Deluxe resorts as low as $174 per night with Booking Code DMK.  Good at Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa on vacations taken between Sunday and Thursday, 11/12, 11/14-11/22, 11/25 and 12/15-12/20, 2008.  Valid on stays in a studio room, and price does not include tax.  You must book before December 7, 2008.  Disney Deluxe Hotels Discount Details.

Value resorts as low as $59 per night with Booking Code DMK.  Good at select Disney value resorts for a standard room (price does not include tax).  Good for trips taken on most nights between Sunday and Thursday, 11/1-11/22, 11/29-12/6, 12/14-12/23, 2008.  You must book before December 7, 2008.  Disney Value Hotels Discount Details.

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Deluxe Villa Resorts

• Animal Kingdom Villas: From $269 per night
• Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa: From $295 per night
• Old Key West Resort: From $295 per night
• Beach Club Villas: From $335 per night
• Boardwalk Villas: From $335 per night
• Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge: From $325 per night

Deluxe Resorts

• Animal Kingdom Lodge: From $240 per night
• Wilderness Lodge: From $240 per night
• Contemporary Resort: From $280 per night
• Beach Club Resort: From $335 per night
• Yacht Club Resort: From $335 per night
• Boardwalk Inn: From $335 per night
• Polynesian Resort: From $355 per night
• Grand Floridian Resort & Spa: From $399 per night

Moderate Resorts

• Caribbean Beach Resort: From $149 per night
• Coronado Springs Resort: From $149 per night
• Port Orleans Resort French Quarter: $149 per night
• Port Orleans Resort Riverside: $149 per night
• Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort: $265 per night

Value Resorts

• Pop Century Resort: From $82 per night
• All-Star Movies Resort: From $82 per night
• All-Star Music Resort: From $82 per night
• All-Star Sports Resort: From $82 per night

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground

• Campsite (with partial hook-up): From $43 per night
• Campsite (with full hook-up): From $57 per night
• Preferred Campsite: from $62 per night
• Premium Campsite: From $72 per night

Other Hotels

• Swan: From $249 per night
• Dolphin: From $249 per night

Source: Walt Disney World website

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Now there is news of brand new Disney Vacation Club Treehouse Villas coming to Walt Disney World’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa in 2009.   As part of the Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, Disney Vacation Club guests of the new Treehouse Villas will be able to use all of the amenities the resort has to offer in addition to a private Treehouse Villa pool.

The Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa will be elevated 10 feet from the ground and include sixty 3-bedroom/2-bath guest units which will each accommodate up to nine guests.   Despite being called “treehouses” the new villas will feature updated amenities, including flat screen TVs, granite kitchen countertops and cathedral ceilings in the living rooms.  Two of the bedrooms in each villa will have queen beds, and the third will have bunk beds.  The living room will include a queen pull-out couch and a sleeper-chair.  The kitchen will include counter-seating for 3 and a table for 6.

I’m sure the new Treehouse Villas will be very popular!  I always wanted to stay in the Treehouses in the 1970s when I was a child.  I had a friend whose family stayed there once, and she loved it.  Perhaps I’ll get a chance to stay at the new Treehouse Villas after they open. 

How about you?  Would you like to stay at the new Treehouse Villas?

Source of image of an original treehouse: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Disney has confirmed more details about the new Disney Vacation Club destination saying it will open in 2009 and will include:

• Accommodations: Studio, one, two and three bedroom guest rooms.  All but the studio rooms will include fully equipped kitchens with granite countertops, washer/dryer, separate bedrooms and other features that are meant to craete a real “home” feeling perfect for families.
• Lobby: Glass encased columns, views of the pool and Bay Lake.
• Pool: The new Bay Cove pool will be a zero-entry pool with a whirlpool and interactive children’s water feature.
• Activity Center:  Called Community Hall.
• Top of the World Lounge: Remember the Top of the World on the 15th floor of the main Contemporary Resort tower?  The name is coming back to a new rooftop lounge, which will include an outdoor deck to view the Magic Kingdom fireworks shows.  The only problem is that Disney is saying access to the Top of the World Lounge will be limited.  No word on exactly what that will mean yet.

What do you think?  I know this Disney Vacation Club resort will have a premium price tag on it, but it sounds like the extra “points” will be worth it!

Image: Susan Gunelius

Technorati Tags: disney vacation club,dvc,contemporary resort,bay lake tower,disney rumors,disney news,dvc contemporary,disney vacation club contemporary,walt disney world,disney hotels

Post from: The Disney Traveler

In addition to the changes I wrote about in April (which you can read by following the link above), the Orlando Sentinel reports that you’ll soon see, “Segway scooter tours, a mini-water park, a dog park and an improved electric-cart rental operation.”

If you visited Walt Disney World some 15 years ago or so (or earlier), then you might remember Disney’s original water park, River Country, which included a pool and old fashioned water hole slides, zip-lines, and more.  River Country closed years ago with the opening of Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, but much of the original water park remains intact. 

Now, Disney is thinking of ways to move or recycle the original River Country water tower landmark to the Fort Wilderness pool.  But that’s not all.  They’re also thinking of a way to add a slide to the water tower.  Sounds like it might be a similar concept to the slide that goes through the pirate ship at Stormalong Bay at the Beach Club Resort.

A final new piece of news – The Meadows pool at Fort Wilderness will also get a new splash-zone attraction.

Sounds like great changes (and long overdue) are coming to Fort Wilderness.  What do you think?

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

I like the skyway that connects the main Contemporary Resort Tower to the new DVC tower.  I can’t wait to see the inside!

For more about the Disney Vacation Club and the new DVC Tower at the Contemporary Resort, check out these posts on The Disney Traveler:

Becoming Members – Pros and Cons of the Disney Vacation Club

Disney Vacation Club Tower at Contemporary Resort on Sale Soon

Images: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

We did it.

We are now officially a part of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) family. Honestly, this is something I didn’t think we would ever do. My husband wasn’t a big fan of being locked into vacationing at one place, but over the years had a change of heart. We have always been big Disney people. We head to Orlando at least three times a year, maybe more. So after taking a look at our vacationing patterns and realizing what’s being built next to the Contemporary Resort (yes, you know, what no one remotely connected to the property can talk about – wink, wink), becoming a member of DVC made sense for us. We bought into the Beach Club Villas (EPCOT resorts) and haven’t been disappointed.

However, it doesn’t make sense for everyone. DVC is a rather large investment, perhaps maybe not the best words to hear right now in these unusual economic times, and for many, it’ll pay for itself overtime. Now, truthfully when my husband talked about doing this, my first reaction wasn’t jumping up and down for joy. I was happy, but cautious; that is, until I thought about the pros and cons. So, if you’re on the fence of whether to become a member or not, do what I did – make a list. I’ve included some of my pros and cons on becoming a DVC member.

Pros

• The Room/Space in the Villa: I love my family, but there are times that we need to have our own areas. Now this is impossible in a hotel room, but not with the DVC’s Villas. Even the one-bedrooms are a little larger than your typical hotel rooms. Also included is a kitchen/sink area and in the larger Villas, a washer/dryer unit.

• The Extras: I’m the nerd who works on vacation and I must have my Internet. Yes, I part with a good chunk of my money on every trip I take for internet service, but not anymore on Disney properties. The internet is free for DVC members. There are a number of discounts and perks available with your DVC membership. The discounts may seem small – you know, 10 percent here or so much off here, but can add up over time. And speaking of adding up over time…

• Ownership is Cost Effective: If you find yourself visiting the Mouse’s House over two times a year and staying on property, you know DVC just might be for you. The best thing to do is one night at home, sit down and make a list of all your expenses that you incur when staying at one of the resort hotels and compare it to DVC’s benefits and price. You might be surprised.

Cons

• Plan Ahead: If you are the type that thrive on planning last minute vacations, the DVC isn’t for you. No, with this you need to plan a little further out. Well, actually a lot further out. To get the room what you want, when you want it, you need to make reservations at your home resort (the one you bought into when you became a member) 11 months in advance. Want to stay somewhere else? Need to make those reservations seven months in advance. Thinking about going during the peak seasons? Your best bet is sticking with your home resort and calling for space.

• Point Limitations: While you can use your points for non-Disney vacations, you are rather limited. When you buy into the DVC club, make sure that you really want to stay at Disney.

Apryl Chapman Thomas is the author of Southern Byways. When she isn’t spending time in Walt Disney World, she’s vacationing around the South and beyond.

Image: Apryl Chapman Thomas

Post from: The Disney Traveler

I do wonder though if the infrastructure (i.e., the monorails and buses) can handle all of the additional people that will be using them once the tower opens.

Photos: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

First, many of the campsites will be converted to Premium Campsites with power, water, sewer, cable TV and internet access included. These campsites will be enlarged to accomodate RVs larger than 45 feet in length and up to 24 feet wide. Picnic tables and grills will also be replaced with new units.

Additionally, some campsites will be renamed as Preferred Campsites. These campsites will not be enlarged but are in popular locations. Power, water, sewer and cable TV will be included with internet access available at an additional cost.

Tent/Pop-up Campsites will offer partial hook ups for tents and pop-up or van campers. Power, water and cable TV will be included and internet access will be available at an additional cost.

These changes should certainly make Fort Wilderness an attractive lodging option to more Disney guests.

Photo: Flickr

Tags: Walt Disney World, Fort Wilderness, Disney camping, Disney campgrounds, Disney RV

Post from: The Disney Traveler