Treehouses?

[harleyquinn]

I did a search, but didn't find anything.

Are the treehouses in use and available for DVC bookings?

When we drove past SSR in the ME bus on the way to POR, I noticed a seperate entrance for the "treehouse villas."

FIL is borderline obsessed with the treehouses from a visit the family took like 20 years ago. If I tell DH we can stay in a treehouse with DVC he might actually agree to buy! (I know, I know, weird deciding factor!)

TIA!!

 

[harleyquinn]

Okay, I think i found the answer.

Nope. The treehouses are not available for use be the public.

Correct me if I'm wrong....darn!

 

[RobDoc]

NO- the Treehouse Villas have never been a part of SSR or any other DVC resort. They were a component of the Disney Institute and before that, the Disney Village Resort. They were taken out of regular service before SSR came along, were damaged when the hurricanes blew thru the area a few years ago and are now used to house International Castmembers working at WDW.

The Treehouse Villas had an occupancy of six on the two levels.

 

[harleyquinn]

Thanks Doc!

 

[buzz5985]

I stayed in a Treehouse many years ago with my 9 yo neice - she is now 26 married and with a child of her own.

We had a blast. We were on the Gold Key Plan - previously we had stayed 7 nights at the POLY - everything was included - room - admission - all food - recreation vehicles (golf carts, boats), tips. It was the best deal. So on the 7th day we moved to the Treehouses as a surpise. Our plan didn't expire so we got our golf carts and we drove them to dinner - back then you could drive up to restaurants in the area and plug your golf cart into the front of the restaurant. It was great.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I stayed in a Treehouse many years ago with my 9 yo neice - she is now 26 married and with a child of her own.

We had a blast. We were on the Gold Key Plan - previously we had stayed 7 nights at the POLY - everything was included - room - admission - all food - recreation vehicles (golf carts, boats), tips. It was the best deal. So on the 7th day we moved to the Treehouses as a surpise. Our plan didn't expire so we got our golf carts and we drove them to dinner - back then you could drive up to restaurants in the area and plug your golf cart into the front of the restaurant. It was great.

I have stayed at the Treehouses and also at the Poly on the Gold Key Plan. We also had the golf carts. Wow! Those were the days. My kids are now grown and that is still one of their favorite trips!

 

[TiffanyW1]

NO- the Treehouse Villas have never been a part of SSR or any other DVC resort. They were a component of the Disney Institute and before that, the Disney Village Resort. They were taken out of regular service before SSR came along, were damaged when the hurricanes blew thru the area a few years ago and are now used to house International Castmembers working at WDW.

The Treehouse Villas had an occupancy of six on the two levels.

I think I remember something about them being shut down because they were not handicap accessible & could not easily be made that way

 

[Mean Queen]

I think I remember something about them being shut down because they were not handicap accessible & could not easily be made that way

A CM told us they can't rebuild because it was declared environmentally sensitive land but Disney doesn't want to tear them down and lose all those rooms. So they put their International CM's in there to live, because it doesn't have to meet hotel disabled standards. I always asked the boat drivers from PO to tell us about them because I thought they were so cool looking.

 

[Youarehere]

A CM told us they can't rebuild because it was declared environmentally sensitive land but Disney doesn't want to tear them down and lose all those rooms. So they put their International CM's in there to live, because it doesn't have to meet hotel disabled standards. I always asked the boat drivers from PO to tell us about them because I thought they were so cool looking.

I heard the same thing. If they tear them down, they cannot rebuild anything there, but it is not economically feasible to bring them up to accesiblity code so they are just sort of in limbo until they choose a direction and use them for CM/ college program housing

 

[RoyalCanadian]

NO- the Treehouse Villas have never been a part of SSR or any other DVC resort.

Property surveys would suggest that the Treehouses are included in the SSR property.

 

[buzz5985]

I have stayed at the Treehouses and also at the Poly on the Gold Key Plan. We also had the golf carts. Wow! Those were the days. My kids are now grown and that is still one of their favorite trips!

Do you remember you could drive the golf cart to the restaurants and what is now DTD, and plug your golf cart in at the front of the restaurants?? What a time we had on those golf carts - cruising the golf courses at midnight when the sprinklers were going off. LOL

 

[Longhairbear]

YouTube has a few videos of the Treehouses as they are now, and being used as dorms.

 

[RobDoc]

Property surveys would suggest that the Treehouses are included in the SSR property.

While they may well sit on land included in a survey of SSR property, they have never been included as accommodations at SSR and are not part of the property description for the resort. LBV golf course and the DVC sales center is also part of the SSR property, but is not part of the resort and does not appear as part of the resort description.

 

[Nadine&Scott]

A CM told us they can't rebuild because it was declared environmentally sensitive land but Disney doesn't want to tear them down and lose all those rooms. So they put their International CM's in there to live, because it doesn't have to meet hotel disabled standards. I always asked the boat drivers from PO to tell us about them because I thought they were so cool looking.

I was under the impression that the original deal that Disney stuck with the State of Florida in the 60's was so sweet that Disney dba Reedy Creek could have different rules and laws than the State of Florida. So the environmentally sensitive excuse may not hold the same weight inside the property lines of Disney World as in the rest of Florida. Does anyone know about this?

Scott

 

[tinkerbelluk]

Disney's Treehouse's are still currently housing for international cast members who work in the magic kingdom. They are currently building a new housing complex for cast members and rumour is when it opens the treehouses will not be used for cast member housing anymore. So there is a small chance that the treehouses may be upgraded and become a resort again.

 

[spiceycat]

I was under the impression that the original deal that Disney stuck with the State of Florida in the 60's was so sweet that Disney dba Reedy Creek could have different rules and laws than the State of Florida. So the environmentally sensitive excuse may not hold the same weight inside the property lines of Disney World as in the rest of Florida. Does anyone know about this?

Scott

yea but the environment laws are Federal laws not state. Disney can't get out of them.

plus the handicapped law - is also Fed. Now I have a problem believing there are enough of these treehouses to apply the handicapped law - isn't under 50 units not included.

 

[Anthony1971]

This is a RUMOR that has been here before and told to me recently by a captian on one of the boats that services DTD.
He did explian the current situation.... BUT went on to say that they can not make them Handicap accessible as the ramp would wind around the whole building which is true so they can not make them a stand alone resort. He continued that they will be added to SSR in 2008 as then they can offer a Handicap room to thise who need it but SSR would need to be sold out to add on??
So there may be hope but again a rumor that has been told before but this person had a year

 

[henri + katie's mum]

If you've never seen the Treehouse's, here is a link to a YouTube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si-JWz-CaCA

The Treehouses are only shown briefly at about time 4:12.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

I dont think environmental or handicap reasons really matter all that much at all.

you can usually refurbish/update anything especially if you dont touch the foundation

handicapped--if they become part of another resort then they simply are just another room. One that wouldnt be given to handicapped.

 

[spiceycat]

handicapped--if they become part of another resort then they simply are just another room. One that wouldnt be given to handicapped.

that is just it - it can't become part of another resort.

OKW and SSR are both DVC resorts - nothing else is close enough for the Treehouses to become part of it.

DVC has higher standard than the WDW resorts. So no the treehouses would have to be torn down to become part of either resort.

why do you think that DI was torn down to the ground? it didn't meet DVC standard. and it was in a lot better shape than the treehouses.