Originally Posted By MomofPrincess >>Maybe I'll treat myself for my birthday some year.<< Autopia Deb: I turn 40 in January 2008 and have already started making plans to stay at the GCH then! LOL I also plan to send my kids to Pinnochio's Workshop so that my husband, best friend, her husband & I can all have a nice, relaxing ADULT dinner at Napa Rose! Never too early to plan and treat yourself. (I figure if I don't do it, who will? LOL At least to my liking, that is!)
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb LOL yep we know what we want and don't mind getting it for ourselves
Originally Posted By dzy76 I treated myself to concierge at DLH for my 40th. Must be a "turning 40" thing! This year its CCI and 44 - Yikes!
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 Ok, I know I'm a nutball, but as I said I'm an uberplanner, and I have a feeling that some of you might enjoy my silly planning questions as much as I enjoy reading all the other posts on this site so I am just going to post away like the madwoman that I am. I have been looking and looking for a detailed list of what food is available when at the concierge, Crafsman Lounge, at the GCH. I haven't found the tea menu, with the scones mentioned earlier, anywhere else! I don't doubt you at all, I am so psyched to hear there is edible food available at that time. When my husband and I stayed at the DLH last fall, we ended up waiting around at the hotel until after 5 so that we could get some appetizers before heading back to the park, as the afternoon food was pretty sparse, just some of those prepackaged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (why are Australians scared of PBJ, for goodness sakes? my husband won't touch it, yet he'll eat vegemite?!?!? just kidding around, i know it's whatever you grow up with.) The thing is, I am trying to plan dining for 9 people for a 3 night trip, and my idea is only to make lunch reservations. In fact, only one lunch reservation, at the BB on Tuesday the 12th of September. Wednesday I thought we would have lunch at the Wine Country Trattoria, which I don't think takes priority seating reservations, allthough now that I type that, I should probably call and check. I am planning on using ridemax to make a schedule that will have us in the parks from opening to a bit after lunch time, then from 4 to 8. So we will have breakfast in the lounge before we go, then a big lunch in the park, and then I am hoping people can get a nice snack before heading back into the park. I just don't really know what will be available at that time in the Craftsman Lounge. I am sort of hoping that with that plan, when we leave the park at 8, the desserts available in the Lounge will be enough food so that we won't have to go out to dinner too. Do you guys think I need to make dinner reservations as well, for after 8? My theroy is that people will be tired, and there will be enough options, between the lounge, and the various restauarants, bars, etc., that people would rather have some free time to do whatever they wanted rather than what I plan. Does this seem reasonable, at least as reasonable as possible for a nut like myself? I do realise that not everyone will stick like glue to my schedule, but I thik it will help to have a schedule, and people are seeming very amenable to the idea at the outset. This way if people want to take a break and do something else, at least they'll have a general idea of where we'll be later. One last rambling question, I didn't particularly like any of the baskets available from the vacation planning people. I asked them if they could custom make a basket for the people staying in the suite, my parents, my brother, my sister in law and her husband, and my parents in law. I asked for specific things for each person, and wanted to send them cards printed from the Disney website to attach to the specific gifts. I haven't heard back from them yet about that one; I asked through email. Have any of you had any luck with emailing vacation planning? I know this is their super busy time of year, maybe I should call and deal with my crazy request in person. I will wait first and give them a few days to respond, but if any of you have tried something like this, I would love to know how it worked out. Yes I am crazy, and I know all this will be expensive, but this is a once in a lifetime thing for me, and for my Australian relitives who don't make the trip over all that often, so since we're celebrating our marriage and my recovery from cancer, we are seriously going all out!! And feel sorry for my wonderful husband, he has to deal with my planning wackiness not only over this, but over a wedding reception and fake ceremony we're having on September 9th! : )
Originally Posted By DIS Ohana Dalia, you sound just like me! I plan our vacations in the same way. I have been trying to find posts and answers to the same questions as you regarding the Craftsmans lounge - we're still trying to decide if adding this on to our package would be worth the extra $$$. Great news on your recovery from cancer! What a wonderful way to celebrate.
Originally Posted By LuLu Congrats Dalia on your marriage and recovery! I do agree with you on not overplanning group activities. I would make sure folks know to feel free to enjoy their evening as they please, whether it be enjoying the concierge lounge, having a meal or snack elsewhere, or whatever they like. It soulds like a good plan to me! I have a question about concierge room rates. I know you pay extra for the privilege of the concierge lounge. Can you add that on to whatever is the "best room rate" you've booked? (ie, AP rate possibly) Or do you pay a high room rate PLUS the concierge fee (and what is it per room? $150? Or more?) Thanks!
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 I think you can add it to any room rate, but I could be wrong about that, so someone please correct me if I am. I think it really becomes worth it if, like us, you have a lot of people in one room! It is $150 a night at the GCH. I got the concierge added to two rooms booked at a discounted senior rate, as my parents qualify. Even though I am paying for the rooms, because they are seniors, we could have gotten 2 rooms per senior at that discounted rate, which I think is great!
Originally Posted By debtee Hi Dalia I have found my Craftman's Guild with the menu! This was current in Jan this year! All of the food was fresh and yummy! 6.30am - 10am Grand Beginnings Assorted fresh pastries, cereal, fruit and beverages. 11.00am - 4.00pm Afternoon tea A variety of goodies plus a selection of teas and beverages. 5.00pm - 7.00pm Grand Hours A selection of scrumptious appertizers with your choice of complimentary beer or wine. 8.00pm - 10.00pm Sweet Endings Pastries, cookies and cordials. The perfect end to a perfect evening! All of the CM'S are so lovely and helpful you can ask them for any assistance you need. On New Years Day when it was pouring with rain we retreated back to the lounge and were so happy we had somewhere warm and dry to stay and get fed at the same time! We were able to be there during the cross-over hours no worries! Everything is able to be taken back to your room which made life easy. One night we stayed in the concierge lounge to watch the fireworks and it was great! We could eat and watch the fireworks, with a great view, the sound is piped in and it was magical. You are going to have such a GREAT time!
Originally Posted By DisneyDana Just an FYI about adding Concierge services. The hotel has a limited number of Concierge rooms and they are located on the 6th floor. Services can be added to suites as well and they are located on 3rd to 6th floors of the hotel. What you need to do is reserves a standard Concierge room (DL Drive or Brisa Court Yard view) or a premium Concierge room (pool or park view). The reason that they do not add on the services to any room is to not over crowd the lounge. There are some AP rates for these rooms. Upon arrival what they may quote you is the upgrade price from the room that you reserved to a concierge room (if the room is available). The cost to upgrade a suite to Concierge Services is $150 a day at GCH. Hope that this makes sense.
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 Thanks so much for all the info, guys. Ray at Vacation Planning called and told me that he could make the basket to my specification, which is fantastic! I don't know what it will cost yet, as I was in the car with my mother when he called, and I'm sure it will be way too much, but I think it will be worth it to have such a personal gift waiting when we get there. I truly appreciate all the help and information, and I am honestly psyched that they serve "cordials" after 8, as my group will defiantely enjoy a glass of something in the evening!
Originally Posted By debtee ^ You know we wondered why they were serving "Cordials" in the evening as Cordial in Australia is a dilutable fruit soft drink for children! LOL
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 That's so funny! I wonder if my husband knows what a cordial is here? Actualy, I don't really know what a cordial is, lol. I know it's alchoholic, (right?) and I'm assuming it's some sort of sweetish liquor. I'll look it up. My husband and I still have fun with bisquits and cookies and bikkies, don't know how you would spell that! My family and I would prefer wine and beer, but we'll take what they give us with a smile, and go downstairs if we really want something else!
Originally Posted By LuLu Thanks for that menu, Deb! The only info I found on the web - both Disney's site and mouseplanet - do NOT mention any food at any other time than breakfast and the evening "wine and cheese." I know I've heard about great goodies throughout the day, but I'd be sorely disappointed if what's promised on the web site was all there was. :-( Thank you Dana for the info. I noticed that Concierge rooms were already more than $200 pricier than regular rooms (at rack rates) so I think what you're saying is the lounge usage is already included in that price. I wish I could justify this to myself even as a splurge, but for 2 people, even the $150 would buy a couple of very nice meals! A much better deal for a larger group. Maybe someday I can swing that!
Originally Posted By agent Dalia - The tea menu consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches w/fresh berries on top (not previously frozen!), salmon finger sandwiches, fruit, tea cookies, chocoate covered strawberries and of course the scones. It may have had more, but that is what I can remember!! There is a hot appetizer and a larger vegetable/dip tray with pita bread for the wine/cheese hour. The appetizer is usually pretty hardy! Hope this helps!
Originally Posted By debtee <I wish I could justify this to myself even as a splurge, but for 2 people, even the $150 would buy a couple of very nice meals! A much better deal for a larger group. Maybe someday I can swing that!> I have to agree with you Lulu. We loved the concierge when when did it earlier this year but we were in a group of six and it made life easier especially at breakfast time and late at night. However for just Barry and I??? I don't think we would pay the extra for concierge at the GCH next trip, unless we suddenly win lotto! lol
Originally Posted By Ursula Lulu, I doubt this would work during the busy seasons, but I've been offered more than once the possibility of upgrading to concierge "use" (not room) for as low as $50 during the low season at the DLH. I'm sure they wheel and deal to fill the space as needed. I assume they would do the same if attendance levels were low. So now, I ask at check-in because you just never know what youwill get.
