Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is officially announced

It’s finally here – the official announcement from Disney Vacation Club that the new Bay Lake Tower currently under construction next door to Disney’s Contemporary Resort will indeed be a Disney Vacation Club property.

The 15 story building will open in fall 2009 but sales are scheduled to being on September 21, 2008 for existing DVC members. If you don’t yet own any DVC points then you will need to wait a while longer (date yet to be announced).

The other exciting news is that the Treehouse Villas will be the latest addition to the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and will open to DVC guests during the summer 2009. The date for sales of the Treehouse Villas is yet to be announced.

“Our founder, Walt Disney, was well known for having one foot in the past and one in the future,” said Disney Vacation Club President Jim Lewis. “These new resort developments share that dynamic sensibility, blending modern luxury and design with the nostalgic spirit of two of the most storied resorts in Walt Disney World history.”

The Disney Vacation Club was established back in 1991 in an attempt to offer families decades of affordable vacations at Disney resorts and other worldwide destinations. The club has experienced unprecedented growth and membership has more than doubled since 2004 – there are now 350,000 members from across 100 countries world-wide.

“What excites me most about this tremendous growth is that we’re not only creating new accommodations, but new experiences,” Lewis said. “Each of the projects we’ve undertaken at Disney Vacation Club is unlike anything previously available in our resort portfolio, and both Bay Lake Tower and the Treehouse Villas proudly build on that tradition.”

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Bay Lake Tower

The new Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is designed to complement the iconic design of the original building, which opened with the Magic Kingdom Park on Oct. 1, 1971. The new structure mimics the colour palette and strong horizontal lines of the existing building and features a rooftop lounge and fireworks viewing area inspired by the original resort’s A-frame architecture.

The new tower promises to deliver some of the most dramatic views available anywhere at the Walt Disney World Resort. Some villas face scenic, undeveloped stretches of Bay Lake, while others offer spectacular views of the Magic Kingdom Park, which is just a short walk away. A sky bridge will link guests to the shops, restaurants and monorail station located at the Contemporary Resort.

Most of the rooms will feature innovative touches including modern artwork designed specifically for Bay Lake Tower, flat-screen TVs, full kitchens complete with granite countertops and modern appliances, separate bedrooms, washers and dryers, and other home-like amenities. For the larger families or families traveling together, many Bay Lake Tower vacation villas are designed to sleep up to nine, though some units can also be divided into one-bedroom villas that sleep five and studios that accommodate four, creating flexible options for smaller groups.

“These vacation homes will be furnished with some amazing custom pieces that are works of art unto themselves,” said Imagineer Brian McFarland. “It’s all about maintaining that feel of clean lines and open spaces, with plenty of Disney touches.”

As the closest resort to the Magic Kingdom, Bay Lake Tower guests will be able to head back to their rooms for a break from the park during the day – and as with all other DVC properties will be able to relax in their home-away-from-home.

If you’re thinking about becoming a DVC member – and I can highly recommend it – then you might want to give Bay Lake Towers some significant thought.

Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Treehouse Villas

If you’ve driven past Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa then you might have wondered about the tree house style buildings tucked away behind the trees. They were originally used for Disney Institute guests but were damaged by a hurricane in 2004 – now the Disney Vacation Club are working to restore the area as the newest phase of the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.

This new phase will revive Walt Disney World “treehouse living,” while replacing the villas of the ’70s with brand-new vacation homes, Imagineers have taken special care to honour the original octagonal design.

All 60 three-bedroom homes, which are elevated 10 feet off the ground on pedestals and beams designed to blend into the forest environment, will sleep nine and are planned to offer modern luxuries such as cathedral ceilings, granite countertops and flat-screen TVs, all presented in a style dubbed “cabin casual.”

“I was lucky enough to have a treehouse as a kid, but it was certainly nothing like this,” said Imagineer Todd Thomasson. “In developing this resort, we’ve all learned a new word, ‘glamping,’ which apparently means glamorous camping. The Treehouse Villas will be glamping at its absolute best.”

There is no word as yet as to how many points will be required to stay in the Treehouse Villas, but I’m eager to find out!

The following video has been released by the Disney Vacation Club to support the announcement – it’s a little cheesy but well worth a look:

Disney Vacation Club is owned by Disney Vacation Development Inc., part of the magic of The Walt Disney Company. To learn more, visit www.disneyvacationclub.com.

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