Totwl guest policy

[luckyman_apd]

Coming in for a trip.... Staying at BLT. We have friends who just bought in staying there too. We have 2 other friends staying off property. Are we allowed to bring them up with us? We'll be quite a big group total. Assuming there will be room... It's not a crazy time of year.... I have plenty of experiences up there..... Just never brought friends with us before.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

We just went last week. We were staying at the Boardwalk. All she asked was to scan my magic band and how many in our party. We had 9 total. There was no other questions so the other people could have been staying offsite. (They were also staying at the Boardwalk in 2 separate rooms on my points)

 

[luckyman_apd]

Between friends in a 2br....and us in a studio.... And the other 2 parties.... We could be pushing 25-30 people lol. So we shall see. We tip well sooooo.......

 

[supersnoop]

Between friends in a 2br....and us in a studio.... And the other 2 parties.... We could be pushing 25-30 people lol. So we shall see. We tip well sooooo.......

For a group that large, I would not expect them to allow more people than the occupancy limits of your accommodations. If you were in a studio and tried to get 6 people up, I bet they wouldn’t notice, but 25-30 people? That seems abusive.

 

[disneynutz]

While technically not allowed, it will be up to the CM checking you in.

Bill

 

[luckyman_apd]

We all had no problems. As always cleared out after fireworks.... And it wasn't really crowded to begin with.

I'm always amazed at the "abusive" comments. First... There are a total of 14 of us staying at BLT... Just my family was in the studio. Our other friends have a 2br. 2nd...bringing an additional group up when there was plenty of room.... And to purchase a few beverages afterwards hardly seems like an "abuse" to me. But hey... To each their own.

 

[Ben E N]

We all had no problems. As always cleared out after fireworks.... And it wasn't really crowded to begin with.

I'm always amazed at the "abusive" comments. First... There are a total of 14 of us staying at BLT... Just my family was in the studio. Our other friends have a 2br. 2nd...bringing an additional group up when there was plenty of room.... And to purchase a few beverages afterwards hardly seems like an "abuse" to me. But hey... To each their own.

Was not aware that 14 of you were legitimate to start with. I am assuming the abusive piece meant that it does hurt others to have it too crowded up there. If you are three rows of people back from the railing during fireworks, that gives you a worse view and less comfortable standing position. It's fair if everyone else paid their dues to get to stand in front of you, but if 23 of them were blocking your view for free, and you got a lesser experience and paid for it, that does seem like an abuse of a system meant for all to pay for it.
The fact that 14 people brought up only 11 extras makes it not nearly so bad in my mind. It's like 3 people bringing up just 2 extras, only on a larger scale.

 

[keishashadow]

While technically not allowed, it will be up to the CM checking you in.

Bill

It was my understanding that you have to be staying onsite using your DVC points in order to access the lounge.

After reading this thread, wondering if it's worth a shot when staying CRO (after sadly running out of points), to stop by and ask for entrance.

I understand the concept of onsite members & their guests staying on points being eligible. However, do think a member, whether staying onsite on points or not, should 'trump' offsite guests of a member.

 

[Steph01002]

We had a group of 15, with four members, all staying on-site. It's a good marketing ploy to allow guests up there because now all the adults in that group are members. We took up a large space being 15 (including kids), I could see how they would be hesitant if you tried to bring up 25-30 with four card holders (I'm assuming 2 card holders in your household and 2 cardholders in your friend's household. If you try it, I would go in shifts as a mob of 25-30 showing up at the same exact moment may be a bit much at one time.

 

[luckyman_apd]

If it had been a mvmcp night... I'm sure it would have been more crowded. But we made sure not to have them all come over for those because I'm aware of the crowds. Bee a BLT owner for a while. I am glad they ended the restriction for only BLT guests.

As far as Marketing..... A few of them asked lots of questions about DVC. They were impressed.

 

[DenLo]

Here are the rules:

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 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, 2018.


Blockout dates apply for Top of the World Lounge, including but not limited to:

December 30 — 31, 2017; July 3 — 4, 2018; & December 30 — 31, 2018.

Current operating hours are 6:00 PM to midnight.


Accessing the Lounge

This perk is available for our Members and their guests. People who are in that Member's traveling party and staying on that Member's reservation are also eligible to visit Top of the World Lounge. At least one Member in the traveling party must accompany the group and present his or her current MagicBand or card in order to gain admission to the lounge and observation deck. A Disney Vacation Club Membership Card is also required to verify Membership.

 

[Ben E N]

Here are the rules: This perk is available for our Members and their guests. People who are in that Member's traveling party and staying on that Member's reservation are also eligible to visit Top of the World Lounge

In this case would you interpret guests as people who are staying in your hotel room, or just people that have been invited to come up with you?

 

[DenLo]

In this case would you interpret guests as people who are staying in your hotel room, or just people that have been invited to come up with you?

Just what it says that the Member's traveling party and staying on that Member's reservation. But keep in mind the other members were staying in larger accommodations and may have brought friends that totaled the number of guests per their reservations. I expect if TOTLW was full the CMs would have been checking the large group more closely.

Keep in mind Disney really wants more people to go up to TOTWL to cover the cost of the bartender and wait staff and making a profit wouldn't bother them either.

 

[disneynutz]

As a BLT owner who pays through our dues to keep the lounge and viewing deck open, I would be upset if I could not access the area because it is full of non BLT owners or other guests.

Bill

 

[Ben E N]

I can understand both sides of the argument, which is why I was looking for clarification on the guest language. I feel like it should be similar to, and maybe a bit more restrictive than, the lounge at Epcot. It would be nice as a BLT owner to know that I could take a couple of extra people up, but I would also be terribly annoyed if the place was always jam-packed. I do help pay for it so I would appreciate it if not too many others were making use of it without also contributing.

 

[Ms Rox]

As a BLT owner who pays through our dues to keep the lounge and viewing deck open, I would be upset if I could not access the area because it is full of non BLT owners or other guests.

Bill

It is for ALL DVC Members, not just BLT owners, correct?

 

[luckyman_apd]

My take is if there is plenty of room they don't care. I've had them scan my band and check reservations on a black out date.... To last night where it's fairly empty and they don't check anyone. If I was denied access as an owner because it was full of "guests" then sure there is a legitimate concern. UT most nights... Not even close to capacity.

 

[disneynutz]

It is for ALL DVC Members, not just BLT owners, correct?

DVCMC has opened TOTWL to all DVC owners but BLT owners are the ones who pay for it to be open.

Bill

 

[DenLo]

DVCMC has opened TOTWL to all DVC owners but BLT owners are the ones who pay for it to be open.

Bill

No, BLT owners do not pay for the operation of TOTWL. It is a commercial unit and is not owned by the membership. The owners might pay for the Cast members working on the first floor that allow access to the lounge. It is no different than a restaurant at a DVC resort, owners do not pay for that operation.

 

[disneynutz]

No, BLT owners do not pay for the operation of TOTWL. It is a commercial unit and is not owned by the membership. The owners might pay for the Cast members working on the first floor that allow access to the lounge. It is no different than a restaurant at a DVC resort, owners do not pay for that operation.

You are correct, I should not have used "TOTWL" owners pay for the facility and deck, not the lounge. Disney leases the lounge area from the association. Unknown what the terms of the lease are, who pays for what.

Bill