We were officially “pixie dusted” on our last trip to Walt Disney World, and I was so excited I almost cried. For those of you who have no idea what that means, let me explain. While many think of pixie dust as the magical powder that gives you the ability to fly, this form of pixie dust is much different. It’s often used to refer to anything magical that is gifted to you or your family while on your Walt Disney World trip. In this case, our pixie dust came in the form of a room upgrade–but not just any room upgrade–a suite on Club Level at Disney’s Contemporary Resort upgrade. I still cannot believe it!
I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World since I was five years old, and I knew of the tales from those who have witnessed such magic, but I have never been able to experience it myself–until now. Best of all, I was able to experience it while on a media trip with two of my friends/co-workers, while we were gearing up to be one of the first to experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (the ride is incredible, by the way, and open now!). It was really a pinch-me couple of days in the most magical place on Earth.
So, what’s it like staying on Club Level? Well, it’s nothing short of amazing.
Accommodations
Let me start by saying that when it comes to staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, there isn’t a bad room anywhere. You’ll experience top-notch service in super comfortable rooms that are minutes away from the parks.
The suite we stayed in was located in the Garden Wing, facing the water. We watched boats come and go from the pier, had a decent view of the pool, and could see the water parade every night. It would pass right in front of our balcony! Speaking of balconies, these balconies are not made for walking out on. They each come with sliding doors (our suite had three) that only open to allow fresh air in. So, if you’re traveling with little ones, that could give you peace of mind!
Our suite featured two entry ways, two bathrooms stocked with all the toiletries you could need, a walk-in closet, a bedroom, living space, kitchen space, and plenty of storage. There were comfy robes with matching slippers, a kitchen table with a fully-stocked fridge (can’t forget the coffee and tea station), and a twin-sized sleeper chair and a queen-sized sleeper sofa. Comfort surely wasn’t lacking anywhere!
The only downside to the room was that it was very far from an elevator. We were right next to a set of stairs, which was perfect for us, but if you wanted to easily transport your luggage on your own, you had a decent walk to get to an elevator.
Club Experience
If Club Level was in my budget, I’d stay this way every single time. My family and I have always been Art of Animation and Pop Century’s number one fans (hello, skyliner!), so experiencing Club Level at a deluxe resort was wild!
After the shock of finding out that we were allowed to visit the Main Tower’s 12th floor of the resort, we decided to check it out. We were escorted to the floor by Jamie, who we met at the front desk. However, she already knew exactly who we were, which was amazing?! Jamie was incredible and gave us a tour of the Atrium, which featured one of the best views ever on Disney World property–photos do not do it justice, but here’s an attempt…
One of the many perks of the view and Club Level is the resort filters in the music and sound from Magic Kingdom’s nightly firework show, so you can watch the show from the balcony while enjoying a delicious dessert during dessert hour.
Which brings us to the food. The food was incredible. On Club Level, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Drinks, including alcohol, are available throughout the day. There’s a water machine, which provides you with room temperature water, iced water, or sparkling water, and an espresso machine with a variety of syrups to customize your coffee to your liking. A highlight for me was the POG juice that they had every morning, in a drink dispenser, right as you walk in.
We wanted to try everything, so we did, and everything was delicious. The fruit and veggies were fresh. The scrambled eggs and grits were perfectly made. The entrees offered just the right sized servings, too. One night, we tried the bread and butter, and it was the best I’ve ever tasted. I’m not sure what butter it was, but it was simply amazing. We had a smorgasbord of food each time we visited.
Not having to worry about meals throughout your visit makes staying on Club Level worth it. You know your food is taken care of for the duration of your stay, and you won’t have to worry about making reservations or spending a lot of money in the parks. The only downside to this is that when you want to sit down to eat, you have to travel back to the resort at certain times so you don’t miss the hours the food is served. Although, if you’re already going back for an afternoon nap, it could work out perfectly.
Transportation
While transportation doesn’t have any huge perks due to staying on Club Level, it must be mentioned how convenient it is to stay at a monorail resort. While staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you’re within walking distance of Magic Kingdom. You can take the monorail to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, or hop on the bus to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Whichever you choose, you’ll have a short wait time between your resort and the magic!
What really blew my mind was making it to our bus stop after watching Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios and having a spot to sit on the bus. Usually after such a popular show and everyone leaving the park at closing, the lines for the bus are long, and they often fit as many people as they can in the bus, which means you may have to stand on your trip back. Well, not at this resort…or at least during this stay. We did share a bus with Disney’s Fort Wilderness, but that only further fascinates me because everyone still had a place to sit, the bus had seats to spare, and we didn’t have to wait!
Overall, Club Level was an incredible experience and now I am recommending it to everyone I know.
You may be wondering how we managed to score this amazing room and be selected as one of the lucky ones to be pixie dusted. To put it simply, we have no idea, but that’s what makes it so magical. There isn’t a method to securing this experience; it just has to happen. Asking for it unfortunately doesn’t work either, so have a little faith and trust, and you just might experience a little pixie dust!
