Top of the world lounge at bay lake tower

[SugarShane74]

I’m a DVC member heading to Disney world. I wanted to end my vacation with a magic kingdom fireworks view from top of the world lounge. Can anyone tell me if has reopened?

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m a DVC member heading to Disney world. I wanted to end my vacation with a magic kingdom fireworks view from top of the world lounge. Can anyone tell me if has reopened?

Unfortunately, except for December 30 & 31, it has remained locked up, with no word about future plans. Sorry.

 

[DRUMZ2B]

Can you still access the top of BLT regardless of lounge?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Can you still access the top of BLT regardless of lounge?

No. Which is to especially say you cannot watch up there.

 

[DRUMZ2B]

What if I am staying at BLT?

 

[Sandisw]

What if I am staying at BLT?

Nope. That area is locked off.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I am fairly sure that even if you have a villa on 16 you cannot get to that deck right now.

 

[ajw1151]

I am fairly sure that even if you have a villa on 16 you cannot get to that deck right now.

I was able to a few months back. Anyone on the 16th floor could go on the deck. Not sure if that is still the case. You just couldn't get to the 16th floor unless you had a room up there.

 

[mac_tlc]

The silence is deafening on any future plans. Too bad.

mac_tlc

 

[Bjaiken77]

I love guesses, so anyone have a guess on the future and timing of reopening? Is it reopening? Things appear to be getting a little loser with respect to COVID, so that should have some trickle down, right?

 

[erionm]

I love guesses, so anyone have a guess on the future and timing of reopening? Is it reopening? Things appear to be getting a little loser with respect to COVID, so that should have some trickle down, right?

If it reopens, it will be the last lounge on property to do so as it's probably the least profitable (if it's even profitable).

 

[tjkraz]

If I'm trying to remain optimistic about the lounge's future, Disney has publicly said that their greatest need is food & beverage workers. The 3 or 4 people it took to staff the lounge on a nightly basis must be among the absolute lowest priority staffing in all of WDW. If you have well trained bartenders and servers, you're assigning them to literally any location on property before TOTW.

Could they assign a couple lightly trained people to simply monitor the outdoor deck? Maybe. But without the lounge open or a major holiday to draw crowds, attendance would likely be sparse.

 

[AvidDisReader]

If I'm trying to remain optimistic about the lounge's future, Disney has publicly said that their greatest need is food & beverage workers. The 3 or 4 people it took to staff the lounge on a nightly basis must be among the absolute lowest priority staffing in all of WDW. If you have well trained bartenders and servers, you're assigning them to literally any location on property before TOTW.

Could they assign a couple lightly trained people to simply monitor the outdoor deck? Maybe. But without the lounge open or a major holiday to draw crowds, attendance would likely be sparse.

without the food and beverage sales how do you pay for even just a couple of CM's to monitor the deck? I do not believe you will see any re opening until they can staff the lounge.

 

[tjkraz]

without the food and beverage sales how do you pay for even just a couple of CM's to monitor the deck? I do not believe you will see any re opening until they can staff the lounge.

My assumption was that DVC would fund it as a member perk. But that's a very reasonable point.

 

[Bjaiken77]

My assumption was that DVC would fund it as a member perk. But that's a very reasonable point.

yeah, how much could it cost to staff an area with 3-4 people? I thought that was something DVC paid for, too. The staffing spread out over the entirety of the membership can’t be that expensive at all. I feel like I’m missing something.

 

[erionm]

My assumption was that DVC would fund it as a member perk. But that's a very reasonable point.

yeah, how much could it cost to staff an area with 3-4 people? I thought that was something DVC paid for, too. The staffing spread out over the entirety of the membership can’t be that expensive at all. I feel like I’m missing something.

The TOTWL is a commercial element and in no way funded by member dues. DVC doesn't operate the lounge, WDPR Food & Beverage Division does.

 

[Bjaiken77]

The TOTWL is a commercial element and in no way funded by member dues. DVC doesn't operate the lounge, WDPR Food & Beverage Division does.

Could we maybe look into doing that? In other words, is that something DVC could enter if they wanted? The space is sitting vacant and it wouldn’t cost much to get it going relative to the amount of dues being paid.

 

[tjkraz]

Could we maybe look into doing that? In other words, is that something DVC could enter if they wanted? The space is sitting vacant and it wouldn’t cost much to get it going relative to the amount of dues being paid.

The current relationship provides Disney with the greatest flexibility. They can use the space for painting classes, DVC marketing events, dining packages, weddings and a host of other activities without having to clear it with anyone. Turn it into a DVC-supported lounge and a lot of that flexibility is potentially lost. In theory, future options are endless. But there needs to be some mutual agreement between DVC and higher powers at Disney. More than just members saying "hey, we don't mind paying ten cents per point, per year to take over the lounge."

 

[gharter]

The TOTWL is a commercial element and in no way funded by member dues. DVC doesn't operate the lounge, WDPR Food & Beverage Division does.

Is this correct? This is the first I've heard it explained this way.
Until it was closed it was a DVC perk, which I would have expected to be paid for by DVC.

 

[erionm]

Is this correct? This is the first I've heard it explained this way.
Until it was closed it was a DVC perk, which I would have expected to be paid for by DVC.

Commercial space and it's likely part of the operating agreement with Food & Beverage that access is limited to DVC members.