Current work at the Fort

[bama_ed]

Thanks!

Just for future reference DVC has a yearly Meet in early December and they have had “preview” tours day before Grand Opening usually for Riviera and the Cabins so find a DVC friend and try to get invited just in case in December 2026 The meetings are always at the Contemporary

Also , of interest currently 63 cabins are considered “declared” into DVC inventory for booking
WDW still has 300 cabins for their cash reservation inventory …
DVC inventory will increase as the sales are monitored for need
But currently the Cabins are booked out way far in advance .
If the FWCabins are home resort we can book at 11 months
Non home resort booking will open with 7 month bookings !
Good luck finding availability which is causing DVC to crack down on massive bots that are lightning fast at the 11 month for those desirable locations and dates with rentals .

Sales of FWC points are very slow which is why only 63 cabins have been declared. 7 month folks fill in the gaps the 11/12 month owners leave behind and that's who fills the availability. On the cash side, all the cabins have been converted so those book like regular hotel room availability.

Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks Denise!

Here is the link to the other forum which has photos of the Meadows construction.

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...rea-refurbishment-along-with-new-pool.986035/

Thanks mom.

I notice the big pic in post #10 of the linked thread shows fill dirt being brought in to raise the ground level higher. Goes back to my point about this pool construction hitting the water table so raising the ground level makes sense. However, it's not VERY much higher which means I don't think this zero entry will be as deep as the main pool (or have much depth for that matter). But as others have pointed out in various threads, a Zero-Entry has advantages (and disadvantages) over the existing pool so that might divide and conquer the crowds which build up at times.

When our kids were little we stayed at a resort with a zero entry and DW loved it because the kids (young) could find their depth and go in and out without her worrying as much. So it offers more variety in a sense.

Ed

PS - I was "working" at a conference (our understanding was the conference expenses could be written off IRS taxes if we spent at least a half day [4 hours] at "work"). So DW got to eat a late breakfast, take the kids to the 0-E pool in the cooler early morning hours and I got to hear about it after lunch.

 

[proudmomof4]

Checked in last night for a spontaneous long weekend trip. I’ll try to get pictures of the Meadow project as well as the monstrosity and the cabins which have invaded Clementine’s Beach. Stay tuned.

 

[proudmomof4]

The boards on the Fort dock have been replaced.


Pics of the monstrosity and the invaders on the beach.

 

[proudmomof4]

All of the conversations I overheard while waiting for the boat to MK were all the same, “why did they choose this spot when they have so much land?”

 

[Teamubr]

I've tried to stay optimistic, but this is heart breaking. Poor Crockett's is that little brown spec on the left. I'm glad I am going to Europe and DLP next year.

j

 

[bama_ed]

All of the conversations I overheard while waiting for the boat to MK were all the same, “why did they choose this spot when they have so much land?”

Oh I'll share my opinion to answer that question (worth what you paid for it ).

It's cheaper for DVC (on the expense side) to pair a time share property (either a resort hotel room conversion or an addition of new time share rooms) with an existing resort property to share transportation costs, utility/development costs, overlay staffing, prime locations, and any other myriad of possibilities to "split" a cost that they would otherwise have to pay "all" of it themselves.

For the eyesore behind Pioneer Hall, if all the time share folks stayed over at their resort (and us campground would do the same because we've been doing it for over 50 years), other than the blocked views, life would go on as before. But do you think none of those time share folks stuck in those tiny rooms (and small property) AREN'T going to wander over and walk around the Fort? Come to the campfire/movie/singalong? Dress up with the kids to crash the campers' Halloween Trick or Treating? (by campers for campers has been its intent).

Yep, a brand new time share property on undeveloped land ("green field") would cost MUCH more to build the roads, sewers, utilities and infrastructure BEFORE you pour the first footing of the first building itself. For example, I always thought a resort/DVC along the monorail line near the Epcot entrance would be an attraction for its location and transportation links. But there is nothing else out there to support a new time share. It's easier to play the "next to" game. (as in 'Let's put it NEXT TO an existing property').

I believe that's why there's never been another 'green field' DVC development like the Old Key West time share. One could claim that Saratoga Springs was a 'green field' DVC but it was NEXT TO a minor destination in Downtown Disney which already had a lot of infrastructure in place.

And so it goes.



Ed

 

[proudmomof4]

Oh that's an easy question to answer.

It's cheaper for DVC (on the expense side) to pair a time share property (either a resort hotel conversion or an addition of new time share rooms) with an existing resort property to share transportation costs, utility/development costs, overlay staffing, prime locations, and any other myriad of possibilities to "split" a cost that they would otherwise have to pay "all" of it themselves.

For the eyesore behind Pioneer Hall, if all the time share folks stayed over at their resort (and us campground would do the same because we've been doing it for over 50 years), other than the blocked views, life would go on as before. But do you think none of those time share folks stuck in those tiny rooms (and small property) AREN'T going to wander over and walk around the Fort? Come to the campfire/movie/singalong? Dress up with the kids to crash the campers' Halloween Trick or Treating? (by campers for campers has been its intent).

Yep, a brand new time share property on undeveloped land would cost MUCH more to build the roads, sewers, utilities and infrastructure BEFORE you pour the first footing of the first building itself. For example, I always thought a resort/DVC along the monorail line near the Epcot entrance would be an attraction for its location and transportation links. But there is nothing else out there to support a new time share. It's easier to play the "next to" game. (as in 'Let's put it NEXT TO an existing property').

I believe that's why there's never been another 'green field' DVC development like the Old Key West time share. One could claim that Saratoga Springs was a 'green field' DVC but it was NEXT TO a minor destination in Downtown Disney which already had a lot of infrastructure in place.

And so it goes.



Ed

But SSR was built on land that used to be vacation villas. They were called many things over the years, but I believe the last name was The Disney Institute. I used to book them when I worked for Disney as a reservations agent. So that infrastructure was already there too.

 

[proudmomof4]

More photos

 

[proudmomof4]

Meadow project, I can’t really tell what’s what other than piles of dirt. The playground is still standing, so far.

 

[bama_ed]

So that infrastructure was already there too.

Yeah, that's what I was saying. Folks might try to say that Saratoga is NOT next to an existing resort (Treehouses not enough to qualify) nor is it next to a theme park. Downtown Disney, though, is/was a destination on its own for entertainment, retail, and dining so that's why I referred to it as a "minor" destination. But you're right, of course, in that it had plenty of existing infrastructure nearby when they started to build the time shares.

Personally I'm a little ho-hum about a Zero Entry pool. Guess that puts me in the minority. Oh well...

 

[CarolynFH]

the monstrosity

I like that name. @bama_ed, you’re not the only one mourning the loss of FW ambiance.