Disney's Club Level (CL) Information & Questions

[mickeynut1]

ok I have never seen any of us write out the amount before, lol, but it really is crazy. I do like CL and I would miss it but saving lots of money has it's perks, too. I did an offsite stay recently to see how I would like it. It's definitely not Disney, but there was enough magic for me at the price I paid, which was like $100/night with breakfast and evening happy hour $100 is like one CS meal for my family

If it was just me I would cancel 50th, but my family took off work and it's done. At the time I thought, 'these prices are nuts, they will have a discount'. haha on me.

It didn't bother me when I booked as it was last year, so pretty far away...lol.....but after some time passed and I realized that was just for the room and we still needed to buy park tickets and food, it made me think a little more about it. I do get it with your family and taking off work as it's not easy to just cancel once all of that's been arranged. We weren't to that stage yet, so it wasn't as tough of a decision. I just kept thinking back to Dec 2019 when I paid $2500 for 3 nights CR CL with an AP discount. I thought that was a little steep and while I don't regret that stay, I just couldn't add almost $1000 to that this year. I guess it just took a little more time for me to hit my limit to say enough is enough .

 

[scottmel]

I am sure this has been discussed but I am hoping the guy I spoke with today is wrong. For the CL Dining reservations - the group only obtains them at 9 AM on day 60? He recommended I get my own dining resrvations on day 60 at 7 AM??? Does anyone know if they book ADRs for you on your checkout day as well? That I cannot recall. I have a split stay so in theory they COULD help me on check out day...Thanks!

 

[kylenne]

I am sure this has been discussed but I am hoping the guy I spoke with today is wrong. For the CL Dining reservations - the group only obtains them at 9 AM on day 60? He recommended I get my own dining resrvations on day 60 at 7 AM??? Does anyone know if they book ADRs for you on your checkout day as well? That I cannot recall. I have a split stay so in theory they COULD help me on check out day...Thanks!

DSS hasn't have any kind of special access to ADRs outside of what the public can get, and ADRs aren't bookable by phone until 9am so yeah you will definitely be better off booking yourself online at 7am.

 

[jods]

Haha....I think we're married to the same person. Mine just said the exact same thing to me. As others have said, its pretty willy nilly with bag transfers. I would say late afternoon is normal but that was pre-covid and its pretty apparent that they're short handed in the staffing of service jobs right now. To be sure you could send one person in an uber with the luggage to AKL in the morning and store with bell services. Then you know it will be there when you want it.

Maybe we will all go. I'm going with the assumption/hope that my room will be ready early. It would be opening day for AKL and CL. One can hope I'm still torn. Seems nutty for 1 night.

 

[scottmel]

DSS hasn't have any kind of special access to ADRs outside of what the public can get, and ADRs aren't bookable by phone until 9am so yeah you will definitely be better off booking yourself online at 7am.

It has been a few years since I have stayed club but the last several times I did I know they had access before the general public (if only by a few hours) So I guess this is a new twist?

 

[kylenne]

It has been a few years since I have stayed club but the last several times I did I know they had access before the general public (if only by a few hours) So I guess this is a new twist?

When I spoke to DSS ahead of our eventual doomed May 2020 trip, they let us know. So maybe it is a newer thing?

 

[Sarahslay]

I am sure this has been discussed but I am hoping the guy I spoke with today is wrong. For the CL Dining reservations - the group only obtains them at 9 AM on day 60? He recommended I get my own dining resrvations on day 60 at 7 AM??? Does anyone know if they book ADRs for you on your checkout day as well? That I cannot recall. I have a split stay so in theory they COULD help me on check out day...Thanks!

I got my ADRs this morning at 6am on the 60 day mark, please don't wait until 7 or 9 am in the morning, it's 6. Even by 6:15 a bunch that were there and plentiful were gone.

 

[scottmel]

When I spoke to DSS ahead of our eventual doomed May 2020 trip, they let us know. So maybe it is a newer thing?

That was one of the FEW perks of staying CL the ADRS! What is left? Just snacks ?

 

[scottmel]

I got my ADRs this morning at 6am on the 60 day mark, please don't wait until 7 or 9 am in the morning, it's 6. Even by 6:15 a bunch that were there and plentiful were gone.

THANK YOU! You think the DSS would be in the know on 6 AM. He specifically told me 7.

 

[jods]

THANK YOU! You think the DSS would be in the know on 6 AM. He specifically told me 7.

It's 7 if you call and 6 online.

 

[kylenne]

It's 7 if you call and 6 online.

Thanks for that, my brain is totally fried and I mixed up the times.

 

[Eastern]

Thanks for that, my brain is totally fried and I mixed up the times.

It's 7 if you call and 6 online.

THANK YOU! You think the DSS would be in the know on 6 AM. He specifically told me 7.

They have been reporting on the restaurant boards that you should start checking at 5:45am EST

 

[Dug720]

They have been reporting on the restaurant boards that you should start checking at 5:45am EST

AFAIK that is for the restaurants that are reopening - like Citricos and Trail's End today. I got Citricos about 5:35 this morning and Tusker House about 5:45 the morning it came online. For your window in general, at least as of May 20, that still came online at 6am.

 

[trishadono]

AFAIK that is for the restaurants that are reopening - like Citricos and Trail's End today. I got Citricos about 5:35 this morning and Tusker House about 5:45 the morning it came online. For your window in general, at least as of May 20, that still came online at 6am.

I woke in a panic this morning . Phew got citricos 7/15 a time that works at 6:30am Eastern.

 

[Dug720]

I woke in a panic this morning . Phew got citricos 7/15 a time that works at 6:30am Eastern.

Yay!! I set my alarm for 5 and started checking every 5 minutes or so.

 

[twinklebug]

Y'all are nuts.
No way I'm waking at 5 am to book a dining reservation.

 

[mystery222184]

Y'all are nuts.
No way I'm waking at 5 am to book a dining reservation.

I’ll do it if I must - but only if they bring back my California Grill Brunch (as it was)

 

[Eastern]

Y'all are nuts.
No way I'm waking at 5 am to book a dining reservation.

I'll do it but I am going to be discombobulated. I've messed up airline and DMV reservations that way. So might take me a couple of tries.

 

[rick1zoo2]

I grabbed Citricos yesterday afternoon for our August trip, not sure if we will do it. We always make more reservations than we end up using or modify them or change to something else.

I would like to try Trails End as we are staying at WL, but with the WL-Ft Wilderness-Contemporary boat loop not running yet, it might make getting there and back a little trickier (boat to MK, then another boat).

 

[grannyminnie]

I'm not in favor of that either. We've always stayed deluxe so we'd benefit as well, but I think Disney is on a slippery slope offering EMH to only deluxe resort guests as not everyone can afford (or has the desire) to stay deluxe. If EMH is offered, I think all onsite guests should be eligible, not just the ones paying higher resort costs.



I agree. I booked the resort for the 50th weekend as soon as I could (499 days out), totally forgetting about having to buy park tickets. As time went on and I started reading about people making park reservations for that weekend (especially for 10/1), it hit me that we didn't have park tickets. It was a blessing in disguise though as we ended up cancelling our resort reservation, but for those who don't know or can't afford to buy park tickets way ahead of time, they can have a hard time making reservations (especially if they're going at a busy time).



I agree that Disney's probably trying to come up with ways to justify the price, but for me, an hour or two (or whatever it turns out to be) of extra park time is not enough for me to justify the outrageous prices being charged. I was excited when I booked for the 50th (CR CL), but once it started to sink in, I realized how outrageous those rates are ($3400 for 3 nts ). I'm one who has always used "Disney math" to justify the cost, but I finally hit my breaking point and decided enough was enough. I'm probably in the minority, but adding little "perks" like EMH (something Disney's had in the past for everybody), is not enough to keep me going back, especially at those rates.

If had booked for the 50th (I never have planned to be a part of it) and had come to the decision you finally did, I know it would have been painful for me. There have been too many Disney trips I have had to cancel for one reason or another and it just hurts. However, your reasoning is probably (and I speak for myself) the kind that a lot of other of us Disers should rely on. My opinion here: if more of us would just stay "STOP", then maybe Disney would back down and restore some of the perks that Deluxe resort guests have come to expect. And PLEASE for goodness sake, give us some decent AP discounts! The latest offering to me is laughable. These outrageous prices haven't just started....I've been a "sucker" for years so I'm "preaching to the choir" here.
Ok, rant over...carry on!
Edited to add...I still can't bring myself to book near one of the other theme parks. I have however checked out places near Disney Springs or Bonnett Creek (or is that a part of DS?) to get more bang for the buck. Only downside to that is I'm not in the "Disney bubble".