How did they get into the CL at the Grand?

[Searc]

Doesn’t seem right does it? There’s plenty of other places to hang out in the hotels, I don’t understand how somebody can be allowed in a club level lounge when they haven’t payed for it

Why doesn't it seem right? It has zero effect on you.

 

[Amelia :)]

Why doesn't it seem right? It has zero effect on you.

I never said it effected me? Or that I begrudged it. I just assumed the CL was for guests only, that’s all.

 

[Searc]

I never said it effected me? Or that I begrudged it. I just assumed the CL was for guests only, that’s all.

It is for guests only. The bloggers were invited guests.

 

[Amelia :)]

It is for guests only. The bloggers were invited guests.

Yes. But neither OP or I realised this was allowed. People are saying it often is, so fair enough. Every day’s a school day.

 

[Ralphmiller007]

I didn't realize it either, I'm always learning something new on these boards!

 

[SL6827]

I know when we did CL this past June at the AKL I though that this must be easiest CL to sneak, (not ask permission), but really sneak others into because of the two different entrances. One has the CL staff at its entrance, the other has no one. I was surprised.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I’m actually surprised about this one also, especially if they announced it in their video. I can’t see any resort giving permission for that! My situation was rather unique, I guess. I actually didn’t officially ask if my family member could join us in the lounge. When I went to the concierge desk, I explained that only three members of my family had been upgraded and asked if there was a way for me to add the fourth member of our party, who was staying in a different room, onto our reservation so that they could enjoy the lounge as well. I offered to pay for an additional adult in the room. I was told it wasn’t necessary, and we could bring the one member of our family up with us. It was very nice of them! That was a stay I’ve never forgotten. I’d love to stay in the Tower Club again...thinking of it for the future!

I don't understand why you think your situation is any different than theirs? If a CL guest asked GF staff if they could have guests up and the answer was yes, it's no different than your situation. It's very possible the CL guest wasn't at capacity in their room and asked if they could add the vloggers as day guests (at an additional cost) so they could access the lounge that evening. For all we know, their host paid the additional adult fee in order to do this. Or they were simply given pixie dust as you were. GF got some very nice advertising out of allowing them up to the CL lounge to vlog, so, seems like a win-win on all accounts.

As PP's have said, I don't think this is atypical. We just stayed at CR a few weeks ago. We booked a Hospitality Suite with CL access which has a room capacity of 7 guests. We were 6 altogether and ended up booking a separate non-CL room as one in our party has multiple disabilities and we needed a specific bedding configuration for him and his nurse. So, we had 4 in the CL room (with a capacity of 7) and 2 in the non-CL room. We were fully prepared for CR CL staff to not allow the 2 in the non-CL room to access the lounge, but it was never even an issue. They welcomed all 6 of us with open arms.

 

[Kms943]

Why doesn't it seem right? It has zero effect on you.

I don't agree that is had zero effect on paying CL guests. More people crowding the lounge possibly taking seating away from premium paying CL guests, more people eating and drinking possibly clearing out food and drink items that should have been available for paying CL guests. The difference as I see it between the "pixie dust" of upgrading someone from say garden view to lagoon view or giving someone a free Mickey bar or an item from a shop is the fact that those things don't potentially take anything away from the experience that another guest has paid a premium for. By your logic, there would be no difference if they let non paying guests into the dessert fireworks viewing parties either. I understand that the CL Cm's have discretion on letting non-CL people in the lounge, but it's a slippery slope.

 

[Lehuaann]

There is a listed room capacity in the CL lounges, so if the CMs need to conduct a clean sweep, they will. Trust me, they are always watching.

We have never encountered guests hogging up tables with non-CL people. One or two guests, the CL staff do not seem to mind and is a myob situation in my opinion.

The 2nd gated CL entrance at AKL is there for Kudu side 4th floor CL guests and requires a CL key. We have used it a lot and guests are not sneaking people through there. CMs are literally standing right there by the kitchen most of the time. We were there in April and just checked out a few days ago. I noticed a few cameras around as well.

This is not some scheme. The bloggers were invited guests and had many well-wishers. The one person who mentioned the CL did not appear to be calling them out. Please leave these people alone.

 

[DisneyMim]

Actually we stay CL and at times my brother has visited us. He has a place near Disney. We have asked if he could join us in the lounge and they have always been very gracious in allowing them in. Now granted we usually only have 3-4 people with us, two rooms, and my brother's family sometimes only have 2 people.

As in everything Disney there are no hard and fast right or wrong answers. I think it depends on the phase of the moon.

 

[Searc]

I don't agree that is had zero effect on paying CL guests. More people crowding the lounge possibly taking seating away from premium paying CL guests, more people eating and drinking possibly clearing out food and drink items that should have been available for paying CL guests. The difference as I see it between the "pixie dust" of upgrading someone from say garden view to lagoon view or giving someone a free Mickey bar or an item from a shop is the fact that those things don't potentially take anything away from the experience that another guest has paid a premium for. By your logic, there would be no difference if they let non paying guests into the dessert fireworks viewing parties either. I understand that the CL Cm's have discretion on letting non-CL people in the lounge, but it's a slippery slope.

It has ZERO effect on other CL guests. You are all guests. It's more sour grapes because you think they got something free you paid for. I have no problem with any kind of "pixie dust" CM's chose to dish out. If that means someone got into a dessert party that I paid for, no skin off my nose. It has no effect on my experience.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

I don't understand why you think your situation is any different than theirs?

Not everyone who is upgraded to a CL suite has the rest of their family in a non-upgraded to CL room. We split up our family only for the convenience of not having three adults sharing a single bathroom. We were all very surprised when one room got an upgrade. I only meant our situation probably doesn't happen often. Also, I wouldn't ask to bring a non-CL guest up to the lounge if we had booked our rooms that way (myself in CL and my sister non-CL). I know people do it, but I wouldn't choose to. In this case, I didn't even ask. I just explained our situation and said I'd like to add our additional family member onto our reservation. The CM told me not to worry, we could just go ahead and bring our family member to the lounge with us.

 

[lbv7]

Now this would be totally unacceptable, I am sure we can all agree. Someone who did not pay for Club Level, visited a friend who stayed Club, ate the food, and then had the nerve to complain that the food and staff were not worth it.
Unbelievable!!!

I've visited with my friend BWI club level the last two trips (she was club, I wasn't but we popped in a couple of times). I wasn't impressed with either the staff or the evening appetizers at all. Totally not worth it to me.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/club-level-with-kids.3428973/#post-54044952

 

[Madame]

Please leave these people alone.

I don't really care either way about this situation, but these people are all over YouTube inviting people to watch them, comment, share etc. They don't want to be left alone. No one here seems to be attacking the couple, merely commenting about the situation.

 

[smiths02]

I don't agree that is had zero effect on paying CL guests. More people crowding the lounge possibly taking seating away from premium paying CL guests, more people eating and drinking possibly clearing out food and drink items that should have been available for paying CL guests. The difference as I see it between the "pixie dust" of upgrading someone from say garden view to lagoon view or giving someone a free Mickey bar or an item from a shop is the fact that those things don't potentially take anything away from the experience that another guest has paid a premium for. By your logic, there would be no difference if they let non paying guests into the dessert fireworks viewing parties either. I understand that the CL Cm's have discretion on letting non-CL people in the lounge, but it's a slippery slope.

So is it a slippery slope that my family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids) would pay the EXACT same price for a CL room as a solo adult traveler but would get more use out of the lounge? I agree that letting in hordes of people is concerning, but if it is no more than could be in the room anyhow, I don't see the problem. Do that many people have family or friends staying elsewhere and even ask to do this?

 

[Jennasis]

Like bringing non-guests to use the pool with you when you are a guest, it is at the CM's discretion (typically based on current occupancy of the pool or lounge). End of story (and it's a non-story).

 

[buzznina]

You did better than I did! I tried to figure it out. Not sure why it was a secret.

Ugh I could only handle about 3 minutes of it. Yikes.

That's my feeling on most of the vloggers

 

[Lehuaann]

I don't really care either way about this situation, but these people are all over YouTube inviting people to watch them, comment, share etc. They don't want to be left alone. No one here seems to be attacking the couple, merely commenting about the situation.

I didn’t even know who these people were until this thread.

 

[Kms943]

It has ZERO effect on other CL guests. You are all guests. It's more sour grapes because you think they got something free you paid for. I have no problem with any kind of "pixie dust" CM's chose to dish out. If that means someone got into a dessert party that I paid for, no skin off my nose. It has no effect on my experience.

It has ZERO effect on other CL guests. You are all guests. It's more sour grapes because you think they got something free you paid for. I have no problem with any kind of "pixie dust" CM's chose to dish out. If that means someone got into a dessert party that I paid for, no skin off my nose. It has no effect on my experience.

So if people who didn't pay for a reserved fireworks viewing area were let in anyway and stood right in front of you with their children on their shoulders blocking your view, that would have ZERO effect on your experience??? Maybe not yours, but it would for plenty of people who paid for the right to have a less crowded and more relaxing magical experience. Please don't say that it has zero effect on ANY guests simply because it doesn't bother you.

 

[Kms943]

So is it a slippery slope that my family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids) would pay the EXACT same price for a CL room as a solo adult traveler but would get more use out of the lounge? I agree that letting in hordes of people is concerning, but if it is no more than could be in the room anyhow, I don't see the problem. Do that many people have family or friends staying elsewhere and even ask to do this?

So is it a slippery slope that my family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids) would pay the EXACT same price for a CL room as a solo adult traveler but would get more use out of the lounge? I agree that letting in hordes of people is concerning, but if it is no more than could be in the room anyhow, I don't see the problem. Do that many people have family or friends staying elsewhere and even ask to do this?

I believe in the age of internet forums and YouTube Vloggers yes, it can be a slippery slope to let non club level guest have access to the lounge. It's not the ocasional extra family member that I believe would be a problem, but it sets a precidant. When non resort guests see on YouTube or forums that CL cast members don't always check if guests are indeed staying club level at that resort, I believe it encourages those people to attempt to scam the system and a lot of them will probably be successful and in my opinion, that effects my families experience which we worked very hard to purchase. I've had this experience numerous times over the years trying to find an empty lounge chair at storm along bay while staying at the yatch club. It's not right when a lot of these spots are occupied by "pool hoppers" from other resorts. I do not believe that this is me having "sour grapes" it's just expecting to get what I paid for. As i said previously, if WDW wants to spread pixie dust by giving away merch or gift cards etc. That's fine in my opinion because that has zero impact on other guests. I'm looking to start an argument about this, just wanted to share my personal views on the matter.