What is "The Tree House Villas"???

[Yoop33]

I forget what road I was driving down in the resort but I think it was the road that lead to Old Key West and SSR but coming around the corner I see a simple sign that says "Tree House Villas" that I guess I have never noticed before. Does anyone know what these are? Have stayed there? Have pictures?
I mean there was a security guard and everything. I have stayed at Old Key West Villas before so I know it isn't that.... Is it a part of DVC?

 

[Monty]

I think they used to be guest villas, but were in rough shape so they 'condemned' them. I think staff stay there now. :shrug:

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Monty is essentially correct.

You can see them best by taking the boat from POR/POFQ to DTD, you go right past them.

Essentially they are glorified tree houses. Don't know that they ever really caught on, were far removed from everything and I imagine room service was a real problem.

 

[Bug715]

I wondered that when my dad and I stayed at OKW in october. Then I checked into the college program and learned that international students live there. I think i'm more excited about it than they are. They said they're not that great but I havn't gotten to go see them yet.

 

[Figment82]

Apparently they suffered severe damage from the hurricans a few years ago, and would have to be completely rennovated. Due to new building codes, all buildings now have to be ADA-accessible, which, as you can imagine - is basically impossible with the Tree Houses due to their unique design.

So instead, they converted them to Internation College Program housing and the ICPers get to stay there for a great price. They mostly work at MK and their buses only run to the TTC and MK. I worked with a girl once who was pulling extra hours at our location, and she was staying at the Villas. Apparently it took her a great deal of effort to get over to Epcot, so I can only imagine it's rather rough for them to get around to the other parks.

I've never been inside, but from what I hear they are still okay despite their age and history.

 

[fngoofy]

You can see them on the boat ride from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney.
They are just north of what is now Saratoga Springs.

They aren't quite as cool as you might think. I believe they were built in the 70s. Basically a two story 2 bedroom apartment. They didn't look much like tree houses, more like octogon shaped condos.

I also believe they issued you golf carts so that you could get to the bus stops easily.

 

[bryPOD]

Pictures anyone?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We've seen them, too, when we rented boats at the DTD marina. From the water you can see them really good. Yes, some of them did suffer obvious damage from falling trees during Hurricane Charlie a few years back. I know it was before Katrina. Some looked untouched while others looked like they were damaged pretty good. It didn't look like they were occupied but then it's been since January/February 2006 since we took the boat that way. Anywhoo, the Treehouse Villas are there, they exist, just tucked back in the woods like a "treehouse" should be.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I'm sure I have a pic or two. I'll have to poke around our old pics and see if I can find one tomorrow. I'll post if I can find one.

 

[Dr Albert Falls]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfTpkFsQicE

 

[TOTGuy]

I stayed in the treehouses many times when I lived in Florida and had an annual pass. They were a part of the failed Disney institute project. They were actually really cool! Everything was circular, the bathroom, the staircase, etc. They were very isolated and were difficult to get to unless you had your own car. That is why the worked so well for us. The majority of the villa was on the second floor, usually two bedrooms, a bath and 1/2, a kitchen, a living area, and a elevated deck. The bottom level was a single bedroom that was acessed by a spiral staircase. I always had the bottom room, it was awesome! I believe you can still find the company who designed and constructed the villas online and you are able to purchase them!

 

[MasonDuo]

If I can remember correctly the treehouse villas were originally the Disney Village Resort (pre Disney Institute). My family stayed at the Disney Village Resort in 1992 and I believe I still have a room key somewhere that has the logo on the back...boy would I have to start digging. But from what I can remember (I was 9 yrs old at the time) it was very pretty resort, kind-of like being in the wilderness. It was a home away from home resort with a full kitchen, bedroom, etc. (hense that is now why college students stay there). I wish I could find some pix of that resort before it was Disney Institute but unfortunately I have no idea where those pictures ever disappeared to.

 

[Figment82]

To expand on what's been said:
Each housing section of the Disney Village Resort was meant to represent a new innovative way of building houses, like elevated buildings in flood-prone areas (the Tree Houses) or clustered buildings for energy-conscious areas (like the town homes). The Village Resort was initially built as an actual housing complex (like what Celebration would become) but when it was realized that homeowners would have voting privileges over WDW, it was changed to a vacation village instead.

We stayed in the Town Homes back in '87 or '89 (I can't remember) and our building was located along the water looking towards the Village Marketplace (now DTD). In fact, its footprint is now filled by the Congress Park section of Saratoga Springs. We never stayed in the Tree Houses because my mother was freaked out by their location (in the seemingly middle of nowhere), but I was always fascinated by them.

Fast forward 20 years, and now we own a piece of Saratoga as part of the DVC and have stayed in Congress Park many times. I love how things come full circle.

 

[MasonDuo]

Thanks for the info Figment...I've always been curious about the history of that resort---probably because it was the resort I stayed at on my first visit to Disney World. Geez I wish I could find some pics of that place back in the day.

 

[Figment82]

Thanks for the info Figment...I've always been curious about the history of that resort---probably because it was the resort I stayed at on my first visit to Disney World. Geez I wish I could find some pics of that place back in the day.

I'm with you - it was the first place I stayed at WDW too. I was very young at the time, but it holds a special place in my heart. I remember when they were tearing it all down - it made me tear up a little bit.

I wonder if I have some photos somewhere...

 

[marni1971]

Lake Buena Vista has a huge history - beginning when it was to have been a satellite community where you could buy a place to live before E.P.C.O.T. was to have been finished. I`ll be doing a video tracing it`s history from the late 60`s thru the Institute to Saratoga.

Sometime this decade :lol:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I found my pics. I was right. I took them in February 2006. Let me get them up here for ya...

 

[sweetpee_1993]

If you look you can see where the roof was patched after the hurricane which must have been a 2005 or 2004 storm.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

 

[sweetpee_1993]