Chin up! You don't really have club Access

[Mickey.MAC]

Hi everyone!

This is a hybrid trip report. We went to a seven night Disney Cruise with a wrap around stay at Disney World.
Introduction: me: Disney fan D is the spouse I drag on Disney adventures G and L are my 2 boys

Plan: Seven night Disney Cruise with a pre and post stay at Disney World

We arrived late Friday night at Disney world on the Magical Express. I wanted to get to Disney for the Christmas Party but worked ended late and our flight arrive at 9 pm

We headed out to Gran Destino Tower. I had asked the front desk why I had not received a room number after online check in was done. They said it was based on the estimated arrival time of 10pm. At 10 pm, a text said your room is not ready. I called the front desk back and said it is 10pm, what us going on, why is my room not ready? Check in is 3 pm, please get a room.

Immediately after this phone call, I got a text saying that the room is ready. We arrived on the bus at the Gran Destino Tower. OMG, the tower is gorgeous. I have been to Vegas and this new tower has Vegas like grandeur. We skipped the regular check in line which was a mile long. My wife went to wait in the check in line and i had to pull her out. She was confused...

We headed straight to our room on the 4th floor. When we entered the room, there was something amiss. Houston! We have a problem. We walked into a room with a couch. What was this? Um...they upgraded us to a "Club" Deluxe Family Suite. We entered into the living room with a pull out couch. We made a right turn into a separate master bedroom with master shower. Our room was over 500 square feet. I only booked a normal room with 2 queen beds but had some pixie dust to start our Disney Cruise trip.

So after we all turned on the tv and jumped into bed I called the front desk. Hi, I am in a club level Deluxe Suite. Do I have access to the Chrons club? 2 different front desk people said yes, you are in a club level suite with club access. Score! It was already 11 pm and the club was closed so i went to bed--so excited for my Disney Cruise!

The next morning I headed to Chronos Club and tried to use my magic band to enter Chronos Club. Twice the sensor showed red when I tapped my magic band. The hostess opened the door and looked up my magic band. She said, Sir, although you are in a club level room, we did not grant you club access. I told her, you must be kidding me. What happened? She said we upgraded you to a club room but there was a note in your record that we withheld club access. You can purchase club access at the front desk.

Embarrassing! So I trudged to the front desk with the pixie ash(I mean dust) sprinkled on me and told them I wanted to buy club access to add to my club level room. The Front desk said since your checking out now we will grant you club access. So I went to the club and my magic band would still let me in! The red light turned on, and the club door would not open (Cue the Deflating sounds). The same club hostess let me in the locked door; and I told her I was granted access.

The hostess checked the computer and said your account has club access. I asked her why is my magic band not working? She said sometimes the bands don't work, but your account has club access so I will let you in manually. Um, okay. Pixie ash? lol.

From the Chronos club I could see Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Gran Destino is a gorgeous Las Vegas type tower sticking out of Coronado Springs. Disney experts coin it the best moderate resort and I can't disagree. Chronos club is large, modern, airy. The hosts and hostesses are top notch and the breakfast has warm food. I recently stayed in Beach Club on the club level and Chronos stacks up!

 

[Mickey.MAC]

(We normally stay in the Deluxe resorts. I also want to start renting DVC. ). Coronado Springs is a new experience for us. When Disney Social Media starting broadcasting news on Gran Destino, I fell in love in with trying a brand new building. I am OCD so the prospect of a new resort will attract me. Gran Destino has a Las Vegas like quality; incongruent with classical Disney theming. But this is the new age of Disney with super high prices, dynamic pricing, and crowds all year long!

The Deluxe Suite is ideal for large families. It has a connecting door so it can be expanded. The separate master bedroom is good for adults who want to be near their kids but have their own space. I was happy I got to be granted an upgrade. I am not sure if I would pay rack rate for the suite. Chronos club also has large airy feel. It has a contemporary theme that may turn off classical Disney fans. The staff are super nice and were very attentive. Alcohol is available upon request including their famous mimosa. When there is low demand at Disney, I expect more club level standard rooms to be available. There is no club level floor--just club level access. So if the hotel is not booked, more standard club level rooms may be available.

At the Chronos club, there is no piped in music from the fireworks, so if you want to see the fireworks from a building, go to California Grill. But the birds eye view is amazing and unique. Most people will opt for Coronado Springs because it is moderate resort with better pricing than Deluxes. But the quality is deluxe level As you get to the end of the report, I will compare it to Port Orleans, which is also a moderate resort. Gran Destino is much higher in quality and service than Port Orleans!

Since I was going on the Disney Cruise, I opted in for the Disney Cruise bus. It was 39 per person for a one way ticket. The Disney Cruise bus is recommended because once you are on it you can't miss your ship.

 

[Mickey.MAC]

We checked in our bags at the Disney Cruise desk at Coronado Springs and they magically appeared in our cruise stateroom. I do not buy trip insurance but I do arrive one night before the cruise and use Disney transport to get to the ship. There are much cheaper ways to get to Disney World and the Disney Cruise, but none as convenient.

On the morning of check out, I had grand plans to rope drop Hollywood Studios or see Christmas trees at the Deluxe resorts, or have a character breakfast. I did none of these options. The family slept in since we arrived late the night before; I could not get out of work early to catch an earlier flight. Since the family was snoozing, I just stayed in the hotel room and visited the Chronos club. As i mentioned earlier, I initially was denies access to the Chronos Club, and when I went to the front desk, they granted me access to match my room category--because they noticed I was checking out in one hour.

 

[Mickey.MAC]

Would it be heresy to talk about my Disney Cruise? Okay, I will, you convinced me. I left off with taking a Disney Bus to the port. The Disney Cruise bus is my "insurance". Once you are on it, the ship cannot leave without you. I felt a bittersweet emotion as we left Gran Destino Tower. I was heading on the Disney Cruise but I had not done anything at Disney World! I am an annual passholder so I could have gone into the parks while my family slept. If any of you follow Michael Kay on Youtube, I met him when Flight of Passage opened to the public. I left them in Grand Floridian while I trudged out at 3 am to rope drop.

Because we were coming from the Disney World resort, we arrived at the Port after all the guests boarded. There were relatively minimal lines when we got onto the ship. Because it was an overcast and dreary cold day, we did not run to the pool deck. We did have swim wear ready to swim, but the weather was not inviting. We avoided the chaos at Cabanas, and opted for a quiet organized sit down lunch at Animators Palate. We are gold members on the Disney Cruise line so we know every part of the ship; we feel no pressure to do stuff because we know the whole routine. The staff on the Disney cruise are special. The Disney cruise cast members work 80 hours per week or more every week for 6 months. They work nonstop to provide customer service to cruise guests and they do it with a smile.

When I complain about my job, I think about the hours the Disney cruise cast members put in...I do the Disney cruise once a year...every time I set foot on the ship, I feel like I am home. More than Disney World, stepping onto the Disney Fantasy means I am home. My kids have grown up taking Disney Cruises. While expensive, the kids have happy memories of being on the Disney Cruise--since they were babies. Some social media "experts" have deemed Disney Cruise to be the best value compared to Disney World or Aulani, and I would have to agree. Please go during low season, and save a bundle of cash. I dont want anyone going poor or in debt paying for their Disney tickets.