Is Club Level Worth It in Disney World Hotels?

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Disney’s Contemporary Resort

So, you’ve likely heard of the Mickey Mouse Club, Disney Vacation Club, Club Cool, you may even be familiar with the exclusive Club 33. But do you know about another type of club at Disney World?

We’re gonna dive into the details of staying “Club Level” at Disney World Resorts. Where you can find it, what you can expect with your stay, how much it’ll cost you, and if it’s worth it for your ideal vacation.

So buckle up, tighten your Mouse ears, and let’s go clubbin’!

What is Club Level?

Club Level is a special room category at select Disney Resort Hotels that offers extra perks! If you’re staying in Club Level accommodations, you will have access to a special lounge that offers snacks and beverages throughout the day. While the offerings vary by resort, typically you’ll find light continental-style breakfast options in the morning, afternoon snacks and beverages, and the evenings provide small dishes that are “tapas” or small-bite style, as well as wine, beer, and cocktails. Those who book a Club Level room also receive planning help before their visit and a dedicated Concierge Desk on-site to help you get any last-minute Advance Dining Reservations and other vacation add-ons like tours or dessert parties.

Chronos Club at Gran Destino Tower

The Concierge at Club Level is open between 7AM and 10PM and is usually found near the Club Level Lounge and can help with MagicBands, tickets, dining, recreation, transportation, and even provide recommendations for a daily itinerary. If you’re staying Club Level, you’ll be checked in at an exclusive area and escorted up to the Club Lounge. Once you’re checked in, you’ll receive a sort of Club Level “orientation” to let you know the services provided to you. You’ll also be introduced to the Concierge Cast Members, who can help you set up any resources or special services during your stay.

Yacht Club Front Desk

Club Level guests also receive a nightly turn-down service, complete with pillow mints or chocolates.

Another Look at the Beds

Club Level areas are usually restricted by levels or floors and tend to only be accessible with a MagicBand, MagicMobile, or key card that is linked to a Club Level reservation. This ensures that Club Level benefits are only used by those who have paid for the service.

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Where Can You Find Club Level

Each of the Deluxe Resorts offers a Club Level, and there is an additional Club Level option at Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort, the only Moderate Resort with a Club Level (so far).

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of staying Club Level ranges from around +$200/night to +$700/night depending on the resort, room tier, and season. Generally, the more expensive the hotel and room category, the greater the added cost.

Center Area

When we looked at a stay at the Grand Floridian in early November, a standard “Outer Building-Garden View” room was priced at $904 per night. The lowest-tiered Club Level room, “Main Building-Standard Room” is priced at $1,498 per night. That’s almost a $600 increase, per night.

If you plan to save some pennies, but still wanna live it up and are looking at Gran Destino Tower, the same time of year in a “Tower Standard Room” will cost at least $440 per night. And the lowest-tiered Club Level room, “Tower-Standard View” is priced at $714 per night. That’s $274 above the standard room cost.

One of the many fireplaces at Wilderness Lodge

If any discounts are being offered, like Annual Passholder Discounts or Florida Resident Discounts for room-only bookings, those can be applied to Club Level rooms as well, depending on the season, availability, and the terms of the discount (gotta read that fine print!).

Disney World Deluxe Resort List and Ranking

What Is Included in Club Level at Disney World?

You may be disappointed to learn that even though you could be paying $600 more per night than other rooms, your actual room doesn’t look any different. Unless you’re opting into a suite, your Club Level room will likely look just like the ones on the lower floors. What you’re paying for isn’t an enhanced room, but access to the Club Lounge and the extra services provided by the Club Level Concierge Cast Members.

We love Cast Members!

Speaking of those extra services, let’s temper those expectations. We’ll be the first ones to wave our Cast Member Support Flags and cheer and shout for all they do to make Disney vacations special. However, the Concierge service is not the magic wand, miracle-granting service you might be expecting for the price tag. If you’re expecting for a Concierge Cast Member to magically secure dinner for a party of 8 at Be Our Guest with just two hours’ notice, that’s not the kind of service they provide.

Check-In Desk

In fact, if you’re anticipating a comparable experience to services provided at other luxury resorts like Waldorf Astoria, Four Seasons, or Park Hyatt, you may find yourself dissatisfied.

Concierge Cast Members a great at making some personal recommendations or offering a fun and entertaining interaction. They can even provide you with some unique insight about the parks you’re visiting and the history or trivia about the resort. Many of the same reasons we love so many Cast Members. But if you’re looking for super-specific, individualized, even border-line miraculous service, then you’d actually be better off using a certified Disney travel agent (like Small World Vacations) for that magic-wand kind of assistance.

The primary selling point of booking Club Level is access to those Club Lounges. With access to snacks and beverages from 7AM until 10PM, if you plan it right, you can fill up in the Lounge instead of stressing about dining reservations. You’ll get the most value if you plan to eat multiple meals in the lounge. Most people will take advantage of continental breakfast, but not lunch, dinner, or late night desserts, as they’re busy enjoying the parks.

Cereal Dispensers

As we mentioned, breakfast is pretty much a Continental-style option. You’ll find some pastries, fruit, yogurt, cold cuts, cereal, coffee, juice, hot chocolate, and even some espresso machines for your morning cappuccino. You may also find a limited variety of warm options, like oatmeal, biscuits and gravy, or grits.  The main takeaway is that these breakfast options won’t rival Whispering Canyon or Tusker House, but do provide a decent assortment of “grab and go” options as you head out for your day in the parks.

Trail Mix and Goldfish

The light afternoon snacks are just like they sound — chips, packaged cookies or other sweet bakery items, trail mix, hummus and pita, a selection of vegetables, and various other random things. This is definitely NOT lunch, but some nice, portable snacks if you’re planning to spend the afternoon by the pool, or want some things to snack on in the room while the little ones nap.

The evening small plates tend to offer the most value and “bang for the buck.” But if you’re planning to capitalize on it, you’ll want to set your clock, because it’s typically only available between 5PM and 7PM. There are usually plenty of small plate dishes that are prepared by chefs in the resort’s restaurants. These tend to be very good, despite being appetizer-sized. But remember, you’re not ordering off a menu, what’s offered is what it is. Though you can usually find some kid-friendly options like tater tots and dinner rolls, you may also find other small plate versions of short ribs or salmon fillets. So, if you have a family full of picky eaters, “making a meal” out of this appetizer service likely won’t satisfy anyone in your party. As with any buffet-style service, it’s best when it’s fresh. So, if you want to maximize this option, get there as close to 5PM as you can, as by 7PM you will likely find the options pretty picked over and not being replenished.

Assortment of sweets to choose from

Finally, from 8PM to 10PM, you’ll find some dessert options. If you’ve ever been to one of Disney’s Fireworks Dessert Parties, or even a standard buffet in Disney World, you’re familiar with the dessert options. Mostly cookies, brownies, and mini-cupcakes, some may have a special flourish, or you may find a verrine or mousse option. And of course, you can enjoy wine and beer with your sweet treat.

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So, is a Club Level Stay Worth It?

The rooms are no different than any room at the resort, and those who get access to the Concierge Cast Members (who are a delight) might experience the same level of excellent service in the lobby at the resort concierge desk. So the real value of a Club Level stay is in the lounge.

Sit a spell

The quality of lounges varies from resort to resort, but the main draw is the dinner-timed small plate offering. Made from chefs in some of the resorts finest kitchens, you may have the “bonne chance” of experiencing a fun culinary gem. This value can be increased if you are also able to take advantage of the breakfast and afternoon options. And, of course, the larger your party and the more “meals” you can enjoy in the lounge, the greater the return for your Club Level dollar will be. So, this option is really geared toward the leisure Disney visitor. Someone (or a family) who plans to enjoy their resort and will be around to experience the perks of the lounge.

Big Pine Key renovated lobby

On the flip side, if you’re a “park commando” and you and your family regularly leave your resort before sunrise to make “rope drop” and stay or park hop until well after fireworks, then you’re missing out on the best (and probably only) reason to book a Club Level stay because the lounge and the Concierge services are only available between 7AM and 10PM. If you want experience a Club Level stay, but hate the idea of sacrificing time in the parks, consider doing a split stay, where you only stay in a Club Level room for 1 or 2 nights of your trip, so you can enjoy those perks, and then you can shift to a more moderately priced resort or room for the rest of your stay when you’ll be in the parks the most.

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Have you stayed Club Level at a Disney Resort? Do you think it’s worth it? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Is Club Level Worth It in Disney World Hotels? first appeared on the disney food blog.