Club Level Check-In
This summer I took a trip to one of my favorite places on Earth- Walt Disney World. My trip became 100x more magical when I went to check in at the Contemporary Resort but I was told that I had been upgraded and was being moved to the Grand Floridian. I was ecstatic as I had stayed there a couple of times as a kid. It was the most amazing experience to stay there and appreciate its signature Victorian decor and the feel of luxury oozing out of every square inch. I got my room key and rode the elevator to the third floor but couldn't find my room. I went down to the front desk and asked for help finding my room, and to my surprise, I was led to a private elevator that would only move if you tapped your magic band on the scanner. The elevator door opened and I was shocked. I had never seen anything so fancy before. A private concierge greets you as you exit the elevator and there was a snack buffet set up on the floor I exited on. There were treats such as rice kripsy snacks and mini cupcakes, but also finger food such as deli meats, cheese, and crackers. Coffee, tea, and even a mini fridge was stocked with soda cans. I didn't think I could get any more speechless until I found my room-I had been upgraded to one of the most exclusive and beautiful rooms in the whole park-the Victorian Suite. I had been upgraded to one of four of the Grand Floridian's signature suites- the Grand Suite, the Walt Disney Suite, Roy O. Disney Suite, and the Victorian Suite. I don't believe these suites are bookable and they are only available by upgrade. If you're interested, I would call and mention the suites and see what you can do to book them, although they will run you a few thousand dollars per night. The Victorian is the smallest suite even though it boasts a whopping 1,083 square feet. When you walk into the room, you are greeted by a large living room with a dining table, couch, half bath, and coffee bar. The room had four balconies and I could see both the Cinderella Castle and Epcot from the balconies. A set of French doors led to the bedroom with a large king bed and a massive bathroom and closet area leading off of that. The room was magical! But let's get to the best part- the food. I'm going to tell you what it's like eating club-level at Disney World's Grand Floridian.
Eating Club Level
The best part about eating club level is that they have snacks and drinks available at all times of the day. We could also save money on meals by eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the room. Another money saver is being able to grab water bottles and sodas from the mini fridge to take with us to the parks instead of spending $5 on a water bottle. It was super convenient to be able to walk a few feet from our room and grab a meal or a snack whenever we needed. The food schedule is as follows:
6:30-7:00AM- Coffee is served
7:00-10:00AM- Breakfast
11:30AM-3:30PM- Refreshments
2:30-4:30PM- Afternoon tea
5:00-7:00PM- Dinner
8:00-10:00PM- Late night refreshments
As you can see, the food schedule goes throughout the entire day so even if you're in the parks all day like I am, you should at least be able to grab something before you leave and a snack for when you come back. Let's break down this schedule a little bit based on my experience.
My Opinion
Eating breakfast here is perfect because I'm a light eater anyways when it comes to breakfast and they offered mostly finger foods like fresh fruit and pastries which were perfect for me, along with coffee. Other options such as cereal, muffins, bacon, and occasionally mickey waffles are available. The nice thing is that they mix up the meals every day so you usually don't eat the same thing twice. Refreshments are probably my favorite part and what seems the most worth it to me for the club-level experience. You may miss afternoon refreshments if you're going to be at the parks all afternoon, but if you're taking a pool or chill day, it's great to grab a few snacks for the pool or the room. I would grab sodas, rice krispy treats, and sandwiches to take with me, perfect to carry me over in the parks or eat poolside. Dinner was great too, and I won't lie, I had dinner from the kids' section which served mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. However, I also tried the chicken cordon bleu finger sandwiches, bread and butter, roasted vegetables, and my personal favorite food item out of the whole experience- the strawberry soup. I could make a whole separate article about the strawberry soup served at the Grand Floridian, only in club level, or the restaurant downstairs called 1900 Park Fare. It's served chilled and tastes like you're eating a smoothie, it was so creamy and delicious. If you want to try making it yourself at home here is the actual recipe Disney uses. I really appreciated the late-night refreshments, because after a long day in the parks, it was nice to grab a few snacks before bed. My favorite was the mint pudding and I brought it back to my room to enjoy while watching the firework show from my balcony.
Is Club Level Worth It?
I did some research and from what I could find, the club-level experience is about $400 extra per day, but that's on top of the minimum $1200 that these rooms cost per night. In my opinion, even though I am forever grateful I got to experience club level, I don't think it's worth it unless you have a large family where you would be paying over $400 a day to feed them in the parks anyways. To be clear, the club-level food is mainly refreshments, so although it can be a meal replacement by combining lots of little things, you're not being served a whole meal. I would go for the splurge if you're celebrating something special or again if you have a large family, but other than that I personally don't think I would pay for it. I also want to add that the staff here was amazing and so friendly and helpful.
What's your favorite restaurant at Disney World? Let us know on our Instagram @spoon__uncc. Thanks for reading!🥄