Shades of Green to Re-Open

[Sarangel]

OK, so it's a slow news week:

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 28, 2003 -- Reservation lines are open for the Dec. 15 reopening of a new, improved Armed Forces Recreation Center Shades of Green hotel on Walt Disney World Resort here.

Shades of Green has been closed for expansion and complete renovation since early 2002. Meanwhile, guests eligible to stay there have been booked into Disney's Contemporary Resort at Shades of Green's daily rates. The rates are based on rank from a low of $66 for E-1s through E-5s to $99 for senior officers. The range starting Dec. 15 will be $70 to $116.

"We've already booked our first military wedding on Dec. 29 for 250 people," said Jim McCrindle, the hotel's general manager since it opened in 1994.

When Shades of Green reopens, he said, it will have double the guest space at 586 rooms, a new 500-space parking garage and 7,500 square feet of flexible special-event space for reunions, weddings and other family-oriented social functions. There will be 11 suites, up from just one.

He said more rooms will conform to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. "We had handicapped-accessible rooms before, but now we will have bona fide ADA-designed and equipped rooms with the wider bathroom doors and the roll-in showers," he said. Nine of the existing rooms were completely renovated to ADA standards.

The near-two-year project includes complete makeovers of all the existing rooms to the same standards as the new ones -- new carpet, paint, curtains, mattresses and bedspreads.

"All the rooms are exactly the same size and everything is brand new," McCrindle said. In essence, he said, guests who want a new room don't have to ask -- every room will be new.

All rooms will have standard amenities such as ironing boards and televisions, but there will be some new twists -- refrigerators, wireless TV keyboards and 12 hours of Internet access for about $6. Guests will be able to play TV video games, in-room movies and order attraction tickets online from the hotel's tickets and tours office.

The hotel restaurants are being remodeled. The four include a new Northern Italian-themed trattoria. Shades of Green has its own two heated swimming pools, a kiddie pool, play area and tennis courts. It's situated among three Walt Disney World Resort golf courses: two 18-hole championship courses and a nine-hole executive course with discounted greens fees for military players. Free shuttle bus service transports guests to and from Disney attractions.

The hotel has operated at or near 100 percent occupancy from the moment its doors opened, McCrindle said. Guests who could not be housed at Shades of Green were placed in other hotels on and off the Disney resort. Customer demand has been so high, it's spurred the whole expansion project, he said.

Shades of Green is financially self-sustaining; no taxpayer dollars are used for operations. The hotel expansion is funded by a civilian commercial loan.

For more details or to make reservations, visit www.shadesofgreen.org or www.armymwr.com/shades/index.html, or call toll-free 1-888-593-2242.

"The best way to make a reservation is to use the Web site," McCrindle suggested. "That way, you're guaranteed a response within 72 hours. Give alternate dates to your first choice." The phones tend to be overloaded, he added.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Hope we have some military left in the country to enjoy it.

 

[micfan]

For what it's worth. While we were at WDW in December, my son and myself spent some time at the clubhouse for the golf courses there (waiting for the rain to stop). The CM in the pro-shop said that they would be getting a new building for the clubhouse. If my memory is correct, I believe it was said that the building will go where the putting green is now.

 

[GotDisney]

Our next trip is planned for 30 Dec - 06 Dec 2003. But on the bright sidee, that means probably our one and only stay at the Contemporary.

Marc, Kimi, Laura, Marie, Ian, and Ashley

 

[cumulonimbus]

I didn't know this, thanks!

 

[ROBINHOOD1]

CAN YOU GET A MILITARY DISCOUNT AT ANY RESORTS?

 

[Sarangel]

RobinHood1 -

First, there's no reason to shout (typing in ALL CAPS is generally considered shouting).

Second, you will almost certainly have better luck asking that question over on the Disney Resorts Board.

Good Luck & Welcome to the DIS.

Sarangel

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

ROBINHOOD1:

The last time I knew for sure (mid-2000 or so), military discounts for other WDW resorts were only given on as-needed basis if Shades of Green was full.

At that time, the Swan and Dolphin, non-Disney hotels, offered great military (and government, and education, and AP) discounts, with an arguably much better location than SoG.

I hope this data isn't so old as to be useless to you.

-WFH

 

[DisneyKidds]

Robinhood1,

The answer to your question is yes. I used to be a Deptartment of Defense employee so I made use of Shades of Green for reservations numerous times.

Shades of Green offers reservations at that resort, but also offers what they call "overflow" reservations. SoG can book up pretty far in advance, so they need to have other options for people to take advantage of.

Here is what you do. Call SoG reservations with your dates. Tell them you would like to know what resorts are available for an "overflow reservation" at other Disney resorts. If the SoG resort is not booked for your dates they may not offer any alternatives, but sometimes they do. We always used to travel during school holidays and the summer. I always made reservations between 6 and 9 months in advance and always was able to book an "overflow" reservation. I think there was one time I called closer to a year in advance and they said that SoG had availability and they couldn't offer an "overflow" hotel. I waited a month or so, called back, and was able to book an "overflow" reservation.

Using SoG we have stayed at BWI, BC, POR, CSR and the All Stars. In the past they have offered just about every Disney resort, depending on time of year and availability. I recall them offering the GF, Poly, CR, Swan/Dolphin, YC, some Downtown Disney hotels, among others. They generally offer a lot of options and the rates are very good. The "overflow" rates used to be cheaper than anything else I could find. Now they are close to the deepest discount you can get using codes, but those codes aren't always available.

We have been DVC members for over a year now so it has been a while since I've used SoG for ressies. I don't think things have changed. Good luck.