Happy 21st birthday, Vero Beach!

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is celebrating it’s 21-year anniversary. Vero Beach opened on October 1, 1995 as the 2nd Disney Vacation Club resort.

Vero Beach Resort
Vero Beach Resort

Disney’s entry into the timeshare business resulted in sales of about $50 million in its first year of operation. Mark Pacala, general manager and senior vice president of the Disney Vacation club at the time, stated in February 1993 that “If we carry out our vision, we will dot the world with Disney vacation clubs.” He added, the company “is exploring its options in North America” and a major announcement could be made within a few months.

Vero Beach Resort
Vero Beach Resort

In March 1993, Disney announced that it had purchased 70 acres of oceanfront property near Vero Beach, Florida, where the company would for the first time open a resort outside the boundaries of its theme parks. The DVC resort would begin with a 120-room inn and 60 vacation villas, expected to open during summer 1995. Plans called for another 260 villas to be built later, along with a 6-acre artificial lake. On the diagram below, the 120-room inn and 60 vacation villas would be built between the highway and the beach (on the right), while the another 260 villas and a 6-acre artificial lake would be built on the larger inland plot of land (on the left).

Disney buys 70 acres in Vero Beach 1993
Disney buys 70 acres in Vero Beach 1993

In a public meeting in May 1993, some Vero Beach residents expressed concern that the Disney resort might grow beyond the planned 440 units on 70 acres of land. Again and again, people in the audience asked if Disney had its eye on adjoining parcels of land. They asked if Disney planned a seaside theme park, a monorail from Walt Disney World to the beach or expansions to the local airport. Mark Pacala pointed to a slide of the master plan, which was filed with the county planning and zoning board Tuesday, and said, “What you see up there is what you get.” In the end, the Indian River County Commission approved the project.

Vero Beach Resort
Vero Beach Resort

Ground breaking took place on July 28, 1994, where Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale were all in attendance for the big moment.

July 28, 1994 Disney's Vero Beach Resort Groundbreaking
July 28, 1994 Vero Beach Groundbreaking

On October 1, 1995, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort opened as the first expansion of the Disney Vacation Club. The resort opened with a 115-room inn and 60 villas. When completed, the resort was expected to have 436 units. Disney officials said they’d wait a year to gauge how business was going before starting additional construction.

Disney's Vero Beach Opening Day Oct 1995
Disney’s Vero Beach Opening Day Oct 1995

However, point sales at Vero Beach turned out to be much slower than Disney had anticipated. Remember, Disney originally planned to start with the 112-room Inn and 60 villas on beachfront property, and then expand by adding 260 more villas across the street, along with a 6-acre artificial lake. Disney proceeded with the initial phase, however, due to poor sales, DVC cancelled Phase 2 in 2001 and sold the land in 2006. Because of this, DVC ended up subsidizing the annual dues for early purchasers of Vero Beach.

Original DVC Concept for Vero Beach resort
Original DVC Concept for Vero Beach resort

Instead of a 70-acre resort, Vero Beach is only a 22-acre resort.

Vero Beach Resort
Vero Beach Resort

Since Vero Beach is just a 2-hour drive from Disney World, some members add a stay at Vero Beach to relax after WDW.

Vero Beach Resort
Vero Beach Resort

Happy 7th birthday, Villas at the Grand Californian!

Seven years ago, on September 23, 2009, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa opened as the Disney Vacation Club’s tenth resort.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

Many DVC members had wondered if DVC would ever open a resort on the west coast. Back in 1994, Disney bought 35 acres at Newport Coast, midway between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach and not too far from Disneyland and announced their intention to build a DVC resort.

In 1995, DVC announced that their Newport Coast resort would be designed as an Italian-style Mediterranean village of 650 condominiums with sweeping ocean vistas, gondola rides along quiet man-made canals and overnight camping for kids.

However, in 1997, DVC announced that they had abandoned their plans for the Mediterranean-style Newport Coast resort.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel concept art

In 2001, a new expansion of Disneyland opened that included a new upscale resort – Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This luxury hotel was designed by architect Peter Dominick to celebrate the early 20th Century Arts and Crafts era.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Concept Art

On September 18, 2007, Disney announced an expansion of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa that would increase accommodations by more than 30 percent and would mark the West Coast debut of Disney Vacation Club.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Expansion

The 2.5-acre expansion on the hotel’s south side would add more than 200 new hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas. Other elements planned for the project included a rooftop deck for viewing fireworks, a new swimming pool and about 300 underground parking spaces.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel expansion

On March 26, 2009, sales officially began to the public.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Lobby

On September 23, 2009, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa opened to members and guests.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel (before expansion)
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel (after expansion)

On October 20, 2010, DVC announced that The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel recently sold out of all available vacation ownership inventory.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Entrance

With the success of VGF, members are wondering when DVC might expand their presence at Disneyland.

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

Boulder Ridge Villas Name Change Begins

Back on May 19, 2016, Disney Vacation Club announced an enhanced name for The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. The Resort’s new name would be Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

Boulder Ridge Villas
Boulder Ridge Villas

However, signage at the resort was not changed. Disney’s WDW and DVC websites continued to use the old name.

Well, the Fall 2016 edition of Disney FILES magazine says the transition to the new name will begin on October 25.

Also, the verbiage once again confirms that the new Copper Creek Villas & Cabins will have a separate condominium association. The article says “The new, more richly themed name also will distinguish the resort and its condominium association from the proposed new Disney Vacation Club development and condominium association at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.”

Disney recently submitted an application to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation to begin selling Copper Creek.

Name Change to BRV Begins
Name Change to BRV Begins (click for larger image)

Happy 5th Birthday, Aulani!

Five years ago, on August 29, 2011, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa opened as the Disney Vacation Club’s eleventh resort.

Aulani A Disney Resort Concept Art
Aulani A Disney Resort Concept Art

On Oct 3, 2007, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts announced that the company had finalized plans to purchase 21 acres of oceanfront property located at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on the western side of Hawaii’s island of Oahu. This would be Disney’s first mixed-use family resort outside of its theme park developments – with both hotel rooms and DVC villas. DVC hadn’t built a DVC resort outside of a theme park since the opening of Vero Beach Resort and Hilton Head Island Resort in 1995 and 1995, respectively.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

On Nov 19, 2008, Disney broke ground for its first family destination resort in Hawaii with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony on its 21-acre oceanfront property, located at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on the western side of Oahu.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

On Jan 20, 2010, the Disney Hawaiian resort was officially given the name of Aulani : A Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawaii. In Hawaiian, “aulani” means “the place that speaks for the great ones” or “the place that speaks with deep messages.”

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

On July 1, 2010, Disney Vacation Club began selling real estate interests for Aulani.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

However, a year later (on July 9, 2011), DVC suspended sales of points for Aulani after discovering  calculation errors regarding the annual dues – the dues were underestimated. This discovery led to the August 15, 2011 firing of three executives, including Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club.

On Aug 29, 2011, Aulani opened and became the 11th DVC resort.

Disney Aulani Grand Opening ceremony
Disney Aulani Grand Opening ceremony (click for larger image)

On September 22, 2011, Bob Iger, President and CEO, The Walt Disney Company and Tom Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, took part in the official Grand Opening Celebration of Aulani.

Also on September 22, Hawaiian state regulators grant DVC permission to raise its annual dues at Aulani by 33 percent.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

On July 26,2012, Disney announced a project at Aulani to include an expansion of the highly popular Waikolohe Valley pool area as well as the addition of two new quick-service dining options.

The expansion opened on Oct 19, 2013 – a little more than 2 years after Aulani opened – and featured a spectacular infinity pool with a realistic grotto, a dynamic fun splash zone for smaller kids, and a new location for poolside and beachside dining.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

Today, DVC continues to sell points at Aulani (there are over 11 million points at Aulani, which is second only to Saratoga Springs Resort’s 14 million points).

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (click for larger image)

Four DVC resorts that might have been

While we all look forward to DVC expansions at the Wilderness Lodge and the Caribbean Beach Resort (and perhaps the Contemporary Resort), let’s look back at the story of four Disney Vacation Club resorts that were planned but never came to be.

Disney Vacation Club WEST

The first resort is the one we know the least about. Disney had just opened the Disney Vacation Club resort in 1991 at Walt Disney Resort, and was working on plans for the next DVC resort.

Disney’s plans included both expansion outside of Walt Disney World, as well as expansion within Walt Disney World. Well before they purchased land in Vero Beach for what would become the second DVC resort, Disney was working on plans for a second resort within Walt Disney World, and no, I am not referring to the Boardwalk.

In 1992, Disney developed plans for a project named “Disney Vacation Club West” on a 164-acre site located south of Epcot Drive, east of World Drive, north of Epcot Resort Blvd, and west of Epcot. If you know where the cast member parking lot is for the Yacht & Beach Club resort, you know the general location.

If you can’t imagine where that is, here is a present-day view of that location.

Planned location for Disney Vacation Club WEST
Planned location for Disney Vacation Club WEST

Remember, the first DVC resort was still called the Disney Vacation Club, so the working project name of the Disney Vacation Club West made sense. Of course, we don’t know what DVC would have named the resort.

The resort was designed to be very similar to the first Disney Vacation Club – clusters of buildings with parking directly outside. It’s very much like an Old Key West style resort in the Epcot resort area.

Below is the overall site plan from October 1992.

Oct 1992 site plan for Disney Vacation Club WEST
Oct 1992 site plan for Disney Vacation Club WEST (click for larger image)

Ultimately, DVC decided not to proceed with these plans. We don’t know why.

Newport Coast

The second resort we’re going to look at was officially announced, unlike the above Disney Vacation Club West resort. In March 1994, Disney announced it had purchased 35 acres south of Newport Beach and north of Laguna Beach, and was looking to buy another 10 to 40 acres.

The acres would be used to build 650 villas, restaurants and shops in a Mediterranean village design.

In February 1995, more details surrounding the planned $250 million dollar Disney Vacation Club resort were released. The 76-acre hillside resort would be designed as an Italian-style Mediterranean village of 650 condominiums where visitors could dine at either of two restaurants, hang out at several tennis courts, volleyball nets, poolside or at a golf course. It would offer sweeping ocean vistas, gondola rides along quiet Venetian-style canals and overnight camping for kids.

The main entrance would feature a six-story “main estate” building flanked by twin 109-foot towers. Designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi, the earth-tone buildings would have tile roofs and a fake Roman aqueduct that spills into the swimming pool.

Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas
Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas

However, in February 1997, Disney announced that they had scuttled their plans to build a resort along Orange County’s Newport Coast, and that they would be selling the land.

In January of 1998, Marriott announced plans for a California Coast Vacation Ownership resort located on the former Disney site. In June of 2000, Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas opened its first 55 units, with plans for 595 more, bringing the total up to 650 units.

Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas
Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas

Eagle Pines

The third resort was also officially announced. In July of 2001, Disney announced plans to build their largest DVC resort to date. The proposed 600-unit ownership development was slated to occupy a 61-acre site along the award-winning Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course at Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort
Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort main inn

All rooms would feature either a pool, golf course or forest view. Initial plans called for the construction of a main Inn building encompassing a check-in area; accommodations; restaurant/lounge; theme pool with feature slide; retail space; arcade; common living room area and a health club, as well as Villa buildings containing vacation home accommodations. Development would begin that fall with an estimated opening in Spring/Summer 2004.

Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort
Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort Pool

The theme of the proposed DVC resort would complement and enhance the beautiful setting found at Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course. The new resort would be inspired by the architecture of Addison Mizner, a celebrated early 20th century architect who led the renaissance of Florida resort design. The property’s design would reflect a variety of motifs found in indigenous Florida buildings of this era, including Spanish, Moorish, Romanesque and Gothic forms. The atmosphere and elegance found in the coastal communities of southeast Florida (including West Palm Beach and Boca Raton) would be found in the resort’s architecture, ranging from tile roofs to fountains to lush, tropical landscaping.

Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort lan
Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort Plan

Commissioned to design the resort was renowned architect Graham Gund, who created the architectural look for such Disney projects as Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort — another Disney Vacation Club property. Gund designed the resort to take advantage of the pristine setting found at Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course while maintaining the integrity of the existing golf course. Guests at the resort would have views of Disney’s Eagle Pines Golf Course but golfers’ view of the property would be buffered, with resort buildings “stepping down” in height as they near the golf holes.

Eagle Pines DVC site plan
Eagle Pines DVC site plan (click for larger image)

The new resort was scheduled to open in phases, with the first phase consisting of the Inn building and five Villa buildings for a total of 360 units. The Inn and one Villa building were expected to open in Spring/Summer 2004, with the four additional Villa buildings opening throughout the remainder of that year. The final phase of five additional Villa buildings containing 240 units were anticipated to open by Spring/Summer 2005.

However, the impact of the horrible events on 9/11 reduced traffic to Disney World dramatically, and the Eagle Pines plans were scuttled in favor of a make-over of the Disney Institute as Saratoga Springs Resort.

Today, the Four Seasons resort and Golden Oak now sit where Eagle Pines was going to be.

Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort
Disney’s Eagle Pines Resort planned location

Fort Wilderness

The fourth and final resort we’re going to review was never officially announced by DVC. In September 2011, Disney filed plans for a Fort Wilderness DVC. Several variations of the plan were drawn up, but a multi-story set of interconnected buildings was common.

Fort Wilderness DVC buildings
Fort Wilderness DVC buildings

Below is the site plan dated September 30, 2011 for “Project 2011-2” at Fort Wilderness.

Disney's Fort Wilderness DVC Site Plan
Disney’s Fort Wilderness DVC Site Plan (click for larger image)

The design firm prepared the video below:

While this plan never came to fruition, they could, however, be revived someday.

Convention Center Expansion at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Many people have hoped for a DVC expansion at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. However, the resort always seemed busy enough with conventioneers to think about the need for converting any Yacht Club Resort rooms to DVC units.

Today, Disney filed a notice of commencement to expand the 73,000-square foot convention center. The expansion will be in an existing parking lot at the resort.

In my mind, this seems to cement the idea that a DVC is not in the cards for Disney’s Yacht Club Resort – at least, not any time soon.

Yacht Club Convention Center Expansion Plan
Yacht Club Convention Center Expansion Plan

Here is a view from above showing the location.

Yacht Club Convention Center Expansion View
Yacht Club Convention Center Expansion View

Happy 7th birthday, Bay Lake Tower!

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is celebrating it’s 7-year anniversary.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary ResortBLT opened on August 4, 2009 as the 9th Disney Vacation Club resort (the 7th DVC resort at Walt Disney World).

 

On January 31, 2007, Disney began demolishing the 3-story garden wing building to the north of the main A-frame building at Disney’s Contemporary resort. Demolition was completed on April 6, 2007.

North Garden Wing Demo

In November 2007, Disney filed plans for “Kingdom Tower” at this location.

Plan for DVC at the Contemporary Resort
Plan for DVC at the Contemporary Resort

On January 14, 2008, the Orlando Sentinel broke the story that Disney was building a 15-story tower that would feature timeshares.

BLT under construction

In February 2008, Disney received approval to start selling timeshares in “Kingdom Tower”.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Bay Lake Tower concept

On September 16, 2008, DVC officially revealed plans for its Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The resort opened on August 4, 2009.

BLT is currently undergoing a “soft goods” refurbishment.

BLT 2016 Refurb
BLT 2016 Refurb

Due to its relatively low annual dues, a contract end date of 2060, and average resale cost, BLT is a good value for those looking to purchase DVC. And of course, its location (within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom) and theme park view rooms have generated a solid base of BLT fans.

Happy 20th birthday, Boardwalk Villas!

Disney's Boardwalk
Disney’s Boardwalk

Happy 20th birthday BWV!

On July 1, 1996, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas opened as the 2nd DVC resort at Walt Disney World and the 4th DVC resort overall. It was the 1st mixed-use DVC – the first attached to a deluxe hotel.

Disney's BoardWalk
Disney’s BoardWalk

In a first for Disney, the BoardWalk Resort complex, designed by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern, combined a deluxe hotel, timeshare units, restaurants and entertainment and shopping elements in a single location – Disney’s BoardWalk. It was the first major entertainment district to open in Central Florida since Disney opened Pleasure Island in 1989.

SMBWV_Constr1

Besides the BoardWalk Inn hotel and BoardWalk Villas, it had a 20,000-square-foot conference center, shops and the usual mix of pools, tennis courts and other amenities. The complex also had a lakefront entertainment district with restaurants, nightclubs and a ”brewpub” serving beer made on site – all located on a wooden boardwalk fronting Crescent Lake.

Disney's New Boardwalk 1996
Disney’s New Boardwalk 1996

This hotel was designed to be reminiscent of the boardwalks that were famous along Atlantic City and Ocean City, New Jersey in the 1920s–1940s. The sherbet-colored facades, flagged turrets, striped awnings, and “Keister Coaster” water slide resembling a wooden roller coaster were all inspired by that by-gone era.

The complex, was originally planned to have an antique carousel and a Ferris wheel. However, the plans were scaled down and became more modest.

Early Boardwalk Concept
Early Boardwalk Concept

Below are some of the plans for a Boardwalk resort from late 1993.

Disney's Boardwalk Site Plan 1993
Disney’s Boardwalk Site Plan 1993 (click for larger image)

Our complete Boardwalk Villas information page is located HERE 

Over the past 20 years, people have enjoyed staying at the Boardwalk due to it’s closeness to both Epcot and Disney’s Holiday Studios. So please join me in celebrating this milestone anniversary.

Disney's Boardwalk Villas


Beach-Club-Villas

Happy 14th birthday BCV!

Across the lake, the Beach Club Villas is celebrating it’s 14th anniversary, having opened on July 1, 2002.

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Like its sister resort, Disney’s Beach Club Villas were designed by noted architect Robert A.M. Stern, best known for his East Coast seaside houses. The new ownership resort was inspired by the casual elegance of Cape May oceanfront homes built in the early 20th century, reflecting a light, comfortable ambiance as characterized by the use of whimsical “stick-style” architecture, pastel colors, porches and other decorative elements.

Disney's Beach Club Villas coming Fall 2002
Disney’s Beach Club Villas coming Fall 2002

Our complete Beach Club Villas Villas information page is located HERE

Disney’s Beach Club Villas site plan
Disney’s Beach Club Villas site plan

Vero Beach Room Refurb has begun

DisneyVeroBeachResort

Back on December 10, we reported on the planned room refurbishments for 2016. On January 28, Disney filed a Notice of Commencement for a “Room Rehab” at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. The end date is noted as September 30, 2016. The general contractor is New Horizon Construction Services, an Orlando-base company that has performed services at Walt Disney World, including at Saratoga Springs, as well as for Universal Orlando.

VBRefurbNotice
Notice of commencement

Treasure Coast Palm has reported that the room rehab has begun.

More than $3.8 million in renovations are being pumped into Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, according to plans submitted to Indian River County’s Community Development Department.

The renovations include modifications to the main inn totaling $2.7 million; two- and three-bedroom, beachfront cottages will each receive $113,000 in upgrades; and Villa 12 that contains one- and two-bedroom accommodations will receive $936,000 in upgrades. New televisions and furniture round out the upgrades throughout the resort.

VBRefurb2016
Vero Beach Room Rehab 2016

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort was the first timeshare development for Disney that was built away from the theme parks in Orlando, and broke ground on July 28, 1994. The resort opened in October, 1995 with the four-story inn and vacation club villas welcoming guests. The architect for the original project was Graham Gund.

According to Disney Vacation Club spokesperson Rebecca Peddie, the renovations at Vero Beach include updated bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms and are part of a scheduled refurbishment of the resort. Flooring and appliances will be replaced throughout the inn rooms and selected cottages and villas.

Architects Baker Barrios and General Contractors New Horizon Construction Services, both from Orlando, are overseeing the construction project. With construction at Disney’s Vero Beach already underway, Peddie said the project is slated for completion by the end of 2016.

Disney's Vero Beach Resort
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort