Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[ErinsMommy]

Can anyone confirm what I was told @ Polynesian that there's no more IPO for club level? As we were checking out I overheard someone else ask and they were told while there's no IPO at the resort itself, its still available when you call Disney Dining. How does that even work??

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Hi all!
Wanted to let you know that I just got off the phone with CRO regarding our upcoming club level stay at Beach Club beginning Dec 10. I asked about the IPO changes and while the agent was initially unaware, she called a manager to confirm and was told that pre-arrival assistance will no longer be offered at all and club level guests need to go through the regular reservation routes. At the same time, she did say that the club level staff would be more than happy to help once we arrive. I told her that given that my planning is 99% complete, I'm not overly concerned but for the premium cost of a club level room and the fact that the pre-arrival itinerary planning still shows as a club level benefit on the website, it is certainly disappointing. She agreed and apologized for the inconvenience. Oh well. For the cost difference, not sure I can justify club level in the future.

Thank you for the note on this. I was wondering if they had done away with that extra help prior to the trip. We are booked at GF CL through Christmas (just booked today) and obviously there are some reservations I simply cannot get (like 1900PF). I guess I'll have to wait and see what they can do for us when we arrive.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Can anyone confirm what I was told @ Polynesian that there's no more IPO for club level? As we were checking out I overheard someone else ask and they were told while there's no IPO at the resort itself, its still available when you call Disney Dining. How does that even work??

Thank you for the note on this. I was wondering if they had done away with that extra help prior to the trip. We are booked at GF CL through Christmas (just booked today) and obviously there are some reservations I simply cannot get (like 1900PF). I guess I'll have to wait and see what they can do for us when we arrive.

The info going around is that the IPO pre-trip planning services such as booking ADRs and such is a thing of the past. When you e-mail or call IPO you get a generic auto response directing you to the main Disney reservation line. Some folks have reported an auto-response from the GF IPO referencing "something new" in early 2017, whatever that means. For now, it 'looks' like from various accounts you're on your own.

I just got back from WL CL and I kept meaning to ask a CM about it but never had the chance.

If you learn anything more in your contact with Disney, please report back!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Thank you for the note on this. I was wondering if they had done away with that extra help prior to the trip. We are booked at GF CL through Christmas (just booked today) and obviously there are some reservations I simply cannot get (like 1900PF). I guess I'll have to wait and see what they can do for us when we arrive.

My suggestion is check the day before you want to dine there. My DH booked a very last minute Thanksgiving trip less than 2 weeks prior to our arrival and we got every reservation we wanted - including BOG, 1900 PF, Chef Mickeys, and Ohanas.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

No, you have not spoiled my opinion at all - honestly, you seem to value the same things that I do in a room/resort, and your thoughts only confirm my thoughts.
The location of the deluxe room to the lounge has been a big red flag in my head ever since I booked it. We're not afraid of walking at all, but a big part of our vacation enjoyment is convenience. And I was secretly hoping the trees obstructing the view were gone, but I understand why they're not. I agree that an awesome view goes a long way!

So a thought I've had in my head ever since I booked this room has been to change to a split stay with GF. I was just looking into availability (even before I read your review) and GF is wide open my week (no surprise given the cost....), so I'm hoping the AP rates come out soon because I'm pretty sure they'll be slightly better than the PIN rate, and that would enable me to somewhat justify the high cost of GF.

Oh, were you guys able to use the health club at WL? I kept reading things about it possibly closing (for refurb?). Probably not an easy thing for you guys given your 2 little ones, but now that my girls are 13 and work-out fanatics, the 4 of us frequent the health clubs!

FWIW it does look like at some point they need to add a new path that will connect those cabins on the north side of the resort, but I suspect they'll cut as few trees down as possible doing in if I had to guess? Lol, no working out for us... but I did walk 26,000 steps at the MK on Sunday. To me that was enough! But, the health club did appear to be open.

Ok, got my photos to resize. Here's looking straight out.


To the right. The geyser is behind those trees.


To the left....I think that new path has to be put in to connect to the boat dock pathway somewhere through here.



Looking down....


Another shot slightly to the left...

 

[TJA]

FWIW it does look like at some point they need to add a new path that will connect those cabins on the north side of the resort, but I suspect they'll cut as few trees down as possible doing in if I had to guess? Lol, no working out for us... but I did walk 26,000 steps at the MK on Sunday. To me that was enough! But, the health club did appear to be open.

Ok, got my photos to resize. Here's looking straight out.
View attachment 208142

To the right. The geyser is behind those trees.
View attachment 208139

To the left....I think that new path has to be put in to connect to the boat dock pathway somewhere through here.
View attachment 208140


Looking down....
View attachment 208143

Another shot slightly to the left...
View attachment 208146

Wow, you're right, I can see how that view could be prime if the trees weren't there. Thanks -- awesome pictures!

 

[ClareH37]

Very disappointing re the demise of the IPO, in all my CL stays over the years I have handed over my planning to them. Whilst I enjoy CL amenities the IPO were a major part of my experience. I think the time has now come for me to mske the move to the Four Seasons for the personalised service I prefer. Such a shame Disney has made these changes.

 

[Chaoticsweetness]

Does anyone know what time they start serving coffee at AKL? Or is it available 24 hours?

 

[ErinsMommy]

The info going around is that the IPO pre-trip planning services such as booking ADRs and such is a thing of the past. When you e-mail or call IPO you get a generic auto response directing you to the main Disney reservation line. Some folks have reported an auto-response from the GF IPO referencing "something new" in early 2017, whatever that means. For now, it 'looks' like from various accounts you're on your own.

I just got back from WL CL and I kept meaning to ask a CM about it but never had the chance.

If you learn anything more in your contact with Disney, please report back!

Hi GADisneyDad14! Can you refresh my memory - which room did you take a picture from when staying at Poly CL TPV? We just booked our bounceback while there and an awesome manager there gave us a 'tour'

FWIW it does look like at some point they need to add a new path that will connect those cabins on the north side of the resort, but I suspect they'll cut as few trees down as possible doing in if I had to guess? Lol, no working out for us... but I did walk 26,000 steps at the MK on Sunday. To me that was enough! But, the health club did appear to be open.

Ok, got my photos to resize. Here's looking straight out.
View attachment 208142

To the right. The geyser is behind those trees.
View attachment 208139

I posted this on the Poly thread, but now that we're officially booked at Poly CL TPV do you mind re-sharing the photo you took while you stayed there and what the room number was please?

To the left....I think that new path has to be put in to connect to the boat dock pathway somewhere through here.
View attachment 208140


Looking down....
View attachment 208143

Another shot slightly to the left...
View attachment 208146

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Hi GADisneyDad14! Can you refresh my memory - which room did you take a picture from when staying at Poly CL TPV? We just booked our bounceback while there and an awesome manager there gave us a 'tour'

Lol, which one? Have been more times than I should admit. I was in 3516 this past summer. Have been in the 3504, 3505, and 3506 range in the past as well (those are my personal favorites). I like being more on the lounge side of the building for a couple of reasons... 1) close to lounge, 2) I like the view a bit better, 3) the outside music loop is more audible from these rooms (I like cracking the balcony door and listening throughout the day, it's very peaceful / relaxing).

Does that help?

 

[HBGdancermom]

Love all the pics GADisneyDad. Hope you had a great trip! I just booked FP last night for our first stay at Poly trip in January. So excited!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Lol, which one? Have been more times than I should admit. I was in 3516 this past summer. Have been in the 3504, 3505, and 3506 range in the past as well (those are my personal favorites). I like being more on the lounge side of the building for a couple of reasons... 1) close to lounge, 2) I like the view a bit better, 3) the outside music loop is more audible from these rooms (I like cracking the balcony door and listening throughout the day, it's very peaceful / relaxing).

Does that help?

Yes this helps tremendously - thank you SO much!! We saw Room 3518 but the CM said it was a "lagoon view" due to a Palm Tree -- but the view of the Castle was incredible. My daughter has moderate (possibly higher now) ADHD and is very sensitive to noise especially when trying to sleep. Would you recommend 3516 or being on the other side due to that? (Our first choice though would be third floor -- kids jumping in a room above ours would be a bigger problem than outside noise would).

I'm still pinching myself that my dream CL Poly TPV is finally coming true!

 

[Skywise]

Lol, which one? Have been more times than I should admit. I was in 3516 this past summer. Have been in the 3504, 3505, and 3506 range in the past as well (those are my personal favorites). I like being more on the lounge side of the building for a couple of reasons... 1) close to lounge, 2) I like the view a bit better, 3) the outside music loop is more audible from these rooms (I like cracking the balcony door and listening throughout the day, it's very peaceful / relaxing).

Does that help?

3506 for the win! Double palm tree love there!

 

[ErinsMommy]

3506 for the win! Double palm tree love there!

How was the hallway noise level being so close to the lounge? Any pics to share?? =)

 

[Skywise]

How was the hallway noise level being so close to the lounge? Any pics to share?? =)

The main entrance to the lounge is on the 2nd floor. Although you can get to it from the 3rd floor you have to take a staircase up/down with it and most people will just take the elevator to 2. Aside from the usual kid noise at Disney resort hotels I've never had a problem - as for photos:
Here's one I took from the balcony of 3506 just before the fireworks on the 4th of July this year.

https://www.facebook.com/Tikimanpag...549335056416/1227460450631960/?type=3&theater

 

[ErinsMommy]

The main entrance to the lounge is on the 2nd floor. Although you can get to it from the 3rd floor you have to take a staircase up/down with it and most people will just take the elevator to 2. Aside from the usual kid noise at Disney resort hotels I've never had a problem - as for photos:
Here's one I took from the balcony of 3506 just before the fireworks on the 4th of July this year.

https://www.facebook.com/Tikimanpag...549335056416/1227460450631960/?type=3&theater

So 3506 is close to the elevator? I'm thinking I may want the opposite end. As for the picture, STUNNING!! Thank you for sharing! (Where is the castle??)

 

[Skywise]

So 3506 is close to the elevator? I'm thinking I may want the opposite end. As for the picture, STUNNING!! Thank you for sharing! (Where is the castle??)

Not really - it's several rooms down. There's a floor plan here on this page.

http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/hawaii

Thanks for the compliment - the castle is the dark blue thing in the middle of the picture (Just above the right hand palm tree). That picture is actually composited from 5 full size pics (and looks much better at full size! ) The castle will also look larger with the naked eye - the lens I use, plus the fact that it's a scaled down image tends to "shrink" it.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

@ErinsMommy Make sure to check out the floor plan on the link @Skywise posted above, that will set you straight on the Hawaii longhouse layout. One note, I am pretty certain that Tikiman's first floor view categories are no longer accurate. I 'think' all of the first floor rooms facing the water are now Lagoon View since the bungalows were built. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Since you have a TPV room, you'll either be on the second or third floor. My requests are always third floor as a first priority since having a balcony is the most important detail for me.

My opinion of room noise from one end of the building to the other: 99% of the people entering Hawaii do so on the lounge side so they are walking "left to right" to get to their room, if you're looking at that floor plan. If you're in 3506, for example, you'll have more people walking past your room going to their room. If you're in 3516, you'll obviously have far less people walking by. The only noise I ever hear on the third floor is occasionally a particularly noisy family/kid/talking walking by in the hall. That is the exception, not the norm, but it happens.

You are going to hear the boat horns both from the Poly boat launch and the TTC Ferry Boat even with your balcony door closed, no matter where you are in Hawaii. It's faint with your door closed, but it's there. The major other exterior noises are fireworks and the water pageant. You can't hear the Poly music loop with your balcony closed, in my experience.

That's more than you asked but hopefully helpful.

Back to your original post, here is view from 3516.


Same room, looking left a bit:


I am pretty sure this is 3506, if not it's right around there.


Same room, three seconds too late for a much better MNSSHP 180 degree fireworks shot!

 

[TJA]

I've thought for a while that the 1st floor Poly rooms are now LV. The room I stayed in a few months ago (1505) is definitely LV now. I think a big issue with categorizing the 1st floor as TPV is that the view now pales in comparison to the 3rd floor view, really, because of the bungalows. So if I booked TPV and was placed on the 1st floor, I'd feel pretty ripped off considering the unobstructed view that I know is on the 3rd floor (as those beautiful pictures above show!).

 

[ErinsMommy]

@ErinsMommy Make sure to check out the floor plan on the link @Skywise posted above, that will set you straight on the Hawaii longhouse layout. One note, I am pretty certain that Tikiman's first floor view categories are no longer accurate. I 'think' all of the first floor rooms facing the water are now Lagoon View since the bungalows were built. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Since you have a TPV room, you'll either be on the second or third floor. My requests are always third floor as a first priority since having a balcony is the most important detail for me.

My opinion of room noise from one end of the building to the other: 99% of the people entering Hawaii do so on the lounge side so they are walking "left to right" to get to their room, if you're looking at that floor plan. If you're in 3506, for example, you'll have more people walking past your room going to their room. If you're in 3516, you'll obviously have far less people walking by. The only noise I ever hear on the third floor is occasionally a particularly noisy family/kid/talking walking by in the hall. That is the exception, not the norm, but it happens.

You are going to hear the boat horns both from the Poly boat launch and the TTC Ferry Boat even with your balcony door closed, no matter where you are in Hawaii. It's faint with your door closed, but it's there. The major other exterior noises are fireworks and the water pageant. You can't hear the Poly music loop with your balcony closed, in my experience.

That's more than you asked but hopefully helpful.

Back to your original post, here is view from 3516.
View attachment 208416

Same room, looking left a bit:
View attachment 208417

I am pretty sure this is 3506, if not it's right around there.
View attachment 208419

Same room, three seconds too late for a much better MNSSHP 180 degree fireworks shot!
View attachment 208421

Thank you so much!!