What's so special about the club rooms at AK?

[Mosescan]

Hello,

I'm new to the Disney world. I've just put my first offer in on some points at AK and I was wondering...what's the big deal with the club rooms? From reading the boards I understand that the value rooms and the club rooms are the first to be booked up at the 11 month window. The demand for the value rooms I understand, the demand for the club rooms I don't. What do you get above and beyond a Savannah view that makes these rooms so attractive for the extra points? If I'm going to spend the points then I want to know what value I'm getting for my money. I also don't want to cheap out and get only a Savannah view if there is something amazing that comes with that club room.

Thanks,

 

[MouseOfCards]

For the extra points, you get the only DVC rooms in the world with concierge/club level access, as well as a mediocre view of the Savanna or Pool!

This includes free food (not great) and turn down service. Worth trying at least once.

 

[MouseOfCards]

Here are photos of their menu from our trip there a few weeks ago.

 

[disneynutz]

You get the feeling of being special. The food is just so so, the room views not worth the money. IMO the rooms were given to DVC because Disney wouldn't make their cash guests stay there. We own there and have stayed CL twice, we won't be staying CL again and we don't really stay at AKV anymore. Other resorts have more to offer.

Bill

 

[Mosescan]

So you don’t even get the rooms with the best view?

 

[drusba]

Actually, the demand for the club rooms in comparison to others is not actually that high. The issue is that there are only five 2BR lock-offs (which can be ten studios and ten 1BRs) that are club level, with the result that you only need 10 members for any given date booking studios to fill both the studios and 2BRs, and that typically occurs within nano-seconds of the opening of the 11 month window; 1BRs are often open for a little longer.

Club level gives you the club lounge and personal concierge service, plus daily housekeeping. However, the rooms do not provide the best views: two of the 2BR lock-offs overlook the pool and the other three (including one HA room) have a partially blocked view (by a roof overhang) of an small arm of the sunset savanna (an area heavily occupied by "standard view" 2BR lock-offs because the views are not that good). And you cannot request view with them (it is luck of the draw whether you get pool or savanna view). Bottom line: (a) if you want concierge services and the lounge and are not concerned about view, then club level could be a choice, but if you want a good savanna view choose a room in the savanna view booking category; and (b) do not purchase AKV under the belief that you can usually get club level rooms because, if you do, you will be sorely disappointed.

 

[disneynutz]

More about the views. Because the views are so bad, DVC won't let you request which view, savanna or pool. The pool is in the distance, the majority of the view is a roof which is below and extends towards the pool. The savanna side is a savanna dead end, not a popular place for animals to hang out even with the food left out for them. We have seen birds and a buffalo looking animal in the CL savanna. Housekeeping is about the same as other DVC resorts, hit or miss. Dealing with some of the other guests can be a challenge, the CL is shared with the lodge CL guests. Some have manners, some swoop in and take food back to their rooms, some take the drinks, sometimes depending on when you visit the food, it can be picked over and not restocked.

Best to give it a try for yourself and see what it is all about.

Bill

 

[Best Aunt]

There was a time when you had to be staying Club Level (either AKV or Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel) in order to do a particular tour at Animal Kingdom Park. The tour has been discontinued. At that time, there were other tours for which you had to be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Villas. Now I believe anyone can take those tours. So at the time, I stayed AKV Club Level and did all the tours in one trip. I was on the savanna side, but saw very few animals from my window.

I have not stayed Club Level at other Disney resorts, so I can't compare it to them. I found that the lounge was small and it was hard to get a seat. In the evening, the food was pre-plated on small plates, so you would have to keep getting up and going back if you wanted more.

I did not eat breakfast in the lounge. If you plan to do that, make sure you know what time they start serving, and whether you will have time to eat before you leave for the parks.

I didn't need help from the concierge staff for reservations or anything, so that service was not an advantage to me.

I was happy to be AKV Club Level that trip, but I would not do it again.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We enjoy an AKV CL stay at least once a year.

 

[gillep]

We also enjoy a CL stay each year, different people have different needs. We have had trips where we have hardly seen any animals and others where we had giraffe and zebra at least each day for a week long stay. We like the CL offerings, and the trip that we do CL for is our longest each year, so we spend a lot more time at the resort and enjoy the extra space that the lounge affords. They have re-arranged the lounge in the last couple years so that there is more seating, and in my opinion they are using the little space they have in a much more efficient manner than they were a few years ago. Most offerings are not pre-plated now, so it is easier to fill a small plate with things you like, and you don't have to go back as often as when they were doing more of the pre-plated foods. I can understand why CL is not worth it to many people, and I agree with all the negatives, it just works for us for our yearly AKV trip, and we enjoy it and have the points to do it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We enjoy the offerings, and I sit on the balcony and read and I see the flamingos in the distance if we are on that side. Usually we see animals if on the savannah side. My DH enjoys our CL stays, usually 2-4 days each year.


April 2011....it was a special trip with my sister, celebrating her retirement and sobriety! I had booked CL in anticipation of her retirement, and yes, I knew she enjoyed wine. Obviously, we did not partake of the nightly alcoholic offerings, we did not miss them.

One evening we came back late to the room, 15 zebras were gathered at the end of the savannah we were on. It was mystical, very very special....sadly no pictures, but I hold that experience, the whole stay in my heart. My DSis is a strong woman, we were both in tears that night.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Those sixth floor villas used to be the smoking option rooms at Jambo House before they shut down smoking and turned them into DVC villas.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Dont they have complementary wine and beer [ or some kind of alcohol] in the late afternoon e/ early evening to go along with the food?

 

[disneynutz]

Dont they have complementary wine and beer [ or some kind of alcohol] in the late afternoon e/ early evening to go along with the food?

Yes but will you drink enough to justify the extra cost?

Bill

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

I can try ! LOL!


In all seriousness, I have thought a club level room would be fun for a trip where you just hang out at the resort and enjoy the pool and maybe the water parks. I cant handle t he heat for a "park trip" in the summer....but I have done a few non park trips in June and July

 

[cedricandsophie]

We bought extra AK points on resale just so I could stay in the club once a year. Personally i love it for 3 or 4 days. We don’t do parks when we are there so we spend all day at resort. Enjoy breakfast, snacks and sodas during day,appetizers and wine before dinner and dessert and after dinner drinks after dinner. I enjoy getting the rooms cleNed every day and we have lucked out with a savannah view one bedroom every time. Being in jambo house makes it convenient to the pool and the buses for Disney Springs etc. I don’t regret the extra purchase at all.

 

[aoconnor]

Interesting, I didn't know you got full housekeeping every day! Love coming back to a cleaned up room and made bed. That combined with breakfast and a few drinks in the evening might make it worth it in my eyes.

 

[Ben E N]

Can't these club level rooms now also buy the extra 3 FPs per day for $50 each day, or is that limited to only cash guests?

 

[gillep]

Dont they have complementary wine and beer [ or some kind of alcohol] in the late afternoon e/ early evening to go along with the food?

Not just the late afternoon, they don't have the wine/beer/specialty drinks out all day as they are only self serve in the evenings, but you can ask the staff and they will get you whatever you might like. I usually start my day with a mimosa or sunrise sangria, and grab another drink to take to the pool with me in the afternoon, or to take back to my room if we are coming back for a mid day rest.

Can't these club level rooms now also buy the extra 3 FPs per day for $50 each day, or is that limited to only cash guests?

Yes, reports are they they are eligible. we are hoping that they are still doing this program when we have our next club level stay January 2019.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Free wine and beer!