Just returned Yacht Club Concierge

[cjsmith]

Just returned from a last minute weekend at Disney staying at the Yacht Club concierge floor. Love the Yacht Club, it's still a beautiful hotel and we don't stay anywhere else.

Staff working on the concierge floor was fabulous but I do have to say that the offerings in the lounge has been cut even further since we stayed there last time.

Breakfast: some fruit, small plain bagels, donuts & cereal

Lunch time: bowl of nuts, bowl of pretzels, bowl of goldfish, chocolate pudding

Evening hour: cheese & crackers, veggies & onion dip, chicken soup (really chicken broth) & a meat/onion dish. Also, the peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

Desserts: cookies, 4 kinds of small pastry desserts, rice krispie treats.

It was such amazing contrast to our stay last weekend on the club floor at the Ritz Carlton on the beach in Naples where the food servings were amazing throughout the day. Now I don't eat my meals up on the club floor before anyone throws out, but the differences between the lounges was astounding considering the prices for the room was about the same.

We had lots of fun, though it was HOT and I live in Florida and had a hard time with the heat. Got to see the space shuttle which was fantastic. Will say that the Yacht & Beach Clubs are now doing things for the kids throughout the day including a movie on the beach at night which looked like a lot of fun. Scavenger hunts, bingo, etc all sounded like fun.

 

[Joan1]

Thank you for your review
Can you tell me what the food offerings were at the Ritz? Always interested in staying at one, just haven't had an opportunity yet

 

[Minnie824]

We actually just returned from the Ritz in Naples as well! Although, we did not stay at the concierge there, we LOVED the hotel. Our last trip to Beach Club concierge we were also very disappointed with the offerings. Then last year we stayed at Grand Floridian RPC and LOVED it. It was an unbelievable difference in stays, including the staff (just our opinion). We're hooked on GF now. Glad you had a fun stay though!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Thanks for your review. I keep tossing around YC for a summer stay. I love to stay concierge and I usually stay at the GF in RPC, so I appreciate the PP's comparison, too. WE also LOVE GF RPC.

That's great to hear about the kids' activities at the YC.

I haven't read too many fabulous YC concierge reviews. That's too bad about the cutting corners on the lounge offerings.

Lives4Disney

 

[brergnat]

I really wonder what is the justification for cutting back on the lounge offerings!

It just doesn't sit well with me that these hotels have been around for a LONG time now. A lot of guests are repeat visitors. Why do concierge guests just stand for more cutbacks without saying anything? I can't imagine how p.o.'ed I'd be if I returned to the concierge level after a previous stay and my lounge snacks had been reduced to goldfish crackers and pudding!

I stayed concierge at the WL in 2001 for my honeymoon and also stayed concierge in 2002 at the GCH at Disneyland and in 2003 at the Paradise Pier Hotel.

I was considering either the YC or Poly concierge for our first family trip next year, but I am pretty certain that I will not shell out THAT much extra $$$ for "costco" snacks (you know, generic bulk stuff...not resort specific foods).

It's a real shame. A lot of people are willing to pay the $100/night or so extra for concierge and the lounge food is a BIG part of that. I'm not saying I use it for meals, but I expect to get GOOD food, you know?

This type of thing is something Disney should be ashamed of. If they cannot provide decent food in their concierge lounge, they should get rid of the concierge service altogether.

I'm glad you enjoyed the YC anyway. It's currently my front runner for our resort of choice when we do finally get there as a family.

 

[dclfun]

I wonder if all the resorts are having cutbacks in the concierge lounges? We've only stayed at AKL concierge and it was just fantastic. The CM's there were great and I recall the manager being very proud of what was offered in the lounge- which were items from Boma and Jiko, as well as the African wines offered that to me were very special and made me feel that I was really immersed in the experience. I'd not want to go back and find things reduced to goldfish and pudding either. I didn't book concierge for the food but did really enjoy being spoiled, not having to rush to a food court to get a quick bite upon return from the parks for a snack or soda. I don't buy goldfish crackers at home as my kids don't even like them...and what about offering some healthy options for a light snack? I'd have been disappointed too.---Kathy

 

[Tdisney]

We stayed at the YC concierge. If it wasnt for the room that comes with it, concierge is not worth it at all. The staff was freindly but not helpful in getting any ressies. The food was average but not worth the money. They need to rethink concierge service. $100 extra for snacks is rediculous. Havent stayed anywhere else except YC so dont have anything to compare it to.

 

[PamNC]

We stayed at the YC concierge. If it wasnt for the room that comes with it, concierge is not worth it at all. The staff was freindly but not helpful in getting any ressies. The food was average but not worth the money. They need to rethink concierge service. $100 extra for snacks is rediculous. Havent stayed anywhere else except YC so dont have anything to compare it to.

I agree completely. We stayed in concierge at the YC back in 2001. Thank GOODNESS it was a free upgrade because had I paid for it, I would have been upset. I didn't think the stafff was helpful at all, plenty friendly, but nothing special in the way of helping you with ressies or anything. The food offerings back then were fine, but we didn't partake very much except for breakfast. I'm not saying the experience was bad by any means, but I can't imagine paying that much extra for...well.....some snacks and a light breakfast.

PamNC

 

[cjsmith]

Thank you for your review
Can you tell me what the food offerings were at the Ritz? Always interested in staying at one, just haven't had an opportunity yet

The vary according to what one you're in and what country you're in, (Cancun is amazing) but here's an example of what was at the Ritz Naples last week.

Breakfast: 5 different bagels, lox, cream, butter,
Various muffins, rolls, and all kinds of pastries
Warm cinnamon buns
Lunch meats and cheeses, fruits, hard boiled eggs, cereals,
a couple of different parfaits of things, yogurts, etc.

Lunch time: 4 different kinds of small sandwiches including shrimp salad
soup, salad greens, various salads, cheeses & lunch meats,
cold steak, cookies, fruit tart, chocolate cake

Evening: lobster salad, cheese & crackers, olive trays, salads, various
dishes (including beef, shrimp, etc) cookies, desserts

Desserts: all different kinds of desserts, cakes, pies, cookies, etc.

In Cancun there is a chef present every night cooking and there is always hot food like pancakes and eggs in the morning.

It's really a great treat so if you ever do have the chance go for it!

 

[cjsmith]

We actually just returned from the Ritz in Naples as well! Although, we did not stay at the concierge there, we LOVED the hotel. Our last trip to Beach Club concierge we were also very disappointed with the offerings. Then last year we stayed at Grand Floridian RPC and LOVED it. It was an unbelievable difference in stays, including the staff (just our opinion). We're hooked on GF now. Glad you had a fun stay though!

Hope you enjoyed Naples, we actually live here. I live right up the street from the Ritz and took my husband there for his birthday. It's a chance to leave the kids (my 19 year old watched the 17 and 15 year old) and pretend we're on vacation yet be close enough to home should an emergency arrive.

 

[wdwthreethiels]

Just read a newspaper article regarding an attempted kidnapping, robbery and beating of a CT couple (20yo) at DTD.
It looks like they were approached in the parking lot just after midnight.
Please all, be aware of your surroundings at all times, be careful.
I am sure we will hear more as this unfolds.

 

[Joan1]

The vary according to what one you're in and what country you're in, (Cancun is amazing) but here's an example of what was at the Ritz Naples last week.

Breakfast: 5 different bagels, lox, cream, butter,
Various muffins, rolls, and all kinds of pastries
Warm cinnamon buns
Lunch meats and cheeses, fruits, hard boiled eggs, cereals,
a couple of different parfaits of things, yogurts, etc.

Lunch time: 4 different kinds of small sandwiches including shrimp salad
soup, salad greens, various salads, cheeses & lunch meats,
cold steak, cookies, fruit tart, chocolate cake

Evening: lobster salad, cheese & crackers, olive trays, salads, various
dishes (including beef, shrimp, etc) cookies, desserts

Desserts: all different kinds of desserts, cakes, pies, cookies, etc.

In Cancun there is a chef present every night cooking and there is always hot food like pancakes and eggs in the morning.

It's really a great treat so if you ever do have the chance go for it!

Thanks for the info. We have stayed at Hyatt club levels and they definitely offer more then the WDW concierge level services. Not as much as what you listed above but close

 

[cjsmith]

Just read a newspaper article regarding an attempted kidnapping, robbery and beating of a CT couple (20yo) at DTD.
It looks like they were approached in the parking lot just after midnight.
Please all, be aware of your surroundings at all times, be careful.
I am sure we will hear more as this unfolds.

Yes, read that in our paper this morning. Scary stuff considering our daughter and her boyfriend left us that same night and got into a car in the parking lot. Never heard a thing about it Sunday while at Disney nor did we see it on the local news.

 

[Sammie]

I agree, our last stay in concierge at the Yacht Club was our last. The lobby food offerings were a joke and the rowdy kids were even worse. I asked about the reduced food offerings and was told that so many guests had started making meals out of concierge they were cutting back.

It burns me up that we all pay for the crimes of a few.

 

[madalex]

Staff working on the concierge floor was fabulous but I do have to say that the offerings in the lounge has been cut even further since we stayed there last time.

I was there in late April and agree with this 100%. I've stayed at YC concierge a dozen times since 1997 and am very disappointed by how this has changed over the years. Historically, my main uses of the lounge have been for breakfast (don't eat much - just a bagel and some fruit), and the lounge is still okay for that, and hors d'oeurves before dinner, but the level of stuff that put out in the evenings has really gone downhill. I'm not quite ready to rethink staying concierge (it's never really been about the food and the cost is not an issue to me), but it is still disappointing.

 

[Dis Ohana]

I agree, our last stay in concierge at the Yacht Club was our last. The lobby food offerings were a joke and the rowdy kids were even worse. I asked about the reduced food offerings and was told that so many guests had started making meals out of concierge they were cutting back.

It burns me up that we all pay for the crimes of a few.

I thought the YC had a more upscale, quiet feel to it? Are there a lot of rowdy kids running wild in there? Tell me it isn't so! And is the lobby food offerings the same as the concierge level offerings?
If they are cutting back because of guests taking advantage of the offerings, then why haven't the other resorts done the same? It looks like they've added things to the GF CL snacks. I don't buy it, I think they're just making excuses for not being up to level.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Ritz in Naples

LOVE the Ritz in Naples...had a romantic weekend there last september!

I will be there next week, but there is a large group of us so we won't be alone too often...but still scary about the kidnapping

 

[lvloopingbag]

I have to agree. We just returned last month from a stay on the YC concierge level. The lounge was small and they didn't offer too much. The concierge levels on the monorail offer more in my opinion.....

 

[Sammie]

I thought the YC had a more upscale, quiet feel to it? Are there a lot of rowdy kids running wild in there? Tell me it isn't so! And is the lobby food offerings the same as the concierge level offerings?
If they are cutting back because of guests taking advantage of the offerings, then why haven't the other resorts done the same? It looks like they've added things to the GF CL snacks. I don't buy it, I think they're just making excuses for not being up to level.

I am sure some have stayed and had wonderful experiences, ours was not that way. Kids and teens were completely out of control in the lounge and nothing was done about it. This was last summer when we went and will not repeat concierge there.

 

[JESW]

In April we split our stay between the GF and the YC - concierge level for both. (First time at GF - have stayed YC several times) I was AMAZED at the differences in the offerings between the two! The Grand Floridian was soooo much better! Even the quality of the bagels was better. Too bad we went there first and then "downgraded" to the Yacht Club. We have agreed to stay away from there for a while as our last few visits have been disappointing. I know it doesn't matter to many, but the view from our room is important to me. I am tired of looking over the rooftops of the convention center..

Jill