Theme for Disney Institute DVC

[stlphil]

The Orlando Business Journal is reporting that the Disney Institute is revamping into an "Upstate New York, Chautauqua-style design". The article, which reports little else on this, is at this url:

http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2002/07/01/newscolumn1.html

 

[DVCDAVE]

Great Post.......I wonder if this means Warner Weiss was right on the money ? If not, he is pretty darn close

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

OK but as someone who lives in upstate New York, I really don't know exactly what "Chautauqua" style is. Any western upstate New York DVCers out there that can fill the rest of us in?

HBC

 

[Werner Weiss]

The Disney Institute was modeled after the Chautauqua Institution ( http://www.ciweb.org/ ) in Chautauqua, NY. By this, I really mean that the personal education, arts, and cultural enrichment programs -- not the physical buildings -- were based on the Chautauqua Institution.

Michael Eisner chose renowned architect Thomas Beeby as the architect for the Disney Institute. Beeby's architecture for the Disney Institute doesn't really look like the Chautauqua Institution's National Historic Landmark architecture. But Beeby captured the tranquil character of Chautauqua and used an architectural vocabulary that appears to based on the classic designs of Chautauqua and places like it.

Beeby's Disney Institute buildings will become the core of the new DVC Resort at Downtown Disney. Some building might get new uses, but it's highly unlikely that Disney would alter Beeby's buildings. (You don't mess up the work of a renowned architect any more than you would altar the canvas of a renowned painter.)

And that's why I previously posted my prediction that the new DVC resort will have a theme based on classic, timeless, American small town institutions.

Take a look at Chautauqua's Athenaeum Hotel at http://www.athenaeum-hotel.com/ How about residential DVC buildings along those lines -- probably simplified and stylized in Beeby's tradition?

Disney hasn't released any drawings of the plans for the new DVC residential buildings, nor have they announced whether Thomas Beeby will be involved in their design.

(edited to fix typos)

 

[PKS44]

I understand the choice, and kudos to Werner for predicting it...I have to say, that it really doesn't excite me, though...I mean how many people are saying, "ooh if only I could stay in a place like those resorts in Upstate NY?" Maybe this will be very Victorian with a "Grand Floridian" feel to it which may appeal to many...I was hoping for something more exciting...

Paul

 

[DVCDAVE]

Congratulations Werner on a well thought out, and acurate prediction.

PKS44, I don't disagree with anything you said, but there might be a crowd, (a market) of people who are looking for an urban atmosphere of Downtown Disney. I for one try to avoid driving anywhere near there, as it is in a constant state of congestion. The traffic seems to get worse every year, and lately they have been working on infasruture there, making it worse.

I strongly believe that in order to make this successful, Disney needs desperatly to address its transportation needs, and make some sort of long term plan announcement coinciding with any new DI unveiling.

Busses belching out more and more polution are no longer the answer, just more of the same problem. It is hardley Walt's vision of a modern urban transportation model. This area in particular seems to imbody Disney's growing transportation and polution problem. It is not uncommon to wait 20 or 30 minutes at DD for a bus to return you to your resort, then make 4 or 5 stops getting there, making a total destination time of over an hour.

In my mind, DI would be far from my mind as a vacation destination, when it would seem a whole lot like home, and what I want to escape. But that is my opinion, then again, I never liked the DI original education/vacation plan either.

Just my opinion.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by PKS44
Maybe this will be very Victorian with a "Grand Floridian" feel to it which may appeal to many...I was hoping for something more exciting...

Take a look at the picture of the Disney Institute at http://www.themeparks.com/wdwlibrary/institute/institute02.htm

I sure wouldn't call those buildings Victorian in style. If, in fact, the new DVC buildings will be built in the same style as the former Disney Institute buildings, then they won't be "very Victorian."

The wooded area at the top of the picture is where the new DVC buildings will go. I hope they figure out how to keep most of the trees.

I'm much more optimistic about the theme and design of the new DVC resort than Paul is. I think that if they build lodging buildings that harmonize with the current buildings, and they keep the wooded setting, the result will be a peaceful, relaxing village that's just a short distance from all the fun of Downtown Disney. That sounds very promising!

Here's a prediction: I hereby predict that the DVC resort will be called The Villas at Downtown Disney. Sure, this has nothing to do with the theme, but this name trumpets the resort's greatest asset... its location.

 

[PKS44]

Horace-

If you click on the link that Werner mentions: Chautauqua's Athenaeum Hotel at http://www.athenaeum-hotel.com/

click on the rooms link and you will see it is quite Victorian...also I think the prediction that they new resort would be called Villas at Downtown Disney was made by several people as soon as they announced it...I know I did. I was hoping for a theme to tie into DD rather than into the DI...I suggested an Art Deco South Beach Miami theme, realizing that would not allow the thematic tie to DI and its spa....I would love to see Disney go Art Deco crazy and I could not imagine a better locale for it...My other dream is to see a Greek Island Themed Resort somewhere else on property, A zigzaggy maze of white buildings where the roof of one is the terrace of another as in Santorini, Windowboxes dripping Bouganvilla, Greek ruins theme pool...alas, Disney is going with the Chatauqua theme and then a Florida Meizner theme after that....

As for DVCDAVE's comments, I guess if you are right there across the water from DD you would just take a little boat ride over to DD.

Paul

 

[DVCDAVE]

I agree with PKS44, they links to the photos sure do tell they will have a Victorian flare.

What I really ment about my transportation comments was concerning the congestion in the area, (going anywhere beyond DD), and the polution. I sure hope and pray the rumors about the monrail expansion in 2007, linking all parks together are true. Not only will it benefit DD, DI, but the whole of WDW will benefit.

 

[MikeScott8]

Being from upstate NY I am on the fence of the rumored theme of the DVC DI. I am not sure how excited I can get over going to florida and WDW to get the theme from places near my home, but it is at WDW, so the location is the key.

Mike

 

[chris1gill]

I'm still getting the visions of a Celebration style resort in my head, wouldn't that fit with the Chautauqua style?

Anyways, did anyone else notice that the article said that the BCV's are 40% sold out? Is this true?

 

[DVCDAVE]

DVC is confirming BCV IS 40% sold out.

 

[mikesmom]

To those of you living in the Northeast I imagine the planned theming isn't too exciting. To those of us out here on the prairie (Oklahoma) where a 100 year old building is practically considered prehistoric, where I have to drive 50 miles to get to a Target !, and where I regularly have small wildlife wander through my backyard ( raccoons, possums, armadillos & an ocassional roadrunner), the Chataqua type styling and access to shopping, clubs and activity is very appealing.

Don't get me wrong, I love where I live and it's not tiny (20,000 people and a state university). But environment, architecture, etc is totally different and sometimes that's great when you vacation! That's one reason we bought at BWV, one reason I'm looking forward to a stay at VWL (oh, those trees!) and also why we'd be likely to at least grab a stay at the new place.

 

[Synonymous]

I work about 5 minutes away from the Chautauqua Institution and I can tell you that it is an incredibly beautiful and relaxing place. The atmosphere there is like a small, old-fashioned community where everyone congregates in the village square and strolls down shady lanes to get to the many fascinating lectures, concerts and presentations. I think this would be a great theme for a resort at WDW, if they can manage to capture the feel of the historic architecture. I think the closest thing I could compare it to presently at WDW is the Grand Floridian, but on a more spread-out scale.

 

[caverill]

Seems like we have three different discussions going on at the same.

Modeling the new buildings after other areas of the country is something that Disney has done a very nice job of. People from the area may not be to interested, but it is a nice change of pace for many of us. I believe that is one reason the BCV and VWL do so well.

I do think that if Disney does the resort right...larger rooms like OKW and provides convenient access to DD, the new resort will have interested buyers. The difference between OKW and BWV and the on-going debate over "which is better" should be sign that "One size (or location) doesn't fit all".

On transportation...I couldn't agree more about the buses and congestion. Disney needs to address it and I think they need to address it quicker than 2007. Since many of the resorts are grouped into areas, it would make a lot of sense to create some type of "light rail" or Monorail system.

Only time will tell...

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The Yacht Club, Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn, and Boardwalk Villas all have themes based on bygone resorts of the Northeast. The key is what the architects and designers do with those themes. In the case of the resorts I just listed, I doubt that people who live in the Northeast don't like them because they're too much like home.

If the new DVC Downtown Disney resort joins that distinguished list of Northeast-themed resorts, I have no reason to believe that the results will be anything less than wonderful. Imagine (as Synonymous writes) "an incredibly beautiful and relaxing place" where "everyone congregates in the village square and strolls down shady lanes" -- and where the rooms have gorgeous views of the lights of Downtown Disney reflecting off the lagoon.

Also, just because the Orlando Business Journal mentioned "Upstate New York, Chautauqua-style design" and Chautauqua's Athenaeum Hotel happens to be built in a Victorian Queen Anne style doesn't mean the DVC lodging buildings will be built in that style. To me, it would seem more likely that the new buildings will be built in a style to unify the new buildings with the Disney Institute complex to form a cohesive village.

Actually, looking at the picture of the Disney Institute complex, it really looks more Midwestern than Northeastern.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

From the picture, it kind of looked like "The Bate's Motel".

 

[lodgelady]

We stayed in one of the townhouses that are being torn down to build the new villas at DI. They were so spacious! We really liked going to one of the pools that sat right at the lagoons edge. It was fun to sit at the pool and watch people and boats of DD. That location has a lot going for it.
One BIG problem for us, however was the noise from Pleasure Island at night. You know how sound is magnified over water....well the music was loud( far from Chautauqua chamber music ) and those midnight fireworks woke my kids every night!! Hope they put extra soundproofing in the walls of the new units!