Tree House Villas

[SueM in MN]

I think there are about 70 original Tree Houses. I've long thought it's well worth Disney's effort and money to keep the Tree Houses, even if they have to tear down a few of the damaged units. They're special and unique in their own right - there's nothing else on site like them. They could be updated to look like gazebos to fit in with the "Saratoga" theme, including a few ADA units.

What I have read and what DH has heard about them over the years (mostly talking to the OKW bartenders) is that they can't change the "footprint" (the amount of space and the shape of the space) of the Treehouses. They could do a lot of renovation (including anything they need to make them ADA compliant) without changing the footprint.
If they chose to add ramps rather than elevators/lifts for wheelchair access, it would only be a few units (like 3 or 4 out of 70) and they would probably get a permit for that since it's ADA and would be so few units.

 

[Forever a Princess]

I hope they plan on rennovating them. On our recent trip we saw the exterior of a lot of them when we took the boat from Downtown Disney back to POR.

They look so cool from the outside!

We had a chance to stay in them years back. Wish we would of. Guess I'll have to hope that one day they'll be open again.

 

[SueM in MN]

Actually, some of them were renovated not that long ago. I can't remember exactly when it was, but maybe 5 years ago on 3 trips to WDW we could see the ones along the river were being stripped down to bare framing. I know I don't have any digital pictures of the process, but somewhere I think I have some photos. I might look for them after Christmas.
I have no idea how many were renovated, but we could see different ones along the river being worked on as we went by on a boat.
Some of the roofs were damaged after the hurricane the really nailed Orlando (was it in 2004??).

 

[kritter]

When you go by them on the boat ride they look soo scarey and far removed....I would not want to stay in them....

 

[smjj]

We just got back from OKW and when we went by the treehouse villa entrance it was all cleaned up and manned. There were always people there. I asked the bus driver about this and she stated she "had heard" they were being fixed up for the college program kids. She did say that this was only what she had heard but it kind of jives with what others had said. She also talked about Disney having their hands tied because this area was a nature preserve now and only repairs can be made there. I had also heard from others this as well...smjj

 

[Sammie]

Actually, some of them were renovated not that long ago. I can't remember exactly when it was, but maybe 5 years ago on 3 trips to WDW we could see the ones along the river were being stripped down to bare framing. I know I don't have any digital pictures of the process, but somewhere I think I have some photos. I might look for them after Christmas.
I have no idea how many were renovated, but we could see different ones along the river being worked on as we went by on a boat.
Some of the roofs were damaged after the hurricane the really nailed Orlando (was it in 2004??).

yes they were damaged during Hurricane Charlie.