TOTWL age for going alone?

[Pixieflip]

We will be staying at BLT the first week of June. My DD and her boyfriend are 18 (both staying with us).

1. Since there is technically a bar, I just wanted to know if we had to escort them or if they could go watch the fireworks without us.

2. Is that a busier time of year for this? Should we plan to arrive earlier than the usual 20 minutes I seem to see most people suggest?

Thanks!

 

[erionm]

You can access the Observation Deck without entering the actual Lounge.

 

[Pixieflip]

Oh, that's great! Thanks! This is our first stay at BLT, I didn't know that.

 

[CMNJ]

Are you planning on escorting them up and then leaving? I could be wrong but my understanding was a DVC member had to be present to access the lounge not just on the reservation with the DVC member (unless you have your daughter on the deed she is not considered a member)

 

[CMNJ]

From DVCMember.com:
Disney Vacation Club Members staying at any Disney-owned-and-operated hotel at Walt Disney World Resort (whether they booked with vacation points or cash) may enjoy access to one of the vacation kingdom's most exclusive spaces: Top of the World Lounge atop Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort through December 29, 2015 (blockout dates apply. Including but not limited to 12/30/14, 12/31/14, 7/3/15, and 7/4/15). Current operating hours are 6 p.m. to midnight.

This perk is available exclusively to Members and those in their traveling party who are staying on that Member's reservation. AT LEAST ONE MEMBER in the traveling party must accompany the group and present his or her current Magic Band or Key to the World card with a Disney Vacation Club Membership notation in order to gain admission to the lounge and observation deck. If the Member's Magic Band or Key to the World card doesn't display a Membership notation, a Disney Vacation Club Membership Card is required in addition to the Key to the World card to verify Membership.

Note that Members traveling from other Resorts must use Walt Disney World Transportation, as parking is unavailable to anyone not staying at Bay Lake Tower or Disney's Contemporary Resort. Upon arrival, Members must walk to the Bay Lake Tower main lobby entrance on the ground floor and check in at the Top of the World Lounge desk in the lobby.

This special Top of the World Lounge access is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the lounge reaches capacity. As the lounge is particularly popular during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, arriving as early as possible will give Members the best chance of gaining admission.

 

[Mommee]

My husband escorted our 18-yr. old up but didn't stay with him. Nobody said anything.

 

[DenLo]

Anymore we always have to show a membership card even when we are staying at BLT. So unless your son's name is on the contract and he has a member card one of you will need to accompany him to at least get onto the elevator.

 

[supersnoop]

Nobody said anything.

Just because you can get away with it doesn't mean it's allowed.

 

[Mommee]

Just because you can get away with it doesn't mean it's allowed.

Just because nobody said anything doesn't mean we were "getting away" with anything. I've seen nor heard anything that says the member must stay up there with their adult child who is on the room reservation for the duration of their visit. I did, however, think the OP would find it helpful to know that nobody seemed to think they were, ahem, getting away with anything.

Except perhaps you.....so if you know something relevant it would be great if you could share instead of posting a short pointless comment.

 

[supersnoop]

Just because nobody said anything doesn't mean we were "getting away" with anything. I've seen nor heard anything that says the member must stay up there with their adult child who is on the room reservation for the duration of their visit. I did, however, think the OP would find it helpful to know that nobody seemed to think they were, ahem, getting away with anything.

Except perhaps you.....so if you know something relevant it would be great if you could share instead of posting a short pointless comment.

We must have differing definitions of "accompany." The rules were posted above. If you had asked the Cast Member specifically if your intention was allowed, that would be one thing. But not asking and simple relying on someone else to tell you otherwise is, in my book, getting away with it.

 

[Mommee]

you're assuming they didn't ask. and he did accompany him to gain admission. They followed the rules. Pardon me for not writing a book to satisfy your unknown at the time concern that They might have broke a rule i just had hand surgery. Typing is tough.

Not sure why this rubbed you so wrong but I hope today is better for you.

 

[supersnoop]

you're assuming they didn't ask. and he did accompany him to gain admission. They followed the rules. Pardon me for not writing a book to satisfy your unknown at the time concern that They might have broke a rule i just had hand surgery. Typing is tough.

Not sure why this rubbed you so wrong but I hope today is better for you.

No worries; it didn't rub me the wrong way; I'm generally a happy and positive person.

On a forum like this, when giving advice that others will follow, we need to make sure that the advice is clear and accurate. There are lots of places where people can "get away" with things, whether with tickets, fast passes, DAP, or the dining plans. The "nobody said anything" isn't a defense, and it doesn't mean what you did was allowed. When you say, "nobody said anything," that, in itself, says that you didn't ask because, if you had asked, then someone would have said something, one way or another. What you describe isn't "accompanying" but "ushering." If you had asked, it might have been allowed, but it is clearly against the rules.

 

[daddey]

My son is 18, I asked the cast member and I only had to "accompany" him up to the lounge. There was no problem and I wasn't getting away with anything. OP, there is your answer.

 

[Pixieflip]

If I read the rules quoted above correctly, it does look like they can go since they're on my reservation, provided their Magic Bands indicate DVC. We will certainly double check that when we arrive to check in at BLT.

Thanks everyone!

 

[rpcvpanama]

I don't believe their magic bands will indicate DVC. Yours will as it only relays information stored in your MDE account. That being said, the Cast Members at the TOWL desk change all the time so checking one day may not be the same as the next day.

 

[tasha99]

I don't believe their magic bands will indicate DVC. Yours will as it only relays information stored in your MDE account. That being said, the Cast Members at the TOWL desk change all the time so checking one day may not be the same as the next day.

I don't know about Magic Bands, but at VGC, they still use cards. Our room cards all said DVC on them, even though I'm the official member. It even said DVC on the one night we had from rented points. Might be different at WDW.

 

[jillt2ph]

My brother and I stayed at BLT in December. I am a DVC member, he is not. He was able to go to TOTWL by himself after they scanned his magic band.