YC Concierge - Worth the price?

[sorarail]

I have booked YC in November 08 for our 25th anniversary. I'm trying to decide whether to upgrade us to concierge level since it is an "auspicious" occasion.
Please help - is YC concierge worth the extra cost? Inquiring minds would like to know.:unsure:

[KAT1811]

IMHO no. But that is just my opinion. We only do concierge in the resorts and hotels around the globe that offer "perks" such as getting you into booked restaurants and shows we wouldn't be able to get ourselves into on our own, etc. In WDW we hardly ever spend time in our rooms and the concierge (from what I have heard) doesn't have the ability to "pull strings" like other resorts and hotels outside of WDW.

I know some say they like the food and drinks the concierge guests are privy to but we prefer to spend our days in the parks. We leave early morning and return at the very least after dinner, often much later (think fireworks).

If the YC concierge is offering something you think is appealing enough to you to justify the added expense then go for it, if not then I, personally, wouldn't bother.

P.S. - Happy Anniversary!!!!! Have a great trip!

[HulaMinnie]

I can't say if it's worth it or not, that's such a relative thing, but I stayed at YC club level last month for a girls' weekend getaway with my sister-in-law. We had a great time and were impressed by the attention we received from the castmembers - especially one in particular - and the quality of the food in the lounge.

We were welcomed at the front door by the concierge staff and escorted up to the club level floor for check-in. Whenever we saw this castmember again throughout our weekend, he greeted us by name and took the time to ask us what our plans were and offer tips and suggestions. He said he loved what he does and it showed. That little bit of extra attention goes a long way to making your visit "magical."

One morning we wanted to go to breakfast at the Captain's Galley. Downstairs they said it would be an hour wait. We went back upstairs and mentioned it to the lady at the concierge desk and she got us an ADR for 15 minutes later.

The food in the lounge was very good -as they say, it's not meant to be a meal, but it's nice to have for the convenience. Continental breakfast type food in the mornings and crackers, cheeses, veggies, dips, a soup and a different hot item - one night it was salmon and the other it was barbecue ribs in the evening when we were there. The lounge is a little smaller than some of the other CL lounges I have been to on property (Polynesian, WL, BWI, about the same size as the BC) but it didn't seem crowded when we were there and they kept the offerings well-stocked.

The one thing you may want to be aware of if it's a special trip - some of the garden view club level rooms face the front of the resort and you may get a view of the parking lot or the convention center. If the view is important to you, you may want to consider spending the extra for a water view.

Just want to mention the same is not necessarily true for garden view rooms that aren't on club level, some of those views are really nice.

The Yacht Club is such a beautiful resort, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful stay whatever you decide. Happy planning!

[DISNEYFIX]

Do it and enjoy yourselves! It is a treat and if you are not big eaters you could just about make all of your meals there. Much better and time efficient than dealing with a bunch of ADR's and crowds to boot. It will make your trip much simpler and more enjoyable.

[lockedoutlogic]

No...it is not....only do the "concierge" thing if the money is no object

[TammiMcMan]

"Worth" is a very subjective term. My experience on the YC club level was good and bad. It was a special stay for us, so I did require a lot of assistance from the pre-planning department. This is where they really stood out for me. It was one of the few times, where I absolutely knew that they were able to do things that I never would have been able to get on my own. Our basic day to day at the resort, was less than stellar though. We had a room issue that the concierge CM would not help us with and I ended up having to call the pre-planner who I had been working with prior to the vacation and within literally 2 minutes, the problem was resolved.

By comparison to other club levels at Disney, the lounge is very, very small and while it does have a balcony, it overlooks the parking lot. I'm also an early riser, so I like to be able to leave our room and sit down in the lounge while the rest of my family sleeps. That's not possible at the YC, because they keep the lounge doors shut during off hours. Even the early morning coffee was served from a table outside the lounge. Murphys Law, everytime we came back to the resort, the lounge was closed for cleaning.

I don't know. Because I have stayed there already, I would probably choose not to do it again and instead spend the extra money on other special things. For example, spring for the water view room and then a beautiful dinner at the Yachtsman Steakhouse, or a private Illuminations cruise with a bottle of champagne, etc. That's just me though.

[lockedoutlogic]

"Worth" is a very subjective term. My experience on the YC club level was good and bad. It was a special stay for us, so I did require a lot of assistance from the pre-planning department. This is where they really stood out for me. It was one of the few times, where I absolutely knew that they were able to do things that I never would have been able to get on my own. Our basic day to day at the resort, was less than stellar though. We had a room issue that the concierge CM would not help us with and I ended up having to call the pre-planner who I had been working with prior to the vacation and within literally 2 minutes, the problem was resolved.

By comparison to other club levels at Disney, the lounge is very, very small and while it does have a balcony, it overlooks the parking lot. I'm also an early riser, so I like to be able to leave our room and sit down in the lounge while the rest of my family sleeps. That's not possible at the YC, because they keep the lounge doors shut during off hours. Even the early morning coffee was served from a table outside the lounge. Murphys Law, everytime we came back to the resort, the lounge was closed for cleaning.

I don't know. Because I have stayed there already, I would probably choose not to do it again and instead spend the extra money on other special things. For example, spring for the water view room and then a beautiful dinner at the Yachtsman Steakhouse, or a private Illuminations cruise with a bottle of champagne, etc. That's just me though.


My exact thinking....spend the difference in cost on more dining or recreational activites...for the difference in rate for a week....you could parasail, eat at 3 signature restaurants...and have change left over

[pox24]

Yes defintely worth it.:thumbsup:

[WhiteRose1]

Budget it. Let's say Concierge is $100 more a night. Will you get $100 in value, each day?

Only you know the answer. If you want to eat at the lounge and take advantage of the snacks and services, then go for it. You also get pre trip planning which is a lifesaver if you want to get a res in a popular resturant. (The Castle for Breakfast, anyone?)

We booked platinum with gave us access to the concierge trip planner, and we got V&A and Breakfast at Cindy's and every other spot we wanted, without making any 7 am phonecalls.

Also, I talked to the poly trip organizer, we are going in Oct, and our window for reservations is 190 days, not 180, so the planners *DO* have 'pull' if you can plan early. Our window starts on april 4, a full 10 days before non-concierge/trip planners.

So, it depends on how you use the services, and if you are going to use them...We are not paying for concierge...we decided to go platinum instead.

My hubby did a whole budget analysis of it, and on our last trip (platinum-honeymoon) we would have spent more on food alone then what we paid for the trip....without trying.

You only can determine it's worth by looking at the numbers and determining the value for yourself!

[TammiMcMan]

Also, I talked to the poly trip organizer, we are going in Oct, and our window for reservations is 190 days, not 180, so the planners *DO* have 'pull' if you can plan early. Our window starts on april 4, a full 10 days before non-concierge/trip planners.I just wanted to point out that the 180 + 10 is available for anyone, not just concierge guests. If you have a great pre-planner, they might know some backdoor way to get hard to get reservations, but nothing is guaranteed. I do admit to having some great luck with the concierge staff and they've even secured Castle breakfast reservations during our stay. That has more to do with them being able to keep an eye on cancellations though and scooping them up promptly.

[WhiteRose1]

I spoke with the planner office directly, and they told me that they (all the concierge and platinum planners) get access to 180+10, but people not in Concierge/Platinum/preplanners need to start calling at the 180 mark.

All I know is, let someone else worry about getting my reservation...I'm not going to be calling myself!

[sorarail]

Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. :thumbsup:

I realize the value of worth is subjective, I just wanted to get a feel for what others have experienced at the YC Concierge level. I guess I should have phrased my inquiry more clearly.

After mulling all of the comments over, I've decided to stick with what I've booked. We are out of the room more than in it and I'd rather save the money to spend in the parks if needed.

Thanks again to all who commented! :rocks: