What happened to the Tree House Villas?

[sweetinmaine]

We stayed at POR last March and while takingt the boat to DTD saw the Tree House Villas. We were told that they were closed for some renovations. Does anyone know more about these? We'd love to look into staying at them but can't find any info. Thanks...

 

[Scoootch]

Last things I heard were that they had been housing some of the CM's from a college program or something there but no longer and now alot of them have severe wood rot and other problems due to hurricanes and other weather related problems. Problem now is that they cannot tear them down to build new because they're considered "wet lands" or something and refebishing them is quite expensive...so as of right now I guess they just sit There have been rumours here and there that they'll referbish them and they may become part of DVC but none of the rumours are concrete so who knows?

 

[sunkissed212]

I was wondering the same thing. We noticed them too on our way back to POR from DTD last september. I would love to stay in one but apparently they aren't operational at the time. Big bummer!

 

[CarolA]

Over on the DVC board there are folks who think they will eventually become part of SSR. Who knows?

 

[imfortune8]

Our ferry boat captain told us as we drifted by that they were closed due to them being unable to conform to the new handicap accessible laws. He did also state that they were used to house CM's from epcot on occasion.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

The land on which the Treehouse Villas stand is "Parcel 3" of the Saratoga Springs Resort according to a survey carried out by the Surveying and Mapping Dept. of the Reedy Creek Energy Services in early 2004.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

To my kowledge all answers thus far are correct.

The land is a part of Saratoga Springs, they were using them to house some of the advanced interns until they were condemed for wood rot and made them close them completely and they were damaged during the Hurricanes. They are not ADA accessible but they don't have to be as they were built prior to the current laws and are grandfathered in.

It will be interesting to see what happens with them, my friend was living there (advanced intern) when they were closed and they were nice, with a little rehab I could see them being really nice again, but as was stated the $$ it would cost to repair them might be the deciding factor on their ultimate fate.

 

[eeyore0062]

They are quite nice and large... sleeping 8, I believe. It would be nice if they could be refurbished and become part of Saratoga Springs. Since Saratoga Springs has handicapped accessibility in its new buildings, it would not be necessary to make the Treehouses handicapped accessible (that and they were built before the law went into effect). However, since the Treehouses lie in a protected area, if they are destroyed, nothing further can be built in their place.

Also, still on the site of Saratoga Springs are the Grand Vista homes and Fairway Villas (greenish and can be seen from Buena Vista Drive and Disney Vacation Club Way across the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course). I often wonder of their fate. They are also wooden, so I am not sure if they suffered the same damage of the Treehouses, although last time I rode by there, a large tree had fallen into one from the hurricanes. That area was hit pretty hard.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of that area, and if the original buildings will be utilized of razed in favor of new buildings.

 

[dreamflight99]

We stayed in these years ago... and they were some of the nicest places on property! There is so much wildlife in the area, including everything imaginable. We also enjoyed the presence of "peacocks" which used to "roost" on the steps and porch. They were all part of the extra MAGIC we love. I wish they would refurbish these, and rent them again. But...I've heard too many things to the contrary. At least we enjoyed them while they were available. We also stayed in the old Disney institute...and enjoyed that experience too. Great memories...of days gone by.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Also, still on the site of Saratoga Springs are the Grand Vista homes and Fairway Villas (greenish and can be seen from Buena Vista Drive and Disney Vacation Club Way across the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course). I often wonder of their fate.

These villas are on Parcel 2 of SSR and will be coming down in the very near future to make way for 3 SSR buildings, a rather sizeable parking lot and a leisure pool. There was a construction crane in amongst the Fairway Villas in early January. This will make for a total of 17 SSR villa buildings, 1 less than the recently promised 18.