Imagineering a Disney Mountain Resort

[Heppenheimer]

Next, on to the resort hotels. As I previously mentioned, each hotel would carry the theme of a different ski region: the Alps, Scandinavia, eastern North America, western North America and northeast Asia (Japan and Korea). Each hotel will have ski-in, ski-out access, restaurants, and at least a small indoor/outdoor pool and hot tubs and a sauna or two.

Keeping with the overall theme of the resort, the premier hotel with the most prominent location will be based on the chalet hotels of Alpine Europe. Here are few examples, except imagine that our Disney hotel will be much larger.

Let's call it "Disney's Hotel Edelweiss". Perhaps have different wings named after prominent peaks, like the Matterhorn, Zugspitze, Mount Blanc, Grossglockner, and Cima Grande.

The main restaurant, of course, would specialize in Alpine favorites, like cheese fondue, raclette, spätzle, schnitzel, and various smoked Italian meats.

Our ski village should provide most of the apres-ski venues, but the Hotel Edelweiss will have it's own places to imbibe and dance, like an outdoor bar:

 

[Heppenheimer]

A Bierkeller restaurant, which can also gradually turn into an apres-ski bar as the night advances:

And for the warmer months of the year, an outdoor Biergarten, like the Augustiner Biergarten in Munich:

 

[Heppenheimer]

Here's some ideas for the rooms at Hotel Edelweiss:

 

[Heppenheimer]

Finally, Hotel Edelweiss would have live-in mascots:

 

[Miru]

Oh, and how could I forget this? Tying into other Disney resorts, for our indoor barely-remaining-thawed-tropical beach-waterpark, include references to classic Adventureland favorites, like the Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise (there must be an "Albert Falls" waterslide), Trader Sams, Pirates of the Caribbean, Skipper's Canteen and the Society of Explorers. The background music should be from the DBC, hosted by Albert Awol.

Yes! Plus DINOSAUR/Dinoland USA in there, too. I had ideas for L&S experiments showing up, like Splodyhead, Slushy, etc. Yin as a water squirter, with her tentacles and arms variably squirting water.

Juan could finally make his return.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Next hotel, based on ski lodges of the US and Canadian Rockies, Hotel Silverload. This will have a look similar to the Wilderness Lodge:

With a similarly impressive loby:

Matching the look of western ski lodges, Hotel Silverload with have more of a rough stone and uncut wood look:

 

[Heppenheimer]

Thematic elements of Hotel Silverload will emphasis the Rocky Mountains connection to mining and cattle raising. So, expect details that bring to mind prospectors and cowboys. The restaurants will serve mostly typical American cuisine, with perhaps the signature restaurant being a high end steak house.

For a more family friendly option, Hotel Silverload has the Hollering Shaft Cafe, which replicates the same rowdy concept as the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge. The Hollering Shaft Cafe, though, would have a mining theme.

Of course, there will also be an outdoor lounge with a firepit.

The mining theme could reference Big Thunder Mountain, where appropriate.

 

[Miru]

Thematic elements of Hotel Silverload will emphasis the Rocky Mountains connection to mining and cattle raising. So, expect details that bring to mind prospectors and cowboys. The restaurants will serve mostly typical American cuisine, with perhaps the signature restaurant being a high end steak house.
View attachment 422825

For a more family friendly option, Hotel Silverload has the Hollering Shaft Cafe, which replicates the same rowdy concept as the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge. The Hollering Shaft Cafe, though, would have a mining theme.

View attachment 422826

Of course, there will also be an outdoor lounge with a firepit.
View attachment 422829

The mining theme could reference Big Thunder Mountain, where appropriate.

And perhaps other Frontierland attractions; Country Bears, Phantom Manor, etc. Heck, this could be where we put our Country Bears show. I really like where this is going...

 

[Heppenheimer]

Hotel Silverload's pool: Steamy Springs Cavern.

With geyser sauna.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Some room ideas.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Moving eastward, we come to our next resort hotel, one that represents the northeastern US and neighboring regions of Canada. This one will have a layout similar to the Caribbean Beach Resort, with individually themed villages. Unlike Alpine or western ski resorts, those on the east coast have far less of a unifying architectural style. So, rather than trying to directly emulate these resorts, we'll base the design on the general building styles of New England mountain villages, coastal Maine and the Canadian maritime provinces, and old Quebec. This resort hotel will also sit along a lake. I still haven't dreamt up a suitable name for the entire complex (I'm open to suggestions), but the villages will be the Green-White Mountains, Cape St. Lawrence and Ville du Champlain.

The main building, which will also house some deluxe suites, will be based on the Mount Washington Hotel, particularly the lobby. Although not quite so large.

 

[Miru]

Moving eastward, we come to our next resort hotel, one that represents the northeastern US and neighboring regions of Canada. This one will have a layout similar to the Caribbean Beach Resort, with individually themed villages. Unlike Alpine or western ski resorts, those on the east coast have far less of a unifying architectural style. So, rather than trying to directly emulate these resorts, we'll base the design on the general building styles of New England mountain villages, coastal Maine and the Canadian maritime provinces, and old Quebec. This resort hotel will also sit along a lake. I still haven't dreamt up a suitable name for the entire complex (I'm open to suggestions), but the villages will be the Green-White Mountains, Cape St. Lawrence and Ville du Champlain.

The main building, which will also house some deluxe suites, will be based on the Mount Washington Hotel, particularly the lobby.

View attachment 422923
View attachment 422924
View attachment 422926

Fantasyland analogue? Sparkling Springs could be a good name.

 

[Heppenheimer]

The Green-White Mountain village will evoke small mountain towns (and their Inns) of Vermont and New Hampshire.

The sauna here would be the "Sugar House", reminiscent (and smelling) of a small maple syrup distillery.

 

[Heppenheimer]

The inspiration for the nautical theme of Cape St. Lawrence village will come from coastal Maine and the Canadian maritime provinces. It will sit along the lake, providing boat launches and lake swimming in the warmer months, and opportunities for skating in the winter.

Of course, there must be a replica of the famous Portland Head lighthouse.

 

[Heppenheimer]

When the weather permits, Disney could maintain a groomed skating trail around the lake, which would access some of the other hotels of the overall resort.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Cape St. Lawrence will have its own seafood restaurant, of course featuring chowder and lobster.

 

[John park hopper]

A WDW ski resort in Orlando (the 5th park) they could make snow 24/7 Sign me up then i would go in those unbearable FL summer months ---Great Idea

 

[Heppenheimer]

A WDW ski resort in Orlando (the 5th park) they could make snow 24/7 Sign me up then i would go in those unbearable FL summer months ---Great Idea

Except my theoretical resort is imagined for either northern New England, the Adirondacks of NY, the Laurentians of Quebec or the Canadian Rockies. The discussion of proposed locations will come at the end. Not a 5th WDW park, but a resurrection and expansion of Walt's aborted Mineral King ski resort idea, built in a more viable location.

Rather than a separate theme park, view this as an expansion to the company's stand-alone DVC resorts portfolio. The emphasis is more on active participation (winter sports/summer mountain activities) than the more passive entertainment experience of a traditional Disney theme park.

Part of the goal, which I will go into more later, is to make this as a kind of northern counterpart to WDW's EPSN Wide World of Sports. A resort capable of hosting Olympic-level winter sports competitions and tournaments.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Rounding out our eastern-themed resort hotel will be the Ville du Champlain section, based on Francophone Quebec and the ski resorts in the Laurentian mountains.

Brasserie Duval will serve as the premier restaurant for this resort hotel, and it will offer a selection of Quebecois classics, such as Montreal-style bagels, meat pies, maple syrup-based entrees and deserts and of course, Quebec's greatest contribution to world cuisine:

And even though it is mostly produced in the Niagara region of Ontario, Brasserie Duval can also offer a wide selection of ice wines.

Finally, for a quick service dining option:

 

[Miru]

When the weather permits, Disney could maintain a groomed skating trail around the lake, which would access some of the other hotels of the overall resort.
View attachment 423036

The skating trail could be marked by decorations, so it can double as a walking trail when it’s not icy. Speaking of that, the Yetis could be a Halloween event. As for location, I think Alaska, because it lets us use the lion’s share of the Marvel cast and to mesh with Aulani being in Hawaii.