Is Disney Club Level Actually Worth It? I Think It Can Be.

Disney Club Level is one of those things that can be very easy to look at on paper and think: Do I really need this?

And no. You absolutely do not need it.

But is it worth it?

In a lot of cases, I think the answer is yes.

I’ve stayed Club Level at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, and I love it. Part of that is because Club Level is just a fun experience. But a much bigger part is that it works really well with the way I like to do Disney. 

I don’t want to spend 14 straight hours in a park. I like a long lunch. I like tea time with scones (shout out to the Grand Floridian). I like coming back in the afternoon, getting out of the heat, having a coffee, and sitting somewhere comfortable for a while.

And if that sounds anything like your version of a Disney vacation, Club Level starts to make a lot more sense.

First, Let's Talk About the Food

This is probably the most obvious benefit.

Club Level lounges offer food and beverages throughout the day, generally beginning with breakfast and continuing with snacks, evening appetizers and desserts.

And breakfast alone is more useful than I think people realize.

Instead of making another reservation, mobile ordering breakfast or buying something in the park every morning, you can walk into the lounge, grab breakfast and coffee, and start your day. The breakfast is nothing to scoff at either. It goes far beyond what a typical continental breakfast looks like.

Then there are snacks and drinks available throughout the day.

Are you going to eat enough food to completely justify the Club Level price difference dollar for dollar?

Probably not, but this is also a challenge that I would be willing to take on (just kidding… sort of!).

But I don't think that's really the point.

You are paying for convenience, access and a different kind of Disney experience. And when you start adding up breakfast, snacks, drinks, coffee, evening food and alcohol that you might otherwise be purchasing throughout the resort, there is real value there.

Especially for families.

Mickey Waffles and a cappuccino from the club level lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

The Afternoon Club Level Break Might Be My Favorite Part

Florida is hot.

Disney is exhausting.

And somewhere around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, there is something truly wonderful about walking back into your resort, heading upstairs and knowing that the Club Level lounge is waiting for you.

You will be greeted by air conditioning, a comfortable place to sit, something cold to drink and a snack.

Or, in my case, probably another cup of coffee or an iced tea!

This is one of the reasons I think Club Level works particularly well if you build resort time into your Disney vacation.

You can go to the park in the morning, come back to your resort during the hottest and busiest part of the day, recharge, and head back out later. That afternoon break suddenly feels like part of the vacation rather than lost time.

Yes, There Is Alcohol

Let's discuss one of the more fun benefits.

In the evening, Club Level lounges generally offer beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages along with appetizers, followed later by desserts and cordials. This is where Club Level starts feeling less like a hotel amenity and more like its own little experience.

Picture this. You come back from the park or the pool and take a shower. Then you head to the lounge and have a glass of wine and something to eat before dinner.

Or you can skip the rush entirely and make an evening out of being at your resort.

One of my favorite versions of this is at the Grand Floridian. Grab some desserts. Get a drink. Settle in and when the Magic Kingdom fireworks begin, you can have your own little dessert-and-fireworks watch party from the resort.

That is my kind of Disney night.

POG juice from the Club Level Lounge at Disney’s Polynesian Resort

My Favorite Club Level Perk Isn't Actually the Food

It's the people.

My family visited the Club Level at the Grand Floridian for years, and there were two wonderful women working there who we would see again and again. Eventually, they remembered us and not just our names. They remembered things about our lives. They would ask about what had happened since our last visit. We'd catch up. Walking into the lounge and seeing them became part of coming back to Disney. They felt like family.

There are plenty of things Disney can put a price on. A room. A meal. A park ticket. A Club Level upgrade. But the feeling that the amazing Disney staff provided us is harder to quantify.

It was that very specific kind of Disney magic that has nothing to do with a ride or a fireworks show. It was simply people making you feel genuinely happy to be back. Years later, that's what sticks with me.

The Coffee Situation Deserves Its Own Mention

Maybe this won't matter to everyone but it matters to me! I love having easy access to coffee and tea throughout the day.

Morning coffee before heading to the park? Yes.

Afternoon coffee after coming back from EPCOT? Absolutely.

Tea before bed? Go for it.

It sounds like such a small perk until you're actually staying there. Then you realize how nice it is not to have to go downstairs, stand in line or place another mobile order every time you want something.

There is something wonderfully luxurious about thinking, I want a coffee, and simply walking down the hall to get one. It is not just simple coffee either. Each club lounge has an amazing coffee machine that can make lattes, cappuccinos, hot chocolate and so much more! It really is an amazing benefit.

Club Level Can Actually Make Disney Feel More Relaxing

This might be the biggest argument for it.

Disney vacations can very easily become a checklist.

Park. Ride. Reservation. Lightning Lane. Another park. Another reservation. Repeat.

Club Level gives you a reason to slow down. Come back for a break. Sit in the lounge and have a snack. Talk about what you did that morning. Have a drink before dinner. Watch the fireworks from the resort. Plan with your family what you want to do. PLUS, being in a club level room gives you your own access to a club level concierge which can help you with things like lightning lane passes, dining and all things Disney! To me, this is almost worth it on its own!

You start actually using your hotel instead of treating it like somewhere you sleep between park days.

And considering how beautiful Disney's Deluxe Resorts are, I think that's a very good thing.

View from the club level lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

So, Does Club Level Save You Money?

This is where I would be careful.

I wouldn't automatically book Club Level because you think you're going to "make your money back" in food and drinks. That's probably the wrong way to look at it. The better question is:

Will I actually use what I'm paying for?

If your family would normally buy breakfast every morning, purchase drinks and snacks throughout the day, come back to the hotel in the afternoon, enjoy a cocktail before dinner and spend meaningful time at the resort, the value starts adding up quickly.

There is also a convenience factor that doesn't show up neatly on a spreadsheet.

Having breakfast right there saves time. Having drinks available saves trips downstairs. Having a comfortable lounge gives your family another place to spread out beyond the hotel room.

And having somewhere to grab a snack when someone suddenly announces that they are starving can be worth approximately $14 million at Disney.

Who Is Disney Club Level Really Good For?

I think Club Level makes the most sense for people who actually want to enjoy their resort.

It's especially good for families who plan afternoon breaks, people who enjoy slower Disney days, adults who appreciate evening drinks and appetizers, repeat Disney visitors who don't feel pressure to spend every possible minute inside the parks, and anyone who views a beautiful Disney resort as part of the vacation rather than just the place where they're sleeping.

I also think it can be fantastic for multigenerational trips.

Not everyone wants to do the same thing all day. Having the lounge gives grandparents, parents, kids and whoever else is traveling together a comfortable home base where people can regroup without everyone needing to be on exactly the same schedule.

Fireworks from a Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa Club Level room (not pictured: desserts & cordials from the club level lounge)

And Who Probably Shouldn't Pay for It?

If you're leaving your hotel at 7:00 a.m. and aren't coming back until after the parks close, I probably wouldn't spend the money.

You're simply not there enough to enjoy it.

The same goes if your Disney vacation revolves around dining reservations. If you already have breakfast, lunch and dinner booked every day, the food offerings in the lounge aren't going to be nearly as valuable. (unless you are like my family who eats like Hobbits when we are in Disney and have a first breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, appetizers… you see where this is going)

And if your hotel is truly just somewhere to shower and sleep, spend that money somewhere else.

Club Level works best when you actually give yourself permission to use it.

Freshly made breakfast crepes from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa club level lounge.

My Verdict: Yes, Club Level Can Absolutely Be Worth It

I wouldn't tell every Disney client to automatically book Club Level.

But I also wouldn't dismiss it as an unnecessary splurge.

I've stayed Club Level and there is a reason I keep loving the experience. It's practical. It's relaxing. It's breakfast without another reservation. Coffee whenever I want it. A cold drink and a place to sit after a hot afternoon in the parks. Wine and appetizers before dinner. Desserts at night.

And sometimes, it's sitting at the Grand Floridian with dessert and a drink while the fireworks go off across the lagoon.

But more than anything, my favorite Club Level memories are still those two women at the Grand Floridian who remembered us year after year and made walking back into that lounge feel a little bit like coming home.

That's the part you can't really calculate when you're comparing room rates.

So, is Disney Club Level worth it?

If you're going to use your resort, slow down a little and let Club Level become part of the vacation rather than just an upgrade to your room?

For me, absolutely.