BLT - Top of the World Lounge

[disneyma]

One of the major perks of BLT is the Top of the World Lounge. Many of the servers are great and one of the bartenders there has been there since opening. Very friendly and look forward to spending time up there each visit. Don't mind spending some cash up there for drinks and light food.

Until this visit...... Dead silence up there, no lounge music, no wishes music piped in during the show. Not one night, not two nights, not three nights, not four nights... Still not working.

Seems like management doesn't care. Feel bad for the cast members up there.. They pass the information to management who just don't seem like they care to get things fixed.

Wonder how long before the music is fixed? Hope it is shorter than how long it took them to fix all the light bulbs on the top floor in those huge chandeliers.

Hoping this is not a sign of things to come up there

 

[erionm]

Send a email to the DVC Member Satisfaction Team: dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

 

[disneynutz]

If I remember correctly, BLT owners own the TOTWL and Disney leases the space from us. The legal docs would indicate who is responsible for maintenance and repairs.

If bar and food sales don't meet Disney's expectations, they will close TOTWL now that BLT is sold out.

Bill

 

[VrBchJ]

Please report this to Member Satisfaction. I love TOWL. It's so disturbing to see the quality of the experience go down hill as you describe.

 

[bltpoppins]

We have had quite the opposite experiences while visiting twice for our February trip and once in March. All three times the lounge was full and festive.
In February,the first time we went, the fog was so thick that the fireworks were delayed and, even when they did start, you couldn't see anything. Everyone went back into the lounge. The second visit that trip the fireworks, and music, went off without a hitch and our friends were so impressed with the whole experience.
In March, DH and I couldn't even get a seat at the bar. The music worked fine. Even after the fireworks, people seemed to come back in and enjoy the atmosphere.

We are so glad they have opened the lounge to all members. It is great to see family and friends having a drink and a bite to eat and enjoying the great view and fireworks.

 

[dvcblt93]

We went up Wednesday night to have a snack, some drinks and to watch Wishes. No music inside or outside. After about 20 minutes the music came on outside, except it was the intro to the Electric Light Parade....over and over and over again! We asked one of the cast members about it and they said it has been an issue for about a week now. We paid our check and went to the California Grill and snagged a seat at the bar there. I hope they dont let this lounge go the way of the Attic over at the Boardwalk!

 

[bltpoppins]

it was the intro to the Electric Light Parade....over and over and over again! !

I sure would have left! That qualifies as torture to me.
So sorry to hear. Hope it gets fixed soon.

 

[CMOORE185]

I sure would have left! That qualifies as torture to me.
So sorry to hear. Hope it gets fixed soon.

I have been up there twice, both times it was very slow and service was horrible. We order drinks and after we received them we never saw our waitress again. We wanted more drinks but they had no interest in getting us more. We had to flag someone down just to pay our check. Probably won't go again, it is like they want it to close.

 

[gracelrm]

We were there Thursday, 4/3. We assumed the sound would work inside and snagged a seat at a table looking toward MK. We were disappointed when we asked about the sound with about 5 minutes to go before Wishes and were told it wasn't working. The sound did work outside because when someone came in or out the door, we could hear it. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. We will go back again and hope they get the sound worked out!

 

[Micca]

Venue is pretty great, the activity is a bit slow. I don't need much to be happy: some nice drink service, some tasty bar food, and the music for the shows would be nice. Wouldn't think it's that difficult to provide these things?

 

[csharpwv]

With the CONSTANT higher than average MF increases @ BLT, they really need to be a little more attentive in making the space a great place for members to enjoy the resort!

The MF increases have seen ridiculous yearly increases since the resort opened, and they REALLY sold BLT on the low maintenance fees vs. the higher price per point.

Then when the VGF goes on sale the prices are astronomical, and yet they keep producing sub-par renovations that are removing some of the charm and character from the older resorts.

Really annoying as an owner!

 

[luckyman_apd]

With the CONSTANT higher than average MF increases @ BLT, they really need to be a little more attentive in making the space a great place for members to enjoy the resort!

The MF increases have seen ridiculous yearly increases since the resort opened, and they REALLY sold BLT on the low maintenance fees vs. the higher price per point.

Then when the VGF goes on sale the prices are astronomical, and yet they keep producing sub-par renovations that are removing some of the charm and character from the older resorts.

Really annoying as an owner!

I Love TOWL and I'm a BLT owner, and I know that the % increase in dues is a higher number than other resorts.....but just to point out actual $ vs % BLT was lower than every other resort except SSR and maybe OKW. Don't always look at %. 8% of $4 is less than 6% of $6. So each year I tend to compare dues increases to actual $ amounts.

I usually sit at the bar because in all my visits there it's not a bustling restaurant where I expect quick service. The bartender is right there at the bar and can see when my drink is low. If I sit by the window, I get my drink at the bar first....and walk back over for another if I desire.

 

[csharpwv]

I understand the % vs. $ argument in regard to BLT, however, when they continue to increase the % by the either the same amount, or nearly the same amount each year - it signals that dues were under-priced from the beginning, similar to the way that Aulani dues were very under-priced when the property first went on the market.

I just wish they would stop the yearly increases at such a large % - they could slow down a little and stop ramping up by the same % each year.

We own at HHI, so BLT increases aren't going to break the bank compared to what we pay at HHI... but I just wish that they would slow down the increases at BLT!

 

[disneynutz]

With the CONSTANT higher than average MF increases @ BLT, they really need to be a little more attentive in making the space a great place for members to enjoy the resort!

The MF increases have seen ridiculous yearly increases since the resort opened, and they REALLY sold BLT on the low maintenance fees vs. the higher price per point.

Then when the VGF goes on sale the prices are astronomical, and yet they keep producing sub-par renovations that are removing some of the charm and character from the older resorts.

Really annoying as an owner!

You are talking apples and oranges. Disney gets the revenue from drink and food sales and the CM's in the lounge work for them. Lounge sales were below requirements so they opened up access to any DVC member to increase sales. The CM's that I have talked to consider the location to be loser, they don't make any tips there and would like to work somewhere else. They aren't there to make members happy, they are there to sell food and drinks.

I expect that it will close in the near future once the novelty wears off and sales continue to decrease.

Bill

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You are talking apples and oranges. Disney gets the revenue from drink and food sales and the CM's in the lounge work for them. Lounge sales were below requirements so they opened up access to any DVC member to increase sales. The CM's that I have talked to consider the location to be loser, they don't make any tips there and would like to work somewhere else. They aren't there to make members happy, they are there to sell food and drinks.

I expect that it will close in the near future once the novelty wears off and sales continue to decrease.

Bill

I am truly surprised it's stayed open this long.

When I was up there it had a lot of people but only for the time of the show. In addition, I was amazed that some members think it's a playground for kids (No it's not cute that your kid is climbing over the back of the couch that someone you don't know is sitting on! LOL!)

I probably won't ever bother to go again, it was kind of a one and done for me with me. I wanted a relaxing spot to watch Wishes I got "my kids are terrorizing the place" (and it was not just one family) so....

 

[daisyx3]

I hope it stays open at least until June! We tried it in 2012 but we were all tired and couldn't stay up any longer. Now in June we have a 710 reservation at California Grill. I doubt we will be able to drag our meal out to Wishes time, but I don't want to brave the crowds in MK, so I was hoping to see it from TOTWL.
Daisyx3

 

[CMOORE185]

I hope it stays open at least until June! We tried it in 2012 but we were all tired and couldn't stay up any longer. Now in June we have a 710 reservation at California Grill. I doubt we will be able to drag our meal out to Wishes time, but I don't want to brave the crowds in MK, so I was hoping to see it from TOTWL.
Daisyx3

I think you are safe

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The CM's that I have talked to consider the location to be loser, they don't make any tips there and would like to work somewhere else. They aren't there to make members happy, they are there to sell food and drinks.

Perhaps the next time you chat with them you might mention that they should put a little time towards actually doing the bolded part and tending to the customers and selling food and drinks. They really are the poorest at it that I've run across on property. I've been to TOTWL 7 or 8 times and only twice have I been asked if I wanted a second drink or anything else - and one of those times was because I was sitting right in front of the bartender. And every time I (or we) would have gotten something else. Instead the CM's clump together and talk. They have servers and I'll admit we've turned this into a test every time on if they would provide service or not. The overall passing mark has to be a fail, so frankly, instead of complaining, they should get to work.

It's a common theme you read about the service there and frankly I'm tired of hearing about the poor CM's complaints. Good service can drive business too but they've got a poor reputation. And even as poor as it can be I still go back. For my one drink and one appetizer if I can manager to get it ordered before they start chatting.

 

[CMOORE185]

Perhaps the next time you chat with them you might mention that they should put a little time towards actually doing the bolded part and tending to the customers and selling food and drinks. They really are the poorest at it that I've run across on property. I've been to TOTWL 7 or 8 times and only twice have I been asked if I wanted a second drink or anything else - and one of those times was because I was sitting right in front of the bartender. And every time I (or we) would have gotten something else. Instead the CM's clump together and talk. They have servers and I'll admit we've turned this into a test every time on if they would provide service or not. The overall passing mark has to be a fail, so frankly, instead of complaining, they should get to work.

It's a common theme you read about the service there and frankly I'm tired of hearing about the poor CM's complaints. Good service can drive business too but they've got a poor reputation. And even as poor as it can be I still go back. For my one drink and one appetizer if I can manager to get it ordered before they start chatting.

And let me add, maybe they would get some more tips if the actually asked you if you wanted something else. I too have only ever gotten one drink there because they never come back. Have to flag them down to get the check also.

 

[disneynutz]

Perhaps the next time you chat with them you might mention that they should put a little time towards actually doing the bolded part and tending to the customers and selling food and drinks. They really are the poorest at it that I've run across on property. I've been to TOTWL 7 or 8 times and only twice have I been asked if I wanted a second drink or anything else - and one of those times was because I was sitting right in front of the bartender. And every time I (or we) would have gotten something else. Instead the CM's clump together and talk. They have servers and I'll admit we've turned this into a test every time on if they would provide service or not. The overall passing mark has to be a fail, so frankly, instead of complaining, they should get to work.

It's a common theme you read about the service there and frankly I'm tired of hearing about the poor CM's complaints. Good service can drive business too but they've got a poor reputation. And even as poor as it can be I still go back. For my one drink and one appetizer if I can manager to get it ordered before they start chatting.

The problem is that they know that the place is destined to close and the CM's are stuck there until it does. The best CM's work where the money and tips are, not at TOTWL. Management doesn't even take the time or effort to improve the place.

Bill