Thanks to Christopher Ripley of The English Disney Blog for putting together this great review of the new Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower in Walt Disney World!
Bay Lake Tower
Top of the World Lounge is located aptly on top of the recent Disney Vacation Club (DVC) addition of the Bay Lake Tower resort. The tower and the lounge were both opened on August 4th, 2009. The lounge opens at 5pm daily for the exclusive use of DVC members staying at the tower using their DVC points. Apart from members staying in the grand villas on the sixteenth floor, all other members must access the lounge via the lifts on the ground floor (after checking with reception that the maximum occupancy has not been exceeded!). The lounge can fit 499 people (precisely!), however it seldom fills up until the Wishes fireworks begin in the evening.
Top of the World Lounge Sign
Top of the World Lounge Sign
Top of the World Lounge
Top of the World Lounge
The lounge is very much like that of a late night Vegas quiet bar. A grand modern chandelier, plush carpets, glazed tiles, soft discreet lighting, artistic prints and oh, did I mention the view? Supposedly the skyscrapers of Clermont are visible on very clear days! The view really is the selling point of this lounge, and the view of Wishes is only second to the display from the California Grill. So onto the food…
Top of the World Lounge Menu
The food menu is very minimal and acts only for those who are peckish between mojitos. Consisting entirely of three different flatbreads (a la Cali Grill), nachos, a roll and one trio of mini desserts. To get a booth we started out soon after the lounge opened. After nabbing the one closest to the bar we looked over the menu and opted for the Buffalo Mozzarella Flatbread with Roma Tomatoes and Pesto.
Buffalo Mozzarella Flatbread
The bread was crispy round the edges, soft and doughy in the middle and the veggies with stringy cheese produced a subtle Mediterranean flair.
We also ordered the Beef Tenderloin Flatbread with goat’s cheese, aged balsamic viniagrette and onion jam. This one packed more of a punch in the flavor stakes. Some of our clan liked it very much and others thought it was too vinegary.
Beef Tenderloin Flatbread
After the flatbreads we moved onto the cocktail menu…! The cocktail menu features a variety of modern classics. From mainstay WDW favorites to quirky blends of fashionable masterpieces. All are served up from the extensive bar which features over a dozen beers, a range of soft drinks, liquors, oh and the cocktails…
Blue Glow-tini
The Blue Glow-tini can be found around WDW in various bars and is a mixture of citrus vodka, peach schnapps, blue curacao and pineapple juice. It is served with a sugared rim and a souvenir glow cube.
Blue Glowtini
Mojitos are all the rage right now, and this place does not disappoint. Our favorite was the Power-berry: specially procured blueberry vodka with a dash of pomegranate liqueur mixed with a muddled lime, sprigs of mint, Agave nectar (no less!) topped with soda water, crushed ice and a slice of lime. You simply cannot have just one of these babies!
Mojitos
For those of you driving who’d prefer a less alcoholic beverage but still want to be included in the fancy drinks stakes, the bartenders did inform us that they can mix-up non-alcoholic versions of the menued cocktails. They also informed us that other cocktails could be mixed-up on request, subject to ingredients being available.
Mojitos
Shortly before the Wishes show starts, the football games are turned down and music is piped in from the show. Patrons of the bar filter out to the viewing balcony. The balcony is very large and would allow for all to have an edge-side view.
Top of the World Lounge - View of Contemporary Resort
Wishes Fireworks over Space Mountain
Right after the show finishes a second balcony behind the bar is opened-up; this much smaller balcony offers wonderful views of the Electrical Water Pageant.
The bar remains open until midnight and guests who had too many mojitos stumble out a little after… .
Have you gotten into the exclusive Top of the World Lounge? What’s your favorite item on the menu?
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This is so great to see! We’re new to DVC and our first trip is in October. With BLT as our home resort, we’re hoping to have many future trips where this is included, so thanks for the report. I heard from some places that you need to make reservations to ensure that you’ll get in. Is this pretty much for only the busy seasons? It’s typically quieter when we go.
Hi Aric, unfortunately you cannot make reservations for this lounge and is strictly first-come-first-served.
Although doesn’t normally fill up until 30 mins before the show starts.
Many thanks,
Chris.
I have stayed here and this is my home home resort. Its really the reason I own a DVC.
After a long day n the park its nice to come to this lounge have some drinks and appetizers and watch the fireworks.
If you can get to the top of the world lounge I would highly recommend it.
We’re DVC members that own at BLT and we LOVE the Top of the World Lounge! I do worry that it will be taken away because it never seems that busy 🙁
Matt and I went for drinks when we stayed there in January of 2010. We had an awesome time, but didn’t order any food. It was a great way to end the day!
We went to the Top of the World Lounge last winter and it was too cold to stand outside for Wishes, but people were very courteous and sat down near the windows so all could see. My only complaint was there was nothing for my child to munch on- our table was given a snack mix but it was spicy and had nuts. Pretzels would be a good addition.
I will prob never go here bc I am not DVC, but let me just say that I LOVE that chandelier!
we stayed at BLT last sept and this was really the highlight of our trip! i have to say that i was dissapointed in the room at BLT, it was poorly cleaned and door knobs were broken ect. but the location and view was beyond amazing! we had friends who were honeymooning at GF and so it was really nice to “show off” or hotel 🙂
Thanks for that heads-up Christopher. Just goes to show that you can’t believe everything you read. Do try mind you hanging out for too long (just in case you want to be sure to get in?)
Sorry, do “they” mind?
FUN! Totally going here next time we are in Orlando, AJ, I’ll hook you up with entrance! : )
My husband and I LOVE the Top of the World Lounge. We enjoyed the chicken flatbread, steak flatbread, and crab nachos while we were there. We both agreed that the steak was our favorite. We also had *several* martinis. My husband adored the key lime pie martini, and I was hooked on several different ones. The staff is so accommodating, and the atmosphere is relaxed and mature. Love it.
Stayed here in Jan 2010 and loved it. it is our home for DVC anyways- and I swear that bar alone makes DVC worth it. Ate the BLT Flatbread and thought it was yummy!
Hey Aric, as long as you buy the odd drink I’m sure they won’t mind you hanging around for Wishes, it is after all, what everyone is waiting to see!
Christopher.
That beef flatbread looks delicious! We are DVC owners, so we may have to book a stay at BLT just to get this experience!
An odd drink would probably fit my personality (at least that’s what my wife tells me…)
Whenever a visiting-“Bay Lake Tower”-staying friend invites me to this lounge I accept without question. Favorite item on the menu is the Chocolate Martini (available in most lounges property-wide) and the Dogfish Head 30 Minute IPA
We stayed at BLT for New years eve the first year it was open. Fabulous! Love the Steak flat bread. Upon hearing that the area would fill up early and we would not be able to get in we headed upstairs early, with games, cards and money. They did not mind us hanging out as long as we liked. Granted we did buy at least one of everything on the menu and drink. Just a fyi, you can get Mickey Ice Cream bars. The staff up top was fabulous, very attentive and friendly. My kids are all older, I can see where for littles this would be quite boring.. but for the teen and pre-teen set this was novel and very grown up.
Curious. I noticed there’s a private area in that lounge. How does that work?
Can you confirm that any DVC member regardless of WDW resort property stay can access this lounge?
Also is there a cap on how many guests you can bring in within one night? Thanks so much!
We are not DVC owners, but are renting a villa from an owner. Is this lounge only open to owners, or can renters use the lounge during their stay?