SSR and Disney Institute

[rutgers1]

I was overdosing on Disney books during my trip to the beach last week, and perhaps my favorite was Realityland, which I am just finishing up now. In the book, it says:

"After 9/11, plans were also shelved for an Eagle Pines DVC development along one of Disney World's golf courses in favor of retooling the Disney Institute as a Saratoga Springs DVC property."

I assume from this that, at the very least, SSR is on the property once inhabited by the Disney Institute. But were some/all of the Disney Institute buildings incorporated into DVC too?

If you haven't read this book, consider it. Great little tidbits, though the part on injuries/deaths at DW was a bit disturbing.

 

[Donald is #1]

Yes, SSR was buit on the grounds of the Disney Institute. I believe the spa building and the building with check-in and Artist Pallete are original from the Disney Institute.

 

[rcchello]

All the buildings in the complex with check-in were part of the Disney Institute. The buildings in front of the spa were the classrooms. The building where the mock ups of the AKV rooms was where they showed movies and we saw a performances by Savion Glover and James Earl Jones.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I collect the Disney planning videos and I just watched a bit of one from the mid-late 90s when they were touting the Disney Institute- I loved seeing the footage of the institute as you can see the bones of some of the SSR buildings. They had culinary and art classes there. It looked cool.

 

[Donald is #1]

I collect the Disney planning videos and I just watched a bit of one from the mid-late 90s when they were touting the Disney Institute- I loved seeing the footage of the institute as you can see the bones of some of the SSR buildings. They had culinary and art classes there. It looked cool.

It was cool! I did a multi-day photography workshop there and also did a cooking class and really enjoyed it.

 

[cpdwiz]

I was overdosing on Disney books during my trip to the beach last week, and perhaps my favorite was Realityland, which I am just finishing up now. In the book, it says:

"After 9/11, plans were also shelved for an Eagle Pines DVC development along one of Disney World's golf courses in favor of retooling the Disney Institute as a Saratoga Springs DVC property."

I assume from this that, at the very least, SSR is on the property once inhabited by the Disney Institute. But were some/all of the Disney Institute buildings incorporated into DVC too?

If you haven't read this book, consider it. Great little tidbits, though the part on injuries/deaths at DW was a bit disturbing.

Good book. I keep getting interrupted with it though. The deaths were pretty much not disneys fault. Some were, most were not. I guess if you have to go its a pretty good place to "haunt"

 

[Hibernians]

here's a link to some photos of the Disney Institute -


http://www.disneypix.com/Resorts/Villas/Resort-Villas.htm

 

[podsnel]

here's a link to some photos of the Disney Institute -


http://www.disneypix.com/Resorts/Villas/Resort-Villas.htm

Thanks, that was really cool to look at...it kind of gave me chills, although I can't explain why!

 

[skylynx]

My husband and I first met while we were both taking a Professional Programs course at Disney Institute. So I guess you could call it a work-sponsored romance! Because of Disney Institute being the starting point of our relationship, we view the current SSR property still as hallowed ground. We were sad when the Institute (as we knew it) was going away, but relieved that most of the buildings remained...on our honeymoon in 2004 we had a smooch and a photo (wearing our Minnie veil and Mickey bridgroom hats) at the entrance to the old classroom building which is the exact spot where we first laid eyes on each other!

I've participated in a lot of corporate training programs, and I build them myself for a living, so I can tell you like most everything Disney does, the business programs in Leadership, Creativity, Customer Loyalty and Quality Service were matchless in design and delivery.

The area where the big SSR pool is now was an outdoor amphitheater where we "graduated". The restaurant inside was called "Seasons" and we had our graduation meal there. There was a small gift shop just to the left of the lobby area. The building that kind of looks like a chapel where DVC used to have a bunch of posters and initial meetings with guides before they moved to their current location was our classroom. The villas they knocked down to build SSR were where you stayed while on a Disney Institute 4 day program.

On our last course, the Institute class was actually held at the Contemporary. It was still good, but we sorely missed the old Institute grounds.

Sigh!

 

[MDonley]

While attending the "members meeting" at OKW one time, we were given passes to go see a movie over at Disney Institute. I can't remember the name of the movie, but I do remember the annoying kids (under 15) driving golf carts all over the place. Maybe it was just jealousy because noone had carts at OKW, but the kids were all over the place.
I liked the meetings when they were held at multiple resorts ... if we weren't at OKW the day of the meeting, we could attend the one at BWV. You'd think that DVC would want pass out the latest info and get the most input they could. I think one meeting at each resort would be really great.

 

[madcoco]

On our last course, the Institute class was actually held at the Contemporary. It was still good, but we sorely missed the old Institute grounds. Sigh!

The restaurant inside was called "Seasons" and we had our graduation meal there.

Thanks for sharing your memories.

Miss the old DI. Never took any classes there but DD did a number of the kids programs at the DI. Sometimes there were only 2 or 3 kids in the class. You knew it couldn't last at that rate. She did get to do a lot of backstage stuff and interact with CM's and guests. Maybe it planted a DisneySeed Now as a PT CM she wished they had classes like this now and loves working with kids.

Seasons was one of our favorite restaurants onsite. Still have a few menus from our last meal the day Seasons closed it doors. Used to stay in the GrandVistaHomes that came with a golfcart or when not available(there were only 4) the townhomes where you could rent a cart to drive around the resort to Reflections for "real" morning coffee and pastries or over to DTD where you could "plug in" and walk the marketplace. You were actually allowed to go as far as the Golden Arches or if you headed the other direction across the bridge you could plug in on the Westside. They had problems with some people driving on the golf course and/or through the DTD. It would have been nice if they could have worked this golfcart concept into SSR/OKW to get around. But it could have caused a ton of problems as well. Sorry to stray OT. Glad to see them incorporate some of the buildings and landscaping into SRR Too bad they got rid of the indoor pool for those rainy days. It was sad seeing the Treehouses and Fairway Villas being torn down. The CastConnection for CM's had some of the old furniture and decorations for sale recently. Oops caught. Too much reminicising
Supposed to be out in the garage. Caught on the boards again.

They made a good cup cup of coffee. It has lasted over a dozen years. The cup that is.

 

[skylynx]

Madcoco...I've been to Reflections! Amazed you still have the cup. In fact, I took my mom and dad along with me to my first two Disney Institute programs as a "free" four day vacation for them and they started every morning in Reflections while I went to class.

As part of the class, we got to see a bit of the inner workings of Disney...we visited the laundry and learned how they use creative management to keep turnover low in a pretty boring job. It was fascinating to see the whole huge assembly of machines used to wash, dry and fold all the linens and towels on property. We also visited the massive, unairconditioned warehouse where all the Disney merchandise in parks and shops is replenished from several times a day (we got to do a scavenger hunt there...and keep the prizes!) This was the business side of the Mouse, but we were still treated to fabulous meals in the parks, dessert buffets with private viewing of Illuminations and Fantasmic, and we even got to operate the puppets in the Voyage of the Little Mermaid theater in between performances. WOW!

We had the opportunity to learn first hand how tough it is to make the magic sustainable using the locally available workforce, Disney's philosophy on service recovery "what to do when guests aren't happy," and what goes behind the decisions to open or close restaurants and attractions. In the classroom we got to practice all sorts of Disney creativity like making radio commercials using a portable sound effects machine (we all got to keep a tape with all our commercials on it.) And believe it or not, there was a strong business tie-in with all we learned. Otherwise, it would have been tough to justify this training to my boss!

On the course where I met my husband, we were invited for a free night at Disney Quest because Disney was thinking of offering corporate group outings at the ill-fated Disney Quest in Chicago and wanted some guinea pigs to try out their model. It just got better and better each time.

Happy, happy times.

 

[Entropy]

I was overdosing on Disney books during my trip to the beach last week, and perhaps my favorite was Realityland, which I am just finishing up now. In the book, it says:

You might also like to read "Mouse Tales" and "More Mouse Tales"by David Koenig
http://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Tales-Behind-Ears-Disneyland/dp/0964060566

Warning: It will spoil some of the magic but it will make Disneyland all that more fascinating.

 

[groverdog]

here's a link to some photos of the Disney Institute -


http://www.disneypix.com/Resorts/Villas/Resort-Villas.htm

That's an awesome website, I forgot what the old DI buildings looked like. We took classes there one year and it still remains as one of my best Disney memories.

Take a look at the Epcot construction pictures, they are pretty amazing. I can't wait to have some time to go through all the photos on that site.

Thanks!