**********
What
Is Concierge?
The term
concierge actually dates back to the late Middle Ages and was
coined by Louis XI. The role of the concierge has evolved over the years
and today the goal is to "establish and maintain warm cordial relations
with the guests frequenting an establishment" (International Concierge
Institute).
Each hotel
has its own interpretation of what exactly that means and how it is
transformed into a guest experience. At Disney, you are pampered, to
varying degrees, by Cast Member services and amenities. When you book
concierge, you will be assigned a member of the concierge staff
to assist in your vacation planning. The concierge can make priority
seatings, obtain tickets for dinner shows and answer your vacation questions.
The planner should contact you several weeks before your visit, either
by email or telephone. This tends to be very sporadic and not a dependable
feature. Your best bet it to contact the hotel's Concierge host directly.
Concierge
rooms are usually located on a private floor or wing of the hotel
and generally have keyed access. In other words, you wouldn't be able
to just wander in on your own. Each concierge club at WDW offers a special
lounge for guests. Coffee and continental breakfast is available in
the mornings, snacks around the lunch hour, hors d'oeuvres and wine
before dinner and dessert and cordials for early evening. The food offerings
in the Concierge Lounge will not take the place of a regular
meal!
If you
have special dietary requests, your concierge can sometimes assist
in getting you the item(s) you might need during your stay. Again, this
tends to be very very sporadic depending on the resort and even the
Cast Members you speak to.
The Disney
hotels that offer concierge are now all the Deluxe Resorts
(Beach and Yacht Club, Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness
Lodge, Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom Lodge).
Some concierge
clubs offer a special treat. For instance, at the Polynesian, the
lounge has floor to ceiling windows facing the Magic Kingdom's Castle.
You can watch the fireworks in the comfort of big soft chairs, sipping
coffee or your favorite after-dinner cordial. At the Boardwalk, the
balcony provides a view of IllumiNations at Epcot. The Animal Kingdom
Lodge concierge offers a special Sunrise
Safari into Animal Kingdom and Sunset
Safari at the Lodge itself (both are additional cost).
The
Wildlife Discovery Excursion
is available for booking by all Disney concierge guests. It's a
special 90 minute ride in the Kilimanjaro Safari with an animal guide.
There is an additional cost.
Regarding
prices:
A garden
view room during value season at the Polynesian costs $340, while a
garden view concierge room would cost $480. At the Animal Kingdom Lodge,
a concierge room is almost $200 more than a standard view room. On occasion,
you can find an Annual Passholder discount on concierge rooms, but don't
count on it. For the most part, you will be paying full price.
There is
one exception to paying cash and that is for Disney Vacation Club owners.
The Animal Kingdom Villas offer a limited number of rooms in the main
lodge with concierge service.
As you
can see, concierge is definitely not for those traveling on a tight
budget, but it makes a wonderful, special treat for those who want something
extra, like a special romantic getaway at the WDW resort.
**********
Concierge
Serves up Royal Treatment at Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels
LAKE
BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- It was a marriage proposal to remember at Disney's
Wilderness Lodge in Walt Disney World Resort.
The groom-to-be
spirited away his beloved, and concierge staff members set to work on
the couple's suite. There was a rose-petal carpet from the Disney florist,
an intimate table with lustrous place settings, a champagne bucket with
the finest bubbly and an engagement feast fit for royalty.
When the
couple returned, the bride-to-be was charmed, and love reigned with
a little help from the Old Faithful Club concierge staff.
Disney
guests can get the ultimate resort experience at eight deluxe Walt Disney
World hotels: Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Resort,
Disney's BoardWalk, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian
Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Wilderness Lodge
and Disney's Yacht Club Resort.
Each concierge
club offers a varied menu of special services, from custom itinerary
planning to private lounge privileges including complimentary breakfast,
wine-and-cheese tasting and dessert-and-cordial hours. All concierge
resorts also offer the new Wildlife Discovery Excursion -- a Disney's
Animal Kingdom private safari with an animal expert on board to answer
guest questions.
"Whatever
the request, we're here to say, 'yes,' " says Wilderness Lodge
concierge manager Mark Newman. "We'll do anything within our power
to pull strings and make it happen."
Requests
honored through the years by concierge guests at all eight resorts include:
Setting
the scene for marriage proposals and special anniversaries.
Searching local grocery and health-food stores for guests' special dietary
needs.
Creating complete family vacation itineraries, including VIP and guided
tours.
Sewing on buttons. Fresh-squeezing grapefruit juice. Shopping for gifts
and souvenirs. Rearranging furniture in rooms and suites.
Securing
electronic cables and special batteries for guests' electronic equipment.
Along with the expected top-of-the-line service, each Disney resort
concierge prides itself on special offerings:
Kilimanjaro
Club at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge offers guests of its 74 club-level
rooms and suites the opportunity to book the exclusive Wanyama Safari
followed by dinner and wine pairing at the resort's fine-dining restaurant,
Jiko-The Cooking Place. Another option is the Sunrise Safari with private
breakfast at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park.
Stone
Harbor Club guests at Disney's Beach Club Resort (95 club-level
rooms and suites) and Regatta Club guests at Disney's Yacht Club
Resort (67 club-level rooms and suites) are privy to concierge lounge
menu samplings of braised beef, steamed clams and other sumptuous goodies.
Guests can also book the new Albatross Treasure Cruise -- a rollicking
pirate excursion for kids of all ages.
The
Innkeeper's Club at Disney's BoardWalk serves up chocolate-covered
strawberries, plus milk and cookies for the kids each night for guests
of its 71 concierge accommodations. Its charming cottages and garden
suites include two-floor loft-style rooms with private entrances, wet
bars and guest spaces.
Guests
of the 14th floor Tower Club and the 12th floor Atrium Club at Disney's
Contemporary Resort (64 club-level rooms and suites) enjoy some
of the best rooms with views on Disney property -- Cinderella Castle
at Magic Kingdom and scenic Bay Lake. This very first Walt Disney World
hotel opened with Magic Kingdom in 1971 and has hosted several generations
of concierge guests who appreciate the short walk to the Magic Kingdom
gates.
Disney's
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (181 club-level rooms and suites)
wows guests of its Royal Palm Club and Sugar Loaf Club with curbside
and in-room check-in, plus a daily tea event in both lounges. The Royal
Palm features expanded lounge amenities including a generous sampling
of cordial and liqueur choices.
The
King Kamehameha Club at Disney's Polynesian Resort (108 club-level
rooms and suites) features a two-story lounge with expansive floor-to-ceiling
windows for a perfect view of nightly fireworks over Seven Seas Lagoon.
Old
Faithful Club Concierge at Disney's Wilderness Lodge features a
high cast-to-guest ratio for those staying in one of 50 club-level rooms.
The 5-7 p.m. wine-and-cheese gathering includes hot menu items such
as salmon pot pie and child-friendly foods from its signature restaurants.
Like all
Walt Disney World concierge managers, Chris Ware of Disney's Grand Floridian
Resort & Spa is accustomed to making celebrities and royalty feel
at home during their stay. And that same service is extended to all
concierge guests across Disney property.
"There's
not really much we can't do as long as we're given time to do it,"
Ware says.
For more
information about Disney club-level resort accommodations or reservations,
guests can call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639), a local travel agent, or check
online at disneyworld.com.
Subscribe to AllEars®.Net's RSS feed