people are polite.