What exactly is concierge???

[disneydoodlebug]

We have reservations the first week in December for a split-stay at WL and AKL. I received a postcard rate of 109.00 for a standard room at both. What exactly does concierge offer? What are my chances of upgrading at either of these hotels?

 

[turnlisa]

We are staying in the concierage level in the Polynesian for the first time in November.

A few of the things that concierage service offers is a lounge with food that is available throughout the day. The food choices vary with the time of day. There are things out for breakfast (muffins, bagels, etc.) including coffee and juice, snacks at lunchtime, appetizer type foods at dinner and desserts and different alcoholic beverages at night. Concierage also offers turndown service and robes in the room. I have also used them to pick up a couple of items to be in the room when we arrive. Concierage can also help you make your PSs, including those hard to get ones such as CRT. It is basically a service to pamper you.

I don't know how busy the hotels are when you are going. Probably not very. You could probably call to upgrade but you will pay the additional. If you are hoping to upgrade for free, I have heard that this just about never happens. Like I said, we have never been there but will be experiencing it in November and can hardly wait! Happy planning!

 

[ducklite]

This is a link to a pretty comprehensive description of concierge services that I posted a while ago.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=429681&highlight=concierge

Your chances of a free upgrade from a standard room to concierge level are almost negligable. A free upgrade from standard to poolview at the AKL is probable if there are rooms available, often without even asking

Your chances of a paid upgrade to concierge entirely depends on how full the hotel is. Plan on $50-100 a night extra.

I'm sure you'll have fun!

Anne

 

[mep319]

On a previous post someone at AKL was going to ask the cost to upgrade from standard savannah view to concierge...I told her to get back to me when she got back to see how things went...well she just got back and this is what she PM me...

from Zalansky...

Hi...You had asked me to let you know abouyt our luck with AKL concierge when we returned. Well, we are back and the hotel was pretty empty as one of the bellmen told us. We asked about upgrading and were told $215.00 EXTRA per night! When we told the bellmen he said they never upgrade at AKL for a lower fee.

$215/nite is crazy!! I can't see it would ever be worth that unless you are going standard to conceirge....just an FYI

 

[KathyFP]

WOW That is a lot of money!

 

[>>^..^<<]

The resort has to be selective and strict about upgrading locally... people would stop booking it in advance and asking to upgrade at check in more often.

Personally I would be annoyed to book in advance and pay the full rates (or code rates) for concierge and then find out everyone and his brother were regularily upgraded for 50.00

$215.00 sounds like tooooooo much for an upgrade at AKL.. ususally it is 100-125.00.

Please don't flame me... I know WL regularly upgrades for $40-60.00 a night ~ apparently WL concierge is not on par with AKL, Poly, GF, YC, BC.. etc... however I have read recent reports where the food and service sounded excellent and totally comparable to the other deluxes... so I am not sure why the upgrade amount is so low?

>>^..^<<

 

[CarolA]

I have a feeling the reason is it was $215 was that the original room is on a discount. I asked about this several years ago and got the same pricing area. I did the math and the upgrade price was the difference between my DISCONTED room and a RACK rate at the concerige.

 

[DisneyChick02]

The reason it is so low is that it's only been at WL for a little while generally speaking (not an inital feature of the resort like it was at other deluxe properties). Basically, to get the word out and get people to experience that service level, those check-in upgrades at low rates are available. In my personal opinion, I would not expect that low rate upgrade to be around much longer...now that is more "established" there is less of an incentive to offer that rate when in fact guests are paying the full price to stay on the floor. Also, as another poster pointed out, when you have everyone and their mother upgrading at the desk to go to the concierge floor for a heck of a lot less than even a discounted concierge room would go for, it loses the exclusivity factor that guests who booked concierge rooms in advance paid for. Also look at occupancy too- a lot was provided during tough times the past few years to get guests to Disney, now with the resorts packed at regular rates there is less need to do this.

Most resorts have now moved away from those low upgrade rates and the general rule now is that, barring some oddity occuring, you will pay the difference between the rack rate for the concierge room of your choice and your current rate for the room you booked (and that means if you book a standard and are comp upgraded to a waterview, you will pay the difference between standard and concierge, not waterview and concierge). WL still has it in tact, but even that rate has gone up a bit, but is still extremely low.

Personally, the WL is still one of the best bargains on Disney property in my opinion, and the concierge upgrade is one of those pieces- I'm hoping they'll keep it for awhile, but I have a feeling it won't now b/c the secret is out!!