What used to be on SSR's present site?

[arcruiser]

We have been going to WDW a long time.... not real often, but long enough to miss having drinks and listening to stand-up comics on the Empress Lily.... and before PI.... seems like AMC, Empress Lily and a few shops was pretty much it.

But for the life of me, I don't remember what used to be across from DTD.... maybe it's because we usually go at nite!

 

[PKK/MJK]

I remember when there was a Disney 'resort' where SSRS is now--it was called the 'Vacation Villas." We stayed in them once--around 1987, I believe, and they were very nice. They had a large living room downstairs with a kitchen and bathroom and a patio outside. The L.R. had a bed that pulled out from the wall. Upstairs there were two bedrooms--one of which overlooked the living room. I remember that the bus ride home from the parks was rather long--it wound through the Club House Villas and the Tree House Villas before coming to the Vacation Villas--so we'd take a bus to 'The Marketplace' (that's all there was then--no PI--no Westside) and walk to our resort.

 

[wdwfan1]

Before it was Saratoga Springs, it was the Disney Institute.

 

[Blackunicorn]

What was the Disney Institute?

 

[Doctor P]

The Disney Institute combined two separate facilities: 1) a laboratory where they experimented on the bodies and minds of guests who were taken into custody after misbehaving in one of the Disney theme parks; 2) a place where CM's who had nervous breakdowns were taken for treatment and recovery. Seriously, it was a Disney resort that was used for various training type programs, was used for corporate training programs, and also just as another villa hotel.

 

[Lesley]

The Disney Institute was sort of a retreat center...they had various classes and the spa as well as the villas that at one time had made up the Disney Village Resort (I think that was what it was called...). I know at one time the Marketplace was known as The Disney Village Marketplace.

Very funny Doctor P!

 

[chimera]

The Disney Institute combined two separate facilities: 1) a laboratory where they experimented on the bodies and minds of guests who were taken into custody after misbehaving in one of the Disney theme parks; 2) a place where CM's who had nervous breakdowns were taken for treatment and recovery.

They told us when we did our SSR tour that Treehouse Villas will be 'removed' and replaced with SSR Phase 3. There were still trees on top of one of the villas that weren't removed after the hurricanes!

 

[DukeStreetKing]

They told us when we did our SSR tour that Treehouse Villas will be 'removed' and replaced with SSR Phase 3. There were still trees on top of one of the villas that weren't removed after the hurricanes!

Most of the treehouses are sitting on protected wetlands and cannot be touched at all. That's why the trees are still on them. Nothing can be done with that land or the existing buildings, at least for the foreseeable future.

 

[Plus4206]

The Treehouses are on protected land. They will never be removed, but not because they can't be. They are "grandfathered". If Disney ever removes them, the land is gone for good. But because they are there, they can be put back into service at anytime.

Disney Institute was ME's personal brain child. The results of his inspiration are obvious.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

FWIW -- the nearly 21 acres of the Treehouse Villa property is now a part of the SSR property, officially known on surveys as "Parcel 3." The Fairway Villas are due to be replaced with SSR Villas in the near future. A construction crane was in that area in early January.

As for the treehouses "never" being removed -- "never" is a fairly strong word. Disney has made arrangements to get around wetlands conservancy issues within the WDW property in the past, and I'm sure could make similar arrangements today.

 

[CarolA]

Did any of you ever go to the Disney Institute? I went for a long weekend. My friend and I both LOVED it. We got to canoe on some of the protected wetlands, make a TV show, learn some cooking skills, learn some "Disney tricks" etc. I thought it was one of ME's GREAT ideas, but it just didn't seem people wanted to pay for it. (I miss it!)

 

[jmuboy]

If the Fairway Villas are going to be torn down in the near future, the Treehouse Villas will remain for now, what was the name of the accomodations across from DTD that wee torn down for phase one of SSR?

 

[Shelby5514]

Last week was the first time I had ever actually seen the Treehouse Villa's. They looked kinda spooky with all the overgrowth and trees. My first impression was 'Why would anyone want to stay there?'. I'm sure they were nice, but the look of them now just creeped me out!

 

[jmuboy]

It is really bad show to have those Treehouse Villas with fallen trees and weeds growing all around them. Protected lands or not, surely they can removed fallen trees.

 

[BCV23]

If the Fairway Villas are going to be torn down in the near future, the Treehouse Villas will remain for now, what was the name of the accomodations across from DTD that wee torn down for phase one of SSR?

The very first response from PKK/MJK had the answer...the Vacation Villas. There were also Club Lake Villas which might have been razed too for Phase I. We never stayed at any of the World Village Villas as the whole complex was called way back when.

 

[Plus4206]

..... the fallen trees are the result of the hurricanes that ripped thru last year. Approx 43,000 trees were toppled on WDW property. There are/were much more important guest areas to concentrate manpower on for tree removal. The entire tree house area is actually supposed to be off limits to guests.

In May DW and I were walking from OKW to DTD and took a wrong turn. We wound up in the Tree House area. We came across one quiet pool area that was immaculate - crystal clear pool, newly refurbished bath house, landscaped, lounge chairs looked new,etc - even had a CM spraying something under the shrubs. Some of the Tree Houses actually looked like someone was staying in them. We asked the CM what was going on with the treehouses and he just kinda smiled and said "You'll see".

 

[bags6490]

Down here at OKW since the 5th. My DD and I took the boat to DTD the other night and during a conversation with a cast member and a DVC ol'timer I heard that some of the tree houses are being used as personal housing by select few CM managers. This allows them to maintain some control over the property and keeps the lights on for the boat drivers to steer by. Now whether I believe them or not is another story, but there were lighs on at about 3/4 of the houses we went by. Some with the curtins open upstairs had a lived in look. Who knows...only the mouse.

 

[CarolA]

At one point I know they used the tree houses for some overflow International CM housing (Met a CM who was living there), but I think that came to an end.

I do think that Disney will eventually clear the trees, but as someone pointed out they have LOTS of problems still remaining from the hurricanes and the empty tree houses probably are near the bottom of the list!

 

[manning]

Only "THE SHADOW KNOWS"

The old timers (age) will know what this means.

 

[spiceycat]

the treehouses use to be pretty nice!

but that was before OKW was built....

you know I wanted to do the DI thing - but we had the free tickets - and a couple of months before the free tickets ended - WDW closed DI programs....

so yes I know I missed a olden opportunity - as did other DVC members.

if you were a DVC member you didn't have to stay at the DI to participate - you pay a fee $45 a day (I think it was) and participate...

It would have been nice.