Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[Rachel GB]

We’ve been planning an RPC trip for May with my hubby, children, and my mom (her first WDW trip in 30 years)! We have been holding out and hoping for May discounts for two RPC rooms, but have considered doing a 2BR Villa at the new Riviera in late March instead.
Concerns/ Questions:
1. Do any fellow CL-lovers have experience with staying non-CL and really regretting it??? Will we think longingly of RPC the whole time?
2. Are we nuts for going in March (all crowd calendars saying 10/ insane crowds!)? We would do probably two park days, rope drop to early afternoon, and the rest resort days.
TIA!!!!!

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Can anyone provide some insight as to what any of the lounge offerings are on Thanksgiving? Do they do anything special?

Last year there were Mickey waffles in the lounge at WL! I don’t recall anything else in particular. It’s entirely possible something else special was offered (like with appetizers), but we just remember the Mickey waffles,

 

[Minnie1222]

We’ve been planning an RPC trip for May with my hubby, children, and my mom (her first WDW trip in 30 years)! We have been holding out and hoping for May discounts for two RPC rooms, but have considered doing a 2BR Villa at the new Riviera in late March instead.
Concerns/ Questions:
1. Do any fellow CL-lovers have experience with staying non-CL and really regretting it??? Will we think longingly of RPC the whole time?
2. Are we nuts for going in March (all crowd calendars saying 10/ insane crowds!)? We would do probably two park days, rope drop to early afternoon, and the rest resort days.
TIA!!!!!

I know I would miss CL! I don't love the busy evening hours but it's just so convenient with breakfast and unlimited tea access. The water bottles are always a plus.
We've gone in March and I don't think it is that much busier than any other times. The nice weather in March makes the trip more enjoyable.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

We moved over to Atrium Club today!!!

 

[Nadine and Fred]

Well, the clown alone maybe not but just the whole pool area is a turn off for me at BWI. Not sure exactly what I hate so much about it.it feels cramped, no zero entry, that hideous clown... However, all the raves about Cl there do make me want to give it a try.

Actually the clown pool IS super busy; I prefer the "quiet pool" and you may too. And I reiterate... the BEST club experience at WDW.

 

[sanibellife]

Got back yesterday from our first stay at Poly CL. We had an amazing time. We had Garden view rooms that were 3rd floor and faced the Oasis Pool! They were fantastic! We had 2 rooms 3525 and 3529. Quiet and nice views. I do feel that for the price of the rooms they should be updated. They are looking a little worn. They were clean and that is most important! The staff was so fantastic. Everyone we encountered is so professional, kind and always helpful. The lounge was so nice. Was not crowded at all. Every time we were there we were always able to get s table. This was our first CL experience so we don’t have anything to compare to but everything was good. Not the best food I’ve ever had but a nice treat during the day. We did watch fireworks one night from the lounge so that was a fun perk!

 

[bigskip]

Quick question for those who have tried Chronos Lounge at CSR. Can you take drinks back to your room from the lounge? I know you can at AKL and GF SL, but the signage for CSR says drinks to enjoy in the lounge, is there a restriction?

 

[dansdad]

Quick question for those who have tried Chronos Lounge at CSR. Can you take drinks back to your room from the lounge? I know you can at AKL and GF SL, but the signage for CSR says drinks to enjoy in the lounge, is there a restriction?

My parents brought drinks back to their room every night 2 weeks ago. One of the Club CMs even gave them to go cups when they wanted to bring them down to the pool.

 

[trishadono]

Quick question for those who have tried Chronos Lounge at CSR. Can you take drinks back to your room from the lounge? I know you can at AKL and GF SL, but the signage for CSR says drinks to enjoy in the lounge, is there a restriction?

I walked out one afternoon with my wine for my room across the hall. When I wanted a refill I came back with my glass and a cm was near the door. I said I had taken my wine to the room is that allowed? They said sure, no problem, enjoy.

I did both days of my stay,

 

[bigskip]

My parents brought drinks back to their room every night 2 weeks ago. One of the Club CMs even gave them to go cups when they wanted to bring them down to the pool.

I walked out one afternoon with my wine for my room across the hall. When I wanted a refill I came back with my glass and a cm was near the door. I said I had taken my wine to the room is that allowed? They said sure, no problem, enjoy.

I did both days of my stay,

Thanks both, we are looking to add a couple of days there at the end of our next trip, to decompress after 14 park days...

 

[trishadono]

We’ve been planning an RPC trip for May with my hubby, children, and my mom (her first WDW trip in 30 years)! We have been holding out and hoping for May discounts for two RPC rooms, but have considered doing a 2BR Villa at the new Riviera in late March instead.
Concerns/ Questions:
1. Do any fellow CL-lovers have experience with staying non-CL and really regretting it??? Will we think longingly of RPC the whole time?
2. Are we nuts for going in March (all crowd calendars saying 10/ insane crowds!)? We would do probably two park days, rope drop to early afternoon, and the rest resort days.
TIA!!!!!

I did rpc this May, poly lv cl in August, CSR deluxe suite Sep and now coming up in Oct again.

I am so freaking excited I have the 1 br at RR booked for Feb!!!

Why?

Breakfast time. You get up and the coffee pot you set up the night before has your coffee, grab a cup and get back in bed, crawl in with the kids, sit on balcony....still in your pjs! Cooking is my least favorite chore but toasting a bagel or scrambling an egg is kinda fun in a room that’s so pretty,

Midday. We come back and need a rest. Lots of room to nap. Also you won’t worry about running out of towels, throw in dryer and ta-da all set. Snacks ? We will gab stuff arrival day, bananas slice with PB, nuts, chips n salsa etc. I will get wine, I usually bring dh rum or Jameson, at 4 or 5 we will have one in the room with view or on balcony weather permitting.

We will go to eat where WE want and eat what WE want vs what the lounge provides. Fun options also are any bar attached to the TS restaurants. There are more beverage choices, and more tasty appetizers. Often we just do QS.

Getting back at night? Dd will stop QS for a cupcake and we split it. Ds will want something like chicken nuggets and dh will want a flatbread lol. One or 2 will get the food, the others go get ready for bed. When we get back to room with our items we all sit at the table and kind of share everything and talk about our day, Some are already in pjs. Rest of us get ready for bed and unwind.

The #1 biggest advantage is the Time Flexibility! You have coffee at 5am if you want, don’t have to have the adult beverages they have, buy what you want, eat when you are hungry and what you actually craving.

But Trish, you love cl??? Yes I do, I love the time savings vs a std room. However a 1 or 2 bedroom villa(or larger) for me has the same advantages as a cl room.

So when there are all 4 of us or now with dd’s bf I need 2 sleeping spaces, a villa or suite is needed. So what’s the price difference? The visa discount was big enough savings to make the villa doable , so I AM DOING!

I have gone every month of the year. An advantage to busy times are the expanded park hours, I don’t worry about crowds. I know how to do what we want , crowds or no crowds.

Just checked my 4 day weekend 2/13-17. Blt and vgf are sold out. CCV has room but would need 35-40% off to come close to discount I got. CSR suite only one close to both having 2 sleeping spaces and close to price point . It only gets 10% off with any discount and will be a bit more than what I have, So for this trip the RR is my best option to meet needs and best price point.

 

[Rachel GB]

I know I would miss CL! I don't love the busy evening hours but it's just so convenient with breakfast and unlimited tea access. The water bottles are always a plus.
We've gone in March and I don't think it is that much busier than any other times. The nice weather in March makes the trip more enjoyable.

@Minnie1222, TY for your reply! I agree, CL is amazing and so convenient. Glad to hear you haven’t found March crowds to be horrible, and the weather sounds great!

I did rpc this May, poly lv cl in August, CSR deluxe suite Sep and now coming up in Oct again.

I am so freaking excited I have the 1 br at RR booked for Feb!!!

Why?

Breakfast time. You get up and the coffee pot you set up the night before has your coffee, grab a cup and get back in bed, crawl in with the kids, sit on balcony....still in your pjs! Cooking is my least favorite chore but toasting a bagel or scrambling an egg is kinda fun in a room that’s so pretty,

Midday. We come back and need a rest. Lots of room to nap. Also you won’t worry about running out of towels, throw in dryer and ta-da all set. Snacks ? We will gab stuff arrival day, bananas slice with PB, nuts, chips n salsa etc. I will get wine, I usually bring dh rum or Jameson, at 4 or 5 we will have one in the room with view or on balcony weather permitting.

We will go to eat where WE want and eat what WE want vs what the lounge provides. Fun options also are any bar attached to the TS restaurants. There are more beverage choices, and more tasty appetizers. Often we just do QS.

Getting back at night? Dd will stop QS for a cupcake and we split it. Ds will want something like chicken nuggets and dh will want a flatbread lol. One or 2 will get the food, the others go get ready for bed. When we get back to room with our items we all sit at the table and kind of share everything and talk about our day, Some are already in pjs. Rest of us get ready for bed and unwind.

The #1 biggest advantage is the Time Flexibility! You have coffee at 5am if you want, don’t have to have the adult beverages they have, buy what you want, eat when you are hungry and what you actually craving.

But Trish, you love cl??? Yes I do, I love the time savings vs a std room. However a 1 or 2 bedroom villa(or larger) for me has the same advantages as a cl room.

So when there are all 4 of us or now with dd’s bf I need 2 sleeping spaces, a villa or suite is needed. So what’s the price difference? The visa discount was big enough savings to make the villa doable , so I AM DOING!

I have gone every month of the year. An advantage to busy times are the expanded park hours, I don’t worry about crowds. I know how to do what we want , crowds or no crowds.

Just checked my 4 day weekend 2/13-17. Blt and vgf are sold out. CCV has room but would need 35-40% off to come close to discount I got. CSR suite only one close to both having 2 sleeping spaces and close to price point . It only gets 10% off with any discount and will be a bit more than what I have, So for this trip the RR is my best option to meet needs and best price point.

@trishadono , AAAA this is an amazing reply! Thank you for putting so much time and thought into it, as well as sharing your ideas for your own trip. It gives me more confidence that the change could be enjoyable for us! Good luck planning your February trip (and I hope you have a magical October trip, as well)!

 

[grannyminnie]

Got back yesterday from our first stay at Poly CL. We had an amazing time. We had Garden view rooms that were 3rd floor and faced the Oasis Pool! They were fantastic! We had 2 rooms 3525 and 3529. Quiet and nice views. I do feel that for the price of the rooms they should be updated. They are looking a little worn. They were clean and that is most important! The staff was so fantastic. Everyone we encountered is so professional, kind and always helpful. The lounge was so nice. Was not crowded at all. Every time we were there we were always able to get s table. This was our first CL experience so we don’t have anything to compare to but everything was good. Not the best food I’ve ever had but a nice treat during the day. We did watch fireworks one night from the lounge so that was a fun perk!

You must have checked in to 3525 after we left! lol We enjoyed that room as well. Our first stay in Hawaii, tho not our first experience with the lounge (we have been upgraded to club access before). I really loved the convenience of the lounge, and the CMs are just top notch! I agree that the rooms need refreshing and actually was told that Hawaii will be undergoing a refurb in early 2020. No definite dates tho.

 

[grannyminnie]

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Thanks.

 

[trishadono]

@Minnie1222, TY for your reply! I agree, CL is amazing and so convenient. Glad to hear you haven’t found March crowds to be horrible, and the weather sounds great!




@trishadono , AAAA this is an amazing reply! Thank you for putting so much time and thought into it, as well as sharing your ideas for your own trip. It gives me more confidence that the change could be enjoyable for us! Good luck planning your February trip (and I hope you have a magical October trip, as well)!

You are welcome. I woke up in the night and after writing all that it wore me out and I fell back to sleep.teehee

We’ve done blt 4 times, vgf and bwv as a family. Even dd likes it and she’s the family foodie.

 

[mickeynut1]

We’ve been planning an RPC trip for May with my hubby, children, and my mom (her first WDW trip in 30 years)! We have been holding out and hoping for May discounts for two RPC rooms, but have considered doing a 2BR Villa at the new Riviera in late March instead.
Concerns/ Questions:
1. Do any fellow CL-lovers have experience with staying non-CL and really regretting it??? Will we think longingly of RPC the whole time?
2. Are we nuts for going in March (all crowd calendars saying 10/ insane crowds!)? We would do probably two park days, rope drop to early afternoon, and the rest resort days.
TIA!!!!!

1. Trish makes a lot of great points! With that said, we've never stayed in a villa, but have stayed both CL and non-CL and while CL is nice, our non-CL trips have been just as fun and relaxing. The new Riveria resort looks beautiful and I've actually been looking into it for an Oct 2020 family trip. I just started planning so no definite dates or resort yet, but it is a resort I'm considering.

2. March is spring break time so it will be a little busier than other times, but I think you'd still have fun, even with crowds. With that said, there doesn't seem to be a "slow" time at Disney anymore as the slower times of year have gotten more popular over the years.

View attachment 440709View attachment 440708

We moved over to Atrium Club today!!!

Great pics, thanks for sharing! Hope you're having a great time .

Got back yesterday from our first stay at Poly CL. We had an amazing time. We had Garden view rooms that were 3rd floor and faced the Oasis Pool! They were fantastic! We had 2 rooms 3525 and 3529. Quiet and nice views. I do feel that for the price of the rooms they should be updated. They are looking a little worn. They were clean and that is most important! The staff was so fantastic. Everyone we encountered is so professional, kind and always helpful. The lounge was so nice. Was not crowded at all. Every time we were there we were always able to get s table. This was our first CL experience so we don’t have anything to compare to but everything was good. Not the best food I’ve ever had but a nice treat during the day. We did watch fireworks one night from the lounge so that was a fun perk!

Glad you had a great time and enjoyed your first Poly CL stay .

 

[MrsBooch]

Got back yesterday from our first stay at Poly CL. We had an amazing time. We had Garden view rooms that were 3rd floor and faced the Oasis Pool! They were fantastic! We had 2 rooms 3525 and 3529. Quiet and nice views. I do feel that for the price of the rooms they should be updated. They are looking a little worn. They were clean and that is most important! The staff was so fantastic. Everyone we encountered is so professional, kind and always helpful. The lounge was so nice. Was not crowded at all. Every time we were there we were always able to get s table. This was our first CL experience so we don’t have anything to compare to but everything was good. Not the best food I’ve ever had but a nice treat during the day. We did watch fireworks one night from the lounge so that was a fun perk!

We are heading to Poly CL in December for the first time - what kind of food is out in the morning and afternoon? Any baked goods/bagels? and for "lunch" is it basically just the lettuce wraps?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

For the FWIW file, I’ve now seen two reports around the DIS of folks with late October BC CL reservations being contacted by Disney to move resorts due to the CL rooms/floor/lounge being closed for their dates. Not sure what all Disney is up to or how long that will last, but just a heads up!

Both reports had trips starting 10/28.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

12th floor moon view!

 

[LNMom]

My family and I spent a long weekend at Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort. We loved the tower and the resort. This trip was a bit of an experiment. I wanted a weekend getaway where we didn't have to drive, cook, or clean. I didn't want to have to rush anywhere, so this visit was a non-parks visit. We just enjoyed the pool and resort amenities, Disney Springs shopping and dining (I love Jaleo!), and resort hopping/riding all four forms of transportation in one day. This ended up being a lot of fun and very relaxing as it was hot and I'm not sure you could have paid me to take my kids into the parks!

We stayed in a deluxe suite with club access (Chronos Lounge). Room 457 (triangle, parking lot/parks view).

The Great:
The Chronos Lounge was wonderful. The lounge is well appointed and comfortable. There are toys/games and books for kids and adults.
The lounge was busy in the morning, but didn't feel cramped. My family was always able to find seating. It was quiet in the evenings. The staff was lovely. Maria is surely the most gracious, hardest working cast member at Disney. The food was wonderful.
Breakfast offerings included: eggs, oatmeal, bacon, Mickey waffles, assorted breads and baked items, cheese and salmon, and fruit. Ask for a mimosa! The beer and wine selection was excellent and available at various times throughout the day. The evening wine and hors d'oeuvres was lovely and plentiful. Desserts were good (although there was shortage on Mickey tart shells the last couple of nights of our stay so no cute and delicious Mickey tarts). The various offerings in the evening were good (plant-based ceviche was surprisingly delicious). My children were able to find enough that suited their palate.
The coffee machine was not working during most of our stay, which was disappointing. The staff offered to get espresso coffees from the bar downstairs, but we felt bad asking them to do so since they were constantly busy in the morning.
A computer/printer was available for use since I couldn't get boarding passes to download to my phone.

The Deluxe Suite was spacious and well designed. Having a half bath made a huge difference for my family. Each room has it's own temperature control (that is illuminate all night-be prepared if you are sensitive to light when you sleep). The storage is brilliant. My family fully unpacked for our 4-night stay and had plenty of storage available. Note: There was no alarm clock in our room, which felt odd. There were plenty of USB ports. I enjoyed having a mini refrigerator.
The housekeeping was excellent during our stay! Thank you to the amazing staff. I loved the modern feel with the subtle Mickey touches. I definitely felt I was at Disney World, but a newer, fresher Disney World.

Disney internal transportation was excellent. We never waited more than 10 minutes or so for a bus to various parks. We left most days around 10 and returned in the late afternoon. Thus, we never used the bus service during peak times of day.

The Good:
We enjoyed the main pool area, playground, table tennis and arcade. I loved having life vests provided for kids of all ages. We had marshmallows at the fire pit by the pool which was fun. I do wish there were more activities scheduled. There are many great spaces around the resort that could be creatively utilized for activities.

The Bad:
We arrived after midnight on the Magical Express. At check in, there was at least one other family behind us and a large group. The one person at the front desk was very busy finding a manager or someone who could accept a compliment that a guest she had just helped was giving her instead of quickly accepting the compliment and moving on to assist the exhausted group of guests in line. I was not happy.

Our deluxe suite was on the 4th floor facing the parking lot (one morning I had a view of several delivery trucks lined up. I imagine this view costs the same as the water view rooms on the other side of the building since there is a view of fireworks, but being on the 4th floor fireworks were barely visible over the treeline except for the very highest ones. I loved our room, but management should consider charging a different rate for lower floor suites, or not making these club level. Differential pricing would allow all suite guests to feel like they are provided comparable experiences.

Disney Signature Services (DSS) called me and left a message about a week after I booked our reservation. I called DSS (available to club level guests) twice to request a rollaway bed (my children fight when they sleep in the same bed--will they every outgrow this behavior?) , an L-shaped deluxe suite to accommodate a roll away, and bottled water in our room since we would be arriving after the club lounge was closed. None of these requests were fulfilled. I was deeply disappointed, especially about the bottled water. At the very least, placing a few bottles of water in the room would be an easy way to make guests happy. In addition, I was not told that I needed to register for the Magical Express from the airport. I happened to read this on Disboards. DSS should have inquired about my travel plans to ensure that had everything settled. You don't know what you don't know, so asking me if I need anything else wasn't really useful. DSS was able to move a reservation time for me that I could not move myself on the My Disney Experience app.

Overall:
Club level enhanced our experience. I adored the Chronos Lounge. I can't imagine having a better experience anywhere.

PS--I'll post pics tomorrow.