Upgraded to Club Level

[MissViv]

Well .... I actually just spoiled the surprise but ...

I booked this trip for myself and my dear sister in law (who had never been to WDW). I booked a standard double room at the Poly and requested Samoa where my DH and I had stayed in July. I received a text message shortly after boarding the Magical Express that our room was ready - room 2530 in the Hawaii building. I told her "I think we got an upgrade". When we got off the bus, the Club Level concierge met us and gave us our leis and told us to follow him to check-in. We were upgraded - we were more than pleased, to say the least.

We loved the food and both of us were trying to cut back on our eating and we had plenty of enough food that we only bought 3 meals the whole 5 days.

I do not know how they pick to give you a free upgrade but we graciously accepted it! My DH and I have been to Disney twice this year, once staying at the Contemporary and once at the Poly so maybe that's it or they just needed the standard room that would sell easier.

We had a wonderful time and the weather was great - no rain!!

 

[Dave B]

Congrats, this has happened to us as well, it is so great

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Did you prefer the Club Level experience? In what ways was it better than non-club-level, in your opinion?

 

[correcaminos]

Nice! We loved our time at Polynesian concierge! I wish I had the option to book it with DVC now. I do kind of miss it and the service we had there!

 

[aw14]

We loved the Hawaii building at Poly. Great service and overall a wonderful resort

 

[CarlFredricksen]

We usually book club and find the value to be tremendous.

Just got back from a 4 night a BC, and booking Club we paid roughly $400 a night. Each morning my wife, daughter and I would have breakfast in the club (roughly $30 savings a day) and utilize the heavy hor doeuvres as either dinner, or at least part of dinner (would split entrees at dinner -- so I'm estimating an average additional savings of $40 nightly for the 3 of us). We also would have a few alcoholic drinks throughout the day and at night -- I'm guessing 10 total a day (at roughly $8 a drink, $80 in savings per day). Plus we would stop in for pop, water, snacks, etc throughout the day.

So all said and done, we paid $1,600 for the 4 nights room...but probably saved close to $600-$700 on food and drink. Plus enjoyed the luxury and took advantage of utilizing the club level hostesses -- they really are the best. So the way I look at it is, we paid roughly $250 a night at BC and had the additional luxury of utilizing the club level hostesses, which I think is a very fair price.

We have done the same thing previously at Contemporary, AK, GF and Grand California -- while the experience at each varies, you really can't go wrong. Once you go club, you never go back!

 

[MissViv]

Did you prefer the Club Level experience? In what ways was it better than non-club-level, in your opinion?

We really enjoyed the FREE Club Level but I would not pay extra for the Club level room. It was almost more than half of the cost for the standard which we paid for. We did utilize the breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert bar. Neither of us are drink alcohol but that would be of great value to some people. They had all the sodas, tea, coffee, juice, and milk you could drink and the alcoholic drinks were wine, beer, Kaulua, Baileys Irish Crème and others. The sodas and beer were available 24 hours.

We watched the fireworks from the Club one night but the reflections on the glass was aggravating (they cannot dim the lights because of the Fire Marshall). I prefer watching the fireworks on the beach area.

 

[21stamps]

We really enjoyed the FREE Club Level but I would not pay extra for the Club level room. It was almost more than half of the cost for the standard which we paid for. We did utilize the breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert bar. Neither of us are drink alcohol but that would be of great value to some people. They had all the sodas, tea, coffee, juice, and milk you could drink and the alcoholic drinks were wine, beer, Kaulua, Baileys Irish Crème and others. The sodas and beer were available 24 hours.

We watched the fireworks from the Club one night but the reflections on the glass was aggravating (they cannot dim the lights because of the Fire Marshall). I prefer watching the fireworks on the beach area.

Glad you enjoyed it! The Poly is my favorite resort, and I think CL looks great, but I agree with you- I wouldn't pay out of pocket for it.

Their pricing is strange, Garden View (I think that's the name?) Club Level is priced less than a theme park view room, the latter is what I book there. However, the tpv club level is almost $200 more per night than the already ridiculously priced non-club theme park view. I just can't justify spending $1000 or more per night, anywhere.
Therefore, I don't think I'll ever see the inside of the Hawaii building unless I get a free upgrade.lol

 

[Master Yoda]

Well .... I actually just spoiled the surprise but ...

I booked this trip for myself and my dear sister in law (who had never been to WDW). I booked a standard double room at the Poly and requested Samoa where my DH and I had stayed in July. I received a text message shortly after boarding the Magical Express that our room was ready - room 2530 in the Hawaii building. I told her "I think we got an upgrade". When we got off the bus, the Club Level concierge met us and gave us our leis and told us to follow him to check-in. We were upgraded - we were more than pleased, to say the least.

We loved the food and both of us were trying to cut back on our eating and we had plenty of enough food that we only bought 3 meals the whole 5 days.

I do not know how they pick to give you a free upgrade but we graciously accepted it! My DH and I have been to Disney twice this year, once staying at the Contemporary and once at the Poly so maybe that's it or they just needed the standard room that would sell easier.

We had a wonderful time and the weather was great - no rain!!

It is a combination of the operational needs of the resort and a little luck. Not having a lot of requests also helps a tad from my understanding.

 

[21stamps]

It is a combination of the operational needs of the resort and a little luck. Not having a lot of requests also helps a tad from my understanding.

It would have to be a standard-view room only upgrade at Poly, right? I don't know if a Lagoon View or Theme Park View would receive that same upgrade because you'd lose the view. I wonder if that has happened?

 

[Master Yoda]

It would have to be a standard room only upgrade at Poly, right? I don't know if a Lagoon View or Theme Park View would receive that same upgrade because you'd lose the view. I wonder if that has happened?

Technically, any room that costs more is an upgrade, but it is my understanding that the CMs assigning rooms do put a little thought into it. They will typically not move someone from a theme park view room to a standard club level even if the cost of the club level might be more. Just like they would typically not put someone in a standard with a request for ground floor due to health reasons in an upper level club room. There are always exceptions, but they are often upgrading someone because the room they had booked is no longer available or it will make things easier on the resort staff to put the guest elsewhere so they want the upgrade to seem like an upgrade and not a downgrade or a lateral move.

 

[21stamps]

Technically, any room that costs more is an upgrade, but it is my understanding that the CMs assigning rooms do put a little thought into it. They will typically not move someone from a theme park view room to a standard club level even if the cost of the club level might be more. Just like they would typically not put someone in a standard with a request for ground floor due to health reasons in an upper level club room. There are always exceptions, but they are often upgrading someone because the room they had booked is no longer available or it will make things easier on the resort staff to put the guest elsewhere so they want the upgrade to seem like an upgrade and not a downgrade or a lateral move.

Makes sense.


Although I've never technically received an upgrade, I was incredibly lucky last year and felt like I received one.

After trying to cut down on trip expenses, I made a difficult decision to downgrade my reserved tpv room at GF to a lagoon view. I questioned it over and over, and regretted it on the ride from the airport to the resort.
Check in..
Go to my room..
And see this-

I literally had my eyes tear up and wanted to jump up and down. Someone was watching out for us!!

Apparently because of this tree it's not in the TPV category-

I'll take the tree!! Saved $700 and still got our view!!!! (I don't know if I'll ever tempt fate again though, but I was extremely grateful.)

 

[Master Yoda]

Makes sense.


Although I've never technically received an upgrade, I was incredibly lucky last year and felt like I received one.

After trying to cut down on trip expenses, I made a difficult decision to downgrade my reserved tpv room at GF to a lagoon view. I questioned it over and over, and regretted it on the ride from the airport to the resort.
Check in..
Go to my room..
And see this-
View attachment 232339

I literally had my eyes tear up and wanted to jump up and down. Someone was watching out for us!!

Apparently because of this tree it's not in the TPV category-
View attachment 232340


I'll take the tree!! Saved $700 and still got our view!!!! (I don't know if I'll ever tempt fate again though, but I was extremely grateful.)

That room and a few others like it were removed from the theme park view category for obvious reasons. Prior to this change I had a friend book a theme park view and end up with one of those rooms. Understandably, they were not happy.

There is a similar situation over at AKL. There is a block of room that while they have a savannah view, it is a pretty crappy one. They were removed from the savannah view inventory. However, if you book a standard view and request savannah view, there is a chance you can be put in one of these rooms.

 

[21stamps]

That room and a few others like it were removed from the theme park view category for obvious reasons. Prior to this change I had a friend book a theme park view and end up with one of those rooms. Understandably, they were not happy.

There is a similar situation over at AKL. There is a block of room that while they have a savannah view, it is a pretty crappy one. They were removed from the savannah view inventory. However, if you book a standard view and request savannah view, there is a chance you can be put in one of these rooms.

Understandable. Ours was just perfect location and I was surprised it was "lagoon view"..here's the extent of the tree "blockage"-

However, had we been one or two in either direction, or on a lower floor, then the trees would have been a bigger problem.

Needless to say, in the end I was happy that I made the last minute 'downgrade' lol


Do the AKL rooms have a similar non-impactful blockage of their view?

 

[dreamfinder]

Do the AKL rooms have a similar non-impactful blockage of their view?

Check out the TouringPlans view finder here -> https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge It will show you exactly how each room is classified. Alot of the standard view rooms do overlook savannah, however they often have things such as people pens, gates or other facilities, things that make it obvious (up close) that it is an enclosure in the view. For several reasons, there is nothing up close to the guest rooms such as trees to really impact your view. And unlike the castle, the giraffes and cattle move around so they may hide behind a bush anyways.

 

[21stamps]

Check out the TouringPlans view finder here -> https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge It will show you exactly how each room is classified. Alot of the standard view rooms do overlook savannah, however they often have things such as people pens, gates or other facilities, things that make it obvious (up close) that it is an enclosure in the view. For several reasons, there is nothing up close to the guest rooms such as trees to really impact your view. And unlike the castle, the giraffes and cattle move around so they may hide behind a bush anyways.

Thanks!

 

[JusticeDisney]

Would never turn down club level as a free upgrade, but also would never pay a dime for it either.

Club level rooms (when you’re paying for them) are the biggest sucker bet in all of Disney World.

 

[MissViv]

We had picked two requests - ground floor and Samoa building. We were upgraded to the Hawaii building second floor. We did not have any health concerns but there were two scooters parked outside rooms on our 2nd floor. The elevator is really handy though.

 

[JOSEPH PERROTTA]

Did you prefer the Club Level experience? In what ways was it better than non-club-level, in your opinion?

In every way, CL is better. Much, much better! Except, of course, the price. If I could afford CL for every Disney trip, I would. A Club Level Disney stay is second to none. Outstanding experience. The CL staff are the best of the best at WDW.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

Would never turn down club level as a free upgrade, but also would never pay a dime for it either.

Club level rooms (when you’re paying for them) are the biggest sucker bet in all of Disney World.

We just returned from a trip where we stayed at the BC Club Level. I disagree with your assertion that club level rooms are a "sucker bet." Just like anything that we purchase as consumers price is only an issue in the absence of VALUE. We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under the age of 5 and the convenience level that the club level rooms provide is well worth the cost in my opinion. We need to take frequent breaks from the parks and the club level offers the amenities necessary to make it easy to pop back to the hotel for a quick snack/beverage and then head back out after the kids have had their naps/down time. Now is a Club Level room worth it if you're just going to be in the parks all day? Heck no. But for certain situations the club level is one of the best hotel amenities that Disney has going. We have now stayed on the club level for our last 2 trips and will continue to do so while our kids are young.