Doorway to Dreams Leads to Long Island

WDWNT on February 10, 2009

Disney has confirmed that it will be opening a second “Doorway to Dreams” Disney Vacation Club sales location (in my backyard) on Long Island, New York in the summer of 2009:

Scheduled to open later this summer, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams will offer Roosevelt Field visitors and Long Island, N.Y.-area residents a convenient and exciting way to learn firsthand about Disney Vacation Club, an innovative vacation-ownership program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on decades of future vacations.

Disney’s Doorway to Dreams will showcase the accommodations at Disney Vacation Club resort hotels, which are spacious and offer numerous home-like amenities. These vacation villas provide families with a place to relax and spend quality time together either at Disney destinations worldwide or at more than 500 other popular vacation locations around the world. This convenient mall location will give them a glimpse of the choices they have, from a magical stay at the Walt Disney World Resort or a relaxing cruise aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship to a family-friendly, interactive Adventures by Disney trip or an exotic jaunt to South America.

“Our first Disney’s Doorway to Dreams location has been very popular and a great way for Chicago-area residents and visitors to learn more about the family vacation experiences available through Disney Vacation Club,” said Disney Vacation Club President Jim Lewis. “Now, we are delighted to bring Disney’s Doorway to Dreams to New York, which is one the top markets for our rapidly growing membership base, so that more people can discover all that Disney Vacation Club has to offer.”

To help families envision just what those vacations will entail, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams, located at Roosevelt Field on Long Island, NY, will feature a full-scale, two-bedroom model of the vacation home accommodations Disney Vacation Club members and their families can expect to find at Disney Vacation Club resort hotels.

“Disney has always been a unique and innovative leader in the timeshare industry,” said Howard C. Nusbaum, chief executive officer of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). “Now, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams allows New York-area families the chance to experience how a timeshare ownership can help ensure years and years of memorable family vacations.”

Designed to create a fun and immersive experience, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams is planned to go beyond featuring model accommodations to offer an interactive family vacation discovery zone, comfortable discussion areas and a supervised children’s play area within its approximately 6,900 square feet of retail space.

Celebrating more than 50 years of offering more choices, Roosevelt Field is located at the intersection of Old Country Road and the Meadowbrook Parkway in Garden City and is managed by Simon Property Group, Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The mall offers unparalleled customer service with amenities including Simon Giftcards, good everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted and Simon American Express Giftcards, which can be used everywhere American Express cards are welcomed; Ticketmaster at Simon Guest Services, valet parking; complimentary wheelchairs; strollers and a post office. It is anchored by Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penney, Bloomingdale’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods and has more than 270 specialty stores. For more information, please go to www.simon.com.

For more information about Disney Vacation Club and the new Disney’s Doorway to Dreams preview center, please visit www.disneyvacationclub.com.

Matt Paul’s 2/8/09 Magic Kingdom Video Update

WDWNT on February 9, 2009

WDWNT Videographer Matt Paul has provided us with a fantastic video update (opposed to a photo update) from his latest trip to the Magic Kingdom on Sunday. This update includes a look at:

  • Continuing construction inside the Grand Canyon Concourse and of the new Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Construction of the stage for Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration in Tomorrowland
  • Continuing refurbishment of the Tomorrowland Restrooms between Merchant of Venus and Mickey’s Star Traders
  • Demolition of the Galaxy Palace Theater to become temporary character meet and greet area
  • the new Main Street Philharmonic pre-show for the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade (performing “Celebrate You” theme song)

The video is embedded from our WDWNTube Disney Parks Video Site and will require you to download Divx if you haven’t already. The download is quick and easy, and will allow you to watch High Definition videos from the WDWNTube, as well as any future videos we may embed on this site.

Bay Lake Tower Set to Open August 4, and Other DVC News

WDWNT on February 3, 2009

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is scheduled to open on Aug. 4, 2009. The Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort are scheduled to open this summer, but no date has been released. All 60 “treehouses” are scheduled to open simultaneously.

Members with ownership interests in Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort may begin making reservations for their new home resort on Feb. 8. On that same date, Members with ownership interests at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort may begin making reservations for the resort’s new Treehouse Villas accommodations.

All Disney Vacation Club Members may book reservations for Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the Treehouse Villas accommodations at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa beginning on Feb. 22.

Construction of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort remains ahead of schedule, putting the new Disney Vacation Club Resort on pace for an estimated opening on Aug. 4.

How exactly will members be able to make reservations next week for the Treehouse Villas when an opening date has not yet been announced? We haven’t heard anything about this minor issue yet.

In other DVC news, the Online Check-In Service currently being rolled out at select Disney resorts will launch for Disney Vacation Club Members on Feb. 24.

DVC Member Previews for American Idol Experience and Kim Possible

WDWNT on January 9, 2009

Disney Vacation Club Member Previews for The American Idol Experience and Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure have been announced.  DVC Members must register in advance at this link for The American Idol Experience previews.  The Kim Possible Challenge is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Disney Vacation Club Members have a special opportunity to sign up to be part of a sneak preview of The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ at the Walt Disney World® Resort before it opens officially to Guests.  The sneak previews have limited availability, so sign up today to watch one of the live shows.

Dates: Feb. 5-8
Duration: Show will last approximately 30 minutes
Location: Superstar Television Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

  • Each Disney Vacation Club Member with a valid Disney Vacation Club Member ID Card who registers to watch one of the live shows may bring as many as five Guests along to watch the show.
  • Due to limited capacity, advance registration is required.
  • Members must present their confirmation slip, their valid Member ID Card (or Key to the World card displaying a Member designation) and a photo ID at check-in.
  • Check-in begins one hour prior to the event, and Members must be checked in at least 30 minutes prior to the event.
  • As a courtesy to others, Members who register for the event and are unable to attend for any reason should re-visit the Web site to cancel their reservation and give other Members the opportunity to participate. Likewise, Members may revisit the Web site periodically to see if space has opened up to reserve their preferred time.

Disney Vacation Club Members have a special opportunity to preview Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot®, an immersive new experience designed to turn Guests into crime-fighting secret agents. This is a chance to experience the adventure before it opens officially to Guests.

Disney Vacation Club Members may embark on missions available Jan. 23-25 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (Missions begin every 15 minutes.) Missions are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Members and their Guests will begin their missions by reporting to the Team Possible Recruitment Center located on the bridge leading from Future World to World Showcase at Epcot. Members must present their Member ID card or their Key to the World card displaying a Member designation.

Update:  We have just received word that the official opening date for the Kim Possible World Showcase Challenge is being advertised in Innoventions as January 28.

Time to Celebrate!!!

WDWNT on January 1, 2009

It’s finally here!!! The Year of a Million Dreams has just ended after over 2 years and now Disney Parks wants to know “What Will You Celebrate?” in 2009. Here’s some of what we have to look forward to (even though WDWNT has reported most of this already):

New immersive fun in theme parks
Disney Parks’ initiative to create more immersive experiences continues in 2009 at Walt Disney World Resort with premieres in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom.  Here’s what’s in store:
  • “The American Idol Experience” (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – Starry-eyed Disney guests will get a taste of TV’s pop culture phenomenon – up close and personal – when Disney’s Hollywood Studios grand opens this “American Idol” attraction in mid-February.  It’s another immersive opportunity as guests will be able to experience the challenge of auditioning, the rush of performing on stage in competition or the thrill of judging the performances in a live interactive setting modeled after the “American Idol” set.  There will be several showtimes daily.  Guests advancing through the screening process have the chance, in the nightly final competition, to win a guaranteed reservation for a regional audition for the “American Idol” TV show.
  • Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure (Epcot) – Inspired by Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Kim Possible” animated series, guests of all ages will become secret agents to save the world from various comical villains and their mad inventions in this ultra-interactive adventure packed with mystery and excitement.  Guests team up with members of Team Possible in this high-tech experience slated for a late-January opening in seven World Showcase pavilions representing countries on three continents. 
  • “Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party” (Magic Kingdom) – It’s party time beginning in mid-February when a cast of Disney characters, stilt walkers and other performers processes down Main Street, U.S.A. toward Cinderella Castle to high-energy tunes such as “Breakout” and “I Like To Move It.”  Five floats decked out as gift-wrapped packages are part of the procession, and near the castle, Mad Hatter, Genie, Lumiere and Sebastian – the life and light of the party – pop out of four huge boxes.  They join about a dozen other Disney characters headed by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse to mix and mingle and dance in the street with Magic Kingdom guests during a 12-15-minute party scheduled to take place three times daily.
New high-tech innovations on land and sea
High-tech innovations will help guests navigate theme park fun and treat guests to new thrills on both land and the high seas:
  • Verizon (in Disney theme parks) – Marking a first in both the travel and mobile industries, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Verizon are teaming up to enhance the guest experience at Walt Disney World Resort (and at Disneyland Resort in California).  Guests will be able to access an array of features on their Verizon Wireless phones including the ability to easily locate shows, restaurants and the Disney characters anywhere inside the parks; get real-time attraction availability information; access mobile games; receive messages from characters and more.
  • Disney Digital 3-D (aboard Disney Cruise Line ships)– Movie entertainment at sea is being revolutionized with the debut of Disney Digital 3-D, a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience just introduced onboard the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder.  Guests will delight as first-run, feature Disney films leap off the silver screen and take on a whole new dimension in the onboard theaters.  Tridimensional images will combine with lasers, fog, streamers, and special lighting effects to create an immersive movie-going experience like no other at sea.  During these once-a-cruise special engagements, guests will feel the rush of being part of the hottest show in town.
  • The Hall of Presidents (in Magic Kingdom) – An Audio-Animatronics version of President Barack Obama will join representations of the previous 43 presidents of the United States as part of an attraction that has been celebrating American history since Walt Disney World Resort opened.  Disney Imagineers are also updating a broad array of show elements.  Reopening is slated for early July.
‘Re-imagining’ Downtown Disney
Following the fall 2008 opening of T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover, the “re-imagining” of Downtown Disney continues with:
  • Transformation of the Portobello Yacht Club – The name of this long-time favorite restaurant is shortened to “Portobello,” and an all-new menu reflects a new, warm, Italian trattoria décor.  Portobello is open daily for lunch and dinner and is owned and operated by Levy Restaurants.
  •  New waterfront dining spot  – A high-energy restaurant and bar opening in spring 2009 will feature Mexican and South American cuisine, an international wine bar and a tequila bar of more than 50 kinds of tequila and 10 signature frozen margaritas.  The new as yet unnamed restaurant is being developed by E-Brands Restaurant Group, a multi-concept restaurant group which currently owns and operates Timpano Chophouse and Martini Bars, Samba Rooms, Taqueria Canonita, Aquaknox, David Burke, Salsa Orlando and Canonita Express in a number of cities across the United States.  The Downtown Disney restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. until late night with nightly entertainment.

‘Re-branding’ the sports complex

Aligning the world’s No. 1 family vacation destination with the worldwide leader in sports, Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN are joining forces to “re-brand” Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex with the ESPN brand, creating an entertaining and immersive experience for the nearly 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators who come through the sports complex each year.  Plans for the re-branding initiative are still in the development stage, but initial concepts involve:
  • Renaming the sports complex and incorporating the signature elements of ESPN – Throughout the 220-acre facility, which is a leading venue for amateur and professional sports in the country, the project aims to enhance the experience of both athletes and spectators by connecting them to their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements and making them feel like they’ve made it to the “big time.”
10 new places to go, 4 new places to settle down
In 2009, Disney Cruise Line is charting two new eastern Caribbean courses.  Meanwhile, Adventures by Disney is adding eight destinations, including some of the most exotic and remote locations in the world, to its list of trips.  And Disney Vacation Club is offering guests visiting Disney Parks four new resort experiences.  Here’s a look at what’s coming:
  • New eastern Caribbean itineraries (Disney Cruise Line) – St. Croix will be a featured stop on one new seven-night itinerary, and Tortola will be featured on another seven-night itinerary, giving Disney Cruise Line guests more choices than ever before to explore the beautiful islands of the Caribbean.  Both islands are new to Disney Cruise Line, increasing the seven-night Caribbean choices on the Disney Magic to four itineraries (Disney’s traditional eastern and western Caribbean itineraries will continue).  Itineraries with St. Croix and itineraries with Tortola sail select dates throughout 2009.
  • New family-friendly adventure vacations (Adventures by Disney) – An expedition to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, a safari in Africa, and an exploration of Alaska are among eight new adventures in 2009, giving guests a total of 23 vacation options to choose from.  Other new Adventures by Disney itineraries: Italy and Switzerland; Boston, Newport, New York City; Central Italy; Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco; and Glacier National Park and Banff National Park.
  • New ‘home-away-from-home’ accommodations (Disney Vacation Club) – Four new options in 2009 will combine to revive “treehouse living” at Walt Disney World Resort, immerse guests in the African experience … in Florida, bring vacation ownership so close to Magic Kingdom that families can blow Tinker Bell a kiss goodnight and use Cinderella Castle as their nightlight, and provide the first Disney Vacation Club accommodations on the West Coast:
  • The Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa– Treehouse living, a cherished tradition from 1975-2002, returns with the opening (scheduled for summer) of 60 three-bedroom villas elevated 10 feet off the ground on pedestals and beams designed to blend into the forest glens where they are nestled, providing Saratoga Springs with a new room category.
     
  • Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Having completed the conversion of select rooms at Jambo House (at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge) into vacation villas, Kidani Village is taking shape (for phased openings in the spring and fall) with thatched roofs and hewn timber design.  Kidani means “necklace” and the building is shaped like a piece of native African jewelry with guest villas forming the beads, garden-like walkways creating the knots in between and the lobby representing the ornament or jewel at its center.
  • Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort – The 15-story curvilinear tower (slated for a fall opening) is designed to complement the fabled styling of the original building, which opened with Magic Kingdom on Oct. 1, 1971.  The crescent shape, which features 295 two-bedroom-equivalent villas, promises to deliver some of the most dramatic views available anywhere at Walt Disney World Resort – some of scenic stretches of Bay Lake, others with views of Magic Kingdom.
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa – Offering 50 two-bedroom-equivalent vacation villas (in late fall), this expansion of the existing hotel at Disneyland Resort is an architectural and artistic celebration of California’s renowned Arts & Crafts style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The first guest has already been awarded free entry to a Walt Disney World theme park for the day in 2009:

WASH. RESIDENT FIRST IN THE NATION TO REDEEM HIS FREE DISNEY PAR

Using an oversized park ticket created for the occasion, Seattle, Wash. resident Andrew DaCosta enters the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Jan. 1, 2009. DaCosta was honored this morning as the first person in the nation to receive free admission to a Disney theme park on his birthday as part of Disney’s “What Will You Celebrate?” DaCosta, who turns 49 today, redeemed his “Free On Your Birthday” registration at the Magic Kingdom Guest Relations window at 7:31 a.m. Jan. 1 is the first day of the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign at both Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. In addition to offering everyone who visits a Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme park on their birthday in 2009 free admission, the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign features new theme park entertainment, added celebration experiences and new ways for guests to customize their own “celebration vacation” at both vacation resorts. (Preston Mack, photographer)

SEATTLE, WASH. RESIDENT FIRST IN THE NATION TO REDEEM HIS FREE D

New Year’s Eve Begins with a Bang

WDWNT on December 31, 2008

‘-While it comes as no surprise that the Magic Kingdom closed it’s gates to all but Annual Passholders and Disney Resort guests at 12:00 PM today, another more interesting closure took place. It seems a pipe of some kind burst in the Frontierland area of the park earlier today, closing the entire area off to guests. A large vehicle was then actually brought into that section of the park to fix the problem. The only downtime we can confirm thus far was for Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain which guests could not reach at this point. Stay tuned for more details on this story as it becomes available, as well as pictures sometime tomorrow.

-In a follow-up to yesterday’s DVC report, here is a video taken by WDWNT  Reporter Jose Eber:

  

You can also watch the video in HD HERE

Jose Eber’s 11/15/08 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on November 16, 2008

Here is another fantastic photo (and video) report by WDWNT Photographer Jose Eber from his latest trip to the world:

Refurbishments on the Fantasyland facades has now moved on to Pinnocchio’s Village Haus

Work is now 100% complete on the new Liberty Square Bridge, no more work in the waterways

Christmas has now taken over Main Street U.S.A.

Tinker Bell movie merchandise has taken over some of the windows

This window that was full of Year of a Million Dreams merchandise has been changed, the first piece of the celebration to disappear with just about a month and a half left in it.

Fresh paint going on another facade on Main Street

Moving over to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Contempo Cafe is now open

 

Here’s a video of the Cafe (boy is it loud on that floor now)

The Holiday napkins have arrived

New promotion, similar bag… 🙁

Continuing construction on the Bay Lake Tower addition

An arial view of the bridge

The lesser seen side of the Bay Lake Tower

Click the above image for a larger version

 

Here’s a video of the construction on the Bay Lake Tower Jose has taken

Chocolate Advent character with some awesome artwork

Same can be said for these holiday cards

We’ll end this report by looking at this cool recordable gift card holder, again featuring that artwork we love so much

Thanks for the update Jose!!!

Bay Lake Tower and Treehouses Now Official

WDWNT on September 16, 2008

DVC members received an email this morning from “Deevy See, the First Lady of Disney Vacation Club,” with “the big announcement” including a link to this YouTube video.  The email also mentions that viewers will see the new resort on an upcoming Travel Channel special “Season of Disney:  Disney’s Best Kept Secret” to be aired on September 18 at 8:00 pm EDT.

The Orlando Sentinel also published a full article this morning:

The Walt Disney Co.‘s rapidly growing time-share division takes an aggressive step forward today when it unveils plans for two new resorts in Orlando — even as Disney Vacation Club battles some of the strongest financial headwinds it has ever faced.

Disney this morning will formally reveal plans for its Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, confirming earlier reports that the 15-story tower rising just beyond the Magic Kingdom will be used for time shares. The company also will unveil plans to sell time shares at the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, a secluded community of 60 units that is being rebuilt in a forested pocket of Walt Disney World.

The twin announcements ensure that Celebration-based Disney Vacation Club, which has grown to nine resorts and more than 350,000 members, will have more time shares for sale in 2009 than it has ever had before.

Company executives say they are confident of strong demand for their newest resorts despite the slumping U.S. economy, which has eroded consumer spending and made financing for big-ticket purchases such as time shares harder to obtain.

“What we’re trying to do, particularly with the resorts that we build on site [at Walt Disney World], is really provide something that’s unique, something that you can’t get any other place in Central Florida — and, really, in the world,” said Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club. “With these two resorts, we believe we’ve done that.”

The company is especially optimistic about the roughly 300-unit Bay Lake Tower, which will be linked to the iconic Contemporary Resort by a fifth-floor pedestrian bridge and will feature the first time shares Disney has ever sold within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom theme park. Sales will begin Sunday, with first crack going to existing Vacation Club owners.

“We think it’s going to do very, very well,” Lewis said. “That is a premium location . . . right across the street — literally — from our flagship park.”

Disney will command a premium price for that convenience. Lewis said prices at Bay Lake Tower will begin at $18,000 — the most expensive starting point of any Vacation Club resort. Prices at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, which opened its first phase last year, begin just below $17,000.

The 60 elevated homes comprising the Treehouse Villas will be built as a new phase of the Saratoga Springs resort near Downtown Disney. A sales date and prices haven’t yet been set.

The Treehouse Villas will open next summer. Bay Lake Tower will follow in the fall.

Although different in size and theme, Disney says both resorts share a similar heritage.

The Contemporary, which was just the second hotel to open at Walt Disney World, is one of the park’s most recognizable monuments, with its mammoth, A-frame structure straddling the resort’s monorail. The Treehouses have stood in a quiet corner of the park since 1975, used at various times as hotel rooms, Disney Institute housing, and dorms for international student-employees.

Design challenges

When designers first set to work on blueprints for an addition to the Contemporary, concepts ranged from copies of the main hotel to a “George Jetson”-like theme, said Bill Hanus, director of development at Walt Disney Imagineering. But they worried about constructing a building that could be seen as competing with the original. They opted instead to build a crescent-shaped tower, hoping the Bay Lake Tower’s curved architecture will complement the angular Contemporary.
There are touches of symmetry: Exterior grooves marking each floor are aligned in both buildings, and a rooftop lounge on the Bay Lake Tower matches the California Grill restaurant on top of the Contemporary.

Inside, designers have made sure to emphasize the views that they hope will ultimately make Bay Lake Tower one of Disney Vacation Club’s most sought-after resorts. Rooms will contain nearly wall-length windows that open to views of the Magic Kingdom or Bay Lake. Some bathrooms will even have sliding walls allowing guests to watch fireworks while soaking in tubs.

“It feels like a Tomorrowland building,” Hanus said, alluding to the section of the Magic Kingdom that the tower overlooks.

Saving trees

Each of the new Treehouse Villas has been manufactured in sections at a factory in Wingate, Pa., and they are being installed by cranes that lift them over existing treetops. That approach will allow Disney to build modern, 1,200-square-foot homes without damaging the lush, campsite feel that many Disney fans recall, said Jim Durham, vice president of resort projects for Imagineering.

Disney Vacation Club is now scheduled to have space in four time-share resorts for sale in 2009, with Bay Lake Tower and the Treehouse Villas joining the Animal Kingdom Villas and the upcoming Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland in California. It will be the first time the company has had four resorts for sale at once.
Disney is also in the early stages of developing a roughly 800-room resort in Hawaii that will include both time shares and hotel rooms.

“It’s certainly going to be challenging,” said Jeremy Glaser, a lodging industry analyst with the research firm Morningstar Inc. “I think they’ll find buyers, just not at the same speed as they were before.”

But Lewis said Disney’s investment in Bay Lake Tower and the Treehouse Villas demonstrate its confidence that its time-share business will remain strong.

“During tough economic times, people are really a little bit more receptive to a message regarding how you can save money on future vacations,” Lewis said. “Clearly, we’re not recession-proof. But we are recession-resilient.”