EXPIRED: Part ONE of 2015 CLUB LEVEL (CL) INFORMATION and HELP Thread DO NOT POST HERE!!!

[gwynne]

We are staying Yacht Club standard view club level. What can I expect for my view? WIll we have a private balcony?

If you booked YC standard CL it is possible you might be put in one of the 3 rooms (pretty sure just 3) that share a balcony over the entrance to the resort. You could request a private balcony.
FWIW, we've stayed in one of those shared balcony rooms. it wasn't a problem, we were the only people who used the balcony. The view for the shared balcony rooms is parking lot, but the entrance to the resort, overall, is pretty. It's not your typical parking lot view.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

you people....and yes, I am looking at all of you...are like Crack Dealers!!!


May 1-3 BC CL Standard

July 11-14 Poly CL Garden

I was looking at CR Tower, but they only had BL view and not CL

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I have stayed at WL CL and while it was my first CL experience and has lots of memories for that, it isn't my favorite CL.

The staff is amazing, but the offerings just weren't so great. Chili and Chicken skewers weren't really something I could nibble on when it was 90 outside.

My very favorite is GF. The quality and quantity are amazing and I really like it.

We just switched from WL to BC since the rooms are recently renovated and will be there in 37 days!!

 

[magpugs]

Should I be making my own ADR'S if the IPO's don't start working until 9:00am? Please give me any advice.

 

[Wheelwatcher]

If you booked YC standard CL it is possible you might be put in one of the 3 rooms (pretty sure just 3) that share a balcony over the entrance to the resort. You could request a private balcony.
FWIW, we've stayed in one of those shared balcony rooms. it wasn't a problem, we were the only people who used the balcony. The view for the shared balcony rooms is parking lot, but the entrance to the resort, overall, is pretty. It's not your typical parking lot view.

We stayed YC standard CL 2 years ago, and we got one of the rooms with the shared balcony. The first thing we saw as we went into our room was that the people in the other rooms with whom we shared the balcony had their swimsuits and other stuff all over. We didn't feel we had any privacy, and felt less secure with this shared setup. We immediately requested a different room. Concierge desk said there wasn't another room available that first night, but they were able to move us into a different room (2 doors down, same view, but with private balcony) the next night and for the remainder of our stay. We did like the view just fine, as we could see fireworks at night. Since then, I ask for private balcony every time now when I book. There's just no way I expect to share a balcony, with the door of my room opening into a shared space with people I don't know, when I'm booking Club Level accommodations. I don't consider that to be part of the deal! That's a little taste of the conversation I had with the Concierge staff that day, LOL!

 

[dansdad]

Should I be making my own ADR'S if the IPO's don't start working until 9:00am? Please give me any advice.

If it's going to bother you to leave making ADRs in the hands of somebody else, then do them yourself. If you find it a relief to have them do it for you, then let them help. It all depends on your comfort level. It makes me anxious to hand over the reigns so to speak when it comes to that stuff. But then again, planning the trip is more than half the fun for me.

 

[magpugs]

I am sooo impressed with Poly IPO!!! Today is my ADR day. At 3:20 am (west coast time) I had an email with ALL of my requests, including BOG!!!!! Even the exact times I asked for!!!!! The best part......I didn't have to wake up at 3 AM to snag them. Yay Poly CL!!!!!

So you decided to let the IPO make the reservation and hoped for the best! I'm deciding if I should do this, I'm also from the west coast and 3:00am is early.

 

[LUVDisney1975]

Magpugs - I am so happy with my decision to let them do it!!! They have been amazing!!! No problems at all!!!

 

[mickeynut1]

Should I be making my own ADR'S if the IPO's don't start working until 9:00am? Please give me any advice.

Everyone is different, but I like making my own ADRs. If something isn't available for the day/time I want, I can easily make adjustments at that time rather than finding out later that something wasn't available. With that said, I have read lots of reports from others that IPO does a great job, especially if they have your choices and are ready to go at the 180 + 10 mark .

If it's going to bother you to leave making ADRs in the hands of somebody else, then do them yourself. If you find it a relief to have them do it for you, then let them help. It all depends on your comfort level. It makes me anxious to hand over the reigns so to speak when it comes to that stuff. But then again, planning the trip is more than half the fun for me.

I agree that it depends on your comfort level/preference and if you have/want to take the time to do it. I love all of the planning as that's half the fun for me as well, so I always look forward to making my own ADRs .

 

[Dispro1]

Should I be making my own ADR'S if the IPO's don't start working until 9:00am? Please give me any advice.

Personally, there are some reservations That we "must" have on our vacation, so these I do not leave up to the IPO. Of course, that is because the ones I'm referring to must be booked 180 days out or you won't get them. The IPO handles reservations for many people so you don't know where you fall on their list. Only you will put yourself first. The online reservation system makes it really easy to keep checking back for a particular time at the restaurant you want. We do use the IPO for the restaurants that don't book up that fast (and there are a lot of those). I'm sure there are plenty of people that let the IPO book everything, and if you are 180 days out, that ma

Everyone is different, but I like making my own ADRs. If something isn't available for the day/time I want, I can easily make adjustments at that time rather than finding out later that something wasn't available. With that said, I have read lots of reports from others that IPO does a great job, especially if they have your choices and are ready to go at the 180 + 10 mark .



I agree that it depends on your comfort level/preference and if you have/want to take the time to do it. I love all of the planning as that's half the fun for me as well, so I always look forward to making my own ADRs .

I agree with what mickeynut and dansdad said. I tend to book the ADRs that are more difficult to get, like 'Ohana and California Grill and then let the IPO book the less important ones. The IPO has to help a lot of people, and I don't know where I fall on the list. For example, when they reopened Cali Grill after the renovation not too long ago, the IPO had a list of a couple hundred people waiting to get ADRs for when it reopened. If I had let them make the ADR for me, by the time they got down to my name, there probably would've been nothing left (although I realize this is an extreme example). I also managed to get an 'Ohana reservation for our upcoming trip even though IPO had already said there was nothing available. The IPO is not going to check again (repeatedly, obsessively) until something shows up... Like I do for myself. And I do get a lot of pleasure out of getting that reservation that wasn't available...not exactly winning the lottery but something special anyway.

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

Should I be making my own ADR'S if the IPO's don't start working until 9:00am? Please give me any advice.

after obsessing on what ADRs I wanted and changing them 100 times. I did have BC IPO book mine, including BOG dinner. The BC IPO was awesome. I got everything I wanted when I wanted.

 

[trishadono]

Does anyone have any pictures of Sugar Loaf? There are not too many on the GF thread.

I have stayed there before(both times only one day) but it is still nice to look and dream

Safe travels KOOK! Sure your nails look great TeeHee

Hey Mickeynut! Are you still going to Disney this summer?

 

[mickeynut1]

Does anyone have any pictures of Sugar Loaf? There are not too many on the GF thread.

I have stayed there before(both times only one day) but it is still nice to look and dream

Safe travels KOOK! Sure your nails look great TeeHee

Hey Mickeynut! Are you still going to Disney this summer?

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our summer trip, but hoping to go in December .

I haven't seen too many SL pics around, either. Hopefully someone who has been recently will have some they can add to this thread as well as the GF thread .

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We stayed YC standard CL 2 years ago, and we got one of the rooms with the shared balcony. The first thing we saw as we went into our room was that the people in the other rooms with whom we shared the balcony had their swimsuits and other stuff all over. We didn't feel we had any privacy, and felt less secure with this shared setup. We immediately requested a different room. Concierge desk said there wasn't another room available that first night, but they were able to move us into a different room (2 doors down, same view, but with private balcony) the next night and for the remainder of our stay. We did like the view just fine, as we could see fireworks at night. Since then, I ask for private balcony every time now when I book. There's just no way I expect to share a balcony, with the door of my room opening into a shared space with people I don't know, when I'm booking Club Level accommodations. I don't consider that to be part of the deal! That's a little taste of the conversation I had with the Concierge staff that day, LOL!

Just so other posters are clear, the sliding glass door to the balcony has a lock. We had this room, and didn't feel security was an issue, but we were only there one night.

It was an odd day. After breakfast, we went on the balcony (shade in AM). It was chilly. We'd planned to swim, but it was too cold. We grabbed fleece and went to Epcot. By noon, we were melting. We decided to swim at 3pm, but on the walk back, the wind picked up, and it was too cold. Had it been warmer, we might have put our suits on that balcony!

We had several Standard rooms at YC. All were on the same hall. (over the main entrance of the hotel.) Yes, you can partly see cars, but mostly we saw trees, part of the Epcot ball, part of YC, and gardens. WDW is well landscaped. We weren't in the room for fireworks, but we all thought we'd probably have a good view.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

after obsessing on what ADRs I wanted and changing them 100 times. I did have BC IPO book mine, including BOG dinner. The BC IPO was awesome. I got everything I wanted when I wanted.

If you are booking 180 days +, we've always had perfect luck letting IPO handle ADR's.

If you are under 180, then it may be easier to look over options yourself.

the 9am is not an issue. Shhh, but I suspect that IPO's get first dibs over folks who book online.

Isn't that what we're paying to have?

If you need to make a last minute change- MAKE SURE to go through IPO or resort staff! They have added flexibility to help. They can't get what doesn't exist, but they can help more than online or a general number call. Some won't do a lot (esp. less experienced staff), but others have been wonderful (esp. experienced and enthusiastic staff).

CL guests are paying for an added service when it comes to ADR's.

 

[dansdad]

If you are booking 180 days +, we've always had perfect luck letting IPO handle ADR's.

If you are under 180, then it may be easier to look over options yourself.

the 9am is not an issue. Shhh, but I suspect that IPO's get first dibs over folks who book online.

Isn't that what we're paying to have?

If you need to make a last minute change- MAKE SURE to go through IPO or resort staff! They have added flexibility to help. They can't get what doesn't exist, but they can help more than online or a general number call. Some won't do a lot (esp. less experienced staff), but others have been wonderful (esp. experienced and enthusiastic staff).

CL guests are paying for an added service when it comes to ADR's.

I agree with everything you said except for the bolded. I have first hand knowledge that they don't. Just want to make sure there's no unrealistic expectations out there.

 

[Metz172]

We are doing a split stay and staying club level at the end. Will the IPO book ADR s etc for your entire stay or just the dates of the club level stay?

 

[dansdad]

We are doing a split stay and staying club level at the end. Will the IPO book ADR s etc for your entire stay or just the dates of the club level stay?

Just the dates you are staying Club Level.

 

[SeaSpray]

Our upcoming trip to the Polynesian is the first trip where there has been online restaurant booking, so since I was unfamiliar with it, I let IPO book everything for us. They got everything at the exact times that I wanted.

They also are helping me order a custom cake for our anniversary. IPO had Pat from the Grand Floridian call me directly, to discuss my order, and they (IPO) had even emailed the "inspiration" picture of the cake that I sent to them, over to Pat, so she had that in front of her while we were talking decoration/options. I think that was great service on their part. They will also arrange for the cake to be delivered during our first night dinner at 'Ohana.

Since making the original ADRs, I wanted to make a couple of changes, so ventured onto the site myself and did those myself because it was easier for me to play around with the times. At least now I'm familiar with it, although the connection and speed does get flakey sometimes, so I'm glad that I had IPO to make them for us initially.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Does anyone have any pictures of Sugar Loaf? There are not too many on the GF thread.

I have stayed there before(both times only one day) but it is still nice to look and dream

Safe travels KOOK! Sure your nails look great TeeHee

Hey Mickeynut! Are you still going to Disney this summer?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126378019@N02/sets/72157650715847646/