The truth behind the tree houses closing??

[kjs1976]

Ok...so we stayed at POFQ and took the boat to DTD numerous times. Each time I was enthralled by the tree houses!!!! I remember when I was there in 1996 and we visited POFQ and took the boat to DTD and people were staying in them. One boat skipper said they've been closed since 2001. She said the reason why, as the CMs are told, is due to lack of interest...yea right. Another gentleman on the ride said it was due to the disabled persons act (or something like it) because they were not handicap accessable and due to the fact that the land they were on was made into protected wetland area...or something to that effect, so Disney's hands are tied because they can't do what they need to do with the land protection to bring them up tp code. It was really sad to see them unused. Some have damage from fallen trees due to the hurricanes last year. They are lit up at night for security and navigation reasons, one skipper said.

Anyone know the TRUTH to these rumors??? Also, anyone ever stay there and have pics and stories to tell??? I'd be the first to save my pennies and stay there if they ever reopened!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[smt218]

I heard the same thing about wheelchairs when I was there in December from the boat driver. He also said they couldn't tear them down because it's on protected land and the state would fine Disney if they did.

 

[AJKMOM]

Everything I ever read was always about the accessibility issue.

 

[Debi]

The story I heard was that they closed in 2001 for rehab, but they couldn't do any kind of construction on them due to the protected wetlands classification. However, one CM told me that Saratoga Springs will eventually expand all the way down to POFQ. If that is true, they will need to demolish the existing treehouse villas and build SSR villas. I don't quite know what the truth is, but I hope this helps?

 

[bicker]

I've heard all those things. They're not mutually exclusive, and they all make sense, with one exception: Law cannot require and prohibit the same thing. Rather, I suspect that the manner in which ADA would need to be applied , in the context of the middling interest in the treehouse, means that the money is perhaps better spent elsewise, for now.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I heard that 1/2 are being used by CM's or CM's on a work visa. Pretty nice accomodations.

My friend stayed there some years back and said they were really, really nice.

 

[metta4]

I too was told (last week) that it was due to lack on interest and that the tree houses just weren't getting reservations..

bummmer...look very cool to me...

 

[SueM in MN]

Another gentleman on the ride said it was due to the disabled persons act (or something like it) because they were not handicap accessable and due to the fact that the land they were on was made into protected wetland area...or something to that effect, so Disney's hands are tied because they can't do what they need to do with the land protection to bring them up tp code.

This is brought up a lot as a reason for closing, but it's not true.

The law is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and it would not require that anything be closed down if it is not handicapped accessible.
The ADA requires that new construction meets certain guidelines.
For new hotel construction, this is the required number of rooms that need to be handicapped accessible, for 76 to 100 guest rooms need to have 4 that are wheelchair acessible, plus one room with a roll in shower.
When renovations are being done, they have to renovate one room to be accessible for each 25 that are renovated (until they reach the number required for the total number of rooms in the facility.)
But, if they just chose to keep them open without doing any renovations, they would not have had to do anything about accessibility.

Here's where you find that information.

So, if they did choose to renovate, they would only have to make a few units out of the total accessible. That is assuming that they don't already have any accessible units.

I have not been in the Treehouses, but I've seen plans and pictures over the years and don't think it would be that hard to make some of them accessible. They could add a ramp to access the deck, add some sort of lift to access the deck (and then have roll in access from the deck) or they could add a "room" to the buidling on the first and second floor to house an elevator.

Actually, the first few years that OKW was open, the Treehouses were open and some of the OKW buses shared a route with the Treehouses. Based on what I saw on those bus trips, I think they probably didn't have enough demand to keep them open. Also, the Housekeeping at the Treehouses was probably very expensive compared to other resorts. They were sort of like small houses to clean and there would have been a lot more "travel" time involved since a Housekeeper couldn't easily go from one to the other. So, I think that it probably got to a point of not being cost effective to keep them open, especially if they were not full.

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

We stayed in the tree houses 2 times. I don't remember the exact years but my oldest (who is 26 now) was between 4 and 6 years old as I recall. We loved them and the two oldest children still talk about them. They were a world away from the hustle and bustle. I remember a bus coming to pick us up somewhere near our tree house. You felt like you were in a remote home - there was a small dock area by a little creek I think. I have pictures of the kids with peacocks that wandered the area.

As I remember there was a living room and adjoining kitchen as you entered the tree house. Off to the left was a bathroom and a bedroom where the sitter slept. We slept in the the master bedroom (complete with bath) and our baby in a crib.

The older two children slept either downstairs or in the living room on a pull out sofa. I think there was a washer and dryer there also. I seem to recall a circular staircase going down to the lower floor.

They were wonderful places to stay. I wish we would have stayed in them more often but we wanted to try some of WDW's other places!

 

[lajones81]

I've stayed in the tree houses before and it was awesome! My sister and I had our own floor! They are very nice accomodations and it's too bad they are no longer there because I would have loved to stay there again!

 

[the kabuki]

I'd love to see some pics of these...anyone????

 

[lajones81]

Try here:

http://images.google.com/images?q=d...off&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-13,GGLD:en&sa=N&tab=wi

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

When I went for the first time to WDW with my mom as a child, we stayed at the villas that were right next to the Treehouse villas. Very cool! That used to be a very nice area to stay at. I can remember renting a golfcart and riding all around the complex.

 

[bicker]

Try here:

http://images.google.com/images?q=disney%20institute%20villa&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-13,GGLD:en&sa=N&tab=wi

Thanks for posting this.... it helped my memory a bit. It sure does make it clear how much work would be necessary. Can you imagine making one of those stairwells handicapped accessible?

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thank you lajones for posting those pics! I wish i would have stayed there! So cool!

 

[GOOFYFREEK]

Thanks for posting this.... it helped my memory a bit. It sure does make it clear how much work would be necessary. Can you imagine making one of those stairwells handicapped accessible?

Actually they can just put in lifts. But they where closed due to MOLD. And the renovating of them would be to expensive. Which I think is another crock. Cause they are not that elaborate of buildings. I had the pleasure of staying in the treehouses twice when I was way younger. But back then they where only like $128 a night or something close to that. So that would be about $350 in todays rates.

And some are still being used for the College Programs.

 

[lajones81]

I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures!

 

[J.J.]

I could see where the cost to service these units would be higher than at most resorts. It seems that Disney has been shyinng away from their own unique experiences on the property. I really liked the Treehouses for there uniqueness as well as Discovery Island. People say they had to close DI because of AK opening. It was a totally unique experience that had a lot to offer. MHO of course

JJ

 

[bicker]

Actually they can just put in lifts.

I think that would violate the wetlands protection laws.

 

[bicker]

I could see where the cost to service these units would be higher than at most resorts. It seems that Disney has been shyinng away from their own unique experiences on the property.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "unique" -- I think Disney is shying away from experiences that incur comparatively high costs and only benefit comparatively few guests. Is that what you mean? If so, I agree completely.