Useful Concierge Information

[eller]

We are planning a return trip for after Thanksgiving next year. Thinking about 10 days total. Which resort would you suggest for the best concierge holiday? Taking in food, decorations, and activities.

I think I need to book now, so I know we have the resort and dates.

Of the three we've been to (Poly, AKL and BC), I'd go with AKL. They were just better all around. Better planning, and much better food. I also liked that I could talk to the planning people. That was not the case at BC.

Lori

 

[Viki]

It was so nice yesterday to receive our planning documents for our one-night concierge stay at AKL and to receive today an response from Don to an e-mail I sent yesterday before picking up the mail. He has doubled my pleasure and the thing that is really nice is that in his e-mail to me he inquired about the name of my "other half" without assuming gender one way or the other. I'm so glad we tacked on this one-day peek so that we'll be really prepared for our 10-day stay in August. It will be great to meet the staff in person and then have 8 months to work with them.

 

[garada3]

Experts

I emailed the GF IPO on Sunday with our ADR and our tour requests.

180 days was Monday the 7th.

I have not heard back from them yet.

Should I give them some more time to make our arrangments? Is this turn around time the norm for GF IPO? Do they send confirmations? Do I have to remind them to do this?

I am a bit concerned because the pre planning service was a big perk of paying for Royal Palm concierge.

thanks

 

[triplefigs]

Experts

I emailed the GF IPO on Sunday with our ADR and our tour requests.

180 days was Monday the 7th.

I have not heard back from them yet.

Should I give them some more time to make our arrangments? Is this turn around time the norm for GF IPO? Do they send confirmations? Do I have to remind them to do this?

I am a bit concerned because the pre planning service was a big perk of paying for Royal Palm concierge.

thanks

Email them. I had to. We got everything I asked for, but the IPO was a little slow in responding.

 

[SamSam]

Dh and I will be staying AKL concierge for the first time in Feb. and are so excited. I e-mailed yesterday about our upcoming staying, with requests for the safari and a couple of other things and haven't had a response yet. I don't want to pester them, so could you please let me know what the normal response time is. Thank you for any help.

 

[asianmom]

Hi, I am considering doing GF concierge main building for our upcoming trip in Jan.(Its our first trip btw,hence the silly questions that follow)
Can someone kindly advice me on the rooms to request for please? Quietness is top on my priority cos me and ds are both light sleepers.I am also hoping to have a view of the castle so I can see the fireworks(castle view for firework right?) and then maybe not too far from the lounge.Yeah, I know, I know, greedy....Some where on this post it has been suggested that rooms with the lower numbers have views of the fireworks but will they be noisy? Please help.Thx.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hi, I am considering doing GF concierge main building for our upcoming trip in Jan.(Its our first trip btw,hence the silly questions that follow)
Can someone kindly advice me on the rooms to request for please? Quietness is top on my priority cos me and ds are both light sleepers.I am also hoping to have a view of the castle so I can see the fireworks(castle view for firework right?) and then maybe not too far from the lounge.Yeah, I know, I know, greedy....Some where on this post it has been suggested that rooms with the lower numbers have views of the fireworks but will they be noisy? Please help.Thx.

Hi! You are going to my favorite WDW resort The rooms with a castle view are quiet but they are the farthest from the lounge. I prefer them anyway! I have stayed right over the lobby and it was very noisy. They vaccuum and polish the floors about 2 am and it woke me up. The castle view rooms are down at the end of the hallways over the marina and they are just a bit of a hike to the lounge, but well worth it. I am going over Thanksgiving and will be thrilled to have one of them again!!


Just wanted to add that yes, they are the lower numbers. I have been in 4303, and 4301. Both spectacular castle/fireworks views!

Happy planning! Have a great trip,

Lives4Disney

 

[TammiMcMan]

Can someone kindly advice me on the rooms to request for please? Quietness is top on my priority cos me and ds are both light sleepers.I am also hoping to have a view of the castle so I can see the fireworks(castle view for firework right?) and then maybe not too far from the lounge.Yeah, I know, I know, greedy....Some where on this post it has been suggested that rooms with the lower numbers have views of the fireworks but will they be noisy?

The main building concierge is spread out between 3 floors. The 3rd floor houses the onsite concierge staff, the 4th floor houses the lounge and rooms are located on all 3 floors. Unfortunately, there is not a room that will meet all of your requirements, to have a view, to be quiet and not far from the lounge. I can offer you suggestions for the view and quiet though. I'd suggest requesting 4th floor, room numbers 4401-4409. The rooms are located in a quiet wing of the main building and there is no 5th floor space above you, so no overhead noise. Your view will be looking directly at the castle. You are 2 long hallways from the lounge and elevators, but this dramatically cuts down on any hallway noise.

 

[Angel16]

SamSam - AKL is usually very good about returning e-mail quickly. However, I would imagine they have been slammed with the 180 day planning just going into effect. There are only three people working in the IPO. You can give them a call the phone number is 407 938-4755. Don't worry they will do everything with in their power to get all our requests. Have a wonderful trip. The safari's are wonderful! aw:

Angel 16

 

[asianmom]

Thanks a lot, Live4disney and Tammi. Solved my problems. Would go for the quiet room on the 4th floor. Could do with some exercise, anyway.

 

[SamSam]

Angel, thanks so much for the heads up. I'm trying not to worry, but planning this just 2 1/2 months ahead has me a little worried that I may not be able to get the Safari. I'll wait one more day, then give them a call if I haven't received an e-mail back. We're BCV members, but just love AKL.

 

[garada3]

that the GF IPO would come through for us!

I posted yesterday with concerns about the pre planning process. I arrived home from work yesterday and found a phone message from the GF IPO asking for me to return the call.

They had booked almost everything as requested and just needed credit card info to take care of a few more things.

The woman I spoke with was delightful! I told her how happy we were to have gotten all of our requests, even the exact times, as we hoped and that I really appreciate her efforts in light of the new 180 day policy. She mentioned that the change has made things very hectic for them in the short term as those between 90 - 180 days catch up. She also said that she had guests calling with the policy change info before they had been formally told about the change. We then had a bit of a giggle over the 'internet users who know as much as we do' I tried not to let on that I was one of those obsessive internet planners

After the phone conversation, I received a complete planning itinerary via email within 10 minutes. I am loving this!

 

[Nancyg56]

Angel, thanks so much for the heads up. I'm trying not to worry, but planning this just 2 1/2 months ahead has me a little worried that I may not be able to get the Safari. I'll wait one more day, then give them a call if I haven't received an e-mail back. We're BCV members, but just love AKL.

SamSam: I spoke to Don at the AKL IPO last night toclarify a dinner reservation, and he said that the 180 days out was making things "interesting". I got the impression, although he was way too cordial to say it, that they were busier than was usual. Good luck!

 

[Viki]

SamSam: I spoke to Don at the AKL IPO last night toclarify a dinner reservation, and he said that the 180 days out was making things "interesting". I got the impression, although he was way too cordial to say it, that they were busier than was usual. Good luck!

And, yet, that whole time, Don has made it a point to get back to me almost daily - by e-mail - on a very few details of our upcoming trip, when I'm only spending one night at AKL concierge. Frankly, I'm in love!

 

[Nancyg56]

And, yet, that whole time, Don has made it a point to get back to me almost daily - by e-mail - on a very few details of our upcoming trip, when I'm only spending one night at AKL concierge. Frankly, I'm in love!

Me too! I also have had a wonderful experience with Sue. but I gotta tell you, I was not in any hurry to get off the phone last night.....he is amazing! What a fabulous team!

 

[SamSam]

With the response's you all are getting, I think I will e-mail again. It doesn't happen often, but e-mail's do get lost in cyperspace.

 

[Angel16]

Sam Sam Call them today also. It just isn't like AKL to not return e-mails or phone calls. You e-mail may have floated off somewhere else.

Don is fantastic and so funny. Has he done is Donald Duck impresson for anyone here on the boards? It is really good.

The three CM's in IPO are Don, Juanita and Sue. Great team. They also have another member, however he only takes care of VIP's. I don't remember his name.

 

[SamSam]

Angel, I think I will take your advice and call. I'll just rest easier knowing that they have my info and are working on my requests. Thanks for being so helpful.

 

[Viki]

Angel, I think I will take your advice and call. I'll just rest easier knowing that they have my info and are working on my requests. Thanks for being so helpful.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[eller]

Has he done is Donald Duck impresson for anyone here on the boards? It is really good. QUOTE]

Yes! My children love Don!

Lori