Disney's Club Level (CL) Information & Questions

[GADisneyDad14]

I'm actually totally behind and am trying to read to catch-up! I appreciate this, and I kind of was feeling the same. Not our first visit, not our last, should be plenty of magic to find . There is probably a link somewhere, and I will look for it, but is there somewhere I can look to see parks availability for the dates we are considering? This feels like a whole different game!

Here you go: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/a...ort,passholder,tickets&defaultSegment=tickets

There are three ‘buckets’ - APs, Resort Guests, and Theme Park Ticket holders. Click Resort Guests and it’s easy to poke around dates.

Note the calendar is not real time. People change their plans all the time, and Disney has also been tweaking things from time to time (eg, adding availability or switching between buckets). I’ve had some times where the calendar said no availability but I was still able to make a reservation.

It is a whole different game, but it’s really not too hard to figure it out.

With no FPs, planning should be pretty easy for most I suspect. The only thing you need is your theme park reservation, not much else you have to do beyond that.

In some ways, it’s kind of nice!

 

[jods]

Hi everyone!!! Hope everyone is doing well and had a nice holiday. Don't be mad at me, but I'm going to ask an off property question I know, I know. We are hoping to go back in August. I miss Disney terribly. We may stay poly, we may stay WL, who knows. I am all over the place especially not being able to book cl. We have an adult only trip to Aruba planned for July and while I was playing around on the hilton site I got an amazing deal on hilton bonnet creek (friends and family). Its one of the off property that gets 60 day fp, emh etc. If there's no cl how is off property? I would Uber to all the parks and adrs, but not sure if I'll be miserable. My husband and younger son would golf next door at the Waldorf. Has anyone stayed off property? Thoughts? It's just a thought at this point but I did book it because it was a great deal.

 

[CogsworthTN]

Hi everyone!!! Hope everyone is doing well and had a nice holiday. Don't be mad at me, but I'm going to ask an off property question I know, I know. We are hoping to go back in August. I miss Disney terribly. We may stay poly, we may stay WL, who knows. I am all over the place especially not being able to book cl. We have an adult only trip to Aruba planned for July and while I was playing around on the hilton site I got an amazing deal on hilton bonnet creek (friends and family). Its one of the off property that gets 60 day fp, emh etc. If there's no cl how is off property? I would Uber to all the parks and adrs, but not sure if I'll be miserable. My husband and younger son would golf next door at the Waldorf. Has anyone stayed off property? Thoughts? It's just a thought at this point but I did book it because it was a great deal.

Hello My fellow Ariel fan! DH and myself stayed off property (kinda) during Thanksgiving week. Several things played into our decision to not stay at a Disney resort: no club level, no luggage pickup from airport, and no airport luggage check-in at the resorts for departure. DH uses Marriot for his business travel and found an annual passholder discount at Disney’s Swan resort for $122 per night plus $30 resort fee. *The code is QWH If you are an AP. So we basically stayed at a deluxe resort for the price of a value. This resort also receives the same Disney park perks and when PH is back the location makes this great. We were surprised, we loved it. First, the location cannot be beat. Being able to walk or ride the Friendship boats to two parks was ideal. Walking the Boardwalk at night is magical. The room was clean, lots of restaurants to choose from, lots of pools, and the grounds was very relaxing. In fact we loved it so much we have already booked another trip for June (If CL still is not available). I’m also certain golfing excursions were available too. We used the Boardwalk Inn buses for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. We used FL Tours for our airport transfers. Very impressed and with the lack of extras airport wise from Disney, the $140 we paid round trip was worth every penny. We were picked up right at the door outside of retrieving our luggage and returned back to our airlines gate for departure. I loved being in our on vehicle, not having to wait in line for ME and then traveling to different resorts before reaching ours. It made the Airport very easy for sure. Good luck in your decision, for us we did not regret our choice at all.

 

[jods]

Hello My fellow Ariel fan! DH and myself stayed off property (kinda) during Thanksgiving week. Several things played into our decision to not stay at a Disney resort: no club level, no luggage pickup from airport, and no airport luggage check-in at the resorts for departure. DH uses Marriot for his business travel and found an annual passholder discount at Disney’s Swan resort for $122 per night plus $30 resort fee. *The code is QWH If you are an AP. So we basically stayed at a deluxe resort for the price of a value. This resort also receives the same Disney park perks and when PH is back the location makes this great. We were surprised, we loved it. First, the location cannot be beat. Being able to walk or ride the Friendship boats to two parks was ideal. Walking the Boardwalk at night is magical. The room was clean, lots of restaurants to choose from, lots of pools, and the grounds was very relaxing. In fact we loved it so much we have already booked another trip for June (If CL still is not available). I’m also certain golfing excursions were available too. We used the Boardwalk Inn buses for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. We used FL Tours for our airport transfers. Very impressed and with the lack of extras airport wise from Disney, the $140 we paid round trip was worth every penny. We were picked up right at the door outside of retrieving our luggage and returned back to our airlines gate for departure. I loved being in our on vehicle, not having to wait in line for ME and then traveling to different resorts before reaching ours. It made the Airport very easy for sure. Good luck in your decision, for us we did not regret our choice at all.

Thanks for the info. I feel like Sean/Dolphin is on property because it's so close. You're right about not having the perks. I'm a sicko, I love ME going. It gets me excited, but if I have to lug my own bags it may not be as much fun. I tried the AP code, thanks. I'll give you rates for reference, this is all room only with tax and resort fees.
Bonnet creek is 1100, epcot view
Sean/dolphin standard was 22 or 2300. I couldn't pass up 11. There's nothing like staying Hawaii building though. Thanks for the advice and I just got an Ariel tshirt

 

[twinklebug]

What's everyone's vote for the worst Disney club level food offered?

I'll start with those tiny cone cakes. Adorable to look at, horrible to eat. Are they hazelnut flavored? That might be my aversion to them as I'm slightly allergic.

 

[Eastern]

What's everyone's vote for the worst Disney club level food offered?

I'll start with those tiny cone cakes. Adorable to look at, horrible to eat. Are they hazelnut flavored? That might be my aversion to them as I'm slightly allergic.

I don't think we can make food plans based on past experience. Who knows what CL will look like when it comes back.

That being said, I was not wild about the food choices at Poly, and at one time, CR was very stingy with the food. I liked the choices and amounts at YC, BWI, and esp GF. But again, who knows what is to come.

 

[Crazyhorse]

I don't think we can make food plans based on past experience. Who knows what CL will look like when it comes back.

That being said, I was not wild about the food choices at Poly, and at one time, CR was very stingy with the food. I liked the choices and amounts at YC, BWI, and esp GF. But again, who knows what is to come.

GF has an amazing CL. Not real impressed with YC last year. Our favorite is BWI...just wish their rooms were as refreshed as the YC rooms.

 

[twinklebug]

I don't think we can make food plans based on past experience. Who knows what CL will look like when it comes back.

Okay? Was this in response to me or just musing in general?

That being said, I was not wild about the food choices at Poly, and at one time, CR was very stingy with the food. I liked the choices and amounts at YC, BWI, and esp GF. But again, who knows what is to come.

What was the one item that stood out as one they shouldn't have even offered?

 

[Eastern]

What was the one item that stood out as one they shouldn't have even offered?

I didn't realize it was just a 'worst CL food ever' kind of question. I never had anything terrible. Most was pretty good.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

My vote is for the cookies that my daughter and I observed a man grab with his bare hands at GDT. It wasn’t even like he carefully pulled out one cookie. He grabbed a few by the handful. My daughter, who was 8 at the time, said to me, “that’s so gross! Doesn’t he know how to use the serving utensils?!” That’s my worst CL food experience. I haven‘t found any CL food I particularly dislike. I love the cobbler at WL. My daughter and I really missed the experience this Thanksgiving of eating cobbler while looking out at the beautiful tree in the lobby. Hopefully next year!

 

[Sarahslay]

My worst CL food was at SL CL summer 2019. It was my first stay that summer, second stay they weren't as bad, but they were the little egg bite things they have at breakfast. Might be because they weren't labled correctly, and I was expecting ham, but I took a bit and it was a tiny bit of egg with a TON of onion. Don't know how they fit so much onion in a little egg thing, but it was horrible. I looked down and it was about 90% onion on my plate, felt like they should rename them "onion egg bites" because it was literally onion being held together by a tiny bit of egg. I looked around and a lot of people had partially eaten ones on their plates pushed off to the side, it definitely wasn't usual for a GF CL offering.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm going to preface my post by saying, I have been entirely out of touch, and am fervently reading to catch-up. but the pull of Disney in December is incredibly strong-I know you will understand. I haven't done a non-club level stay for probably 10 years. If I do a last minute booking for say, a week or so from now, what should I book in terms of next best resort stay option that is non-club? How likely am I to get to do anything we enjoy in the parks? Is it even worth doing it this December? Yes, we visit often and would not be our one and only trip. Genuinely interested to hear some insights and opinions. Thank you.

I vote Riviera!

We booked Riviera for Nov and adored it. We’re generally unlikely to stay there because no club level + super expensive, we got a deal and gave it a whirl this time. It’s my favorite resort now. The extra space was a godsend as we did a 1 bedroom Villa. The skyliner (I’ve come around on the Skyliner of Terror ) spoiled us absolutely rotten. Due to COVID one party per bucket so it’s like personal transportation! Espresso at the cafe in the morning, grand marnier in my decaf coffee at night from the same cafe, and the only thing I missed were snacks (we ordered groceries via Amazon. A mistake we’ll never make again it was a total mess. #GardenGrocerOnly)

We did a preferred view and it was amazing sitting out on the balcony watching the Skyliner. Here’s one of my favorite shots from the trip from our balcony.

 

[Sarahslay]

I vote Riviera!

We booked Riviera for Nov and adored it. We’re generally unlikely to stay there because no club level + super expensive, we got a deal and gave it a whirl this time. It’s my favorite resort now. The extra space was a godsend as we did a 1 bedroom Villa. The skyliner (I’ve come around on the Skyliner of Terror ) spoiled us absolutely rotten. Due to COVID one party per bucket so it’s like personal transportation! Espresso at the cafe in the morning, grand marnier in my decaf coffee at night from the same cafe, and the only thing I missed were snacks (we ordered groceries via Amazon. A mistake we’ll never make again it was a total mess. #GardenGrocerOnly)

We did a preferred view and it was amazing sitting out on the balcony watching the Skyliner. Here’s one of my favorite shots from the trip from our balcony.

View attachment 543292

We are doing a split stay over Christmas week, staying at Riviera the second half starting on Christmas eve in a 1 bedroom villa, and now I really want to upgrade to the preferred view lol (DH would kill me probably lol). DH and I took a lunch break over thanksgiving week when at HS to check out the resort, and of course absolutely loved it. We sat outside waiting on our food order to be ready and it was just so peaceful and gorgeous. Thankful for my AP discount, it is so expensive, and I'm just sad they don't have a "regular resort" area with club level for the future. Will need to keep the evening coffee in mind too

 

[gottalovepluto]

I vote Riviera!

We booked Riviera for Nov and adored it. We’re generally unlikely to stay there because no club level + super expensive, we got a deal and gave it a whirl this time. It’s my favorite resort now. The extra space was a godsend as we did a 1 bedroom Villa. The skyliner (I’ve come around on the Skyliner of Terror ) spoiled us absolutely rotten. Due to COVID one party per bucket so it’s like personal transportation! Espresso at the cafe in the morning, grand marnier in my decaf coffee at night from the same cafe, and the only thing I missed were snacks (we ordered groceries via Amazon. A mistake we’ll never make again it was a total mess. #GardenGrocerOnly)

We did a preferred view and it was amazing sitting out on the balcony watching the Skyliner. Here’s one of my favorite shots from the trip from our balcony.

View attachment 543292

Umm... so I said I was unlikely to stay there again... but I just booked a solo trip and a couple of those days are very much quite possibly now booked in a Riv Tower Studio room

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Umm... so I said I was unlikely to stay there again... but I just booked a solo trip and a couple of those days are very much quite possibly now booked in a Riv Tower Studio room

Was that your first time in a villa? Or just first at Riv?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Was that your first time in a villa? Or just first at Riv?

Both. Definitely added to the wow factor being it was our first time in any Disney villa. Although with 5 people I could definitely see why a 1 bedroom Villa with 2 bathrooms is preferable. Disney cheaped out on Riv not putting a toilet in the bathroom adjacent to the master and that was kinda weird. All that space but no one can use the toilet if someone is showering

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Both. Definitely added to the wow factor being it was our first time in any Disney villa. Although with 5 people I could definitely see why a 1 bedroom Villa with 2 bathrooms is preferable. Disney cheaped out on Riv not putting a toilet in the bathroom adjacent to the master and that was kinda weird. All that space but no one can use the toilet if someone is showering

Ha! Yeah, prior to Disney moving us to a BLT 2 BR over the summer, I had never stayed in a villa. The DVC product doesn’t really fit our vacation habits/style, but villa rooms certainly do!

 

[melissa723]

I just had to share my excitement with those who I know will understand, but I just booked a DVC AKL CL studio for November 2021! Here's hoping that we'll be able to enjoy it this time!

 

[iona]

I just had to share my excitement with those who I know will understand, but I just booked a DVC AKL CL studio for November 2021! Here's hoping that we'll be able to enjoy it this time!

We’re booked for October

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This has nothing to do with WDW or CL, but sharing some wise words to live by this holiday season: