Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[GADisneyDad14]

We'll be at GF around 11am-ish via ME this time. Will someone meet us at the bus even though we already checked in and our room will likely not be ready? Is this still hit or miss?

Just keep in mind this is relatively inconsistent from resort to resort. I have personally never been greeted outside at GF (three CL stays there, one RPC, two SL, the most recent being last fall), although YMMV.

 

[stick30]

Just returned from a 8 day stay at Yacht Club CL. The evening offerings in the lounge rarely changed from a combination of chicken nuggets, pulled pork and Mac/cheese. One night had salmon and one night had bacon wrapped scallops. Dessert was mainly cookies, and mini cakes.

Breakfast was similar with a combination of Oatmeal, breakfast quiche, grits. Two days had crepes. The regular items cereal, yogurt and fruit with occasional meats hard boiled eggs.

Beer on request. Bud Light, Kona Longboard, Stella, and Yuengling.

 

[cakebaker]

We just returned from our AKL Club Level stay. We stayed on the Kudu trail. While I’m not overly fond of African inspired food, I was surprisingly happy with the food choices. The breakfast offerings were more than enough to make a full breakfast- I highly recommend the banana bread! I had mimosas most every morning. On days we weren’t hitting the parks early, I enjoyed bringing breakfast back to the room and eating on the balcony. You can ask for to go containers which made it really convenient. Midday offerings were very light snacks as well as tea time. Dinners were amazingly good and we had no problem with it as our evening meal. I especially loved the late night drinks and desserts.

I do wish our room had been ready earlier. It was pushing 5 when we got in and that was with concierge pushing to get it done. In the reverse, be sure and hang the do not disturb sign out if you aren’t checking out early! The renovated rooms are lovely but I was very surprised that we experienced terrible construction noise every day of our trip, making the room unusable for quiet/nap time during the afternoon. It only took 1 phone call for them to compensate for it. I suspect having to raise my voice to be heard over the banging and roar of drills helped our cause, but I’m still bothered that they ever put us in that room. They did what they could, but it really was a problem that should have never happened.

Overall, I’m glad we tried it but it’s a one and done for me. I much prefer being on the same floor as the lounge and while bus service was excellent, I don’t like the long drives to the parks. It was nice being close to the AK though. I’d be happy to answer any questions I can.

 

[mickeynut1]

My husband won't be joining us until day 3, so my three youngest kids and I are going to do 2 nights at the Beach Club Stone Harbor Club just to try it out then move to Boardwalk Club Level for 3 nights and then 4 nights at the Grand Floridian RPC. This is more of a resort/ low key chill vacation (coming in for the Star Wars Preview) since we were just at the Grand Floridian in July for 8 nights and did a lot (too much for me) of park time, so moving resorts doesn't bother me at all.

Sounds like an awesome trip! Have never stayed BC CL, but I love GF RPC & BWI CL. Hope you have a great time .

Just returned from a 8 day stay at Yacht Club CL. The evening offerings in the lounge rarely changed from a combination of chicken nuggets, pulled pork and Mac/cheese. One night had salmon and one night had bacon wrapped scallops. Dessert was mainly cookies, and mini cakes.

Breakfast was similar with a combination of Oatmeal, breakfast quiche, grits. Two days had crepes. The regular items cereal, yogurt and fruit with occasional meats hard boiled eggs.

Beer on request. Bud Light, Kona Longboard, Stella, and Yuengling.

Hope you had a great trip .

We just returned from our AKL Club Level stay. We stayed on the Kudu trail. While I’m not overly fond of African inspired food, I was surprisingly happy with the food choices. The breakfast offerings were more than enough to make a full breakfast- I highly recommend the banana bread! I had mimosas most every morning. On days we weren’t hitting the parks early, I enjoyed bringing breakfast back to the room and eating on the balcony. You can ask for to go containers which made it really convenient. Midday offerings were very light snacks as well as tea time. Dinners were amazingly good and we had no problem with it as our evening meal. I especially loved the late night drinks and desserts.

I do wish our room had been ready earlier. It was pushing 5 when we got in and that was with concierge pushing to get it done. In the reverse, be sure and hang the do not disturb sign out if you aren’t checking out early! The renovated rooms are lovely but I was very surprised that we experienced terrible construction noise every day of our trip, making the room unusable for quiet/nap time during the afternoon. It only took 1 phone call for them to compensate for it. I suspect having to raise my voice to be heard over the banging and roar of drills helped our cause, but I’m still bothered that they ever put us in that room. They did what they could, but it really was a problem that should have never happened.

Overall, I’m glad we tried it but it’s a one and done for me. I much prefer being on the same floor as the lounge and while bus service was excellent, I don’t like the long drives to the parks. It was nice being close to the AK though. I’d be happy to answer any questions I can.

Thanks for your review. Glad you enjoyed the CL offerings .

 

[yaya74]

What is everyone's experience with online check in?

Last CL stay we got the resort at like 1am and the one before that it was after hours as well.

We'll be at GF around 11am-ish via ME this time. Will someone meet us at the bus even though we already checked in and our room will likely not be ready? Is this still hit or miss?

Last summer we stayed at GF CL and did online check in. Upon arrival which was around 10am ( I put 9am arrival time at online checkin), we were greeted by a gentleman at the curbside. We gave him our name and the gentleman replied "I have been waiting for you all morning, since 9am!! Welcome To GF!". Our room was not ready until 1pm that day. Also we got a fantastic free room upgrade.

So, do your online check in and you will still be greeted by CM at GF at curb side. Enjoy your stay.

 

[ninafeliz]

Last summer we stayed at GF CL and did online check in. Upon arrival which was around 10am ( I put 9am arrival time at online checkin), we were greeted by a gentleman at the curbside. We gave him our name and the gentleman replied "I have been waiting for you all morning, since 9am!! Welcome To GF!". Our room was not ready until 1pm that day. Also we got a fantastic free room upgrade.

So, do your online check in and you will still be greeted by CM at GF at curb side. Enjoy your stay.

Just keep in mind that's a perfect scenario. We were personally greeted and driven in a golf cart to our room on our first CL stay and from then on have always hoped for a similar experience, and it has never happened again. We've arrived by DME and our own car, and it's been all the CLs except AKL, and the only time we were greeted and felt like we got extra special treatment for staying CL was that first stay at the Poly. Even at RPC we got nothing, after having the guard scan our band while driving our own vehicle, so they could have easily called ahead and let them know we were heading their way. It's a little thing, but it makes a big impression and I think they are really missing the mark by not at least attempting to have CL guests get the experience you describe!

 

[Runnsally]

Just keep in mind that's a perfect scenario. We were personally greeted and driven in a golf cart to our room on our first CL stay and from then on have always hoped for a similar experience, and it has never happened again. We've arrived by DME and our own car, and it's been all the CLs except AKL, and the only time we were greeted and felt like we got extra special treatment for staying CL was that first stay at the Poly. Even at RPC we got nothing, after having the guard scan our band while driving our own vehicle, so they could have easily called ahead and let them know we were heading their way. It's a little thing, but it makes a big impression and I think they are really missing the mark by not at least attempting to have CL guests get the experience you describe!

Totally agree! For those who do online check-in and are not greeted on arrival, do you go directly to the CL lounge concierge desk or the standard check-in area?

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Just keep in mind that's a perfect scenario. We were personally greeted and driven in a golf cart to our room on our first CL stay and from then on have always hoped for a similar experience, and it has never happened again. We've arrived by DME and our own car, and it's been all the CLs except AKL, and the only time we were greeted and felt like we got extra special treatment for staying CL was that first stay at the Poly. Even at RPC we got nothing, after having the guard scan our band while driving our own vehicle, so they could have easily called ahead and let them know we were heading their way. It's a little thing, but it makes a big impression and I think they are really missing the mark by not at least attempting to have CL guests get the experience you describe!

Totally agree with you on inconsistent experiences with CL welcome. We have stayed CL at WL, YC, BC, Poly and AKL. We got the same treatment as you our first time at the Poly, but not our second time. We weren’t greeted at WL, YC or BC, but we were at AKL.

In Sept we are staying at CSR Gran Destino CL and AKL CL. And over Christmas we are staying at AKL CL once again.

There’s definitely a big opportunity for Disney to wow guests by making the CL arrival experience more consistent.

Totally agree! For those who do online check-in and are not greeted on arrival, do you go directly to the CL lounge concierge desk or the standard check-in area?

I would still go to the standard desk, they will likely direct you to the lounge, or call a CL cast member to escort you to the lounge for check in.

 

[Eastern]

We are staying club level at YC in two weeks. Do you usually do the online check-in? We stayed AKL a couple of years ago and I love the ability to check in in the lounge. Do you lose that experience when you do online check in. Will I miss anything if we do or do not do online check in? Thanks!

I did online checkin for YC and didn't even care if I got the personal tour. But the woman at the desk was very insistent that we wait for someone to escort us up and show us around. Forgot why I went to the counter in the first place; I think it was just to check my room location before going to the room.

 

[ninafeliz]

Totally agree! For those who do online check-in and are not greeted on arrival, do you go directly to the CL lounge concierge desk or the standard check-in area?

The simple answer is just get in the check in line and follow their lead. They may check you in and then take you up to the CL floor or they may take you up as soon as they realize you are CL. However, this soft of annoys me since one of the benefits of CL is you are supposed to get expedited and special check in. It particularly annoys me when there is a long line to check in.

An alternative is to look around for a Cm with an Ipad or one who is standing in the lobby greeting or passing through, and tell them you are checking in CL and need escorted up. Some will know exactly what you mean and take you or get you to someone, others might tell you to go to the check in line.

If you did online check in your MB might work and if you know where you are going you can go straight to either the CL check in area or your room if you got the text. I just like to get the "special treatment" you are supposed to get, including a welcome drink and overview, etc so I don't like to skip check in. Also, the time we went to the Hawaii building on our own first (when we did need to check in) the CMs were definitely taken aback by it. They recovered well and it wasn't a problem, I just felt a little weird about it.

Having said that, i also set myself up for disappointment this way because plenty of times we haven't gotten a welcome drink, haven't gotten anything special, etc so just doing it the fastest way would have been preferable and less anxiety inducing haha.

 

[pmdeve]

On check out day how long do you have club access? We might be checking into another Disney resort on our last day. I’m playing around with my dates

 

[yaya74]

Does curbside greeting matter though? Perhaps the answer depends upon each individual's preference. My first CL experience was at Portofino Bay at Universal Orlando. PB does not offer online check in so we waited in line at the front counter. The person checked us in did not give us any special attention just because we booked a CL stay. As a matter of the fact, the experience was comparable to a check in at Hampton Inn. We didn't feel anything special until we got to the club lounge. So in that case, I would rather check in online, by pass the wait at the counter and go straight to the club lounge if there is no one at the entrance to greet us.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

On check out day how long do you have club access? We might be checking into another Disney resort on our last day. I’m playing around with my dates

Until midnight, or more realistically until the lounge closes for the night, usually 10pm.

 

[Simba's Girl]

In this case it actually matters to me because 1.) we are checking in way before check in time and I'd like to know that our MBs actually work for SL without going through a huge roundabout because I will be just coming off of being Non Weightbearing after surgery and don't want to walk around too much. I also don't know if my scooter will be there by then or not. 2.) we've never stayed at GF and are less familiar with the resort than other places we have stayed.

Will it ruin my vacation if we are not greeted-Nope! It'll just make my life WAY easier being (I hope anyway) weight bearing as tolerated.

When we checked into BC for the 2018 marathon we arrived at like 1am. Of course we didn't expect a tour or anyone to greet us then and since all of us had zero mobility issues gunking up space in our brains we were fine with it. We got a tour the next morning with a welcome drink though, the CMs were so friendly and kind.

 

[ninafeliz]

Does curbside greeting matter though? Perhaps the answer depends upon each individual's preference. My first CL experience was at Portofino Bay at Universal Orlando. PB does not offer online check in so we waited in line at the front counter. The person checked us in did not give us any special attention just because we booked a CL stay. As a matter of the fact, the experience was comparable to a check in at Hampton Inn. We didn't feel anything special until we got to the club lounge. So in that case, I would rather check in online, by pass the wait at the counter and go straight to the club lounge if there is no one at the entrance to greet us.

I think it’s personal preference, but I don’t think many people would be annoyed by someone waiting for them, knowing who they were, and taking them directly to a personal club level check in with (optional) welcome drink or another drink of choice while skipping any lines and not having to look around for assistance, vs wait in line with everyone the same way as everyone, and then get to the CL area. I know we greatly preferred it, and even though it was only extra special once we still remember that and hope for it to recur someday. No luck yet, though!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Does curbside greeting matter though?

1. Anyone who arrives outside of CL desk hours must use the front desk for check-in.
2. Often, even if we've done online check in, we have been told we need to be escorted up the first time. If you arrive at a popular time, the CL CM's might all be occupied with other customers. It has also happened for a few other random reasons over the years.
3. The deluxe resorts usually have very short lines if we do have to use front desk. you just don't get to sit while you talk to them.
4. If we don't see a greeter outside our WDW hotel, much of the day, the hotels have a greeter just inside the hotel, and that CM will usually call a CM to escort us, or escort us themselves.
5. At CR, we have never seen a greeter out front, except bell services. I just don't think CR has curbside CL greeters. Bell services, yes. If you want to drop off bags at CR, it is very quick and easy!

6. There are actually good reasons why some folks might wish to skip online check-in, especially when staying club level.

Anyone who doesn't use credit cards might wish to avoid online check-in. WDW puts a hold, or multiple holds (over your stay) on your credit or debit card. If you have a room balance, they charge your card automatically before your actual arrival. If you wanted to pay with gift cards or a different cc, you can call them in the day before your arrival, or skip online check-in.

 

[AngiTN]

I have not seen outdoor on the curb greeters in years. Not at any resort. In the lobby, sure. There's usually someone around but only 1 so if you arrive while they are busy with someone else then you aren't going to be greeted. There's not a pool of them waiting to replace each other.
What I've been told and found for Resorts with keyed CL access is, you often need to have opened your room door in order to use the access scanner. I was told to always let everyone in the group use their band to open the door the first time, so their bands will then in turn open the CL access. Now, I can't say if this is still an accurate set up or not. We mostly stay at BWI and their set up is different than most. The floor isn't exclusive to CL so the elevator access is moot. And there's almost always someone at the greeter desk to open the door. So I rarely have to use my band to get in the CL areas.

So, when we do stay CL elsewhere we always stop by the desk and have them check the bands. Even though I always complete online check-in too. I like to do it so I do. I especially like getting a room ready text and finding out where my room is. We are pretty lucky in that we get ours ready early almost every trip. It's rare to wait till 3:00. Happens though.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

We have only been greeted in the lobby once for a CL stay, and that was last month at the BC. We’ve stayed CL at other resorts quite a few times. I’ve noticed the greeters before, but the time I tried approaching one, I was directed to the main check-in desk (the really annoying part was that there was a family who entered the resort directly after us who were greeted and walked towards the elevator).

I always go to the main desk only because my MagicBands don’t like me. They have to reset them every time, and even then, half of the time mine still won’t work to open our room door or to access the button in the elevator. The CM at the desk often tries to tell me it’s because I have too many active MagicBands and need to deactivate some. My DD has more active MagicBands than I do, and she never has a problem! They aren’t sure what to say to me when I point that out (plus, isn’t the whole point of the limited edition bands to be collected? And worn? I actually don’t have very many active bands because I tried to take their advice and deactivated all of the solid colors, and I still have issues). I frequently end up wearing one of my own bands to enter the parks and one of DD’s for elevator and room access. Kind of annoying, but it works.

 

[cakebaker]

We had curbside greetings for our stay at AKL last week. It was nice, but honestly, we wanted to look around the resort before going up. We just asked for her to give us 15 minutes. She found us right on time and escorted us up.

I was surprised, but she was there before our luggage came out of the car.

 

[gillep]

There have been curbside greeters at AKL for every one of our stays, off and on they have signs with our name on them when staying CL (iPads now), but they have consistently been there to greet and direct people, even if not specifically with a sign for CL guests. Both of our WL stays have had greeters outside when we have pulled up. I can't remember greeters at the other resorts, I think it has just been these two.