Useful Concierge Information

[#1hockeymom]

*shaking head* Don't worry... my family doesn't "get it" either!(Conversation with my father just last week "Deb, when are you going to the south of France?" "I was on the far side of EPCOT just last October.. that counts! BTW, Dad, did you know the UK and France are only separated by a bridge? *giggling ensues from here)
I do agree that staying concierge encourages less commando type touring! I think part of it is just staying at a deluxe hotel v. value. When we were at POP last October, we totally went commando as the room wasn't something we wanted to hang out in. Swan or Dolphin, we hang out at the resort much more. Every AKL trip we get seem to go slower and slower, not caring if we really leave on time for the parks and rushing back just to see what is on our balcony! Concierge just makes it that much more tough to leave the hotel!

 

[steveanddonna]

Like Tess and her family we are Poly fans. I have nothing to compare to though, as I can't convince DH to try any other resort. The more we stay at the Poly, the more the CMs there feel like family, and the harder it is to think about changing. I love the laid back atmosphere, the way the views are framed, the lounge, the location...

Our concierge trips do tend to be less commando, johnsonet. Of course, we've only stayed non-concierge once in the last 7 years. I love doing Disney as a full-scale resort rather than a bunch of parks together by hotels. When I think of all the things we want to see/try/do yet I realize there are still a lot of Disney trips in my future!

 

[Dizz42]

Also shaking head my head, #1hockeymom, as I was telling my niece (total Disney nut like us) about snagging CR 14th Floor Concierge king room. My sister was sitting between us with that "so-what's-the-big-deal" look on her face.
Totally agree, johnsonet, that it's all about the resort when it's just DH and I. Well, that's not entirely true...it's also about THE FOOD!
When we take our DD, SIL, and 2 grandkids, they call me "Commando Grandma".

 

[johnsonet]

Forgot to mention...
SOMEONE is celebrating her 35th birthday at Victoria & Albert's
Many thanks to Don at AKL IPO for suggesting this and arranging it for me ! I am absolutely THRILLED and cannot wait!
Wine pairings or BUST! :thewave:

 

[BCV23]

Does anyone notice a trend here....we all have enjoyed the resort concierge experiences that we have actually experienced!

So my guess is that they all do a fine job.....as do the resorts in general.

johnsonet, have a great time at V&A....it is the best dining experience at WDW hands down IMHO.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Oh lucky you! That will be a great birthday celebration!

 

[minniesota]

I have only gone CL once - this October at GF RPC and loved it. While there have not been glowing reports about the IPO, I found Denny to be very professional and helpful as well. He managed eveything we asked of him. The food offerings were great, though the kids pretty much stuck to cheese, crackers, fruit and desserts! Oh, don't forget the tuxedo strawberries! Mmmm... And the lounge, lobby, orchestra ambience is so fabulous. What's not to love? I will be trying BWI CL very soon, however, so I will have something to compare. I have to say the IPO there has been great and so friendly! Which reminds me - when you send an appreciation gift, do you send it ahead of your trip and where - or do you wait until you are there? Just curious since I definitely plan to show my appreciation!

 

[Tess]

Originally posted by BCV23
Does anyone notice a trend here....we all have enjoyed the resort concierge experiences that we have actually experienced!

So my guess is that they all do a fine job.....as do the resorts in general.

I can't complain about any of them--some things weren't so stellar with others, but the same can be said for our beloved Polynesian--the hotels are staffed by humans after all. Our preference, however, is for the Polynesian. That said, I wouldn't kick the other experiences to the curb again and would gladly visit the other resorts again PROVIDED I get to stay longer at Polynesian.

 

[Angel16]

Originally posted by johnsonet
Forgot to mention...
SOMEONE is celebrating her 35th birthday at Victoria & Albert's
Many thanks to Don at AKL IPO for suggesting this and arranging it for me ! I am absolutely THRILLED and cannot wait!
Wine pairings or BUST! :thewave:

Johnsonet is having a birthday at WDW and at Victoria & Albert's. Now that is a celebration! But you have to come clean and tell us when your birthday is. I checked you profile and there isn't any information. So dear...when is your big, but young 35th birthday?

Angel

 

[GoofyJoofy]

I updated the first post to include the phone and mailing contact information for the Concierge Planning Offices.

 

[BCV23]

Thanks, GoofyJoofy! It looks great and what a convenient way to find the info. Wonderful job.

 

[ValerieK]

Bump

Plus I just wanted to see my countdown.

 

[outstandinfarmer]

I understand that staying concierge is quite an experience, but is it worth t for the extra money meaning that, either we can stay concierge and eat more at the hotel, or use the money saved and eat at more restaurants?

I'm considering eating out somewhere nice at lunch and eating breakfast and dinner back at the hotel since I'm sure we will be snacking all day in the parks anyway.

Also, if we stay ALK CL, we have a lot of picky eaters. Is there food to acoomodate us all?

 

[Goofy's Muse]

outstandinfarmer... It's hard to say whether the decision to go concierge would be worth it for you if you're doing it for the food alone. It probably depends on the number of folks in your party and what your expectations are around eating.

Our family of 5 thought it was well-worth it this past summer at the BC. We ate several mornings in the lounge (continental breakfast fare including a nice variety of fruit) and enjoyed the evening cordials and desserts many nights. We did the 5-7 cocktail hour only once due to our touring style, but we thought the food offerings were wonderful.

There are others with personal experience of AKL and I must say that based on their rave reviews, it is one I would love to try just for the Cappucino machine and African smoothies alone! Word is that the food offerings are plentiful, the lounge is wonderful and welcoming, and the CM staff provide a wonderful experience, both pre-planning as well as on-site. Plus if you're into the idea of either the Sunrise or Sunset Safari, those optional extras are offered exclusively to concierge guests.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[GoofyJoofy]

I'm considering eating out somewhere nice at lunch and eating breakfast and dinner back at the hotel since I'm sure we will be snacking all day in the parks anyway.

Just so you know, concierge is not considered a food plan, and the evening offerings are more of an appetizer than a full meal. If you have a substantial lunch, then the evening offering may be enough for you.

Concierge is more than the food and the lounge though. There is a staff that will help you plan your vacation before you even get to Disney. They can make PS for you, arrange special activities, and can purchase items and have them in the room waiting for you.

I had the concierge staff arrange to deliver a gift basket to my SIL, who was staying at another Disney resort during our vacation. They also arranged to have anniversary flowers delivered to our room, while we were out at dinner.

The staff in the lounge can assist you during your visit, with everything from entertainment ideas, to switching PS. We had several conversations with the staff, and they gave us tips such as where to stand for Wishes, what to look for at attractions, and just general guide tips to the parks, to make our visit more enjoyable.

 

[meuseman]

I would have to agree with Goofy there. For example, staying at WL concierge, I was waiting for luggage to be transferred from the Poly. The luggage had our MNSSHP tickets in it. We had a 5:10 PS and it was 4:45. We needed those tickets and we needed to get to the MK in 15 minutes, so waiting for the boat was out. The Conc. staff brought me down to the luggage room, where I found my luggage (under my wife's maiden name, which is why no one could find it), brought the luggage to our room, and drove us over to the MK in the WL truck, so we would make our PS on time. I tend to think that we would have been pretty much out of luck if we weren't staying conc. Just my example.

 

[ValerieK]

I am going to bump this again.

 

[minniesota]

We had a fabulous trip and I have lots to report but there's so much to catch up on in the homefront department! Yikes! The short version is we enjoyed the garden suite at BWI - and things started out great - but we ran into a little noise problem on our 2nd night and a really big noise problem on our 3rd night (which entailed me on the phone 3 times with the duty manager between 1:45 and 3:30 a.m.) They offered to move us at 3:30 a.m. but I declined. At 7 a.m., we were on the phone with management and told them we did want to move - to the GF. I managed to snag an AP rate in the RPC and they upgraded us to a deluxe concierge room. So all's well that ends well. BWI management couldn't have been nicer in handling the problem but I was glad I had the knowledge and where-with-all to be very proactive and make my own arrangements to move. Bottom line - DH doesn't want to stay anywhere but the GF from now on. A terrible price to pay, I know.

We had lots of fabulous meals and some anniversary surprises. loved MVMCP and Candlelight Processional. Crowds were bigger than I expected. I'll try to fill you all in on the details as I catch up. ANy questions?

 

[ga9497]

To get us started:

All of Disney's Deluxe resorts offer concierge level service for an additional fee.
In addition to Disney's Deluxe Resorts, the Swan and Dolphin also offer a similar service but it is called Club Level


<center>One important note:</center>
The Itinerary Planning Office (IPO) will not have your address and phone number if you book through a travel agent or online. You should call them and let them know you are coming. Most of us like to make contact with IPO as soon as we make our resort ressies.

It depends on the travel agent
My travel agent told me that she was contacting the concierge office with my information, address, phone number, reservation number etc

 

[TammiMcMan]

It is honestly best to be proactive when it comes to planning your Disney vacation. If you want the pre-planning staff to help you with priority seating arrangements or other recreation, I would contact them.

Tammi