Very Disappointed in Poly Club Level

[Maxie86]

I totally agree about the coffee machine (and thought it was just me....). It's too complicated for me and very inaccessible with the food line right there. This is the machine at Portofino and I fell in love with using it several times a day. It was so simple - just press the button of what you want.

View attachment 782913View attachment 782914

Now that's a machine I could use

 

[SL6827]

Yikes

I remember on time in RPC there was a group of us waiting for the chocolate cover strawberries to be replenished and before I could get to the counter some guy who was hovering nearby snatched the whole plate, took it back to his group. I think they ate 2 then left after 5 minutes and yes the untouched strawberries were thrown out because of greedy people.

Then on our only stay at BC CL we saw chair hogs. They must have had every chair in the lounge at their table so their group would have a place to sit. I think I took one saying sorry they aren't here yet and they can have it when I'm finished. Meanwhile just as we were getting ready to leave the group came in and there were a bunch of extra chairs.

The CR was also a giant mess. Glad we were only there for one night

This is probably why there are no Zebra Domes in CL at the AKL.

 

[SL6827]

There's a 2 drink limit? We very rarely drink, but they limit it? Per day?

 

[conandrob240]

No, I guess 2 drinks per person at a time. We each had a glass with a few sips of wine left in it. Then I guess he was disturbed that we were also each taking a beer. At one point, while waiting for husband to come back (which they clearly knew because he was standing right there when I asked him to get me a beer), I was holding both of our wines and his beer while standing waiting fir him.

 

[conandrob240]

I’ll add that some if you seem to worry way too much about what other people are eating, drinking or how they are sitting. Who the heck cares?!?! And I’ll state again, we saw very little bad guest behavior. The bad behavior was from the CMs.

 

[trishadono]

There's a 2 drink limit? We very rarely drink, but they limit it? Per day?

You can only possess 2 at at time. Hence therefore I get 2 wine and dump in a coffee cup to go for later then go back for a glass of wine because I like glass. When I leave they see 1 , I am holding 2, but actually have 3.

When you go to parks late and miss desserts I don’t feel bad I have wine for later when I get back.

I have had champagne at breakfast, then middy, wine dinner and a drink before bed. No limits there just can’t hold more than 2 at a time.

 

[focusondisney]

I’ll add that some if you seem to worry way too much about what other people are eating, drinking or how they are sitting. Who the heck cares?!?! And I’ll state again, we saw very little bad guest behavior. The bad behavior was from the CMs.

You’d care if you were the one that had nowhere to sit or someone took the whole plate of an item you were waiting for.

 

[conandrob240]

You’d care if you were the one that had nowhere to sit or someone took the whole plate of an item you were waiting for.

I don’t think 2 people sitting at a table for 4 is rude or a big deal. Maybe when they sat down, that’s all there was. Saving chairs seems okay to me too- I guess not for 20 minutes or anything but fair enough for a person whose family was on the way. If no seats, I’d just stand and wait a few minutes until someone gets up. Had to do plenty of that but not because anyone was rude, it was just way overcrowded. I would imagine someone taking a whole plate of something to be a very rare exception. In our case, what I saw was stingy CMs literally putting out 6 or 8 of something and there not being any for the 3rd or 4th person. Happened all of the time.

 

[Minnie1222]

I’m shocked they didn’t bother to replace it in the remodel with a good one. Thing is miserable.

@conandrob240 I’d have lost my mind a couple types dealing with all that nonsense! Dismissing your experience because they believe someone is socially awkward- that manager deserves to be fired. Putting CMs in jobs they know the CM cannot do, utter incompetence!

No they don't! If every person is fired due to a guest complaint there'll be no one left to work.

I've been going to Disney for 30 years as an adult and at least15 times as a minor and never ever had a bad interaction with a club CM. I've seen plenty of annoying guests though, mostly at Poly and AKL.

 

[conandrob240]

No they don't! If every person is fired due to a guest complaint there'll be no one left to work.

I've been going to Disney for 30 years as an adult and at least15 times as a minor and never ever had a bad interaction with a club CM. I've seen plenty of annoying guests though, mostly at Poly and AKL.

Although that’s highly unusual, that’s great for you! If you want to break your streak, run straight to Poly CL! I’m sure they’ll fix that fir you! I can tell you with certainty after 40 years of traveling and customer service experience, there were 3 people working in that lounge who should never be allowed to work in customer facing roles. And a few others that needed some training. There was an older couple there one worked for Disney for a long time, his partner in the travel business for years both now retired. They have stayed at Poly Club level dozens of times and felt the same way we did if you need any additional “proof”.

And while fired might be extreme, the comment was in regard to what the manager said to a guest registering a complaint. You don’t tell a guest that your employee is socially awkward. First, you don’t say negative things about your employees to a guest. Second, you don’t make an excuse like that. Third, you should know better as a manager than to let that employee with that skill deficit be alone with guests in a highly guest- facing role. Basic manager 101 stuff.

 

[Richie248]

I was on a CL kick this past year but slowly converting my existing reservations to a regular room or DVC Villa. I can easily create my own Club Lounge through grocery delivery service. I've found guests to be very inconsiderate the past few visits. Biggest pet peeve are parents that give their screaming children free reign of the club lounge while they sit back and relax. Also guests leaving huge messes at tables....including the chairs and the floor. The cast members do their best but feel guest behavior can sometimes be a losing battle.

 

[SkyGuy]

I was on a CL kick this past year but slowly converting my existing reservations to a regular room or DVC Villa. I can easily create my own Club Lounge through grocery delivery service. I've found guests to be very inconsiderate the past few visits. Biggest pet peeve are parents that give their screaming children free rein of the club lounge while they sit back and relax. Also guests leaving huge messes at tables....including the chairs and the floor. The cast members do their best but feel guest behavior can sometimes be a losing battle.

Agreed. The messes people left at AKL last week were atrocious. I was thinking parents must just let their kids crumble up muffins and throw them on the floor. Not to mention not supervising them through the food line - so many little hands just taking things directly off the plates (and putting things back). One child took a cookie, dropped it, then put it back on the plate and took another. Luckily a CM saw this and removed the tray. (Kids aren’t the only offenders; trying not to write a novel by including adults - this isn’t a bash kids in the CL post.)

 

[gottalovepluto]

No they don't! If every person is fired due to a guest complaint there'll be no one left to work.

Yes, the manager should be fired. They KNOWINGLY put a CM in a job they cannot do. Management 101 fail. They put the CM in a position where their inability to read social situations puts them at higher risk because it increases the odds they will have more angry customers vs an average employee who can read social situations. When your own actions increase the risk profile? Management failure. Now, let’s cover the fact the Manager spread gossip about the CM having social issues by literally telling a guest- any CM doing that should be fired, especially a Manager.

 

[2vets]

I’ll add that some if you seem to worry way too much about what other people are eating, drinking or how they are sitting. Who the heck cares?!?! And I’ll state again, we saw very little bad guest behavior. The bad behavior was from the CMs.

Your experience was pretty awful. I don’t think anyone’s trying to diminish that. Seems like others are just expressing why they didn’t enjoy Poly - I’ve definitely witnessed a variety of bad behavior (and avoid Poly because of overcrowding), but yours stands out bc of the CM shaming! I will say, I’ve personally witnessed someone clearing out a tray or plate (and not one containing only 4-6 items) and walking off, only to leave half of it untouched, and it is pretty annoying. I definitely cared.

 

[conandrob240]

I was on a CL kick this past year but slowly converting my existing reservations to a regular room or DVC Villa. I can easily create my own Club Lounge through grocery delivery service. I've found guests to be very inconsiderate the past few visits. Biggest pet peeve are parents that give their screaming children free reign of the club lounge while they sit back and relax. Also guests leaving huge messes at tables....including the chairs and the floor. The cast members do their best but feel guest behavior can sometimes be a losing battle.

last week, many CMs were most certainly not “trying their best”. Blaming guests for bad CM behavior Doesn’t fly with me. And again, we saw no egregious or rude behavior from guests last week. Kids make messes, people take a little more food than they should, etc. Don’t be in customer facing role if you can’t handle it.

 

[Wiltony]

Over the 4th of July the wine was served in plastic cups. That is not acceptable unless you want to take it to the pool. Even getting coffee in the morning was a challenge. The coffee is blocked by the line for the food. I book CL just for the morning coffee. I don't think we will stay CL at the Poly again. The coffee should by placed where they put the wine in the afternoon. That would have freed up a lot of space in the food line, and make it possible to get a cup of coffee without standing in the food line. I need at least 2 cups of coffee before I can even consider eating. We hardly ate or drank anything, it just wasn't worth the effort.

And the Nespresso line. I have grown to hate that thing. Too complicated, creates congestion. I know good machines are very expensive but they need to bite the bullet and upgrade to something else that works/is easier to operate (in my humble opinion). I’ve seen a lot of newer/better touch-screen type setups in airport lounges and such, time for WDW to upgrade.

....um....LINES? In a club lounge? Like more than 2 or so people deep?

As someone who has never done Disney Club Level, but who has had experience with other club lounges (cruise ships, hotels, airports, conferences, etc.), ya'll are really putting me off of what hell I might expect to encounter at a Disney club lounge.

My expectation would be a large, clean, quiet, and cozy area with comfy chairs and coffee/end tables where people can relax, chat, and (...gasp...) LOUNGE. On one end of the room, there should be a large spread of various kinds of food, where people occasionally stop by to graze, refill plates, and get drinks. Is that not the case?

Ya'll make it sound like a a Golden Corral buffet with lines of entitled, impatient people arguing with frustrated CMs who have to keep firmly asserting, "ONLY TWO PER CUSTOMER."

 

[Poohbear80]

And the Nespresso line. I have grown to hate that thing. Too complicated, creates congestion. I know good machines are very expensive but they need to bite the bullet and upgrade to something else that works/is easier to operate (in my humble opinion). I’ve seen a lot of newer/better touch-screen type setups in airport lounges and such, time for WDW to upgrade.

The one in GDT is touchscreen. It’s really easy to use and I love it. I thought those machines located complicated when I was watching video tours on other WDW CL lounges but nobody in the videos said so I thought maybe it’s easier to use than it looks.

 

[gottalovepluto]

....um....LINES? In a club lounge? Like more than 2 or so people deep?

As someone who has never done Disney Club Level, but who has had experience with other club lounges (cruise ships, hotels, airports, conferences, etc.), ya'll are really putting me off of what hell I might expect to encounter at a Disney club lounge.

My expectation would be a large, clean, quiet, and cozy area with comfy chairs and coffee/end tables where people can relax, chat, and (...gasp...) LOUNGE. On one end of the room, there should be a large spread of various kinds of food, where people occasionally stop by to graze, refill plates, and get drinks. Is that not the case?

Ya'll make it sound like a a Golden Corral buffet with lines of entitled, impatient people arguing with frustrated CMs who have to keep firmly asserting, "ONLY TWO PER CUSTOMER."

Oh man, if you ever want to book Disney club level definitely check out the CL thread here and look at all photos of the club you are interested in and food offerings first. Disney’s clubs are not on par with the normal club offerings you would expect for the prices they charge. Those of us who do their clubs pay the upcharge for the convenience of having the offerings at our Disney hotel- location, location, location!

They are also full of kids, families and noise because it’s Disney. I’ve seen the espresso line a half a dozen deep in the morning so yes, lines happen too.

 

[Richie248]

last week, many CMs were most certainly not “trying their best”. Blaming guests for bad CM behavior Doesn’t fly with me. And again, we saw no egregious or rude behavior from guests last week. Kids make messes, people take a little more food than they should, etc. Don’t be in customer facing role if you can’t handle it.

Cast members at GDT Chronos Club were superior but witnessed some terrible guest behavior. Being a bad human doesn't fly with me. Glad your experience with guests was better than mine.

 

[conandrob240]

....um....LINES? In a club lounge? Like more than 2 or so people deep?

As someone who has never done Disney Club Level, but who has had experience with other club lounges (cruise ships, hotels, airports, conferences, etc.), ya'll are really putting me off of what hell I might expect to encounter at a Disney club lounge.

My expectation would be a large, clean, quiet, and cozy area with comfy chairs and coffee/end tables where people can relax, chat, and (...gasp...) LOUNGE. On one end of the room, there should be a large spread of various kinds of food, where people occasionally stop by to graze, refill plates, and get drinks. Is that not the case?

Ya'll make it sound like a a Golden Corral buffet with lines of entitled, impatient people arguing with frustrated CMs who have to keep firmly asserting, "ONLY TWO PER CUSTOMER."

Not sure why, AGAIN this seems to be blaming the guests?

There were definitely lines. Especially at morning breakfast for food and the darn coffee machine and right at 5pm when apps came out. Yes, lines- not just grazing casually. And not because people were impatient or entitled, but because there were a lot of people, too little room around food and with CMs who didn’t really seem too excited to help or make it run more smoothly. And because they’d literally put out 2 or three of something then we’d wait while
The chef prepared or they put out more.

As to the 2 pp comment- I’ve actually never heard a CM say that at any CL and I had not seen anyone who needed to be reminded of it. I mentioned it in my post because of how silly it was that the disinterested CM finally took enough interest in me to “remind me” of something that clearly wasn’t an issue. We had a few sips Of wine in a cup each, husband had a sealed beer to take to room. We stopped at the desk to ask my question. While leaning on the desk, I said to my husband, right in front of the CM- could you please get me a beer too to take to the room? My husband left his wine while he walked back up. It was clearly HIS wine and I was clearly standing right there waiting for him. That’s what was so ridiculous about the “reminder”. From the same CM who
Never once looked up From The desk at any time Over 4 days to say hi. The same CM
Who Just answered my question with as little
Energy and effort as he could muster. Then he decides to remind me of a policy I was not violating in any way.