Maximum Usage of Concierge?

[drj898]

Hey everyone (again lol)..I'll be club level at AKL in July for a romantic trip with my girlfriend. I called itinerary planning a few times to book some ADRs and the sunrise safari and stuff. But I really wanted to ask you two things:

1) What can I expect being club level at AKL, compared to say...a standard non-club level guest at AKL?

2) What can I do/say in order to maximize my usage of concierge/club level benefits?

Thanks!!!

[vicki_c]

I have never really used the club level staff for much once we're there - mainly just ADRs prior to arrival. Once they got us a refund for a dinner show on the same day when 2 of my family members were sick.

[mousehelper]

It isn't that different. I'e stayed at Bc, Wl, and Akl. The nicest thing is that you can eat breakfast every morning In the lounge. Then, there's the gummy bears when you come home in the afternoon. The appetizers are nice-- but I couldn't make a meal out of them at Akl like I could WL. The desserts are good, but we miss those a lot. We do enjoy the cordials late night, though.

The staff is there to help you-- (but so is the staff downstairs when you stay at reg.rooms.) They will print your flight tickets for you. They will try to do whatever you want, but they can't do the impossible. Don't' ask them to get a reservation at Ohana at 7pm. That's just not nice!

Of course-- it is possible that I didn't know what to say to maximize my concierge benefits! : )

[Claire]

We used the lounge service/food options more than the planning department. We loved the convince of CL. We were there for 10 days and scheduled our days around their offerings and options so we felt that we got our "money worth". My husband is very conscious Witt our money but we enjoyed so much we have booked with CL again. As with everything, it's a personal decision. If you have more specific questions let me know.

[vicki_c]

Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention the food - we do eat in the lounge a lot! LOL!

[George]

As far as using the Concierge (not the food) in the lounge, most everything is set up before we get there. Why else would we spend countless hours on planning sites like these?

When I stayed CL at CR a few years ago, I did have them book me a last-minute Backstage Magic tour for us. We could have just called from the room, but apparently resort guests are just routed to the same call centers we get if we call from home. It's also been my experience that the Concierges aren't necessarily any more knowledgeable than someone who answers a phone at a call center. Just my experience.

My advice would be to just enjoy the food in the lounge; you probably won't need the Concierge for much, if anything.

[josh]

Bottled beer.

[drj898]

Bottled beer.

YES. Definitely. I was looking forward to that the whole time...I thought was ONLY African beer in the lounge. I asked the girl on the phone with itinerary planning and told me there's Heineken, Bud Light, etc. too..in addition to the ONE Kenyan beer.

[josh]

Which one do they stock? Tusker Premium Lager?

[drj898]

Uhhh....I remember them saying it was from Kenya..lemme think.

...yeah. Tusker Lager. I think is it.

[annethomas]

Bottled beer.

As much as your can stand, I swear I heard DH sloshing as he walked

[clanmcculloch]

Besides the food, here's what we've enjoyed about staying CL (in our case at Polynesian).

• park purchases delivered to our room (non-CL guests have to pick them up at the resort gift shop)
• secured entry to our building (at AKL it's a secured floor)
• DVDs and board games that we can borrow from the lounge
• evenings sitting watching the view while sipping drinks and enjoying desserts (at Poly we watched wishes from the beautiful view in the lounge; I hear at AKL you can watch the view of the animals; I wonder if you can bring the night vision goggles up there?)
• robes in the rooms (is that available for all Deluxe resort guests?)
• the CL CMs will help arrange any kind of special little moments or surprises that you ask them to help you set up (the CMs there are so much better at this than the folks at IPO; they've helped us pull off some great moments though I'm not sure if that's just a couple really special folks at Poly who go that far or if it's standard as there are some really special folks at Poly who we've become friends with)
• location, location, location..... I believe the CL rooms at AKL are the top floor which affects your view

We do take advantage of the food a lot in the lounge but the lounge offerings also very much fit out preferred touring and dining style. We like a quick light breakfast in the morning and then a large TS meal mid-day in the parks followed by light munching for dinner and we do eat dinner early so 5pm is a perfect time for us to start that snacking. We're early to bed, early to rise kinds of folks so we typically don't do much nighttime entertainment so having the lounge for relaxing outside of our room with a drink in the evening is nice for us (though I suppose if we were looking for quiet and romantic that wouldn't necessarily fit the bill because in our experience there are usually kids playing and watching kids shows on TV).

Every time I read about your itinerary and dining plans I think that this is a guy who's wasting his money on a club level stay. Your itinerary looks to me like a VERY busy one with very little time to actually enjoy the ammenities of your resort let alone the ammenities of staying CL. Just my 2 cents.

[drj898]

Every time I read about your itinerary and dining plans I think that this is a guy who's wasting his money on a club level stay. Your itinerary looks to me like a VERY busy one with very little time to actually enjoy the ammenities of your resort let alone the ammenities of staying CL. Just my 2 cents.

Well..lol...as brutal as your honesty is, it's appreciated. I mean Im saving money on club level. Hooolllllddd onnn lol, lemme explain: I asked my TA, originally to quote me a standard savannah view room. When she did, she noticed the club level was actually cheaper. So I took it! I wanted a character breakfast or two...plus a romantic sig. Dining dinner....plus a "hey let's check out this place for lunch" a few times. And suddenly I'm looking at meal plans. When we head back to the resort to recharge our batteries, we'll definitely enjoy the offerings in the club lounge then...and later on as well.

PS: Anyone know how the coffee is in the lounge & in Mara?

[mousehelper]

CL is not top floor at akl. I think you have to walk up to the lounge. I want to say fourth floor? Lounge on 6? It was only a few months ago, but I can't remember.
: )

[drj898]

CL is not top floor at akl. I think you have to walk up to the lounge. I want to say fourth floor? Lounge on 6? It was only a few months ago, but I can't remember.
: )

Yep..thats what I understand too. Room on 4, lounge on 6. Down a hall and up 2 floors. Something people complain about. Go figure lol.

Everyone seems to agree my itinerary is too action-packed and not enough relaxation time to enjoy AKL and be cool, calm, and collected.

I can repost my itinerary if the *incredible* folk here want another look at it lol

[clanmcculloch]

Thanks for correcting me on the location. I haven't stayed at AKL. If I ever do we likely won't be spending the extra to stay CL because I haven't read very good reviews of how allergies are handled there and after being spoiled rotten by Poly CL folks it would be hard to handle what I've read in allergy reviews. Plus I like being able to know what area I'll be in so we'll likely go for a pool view if we ever stay there and I believe in CL you could be anywhere on the floor which just doesn't suit us. I just haven't paid much attention to CL stuff at AKL because of that. I'm enjoying reading about it though.

[drj898]

I'm enjoying reading about it too! Lol

[DoctorK]

Just curious about the price discrepancy and it made me wonder, are all CL-level rooms savanna view?

[mousehelper]

CL rooms are Arusha Savanna view, which is an up charge if you are not staying CL. That is one reason that Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge CL is not that much more expensive that a regular room if staying in a Arusha savanna view. But-- it can be a long walk to the lounge. Is it worth it to have the view you do of the animals? Yes-- it was for us. But, it didn't make the long walk to the lounge any less long, or any less a pain.
: )

[Mrs Hobbes]

I was under the impression that not all CL rooms at AKL are savannah view some our pool view. This is no bad thing we had a pool view at Jambo when we stayed non CL and the view was lovely. There are a few animals that you can see beyond the pool.

I have to say that I would love to say CL and can not wait to try it some day when DH and I go on an adult only trip. I think it will be really romantic and you will enjoy the extra perks.

[vicki_c]

Mrs. Hobbes is correct I think - some are pool view. I also understand you cannot request a view at AKL when staying CL - or perhaps that's only for the DVC rooms, I'm not sure.

[drj898]

Exactly. I asked AKL club concierge and they said all CL standard rooms are arusha savannah views. DVC rooms CAN be savannah view OR not.

[abfallas]

We stayed CL at AKL in December and we were told all Club Level rooms had a Savannah view. We enjoy the continental breakfast served in the morning and the free drinks (specially the alcoholic type :-) ). Besides that, we don't really use their "services". I always try to have them make my reservations but I'm much quicker than they are so I just do them myself lol. My husband likes being greeted at the front the moment you arrive and being escorted to the lounge. And yes, most of the CL rooms at AKL are on a different floor than the lounge - we didn't think that was a big deal though but I'm sure some people have issues with the walk.

[FjmArch]

YES. Definitely. I was looking forward to that the whole time...I thought was ONLY African beer in the lounge. I asked the girl on the phone with itinerary planning and told me there's Heineken, Bud Light, etc. too..in addition to the ONE Kenyan beer.

If there is a beer that you prefer that is not in the refrig. in the lounge just ask the staff. We stayed CL at WL in October. We were in the lounge and I was having a few beers, my son had on a Patriots t-shirt and one of the staff asked if I like Sam Adams. The next day there were Sam Adams in the refirg. for me.
Moral of the story don't be afraid to ask for anything, if they can do it they will; if they can't they will let you know.

[megs1313]

We are also staying CL at AKL this summer because it was cheaper than a savanna view standard room. I don't know why it was, but it was. I expect it will save us some money in terms of breakfast...perfect for us to have small munchables for breakfast close to the room. In chocolate milk alone, my son will drink the cost of our room. LOL