Rebuilding the Tree Houses?? Pics!!

[Yoop33]

What exactly are they planning on doing with these? Are they going to rebuild them or what? It almost looks like they are trying to clean them up a little.

 

[brkgnews]

Documents have been filed indicating they are being converted into lodging units, possibly as part of DVC/Saratoga Springs.

 

[Iknewagirlnamed]

Where are these? I've never heard of them before

 

[MKCP 1985]

those yellow ribbons around the pines probably say "don't bulldoze these." :lookaroun

interesting interior decor! :lol:

My guess is the units are coming down and going to be replaced with all new construction, based on the information and photos in the earlier thread from several days ago. :shrug:

 

[hardcard]

i thought they were all being demolished?

 

[daguru]

Here is an Orlando Sentinel article from mid February that discusses the construction:

Walt Disney World to rebuild Treehouse Villas
Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
February 19, 2008

Hidden among the trees in an obscure part of Walt Disney World, one of Disney's more unusual and largely forgotten housing options is getting new life.

The giant resort intends to tear down and replace Disney's Treehouse Villas, a community of 60 two-story housing units that have been used at various times as for-rent lodging, Disney Institute guest housing, and international student-worker housing.

The three-bedroom villas -- essentially octagonal town houses on pedestals, looking a little like treehouses -- are scattered throughout a forested back road between a Disney World golf course and a canal, where they have aged, sometimes not well, for 33 years.

While a few of them are in plain view to golfers on the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course and to resort guests who take a ferry-boat ride up the canal, they are well out of sight for the vast portion of the 100,000 or more people who occupy Disney World on any given day.

They're the kind of place, said independent Disney World author and podcaster Lou Mongello, that only "Disney geeks like us" talk about. Mongello, who lives in New Jersey has even stayed in them a couple of times, though he did so decades ago.

"The thing I remember about the villas, I liked so much, is you didn't feel like you were in Florida. You didn't feel like you were in Walt Disney World. It felt like you were remote and distant from Orlando and the theme parks and the hustle and bustle," said Mongello, author of the two-volume The Walt Disney World Trivia Book. "It was lush and so green. Very lush."

And a little bit hush-hush.

Disney officials haven't made much of the villas for years, and even now they aren't willing to discuss their plans in any detail. The company sought and received permission from the South Florida Water Management District recently to tear down the villas and replace them. Disney World spokeswoman Andrea Finger said at least some of the new units would be available for use by resort visitors -- the first time any of the Treehouse Villas have been open to the public in several years.

She would not discuss whether the new Treehouse Villas would be rented as lodging, sold as Disney Vacation Club time shares, or both.

"We are bringing them back as a popular option for our guests," she said. "The unique location has provided a tranquil and more secluded environment that our guests have enjoyed since the mid-'70s."

Disney first opened the villas in 1975. Strung along a cul-de-sac road more than a quarter-mile long off Disney Vacation Club Way, the complex has its own pool and a small clubhouse. The villas were renovated in 1987 and then converted to housing in 1996 for the short-lived Disney Institute; at least some were sometimes made available for regular park visitors until 2002.

By then they were showing their age.

According to Ray Maxwell, district administrator for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, most or all of the Treehouse Villas had been shuttered by the time Hurricane Charley blasted through Central Florida on Aug. 13, 2004, wrecking the villas and the surrounding woods. The damage was such that there was talk that Charley might have spawned a small tornado into the area, he said.

"A lot of trees blew down, and there was a lot of damage to the units," Maxwell said. "They [Disney officials] took them out of service. Before they could do anything, the units needed to be rehabbed."

In 2005, at least some of the units were reopened as housing for international students working at Disney World, and were used as such until just a few weeks ago, Finger said.

The sign out front at the gate warns, "Cast Members Only."

Much of the complex was built in the flood plain, so Disney could not tear down the old villas and replace them with just anything. The new plan reduces the units' ground-level "footprint" from 340 square feet to 84 square feet each by eliminating the first-floor living space. Consequently, the new buildings will be even more treehouse-like, supported by sets of pilings.

The South Florida Water Management District approved the plan Feb. 4.

Source: Orlando Sentinel; http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-disneytree1908feb19,0,2123960.story

Because of the land, the new buildings will have to utilize the same building "footprint" as before. But the new buildings are said to actually have a smaller footprint, but offer more room. I hope they don't get sent over to the DVC, I would love for these to become general rental units!

 

[bgraham34]

Here is an Orlando Sentinel article from mid February that discusses the construction:



Because of the land, the new buildings will have to utilize the same building "footprint" as before. But the new buildings are said to actually have a smaller footprint, but offer more room. I hope they don't get sent over to the DVC, I would love for these to become general rental units!

I am sure non DVC peeps will still be able to rent them.

 

[joel_maxwell]

funny story about yellow ribbons and trees in the DL history. When DL was getting built, they had flagged abunch of trees for "dont bulldoze me" and the dozer driver thought those were flagged for demo... a few hours later, the damage was done. they had to replce the trees that Walt wanted to keep.

so dont get these confused Mr Bulldozer driver :wave:

 

[Iknewagirlnamed]

In response to the article and the plans being aprroved, I am curious as to if they have things approved and either never do them or push them off to the side. Anyone know?

 

[brkgnews]

I am sure non DVC peeps will still be able to rent them.

Unless there's a drastic departure from normal, these should be like any other DVC unit in that they'd be allowed to be rented out by the general public.

 

[Disneykidder]

Isn't it the ones from The Disney Institute treehouses?

 

[Yoop33]

So they may make a smaller footprint but with more room? I feel bad for anyone who had to live there. The bathrooms were more like bath closets. The toilet might has well been in the bathtub cause there wasn't any room at all to even turn around let alone stand on two feet!!

 

[dismedic]

Having just returned from WDW the tree house villas are well on the way to being demolished each day one would disappear from the land scape with the concrete base also being dug out. It sure is a sad site to see these go after all these years. Along the river I believe as of Monday there where only three still visible and one was in the process of being demolished

 

[Master Yoda]

So they may make a smaller footprint but with more room? I feel bad for anyone who had to live there. The bathrooms were more like bath closets. The toilet might has well been in the bathtub cause there wasn't any room at all to even turn around let alone stand on two feet!!

Strange but true. A buildings net impact is determined by the foundation size. The original tree houses had a foundation that consisted of a central staircase, a 300 +/- square foot room and about 6 pads for columns. The new design only calls for a 80 +/- square foot central staircase and I believe 11 pads cor columns. This will result in the new tree-houses having only about 1/4 of the net impact or the original ones.

 

[J_Krafty24]

How will the new treehouses be getting around the accessability requirements?

 

[Fun2BFree]

funny story about yellow ribbons and trees in the DL history. When DL was getting built, they had flagged abunch of trees for "dont bulldoze me" and the dozer driver thought those were flagged for demo... a few hours later, the damage was done. they had to replce the trees that Walt wanted to keep.

so dont get these confused Mr Bulldozer driver :wave:

According to David Koenig's MouseTales, they were flagged with different colours indicating whether they should be bulldozed or not, however the bulldozer driver was colourblind, so he levelled the lot. :lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

How will the new treehouses be getting around the accessability requirements?

The could legally get around it by making it part of SSR. Right now there is no information indicating that they will be getting any type of ramps or lifts to make them ADA compliant but the only set of plans that were released were listed as "Typical" so there very well might be a design that will be ADA compliant.

 

[brkgnews]

The could legally get around it by making it part of SSR.

Yup... not every room at a resort has to be compliant, so these could just end up being some of the non-accesible rooms at SSR.

 

[joel_maxwell]

According to David Koenig's MouseTales, they were flagged with different colours indicating whether they should be bulldozed or not, however the bulldozer driver was colourblind, so he levelled the lot. :lol:

thats right. i couldnt remember all the details, but i read it in "What Would Walt Do?"

thanks for correcting. :wave:

 

[bgraham34]

How will the new treehouses be getting around the accessability requirements?

Good question. Maybe a few will have elevators.