Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[Rachel GB]

Can't think of anything more to suggest to her so just keep in mind that we are all responsible for our own happiness.
Here's hoping your friend finds her sweet spot before she returns home.

Oh and if it's any help my older sister and I get along like 2 peas in a pod for most life situs but when it comes to vacations all bets are off. She thinks I'm crazy for going to Disney and wild horses wouldn't allow me to stay at the Intercontinental in Paris. We give each other general vac info mostly revolving around saving money and times to visit museums (See that? We both like museums, LOL!) but when she tells me about the wondrous American style breakfasts at her hotel and how all the employees speak excellent English I just say "Uhuh that's nice" and move to a different topic.

Thank you for chiming in! That's too funny about the difference in tastes between you and your sister! I'm with you on liking Disney, of course !

Ugh, hard situation. Did your friends intend to book AKL anyway? And just took your advice for club level? I wonder how much research they did on the resort beforehand. We are YC regulars for about 20 years. It is our favorite resort. We have done club level at YC regularly but also at BC, CR, BWI & GF RPC. I have never had the desire to stay at AKL at all & we would never do CL there. We have absolutely no interest in the types of food offered there & the rooms don’t appeal to us either.

But I know what we like & have researched AK & know it wouldn’t be a “fit” for us. Everyone is so different in their tastes & preferences so what one person loves, someone else hates. So like other posters, I don’t give much advice to friends or family who are going. I will tell them this is what we do & like. But I never say you should do this or that. I don’t want to be responsible if they don’t like it as much as I do. Especially with what a Disney trip costs.

Thank you for your reply! My friend was initially YC CL, which I highly recommended solely based on research (I have only stayed CL at GF so far, but as far as EP resorts go, we are definitely interested in YC CL for ourselves!). She then decided to switch to a standard YC room, non-CL to offset some extras they were going to do on the trip. Apparently she decided at the last minute to switch her AK reservation to CL, unbeknownst to me.
You're absolutely right, different strokes for different folks! Perhaps I should refrain from giving Disney advice in the future!

 

[Rachel GB]

It’s hard... I am the same way. I LOVE Disney, and just assume everyone else will love it too. My DH’s co-worker and his family went a couple years ago... we gave them all the advice we could before they left. When they got back, they said it was the worst vacation they’ve ever been on and would never go back. They now refer to Disney as ‘Hell’ when we talk about it. Different strokes for different folks, I guess! I’m sure your friend will be just fine. It’s still vacation, how bad can it be???

Hard to see how anyone could see Disney as "Hell", lol! Yes, everyone is different! I'm sure my friend will be much happier than yours was, lol, she is a Disney lover. Thanks for replying!

 

[focusondisney]

Thank you for your reply! My friend was initially YC CL, which I highly recommended solely based on research (I have only stayed CL at GF so far, but as far as EP resorts go, we are definitely interested in YC CL for ourselves!). She then decided to switch to a standard YC room, non-CL to offset some extras they were going to do on the trip. Apparently she decided at the last minute to switch her AK reservation to CL, unbeknownst to me.

.

Well there you go! This is really on her, not you! For what it’s worth, she probably would have liked YC CL, just as you thought. It just sounds like she really didn’t research AKL much. And that’s another issue too: when friends take some of your advice but not all of it. Then they wonder why they don’t get the same results you did!

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

AKL CL.............



YC or YC CL......

 

[Rachel GB]

.

Well there you go! This is really on her, not you! For what it’s worth, she probably would have liked YC CL, just as you thought. It just sounds like she really didn’t research AKL much. And that’s another issue too: when friends take some of your advice but not all of it. Then they wonder why they don’t get the same results you did!

Haha, this is so true! Thank you for helping to make me feel better about it!

AKL CL.............



YC or YC CL......

! We are staying MK area with our little ones for our next trip, but when we decide to go EP area, YC CL is the top choice. Glad to see you clearly like it too, haha!

 

[mrsap]

Hard to see how anyone could see Disney as "Hell", lol! Yes, everyone is different! I'm sure my friend will be much happier than yours was, lol, she is a Disney lover. Thanks for replying!

Honestly, I think they went into it with a negative attitude, and of course when things weren’t perfect, they complained.

 

[sfbank]

KerryCM are you there yet??? Waiting for some live pics

 

[Disneytam]

Sitting at the Nashville airport waiting to board our flight. Should be at the Boardwalk by 10:30, giving travel time on ME. Cannot wait!

Have a wonderful time! I'm so jealous as I look out into yet another snowstorm.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

ToyStory3 I am trying to decide between Beach Club CL and Grand Floridian SL. They are the same price for my dates. Which did you like better? Going in February so swimming is hit or miss and both are convenient to the parks for our plans.

Every resort has pros and cons, so it mostly depends where you place value, and which hotel most appeals to your fancy.

1. Location is likely the biggest factor. GF is near MK, and gives you easy access to all the dining on the monorail loop. BC is near Epcot/HS and gives you access to all the dining in the BC/YC/BWK/Swan/Dolphin, and if you have park tickets the World Showcase, especially if you have park hopper tickets.

2. Both have very nice pool areas, and pretty grounds to walk. I also think the resort theming is sort of similar. (in the sense that BC is more like GF's theming than Poly or AKL.)

3. view: You probably won't be able to see fireworks from your room at either of them, but from GF SL you get a very good view of the MK fireworks just outside (marina area), but you'll probably share the area with a bunch of other people. At BC, you get a semi-view of both the Epcot and HS fireworks. It isn't as good as the marina, there are trees, but you get a partial view both Epcot and HS if you are willing to walk a short distance. (along the beachfront pathway).

4. I tend to choose our resort before dining, but an easy way to decide would be to consider your dining choices. Are you more interested in monorail area choices, or Epcot area choices? GF is close to one park, but BC is close to two. Will you attend late nights in MK, or skip HS + Epcot?

5. You mention most of the variables except TS dining, so maybe use that as your decider.

6. Survey your family and consider your personal history + likes. Some folks prefer familiarity, others like to explore new places.

7. If all else fails- consider a split stay! We have done many and really enjoy them. The trick is just not to unpack your clothes too much.

 

[KerryCM]

We are in our room and got our favorite one! We also received a surprise visit from a manager and a front desk cast member. I am posting pictures of what we got. We are staying on a Military Salute discount.

 

[mrsap]

View attachment 382161 View attachment 382162 View attachment 382163 View attachment 382164 View attachment 382165 We are in our room and got our favorite one! We also received a surprise visit from a manager and a front desk cast member. I am posting pictures of what we got. We are staying on a Military Salute discount.

OMG how sweet!! Happy Anniversary!!! Hope you guys have a wonderful time!

 

[focusondisney]

@KerryCM what a wonderful surprise! Happy anniversary!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I have a couple of friends at Disney World one of which is a MK resort GM, I had a recent conversation with him on capacity at the MK area resorts, he has said over the past year they have consistently been at 80% or higher. In the past requests were easier to accommodate in slower periods but that has changed according to him, not only is it harder to give guests “Magical” upgrades but it’s harder on the CM’s to always be on top of their game so to say, IMO most are still doing an awesome job and many wouldn’t even think or notice this is taking place, he went onto add that even everyday things like maintenance and such are harder to complete when they have to continually make rooms ready for the next guests so frequently, which plays into why the days of having a room ready early are so hit and miss these days also.

I can answer that in part! Unfortunately, CL room rates have gone up substantially in the last few years.

We have most certainly cut back on our time at WDW. Partly our trips are just shorter, and partly we spend more time at Universal.

Also, I can't say this loudly enough, WDW's customers aren't the problem.

While I'm still nostalgic for WDW, Universal is less stressful. The Universal onsite hotels are a short walk to both parks, so it is relaxing and easy to get back for appetizers and desserts. The whole park experience is less stressful too, and I really appreciate that. Truly, if a ride goes down at Universal (rare) it is no big deal because I didn't have to invest so much time preparing/anticipating to ride that attraction - vs. planning a FP at WDW and all the effort involved in trying to arrive inside in the one hour time window. Same thing with dining. At Universal, we just eat wherever we feel like eating.

So there are a number of reasons why we now make our WDW stays much shorter than we did in the past.

If WDW wants me to go back to longer stays, then they should make the experience more relaxing. Blaming customers for bad business choices is never a good idea.

and don't get me started on WDW's new ticket policies....

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

I can answer that in part! Unfortunately, CL room rates have gone up substantially in the last few years.

We have most certainly cut back on our time at WDW. Partly our trips are just shorter, and partly we spend more time at Universal.

Also, I can't say this loudly enough, WDW's customers aren't the problem.

While I'm still nostalgic for WDW, Universal is less stressful. The Universal onsite hotels are a short walk to both parks, so it is relaxing and easy to get back for appetizers and desserts. The whole park experience is less stressful too, and I really appreciate that. Truly, if a ride goes down at Universal (rare) it is no big deal because I didn't have to invest so much time preparing/anticipating to ride that attraction - vs. planning a FP at WDW and all the effort involved in trying to arrive inside in the one hour time window. Same thing with dining. At Universal, we just eat wherever we feel like eating.

So there are a number of reasons why we now make our WDW stays much shorter than we did in the past.

If WDW wants me to go back to longer stays, then they should make the experience more relaxing. Blaming customers for bad business choices is never a good idea.

and don't get me started on WDW's new ticket policies....

Not sure what you’re answering for me?

Naturally if demand is up on rooms, it will reflect in the rates.

My post was simply passing some first hand info along about three resorts in particular CR GF and Poly, nothing to do with the parks nor was I complaining about any services.

Oh, I love Universal as well.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

A friend of mine is at WDW right now on the second half of a YC (non-CL)/ AKL CL stay. She has never stayed CL before and I convinced her that she absolutely MUST (although I did suggest YC CL)! Surprisingly, she's very disappointed in AKL CL and room quality. She said the bed was "awful", and the bathrooms were "same size as value" resorts. They weren't fans of the food (other than breakfast). I suggested she ask the lounge CMs for something from the kitchen they may like that was offered during a different service (ie. certain kind of cookie, etc.) as they're so accommodating. She did, however, they didn't fulfill her request. Their room is also two floors from the lounge. She clocked a 7 minute walk from her room to the lounge. I feel awful for heavily recommending CL to her as they're so unhappy! Any recommendations to help her out while she's there? TIA!
P.S. She did love YC. I think she would have been happier with the CL there.

I'm somewhat the same as your friend, I think. Our room view isn't nearly as important as having a convenient room location. I love the theming of AKL, but not the CL layout.

Sometimes CL staff can be very helpful, and other times they aren't able to honor requests. I always wish the CL lounge offered diet lemonade, same as the soda fountains. Over many stays, the lounges never have it, though I have only asked about it a very few times.

On our most recent stay, a CM specifically asked if there was ANYTHING he could do for us, so I ventured to mention diet lemonade. Lo and behold! We found a whole carton of diet lemonade cans in our room the next day! Go figure!

While all the rooms are way from the lounge floor wise, she might also be able to transfer within AKL to a room that is closer to the elevator. In the future, she should request to be near the lounge/elevator when making reservations.

Otherwise, it mostly just sounds like she isn't a big fan of AKL, and likely going from a bigger room to a smaller room was a factor. (Like she might not have noticed as much if she'd started at AKL.)

Many folks don't quiet know what they want until they see it with their own eyes. Also, since she's only ben at AKL a short time, she might like the upcoming food better...every PM is different!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Not sure what you’re answering for me?

Naturally if demand is up on rooms, it will reflect in the rates.

My post was simply passing some first hand info along about three resorts in particular CR GF and Poly, nothing to do with the parks nor was I complaining about any services.

Oh, I love Universal as well.

I was responding to the part about the manager saying people are booking shorter stays.

I even spent a few minutes looking up past rates from my old notes, but if I'd posted what I found, it would have looked like comparing apples to oranges (different seasons and hotels). So I can't easily call up specifics, but I'm sure hotel rates they have gone up quite a bit in the past two years.

For us, that = shorter WDW stays.

Universal onsite hotels are also pretty full these days. I guess that's part of where I was coming from. Universal's prices have also gone up, but not quite as much as WDW's.

 

[Rachel GB]

I'm somewhat the same as your friend, I think. Our room view isn't nearly as important as having a convenient room location. I love the theming of AKL, but not the CL layout.

Sometimes CL staff can be very helpful, and other times they aren't able to honor requests. I always wish the CL lounge offered diet lemonade, same as the soda fountains. Over many stays, the lounges never have it, though I have only asked about it a very few times.

On our most recent stay, a CM specifically asked if there was ANYTHING he could do for us, so I ventured to mention diet lemonade. Lo and behold! We found a whole carton of diet lemonade cans in our room the next day! Go figure!

While all the rooms are way from the lounge floor wise, she might also be able to transfer within AKL to a room that is closer to the elevator. In the future, she should request to be near the lounge/elevator when making reservations.

Otherwise, it mostly just sounds like she isn't a big fan of AKL, and likely going from a bigger room to a smaller room was a factor. (Like she might not have noticed as much if she'd started at AKL.)

Many folks don't quiet know what they want until they see it with their own eyes. Also, since she's only ben at AKL a short time, she might like the upcoming food better...every PM is different!

Thanks for your reply! I’m laughing about the diet lemonade! That is wonderful, and must have made you feel very special ! You make some very valid points .

 

[sfbank]

Thanks for the pics KerryCM. What a neat surprise!

 

[ToyStory3]

ToyStory3 I am trying to decide between Beach Club CL and Grand Floridian SL. They are the same price for my dates. Which did you like better? Going in February so swimming is hit or miss and both are convenient to the parks for our plans.

Hi! We really prefer BC CL over GF CL but both are amazing. Just purely based on the resort I LOVE the GF. I can remember riding on the monorail when I was little and dreaming of staying at the GF someday - I'm so glad I got the chance to! It's so magical and beautiful and I love being on the monorail. But, I didn't love their CL. I can only speak for Sugar Loaf but we didn't really like the setup and missed the BC when we were there. It was partially tainted by CMs who were very welcoming or willing to help. They were a little on the grumpy side and the offerings were skimpy. I don't think the issue with the offerings is still the case. But, it left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. When I asked the family where we wanted to stay this time it was unanimous that everyone wanted to stay at BC again. But, GF was still a wonderful resort and I would stay again in a heartbeat.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

.....but thought there maybe some interested.

I did post it on the SWGE thread.