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The Just Add Magic Travel® Blog

Club Level at Walt Disney World

2/21/2022

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Club Level lounge at Coronado Springs
Are you looking for a way to make your Walt Disney World vacation more luxurious? Stay in a Club Level room at a Disney Resort! I'm a big proponent of the concierge travel services and benefits of staying at Club Level. It is one of the most excellent ways to "level up" your trip. Read on to learn more about what Club Level is and if it's worth it. 

What is Club Level? ​

Club Level is an upgraded room category available at all Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts and the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort. Club Level rooms offer more space and a variety of upgraded amenities to enhance your stay. The primary benefit of staying in a Club Level room is access to your resort's private lounge—a place of relaxation and refreshment at your resort. 
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The Innkeepers Club at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Club Level benefits

Here are some of the primary benefits of staying in a Club Level room at Walt Disney World: 

Lounge access
Each Club Level resort has at least one private lounge only accessible to Club Level guests. Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa offer two Club Level lounges. The lounges become your central vacation hub, providing a relaxing, private, and quiet space to enjoy a complimentary drink, snacks, and a comfy seating area. Some lounges, like the Atrium Club Lounge at Disney's Contemporary Resort and the King Kamehameha Club Lounge at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, offer amazing views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Most lounges include couches and chairs, a kid-friendly area, a TV, and complimentary newspapers. Club Level guests can access the lounge from the moment they check-in to midnight on their check-out day. 

Refreshments 
The lounge is stocked throughout the day with various food items, including alcohol and desserts. There is a continental breakfast in the morning (complete with mimosas), light snacks in the afternoon, small plate items and appetizers around dinner time, and desserts in the evening. Beer, wine, and soft drinks are available throughout the day, with cordials available during dessert time. While each resort has its own timeframe, a typical lounge food schedule includes: 
  • Coffee 6:30 - 7 am
  • Continental breakfast 7 - 10:30 am 
  • Light snacks: 11:30 am - 4:00 pm
  •  Hors d'ouevres: 5:00 - 7:00 pm
  • Desserts and cordials: 8:00 - 10:00 pm​​
Be sure to check in with the Club Concierge for definitive refreshment times. 

In-room amenities 
Club Level rooms generally offer more space than standard Disney Resort rooms. This gives you more opportunities to relax and enjoy your vacation without feeling the need to rush out of your hotel room. Club Level rooms are grouped together on a specific floor or in a separate building, making them generally quieter than other parts of each resort. You check in on your Club Level floor, so you don't need to wait in the main lobby to get checked in to your room. You'll also get upgraded toiletries along with robes and slippers to enhance your experience. 

Club concierge 
The Club Level offers a dedicated concierge Cast Member, usually located outside the lounge, who can assist you during your trip without needing to stand in line at the front desk. Concierge Cast Members can help with ticket information, last-minute dining reservations, recreation booking, transportation, and more. They are typically available from 7 am to 10 pm each day. In addition, you can take advantage of "Signature Services," which provide telephone support from 9 am to 5 pm seven days a week. Utilizing the Club Concierge can cut down your time inside My Disney Experience during your trip, leaving you more time to create family memories.

Is Club Level right for you? ​

The relaxation, extra space, and refreshments offered by staying in a Club Level room at a Disney resort make it a valuable, luxurious experience for any trip. There really is something for everyone! Adults will enjoy the calming space and variety of complimentary alcoholic drinks at the lounge. Kids will love the continuous access to snacks and a dedicated place to unwind and watch TV. Parents with young children may also enjoy Club Level as a quiet, private way to take a midday break with children from the parks. 

One primary benefit of Club Level is the continental breakfast. Not having to pay for breakfast every morning or wait in line at the hotel's food court will save you time and may help you get to the parks earlier to get some of your must-do attractions done. This is especially beneficial if you stay Club Level at a resort within walking distance to one of the theme parks, like Disney's Contemporary Resort or the BoardWalk Inn. 

Having a dedicated Cast Member nearby to help troubleshoot ticketing and reservation issues is also something to take advantage of. 

When deciding whether Club Level is right for you, you should evaluate how your family likes to vacation. If you enjoy spending significant time at your resort and will be around to spend time in the Club Level lounge and enjoy the refreshments throughout the day, you will quickly see the value of staying at Club Level. However, if you plan on staying in the parks from rope drop to fireworks most days, you'll likely miss many of the refreshment timeframes and won't be able to take full advantage of them.  
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Club Level rooms are typically $100 - $300 extra per night. When factoring in whether Club Level is worth it, you may want to consider how much your family would spend on breakfast, snacks, and alcohol during your vacation. If you plan to take advantage of the refreshments in the Club Level lounge as much as possible, you will quickly find that the extra price tag is well worth it. 
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Continental breakfast at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Reserving Club Level at Walt Disney World ​

Club Level rooms are available at all Deluxe Walt Disney World resorts and the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort. At Just Add Magic Travel®, I provide concierge travel services and can help you book a Club Level room at a Disney Resort. I've stayed in Club Level rooms at several resorts and am happy to answer any questions you may have about this upgraded resort option. Contact me here. If you want a sneak peek of what staying at a Club Level resort is like, check out my previous posts on my Facebook page! 
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Good Times Roll at Universal Mardi Gras

2/8/2022

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Universal Mardi Gras kicked off this past week at Universal Orlando. This annual festival is the biggest celebration of food, fun, and flavor on this side of the Mississippi! The festival is back in full swing in 2022, with several returning crowd-favorite experiences like the Mardi Gras parade and live concerts featuring the nation’s top musical performers. Universal Mardi Gras runs from February 5th through April 24th at Universal Studios Orlando. Here’s what you can look forward to at this year’s festival!

Mardi Gras parade 
Get ready for a bead-grabbin’ good time! The authentic Mardi Gras parade is one of the festival’s biggest highlights. This year’s parade theme is “Planet Mardi Gras” and will feature six new, cosmic-inspired floats with comets, rockets, and even some aliens. With out-of-this-world costumes, stilt walkers, dancers, and other performers dot the parade route. Six fan-favorite floats will also return this year, including the Mardi Gras Jester, King Gator, and the Miss New Orleans Steamboat. The parade kicks off near the Horror Makeup Show and loops around the park’s New York and waterfront areas. The parade runs once per night and ranges between 5:15 and 7:45 pm, depending on the day. 
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Want to experience the parade like never before? Be part of the “krewe” and reserve your spot as a float rider! Have a blast waving and throwing beads as you ride atop one of the parade floats. Spots are limited and fill up fast, so get with Just Add Magic Travel® to help you book your reservation. It’s also important to note that float riders must be 48 inches tall, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Concerts
An array of star-studded musical acts perform live at the Music Plaza Stage (near the Rip, Ride, Rockit coaster) most weekends during Universal Mardi Gras. Concerts are held on select weekend nights and run through the end of March. Shows start at 8:30 pm and are included with theme park admission. This year’s concert lineup features top pop, country, electronic, and hip hop acts spanning over the last 30 years. Bands include Sugar Ray, Barenaked Ladies, Diana Ross, LL Cool J (featuring DJ Z-Trip), Lee Brice, Khalid, Gavin DeGraw, Seal, Marshmello, Jason Derulo, Styx, and more! 

Featured food 
Kiosks featuring over 50 traditional Cajun dishes and Carnival-inspired menu items from around the world are scattered throughout Universal Studios. Be sure to visit the Planet Mardi Gras kiosk in the New York area, featuring Cajun specialties like Shrimp Po’Boys, King Cake, Muffalettas, Jambalaya, Beignets, and Crawfish. Top it off with a “wild” Bloody Mary from the Bloody Mary Bar, complete with bacon and Louisiana hot sauce. The Floribbean: Cape Canaveral kiosk features Florida-inspired dishes like Conch Fritters with Pineapple Remoulade and the Sweet Corn Johnny Cake—a pulled jerk jackfruit sandwich with blood orange creama and avocado. The Fusion kiosk, near the Men in Black ride, offers cosmic treats like an Ice Cream Bubble Waffle and Creole Crab Beignets. 

International food offerings include veggie and vegan selections like Potato, Pea, and Carrot Samosas with Green Chutney at the India kiosk and Shrimp Laksa at the Southeast Asia kiosk. Drinks include Emerald Mojitos and a Cosmic Mangonada (a frozen, purple-mango slush with Tajín seasoning and Chamoy sauce). Flavors from Central America and Brazil include Salchipapas, Chicken Coxinha, and more.

The best way to sample all the food offerings at Universal Mardi Gras is with a Food and Beverage Card. Purchase a card and lanyard for $60 and get $75 worth of food and beverages at select locations throughout the resort. For even more savings, purchase a card for $120 and get $150 worth of food and drinks. The card can be used at most Mardi Gras kiosks and other select dining locations throughout Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.

Other experiences 

Tribute store Float Factory (in the park’s New York section) is the one-stop shop for all your Universal Mardi Gras souvenirs, including masks, apparel, beads, and more. The store takes you inside a float-building warehouse in New Orleans, complete with float models and sketches. 

Krewe Crawl 
Participating in the Krewe Crawl is a fun activity the entire family will enjoy. Purchase a Krewe Crawl map for $10 and go on a treasure hunt for 12 masks at select locations throughout the park. Get a stamp for each mask you find. Once you collect all 12 stamps, turn in your map for a limited-edition Krewe mask. 

Live entertainment 
You’ll discover live entertainment throughout the day when you visit Universal Mardi Gras. Grab a selfie with a stilt walker, listen to a live jazz band, or marvel at the detailed costumes of revelers during street performances.

Experiences outside the theme park 
Select locations at Universal CityWalk get into the Mardi Gras spirit as well. You’ll find Mardi Gras-inspired items at places like Voodoo Doughnut, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium (you don’t want to miss the King Cake Milkshake) and Pat O’Briens. Universal Hotels also feature Mardi Gras-themed food and drink selections. 

Visit Universal Orlando for Mardi Gras 2022 
Experience Mardi Gras when you visit Universal Orlando this spring! The festival runs through April 24th and is included with theme park admission to Universal Studios. The festival runs through the park’s normal operating hours (however, most food kiosks open between 11 and 11:30 am). There’s still time to book your spring break or Easter break trip! Get a free quote for your Universal vacation with Just Add Magic Travel to get started. 
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    Aileen Mullee-DiTuri

    Owner of Just Add Magic Travel

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