Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[FBS@WDW]

Was there a room number? If so, would you mind sharing so I can add it to the Room Views on the GF thread? Thanks!

I'm thinking it's either 4002 or 4005. I have one of those during my convention early December....

 

[mrsap]

I'm thinking it's either 4002 or 4005. I have one of those during my convention early December....

Good to know. Thank you for the reply.

 

[trishadono]

We were so busy the last 2 days I didn't get back to post. What this CL lover can say is you totally can make do without cl by simply choosing your favorite/preferred resort instead. Our last minute switch was so worth it! We had plenty of options on the mono line for food n drinks without having to worry about "times". Also being able to choose the adult beverage of your choice vs what a cl lounge is offering was quite nice!

With Cl prices close to $1000 and up a night it may be a while for me but gosh we had a great vacation! I did not miss cl other than walking past SL and wishing they had kept that budget friendly option at gf.

 

[robinb]

Has anyone been to the AKL Kilimanjaro Club recently? I've read a review that it hasn't changed a whole lot. We will be there on our DVC points in May.

 

[trishadono]

Has anyone been to the AKL Kilimanjaro Club recently? I've read a review that it hasn't changed a whole lot. We will be there on our DVC points in May.

I have been twice since reopening. At all the cl resorts the midday offerings are less but the rest is pretty similar.

 

[robinb]

I have been twice since reopening. At all the cl resorts the midday offerings are less but the rest is pretty similar.

Thanks! I've been to the club a number of times, but all before covid. The midday offerings were never anything to write home about.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

We are currently at BWI CL, and the people are lovely. Truly make it.

Random gripe/questions - there are a lot of rooms with guests who put their used lounge dishes, silverware and glasses outside their door on the floor. It seems like they go to get the dinner items and then just set the used plates outside. I find it so rude that they do this - either take the dishes back to the lounge (still open) or leave it in your room. It’s not collected until the next morning, so these dishes are all sitting in the hall. Is this common now? Or am I just catching a weird time? It’s not the resort’s fault, but it definitely makes it feel dirty and like a frat house walking along the hall.

 

[Runnsally]

We are currently at BWI CL, and the people are lovely. Truly make it.

Random gripe/questions - there are a lot of rooms with guests who put their used lounge dishes, silverware and glasses outside their door on the floor. It seems like they go to get the dinner items and then just set the used plates outside. I find it so rude that they do this - either take the dishes back to the lounge (still open) or leave it in your room. It’s not collected until the next morning, so these dishes are all sitting in the hall. Is this common now? Or am I just catching a weird time? It’s not the resort’s fault, but it definitely makes it feel dirty and like a frat house walking along the hall.

Way too common in my opinion. It’s and very inconsiderate.

 

[SkyGuy]

We are currently at BWI CL, and the people are lovely. Truly make it.

Random gripe/questions - there are a lot of rooms with guests who put their used lounge dishes, silverware and glasses outside their door on the floor. It seems like they go to get the dinner items and then just set the used plates outside. I find it so rude that they do this - either take the dishes back to the lounge (still open) or leave it in your room. It’s not collected until the next morning, so these dishes are all sitting in the hall. Is this common now? Or am I just catching a weird time? It’s not the resort’s fault, but it definitely makes it feel dirty and like a frat house walking along the hall.

This happened during all of our post Covid stays, club level or not. There were a several mornings we walked down the halls, dodging piles of dirty dishes, and several afternoons when we came back and those same dishes were still lining the halls. It’s inconsiderate and gross, and I imagine it’s very hard for housekeeping to stay on top of it due to the lack of staffing.

 

[KerryCM]

When we were there a couple weeks ago I would see club cast members taking a cart and collecting the dirty dishes in the hall. My husband and I always too our dishes back to the lounge in the morning if we took anything at night back to our room.

 

[SkyGuy]

When we were there a couple weeks ago I would see club cast members taking a cart and collecting the dirty dishes in the hall. My husband and I always too our dishes back to the lounge in the morning if we took anything at night back to our room.

I made my son tote our dirty dishes back to the lounge and told him that’s why I brought him along.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

I’m sorry to hear that mine isn’t an isolated experience. It definitely detracts from the atmosphere.

But overall, things are very nice!

 

[Ariel620]

I have been twice since reopening. At all the cl resorts the midday offerings are less but the rest is pretty similar.

Hi trishadono, do you have links? I would love to see if you posted any more details, but don't know how to sort through this thread to find them. I will be at AKL club in June.

 

[Disneykingofkings]

We are currently at BWI CL, and the people are lovely. Truly make it.

Random gripe/questions - there are a lot of rooms with guests who put their used lounge dishes, silverware and glasses outside their door on the floor. It seems like they go to get the dinner items and then just set the used plates outside. I find it so rude that they do this - either take the dishes back to the lounge (still open) or leave it in your room. It’s not collected until the next morning, so these dishes are all sitting in the hall. Is this common now? Or am I just catching a weird time? It’s not the resort’s fault, but it definitely makes it feel dirty and like a frat house walking along the hall.

exactly, my wife sees that garbage and can't believe how lazy they are;

we are here now our last night - we are in 4229 the perfect and closest deluxe to the lounge which sure helps with walking and when i cant walk and DW brings me food BUT never leaves plates outside, we bring them back ourselves;

TG, we will be having dinner at the lounge tonight at 5, our last nite; i will be the one wearing the bib, for real, if you want to say hi;

BTW the CL and its CMs were as great as always; it is as if there was no covid; food selections are great; dinners prepared by sean, tim, and amanda are fabulous; Lene(who is on the dis cruise now) and crew couldn't be better; we spent our last day, this morning at DS buying gifts for them all;

 

[Richie248]

Overall, I’m happy I was able to try GDT and the resort itself is extremely nice. It’s also less $ than the deluxe clubs, which helps and should be kept in mind when comparing. It does seem like the club offerings have gotten worse since reopening (based on older pictures i saw in the thread). Nice trip, but not dying to return to this one.

Thanks for the review. I'm booked CL at GDT for May and I'm wrestling with the idea of just staying at the Swan Reserve for my whole stay (right now doing a split stay). Not seeing the benefit vs. cost.... Seems like they've reduced food offerings and the concierge has the same access to reservations as everyone else. You also don't get access to Evening Magic Hours.....seems like a no brainier to me....will probably end up switching.

 

[trishadono]

Hi trishadono, do you have links? I would love to see if you posted any more details, but don't know how to sort through this thread to find them. I will be at AKL club in June.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/disneys-club-level-cl-information-questions.3414590/post-63315144
https://www.disboards.com/threads/disneys-club-level-cl-information-questions.3414590/post-63681843

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We are currently at BWI CL, and the people are lovely. Truly make it.

Random gripe/questions - there are a lot of rooms with guests who put their used lounge dishes, silverware and glasses outside their door on the floor. It seems like they go to get the dinner items and then just set the used plates outside. I find it so rude that they do this - either take the dishes back to the lounge (still open) or leave it in your room. It’s not collected until the next morning, so these dishes are all sitting in the hall. Is this common now? Or am I just catching a weird time? It’s not the resort’s fault, but it definitely makes it feel dirty and like a frat house walking along the hall.

I really try to be more of a 'mind my own business' traveler, especially with CL as you can sometimes witness various things that may grind one's gears and ultimately I don't like to let myself get overly distracted/let things negatively influence my own trip... but IMHO I totally agree with you. Unfortunately I've seen in a good bit over time. I get that people have different takes on this kind of thing, but I would never even think of putting used items in the hallway - we either keep items in the room or take them back to the lounge (first choice), no debate.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Forgot to post a somewhat unflattering GF pic from a recent stay. Glad renovations are coming as this middle lobby fixture has seen some better days - and hopefully the lobby gets some TLC. I personally don't get all caught up in the idea that GF as the "flagship" resort needs to be perfect in every way - that's an impossible standard, leaks happen, these buildings are certainly aging - but I do think it's fair to say things should just be a little better, IMHO.

 

[Ricguz]

When we were there a couple weeks ago I would see club cast members taking a cart and collecting the dirty dishes in the hall. My husband and I always too our dishes back to the lounge in the morning if we took anything at night back to our room.

We have always done the same. Leaving our mess in the hallway for someone else, is not something we would do.

 

[Sarahslay]

Had a brief GF RPC stay recently. It had been forever and a day since I had stayed at RPC (2016 I think), our more recent GF travels were SL or non-CL.

Wasn't a long enough stay to have much to report or to form a decent opinion about things, but I'll cover some basics.

- Arrival - No one was specifically waiting for us out front, but there was a CM with an iPad - we told her we where checking in CL and she did some stuff on her ipad and quickly walked us up to the lounge, testing our MB on the elevators along the way. Easy peasy.

- Lounge CMs were standing there when we got off the elevator and quickly offered drinks/welcomed us. Our room wasn't ready and it was afternoon snack time, so we just rested in the lounge for a bit. I didn't recognize any CMs over our stay - like everywhere there are lots of new CM faces around, which in a way is kind of cool. Lots of interesting stories.

- CMs were plentiful and always around - very friendly, warm, welcoming. Time has clouded the specifics of my past GF CL memories, but the vibe was more welcoming than I recall (can't really articulate why, just a feeling, probably just my mood I guess).

- Like most CLs, we had moments during the evening apps and morning breakfast where the lounge was pretty darn crowded and others where it was totally empty.

- GF RPC is unique in how you can really spread out for seating, even on multiple floors. For a period the one morning we were there it was so crowded at breakfast we took our food up the 5th floor, which was nice an quiet.

- I used to think the RPC lounge itself was on par with the other monorail resorts, but with recent lounge renovations at CR and Poly, unfortunately I think that makes RPC feel in need of a refresh - which seems like it'll be coming later this year or early next year from reports.

- Same for the rooms. With newly-renovated rooms/suites at Poly and CR, it makes it pretty hard to justify the cost of RPC, in my humble opinion. I can usually find the good/value/worth in most any Disney resort/CL product and it's not in my nature to be an overly-opinionated CL traveler, but unfortunately at the moment RPC is a "no" for me until a renovation. Apologies to the RPC fans!

It's hard to take photos at RPC without people in them so I don't really have lounge or food photos, but a few:

View attachment 657736

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Picture was taken from the fifth floor. The main lounge is on the fourth floor. The third floor has that nice outside seating area which is rarely used, but not terribly far to take a plate or beverage if you'd like to sit outside.
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This is the fifth floor open area. The fifth floor is mostly suites. An internal staircase connects the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floor so it's relatively easy to head up here if you want something a little quieter than the 4th floor.
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More 5th floor. That opening to the left "looks down" on the main lounge area.
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Terrible pic, but some of the evening apps. What's up with GF's tiny plates? I get that it's not meant to be a meal and I'm fine with that, but practically it can be a little difficult to juggle some of those individually served items.
View attachment 657744

I really, really hope they have worked on the welcoming factor with the CMs. I remember after my second CL stay at GF in 2019, after another horrible experience being treated like I didn't belong there (even though I obviously paid for it just fine), I was met and escorted back by one of the CL managers who I had already informed that they needed to work on it....he said they would. I guess I'll have to retract my vow at some point that I would never stay GF CL again.

As far as a room/lounge refresh, my friend that works at WDW has let me know that as far as GF goes all attention right now is on turning the one building in to DVC, then on the monoral it'll turn to Poly and the new building. For renovations all attention is going to BWI (thank.GOD!), so it'll still probably be at least another year or more until we see anything with GF. I do think it needs it, but BWI obviously needs it a lot more, at WDW is going to focus on that new DVC building at Poly. She says rumor has it that that building is taking the place in space from the Reflections DVC, which I still think would have been better since it had it's own space and wasn't shoehorned in. Oh well. At least it seems they've at least improved on service a bit, after 2019 I could say they really needed an attitude adjustment more than a room facelift. It's still too expensive though.