How to do "concierge"???

[DisneyBride'03]

Hope you have a great time!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I did a lot of club level back when they called it "concierge." I do think I was there during the dinner hours once, but I wasn't hungry.

All I ever had was a bowl of Rice Krispies or a muffin in the morning, a cookie and some gummy worms in the afternoon and water/pop.

 

[stitchrulz]

That's totally FAB!!!!

When did Disney email you re:the upgrade?


Have a magical visit!!

 

[TammiMcMan]

I did a lot of club level back when they called it "concierge."

Ah yes, the good old days.

Would they be willing to get a few groceries from the shop at hotel (AKL) and put in our room before we get there?
I was thinking of bottled water and milk to be in the fridge when we get to our room.

Just ask the IPO pre-planning staff. If they have a credit card on file for you, it shouldn't be a problem. I'm just not positive that they block your room assignment. You wouldn't want someone else getting the groceries that you paid for .

 

[CaipiraBob]

Anything else we need to know?
Thanks....

Of course you're not going to do any of this, but I think some people who stay concierge will understand. Believe me, you'd be shocked at some of the "fortunately rare" behavior reported of some concierge guests...

Here are some DON'T's:

1. DON'T - Wear your robe and slippers/pajamas to the lounge - people are trying to eat and there are small children who will be frightened
2. DON'T - Pick up the entire tray of food that the staff places on the counter and walk out
3. DON'T - Allow your children to handle each piece of food and place it back on the tray while trying to find "just the right one"
4. DON'T - Expect that concierge offerings are a meal plan - unless one feeds their children lunchables and gummy bears exclusively at home

For the last one, I read one report where a guest witnessed one mother telling them to eat all they can, because this is all the food they were going to get for that trip. Can you believe it? Well, I've seen similar...

Now, please don't let my post worry you, it's offered as a bit of humor as well as truth. You are going to love it there. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

DON'T - Wear your robe and slippers/pajamas to the lounge - people are trying to eat and there are small children who will be frightened

In the past I have seen people and little kids wear pajamas to the lounge, only to get some food and go back to their rooms and they were not wearing anything to revelling or something you would call inappropriate. I should also point out the Cast Members working up there did not say anything to them about it. I agree that people should always be well dressed when in the lounges but if they are just there to get food to eat in their room and are wearing regular pajams I don't see a problem, since they would not be eating in the lounge.

 

[smahoney6]

Can the concierge staff get you dinner reservations at restaurants that seem to totally booked?

 

[SeaSpray]

Can the concierge staff get you dinner reservations at restaurants that seem to totally booked?

Sometimes they can, and sometimes they can't. They don't have unlimited access to all restaurants, but usually they can get you into their own resort's restaurants, even when the restaurant tells you they're fully booked. This has been my experience, anyway

 

[grannyminnie]

Can the concierge staff get you dinner reservations at restaurants that seem to totally booked?

Didn't happen for us this year...I had wanted to book Chef Mickey's at the last minute and there never was any availability. It's the luck of the draw, I guess.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Can the concierge staff get you dinner reservations at restaurants that seem to totally booked?

As you can see by previous posts, sometimes yes, sometimes no. That's one of the big differences with Disney concierge and the hotel industry standard of concierge. Probably a big reason why they've tried to do away with that term and use "club level" instead. Anyway, the service they provide, is that if the restaurant is sold out, they will continue to look for cancellations on your behalf. If something pops up, they can get you in, if not, you're out of luck.

 

[patsal]

Don'ts from my last two CL experiences
Don't take the cheese wheel in its entirity back to your room it is for you and others not just for you (AKL)
Don't divert the CM's attetion then quickly empty the cokes from the beverage cooler into your bag (AKL) the beverage coler there is kind of small.
Don't stand in front of the beverage cooler in your dripping suit leaving a puddle on the floor for someone to slip and someone else to clean up after you. (Poly)
Don't sit at the dead center of the room during wishes if you are nearly 7 feet tall with your hands behind the back of your head-now you are totally blocking the window! SIt of to the side or walk outside! (Poly)
Don't forget to pick up your table-there is spot to place your dirty dishes and a trash can for paper-push chairs in when you have finished using them. (both AKL and Poly)

Seriously doubt you'd do any of these things but these have happened on my visits!

 

[Cool-Beans]

Sometimes they can, and sometimes they can't. They don't have unlimited access to all restaurants, but usually they can get you into their own resort's restaurants, even when the restaurant tells you they're fully booked. This has been my experience, anyway

Maybe they were lying, but 3 different club level staff people in 3 different hotels told me that they go into the same screens the Disney Dining people go into.

Disney Dining can also get you into restaurants that aren't accepting walk-ups, if they have space in the computer. When they don't have space, they don't. Neither Dining or club level staff can get you in.

I never once got into a booked place. Not even a Cape May breakfast when I was staying at the Beach Club.

I think the whole "The club level staff can get you in to booked restaurants!" is a DIS urban myth.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

patsal...
I had to read your post again....because at first I thought the things you listed where things YOU did!! Sorry
How did you ever keep it together witnessing that???
Well I guess there goes filling up DD's diaper bag with goldfish crackers!!

It will be interesting to see what behavior I witness next week....hopefully proper CL etiquette

 

[CaipiraBob]

In the past I have seen people and little kids wear pajamas to the lounge, only to get some food and go back to their rooms and they were not wearing anything to revelling or something you would call inappropriate. I should also point out the Cast Members working up there did not say anything to them about it. I agree that people should always be well dressed when in the lounges but if they are just there to get food to eat in their room and are wearing regular pajams I don't see a problem, since they would not be eating in the lounge.

Children are in a different category than a grown woman hanging out of her robe. That's what we encountered one evening, and it wasn't pretty.

To each their own. I think there's a certain sense of decorum that even a minimalist could agree too. There wasn't anything close to that on this occasion. Some people laughed even, others just grimaced.

At any rate, it's kind of funny that I probably wouldn't have been concerned if she had been wearing a swimsuit outside. This wasn't appropriate, however.

As for CM's, I'd cut them a break. They deserve it, after all, they've seen it all...

 

[CaipiraBob]

Seriously doubt you'd do any of these things but these have happened on my visits!

It's unreal, isn't it? LOL! I can tell you most of the people I've met are just wonderful, but it makes "the others" really stick out when they start up...

 

[gardenia]

It's not dinner with the President.

Well said. We stopped at CR Tower Club concierge lounge in our swim suits and coverups and flip flops. Just to get a brownie and coke. Not a big deal.

On the other hand... I cannot fathom someone who would wear their pajamas to the lounge. That's not public attire, in my opinion.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Maybe they were lying, but 3 different club level staff people in 3 different hotels told me that they go into the same screens the Disney Dining people go into.

Disney Dining can also get you into restaurants that aren't accepting walk-ups, if they have space in the computer. When they don't have space, they don't. Neither Dining or club level staff can get you in.

I never once got into a booked place. Not even a Cape May breakfast when I was staying at the Beach Club.

I think the whole "The club level staff can get you in to booked restaurants!" is a DIS urban myth.

Nope, they can get you in. I have had this happen to me several times. The concierge CMs call over to the restaurant podium and request it. OR, in their own hotel restaurants I have been given a slip of paper from concierge and told to show it at the podium. This has happened to us quite a few times when we've had to make last minute changes and they could not find anything for us on the computer. I do believe you are correct that they do use the same screen WDW Dining uses. BUT, I know for a fact concierge CAN get guests in to booked restaurants. I have been told at the podium, "You're lucky you are staying concierge or you wouldn't be getting a table".

I always come to WDW prepared with ADRs booked etc. I am a big time planner, but things happen and it has been one of the perks of staying concierge that in a pinch, they've always come thru for us.

Lives4Disney

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Don't divert the CM's attetion then quickly empty the cokes from the beverage cooler into your bag (AKL) the beverage coler there is kind of small.
Don't forget to pick up your table-there is spot to place your dirty dishes and a trash can for paper-push chairs in when you have finished using them. (both AKL and Poly)

Seriously doubt you'd do any of these things but these have happened on my visits!

When it comes to taking drinks back to our room, my family and I have always taken a couple of cans, walked back to our room and did not try to hide them or anything from the Cast Members. Since we are paying extra for all that they offer I don't see anything wrong with it.

I agree 100% about cleaning up where you have just eaten in the lounge. I have always seen some people leave their dirty plates for the Cast Members to pick up, when they have an area set up for you to put that stuff away. I would also like to add that people who bring food back to their rooms and leave it out should also take the short walk back to the lounge and return their plates. The guests in the room next to my family had some Chicken Wing and Rib bones sitting on a plate all day outside their room, when in that time they could have thrown those parts out and return the plates.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Children are in a different category than a grown woman hanging out of her robe. That's what we encountered one evening, and it wasn't pretty.

I agree with you that what you saw must have not been a nice thing and this woman never should have went into the lounge like that.

However I will say that if adults decide to wear their pajamas into the lounge only to get food for their room, so they will be going back right away and if they are appropriate pajamas where you can't see anything, I don't see anything wrong with it.

Now if they started to sit down in the lounge to eat and etc while in their pajamas no matter how they looked, then they should be asked to leave and change into regular clothes if they wanted to eat in lounge.

 

[SeaSpray]

Maybe they were lying, but 3 different club level staff people in 3 different hotels told me that they go into the same screens the Disney Dining people go into.

Disney Dining can also get you into restaurants that aren't accepting walk-ups, if they have space in the computer. When they don't have space, they don't. Neither Dining or club level staff can get you in.

I never once got into a booked place. Not even a Cape May breakfast when I was staying at the Beach Club.

I think the whole "The club level staff can get you in to booked restaurants!" is a DIS urban myth.

Like I said, I agree that concierge/club level can't *always* get you into a booked restaurant, but I have personally experienced situations where the concierge CMs (while I was sitting there in front of them) called the Kona Cafe and got us in for dinner, for our party of 6, for ANY time we chose, immediately after walking through the Great Ceremonial House and being told by the CMs at the podium of the Kona Cafe that it was booked solid for the night. Also, on this past trip, the concierge CMs were able to get us into 'Ohana on a Saturday night that was booked solid. Both of these were booked last-minute, while the CM called the restaurant while we were right there, and got us in.

However, during the pre-planning phase, IPO was NOT able to get us into a fully-booked Chef Mickey's for dinner. Also, we were not able to get into Chef Mickey's at the last minute, either.

So it's not a DIS urban legend that concierge CMs can *sometimes* get you into their own resorts' booked restaurants.

Again, this has been my personal experience, and also the experience of other DISers, which I've read about over the years. Take it or leave it.