Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[GADisneyDad14]

@GADisneyDad14 these pictures are wonderful. We had a Bay Lake View once and really loved it. Your room looks absolutely wonderful. Thanks for posting. We are sorry we are not staying at the CR when we go in August. Next time.

Second to maybe a Poly TPV room, the CR Bay Lake View was definitely my second favorite so far! In some ways I maybe liked this view more? It was just so peaceful. I have an odd fascination with Bay Lake....I wish I had been around in the era of River Country and Discovery Island.

Thanks so much for posting @GADisneyDad14 - you make me want to stay at the CR! Our hold up has also been the pool/lack of splash pad... maybe for a winter trip.

That's pretty much exactly why I don't go to CR more and/or for longer trips. So far it's been my "business trip" resort when I'm there for a short stay for a specific purpose, like a MK party night. Which is a shame because I really like both CLs there! I figure someday they'll re-do the pool and/or splash pad area, right?

Sweet posts. One of the CMs I loved speaking to most was the chef at WL CL. You can tell they take pride in their work! Noticed in the food post that there was Boston Lager, kinda wished WL had that. (However, they did have Dead Guy Ale...)

WL CL had some of the most exotic beers when I was there back in November. I was very impressed!

Thank you for the many yummy Pics GADisneyDad14. We were at CR CL Atrium 3 weeks ago and had many of the same foods offered.

Hope you had a great trip! How did you like Atrium Club?

Wow! We've never really considered staying at the CR CL. Your review has changed our minds. Thanks for the pics and in depth review GAdisneydad14!

Thanks! It might not necessarily be my favorite resort/CL combo... but from a pure CL perspective, CR has some big pluses!

Oh wow didn't think I could see a CL to top how I feel about RPC! @GADisneyDad14 you have convinced me otherwise! Only problem I see is I'm not sure if I'd want to leave the room or lounge! This has definitely skyrocketed up my list of to-do's. Thank you for such great detail!

Yeah, we didn't really want to leave the room or lounge either! But it worked out perfectly as the last two nights of the stay. The first part of the trip was full of park days and running around. Staying at Tower for the last two was an excellent way to relax and really soak in the offerings as we had not really 'planned' much else those days.

Again, one day I will learn not to read this thread when I'm hungry. Unfortunately, today is not that day.

Thank you SO MUCH for all these posts!!!

Thanks for the note! Yeah, those dessert photos really get to me! Everything was so good!

Thank you for the fantastic review. You have me almost thinking we could go back to CR someday....

"Almost" thinking ? No time like the present!

Love love love these pictures! I think I definitely will look into the Bay Lake side. Seems like the best of both worlds with views! Post more pictures....I'm living vicariously

Honestly I don't think I'll stay TPV again unless it's my only option. I liked the Bay Lake side so much more!

You have just made me so excited for our September trip, 6 nights in a king room at CR Tower Club. We had previously stayed 1 night and it was not nearly enough time to soak it all in!! Thanks so much for all the pics!!

Six nights, I'm jealous! Plus a great time of year to go! Sounds fantastic to me. Please post some pics of the King Room if you think about it.

I wish the CR had a dedicated elevator to the CL suites/atrium. Going down and up to floor 9 was usually long enough.

I do agree the elevators are occasionally a nuisance. Nothing that would make us not stay at CR, but you do feel the strain during rush times for sure. If they had just put one more elevator bank in in 1971, we'd be good today!

GADisney14 - I know you stayed in Tower Club - how does the food compare on the Atrium Club?

I was last at Atrium Club Sept of 2016, although that was a short trip too - only 3 nights I think, maybe 4? Things change over time but the food seemed pretty similar to me, or at least both in the same general zone. I'm guessing/assuming they share menus exactly, but I can't be 100% certain about that. I don't remember such fancy desserts at Atrium, but it's possible I just didn't experience the desserts since it was a short trip and we were there for MNSSHP... so I don't really remember.

GADisney14 amazing pics!!!! These and hitting some savings with todays discount has me thinking of how I can get another trip on the books.

Congrats on saving money and happy planning!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Thanks so much! I just look forward to receiving them so I can hang the dates on the fridge!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my recent booklets haven't had the magnet. They dropped the Incredibles ones sometime late last year I think, now it's a pure Disney/WDW theme.

I book room-only reservations, not sure if what you get for packages or other reservation types is any different?

Here's a pic of the front....


The back still has the important dates, but no magnet.

 

[mrsap]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my recent booklets haven't had the magnet. They dropped the Incredibles ones sometime late last year I think, now it's a pure Disney/WDW theme.

I book room-only reservations, not sure if what you get for packages or other reservation types is any different?

Here's a pic of the front....
View attachment 233387

The back still has the important dates, but no magnet.
View attachment 233386

Hey! Thanks so much for the pictures!!! It's ok there's no theme or magnet! I just love waking up every morning and going to the fridge and seeing my special upcoming dates! I don't think there was a magnet either in November when we last went - just used my own! Oh and we book room only too! Thanks again!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Besides Room Requests and ADRs, what do you use Signature Services for?

In addition to the great answers you've already received, I will use DSS to book more "obscure" things like water park cabanas and resort cabanas. I find it much easier to just e-mail them with my request than try to find the Disney Park/Rec number you have to call for those kinds of things (which I can never find when in a pinch), then wait on hold, etc. We like to request a specific cabana # at BB, so I feel when I put all of that in writing I have a decent shot of it being noted correctly.

One time we booked a "Pirates & Pals" cruise thing and used DSS for that too.

I received a nice card in the mail from Disney Signature Services introducing themselves. I had not gotten around to emailing them, so I sent an email really early today. For those of you who have emailed - how long did it take to get a response?

It has typically been 12-24 hours for a response for me, occasionally maybe a little over 24 hours. A few times it 'felt' like it was taking awhile and just when I was starting to get worried, I got the response. If it's been awhile and you still haven't had a response, maybe check your spam folder just in case.

Well after all the back and forth between the two at GF, we booked at AKL and then moved over to WL. Between my girls and myself we cannot make up our minds but we are set now!! We have stayed at WL CL before and we did love it. Someday we will land at GF but I guess it was not meant to be. We had a great deal over at AKL but we are staying there for several nights (not CL) with our DVC points so my girls wanted something different this time. We have SSR for the last part of our trip this time so they wanted to be close to MK and decided on WL. I am just hoping with the continued construction it will be a good thing. Not having the lobby elevator seems a bit bothersome but maybe not??

Are you doing WL CL? I really enjoyed the new lounge there. CL or no, I hope you enjoy WL!

 

[mickeynut1]

Well after all the back and forth between the two at GF, we booked at AKL and then moved over to WL. Between my girls and myself we cannot make up our minds but we are set now!! We have stayed at WL CL before and we did love it. Someday we will land at GF but I guess it was not meant to be. We had a great deal over at AKL but we are staying there for several nights (not CL) with our DVC points so my girls wanted something different this time. We have SSR for the last part of our trip this time so they wanted to be close to MK and decided on WL. I am just hoping with the continued construction it will be a good thing. Not having the lobby elevator seems a bit bothersome but maybe not??

Owning DVC, it is hard to justify these splurge nights at the beginning or end of our DVC stays so we tend to be picky and change our minds several times! That is what ya get with three girls deciding!!

Hope you have a great trip! .

 

[ERED]

Could anyone help me out with a room view question? We are staying at the Polynesian June 20-25 in a CL Theme Park View. I was going to request a third floor room with the balcony for the best view but my wife wants the first floor so we have ease of access to the pool. I know TPV is available on the first floor but is the view really that good? TIA for any help!

 

[buzzmom12]

Could anyone help me out with a room view question? We are staying at the Polynesian June 20-25 in a CL Theme Park View. I was going to request a third floor room with the balcony for the best view but my wife wants the first floor so we have ease of access to the pool. I know TPV is available on the first floor but is the view really that good? TIA for any help!

Imo the better views are higher up now because of the bungalows.

 

[mtemm]

How large is the club level floor at the yacht club? We have a sv room booked in July and I am debating whether to bother putting in any room requests or just letting the chips fall. There are 5 of us so would need a room with 2 queens/day bed, but I think that is obvious. I'm wondering if the rooms are all fairly close to the lounge or if some are a really far walk? And lastly if I do choose to put in any requests, what is my best way of doing that?

Thanks!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Could anyone help me out with a room view question? We are staying at the Polynesian June 20-25 in a CL Theme Park View. I was going to request a third floor room with the balcony for the best view but my wife wants the first floor so we have ease of access to the pool. I know TPV is available on the first floor but is the view really that good? TIA for any help!

There is some debate on this topic and conflicting information/opinions out there on this. I am of the opinion that all (or most of) the first floor rooms on the lagoon side are LV rooms in the post-Bungalow era. I know Tikiman's floorplans show many as TPV rooms, but that doesn't match with my experience of requesting rooms, talking to Poly CL CMs, the rooms I've had, etc. So I don't really know what to believe.

Disney is usually pretty legit with their specific room views. If you don't have a full unabated castle view, they aren't going to make it a TPV room. Many, if not most of the first floor rooms no longer have a legit castle view... other than a peak in between Bungalows. FWIW.

I used to request "third floor as first priority, first floor as second priority" with a TPV reservation. Somewhere along the way, on two different occasions/reservations I got responses back from (then) IPO that since I had a TPV room I'd be on the second or third floor, not first. I don't necessarily take what they said to be gospel either, just passing along an experience.

Long story short, for "view" your best bet is the third floor IMO.

Here's an example of a third floor room view....(note, this was before they put the fence along the water)


Sample first floor room, granted it's the first room closest to the lounge.

 

[trishadono]

Could anyone help me out with a room view question? We are staying at the Polynesian June 20-25 in a CL Theme Park View. I was going to request a third floor room with the balcony for the best view but my wife wants the first floor so we have ease of access to the pool. I know TPV is available on the first floor but is the view really that good? TIA for any help!

I agree with others. Our LV room 1505 was lovely and I could see the castle if I stood up an was on patio far right but I would do 3rd floor if castle is important. If just want water view which was lovely downgrade to LV .

 

[focusondisney]

How large is the club level floor at the yacht club? We have a sv room booked in July and I am debating whether to bother putting in any room requests or just letting the chips fall. There are 5 of us so would need a room with 2 queens/day bed, but I think that is obvious. I'm wondering if the rooms are all fairly close to the lounge or if some are a really far walk? And lastly if I do choose to put in any requests, what is my best way of doing that?

Thanks!

The YC club floor standard rooms are on 2 long, adjoining hallways, the lounge & elevators are at the beginning of the hallway. So the rooms can be either really close to the lounge or a bit of a hike & everything in between. The furthest room is about 25 rooms away. So if being close to the lounge is important, you might want to request that. That does mean there will be lots of guests passing your room, so potentially a little less quiet. The standard rooms face the front of the resort, over the Port Cochierre. There is a YC view thread, so you might check there for some view pictures. You can either call CRO & have your requests entered or contact the DSS & have them enter the request for you. Either one works.

 

[mtemm]

Thank you!

 

[gottalovepluto]

We watched Wishes from the lounge our first night, we were the only ones there. A great view with excellent audio. This was our second to last Wishes, so sad. :-( I really hope Disney doesn't muck up the out-of-park viewing experience with the new show..

FWIW When Disneyland ran it's new fireworks plus projection technology fireworks show for the 60th anniversary out of park viewing was much better then before. Obviously we didn't get the projection experience outside the park but Disney really upgraded the actual fireworks, they didn't rely on the projections to carry the new show. Disneyland fireworks are far behind WDW's technologically but I think there is hope that the new show for MK will be great, in park and out

 

[gottalovepluto]

Besides Room Requests and ADRs, what do you use Signature Services for?

Answering random questions about my trip & I'll be using them for FP+ booking when the time comes.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my recent booklets haven't had the magnet. They dropped the Incredibles ones sometime late last year I think, now it's a pure Disney/WDW theme.

I book room-only reservations, not sure if what you get for packages or other reservation types is any different?

Here's a pic of the front....
View attachment 233387

The back still has the important dates, but no magnet.
View attachment 233386

Booked room-only & I didn't have a magnet a month back when I got mine. (Or the week before when I got the one for my original reservation.)

Oh-DSS helped me here with what had to have been one of their most random questions of the week emails!
Background: This is a surprise trip for my fam, they have no idea right now it's coming. I didn't know they mailed this sort of thing and one day my sister picks it out of the mail "Look! It's Disney! What is" -I panicked and snatched it from her hands- "Ugh, its just an ad. They're sending so many ads these days!" I don't want my surprise spoiled by mail!
DSS: I emailed DSS asking if there was a way to stop getting vacation mail for a bit or change the address to a friends or something and they researched it out and got back to me saying they were sorry but they couldn't do anything about the mailers, however I shouldn't be getting anymore of them for right now and the next won't come until 30 days out from our trip. I have been able to relax a lot more about the mail, I was downright paranoid for about 2 weeks until I got up the guts to ask DSS about it So, don't be afraid to ask the random stuff!

 

[vettegirl]

Please add us to the guest list, stay at the YC CL Sept 16-22

 

[petrola]

Hi all - I am in the process of changing our stay from Yacht Club cl to GF cl. (mainly due to construction lasting longer than was originally indicated at the YC). My question is regarding reserving a cabana at GF. We are planning on spending our first day at the pool and wondering for those that have done the cabana before - would you do it again? If yes, is this something that I should reach out to DSS for - or is this something that is booked at time of check in at front desk? TIA!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Hi all - I am in the process of changing our stay from Yacht Club cl to GF cl. (mainly due to construction lasting longer than was originally indicated at the YC). My question is regarding reserving a cabana at GF. We are planning on spending our first day at the pool and wondering for those that have done the cabana before - would you do it again? If yes, is this something that I should reach out to DSS for - or is this something that is booked at time of check in at front desk? TIA!

Hi! I just had a cabana for our arrival day at GF SL a few weeks ago. We like to arrive early and usually just make it a pool day until the room is ready. I figured the cabana would be a nice "base" for the day with no room... close to the restrooms to change... DD could take a nap... etc. Sure enough for the first time in a long time our room was ready when we arrived! Doh!

Yes, you can use DSS to book one. It's super easy, you can do it over e-mail. This is one of the things they need your credit card on file for, so make sure to call them to put a card on file if you haven't already.

You definitely want to reserve one in advance to secure availability. Waiting could be risky, depending on the time of year.

Full day bookings are 10AM-7PM. I paid $254.54 but I understand from what I've read on the boards that 1/2 day bookings are available. DSS conspicuously failed to mention that option in my corespondance with them. I also think pricing can vary seasonally as I've seen people on here report paying a higher price than what I paid.

Your credit card is charged at the time of booking, but you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance (I think, verify this if critical to you).

Cabanas include a fridge with various soft drinks/beverages, a chilled fruit basket, sunscreen/lotions, a TV, a fan, shaded and sunny seating options, and an attendant that will bring food/beverages (you pay for those).

We enjoyed the cabana. Not quite sure it was worth the money for our particular needs, but it was fine.

Pics below. Happy to answer any questions!

In case you don't know, the four cabanas are located in the yellow circle below:


Inside the cabana...


View looking out from the cabana...


An ancient relic from a past civilization...

 

[petrola]

Hi! I just had a cabana for our arrival day at GF SL a few weeks ago. We like to arrive early and usually just make it a pool day until the room is ready. I figured the cabana would be a nice "base" for the day with no room... close to the restrooms to change... DD could take a nap... etc. Sure enough for the first time in a long time our room was ready when we arrived! Doh!

Yes, you can use DSS to book one. It's super easy, you can do it over e-mail. This is one of the things they need your credit card on file for, so make sure to call them to put a card on file if you haven't already.

You definitely want to reserve one in advance to secure availability. Waiting could be risky, depending on the time of year.

Full day bookings are 10AM-7PM. I paid $254.54 but I understand from what I've read on the boards that 1/2 day bookings are available. DSS conspicuously failed to mention that option in my corespondance with them. I also think pricing can vary seasonally as I've seen people on here report paying a higher price than what I paid.

Your credit card is charged at the time of booking, but you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance (I think, verify this if critical to you).

Cabanas include a fridge with various soft drinks/beverages, a chilled fruit basket, sunscreen/lotions, a TV, a fan, shaded and sunny seating options, and an attendant that will bring food/beverages (you pay for those).

We enjoyed the cabana. Not quite sure it was worth the money for our particular needs, but it was fine.

Pics below. Happy to answer any questions!

In case you don't know, the four cabanas are located in the yellow circle below:
View attachment 233574

Inside the cabana...
View attachment 233575

View looking out from the cabana...
View attachment 233576

An ancient relic from a past civilization...
View attachment 233577

Thank you very much! I am sitting here laughing at the push button phone just standing there! Love the idea of a partial day rental and would have never even thought of that if not for your great reply!

 

[Mommabearkiki]

Hi All -
New to club level and have a couple questions. DH and I are DVC so have never looked to stay CL. A few weeks ago we were planning a last minute pandora preview trip and I was stalking DVC availability and lo and behold, AKL CL popped up as available!! Literally one month before our trip. So of course I booked it!

But for my questions - do we have access to DSS since we are DVC and not technically "paying" for CL? Are there any differences besides room locations? We are only staying 2 nights before changing to a non CL 2BR for friends to join us, our friends may join early on our last CL day- can I add them to our ressy so they can join us in the lounge (no meal plan so that wouldn't be impacted). We have availability for room occupancy. Does the DVC no additional charge for 3+ adults remain valid at CL?