TOP OF THE WORLD LOUNGE REOPENING?

[Sandisw]

I check in on the 1st and I am hoping the deck will be available. Have they had the doors locked during the pandemic? On a prior visit when I had a room on the MK side of the top floor I was able to use the observation deck to get to the elevators on the Contemporary side...

I could not get out there when I stayed at BLT last week but wasn’t staying on the 16th floor. i tried to get there using the stairs from the 15th floor.

 

[MomOTwins]

Oh man, I overlooked the question mark at the end of this thread subject line and got real excited! Oh well, hopefully it'll come back soon now that fireworks are a thing again.

 

[MomOTwins]

I had my welcome home call today and FWIW (might be no better than bus driver info) but the CM said she thought that they were planning to bring back the lounge in time for fourth of July fireworks, but at first it would be available just to people staying at BLT. That's kind of what I would have guessed as well, so makes sense.

 

[Chris Ehlers]

This is what I got back when I emailed DVC MS

"

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club®.

We appreciate your interest in your future travel plans and will be happy to guide you in the right direction. At this time, there is regretfully no word for when Top of the World Lounge or the exclusive rooftop area will return.

 

[bobbiwoz]

This is what I got back when I emailed DVC MS

"

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club®.

We appreciate your interest in your future travel plans and will be happy to guide you in the right direction. At this time, there is regretfully no word for when Top of the World Lounge or the exclusive rooftop area will return.

Not a happy response.

 

[MomOTwins]

Not a happy response.

Well but if they were going to reopen, but hadn’t yet made an official announcement, they wouldn’t put it in writing in an email that could be screenshotted all across the internet.

 

[rlk]

Just teased the Disney info on GMA

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

This is what I got back when I emailed DVC MS

"

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club®.

We appreciate your interest in your future travel plans and will be happy to guide you in the right direction. At this time, there is regretfully no word for when Top of the World Lounge or the exclusive rooftop area will return.

I wouldn't have expected anything else so wouldn't read anything extra into it. If it was announced it would have been announced. And if not then you should get that response.

 

[gharter]

Wasn't open when we were there in April. Hoping it will be open for our October trip.
I really expect it to be open on or before Oct 1 for the 50th.

 

[hetzeltj]

i Like this lounge. I hope it comes back. I avoid it on the weekends though it gets so crowded.

 

[Louis morrell]

I predict it comes back when the new Steak House 71 opens but it will be a 69.00 per desert party with adult drinks at an additional charge. Only for DVC blue card members so it will be an exclusive event

Just a prediction

 

[Kimmumum]

I was told that it was too hard to staff due to the influx in crowds. I was told they are thinking of making it a 3 hour (1 hour before, during and 1 hour after) paid party.

I LOVE TOTWL however they keep taking away the little things that make DVC special. I do not want to pay extra for something I viewed as really special since not everyone was allowed up there.

Come on Disney let us keep our special place in the world.

 

[jpluth]

They cant do this (make it a paid party or for direct members only) because member dues are what pays for the lounge. That is why Blue and White card members can go there, unlike the Epcot lounge which is paid for by DVD.

 

[Louis morrell]

They cant do this (make it a paid party or for direct members only) because member dues are what pays for the lounge. That is why Blue and White card members can go there, unlike the Epcot lounge which is paid for by DVD.

Are you sure about that? It looks like they can do whatever they want

 

[jpluth]

Are you sure about that? It looks like they can do whatever they want

Yes, its because the member dues are used to pay for it, they cant limit who goes there. Think of it like a pool, our member dues pay for pool maintenance so they cant limit pools to blue card members or charge a pool entry ticket. Its in the annual budget for the member dues, if you look that up

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I was told that it was too hard to staff due to the influx in crowds. I was told they are thinking of making it a 3 hour (1 hour before, during and 1 hour after) paid party.

I LOVE TOTWL however they keep taking away the little things that make DVC special. I do not want to pay extra for something I viewed as really special since not everyone was allowed up there.

Come on Disney let us keep our special place in the world.

And yet either earlier on this thread or else on another similar one there was staff who were currently working elsewhere who told a guest they hoped that TOTWL opens up soon as they would like to get back to work there.

It's been the gamut of excuses for the location over the years. There's more they could do to make it busier but it has always had a feeling that they'd rather it not so they could justify removing it as a DVC location perk.

 

[Sandisw]

They cant do this (make it a paid party or for direct members only) because member dues are what pays for the lounge. That is why Blue and White card members can go there, unlike the Epcot lounge which is paid for by DVD.

They can. We pay for it as a common property. We do not pay to run it. It is leased to Disney to operate. Therefor DVD can certainly pay Disney to hold private events in which they cover differences between what they charge owners.

So, in theory they can make it only a paid event for certain people because it would be similar to Moomlight Magic and it becomes a blue card extra.

Not sure it will go that way all the time but I can see it being that way for the lounge and when not a paid event, the observation deck is open for the 30 minutes to encompass fireworks for BLT guests only.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They cant do this (make it a paid party or for direct members only) because member dues are what pays for the lounge. That is why Blue and White card members can go there, unlike the Epcot lounge which is paid for by DVD.

This is not accurate. Member dues do not pay for the commercial space. It is rented out, and is a self-supporting P&L. They choose not to exclude white cards because it is self-supporting and needs the people buying drinks.

EPCOT is paid for by DVD marketing and does not run on a P&L basis.

 

[Chris Ehlers]

Why cant they just open the roof top for fireworks viewing if they arent going to open the lounge? it would take maybe 3 CM's to monitor.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Why cant they just open the roof top for fireworks viewing if they arent going to open the lounge? it would take maybe 3 CM's to monitor.

TOTWL is a commercial space, so that is up to the leaseholder to manage.