Disney Vacation Club West

[DVC Mike]

Here is a quick quiz:

• What DVC resort did Disney plan to be the second one built at Walt Disney World (after Old Key West)? If you think it's the Boardwalk - wrong answer.

• What resort did Disney plan to be the second standalone DVC resort (not attached to a deluxe hotel) at Walt Disney World (after Old Key West)? If you think it's Eagle Pines or Saratoga Springs - wrong answer.

• What resort did Disney plan to be the first DVC resort located in the Epcot resort area? If you think it's the Boardwalk - wrong answer.

• What DVC resort was planned to be the first one next to the monorail? If you think it's Bay Lake Tower - wrong answer.

The correct answer to all four questions is the Disney Vacation Club West.

Huh? If you're scratching your head wondering what I am talking about, then read on.

As covered in The History of the Disney Vacation Club thread, Disney had opened the Disney Vacation Club resort in 1991, and was working on plans for the next DVC resorts.

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.

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.

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Location.jpg


Remember, the first DVC resort was still called the Disney Vacation Club, so the project name of the Disney Vacation Club West made sense.

The resort was designed to be very similar to the first Disney Vacation Club - clusters of buildings with parking directly outside.

Below is the overall site plan. I've colored it so things stand out.

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_SitePlan.png

What do you think?

I don't know why Disney abandoned this plan, but the land is still sitting there.

Below are some areas of the map (left uncolored).

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Detail_View1.png

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Detail_View2.png

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Detail_View3.png

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Detail_View4.png

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Detail_View5.png

http://i235.*************************************Resorts/SM/DVC_West_Detail_View6.png

http://i235.************************************************************* DVC Mike - *******.com

 

[dizfan]

Thanks for the history lesson Mike.

That area would be great for a DVC future expansion. Too much construction the the MK area over the last decade to me. Epcot and DHS could use more supply to meet the growing demand.

 

[freediverdude]

It looks nice, but a couple of things stick out, like why would they build a resort right next to the monorail line, and not have a monorail station for the resort? And also the resort borders Epcot, but no entrance to Epcot. You'd have a lot of people trying to walk across the street to the Beach Club to try and avoid the buses, wouldn't be a good situation with that busy road.

 

[Simba's Mom]

That's interesting. Thanks! I never knew that. Now the big question to me, and all of us, is why did DVC abandon those plans? Maybe for the same reason they abandoned the plans for that golf resort near Eagle Pines-we'll never know.

 

[DebbieB]

That's interesting. Thanks! I never knew that. Now the big question to me, and all of us, is why did DVC abandon those plans? Maybe for the same reason they abandoned the plans for that golf resort near Eagle Pines-we'll never know.

Looks like they were trying to duplicate OKW with the townhouse type construction. With Boardwalk, they have the hotel style building. I'm glad they went that way, I love the lake views, the hotel style and the easy walk to Epcot. My mom and I had our first WDW trip in October 2004, we took a walk back by BC and they were just excavating for BWV. Little did I know that I would sink thousands into that site.

Mike - do you have any BWV construction pictures? I was looking on goggle but didn't find anything.

I think Eagle Pines was abandoned because they had to start from scratch. They had Disney Institute with existing infrastructure and BCV selling out, quicker build for SSR.

 

[DVC Mike]

Mike - do you have any BWV construction pictures? I was looking on goggle but didn't find anything.

When I put together the History of DVC thread, I had to make due with a satellite image and the photo in Disney Magazine.

I'm sure people have them. Perhaps anyone here who has some can share them?

.

 

[DebbieB]

When I put together the History of DVC thread, I had to make due with a satellite image and the photo in Disney Magazine.

I'm sure people have them. Perhaps anyone here who has some can share them?

.

Thanks! I wish I would have taken a picture.

 

[DVC Mike]

Thanks! I wish I would have taken a picture.

There is this PRE-Boardwalk video taken from the tram that ran from Epcot's International Gateway to the Swan & Dolphin.

.

 

[DebbieB]

Interesting, so the boardwalk itself was there before.

 

[gdrj]

I really could use that tram ride back to the boardwalk!