concierge changes?

[tmtee]

I have read recently (on other boards) that Disney has recently cut drastically the food and beverage service on Concierge levels, basically making them all 'Light' service; no beer or wine and sparse food offerings?

Is this true?? I figured you guys would know the dirt ( I trust the stuff I read here more than in other places). I'm taking my mother in the fall and we are staying concierge and don't want to be disappointed.

Thanks

 

[Iakona]

I'll be down there later this month, and will be happy to check out the Poly and Contemporary concierges.....if I must.

Len

Len, you must .

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Do any of you happen to know the concierge menu at the Polynesian?

Open from 7 a.m.–10 p.m.,continental breakfast with juice, coffee, tea, fresh fruit, hot oatmeal, danish, bagels, and cereal. From 12p.m.–4 p.m., cookies, guava juice, lemonade, coffee, and iced tea are served along with snacks like gummy worms and goldfish crackers. Evenings choices include appetizers of fresh strawberries, cheese and crackers, fruit, crudites and dip, PB&J sandwiches, two hot appetizers the likes of BBQ ribs, chicken wings etc. as well as wine and beer. After-dinner are cordials and mini desserts of eclairs, cream puffs, tarts, and cakes. There’s also a self-service espresso and cappuccino machine.

 

[S_Grise]

VERY thorough answers! Thanks!

 

[KnK]

I noticed that WL doesn't have a concierge level any more. I tried booking it for my next trip and it no longer list. Any one know why?

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Wilderness Lodge concierge is definately still available. Was it just for your dates that it was not available? I would suggest that you try one of the other hotels that offer concierge if this is the case. If you need help, please contact me.

Pam

 

[KnK]

Wilderness Lodge concierge is definately still available. Was it just for your dates that it was not available? I would suggest that you try one of the other hotels that offer concierge if this is the case. If you need help, please contact me.

Pam

I've tried several different weeks in the month, and all searches at the WWD on-line registration site come up showing nothing for September.

When I get my exact dates I might contact you. Thanks.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Let me know and I will see what I can do.

Pam

 

[WDWKat26]

I'll be down there later this month, and will be happy to check out the Poly and Contemporary concierges.....if I must.

Len

If it were only that easy. To get into the Hawaii building (concierge) at Polynesian you need a key for all the entrances, all the doors are locked from the outside unless you have a concierge key. Same thing for Contemporary.

 

[tigsmom]

If it were only that easy. To get into the Hawaii building (concierge) at Polynesian you need a key for all the entrances, all the doors are locked from the outside unless you have a concierge key. Same thing for Contemporary.

I don't think Len would have too much trouble getting the info given his occupation.

 

[InsideOtherPark]

I've tried several different weeks in the month, and all searches at the WWD on-line registration site come up showing nothing for September.

When I get my exact dates I might contact you. Thanks.

Sometimes the online booking does that...can not tell you why it does that. Same goes with two bedroom suites. You can always call 1 407 W DISNEY as well.

 

[tikiman]

I read the report and there have been posts about this everywhere worried about concierge service. There are some cutbacks everywhere but I have recently been sent a list of what is going to be offered at the Polynesian and other than a small change in some breakfast items the rest has not changed much at all. In fact they are trying out some new items in addition to the cookies offered during the after noon when not much is out and I guess it is a hit (items like flat bread and dip, mixed nuts, etc.). I cannot speak about the YC concierge that was reported about on the DIS but I can tell you it is completely untrue that the same statements apply to the Polynesian. If you read the other postings there is someone who posted that had just returned from the Polynesian Concierge and listed some of the items. I saw very little change from the list I was sent.

The bottom line is DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE AT THE DIS.



WDWKat26,

Len can get in anywhere he wants

Aloha

Steve

 

[S_Grise]

tikiman, I see you've experienced AKL concierge and Poly concierge. What is it about the Poly that keeps you going back there? We're in a big family debate over the two. We stayed at the Poly last time (and LOVED it), but without concierge service. After having concierge in DLR, we'll never NOT have it again.

 

[tikiman]

I thought AKL was great and the concierge was good. We asked them to check on a few things and give us an answer and we never did get an answer at the AKL concierge but other than that the lounge was great, the food was great and the staff might have not been very attentive but they were very friendly. I would go back the AKL concierge but it is just too bad that the AKL is so out there away from everything and even though they do not share a bus with any resort we found that we waited a long time for a bus. We would see other resort busses come 2 or 3 times before ours did.

If the AKL were on the monorail it would be at a tie with the Polynesian even though the concierge is better at the Polynesian in my opinion. I had staff at the AKL tell me that to work at the Polynesian is like a promotion and many ask to work there. Now with the new room going in at the Polynesian I don’t see that there will be a better room, location, view or transportation out of any of the WDW resorts.

Here is a link to the new room.

http://tikiman2001.homestead.com/poly2_55.html

So by DLR do you mean Disneyland Resort? We tried that concierge and it was a huge waste of money. Even the Imagineer we know at Disneyland says the concierge there is horrible but he loves the Polynesian concierge.

Aloha

Steve

 

[S_Grise]

tikiman, those pictures were AWESOME! It made me so "home sick" for the Polynesian! Yes, DLR meant Disneyland. We LOVED the Concierge service! Having never experienced it before, we felt like kings! I can't imagine it getting much better than that was, but from the menus and stories I'm reading, it seems like it IS! We have 3 teenagers who's appetites could bankrupt us on water and snacks alone. We saved a ton of money and loved the convenience.

When we stayed at the Poly (2002) we didn't know about concierge service or we would have done it.

 

[tikiman]

Well if you liked the Disneyland Hotel Concierge you will be blown away by the Polynesian concierge. The offerings alone do not compare and the service with the concierge desk in the same building and footsteps away is far above that of the Disneyland Hotel. I had a friend who is an Imagineer at Disneyland and he has done both the Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian Concierge and he was not impressed but when he got to the Polynesian Concierge for the first time last year he was loving every minute of it and he is going back this summer.

Yeah you gotta like that new room. It will be a few years to get all the longhouses redone but they will be starting soon and the concierge building will not be far off from being done.

Aloha

Steve

 

[MouseMadness]

Open from 7 a.m.–10 p.m.,continental breakfast with juice, coffee, tea, fresh fruit, hot oatmeal, danish, bagels, and cereal. From 12p.m.–4 p.m., cookies, guava juice, lemonade, coffee, and iced tea are served along with snacks like gummy worms and goldfish crackers. Evenings choices include appetizers of fresh strawberries, cheese and crackers, fruit, crudites and dip, PB&J sandwiches, two hot appetizers the likes of BBQ ribs, chicken wings etc. as well as wine and beer. After-dinner are cordials and mini desserts of eclairs, cream puffs, tarts, and cakes. There’s also a self-service espresso and cappuccino machine.

When we were there just a few weeks ago, the hot oatmeal was gone. (My father in law was really disappointed. ) Everything else appeared to be the same from the previous trip, except that they only put out a few soft drinks at a time now, on a tray. (Used to be a whole lot in a big thing of ice) And quite a while ago, they used to have bottled waters out with the soft drinks. What a convenience that was! Being able to pack some in your bag, instead of stopping for them.

Used to be for us that we'd easily make up for the extra $$ it costs to stay there by eating breakfast there and taking water with us. I don't believe we're going to be staying concierge anymore, though, because the oatmeal really was the only thing my father in law ate, and since he's the one paying for everything, we keep him happy. :lol:

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Did you father in law ask them for some oatmeal? I know that they do go out of their way to get things for guests. Let me know.

Pam

 

[tikiman]

This is just my commentary on the concierge subject and I don’t expect everyone or maybe even anyone to agree with me but concierge level at many locations outside of WDW was just an added cost for things like access to the concierge for reservations, planning or any other needs, express check-in, better room location and amenities and some added snacks (we use to call it the wine and cheese offerings). Now with the internet and all the talk about what the concierge at the WDW resorts offer it started to become something everyone wanted to pay the extra for and get all the goodies. Well the WDW resorts offer much more than many other resorts offer when it comes to food but lets remember that the original idea behind concierge service was not for the “free food” and the food was not EVER meant to be a “meal replacement” It was just an added bonus to the service and room. In my opinion (and not speaking of anyone in here) too many people read about the food and stretch their budget to get into concierge expecting to have a banquet of food that will save them on meals and when every offering or the quantity is not to their linking they look at concierge as a waste of money. Well they still got the service and the better room location and amenities and if the money were that much of an issue than maybe doing concierge was not a good idea.

As far as the items being changed and the water now being served in larger glass bottles, many of these changes were due to guest abuse. The plastic bottles of water were being found stashed (average of 5 per room) in the rooms after checkout and never even opened. The amount of water they had to throw out was outrageous so they removed the small plastic bottles from the offerings. You Can ask for a larger glass bottle to take with you but they are not just out to take.

Well just though I would give my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

They did away with the plastic water bottles about 1 1/2 -2 years ago. I thought it was a bit strange at the time, but then it made sense with the water waste. When I stayed at the Boardwalk concierge the summer before last my eldest daughter came down with strep throat and the ladies in concierge were wonderful to her. They made her tea and got her some soup. They were absolutely wonderful! They showed me the suites and told me some great stories of the celebrities that had stayed there also.

Pam

 

[cmitchel]

I just got back from the Poly on Monday. The two evenings we saw the dinner choices were egg rolls and lo mein noodles, and the other night was mac'n'cheese and caesar salad. Afternoon consisted of assorted desserts, candy, pita and hummus.

Tiki is right about the water. However, we asked for a bottle of Vitel every morning and filled up our squeeze bottle and daughters cup. Also the soda was not in an iced barrel as last year. Pop was out, but just stacked up. You had to ask for it in the morning.

Other than that, the service was the same as the previous two years we have stayed at the Poly.