Stu
5 Dec 03, 03:32 PM
An African-themed safari lodge...an island retreat...Victorian opulence...a bustling boardwalk...a backwoods bayou...the great Northwest.
Although many of these worlds are continents -- and centuries -- apart, Walt Disney World guests can immerse themselves in these and more unique environments from around the globe within the 47-square-mile Vacation Kingdom in Central Florida.
In all, there are 20 themed, Disney owned-and-operated resorts. There's something for everyone -- from "value" to "deluxe," to "home-away-from-home" accommodations -- all with special perks afforded to guests who choose to stay in the middle of the magic.
Guests staying at a Disney resort can take advantage of convenient transportation across Disney property and the option to charge theme park and other purchases to their guestroom account. Not to mention the famous service Disney is known for delivering to guests day after day.
Attention to detail abounds at Disney resorts. "All of our resorts allow guests to escape the urban setting and go to places they fantasize about," said Wing Chao, executive vice president, Master Planning, Architecture and Design for Walt Disney Imagineering.
The newest addition in the deluxe category of Disney resorts is Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, an African-themed safari lodge featuring 1,293 guestrooms and suites and a 33-acre savannah that surrounds much of the resort. More than 200 exotic animals roam the savannah, offering guests 24-hour viewing opportunities from their guestrooms or other locations throughout the resort.
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort features a five-story Mayan pyramid cascading water into a family-fun pool. This 1,921-room resort, which opened in 1997, calls to mind a beautiful Mexican hacienda.
And Disney's BoardWalk, located in a waterfront village styled after the mid-Atlantic seaside resorts of the mid 1900's, combines an exciting entertainment district with Disney's BoardWalk Inn and Disney's BoardWalk Villas. The resort opened in 1996.
All of the Disney-owned-and-operated resorts carry on the tradition of themed adventures -- in much the same way the Disney theme parks offer an escape to a timeless land of enchantment or adventure, a walk down small town Main Street or a peek at the future.
Here's a quick tour of the Disney resorts:
The beauty and romance of Africa come alive at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. The 1,293-room deluxe resort, which opened April 2001, features handcrafted furnishings, gallery-quality African art and authentic cuisine in three restaurants. Nestled on 75 acres west of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is built in the middle of its own 33-acre savannah, providing most of the rooms views into the animal sanctuary which is home to more than 200 exotic animals and birds. Many guestroom balconies overlooking the reserve put guests within 30 feet of the rich grasslands.
Tile roofs, mosaic accents, arched windows and doorways, and shady courtyards and patios highlight Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, located on the west side of World Drive near Blizzard Beach water adventure park. The 1,921-room resort also is Disney’s first moderate-level convention hotel, featuring a 95,000-square-foot convention center with the largest hotel ballroom in the southeast. An 86,000-square-foot exhibit hall will be added and when the expansion is completed in spring 2005, the convention center will boast more than 220,000 square feet of meeting, exhibit and function space.
The charm and flavor of the 1930s mid-Atlantic coast is recaptured at Disney's BoardWalk. Nestled on Crescent Lake adjacent to Epcot, this waterfront village includes an array of dining, entertainment and shopping experiences; meeting facilities; Disney's BoardWalk Inn, a 372-room deluxe hotel; and Disney's BoardWalk Villas, featuring more than 500 residential-style vacation villas.
Informal pastel-colored island homes with shaded verandahs create a South Florida theme at Disney's Old Key West Resort. Part of Disney Vacation Club, the 761 luxury accommodations range from deluxe studios, one- and two-bedroom vacation homes and two-story, three-bedroom grand villas that sleep up to 12. Every home has a view of the Lake Buena Vista golf course, water or wooded area.
Disney's All-Star Resorts offer value-category lodging with larger-than-life icons representing the best in music, sports and motion pictures. All three resorts offer themed pools, food court areas offering a variety of dining options and nearly 6,000 total guestrooms.
Brightly colored, larger-than-life football helmets and surfboards, and stairwells in the shapes of three-story lifeguard shacks and tennis cans, draw sports fans to Disney's All-Star Sports Resort. The 1,920-room value resort incorporates five sports themes -- football, baseball, basketball, tennis and surfing.
Broadway, country, jazz, rock 'n roll and calypso musical themes are featured at the 1,920-room Disney's All-Star Music Resort.
The 1,920-room Disney's All-Star Movies Resort is the third value-priced property at All-Star Resort and features giant icons from favorite Disney movies including "Toy Story," "101 Dalmatians," "Fantasia," "The Mighty Ducks" and "The Love Bug."
The famous lodges of American National Parks at the turn of the century are recalled at the 728-room Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Among the pine forests and natural surroundings on the southwestern shore of Bay Lake, the wilderness-themed resort features quarried stone and lodgepole pine with a log-structured main lobby. Next to the lodge is The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge (part of Disney Vacation Club). A unique feature of The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge is its themed living room area that features railroad memorabilia, including a special exhibit on loan from the Disney family of two of Walt Disney's personal scale-model train cars and a piece of the original track.
The romance of the south comes to life at Disney's Port Orleans Resort. The 3,056-room moderately priced resort combines two southern themes.
Ornate row-house buildings and cobblestone streets reminiscent of New Orleans provide fantasy adventures at Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter.
Next door, the bayou and Cajun tradition of the lower Mississippi River is reflected at Disney's Port Orleans Resort-Riverside with grand manors and rustic, bayou dwellings along picturesque waterways.
Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod are recalled in Disney's Yacht Club Resort and Disney's Beach Club Resort, themed to reflect New England seashore hotels of the 1880s. Both resorts share access to Stormalong Bay, a three-acre mini water park reminiscent of a Nantucket beach. A 750,000-gallon sand-bottomed pool and 230-foot-long water slide are featured.
Disney's Yacht Club Resort with 630 rooms features oyster-gray clapboard buildings, hardwood floors and rich millwork.
The 583-room Disney's Beach Club Resort features pale blue and white stick-style architecture inspired by beach cottages of the 1860s and 1870s. Interior design includes white wicker furniture, a pastel color scheme and 24-foot-high ceilings in the main lobby.
Disney's Beach Club Villas (part of Disney Vacation Club), characterized by pastel colors, intricate wooden accents and spacious villa-style accommodations, features 205 rooms consisting of studio, one- and two-bedroom units.
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa takes guests back to the days of Florida's golden era when grand hotels and opulent lifestyles were prevalent. The 867-room resort features Victorian-style structures with gabled roofs, snow-white buildings capped with red roofs and turrets, carved moldings and luxurious furnishings. The elegance follows through in a 40,000-square-foot convention center. The luxurious Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club offers a broad, balanced program of beautifying services, such as facials, manicures and pedicures. Wellness services, such as massage therapy body treatments, are also featured, along with a fully equipped health club. In 2001, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa was ranked as one of the "Top 50" hotels in the United States and Canada and one of the "Top 100" hotels in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine.
Backdrop to Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland is the ultra-modern landmark, Disney's Contemporary Resort. The 14-story, A-frame resort with two garden wings is like no other in the world with a monorail that runs through the cavernous lobby atrium. Since its 1971 debut, the 1,008-room Contemporary Resort has been updated with curved linear shapes, and vibrant colors, textures and designs; indirect lighting opens up the space and sets a mystical, modernistic mood.
Nestled along the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, Polynesia comes to life at the 853-room Disney's Polynesian Resort. The resort, which also opened in 1971, captures South Pacific island flair with lush landscaping, colorful birds and flowers, waterfalls and Polynesian dancers. A tropical interior, complete with bamboo-style furnishings, welcomes guests to this monorail resort. A new, family-fun swimming pool features a giant volcano and a water slide.
Villages with names like Martinique, Barbados and Trinidad surround a 42-acre lake at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. Tropical birds and colorful flowers give the 2,112-room, moderately priced hotel an island flair. "We were challenged to create the character of famous islands that people could relate to," Chao said. "The bright colors, landscaping, slopes and textures we used reflect the local traditions and architecture of the islands." Jamaica's British influence is noted by the yellow and blue color scheme and Victorian style architecture; Trinidad, the "bird island," uses browns and yellows; and Barbados, the "island of flowers," features pinks and greens.
Guests can go back to nature at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. The 700-acre resort features 784 campsites and 406 Wilderness Cabins in a relaxed, rustic atmosphere. Guests can explore a quieter side of the Walt Disney World Resort with activities such as horseback riding, canoeing, carriage rides, boating or hiking on nature trails. There's even an old-fashioned marshmallow roast and campfire sing-along, followed by a classic Disney movie, under the stars every night behind Meadow Trading Post.
Beginning Dec. 14, 2003, guests will be able to take a spin back in time at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the newest value hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. Guests of all ages will groove to pop culture from the past in this 2,880-room time capsule. And they’ll do it at Disney’s value-category rates. Larger-than-life icons of 20th century popular culture can be found all over the sprawling resort property -- four-story Rubik’s Cubes and Duncan Yo-Yos, 65-foot-tall bowling pins and 55-foot cellular phones, to name a few. Individual lodge buildings pay tribute to popular culture from each decade.
Disney Vacation Development, Inc. will expand its timeshare resort presence, subject to obtaining all necessary approvals. The new, 192-unit development, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, is slated to occupy a unique 16-acre site overlooking the lakefront district at Downtown Disney. Initial plans call for the construction of four residential-style buildings with studio, one- and two-bedroom villas and Grand Villa units that sleep up to 12 guests. The targeted opening is spring 2004.
© 2003 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Although many of these worlds are continents -- and centuries -- apart, Walt Disney World guests can immerse themselves in these and more unique environments from around the globe within the 47-square-mile Vacation Kingdom in Central Florida.
In all, there are 20 themed, Disney owned-and-operated resorts. There's something for everyone -- from "value" to "deluxe," to "home-away-from-home" accommodations -- all with special perks afforded to guests who choose to stay in the middle of the magic.
Guests staying at a Disney resort can take advantage of convenient transportation across Disney property and the option to charge theme park and other purchases to their guestroom account. Not to mention the famous service Disney is known for delivering to guests day after day.
Attention to detail abounds at Disney resorts. "All of our resorts allow guests to escape the urban setting and go to places they fantasize about," said Wing Chao, executive vice president, Master Planning, Architecture and Design for Walt Disney Imagineering.
The newest addition in the deluxe category of Disney resorts is Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, an African-themed safari lodge featuring 1,293 guestrooms and suites and a 33-acre savannah that surrounds much of the resort. More than 200 exotic animals roam the savannah, offering guests 24-hour viewing opportunities from their guestrooms or other locations throughout the resort.
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort features a five-story Mayan pyramid cascading water into a family-fun pool. This 1,921-room resort, which opened in 1997, calls to mind a beautiful Mexican hacienda.
And Disney's BoardWalk, located in a waterfront village styled after the mid-Atlantic seaside resorts of the mid 1900's, combines an exciting entertainment district with Disney's BoardWalk Inn and Disney's BoardWalk Villas. The resort opened in 1996.
All of the Disney-owned-and-operated resorts carry on the tradition of themed adventures -- in much the same way the Disney theme parks offer an escape to a timeless land of enchantment or adventure, a walk down small town Main Street or a peek at the future.
Here's a quick tour of the Disney resorts:
The beauty and romance of Africa come alive at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. The 1,293-room deluxe resort, which opened April 2001, features handcrafted furnishings, gallery-quality African art and authentic cuisine in three restaurants. Nestled on 75 acres west of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is built in the middle of its own 33-acre savannah, providing most of the rooms views into the animal sanctuary which is home to more than 200 exotic animals and birds. Many guestroom balconies overlooking the reserve put guests within 30 feet of the rich grasslands.
Tile roofs, mosaic accents, arched windows and doorways, and shady courtyards and patios highlight Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, located on the west side of World Drive near Blizzard Beach water adventure park. The 1,921-room resort also is Disney’s first moderate-level convention hotel, featuring a 95,000-square-foot convention center with the largest hotel ballroom in the southeast. An 86,000-square-foot exhibit hall will be added and when the expansion is completed in spring 2005, the convention center will boast more than 220,000 square feet of meeting, exhibit and function space.
The charm and flavor of the 1930s mid-Atlantic coast is recaptured at Disney's BoardWalk. Nestled on Crescent Lake adjacent to Epcot, this waterfront village includes an array of dining, entertainment and shopping experiences; meeting facilities; Disney's BoardWalk Inn, a 372-room deluxe hotel; and Disney's BoardWalk Villas, featuring more than 500 residential-style vacation villas.
Informal pastel-colored island homes with shaded verandahs create a South Florida theme at Disney's Old Key West Resort. Part of Disney Vacation Club, the 761 luxury accommodations range from deluxe studios, one- and two-bedroom vacation homes and two-story, three-bedroom grand villas that sleep up to 12. Every home has a view of the Lake Buena Vista golf course, water or wooded area.
Disney's All-Star Resorts offer value-category lodging with larger-than-life icons representing the best in music, sports and motion pictures. All three resorts offer themed pools, food court areas offering a variety of dining options and nearly 6,000 total guestrooms.
Brightly colored, larger-than-life football helmets and surfboards, and stairwells in the shapes of three-story lifeguard shacks and tennis cans, draw sports fans to Disney's All-Star Sports Resort. The 1,920-room value resort incorporates five sports themes -- football, baseball, basketball, tennis and surfing.
Broadway, country, jazz, rock 'n roll and calypso musical themes are featured at the 1,920-room Disney's All-Star Music Resort.
The 1,920-room Disney's All-Star Movies Resort is the third value-priced property at All-Star Resort and features giant icons from favorite Disney movies including "Toy Story," "101 Dalmatians," "Fantasia," "The Mighty Ducks" and "The Love Bug."
The famous lodges of American National Parks at the turn of the century are recalled at the 728-room Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Among the pine forests and natural surroundings on the southwestern shore of Bay Lake, the wilderness-themed resort features quarried stone and lodgepole pine with a log-structured main lobby. Next to the lodge is The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge (part of Disney Vacation Club). A unique feature of The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge is its themed living room area that features railroad memorabilia, including a special exhibit on loan from the Disney family of two of Walt Disney's personal scale-model train cars and a piece of the original track.
The romance of the south comes to life at Disney's Port Orleans Resort. The 3,056-room moderately priced resort combines two southern themes.
Ornate row-house buildings and cobblestone streets reminiscent of New Orleans provide fantasy adventures at Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter.
Next door, the bayou and Cajun tradition of the lower Mississippi River is reflected at Disney's Port Orleans Resort-Riverside with grand manors and rustic, bayou dwellings along picturesque waterways.
Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod are recalled in Disney's Yacht Club Resort and Disney's Beach Club Resort, themed to reflect New England seashore hotels of the 1880s. Both resorts share access to Stormalong Bay, a three-acre mini water park reminiscent of a Nantucket beach. A 750,000-gallon sand-bottomed pool and 230-foot-long water slide are featured.
Disney's Yacht Club Resort with 630 rooms features oyster-gray clapboard buildings, hardwood floors and rich millwork.
The 583-room Disney's Beach Club Resort features pale blue and white stick-style architecture inspired by beach cottages of the 1860s and 1870s. Interior design includes white wicker furniture, a pastel color scheme and 24-foot-high ceilings in the main lobby.
Disney's Beach Club Villas (part of Disney Vacation Club), characterized by pastel colors, intricate wooden accents and spacious villa-style accommodations, features 205 rooms consisting of studio, one- and two-bedroom units.
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa takes guests back to the days of Florida's golden era when grand hotels and opulent lifestyles were prevalent. The 867-room resort features Victorian-style structures with gabled roofs, snow-white buildings capped with red roofs and turrets, carved moldings and luxurious furnishings. The elegance follows through in a 40,000-square-foot convention center. The luxurious Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club offers a broad, balanced program of beautifying services, such as facials, manicures and pedicures. Wellness services, such as massage therapy body treatments, are also featured, along with a fully equipped health club. In 2001, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa was ranked as one of the "Top 50" hotels in the United States and Canada and one of the "Top 100" hotels in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine.
Backdrop to Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland is the ultra-modern landmark, Disney's Contemporary Resort. The 14-story, A-frame resort with two garden wings is like no other in the world with a monorail that runs through the cavernous lobby atrium. Since its 1971 debut, the 1,008-room Contemporary Resort has been updated with curved linear shapes, and vibrant colors, textures and designs; indirect lighting opens up the space and sets a mystical, modernistic mood.
Nestled along the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, Polynesia comes to life at the 853-room Disney's Polynesian Resort. The resort, which also opened in 1971, captures South Pacific island flair with lush landscaping, colorful birds and flowers, waterfalls and Polynesian dancers. A tropical interior, complete with bamboo-style furnishings, welcomes guests to this monorail resort. A new, family-fun swimming pool features a giant volcano and a water slide.
Villages with names like Martinique, Barbados and Trinidad surround a 42-acre lake at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. Tropical birds and colorful flowers give the 2,112-room, moderately priced hotel an island flair. "We were challenged to create the character of famous islands that people could relate to," Chao said. "The bright colors, landscaping, slopes and textures we used reflect the local traditions and architecture of the islands." Jamaica's British influence is noted by the yellow and blue color scheme and Victorian style architecture; Trinidad, the "bird island," uses browns and yellows; and Barbados, the "island of flowers," features pinks and greens.
Guests can go back to nature at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. The 700-acre resort features 784 campsites and 406 Wilderness Cabins in a relaxed, rustic atmosphere. Guests can explore a quieter side of the Walt Disney World Resort with activities such as horseback riding, canoeing, carriage rides, boating or hiking on nature trails. There's even an old-fashioned marshmallow roast and campfire sing-along, followed by a classic Disney movie, under the stars every night behind Meadow Trading Post.
Beginning Dec. 14, 2003, guests will be able to take a spin back in time at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the newest value hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. Guests of all ages will groove to pop culture from the past in this 2,880-room time capsule. And they’ll do it at Disney’s value-category rates. Larger-than-life icons of 20th century popular culture can be found all over the sprawling resort property -- four-story Rubik’s Cubes and Duncan Yo-Yos, 65-foot-tall bowling pins and 55-foot cellular phones, to name a few. Individual lodge buildings pay tribute to popular culture from each decade.
Disney Vacation Development, Inc. will expand its timeshare resort presence, subject to obtaining all necessary approvals. The new, 192-unit development, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, is slated to occupy a unique 16-acre site overlooking the lakefront district at Downtown Disney. Initial plans call for the construction of four residential-style buildings with studio, one- and two-bedroom villas and Grand Villa units that sleep up to 12 guests. The targeted opening is spring 2004.
© 2003 Disney. All Rights Reserved.