Top of the World Lounge

This is a great place for DVC members to kick back and relax before, during or after the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Really nice staff. Unfortunately, they were limited with certain drinks due to their blender being broken, but, overall, it was a good place to hang out and relax. They make a fantastic margarita.

The best perk of a DVC member is having access to this place. It is the best view in all of Disney and you can literally see everything. All the theme parks and the best view for the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
Great drinks and good small plate food. We came early and had a few drinks and were able to relax and watch the sunset between the MK and the Grand Floridian. I would come early as their is limited seating in the actual lounge despite all the room there is.

This is a great bar/​lounge that is only for DVC members who are staying at a DVC resort. Trust me, they checked.
My BF and I first came here one night to check it out before our dinner reservations at California Grill. It was pretty empty on a Wednesday night and we pretty much had the place to ourselves, there was a few other parties there, but it wasn’t crowded at all.
We just had a drink each, I had a glass of wine and he had a mixed drink — both were very tasty — I made note of the wine I had, so I could possibly have it at California Grill, but they didn’t have it there.
Anyway, we came back a few nights later to watch the Halloween fireworks with the rest of my family and it was crowded! It was also a Saturday, so that may have been a big factor. We stayed outside on the observation deck to watch the show and after the show, the place cleared out so we were able to sit inside and enjoy a few drinks.

Personally recommend the chocolate martini — Cool spot to watch wishes from — they pipe in the music so you can see everything… Nothing beats the view from in front of the castle but it’s nice they do that. Wine menu is seriously lacking — but they can bring anything up from the wave downstairs at the contemporary hotel — so check out their menu before heading up. 3 stars because of the amount of kids there — it’s a bar people! Where people want to get away from the disney screaming kids they came into contact with all day. Even late late did some parents have their kids around. Surprised there isn’t a rule in place

Best viewing for Magic Kingdom fireworks. Accompanying music is piped in during show.
Exclusive for Disney Vacation Club members and guests.
Get there early for drinks and appetizers before the show starts.
Soft Pretzels with dipping sauces were very good. We liked the Cream Cheese better than honey mustard.

One of all my all time favorite restaurants/​bars/​lounges whatever you want to call it. Available only to DVC members, it almost seems singlehandedly worth the membership fee. You will feel like a billionaire asking the private concierge to input the elevator password. First rate views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks are available here — if only it was Illuminations at Epcot instead, as the MK ones frankly pale in comparison.
As you hobnob with your fellow DVC members, you can enjoy a great beer, wine and cocktail list. Finding beers like Bell’s Two Hearted can be quite difficult at Disney, but rest assured they are on deck here.
If I have one complaint, the food service has gone WAY downhill in the past two years. In 2013 they had personal size pizzas with a garlic butter sauce that was as addictive as crack (well, I have no idea if that is true, but seems correct). Strangely, they are gone now and replaced with some rather boilerplate flatbreads. But, until they are serving McDonald’s food, this place will continue to be a ⁵⁄₅ in my book.

Simply put, I adore Bay Lake Tower. It’s close the the Magic Kingdom, you get all the benefits of being close to the Contemporary and you get this gem, Top of the World Lounge. We were at Disney in February for the Princess Half but we decided to save the points and forego a Magic Kingdom view. We’d heard for years how great Top of the World was for Wishes so we headed up on our first night. We made it with minutes to spare and had a SPECTACULAR view. Simply breathtaking. I’m not sure about the crowds beforehand because we just barely made it for Wishes, but the Lounge cleared out pretty quickly and we essentially had it to ourselves. The bartender, I think his name was Mike, was awesome! I got a Margarita and my siblings both had the Pimm’s Punch. All of the cocktails were quite tasty and pretty strong! I had to conquer a pretty strong elevator phobia to head up to the Lounge so once the bartender heard of my plight, he gave us a complimentary Godiva martini! SO good! We ended up closing the place down well after the Wishes crowd had gone and even went back the next evening at Sunset with our entire party (runner’s included this time!) This is a great DVC perk and now that my family is entirely adults, it’s nice to have a place to watch the MK fireworks while still being able to have some grown up fun! This is a Disney must do!

Unofficial Disneyworld Monorail Bar Crawl Stop # 2. Yes, the view is great, and it’s nice to be getting some perks for being a DVC member other than an annual bill and a discount on Disney themed merchandise (which I had my fill of in 1996!).
The staff was great and patient, as I couldn’t make up my mind between the 5 things on the menu. We had the brie BLT flatbreads. They were 3 stars– need more bacon, & a different cheeses with more flavor. And crispy flatbreads. Wish I’d had the 7 layer cake, but we saved dessert for the last stop on our «Unofficial Disney Monorail Bar Crawl.» Sadly, read my review of the Grand Floridian for what happened next!

Always nice, they should open this for lunch or breakfast.

Despite the five stars, I have a love-​hate relationship with the Top of the World Lounge. My love strongly edges out the hate because I only hate it during Wishes, and the hate has more to do with things outside of Disney’s control.
In rare form for my reviews, I’m going to start with the things that make me want to avoid this place, especially during Wishes.
The biggest thing for me is the increasing entitlement of some of the patrons over the past few years. Rather than rant, please just be mindful when you come in that your bad attitude should be checked at the door. We are all DVC members and if the CM allowed us up, we all belong there.
The bar has also been short-​staffed during these super busy fireworks shows on my last few visits, which is something that can be fixed by Disney if they choose. While many patrons aren’t there for drinks and just to see the fireworks, it might be helpful to add staff or maybe set up a beer line somewhere.
But those minuses aside, ToTWL is another of my favorite adult places at WDW. It is a gorgeous full bar with wonderful bartenders that overlooks one of the best views at WDW. It’s peaceful and has a tasty little menu (as limited as it is) that surprisingly has a lot to choose from. The staff is exceptional and will do what they can to accommodate you.
And yes, as others have said, it is a great place to watch the fireworks. For the best views, arrive with enough time to get yourself settled.

Love to grab a Yuengling at this place when I’m in Disney! You have to be Baylake DVC member to gain access though. Nice getaway after a long day at the parks.

Most of the stars are for the view. Because, admit it, that’s why we all come here. The food is just ok. Nothing memorable, except for the price. But then again, we are at Disney.
My husband and I shared the Tenderloin Sliders (2 per order) and the house chips with (very strong) bleu cheese crumble. He had a beer and I had a Martini. Total came out to $ 40 plus tip.
The staff is friendly and efficient. The lounge itself is very nice. The terrace is also a great place to watch the fireworks. It can get pretty windy up there. The views, of course, are outstanding.
We had a really nice view of Wishes from our lanai at BLT, but the Top of the World totally trumped. We will definitely return, but will probably skip the food.
This is definitely a really nice DVC perk!
One side note. I know that we are at Disney and that it is kid central. However, this is a lounge. It is mainly geared towards adults. If you must bring children, at least don’t allow them to run around, literally, unsupervised. I really don’t care for chocolate martini on my lap after your child ran smack into our table and toppled my drink.

DVC is Outstanding!
When we joined the DVC in 1999 no where in my wildest dreams would I think about getting a perk like this. A private club with excellent views of the fireworks. They serve about 6 apps and signature drinks. We had the hot pretzels, shrimp and crab, and the potato chips with blue cheese, chopped tomatoes apps. Listen, the food was ok but they could have served me Subway sandwiches and I would have been happy because of the view of the Magic Kingdom.
Service was was fine but the view of the fireworks was better lol.
Get the point, smuggle some food or drinks in and save your money. Watch the damn fireworks. Remember to tell them Dan sent and Stay Hungry!

Awesome venue with fantastic views both of Bay Lake and the Magic Kingdom. Fireworks are a popular time here but there are plenty of vantage points from the large patio balcony outside. The in-​park fireworks music is played on the patio so you don’t miss the action. Light food and desserts are available as well as a full bar. Admission is available only to DVC members staying at Bay Lake Tower.

Amazing views of wdw.

Great views, sunset, fireworks, fabulous drinks, warm soft pretzels with dipping sauce sauces, and a nice cheese plate. Nice relaxing end to any day at Disney. Service by Michael was terrific.

Awesome perk for DVC members. Vacationing here with friends and access to the exclusive lounge helped make our time together amazing. Bartender Mike and server Luc were awesome! We had a great time hanging out and talking with them several nights. Food was great and drinks were amazing!

Beautiful!
As a DVC member, I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to experience the Top of the World Lounge on my last trip to the World earlier this month :)
It felt pretty awesome to flash our card, then be escorted to an elevator to access the exclusive lounge! Once we arrived at the Top, it really was a remarkable view! I had been to the top of the Contemporary before, but it was my first time seeing the sites from Bay Lake Tower.
The lounge itself was stylishly appointed in a contemporary fashion (see what I did there, hehe) and the bartenders were friendly and prompt! Though the drinks were definitely not cheap, it was definitely worth the price to experience the lounge!
We were there about an hour before the fireworks (Holiday Wishes that evening) and since we had a seat further from the windows, we decided to head outside, which was really nice.
Can’t wait to visit again!

Top of the World Lounge is a 77-​seat full-​service bar offering beverages and light appetizers, and is located on the 16^th floor of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Next to the lounge is an observation deck offering views of Magic Kingdom Park.
Please leave noisy kids outside!!!
The regular operating hours for the lounge and deck are from 5:00 pm to midnight daily.
Access to the lounge and deck is available only to Disney Vacation Club Members who are staying at Bay Lake Tower using their Membership and is available on a first-​come, first-​served basis. This includes guests who are staying in the room with the Member. Access is also available to guests who are staying in a room reserved by a DVC Member with Vacation Points.
Eligible Members seeking access to the lounge and/​or deck must show their Bay Lake Tower Key to the World card with the «DVC Member» notation to the Cast Member stationed at the express elevator near the lobby on the first floor. The Member and their party will be admitted on a first-​come, first-​served basis if space is available, and will travel via express elevator to the 16^th floor. If the Member or their party leaves the 16^th floor, they may only be readmitted if there is space available.

They really do make this place feel exclusive. You have to take the «special» elevator up to the top floor of Bay Lake Tower and they check to make sure you have a valid room key.
The menu here is the standard Disney World bar menu. Nothing too special (compared to the other bars on property), but the drinks are really good. The atmosphere is great, especially at night.
The observation deck outside is fantastic for fireworks. If I had to guess the view here is probably better than what you would get at California Grill (over at the Contemporary). And the best part is that it’s not nearly as crowded here as it is on Main Street and there isn’t one bad seat or spot even in the back of the observation deck. In fact it’s probably more comfortable if you can’t be at the front because you get somewhere to lean.