In search of the best Club Level Experience

[megs1313]

I've stayed AKL CL and the food was actually really good. I tried things I would never have ordered by just reading a menu. I will say, though, that if you're not planning to make it to the 5-7, that it probably isn't worth it.

 

[baler31]

Photos from recent GF RPC stay. Scott Hunnel former Victoria’s and Albert’s chef is now executive chef for the resort and oversees the lounge offerings. There are chefs preparing items in the lounge several times a week.

 

[baler31]

 

[baler31]

 

[baler31]

Sorry, I was on my phone and did not realize how gigantic the photos were.

 

[starry_solo]

There is actually a specific thread on the DIS for club level. I posted there when I was at AKV concierge in May (on points. Owner I rented from waitlisted it for me and it came through two weeks later).

Lots of pictures on the thread too.

AKV is nice but not worth it ($100 upcharge per night for the extra points it cost). There were only two on that portion of the trip and we don't drink wine) so it was just Ok. We wanted to experience it to see how it was.

Since it was pretty much a resort trip for the few days we were in concierge, we got back for the 5-7 times. Food was good though. We liked it. Bite sized.

 

[Nancyg56]

I worry that you may be disappointed if you are looking for "foodie" experiences in any club level stay. The food is good, but it is not a replacement for dining, IMO and is not meant to be fine dining appetizers or dessert offerings.

I have staryed CL in AKL, BC, and GF and have enjoyed each experience. I will say that that Sugar Loaf at the GF is really nice, and the CM's are so friendly. It is a small lounge though, but is a very nice place to extend your living space while others are getting ready in the room. The offerings were good, and always fresh.

BC is a great experience now that it has been refurbished. There is plenty of room, the food is good, and the CM's so friendly. I think that BC is my new favorite.

AKL was awesome and I liked the atmosphere there the best of all our CL stays.

 

[Babsy]

I am ready to book a club level room and really want to enjoy it. I think I am choosing AKL and have it booked, but I welcome feedback.

I just read an article about the Poly, and it confirms my worst fears. I fear I won't like any because I am really particular about high quality food, and don't think I will find much value in mass produced pastries. The coffee and a glass of wine, will be nice, but at what cost?

https://luxerecess.com/disney-polynesian-resort-club-level/

Anyone think one club lounge is better than the others? Please help!

We have been to all of the CL's over the years. We like the view and atmosphere at the Poly the best. We enjoy the music and ambience of GF RPC as well but enjoy the food much more than at the POLY. (That is a personal preference, though, as I am not very fond of meat and abhor pork in particular. It seems that pork is often featured at the Poly.) We have found the CL CM's at the BWI to be exceptionally friendly and helpful. We have also had some great experiences at the CR CL. The AKL has some more unusual food offerings, but I am not a fan of the atmosphere that result from CL's that overlook the lobby of the resort. Also, I didn't like the access to the CL form our suite. So, we are not fans of the AKL CL. We found the WL CL to be similar in ways and are not eager to repeat the experience there either. It wasn't that it was bad, just not for us. YC was nice overall, but nothing amazing. We have been to the BC but it was very long ago, before they renovated so I can't really comment knowledgeably on that one anymore. (the lounge was nice but too small when we stayed there, but that has been rectified as I understand it.)

The food is not why we book CL. Generally, it is OK at best and not usually a meal replacement except as a quick, continental breakfast. We like CL for the added space to relax in addition to our room, to be in a relatively convenient area of the resort, to have access to the CL CM's for help when needed and as a place to grab a quick coffee and pastry in the am without having to go to a restaurant.
We often find that we are not there between the hours of 5 - 7 for the hors d'oeuvres and are not fans of a lot of mass produced desserts so usually skip the 8-10 pm dessert options. We also do not drink alcohol, so wine and beer do not matter to us. All that said, we still enjoy the relaxation of staying CL. Is it worth the extra $150+ per night? That is a personal decision. In my opinion, it can be worth the extra cost but not for anything tangible such as meals. It is more atmosphere, space, convenience and comfort.

When we have sampled the CL food, we find that it is adequate, but not memorable. We do enjoy the warm scones and tea in the afternoon at the GF and try to be there for that at least once during most visits at the GF. We don't rush back to the hotel for any of the food unless it happens to work with our plans, though. We just drop by on our way in or not if we happen to be there when something is offered.

From your post, it sounds like you are looking for a nice experience with good/high quality food. If so, I would recommend booking a nice regular room with a great view and book a few of the better dining experiences such as Jiko, Victoria & Albert's, California Grille and the Flying Fish. The food will be better and the cost will likely no more and may even be less.

Good luck!

 

[Eastern]

Book your resort based on the location you want to be in. CL food is too changeable to depend on and reviews vary widely based on personal preference. Consider it as added convenience to your stay.

Some people really enjoy the breakfast convenience, while others book for cocktail hour food and drinks. It is an expensive option, but is a nice convenience for the added space, evening beer and wine, and breakfast, if you feel you will use any or all of those options. If you are looking for 'good food', I would skip CL and book the food options on your own.

When we book CL, we plan to be back at the resort for evening cocktail hour (5-7 ish). I do not make FP for this time, and I schedule lunches and dinners with adequate time in between. To me, value decreases greatly if you do not take advantage of evening hours. It is a nice and relaxing evening option, especially if you are travelling with other family members who also have CL access.

 

[mickeysimba]

Wow! Those look pretty darn good! How recent was this, and these are all GF? Thanks for loading them!!!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We've stayed in every CL level except BC. My favorite experience so far was WL CL. The staff were fantastic and I loved that the offerings really reflected the atmosphere of the resort (s'mores cupcakes, make-your-own trail mix to take to the parks, etc.). The atmosphere overlooking the amazing lobby was fantastic and I loved how close our room was to the lounge making going there really convenient. With our standard CL room, we also had a view of CR, the monorail and the MK fireworks. It was the best CL bang for our buck, IMHO.

 

[mickeynut1]

The food is not why we book CL. Generally, it is OK at best and not usually a meal replacement except as a quick, continental breakfast. We like CL for the added space to relax in addition to our room, to be in a relatively convenient area of the resort, to have access to the CL CM's for help when needed and as a place to grab a quick coffee and pastry in the am without having to go to a restaurant.

This is us as well. The food offerings are a nice perk, but that's not the main reason we book CL. We don't stay CL every trip, but when we do, it's more for the lounge and having another place to sit/relax other than in our room or around the resort. As others have said, I wouldn't book CL just for the food as it can/does vary and everyone's opinion/experience is different so what one person loves, someone else might not.

 

[baler31]

Wow! Those look pretty darn good! How recent was this, and these are all GF? Thanks for loading them!!!

This month GF RPC.

 

[cleopenn]

I am ready to book a club level room and really want to enjoy it. I think I am choosing AKL and have it booked, but I welcome feedback.

I just read an article about the Poly, and it confirms my worst fears. I fear I won't like any because I am really particular about high quality food, and don't think I will find much value in mass produced pastries. The coffee and a glass of wine, will be nice, but at what cost?

https://luxerecess.com/disney-polynesian-resort-club-level/

Anyone think one club lounge is better than the others? Please help!

We stay CL whenever we travel so I have seen my fair share of lounges. During our stay, the Poly lounge offerings were solidly mid-market, food service fare - frozen pastries, cheap bagels, cheddar cubes, meatballs, crackers, etc.

I wonder if the photos in that article were taken by the author or if she used stock photos because they in no way resemble the offerings we saw. Not only does the food look much better, it shows real plates. When were were at the Poly, it was cheap plate plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups. At this price point, disposable is not acceptable.

However, the lounge provided a quick breakfast and a nice spot to relax in the evenings co in game or going to dinner.

We also had a second floor room and I was not happy about that. I specifically requested a room with a patio or balcony and was told all CL rooms had one.

 

[AngiTN]

We stay CL whenever we travel so I have seen my fair share of lounges. During our stay, the Poly lounge offerings were solidly mid-market, food service fare - frozen pastries, cheap bagels, cheddar cubes, meatballs, crackers, etc.

I wonder if the photos in that article were taken by the author or if she used stock photos because they in no way resemble the offerings we saw. Not only does the food look much better, it shows real plates. When were were at the Poly, it was cheap plate plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups. At this price point, disposable is not acceptable.

However, the lounge provided a quick breakfast and a nice spot to relax in the evenings co in game or going to dinner.

We also had a second floor room and I was not happy about that. I specifically requested a room with a patio or balcony and was told all CL rooms had one.

I've never seen any Disney CL use disposable plates or silverware. It's always been real dishes and stainless. Maybe they had some temporary issue with their dishwasher during your stay?

 

[gwynne]

We stay CL whenever we travel so I have seen my fair share of lounges. During our stay, the Poly lounge offerings were solidly mid-market, food service fare - frozen pastries, cheap bagels, cheddar cubes, meatballs, crackers, etc.

I wonder if the photos in that article were taken by the author or if she used stock photos because they in no way resemble the offerings we saw. Not only does the food look much better, it shows real plates. When were were at the Poly, it was cheap plate plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups. At this price point, disposable is not acceptable.

However, the lounge provided a quick breakfast and a nice spot to relax in the evenings co in game or going to dinner.

We also had a second floor room and I was not happy about that. I specifically requested a room with a patio or balcony and was told all CL rooms had one.

The poster of the appetizer photos said they were from their recent GF stay.
In multiple club stays I have never seen disposable plates, cups and utensils used. I would agree with the previous poster, maybe there was a very unusual issue why they had to sub in disposables.

 

[tobikaye]

I was CL at Jambo in June. I only used the club occasionally, but I enjoyed the guava pastries and the oatmeal they offered in the mornings. I only stopped in once or twice in the afternoon or evening and I cannot remember what was offered right now.

I was upgraded, but I think I may book a CL there in the future if I plan a trip with more down time. This is more for the room location than the CL.

 

[DG25]

I have stayed every club level but YC, to me I like the WL CL best. I find all the food at all of them is hit or miss. But the quietness, small lounge, no one else but us every there when we went was WL, we felt very special every time we visited and we went a lot, we saw no one but staff, who always had a smile, always asked if they could get us more and always gave us special attention. We did not like GF RCP, they were stuffy and rude. Poly was ok but more for the fire works. AKL was ok. BWI came a close second, we enjoyed it a lot. BC we hated. YC we have not done.

 

[baler31]

We stay CL whenever we travel so I have seen my fair share of lounges. During our stay, the Poly lounge offerings were solidly mid-market, food service fare - frozen pastries, cheap bagels, cheddar cubes, meatballs, crackers, etc.

I wonder if the photos in that article were taken by the author or if she used stock photos because they in no way resemble the offerings we saw. Not only does the food look much better, it shows real plates. When were were at the Poly, it was cheap plate plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups. At this price point, disposable is not acceptable.

However, the lounge provided a quick breakfast and a nice spot to relax in the evenings co in game or going to dinner.

We also had a second floor room and I was not happy about that. I specifically requested a room with a patio or balcony and was told all CL rooms had one.

Your experience with disposable plates and cutlery is not the standard, something unusual must have happened. Poly is my least favorite CL, especially because of the lounge offerings. If you are used to international CL lounges you will be very underwhelmed by Disney. Years ago the offerings and service were much better. We are willing to pay for the convenience of the offerings and often the room locations. We eat very lightly and outside of some signature dinners do most of our dining within the lounge. We run and use the fitness facilities every morning and being able to finish and eat breakfast in the lounge is invaluable for us.

All of our recent GF RPC stays have had a chef in the lounge several mornings and evenings. Mickey Waffles were being made in the lounge and different offerings were done in the evening service. Two of my recent favorites were a grilled grouper and wrapped scallops.

 

[amccu18007]

Those were the same offerings that we had at the VGF RPC this month too. They were tasty and plentiful and the staff was truly amazing. I think that it certainly adds to the experience of traveling and allows me to schedule some downtime where everyone in m family can relax, bond and get away from the hustle and bustle for a bit. I enjoyed the YC and BC concierge levels as well. I have not yet done the Poly but that is a resort that we love too so that may be on our list as well.