Tower Club CR food offerings for yesterday, July 4th:
Breakfast- deli turkey, ham, salami, a few sliced cheeses (cheddar, swiss, provolone), bagels, bread, croissants, smoked salmon and accompaniments, deviled eggs, mini muffins (seemed like vanilla with a crumb topping), apple turnovers, hot cinnamon rolls with icing (like cinnabon), fruit (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, blueberries), strawberry and plain Greek yogurt with granola, dried fruit, and honey toppings, oatmeal with toppings, three cereals (frosted and bran flakes and Froot Loops). Standard drink options: milk, OJ, chocolate milk (by request). They also had our the Fairy Tale Cuvee Sparkling Wine out all day so you could make a mimosa.
Midday snacks included yogurt covered and plain pretzels, goldfish, housemade potato chips, breadsticks, a lavosh style cracker, crudite (carrot, broccoli, cherry tomatoes), candy (M&Ms, gummy bears), cocoa dusted almonds.
The beverage fridge was stocked with beer starting at 11am. They have Angry Orchard Hard Cider, I-4 IPA, Kona Longboard, Sam Adams, Bud Light and one more which I forgot. Wine came out as well as Iced Tea at this time. There is Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange, and Minute Maid Lemonade as well.
Evening offerings were VERY good last night. Pulled pork with three BBQ sauces, Hawaiian rolls, coleslaw, pickles (to make your own sliders), mini corndog nuggets, chicken tortilla soup (FANTASTIC), olives, hummus, veggie crudite, cheese platter and meats like prosciutto and ham, soft parker house style rolls with sea salt on top with butter, pb&j cups with rolls. We basically had dinner here last night after a late lunch at Homecomin so it was perfect.
Desserts were more varied than the night before. Everything was 4th of July themed/decorated. Oreo rice krispies treats with white chocolate and star sprinkles, strawberry lime tarts with white chocolate discs decorated with flags, red and blue fruit and chocolate truffles, blueberry strawberry and vanilla custard mini parfaits, mini red velvet cupcakes, mango sorbet, snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies (served warm). The cookies were fantastic, as were the rest of the desserts with the exception of the strawberry lime tart. They brought out Rosa Regale to add to the "red" theme.
The lounge was DEAD tonight, compared to last night. The CM said most club level guests watch the MK fireworks on the 3rd and then go to Epcot on the 4th. The fireworks were delayed about an hour due to a massive thunderstorm, but we watched from our balcony and the show was the most amazing one I've ever seen live. It was worth putting up with this stupid room to have that view. I'm glad we didn't move. I do appreciate the extra deep balcony we have as we were able to stand under cover (since it was still raining) and see the entire show. The perimeter fireworks towards the end were breathtaking.
The CL staff is very good here. Kind, efficient, professional, and just the right amount of interaction. There is one older gentleman, though, who is just not pleasant. He is very grouchy and always telling people "that's the last of the food...there isn't going to be any more." He said it last night and the night before over and over again during the dessert hour. I'm not sure why, but he felt the need to say it several times to everyone who went up to get desserts. He also stares people down and glares as he approaches. Seems like the wrong kind of employee to have up here. The rest of the staff is great though, and luckily this other guy seems to just handle dirty dishes.
At this point, I'd give the CR Tower CL itself 9/10. We are frequently the only people in the lounge despite the floor being 100% occupied. I think people in all those huge sites just eat in their rooms. They don't need an additional space to spread out either. The room itself gets a 5/10. It needs a more functional redesign, IMO, with some more color (everything is beige and white...everything). It gets points for sheer size, mattress comfort, obvious high end linens that are super soft, a large TV (although still no HD channels...come on Disney!), and a fantastic old school thermostat that has NO SENSOR so the cold air keeps blowing all day and night. Soundproofing is also great. We have not heard a peep from either room flanking us or hallway noise.
Points subtracted for the terrible accessible design that creates issues for people who don't need it, and the stupid frosted glass bathroom pocket door. Totally defeats the purpose of having a door. And the door doesn't lock either which I don't appreciate. I'd probably not book a Tower Club room in the future unless it was a suite. I wouldn't want to chance getting this HA room again.