Villain’s Lair or Ohana for fireworks viewing during a BLT stay?

[heathpack]

We will be doing a 5 night split stay at BLT (2 nights) and Boulder Ridge (3 nights) in late April, followed by a 13 night split stay Copper Creek (7 nights) and OKW (6 nights) in late May.

We like MK fireworks but not the fireworks crowds. Between the April and May trips, we want to see the fireworks up close at least once and we’re considering a dessert party in May.

We’ll be at BLT on a Sunday and Monday, and Monday we’ll be in EPCOT at Extended Evening Hours if it’s offered.

So that leaves us figuring out what we want to do for fireworks viewing Sunday night.

Options are:
1. Brave the mob on Main Street. Appeal is: it’s no additional $
2. View from Villains Lair. Appeal is: we’re staying at BLT and have never been. (We are eligible.) Bonus: maybe we can catch the Electrical Water Pageant after the fireworks? Would this be logistically feasible?
3. Ohana. We’ve been on the west coast for almost 20 years, just moved back East. Ohana is an old favorite, although we know it’s not the same. Appeal is: nostalgia factor, plus if we want to do Ohana during WL or OKW stays, we’re looking at driving or a boat ride or bus with a transfer. It actually seems easier to visit Villains Lair from WL, than it is to visit Ohana from WL or OKW?

Does anyone here have any input? I was originally thinking Monday would be Rope Drop MK- Monorail Cruise with lunch at Captain Cooks- afternoon siesta time at BLT- maybe revisit MK around dinner time- Villains Lair heavy snacks and nightcap around 8 or 8:30. Can we just waltz up there at 8ish and expect to eat, or is that unrealistic?

But now I’m wondering if Ohana for dinner around 8pm might not be the better choice. In part because the food is more appealing and in part for the logistical reasons stated above.

My assumption is the fireworks viewing quality is: Main St >> Villains >> Ohana, but I think we’ll probably get that Main St fireworks viewing experience when we visit in May.

 

[CraigInPA]

I wouldn't do the Villains Lair party. I'd eat at 'Ohana and then come to the TOTWL 30 minutes before fireworks, or watch from the beach at Poly. But, both of these are really second rate compared to being in the park.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

We enjoyed the villains lair. There was a waitlist so we went to the community hall while we waited. Then when our turn came up went up and got some apps and drinks. Then when the fireworks started went outside. We had finished our snacks just in time but we were told we could keep them at the table and come back after the fireworks. If you don’t want to do Main Street the villains lair works as second best. I wouldn’t say the food is worth it for dinner but good for snacks.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

If you are DVC why not just do the free fireworks viewing upstairs? It is practically the same view as VL, which, by the way was so awful when we did it that it has become a big of a joke in our family.

 

[heathpack]

If you are DVC why not just do the free fireworks viewing upstairs? It is practically the same view as VL, which, by the way was so awful when we did it that it has become a big of a joke in our family.

What is there upstairs in addition to Villain’s Lair? Sorry we are California people who just moved east. We are newish to WDW.

I thought at the top of BLT, there is a lounge called Villains Lair (formerly known as Top of the World lounge) from which one could view MK fireworks.

Is there another space on the top of BLT for viewing fireworks?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I wouldn't count on a view from 'Ohana. Either eat then go to the free viewing (eat earlier) or the beach.

Anyone at the good viewing tables at 'Ohana at 8PM will camp the table until fireworks. Not all the tables have views.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

What is there upstairs in addition to Villain’s Lair? Sorry we are California people who just moved east. We are newish to WDW.

I thought at the top of BLT, there is a lounge called Villains Lair (formerly known as Top of the World lounge) from which one could view MK fireworks.

Is there another space on the top of BLT for viewing fireworks?

When we were there there was an area that was free for DVC members. The lounge was next to it. So if you went to Villains Lair you were guaranteed a space but it was no better than what was available for free.

The view from the bridge between BLT and the Contemporary is nice, as is the view from over by Grand Floridian. Free, but you just have to get there a bit early.

 

[Spivey378]

I went to Villains Lair and had some great cocktails, charcuterie, saw the sunset and fireworks. What is supposed to be bad about it and why am I supposed to hate it? I found it very enjoyable.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

This is what I wrote about it after our trip. It may have changed over the past year.

We were so excited to try out Wicked Wind Down this trip and unfortunately it totally missed the mark for us. Way too much “lounge,” not nearly enough “Villains.”

Disappointments:
1. We checked with the front desk at Bay Lake and were told that we could go up any time between 6-7:30. We showed up just before 7 and weren’t seated until 7:30.
2. By the time we were seated we were starving. With only 7 items on the menu and only a few tables food should come out quick, right? NOPE! Our drinks came out around 7:50 and our food was served while we were watching the fireworks. This means that we didn’t start eating until almost 8:30pm, and at that point most of what we were served was room temperature. My daughter was DONE around 8:45, so I skipped dessert to bring her back to the room.
3. The menu only has 2 non-alcoholic options on it (besides soda, but for $55/pp I’d like something interesting). Unfortunately only 1 can be served to anyone under 18, because the other “looks like a cocktail.” Can it be put in a kids cup? No. Can we have a different choice? No. One of the adults ordered it because we were expecting a lot at this point. Apparently what makes it look like a cocktail is a spring of mint. Take that out and it looks exactly the same as a glass of water. Literally. We put it next to a glass of water and kept mixing up the 2. There was nothing cocktail-like about it at all. The other drink had sherbet in it and was overly sweet and not that good. There are plenty of reasons why people may not want to drink, and it seemed like a huge missed opportunity for Disney not to capitalize on that.
4. Speaking of the fireworks, they made a big deal about reserving the “best section” for the paid guests. We were only a few feet away from the free section, and the free section was actually closer to the fireworks. The only advantage of watching from upstairs (vs. our theme park view balcony) was that the music was louder.

If Disney wanted to build an “adults only” area, fine, but DVC members are predominantly families, and the idea of having a place to eat a dinner-ish meal, watch the fireworks with a bit of breathing room, and then escape downstairs to your room without having to battle MK crowds is really appealing. Plus a proper “Villains Lair” could be really cool. Unfortunately what we got instead was a lounge with a tv rotating pictures of villains, a few pictures by a private table, decent but not spectacular food, and an overall disappointing experience.

We always tell the kids not to be afraid of trying new things and this was something my son really wanted to try, but we all agreed that this was definitely one and done for us.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

To be fair though no one in our party drank, so the options for us were extremely limited. Compare that to Nomad Lounge, for example, and there are tons of non-alcoholic options for guests to enjoy.

 

[vakamalua]

Eat somewhere then Villains. Ohana's food & service is wretched!

 

[vakamalua]

Eat somewhere then Villains. Ohana's food & service is wretched!

 

[heathpack]

This is what I wrote about it after our trip. It may have changed over the past year.

We weren’t planning on the Wicked Wind Down event. Just grabbing a bite and maybe a cocktail. No kids in tow.

 

[Spivey378]

We weren’t planning on the Wicked Wind Down event. Just grabbing a bite and maybe a cocktail. No kids in tow.

I did this last night and it was lovely.

 

[heathpack]

I did this last night and it was lovely.

I think for us it’s both “not enough” food (for a decent meal) and “too much” food and drink (for a bedtime snack). Maybe we could make a reasonable meal out of it if we could get three plates and split a dessert. But husband won’t want a fancy cocktail, and the second dessert will likely go to waste. So it starts to feel a little expensive for what it is. Not 100% out of the question but also not what I was thinking we’d do.