We now have a love-hate dating with Membership Stage at Walt Disney International. We like having a luxury-caliber revel in, together with simple get admission to to “limitless” meals, beverages and muffins. We hate how a lot it prices. The Deluxe Motels that provide those lounges generally fee $200 to $300 further in keeping with evening, and that’s on best of already astronomical room charges.
Thankfully, there are a few ‘hacks’ to sidestep the detest a part of the equation. One is through renting Disney Holiday Membership issues and staying at Kilimanjaro Membership at Animal Kingdom Resort. Some other, as specified by our checklist of Perfect Worth Splurges at Walt Disney International, is staying on the handiest Reasonable Hotel choice, Chronos Membership, which provides the very best and maximum out there method to affordably keep Membership Stage.
Different choices come with being independently rich or, if now not, profitable the lottery with the intention to reach that standing. Or simply deciding to ‘deal with ‘yo self’ and reserving one of the most pricier Membership Ranges. We’ve additionally had luck with reductions; the present 40% off deal for Annual Passholders drops Outdated Trustworthy Membership to “handiest” $659 in keeping with evening, and that’d be even decrease with a 4+ evening keep. It might, in fact, be a lot more dear in mixture to do 4 nights versus a unmarried evening plus 3 extra nights at All Superstar Sports activities. However I digress.
This ‘check-in’ considerations Chronos Membership, which stays the most cost effective Membership Stage at Walt Disney International as of 2026. Positioned within the new-ish Gran Destino Tower, it’s additionally the one one at a Reasonable Hotel. Like most of the choices within the tower, Chronos Membership has felt like a hidden gem—providing adventurous delicacies and considerate touches at a fragment of the price of Membership Ranges at Deluxe Motels.
So much has modified since our closing Evaluate of Chronos Membership Stage at Gran Destino Tower. For one, the fee has greater. Our first keep right here, we paid below $300 in keeping with evening. (Granted, that was once when it first opened in 2019 and the whole thing was once less expensive.) The following time, it was once nonetheless below $450 after reduction.
Speedy-forward to 2026, and rack charges for same old rooms get started at round $550 (see When’s Most cost-effective to Seek advice from Walt Disney International?), and there are a couple of dates that eclipse $1,000 in keeping with evening (New 12 months’s week handiest). Maximum nights are nonetheless within the $650 to $800 vary, which is more cost effective than all of its opposite numbers.
It nonetheless quantities to a surcharge of about $150 to $250 over a normal room in Gran Destino Tower, which could also be isn’t dangerous from an improve viewpoint. That is all pre-discount. As we’ve mentioned at duration in other places, Coronado Springs provides probably the most competitive reductions and in most cases has the most productive availability all through offers.
Sadly, Chronos Membership is a large asterisk on that. Phrase has gotten out, and Walt Disney International diehards acknowledge what a excellent price Chronos Membership is. It’s incessantly tricky to guide because of this and thus unavailable by the use of reductions.
If truth be told, I’ve been seeking to guide a 2-night keep at Chronos Membership to re-review the providing for more than one journeys in 2026, and feature struck out around the board. A part of my drawback isn’t having the ability to guide early as my plans incessantly don’t company up till only some months prematurely.
However even for a Might 2026 stick with versatile dates, I’m seeing 0 discounted availability for Chronos Membership; while I may just guide each unmarried different Membership Stage at Walt Disney International, and on the aforementioned 35-40% off reduction.
Which brings us to lately’s check-in of Chronos Membership. Generally, we attempt to do 2-night remains for Membership Stage critiques. In a pinch (if it’s in point of fact dear or availability dictates), we’ll do a unmarried evening. That’s nonetheless two complete days of get admission to, so we will be able to pattern more than one breakfast, “lunch,” dinner and dessert services and products.
On this case, I used to be attending a D23 tournament with buddies and handiest had an opportunity to forestall into Chronos Membership a couple of instances–and not for breakfast, which is incessantly thought to be the most productive meal provider in the living room. Accordingly, this doesn’t meet the bar for a complete overview.
On the identical time, I don’t know after I’ll have the risk to re-review Chronos Membership correctly. And for the reason that this can be a dear revel in that we strongly suggest in numerous posts–and person who more than one readers who’ve carried out fresh remains right here have contended has long past downhill–it appeared value revisiting, even with that asterisk.
It was once the ones reader critiques and feedback that in reality flagged Chronos Membership as desiring a re-review within the first position. We’ve heard intensive comments about Chronos Membership on our posts recommending it, and whilst many fanatics nonetheless adore it, nearly as many have shared that the revel in has been considerably watered down.
Even and not using a more moderen keep, that is one thing we anxious would occur through the years. Walt Disney International has a historical past of beginning sturdy with bold and adventurous menus, handiest to dilute them through the years. As nice because the eating places at Animal Kingdom Resort nonetheless are, there were indicators of this there with makes an attempt to make Sanaa and Jiko extra approachable and in style.
We in reality haven’t observed this as a lot on the Gran Destino Tower eating places, which I will handiest think is as a result of Toledo is seen as a crown jewel after incomes Michelin reputation, and person who impresses convention-goers and complicated vacationers. However even that’s a ceremonial dinner or famine scenario; it is going from jam-packed when there’s a practice to a veritable ghost the town different nights. It’s just a subject of time ahead of that menu will get a burger, like Sanaa and Tiffins ahead of it.
We all the time figured that catering to convention-goers would stay Chronos Membership “secure” from Walt Disney International’s conventional trajectory of beginning sturdy handiest to shift in opposition to crowd-pleasing convenience meals. If fresh reader stories and my revel in are any indication, Chronos Membership now occupies in-between territory.
Once we first stayed at Chronos Membership, dinner choices integrated pieces like sustainable lionfish nuggets, vegan crabcakes and meatballs, shrimp paella, and spiced dishes with complicated taste profiles and world influences. The meals was once seafood and vegan-heavy, nevertheless it was once bold and in contrast to some other Membership Stage at Walt Disney International. There was once additionally so much of it, particularly for breakfast and dinner.
Our earlier viewpoint was once that issues have been a bit of too taste-specific and vegan-heavy, even environment apart the extra adventurous nature of the delicacies. We assumed that will be adjusted through the years, as even industry vacationers more than likely would really feel that plant-based dishes have been overrepresented.
Issues have undeniably modified since. I’m now not positive I’d name it an overcorrection, as a result of there are fewer stations serving substantive sizzling dishes. It’s now not like Walt Disney International won visitor comments pronouncing, “there are too many possible choices–be offering much less!”
The scaled-back dinner now is composed of extra crowd-pleasing fare: rooster nuggets, meatballs in crimson sauce, fundamental pasta, bread, gazpacho, meats & cheeses. From what I skilled and reader stories, there are nonetheless some adventurous dishes, however you’ll be able to be expecting a unmarried merchandise or two in keeping with night. I’ve observed no point out of the fantastic lamb chops of past due, and for sure didn’t see them myself.
Some other criticism we’ve heard from readers fear the loss of a greeting upon arrival and check-in upstairs at the living room together with a welcome drink. Others have taken factor with limited alcohol get admission to, as beer & wine is not self-service, however as a substitute to be had upon request.
I’m now not positive how a lot to pin those proceedings on Chronos Membership, particularly, despite the fact that. In our revel in, a greeting and living room check-in has all the time been hit and miss in all places, and extra restrictive alcohol get admission to appears to be the overall development of Membership Ranges at Walt Disney International.
Frankly, I’m now not positive how a lot of that is distinctive to Chronos Membership, duration. We’ve carried out a couple of fresh Membership Stage remains at Walt Disney International, and whilst one was once completely improbable, it was once more than likely the outlier (overview coming quickly). We’ve additionally been underwhelmed through Regatta Membership and Innkeeper’s Membership, and the ones remains absolutely replicate our revel in and reader comments about Chronos Membership.
In different phrases, the ‘dilution’ at Chronos Membership is more than likely one-part same old crowd-pleasing trajectory from the visitor comments loop, particularly because the Membership Stage has change into extra well liked by vacationers. It’s additionally more than likely one-part same old cost-cutting, as Disney tries to reinforce margins and juice its theme park effects.
With Chronos Membership being a sizzling assets, there’s in point of fact no incentive to not cutback, even because the efficient costs building up. (This by myself is a rarity amongst Walt Disney International resorts, lots of which at the moment are less expensive than a couple of years in the past due to competitive reductions; we’ve even discovered Membership Stage to be in decrease call for and more cost effective than in ~2022.)
Like I mentioned on the best, my fresh reviews at Chronos Membership don’t meet the bar for a complete re-review. I’m nonetheless planning to do that on every occasion it really works with availability, pricing, and so on. What I’m relaxed pronouncing presently is that it’s now not what it as soon as was once.
Alternatively, I’m additionally relaxed pronouncing that’s true for each Membership Stage (apart from one) that we’ve carried out within the post-reopening technology. We don’t do Membership Stage remains with regularity for one very evident reason why ($$$), so I will’t say with sure bet whether or not this cost-cutting is going on at the entire lounges.
My instinct this is more than likely the similar as someone who has visited Walt Disney International for some time: I’d think Membership Stage cost-cutting is in style, given the larger image throughout WDW. It is a disgrace, as a result of our revel in in ~2018-2019 was once that Membership Ranges at Walt Disney International had upped their sport, apparently seeking to “compete” with actual international opposite numbers.
I’m additionally relaxed pronouncing that I might nonetheless make a selection Chronos Membership over the Membership Ranges at BoardWalk Inn and Yacht Membership, and that’s even with out taking charge into consideration. And I completely would take post-discount pricing into consideration. (With that mentioned, there was plentiful availability for the Crescent Lake Membership Ranges by the use of reductions, so possibly the real worth isn’t that other.)
Chronos Membership might not be the hidden gem or discount that it as soon as was once. It’s going to be a miles nearer name as as to whether it’s “value it” from a price for cash viewpoint. As with different Membership Ranges, it’ll now more than likely rely extra on whether or not you drink (and what sort of) and the worth you set at the comfort of breakfast, dinner, and dessert in the living room (and the way incessantly you’ll be within the resort for the ones foods).
Let’s finish with some positives. At first, the perspectives are nonetheless impressive. Sitting 15 tales up with floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking Disney’s Hollywood Studios stays spectacular. You’ll be able to see Superstar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Tower of Terror, and extra–even development of Monstropolis. Those giant perspectives raise the gap, actually and figuratively.
The distance itself could also be moderately great. Some would possibly argue that the underlying design is “dull and generic,” however I adore it. (Whoops, it was once me who wrote that. Neatly, I suppose it’s grown on me!) The living room feels subtle and stylish, particularly at evening. It’s indisputably higher than its Crescent Lake opposite numbers.
The living room could also be greater. Not like different Membership Ranges the place discovering a seat will also be difficult otherwise you’re proper on best of the tables subsequent to you, Chronos Membership’s dimension method you’ll be able to nearly all the time to find seating even all through top instances.
It’s additionally simply extra relaxed, with higher respiring room. Gran Destino Tower was once clearly purposefully constructed with considerate Membership Stage get admission to in thoughts, while it incessantly appears like an afterthought or retrofit within the older resorts. (Perhaps it was once?)
The Forged Contributors are nonetheless very good. Regardless of operational adjustments proscribing what they are able to be offering, the concierge staff persistently earns reward for friendliness and helpfulness. We’ve heard this in reader critiques, which particularly name out the CMs as a spotlight, and I will corroborate this founded by myself interactions.
Forged Contributors are pleasant, conversational, and attentive. Amongst different issues, we by no means had plates pile up on our desk, which is incessantly a subject matter (purposefully?) at different Membership Ranges.
In the long run, Chronos Membership has long past from being the most productive price Membership Stage at Walt Disney International to being the most cost effective. This is very a lot a difference with a distinction. When it opened, Chronos Membership was once arguably the highest choice in all of Walt Disney International–higher than the ones at many Deluxe Motels, despite the fact that now not our #1 total select.
All of that made it a very easy advice for visitors on the cheap in need of to splurge on one of the most ‘finer issues’ at Walt Disney International. Now, I’m now not so positive about that. It’s now not dangerous whatsoever, nevertheless it’s now not the hidden gem or luxurious discount that it as soon as was once.
The price proposition is weaker, despite the fact that it’s nonetheless probably the most inexpensive choice. For budget-conscious visitors who wish to a flavor of the Membership Stage revel in at Walt Disney International, it stays a viable access level. However I might strongly suggest doing a cost-benefit research ahead of reserving blindly at the foundation of older critiques.
For many who stayed at Chronos Membership for the primary few years of its life and liked it, simply know that the revel in has been diluted. Don’t guide it anticipating the revel in that you simply loved a couple of years in the past, or that older critiques (together with ours) described.
Shedding a few of its luster through the years and insist using costs up was once wholly anticipated, albeit more than likely to not this level. I nonetheless in point of fact loved my revel in at Chronos Membership to the purpose that I might (and can) guide it once more, however I’m not making a song its praises and shouting my advice from the rooftops–therefore this check-in. The solution as to whether Chronos Membership is value it’s now, like such a lot of Membership Ranges, “it relies.”
Making plans a Walt Disney International travel? Know about resorts on our Walt Disney International Motels Opinions web page. For the place to consume, learn our Walt Disney International Eating place Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney International Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular take a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney International Experience Guides will lend a hand. For complete recommendation, the most productive position to begin is our Walt Disney International Shuttle Making plans Information for the whole thing you wish to have to grasp!
Your Ideas
What do you recall to mind Chronos Membership? Does this living room or its meals glance interesting or unappealing to you? In case you’ve stayed at Chronos Membership within the closing couple years, what do you recall to mind it? Do you compromise or disagree with our overview? Any questions we will be able to mean you can solution? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas beneath within the feedback!
