DVC Treehouse Villas

[SueM in MN]

There is another thread about the treehouse villas on the Disney Resorts forum.

If I did this right, here is the thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1712918

You did it right.
I was going to post a link to that thread, but you beat me to it.

It does look like a possiblity, the only real issue is ADA compliance.

Claire

That always gets brought up as an issue when the subject of the Treehouses come up, but it's pretty much a non-issue.
I posted a long explanation of why in the thread that aprince&princess posted a link to.
The short explanation is that if there are 60 units, they would be required to make no more than 4 accessible. That would not be that difficult.

 

[tjkraz]

The short explanation is that if there are 60 units, they would be required to make no more than 4 accessible. That would not be that difficult.

I agree. A lift mechanism or really long ramp would get the job done. Since all 60 treehouses will be unique in how they interact with the environment (i.e. how the land slopes around each structure), they could pick whichever 4 would be the most condusive to making the appropriate modifications.

Whatever the case, here is a conversation that I CANNOT see occurring:

Imagineer 1: "We need a design to rebuild the old treehouses and open them up again."

Imagineer 2: "But ADA requires that some of them be made accessible."

Imagineer 1: "Oh. Well, then forget the whole thing."​

Disney will figure out a way!

 

[Claire L]

You did it right.
I was going to post a link to that thread, but you beat me to it.

That always gets brought up as an issue when the subject of the Treehouses come up, but it's pretty much a non-issue.
I posted a long explanation of why in the thread that aprince&princess posted a link to.
The short explanation is that if there are 60 units, they would be required to make no more than 4 accessible. That would not be that difficult.

So quite easy to make up to 4 ADA accessible I guess if the plans are adaptable.

Claire

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I'm excited about this. When I was in high school, I asked the folks if we could go to WDW. I had it all in my mind to stay in a treehouse. The folks didn't want to go. I didn't go to Disney until my honeymoon in 92 when we stayed off property, and sometime around then...they closed the treehouses to guest. By the way, what year did they close the treehouses from the public?

I WANT TO STAY IN THE TREEHOUSES!!!!

 

[UConnJack]

What!

I know, can't believe I said it myself! But of course, I'd refuse to call it SSR, refering to it only as THV.

 

[Inkmahm]

I know, can't believe I said it myself! But of course, I'd refuse to call it SSR, refering to it only as THV.

Me, too! I have no interest at all in the rest of SSR, but I'd stay in the treehouses.

 

[drusba]

I guess my question was more that if they are used by Disney for college interns or CM's, how will the costs be offset, since they technically belong (minimum the land) is part of the SSR boundaries.

Any land applicable to SSR is leased by Disney to DVC (the life of the lease is the life of the resort -- until 2054 at SSR), but Disney remains the owner. For resort land maintenance costs, when Disney has its own operations on the shared site, there is a cost share agreement under which the Disney operations pay a share of the costs in proportion to what it has. At BWV, BCV, VWL, and AKV, there is cost sharing with Disney hotel operations at BWI, BC, WL, and AKL.

As specifically to the treehouse villas area, I do not know whether there is a cost share agreement or Disney just maintains that entire area itself. The fact that it is "within" the SSR resort area does not necessarily mean it is actually considered part of SSR yet for purpose of maintaining it.

 

[TisBit]

Any land applicable to SSR is leased by Disney to DVC (the life of the lease is the life of the resort -- until 2054 at SSR), but Disney remains the owner. For resort land maintenance costs, when Disney has its own operations on the shared site, there is a cost share agreement under which the Disney operations pay a share of the costs in proportion to what it has. At BWV, BCV, VWL, and AKV, there is cost sharing with Disney hotel operations at BWI, BC, WL, and AKL.

As specifically to the treehouse villas area, I do not know whether there is a cost share agreement or Disney just maintains that entire area itself. The fact that it is "within" the SSR resort area does not necessarily mean it is actually considered part of SSR yet for purpose of maintaining it.

Thanks, I wasn't sure if there was any history of an area being used by Disney within a DVC (other than a Hotel side). I would think it could get somewhat complicated if there is normal DVC operations using a portion of SSR property. The division of property taxes, etc would seem to be more complicated than a hotel that has X number of rooms designated DVC and Y number designated Inn rooms, yet they share the ground equally. I am sure it can be done, just seems it could get complicate since THV would have a larger area of land mass to smaller number of "rooms".

I personnally do not think this will be necessarily be DVC, I will have to wait and see. It doesn't appear to be designed for college student use though...so who knows. Maybe someone will dig up some paperwork annexing it out of SSR soon.....

 

[huey578]

It's a rumor only. Disney can't change them or do anything but maintenance on them because of the wetland they are in.

It appears that Disney has found a way around that issue. It would be great if they did.

 

[BroganMc]

The short explanation is that if there are 60 units, they would be required to make no more than 4 accessible. That would not be that difficult.

I read your comments in that thread too. My only concern from an accessibility standpoint is the use of elevators. They are notoriously temperamental and prone to breaking in homes. Or so says my stairlift provider. A switchback ramp seems the most reliable (read: "idiot proof") solution for accessibility. I'd hate to be the one staying in the fully accessible unit and stuck in my lift at 1am hoping maintenance would find me.

I kinda suspect this is why all the wheelchair units I've ever stayed in at SSR have been ground floor. (Same is true for all the Marriott's save Cypress Harbour.) In the event of firehazard, you don't want someone wheelchair bound stuck on a higher floor with only an unusable elevator or equally unusable stairs for escape.

That and it would be kinda cool to roll up a ramp into my own treehouse in the woods. I might finally get the experience of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.

FYI: if this does turn out to be a SSR add-on, it makes sense of the discovery and conversation I encouuntered with a SSR groundskeeper manager last Spring. I had followed the "pathway to nowhere" in the Grandstand. It goes behind the 85xx building. Winds out through the golf course, all in the same style as the SSR internal walkways, and ends at a weed-covered bridge to THV. The groundskeeper told me they made the walkway for "further expansion of the resort".

 

[robinb]

I thought I would never say this ... but I sure wish I owned some SSR points! I have ALWAYS wanted to stay at the Treehouses. You know, I noticed a lot more activity there when I went by in December. Now I know why.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Cool rumor- subbing and hoping!

 

[toocherie]

Brogan==on the map linked to your signature, is the area of the Treehouses shown? If so, where is it?

 

[Duane]

You can find more information, along with diagrams and pictures here

This is also a source of good general information about DVC.

 

[lisareniff]

You can find more information, along with diagrams and pictures here

This is also a source of good general information about DVC.

I agree, DVCNews rocks!

 

[tjkraz]

Brogan==on the map linked to your signature, is the area of the Treehouses shown? If so, where is it?

Here's an overhead I put together showing the current resort and the treehouse plot. Note that the treehouses are only little bit further away than Congress Park--and that's just the most distant villas. Some are just outside of The Grandstand.

EDIT: Just updated the map to include The Carousel. Despite the fact that the treehouses are buried in the forest and sort of "out of sight, out of mind", they really wouldn't be any further from the resort center than other areas already developed.

 

[lovinthemouse]

 

[tomandrobin]

Here's an overhead I put together showing the current resort and the treehouse plot. Note that the treehouses are only little bit further away than Congress Park--and that's just the most distant villas. Some are just outside of The Grandstand.

EDIT: Just updated the map to include The Carousel. Despite the fact that the treehouses are buried in the forest and sort of "out of sight, out of mind", they really wouldn't be any further from the resort center than other areas already developed.

Once again, nice work!

 

[pilferk]

It does look like a possiblity, the only real issue is ADA compliance.

Claire

I'm wondering...if they simply add them to SSR's inventory, can't they get around ADA compliance?

I think the ADA compliance law says something like a certain % of rooms must be ADA compliant NOT that specific % of a specific KIND of room must be ADA compliant.

So if the treehouses were, in fact, simply made to be SSR inventory, the # of ADA compliant rooms already AT SSR would count toward the % required to satisfy the law. The treehouses being complaint would be a non-issue.

Anyone out there more well versed in the ADA that can comment?

 

[BroganMc]

I think the ADA compliance law says something like a certain % of rooms must be ADA compliant NOT that specific % of a specific KIND of room must be ADA compliant.

Actually that is preciselly what ADA requires, an equal representation of accessible units in sizes and locations. But as said earlier, there only needs to be a handful of accessible villas. The question I have is whether a non-fully accessible unit (i.e. not with roll-in shower) would need a ramp or other accessible entry to the second floor. Maybe only one unit needs that.