Does Club Level make sense for our trip?

[WishUponAStar3]

Hi all! So, I have a one-night trip to Disneyland Hotel coming up next Thursday for Sweethearts' Nite. We also plan to stay the full following day to catch World of Color: One and then drive back home to LA right after. However, since booking the trip, I had a work deadline come up- rather than cancel, I thought I would bring my laptop and work on location at the DLH during the day on Thursday and then just go into Disneyland for the after-hours event. Then on Friday, I was thinking I'd work from the room or concierge lounge until checkout and then spend the rest of the day in the parks. So for that reason, it made sense to pay the roughly $256 upgrade to Club Level, since otherwise I'm not sure where I would work if my room isn't ready before 3 PM. I also loved the idea of getting to have my meals in there while I work. (Luckily I am traveling with one of my best friends, who is very understanding about my deadlines and will happily go play in the parks while I'm working.) The only reasons I'm questioning it are:

- It doesn't look like they serve much in the way of lunch. I was planning to park myself there with my laptop from like 11 AM till 3 PM or so, but then would I have to leave the lounge and go pay extra to get lunch at Tangaroa or something?

- We currently have the dinner package at Carnation Cafe scheduled for Sweethearts Nite- would you keep that, or skip it and just have complimentary dinner and desserts at the lounge? That would help offset the cost, as long as we're not missing any Sweethearts Nite offerings. If the party starts at 9 PM, does that work with the E-Ticket Lounge dinner and dessert hours? (We do probably want to try the fun Sweethearts Nite desserts too, since that's a big part of the appeal of these ticketed events!)

- We would definitely take advantage of breakfast in the lounge, and then I'd maybe stay there and work another hour or two before checking my luggage and going to the parks for the rest of the day and evening.

Does this sound like a good plan? I don't mind paying extra if it's going to make it a much better experience, and also allow me to mix work and fun in a more productive way! I just wouldn't want to necessarily waste the $$ if I'm still going to need to buy lunch and dinner and if there's another cozy and quiet public place to work in the hotel that I'm just not aware of?

THANK YOU for your feedback!!

 

[DLandgirlie]

It sounds like your trip will be hotel dominant due to work, and in that case I say it may be worth it to have a lounge where you can work with access to snacks/drinks etc.
At the DLH the mid day snacks when I stayed in the fall, were house-made chips and dip, veggies, trail mix, cookies, Smuckers PB&J. The Breakfast had a meat/cheese assortment that we used to make bagel sandwiches to carry us over.
You have access to the pools and lounge even after check out, until 6pm I believe, on check-out day.
If you're a grazer, I think the Club level is fine. I too had to do work during my last stay, however I really enjoyed doing my work in the hotel room itself with pool view early in the morning before heading to the Club for breakfast.

That said I do think the dinner bites are lack luster, at least when I went. The offerings weren't impressive but edible and enough to not justify a whole meal for my appetite. At the same time, I'm not one to make reservations to eat in the park, I prefer quick service.

I personally just cancelled my club level for the Grand because I couldn't find any up to date offerings and the info I did find, didn't look worth the price based on the food.

My initial draw to club level is to have a place to relax that's not in the parks until the room becomes available, a place to watch fireworks and a place to relax midday with refreshments throughout the day.

If you can justify your wants with the price, then go for it.

 

[Curiousporpoise]

I think that’s a solid plan and totally worth it if you can use the club room for 2 days. My husband is a huge fan of the club level for the convenience as we have 2 young kids and it’s easy to pop in and out.

We usually arrive early on a red eye, so it’s nice to go straight to the club room and then hit the parks. Our rooms are usually ready right around 3pm, so we always end up back there around 2pm and can relax at a table or on the couch area before we get the text that our room is ready. The food offerings are not as substantial as the Grand Californian club room, and stay the same each day. The poster above described it perfectly. It’s more snacks than actual meals but it does the trick.

 

[WishUponAStar3]

Awesome, thank you both for the feedback! Sounds like it will be worth keeping that club level upgrade.

 

[Pluto468]

From the way you describe your trip I think club level would be worth it. The lounge is a very nice place to hang out. It will be quieter/louder depending on the time of day and how busy it is, so just keep that in mind if you need silence while working. It's never LOUD loud, but people chat while they eat.

The lunch offerings aren't as varied as breakfast and dinner, but you could get a sandwich as Tangaroa terrace or something if you wanted to supplement it.

You get unlimited drinks, so if you're working there during the slower between-meal times you'll be able to have coffee or soda as well as snacks.

The club dinner hours would work for Sweetheart nite, but Carnation Cafe might be more fun because you can people watch. I think club dessert starts at 8:00.

If you're going at 6:00 for the Sweetheart nite mix-in you could eat at Carnation Cafe, but if you weren't going to head over until 9:00 you might as well eat at the club and save your money for fancy event desserts

 

[irlandaise]

The lunch offerings aren't as varied as breakfast and dinner, but you could get a sandwich as Tangaroa terrace or something if you wanted to supplement it.

Probably WUAS3 could also order room service to the club lounge if he/she wanted more substantial food than is available in the lounge?

 

[WishUponAStar3]

From the way you describe your trip I think club level would be worth it. The lounge is a very nice place to hang out. It will be quieter/louder depending on the time of day and how busy it is, so just keep that in mind if you need silence while working. It's never LOUD loud, but people chat while they eat.

The lunch offerings aren't as varied as breakfast and dinner, but you could get a sandwich as Tangaroa terrace or something if you wanted to supplement it.

You get unlimited drinks, so if you're working there during the slower between-meal times you'll be able to have coffee or soda as well as snacks.

The club dinner hours would work for Sweetheart nite, but Carnation Cafe might be more fun because you can people watch. I think club dessert starts at 8:00.

If you're going at 6:00 for the Sweetheart nite mix-in you could eat at Carnation Cafe, but if you weren't going to head over until 9:00 you might as well eat at the club and save your money for fancy event desserts

Thank you so much, this all makes me feel better about my decision to spend the extra $$! I think I'll skip the heavy meal at Carnation (it's a 3-course dining package) and do the free club lounge dinner, saving some appetite to try as many Sweethearts Nite desserts as I have room for!

 

[WishUponAStar3]

Probably WUAS3 could also order room service to the club lounge if he/she wanted more substantial food than is available in the lounge?

OOH, good idea!! Yes, if I can order room service lunch to the lounge, then that is definitely what I'll do. I'll just park myself at the lounge from whenever I arrive (probably late morning or noonish) until it's time to go to Sweethearts Nite! Getting to work in that fun lounge with the views and a flow of snacks and drinks will definitely make for a more fun work day.

 

[irlandaise]

OOH, good idea!! Yes, if I can order room service lunch to the lounge, then that is definitely what I'll do. I'll just park myself at the lounge from whenever I arrive (probably late morning or noonish) until it's time to go to Sweethearts Nite! Getting to work in that fun lounge with the views and a flow of snacks and drinks will definitely make for a more fun work day.

Just be careful if you have to do any videoconferences not to let your work colleagues see what a sweet setup you're working from.

 

[lalasmama]

Just be careful if you have to do any videoconferences not to let your work colleagues see what a sweet setup you're working from.

Are you saying they should take the Mickey Ears *off* before the Zoom meeting?!? That takes away half the fun!

Signed,
I Take My MS Teams Meetings in the Esplanade With My Ears On

 

[WishUponAStar3]

Oh, I have definitely taken Zoom meetings with my Minnie ears before!! Not about to stop now, LOL!!