Tree House Villas, Any Info?

[Emme]

We just stayed at POR and every time we took the boat to DD we passed the now defunct TreeHouse Villas and it was soooo sad . The CM said they had been closed for several years following the Disney Institute closing. I must say passing them in the evening was rather eerie. Here you are in the middle of this mega resort and you have these totally vacant villas. There were windows broken, trees lying on roofs from the hurricanes, and just a total look of neglect.

They must have been lovely at one time. The lights were on in the Villas to keep away intruders the CM said so you could see inside at night. There were clocks on the walls and you could see the kitchens, bathroom cabinets... Like someone was gonna be coming back real soon.

Please humor me, if anyone has ever stayed in them, I would love to hear what they were like, it just struck me as odd that they were just left like that....

 

[DisneyMan1016]

I've never stayed at the Villas personally, but i've always wanted to. When I saw them earlier this month, they looked empty. What striked me as odd is that they have a (what looks like) new sign outside of the security entrance. I hope they reopen them with Saratoga Springs Phase III

 

[shrpgrl]

We stayed in them many years ago and they were wonderful. 2 bedrooms , 2 baths,kitchen,and living room upstairs and 1 bedroom and laundry down. They have a spiral staircase. The best thing was the balcony that went all the way around. The year we stayed there was a flock of peacocks that would fly up on the balcony and try to get in. Too funny. I never understood why they closed them. When we were there they were fully booked. The other thing I loved about them was the way you felt you were alone in the woods because we were surrounded by trees. The only down side was the pool. It was nothing special but it was alright. We never spent much time swimming anyway. When we were down there in Oct. we were told by a van driver(we were on our way to SSR to buy more points) that they are going to tear them down and expand SSR there. Not sure if he knew what he was talking about.

 

[Geoff_M]

When we were down there in Oct. we were told by a van driver(we were on our way to SSR to buy more points) that they are going to tear them down and expand SSR there. Not sure if he knew what he was talking about.

From what I've read on the rumors board, that's right... and wrong. Apparently the area around the Tree Houses is now classified as a "wetland" and as such no new development may take place on the grounds. But the existing structures are grandfathered. So there are plans for incorporating the buildings into the SSR down the road, but they would be heavily re-themed versions of the existing buildings.

 

[Scoootch]

From what I last heard, there was alot of damage from the hurricanes and most of the treehouse villas have extensive wood rot damage as well. They did have CM's being housed there that were in some kind of internship program and or international program at one time but they currently are not fit for occupation. They suppossedly cannot tear them down, but may be referbished at some point. No concrete rumours as to if they will or will not someday become part of the new SSR. So for now their fate still remains a mystery.

 

[cottontail]

Hi: Our family doctor stayed there when he took his adult children and grand children to wdw with him. He just loved it there, they wanted a place to do a few meals and to get away from it all.

We also saw them when staying at port orleans in april, right out there with nature. I thought I wouldn't mind staying there if they were fixed up.

Deb.

 

[laceemouse]

I stayed there in High School (late 70s) with my parents and 2 friends. It was great! We saw them in October taking the boat from OKW to SSR. They looked pretty bad. I hope they fix them up, lots of folks would love to stay in them

 

[kirbsam]

Many years ago, 1979 I think, my family took a trip to WDW, and we stayed in the tree houses. Peacocks on the balcony in the morning, spiral staircase, my first king size bed, actually two twin bed pushed together, the three of us boys in the bed, my youngest brother had to sleep in the crack. WDW meant monorail, magic kingdom, luau, and river country. My most vivid memory of the tree houses was the bath tub. It was circular and deep and had a stool or seat in it. It wasn't a hottub, I don't think. I was fascinated by that bath tub. I still am.

 

[princssdisnygina]

I stayed there a few years back just before they closed as a complimentary upgrade. WE were originally in the institute bungalows and our AC was broken. We LOVED it! it was convenient to DTD and they were wonderful to us. I am sad to see them go too. Last year when we stayed at POR we had two of the boat drivers tell us they hadn't decided what to do with them. They were either going to tear them down or refurbish them and reopen them as part of SSR.

Gina

 

[AKQJ10]

I stayed in the Villas many many moons ago and remember having a great time there with my family. We loved the secluded atmosphere that made you feel like you weren't in the thousand-degree heat of Florida anymore, but a quiet, cool forest nomewhere way north.

When I went back in September, I made it a point to drive by the Villas, as I was curious to see what they looked like now. The sign for the villas is still there, but there is now a gate and security camera station “guarding” the entrance. I parked the car and got out to snoop and get some pictures. I could see into some of the villas, as the curtains were pulled back. I couldn’t tell if they were being occupied or not, as I surmised that they may be used for CM or College Program (CP) CMs. I wandered in a little further into the verse densely wooded area, then decided to leave on my own, before the scary black security van with no windows picked me up and I would never be heard from again.

Here's a picture of one of the Villas in its current state:

 

[5fromNC]

Seven of us stayed in a Treehouse Villa in 1989 and it was GREAT. You could rent a golf cart and park it underneath. My Mom loved having the kitchen and laundry and my brother and I enjoyed the seculsion of the downstairs room. Like the other posts, I remember the peacocks on the porch and the great spiral staircase. We also stayed at the other Villas a couple times earlier in the 80's.

I spoke to a CRO CM two years and at that time the story was that all that area was being torn down for timeshares, which shocked me. Since then I have been familiarized with DVC and realize now what she meant. She also told me that the treehouses were a big topic that year because so many people were trying to reserve them and they couldn't, even though they still existed. She said, "They'd be booked all Summer if we could still pull it up."

I am happy to see that something stands in the way of at least some of WDW's "progress."

I just posted in the Campers section about whether or not you could see remnants of River Country and Discovery Island from Bay Lake, as I will be visiting FW this summer. Maybe I'll happen by the old Villas and check them out too, although I'm afraid it might just hurt too much...

James

 

[cottontail]

Great pic Lou.

I hate change, why don't they just renovate them, they sound great for large families. Peacock's on the deck, I would love that.

James, what have they done with discovery island, I also loved going there it was so peaceful and never crowded. For me the whole ride over and walk around the beautiful island with the animals was an attraction in itself.

Deb.

 

[cigar95]

A few months ago, I sent a letter to WDW Guest Relations. (I've found that real letters seem to get more attention than do emails.) I wanted to see if I might be able to arrange a visit to see the treehouses, and perhaps take a few pictures. Since I never had the chance to stay there, I was hoping for a bit of "Disney Magic", even if it required me spending a bit of "Disney money".

Well, it was just about two weeks ago that I finally got a reply. Apparently my letter reached a CM who appreciated the letter, and really tried his best to make my request happen. What he told me was that the area where the treehouses are located is now considered a backstage area, that the treehouses will not be reopened to guests, and that they are officially scheduled to be removed. Sad story.

Is this absolutely iron clad? Of course not. But this sounds like it came from someone who made inquiries in fairly high channels. I would put more stock in this answer than in what some of us have heard from bus drivers and boat skippers.

Just for the fun of it, I think when I visit WDW next week I'll ask as many different CMs as I can think of about the treehouses, just to see the range of answers I get.

 

[Cinderella00]

I was surfing the boards today and was very surprised to hear that the treehouse villas are in such bad condition. I stayed in Villa #1 in 2000 with my husband and three children. It was an incredible experience. So tranquil and peaceful right in the midst of WDW. I was a Cast Member at that time, and we were treated very well. The upstairs was neat because it had two baths, and in the one bathroom, there was a tub that was a cylinder for one person to sit in up to their neck, sort of a primitive hot tub- very nice and relaxing after a hike through the parks by day! The lower bedroom was neat because it had a bed suspended from the ceiling. When we were there, it was immaculate and beautiful. I have often said that the villa is where I would want to stay when I return, but now I suppose I won't get that chance. I do hope that WDW gets on the ball and at least cleans the places up or something.

 

[MBW]

A one bedroom with a loft. My best friend took her 4 year old nephew, and I took my almost 3 year old daughter. It was my first time back to Disney since I was a kid, and spawned in me a love for the Home Away From Home model of vacationing.

When we stayed at OKW in Sept. 01, we drove past them on many occasions, and they looked pretty neglected at that point. I do hope they breathe some sort of new life into them.

 

[Magnetic]

I would really -love- to see some interior photos of the villas -- all of you who've posted memories of them, I'm putting in a heartfelt request for you to go through those old vacation pics and scan some

We stayed at Saratoga Springs this past week and walked over to the villas along the OKW walking path. The lights were on in many of them, and you can hear the air conditioners running in the treehouse villas too, so I wondered if cast members are indeed living there? Why run the A/C if that weren't the case? Anyway, I did ask about the fate of the villas, and the front desk at Saratoga verified much of what's been said here, that the land they are on is a protected wetland, they can't be torn down, and what they've been told is that they will eventually be refurbished as part of SSR. For what it's worth...

 

[maryliz]

We stayed there in 2000 and it was fabulous. There were 4 adults, 2 children and one infant. We had a ton of room in our bedroom for the crib, loved the laundry right inside the unit (especially with an infant), and sitting on the deck in the morning with the peacocks and watching the golfers was truly vacation heaven.

I truly wish they'd refurb them and reopen. I first saw them in 1999 on the boat from FQ to DTD, and I remember thinking, "that would be so cool to stay there", and a year and a half later, we got an amazing deal at $185 per night so of course we jumped on it.

MaryLiz

 

[AKQJ10]

I'll have to look for some of the other shots I have of the Villas.. no recent shots of the insides though... I'll have to sneak in closer next time and get some pix through the windows (shhhhhhh...)

 

[Magnetic]

Hee! You're braver than we were. I was dying to peek inside but just looked from a distance. I'd love to see photos if you're successful!

 

[wilsonjen]

I stayed in a Treetop Villa with my family in the late '80s. We loved it! The kitchen was such a convenience and the wooded area was so peaceful. I remember sitting out on the deck as the sun came up and having a relaxing moment before our hectic day at the park began. I don't recall a pool, but that's probably because we were WDW commandos.

One of my favorite parts of staying there was sharing an upstairs bedroom in with my sister. One night, we were being obnoxious and jumping on the bed. She started laughing so hard, she had to lie on her back on the floor!

I grabbed my camera and took a photo of her on the floor from the bed, with the view out the curved treetop window behind. Such a great memory! That, and her late '80s bangs and rolled up jean shorts...

If they ever refurbish the Treehouses, I would definitely stay again.