Golden Oak ‘Early Buyer’ Walt Disney World Benefits Announced
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Early homebuyers in Disney’s unique residential resort community, Golden Oak at Walt Disney World ® Resort, will receive Disney VIP park passes to Walt Disney World ® Resort with no block-out dates, free parking, personalized service when making dining reservations at Walt Disney World ® Resort restaurants, access to special early or late theme park hours each day and select merchandise discounts.
Sales began in January and homes are currently under construction in the one-of-a-kind community located at Walt Disney World ® Resort. Strong interest from buyers prompted Golden Oak to make available most of the estate, grand estate and village homesites in the initial phase of the 980-acre community. Whether from the United States, South America or Great Britain, interested buyers all have something in common: a strong affinity for Walt Disney World® Resort and a desire for a retreat where family and friends can enjoy time together creating lifelong memories.
Families who close on the purchase of a homesite or completed home in the exceptional luxury community before December 31, 2011 will receive one complimentary five-year VIP Pass for the homebuyer, providing admission for the Passholder and up to four guests. The special Golden Oak VIP Pass will allow admission to all four Walt Disney World ® Theme Parks, Water Parks, DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex every day of the year with no block-out dates. Also included are complimentary parking for one car and discounts up to 20% on select merchandise purchased at select Walt Disney World ® Resort Parks or Downtown Disney® area locations.
“The dream of families buying homes at Golden Oak is unique access to Disney,” said Page Pierce, vice president, Golden Oak at Walt Disney World ® Resort. “We’re excited to offer these incredible VIP benefits to homeowners in what is a truly one-of-a-kind community.
GROUNDBREAKING ON THE NEW SUMMERHOUSE
Every homeowner at Golden Oak will be a member of the private social and recreational Golden Oak Club. As part of their Club Membership, homeowners will receive Door-to-Park transportation, complimentary merchandise delivery to their home in Golden Oak, special golf services, and access to the Extra Magic Hours Benefit at Walt Disney World ® (early- or after-hours access to one of the four Walt Disney World ® Resort Theme Parks daily). Disney-designed holiday decor, golf program and in-park special event tickets will be available for an additional fee.
In addition to the first custom homes, construction is underway for Summerhouse, Golden Oak’s 16,000 square-foot residential clubhouse designed by Walt Disney Imagineers for club members and their guests. Located in the heart of the community, current development plans for Summerhouse include indoor and outdoor dining areas, lounge with wine storage and full bar, family room with gaming area, demonstration kitchen for guest chef appearances, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness facility, locker rooms and pool with towel service. An outdoor fire pit, courtyard, function lawn, and park areas are planned for year-round recreation. Programs are anticipated to include kitchen demonstrations by Disney chefs, seasonal parties and family events hosted by Golden Oak Resident Services professionals.
Resident Services at Golden Oak will bring Disney’s personal guest service culture directly to residents and guests. A dedicated onsite team at Golden Oak will help arrange personal, residential and resort requests such as move-in services, pre-arrival and post-departure home maintenance services, travel and private transportation, holiday home decor, grocery shopping, VIP tours and more.
GOLDEN OAK at WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT
Golden Oak will initially consist of three types of single-family homes: Village, Estate and Grand Estate Homes. Village Homes will capture the romantic look of a Mediterranean village on homesites up to one-quarter acre. Estate Homes, on approximately one-half acre homesites, will offer a variety of architectural styles including Tuscan, Spanish Revival, Venetian, Italianate, Dutch Colonial and Island Colonial. At up to three-quarters acre in size, Grand Estate Homes will include architectural styles consistent with Estate Homes and will accommodate the needs of large families. Home prices start at $1.4 million.
Golden Oak at Walt Disney World® Resort brings together family, friends and cherished Disney traditions in a unique, luxury residential resort community of single-family custom homes. To live at Golden Oak is to enjoy a destination experience year round, with distinctive neighborhoods, expansive natural preserves and inviting amenities — including a private clubhouse, concierge-style resident services and Walt Disney World® Resort Park offerings. Also planned for the community is Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort, with a golf course, spa and restaurants. For more information, visit www.disneygoldenoak.com.
Reflects current development plans which are subject to change without notice.
Certain ancillary amenities, privileges and services charged separately.
Categories: Resorts, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Golden Oak
What’s Next: Disneyland Talks Cars Land, Carthay Circle Entrance, Aulani and More
As Disney Soundsational Summer gets underway, even more excitement is coming to Disneyland Resort, where the premiere of the all-new The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is just the latest milestone in the ongoing expansion of Disney California Adventure park. The distinctive peaks of the Cadillac Range are already visible on the horizon beyond Pacific Wharf, signaling the creation of Cars Land, the all-new 12-acre land set to open in 2012. And work on the newly themed Disney California Adventure entry gate into Buena Vista Street, complete with Red Car Trolleys and the distinctive Carthay Circle Theatre, will continue through 2011 for a 2012 opening.
GOOFY’S SKY SCHOOL, NEW RESTAURANTS MARK THE COMPLETION OF PARADISE PIER: On July 1, the newly refreshed Paradise Pier area of Disney California Adventure will be complete, with the opening of Goofy’s Sky School, the zany coaster attraction inspired by the classic Goofy “How-to” shorts of the 1940s and 1950s. New Paradise Pier dining locations opening July 1 are Paradise Garden Grill, featuring a Mediterranean-inspired menu; Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, featuring pasta dishes, garden salads and individual flatbread pizzas; and Bayside Brews, serving pretzels, beer and other beverages.
COMING IN 2012 AT DISNEYLAND RESORT – HIT THE ROAD WITH MATER AND LIGHTNING MCQUEEN!: Some of the biggest thrills in Disney California Adventure expansion may still be yet to come. Crowning the multi-year expansion project in 2012 will be the opening of Cars Land, inspired by the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars.” Cars Land will feature three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the movie, including one of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park: Radiator Springs Racers, a twisting turning, high-speed adventure through the town and desert valleys of Radiator Springs. Other Cars Land attractions will include Luigi’s Flying Tires (striking a chord with anyone who remembers the Flying Saucers in Tomorrowland) and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, a spinning attraction with a musical, hoedown theme.
Guests in this land also will enjoy new, “Cars”-themed dining and shopping locations.
A NEW ENTRANCE – BUENA VISTA STREET WILL WELCOME GUESTS INTO DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE: As work on the expansion of Disney California Adventure nears completion, guests will be welcomed through a new entrance gate and into Buena Vista Street. The transformation will immerse guests in the atmosphere Walt Disney experienced upon first arriving in Los Angeles in the 1920s. Buena Vista Street will feature Red Car Trolleys, inspired by the transportation system that once served Southern California, and the Carthay Circle Theatre, modeled on the site of the 1937 world premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Carthay Circle Theatre will become home to a new lounge and an elegant restaurant, designed to be the premiere dining location in Disney California Adventure.
Also ahead for Disney Destinations in the Western United States:
AULANI, A DISNEY RESORT & SPA, KO OLINA, HAWAI‘I, OPENS TO GUESTS: The first guests at Disney’s newest resort will arrive on August 29, 2011. Aulani will draw on the celebrated Disney magic, storytelling and service to create wonderful family vacation memories, complemented by the beauty, fun, enchantment and traditions of the islands. Each day of their stay, Aulani guests will be able to customize their experience – relaxing on the beach or in the spa, playing in the unique pools and water play areas, dining in the resort’s signature restaurants, discovering the island on specially planned excursions, gathering at the fire pit for storytelling, or spotting the statues of Menehune, the legendary island little people, hidden throughout the resort.
DISNEY CRUISE LINE ADDS NEW WESTERN PORTS, ITINERARIES IN 2012: Combining the magic of exciting locales and natural wonders with unparalleled guest service for every member of the family, Disney Cruise Line introduced its first Alaska cruises in 2011, along with cruises out of the Port of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera, all on the Disney Wonder. In 2012, the Disney Wonder will add Pacific Coast cruises from Los Angeles, calling on San Francisco, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico. Also new will be a 15-night voyage to Hawaii from Los Angeles, calling on Hilo; Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; and Ensenada, Mexico. And for the first time, Disney Cruise Line Alaska cruises will depart from Seattle in 2012, along with Vancouver.
Beginning in fall of 2012, the Disney Wonder’s sister ship, the Disney Magic, will sail 12 seven-night cruises from the Port of Galveston, Texas, to the Western Caribbean. Ports of Call will include Grand Cayman and Mexico’s Costa Maya and Cozumel. The Disney Magic will also sail out of Port Canaveral, Florida, on Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries and, for the first time, out of New York with cruises to the Bahamas and the along the New England coast.
At Port Canaveral, Florida, the newest ship in the Disney fleet, Disney Fantasy will depart March 31, 2012, on her maiden voyage – a seven-night Caribbean itinerary. The Disney Fantasy will offer many of the innovative features that the Disney Dream brought to the cruise industry in 2011, including AquaDuck, the world’s first shipboard water coaster. In addition, the Disney Fantasy will feature new design elements and guest experiences that will give the ship a unique identity.
Categories: California Adventure, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Aulani, Cars, Cars Land, DCA
Disneyland Hotel Announces Milestone in Largest Renovation in Its History
Disneyland Resort today announced the completion of significant upgrades to the Disneyland Hotel, marking a milestone in the landmark property’s current renovation project. A new courtyard, restaurant, bar, pool and water play area add immersive experiences to a Disneyland Resort vacation.
“This exciting renovation extends the immersion and magic of our park experience to this classic hotel,” said Tony Bruno, vice president Resort hotels and Downtown Disney. “We’ve woven important pieces of Disneyland park history into the Disneyland Hotel, particularly with the reopening of the pool and courtyard area. These nostalgic enhancements not only highlight the hotel’s unique heritage, but also our continued investment in the guest experience and our ongoing work to evolve the Resort and Anaheim into a world-class, multiday tourist destination.”
New Iconic Dining Locations
Tangaroa Terrace, a “fast casual” restaurant, and Trader Sam’s – Enchanted Tiki Bar take their architectural cue from the original Tahitian Terrace restaurant in Disneyland park and the Polynesian/Tiki architecture that was popular during the early era of the original hotel. Tangaroa Terrace features Island-inspired fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner including cinnamon-spiced oatmeal cakes with Island fruit compote, Hawaiian and Kalua pork flatbreads, and miso-glazed salmon, along with a selection of sandwiches, salads and “grab-and-go” items. Guests use an innovative, easy-to-use touch screen to select menu items, which are prepared to order and delivered to their tables either inside or on the large outdoor patio.
Trader Sam’s – Enchanted Tiki Bar, named after Trader Sam, Disney’s Jungle Cruise “Head” Salesman, recounts the story of his worldly travels through the artifacts and memorabilia he collected along the way. The bar features interactive special effects blended with classic Disney storytelling. Trader Sam’s serves a mix of signature cocktails such as the flaming Uh Oa, Shipwreck Island — perfect for sharing — and the Hippopotamai Tai. The creative appetizer selection includes panko-crusted Chinese long beans with Sriracha mayonnaise and tamarind-glazed Island pork shanks with green papaya slaw.
Rounding out the tropical experience, Trader Sam’s features live music performed on the patio each evening.
Guests also can relax next to a large, outdoor stone fireplace or enjoy the view of the new Cascade Falls and Old Unfaithful, both of which are reflective of the former Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland attraction in Disneyland park.
New Immersive Pool Experience
Guests of all ages can now enjoy a new, immersive water play area. With a nod to the iconic original park signage, “Disneyland” is spelled out in familiar blocks atop a platform supporting two thrilling water slides. Reminiscent of the original Monorail station at the Disneyland Hotel, at each slide’s entrance sits a replica Monorail Car that guests glide through as they twist and turn their way to the water below. The larger of the two main slides sits 26 feet high and stretches 187 feet, until it plunges into a splash pool. The second slide is 13 feet high and 112 feet long. For younger guests, the area includes a third, two-lane mini-slide that sits just 3 ½ feet high and is 19 feet long, as well as a series of small bubble jets in which to play.
A new, “D Ticket”-themed, 4-foot-deep pool is situated next to the new Monorail water play area. The “D Ticket” theme ties in the historic ticket books that were used in the early days of Disneyland to experience attractions, where each ticket received a letter assignment. In late 2011, the “E Ticket” pool will open at the Never Land pool site, which currently is under renovation.
The new pool area also features a Minnie Mouse-themed spa, which will match a Mickey-themed spa that is scheduled to open with the “E-Ticket” pool. In addition, three new cabanas are available; each features a flat screen TV, refrigerator, safe, phone, and ceiling fan.
New Themed Suites
The Disneyland Hotel boasts a unique collection of suites including the Mickey Mouse
Penthouse, and the Pirates of the Caribbean and Fairly Tale suites. The newest additions are the
Adventureland Suite, which offers guests a two-bedroom hideaway complete with a grotto in the master bathroom that simulates various settings through light and sound effects, including a rain forest and African savanna, and the Big Thunder Suite, where up to six pioneers are immersed in luxurious rustic accommodations inspired by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland park.
Guest Towers
In June, the hotel’s three guest room towers are being renamed for the distinctive lands of Disneyland. The Dreams Tower is becoming the Adventure Tower, and the Wonder Tower will become the Frontier Tower. Finally, the Magic Tower, which will be finished in late 2011, will transform to the Fantasy Tower. At the entrance of each tower, large marquees will feature classic artwork of Adventureland, Frontierland and Fantasyland identifying each building.
The Disneyland Hotel renovation is now nearing completion of its two-year transformation. The beautifully remodeled guest rooms feature exquisite Disney touches woven into the décor including a stunning new headboard with an artistically carved representation of Disneyland park’s famous Sleeping Beauty Castle, which serves as the focal point in each guest room. The background on the headboard uses fiber optics to create a magical skyline with fireworks – bringing the immersive park experience into the room. Along with the E-Ticket pool, main lobby and port cochere of the Fantasy Tower, the façade of the hotel’s convention center also will be completed.
The work at the Disneyland Hotel is a part of a larger expansion project underway throughout the Resort. Disney California Adventure park is undergoing a multiyear expansion project that includes new experiences, attractions and nighttime spectaculars, culminating in 2012 with the opening of Cars Land. The four-diamond Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa also underwent an expansion in 2009 that added 203 hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom villas that are part of the Disney Vacation Club, marking the club’s West Coast debut.
Categories: Disneyland Resort, Resorts, Theme Parks Tags: Disneyland Hotel, DLH
Disney’s ‘Art of Animation Resort’ to Immerse Guests in Animated Film Classics (Concept Art, Room Photos)
During the Walt Disney Imagineering presentation at the Disney D23 Destination D: Walt Disney World event, Imagineer Gary Hoffman provided new insight into the resort’s newest hotel, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, expected to open in stages, beginning May, 2012.
On the site of what was once destined to be the second half of the Pop Century resort, the Legendary Years, the Art of Animation will allow guests to step into the world of their favorite Disney films and come face to face with their favorite characters from The Little Mermaid and The Lion King and Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo and Cars — with some major exceptions.
The magic begins at the central building, where guests are first greeted by Lightning McQueen, Ariel, Nemo and Simba on the facade. Inside the check-in building, guests enter into the mind and studio of an animator, surrounded by character sketches and images in all stages of production.
The buildings themselves, like the rest of the value resorts, are courtyard-centric, however rather than just having large figures representing the resort section, the courtyards are set to be immersive experiences with even the building facades feeding into the theming and feel of the resort and each section is designed with a different point-of-view and scale in mind. With exception to The Little Mermaid, the building facades facing the courtyard have images of the film’s characters created exclusively for the resort which play into the theming of the area of the courtyard they are near. The sides of the buildings not facing the courtyards instead portray sketches of various characters from the film, also created exclusively for the resort, which gradually appear to jump off the pages they’re sketched on to eventually appear to join in on the courtyard fun.
The hotel rooms themselves continue the immersion process. Rather than one quasi-generic configuration and decor for the entire resort, each section is meticulously detailed to the film it represents, right down to attempting to hide all references to things that exist outside the environment, such as furniture and televisions.
In Finding Nemo, guests are Nemo-sized which means they’ll come face to face with a giant Crush, but the other characters will be much smaller in relation to Nemo. Nemo and his friends have a water play area while there’s another dry playground hosted by Squirt.
In the Cars courtyard, guests are car-sized, so each character from the films, eleven in all, is at a lifesize scale. The three buildings are each named and themed, including Luigi’s Tower of Tires. The Cozy Cone Motel not only serves as the pool for the section, but the rooms as well.
The Lion King courtyard features scenes from both Pride Rock and the Jungle and even features the elephant graveyard. Guests are Simba sized in this section of the resort which even includes a log bridge guests can walk under while Timon, Pumbaa and Simba stroll across it, just like the Hakuna Matata scene from the movie. Note there will be no pool at this section.
Lastly, The Little Mermaid section is where you’ll find the standard rooms (the rest of the buildings are the suites). Instead of the murals along the facade of the buildings, guests will find more than 600 cutouts adorning the sides. Here, guests are Sebastian size as they go under the sea to explore the courtyard which features a (naturally) huge King Triton.
Categories: Resorts, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Art of Animation
DVC Offers Online Preview of Aulani Resort with Samantha Brown; Free Lithograph Incentive for Viewers
Disney Vacation Club will soon be offering an online video-on-demand titled ‘Disney Traveler presents Behind the Magic in Hawaii with Samantha Brown,’ previewing the new Aulani Resort which will first welcome its members this summer.
According to the site, viewers will be invited to ‘join TV travel guru Samantha Brown on location to get a sneak peek of the unexpected wonders Disney is creating for the entire family at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai’i. Plus, learn about exclusive Disney Vacation Club® offers only available through this webcast.’
Viewers must register in advance at DVCWebEvent.com and select a date to watch the video between May 17 and 21. The video can be watched on-demand that day, at any time beginning at 9:00 am ET and ending at 6 pm – midnight ET, depending on the day.
As a reward, registered viewers who watch the video will receive a free character lithograph (limit to one per household) which will be mailed at a future date.
Categories: Disney Vacation Club, Internet Tags: Aulani, DVC, Events
CONFIRMED: Eleventh Hour Name Change for Aulani Spa
With just a few months to go before Aulani welcomes guests home to Ko Olina, Hawaii on August 29, 2011, Disney Parks and Resorts has made a surprising move. Despite the official Disney Parks blog reporting that Aulani would be naming its spa Ulana (and there being trademark applications to back that claim up), it may surprise you to notice that Ulana isn’t mentioned on Aulani’s official site, despite the fact that every other amenity is named on it.
Recently Disney Parks and Resorts registered additional trademark applications for ‘Laniwai,’ which more or less translates to ‘heavenly water,’ best we can tell (Ulana translates to calm or still). Other than a far more interesting name for a spa, it turns out the applications for Laniwai are for the same services that Ulana will offer, particularly day spa services in addition to clothing and cosmetics.
Update #1: 10/5/11 – Disney Parks has officially confirmed our suspicions, citing the meaning of Laniwai to be ‘freshwater heaven’
Categories: Disney Vacation Club, Resorts Tags: Aulani, DVC
New Storybook Rooms and Health and Wellness Suites Continue Growth Strategy at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Over the course of the next year, new Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms and suites will open that will allow guests to sleep like visiting Disney royalty or perhaps add a yoga session or two to their Disney vacation. It’s part of an overall lodging strategy at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts that includes the addition of new niche rooms and suites to its guest offerings.
Beginning in fall 2011, guests will be able to experience new health and wellness suites on the 14th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. In the spring of 2012, new Royal Guest Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort will take guests on a vacation getaway to Princess Tiana’s guest house where her friends have also come to visit.
“All Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms and suites are completely renovated on a regular cycle,” said Mark Rucker, vice president of lodging for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Our new Royal Guest Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort and the new health and wellness suites at Disney’s Contemporary Resort are examples of how we use our scheduled renovation time to look for new opportunities to ‘plus up’ the guest experience.”
Rucker says health and wellness rooms and amenities are an emerging trend in travel, particularly amongst guests who stay in deluxe accommodations. The health and wellness suites on the 14th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort will provide guests who fit that travel profile with the ultimate balanced Disney vacation by including all the magic and fun of Disney theme parks while making healthy and relaxing amenities easier than ever to enjoy.
Inside the new suites, guests will be able to enjoy the benefit of exercising at the own pace and time with cardio equipment right in their suite. They’ll also be able to start and end their days with seasonal and organic fresh foods at the concierge lounge or enjoy a yoga session and spa treatment in the completely renovated wellness studio. Guests staying on the 14th floor can also take advantage of more traditional club level services, like advance itinerary planning.
The new suites are being renovated with new Bamboo flooring, 100% cotton linens on the non-allergenic wrapped mattresses, as well as rain water showers in the bathrooms. Of course, the 23 completely renovated suites on the 14th Floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort also provide sweeping top floor views of Magic Kingdom Park and Bay Lake. Continuing the popular “storybook” room concept launched in 2009 at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort with elaborately themed pirate rooms, 512 rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort are being renovated with a new “Royal Guest Room” theme centered on Disney princes and princesses.
The story behind the Royal Guest Rooms is Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog” invited her royal friends for a vacation getaway. Friends like Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” and Jasmine from “Aladdin” brought along some of their most treasured possessions. Since “The Princess and the Frog” is set in Princess Tiana’s hometown of New Orleans, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is a natural fit for the story.
A new royal bed design that includes headboards with special effects above ornately decorated beds and various icons associated with Disney princes and princesses throughout the room will further immerse guests in their favorite stories.
Generally, Walt Disney World Resort rooms are completely renovated on a 12-year cycle. The room’s “soft goods” – including carpets, fabric, and paint – are replaced after six years; and the “hard goods” – including furniture, fixtures, and flooring – are replaced after 12 years, which is in line with industry standards.
All 3,056 rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, including the 512 new Royal Guest Rooms, are undergoing a hard goods renovation that will be compete by June 2012.
Another niche guest lodging offering at Walt Disney World Resort will be available when 1,020 family suites and 864 value rooms open at the new Disney’s Art of Animation Resort beginning in May 2012.
Categories: Resorts, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Contemporary Resort, CR, POR, Port Orleans Resort
Disney Vacation Club Begins Offering Members Insurance Through Travelex
Travelex Insurance Services, a trusted leader in travel insurance protection, and Disney Vacation Club, a recognized vacation ownership provider, recently joined forces to help the 475,000 individual Disney Vacation Club Members travel with peace of mind from unexpected occurrences.
Travelex provides a valuable service to Disney Vacation Club Members with a tailored travel insurance plan for vacation ownership. The protection plan provides Disney Vacation Club Members with comprehensive coverage for common travel concerns such as medical emergencies, trip cancellation or interruption and baggage loss or delay. This customized plan also covers accidental damage caused to their resort property, recreational equipment delays and roadside assistance service.
“Travelex Insurance provides our Members with peace of mind when planning their vacations to Disney destinations and beyond,” said Disney Vacation Club President Jim Lewis. “Families can focus instead on making memories and spending quality time together.”
“We are delighted with our relationship with Disney Vacation Club and with providing its members with a travel insurance plan that safeguards their vacation experience,” said Mike Ambrose, President, Travelex Insurance Services. “Travelex values its ability to give travelers worry-free memories of a lifetime.”
The annual plan, available to Disney Vacation Club Members through the Member website, is offered at a rate of $79.00 and covers an entire year of Disney Vacation Club vacations utilizing Member points.
Categories: Disney Vacation Club Tags: DVC, Travelex
Aulani Resort Celebrates Construction Milestone
Today, in a ceremony on the lagoon fronting the site of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai’i, local crew members from Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc., joined with Disney cast members (employees) to celebrate the completion of major structural work on the Disney resort and the beginning of Disney’s “time to add the magic.”
The event was a symbolic representation of the shared efforts of Disney and Hawaiian Dredging in building the new resort, which will welcome its first guests on Aug. 29, 2011. The construction crew and Aulani Disney team met on the beach to exchange gifts – lei from the construction workers to the Disney cast, and Mickey Mouse ears from the Disney cast to the construction workers. As part of the milestone moment, Hawaiian Dredging “handed over the keys” to the people who will add final detailing, theming, landscaping and all the other magical touches guests expect to find at a Disney resort.
Djuan Rivers, vice president of Disney Vacation Club and Resort, Hawai’i, joined with Eric Hashizume, vice president of Hawaiian Dredging and Elliot Mills, managing director of Aulani, to bring the construction workers and Disney team members together to begin “adding the magic” to Aulani. They gathered on the sand to form the image of the trademark Aulani arch and then transformed it into the familiar silhouette of Mickey Mouse. Mickey, Minnie and their Disney character pals joined in the celebration.
As Walt Disney Imagineers continue adding the magic to Aulani, they are weaving Hawaiian stories into the buildings, interiors, art and gardens of the resort with the help of local architects, artisans and historians. The celebrated Disney magic, storytelling and service will create wonderful family vacation memories at the resort, drawing on the beauty, fun, enchantment and traditions of the islands.
Built on 21 acres adjacent to a crystal blue lagoon and a white-sand beach in Ko Olina, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, will feature 359 hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club villas upon its completion. Rooms are housed in two 15-story towers with commanding views of the ocean, mountains and magnificent grounds. On-site are two restaurants, an 18,000-square-foot spa, a wedding lawn, a conference center and extensive water activities, including a central swimming pool, 900-foot tube floating watercourse, wading pool, body slides, sunset-facing hot tubs, a quiet adult pool, a snorkel lagoon, and a conservation pool. Aulani will also include a signature kids’ club – Aunty’s Beach House – where kids can explore Hawaiian culture through fun and games, arts and crafts, and many other experiences created just for them.
The resort will also offer excursions that invite families to discover the island of Oahu. Guests can enjoy one-of-a-kind adventures that blend the wonders and excitement of Hawaii with the Disney tradition of storytelling, choosing from a variety of experiences that include surfing, rainforest hiking and learning how to prepare Hawaiian cuisine.
Reservations for Aulani are now open. Guests may visit www.disneyaulani.com or call (866) 44-DISNEY.
Categories: Disney Vacation Club, Resorts Tags: Aulani, DVC, Events
The Walt Disney Company, Disney Parks Issue 2010 Corporate Citizenship Reports
The Walt Disney Company today released its second Corporate Citizenship report detailing Disney’s progress on environmental and social impacts. The report also includes the Company’s first set of comprehensive citizenship commitments and goals, aligned around three core principles:
- Act and create in an ethical manner and consider the consequences of our decisions
- Champion the happiness and well-being of kids, parents and families in our endeavors
- Inspire kids, parents, employees, and communities to make a lasting, positive change in the world
“Being a respected global citizen isn’t just good for our employees and the communities in which we operate, it is critical to the growth and success of our business,” said Robert A. Iger, Disney President and CEO. “Our next step is to build upon our existing programs and initiatives by clarifying our commitments and expanding our efforts to track and measure our progress.”
Highlights of the 2010 Report include:
- Announcement of a comprehensive set of commitments and metrics that address Disney’s worldwide business impacts and opportunities.
- Global expansion of programs aimed at inspiring kids, parents, and communities to make a difference in the world. Disney Friends for Change, now in 19 countries, has rallied 2.5 million kids to take pledges for the environment. Disney Magic of Healthy Living, launched in September, partners with parents and kids to make healthy choices simple and fun.
- Investment of $15.5 million in carbon offset projects around the world as part of Disney’s Climate Solutions Fund, the Company’s internal carbon pricing program.
- Release of Disney’s Human Rights Policy Statement, with the aim of more clearly articulating the Company’s commitment to respecting human rights.
- Detailed data and progress updates on Disney’s supply chain and environmental footprint
- Corporate charitable contributions of $198 million, and more than 548,000 hours of VoluntEARS service contributed by Disney employees.
The interactive multimedia report, now available online only at www.disney.com/citizenship2010, includes comprehensive coverage of eight key areas: family entertainment, inspiring kids and communities, nature conservation, environment, community, workplaces, supply chain, and human rights. An interactive map provides insights into Disney’s activities around the world. The report follows the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
The citizenship report anchors a broader suite of publications. Six additional reports provide information on local impacts of our Parks & Resorts segment.
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