Originally Posted By Bolna I guess if they are thinking of replacing a few buildings, the area to the west of the lobby would make sense. It appears that they might really feel the need to have another MK DVC-resort since this is the only one they can sell. AKV still has nearly 40% to sell and Saratoga had recently had its price reduced to 99 $ per point (as compared to 120 $ for AKV and 140 $ for BLT). While BLT is expected to be sold out pretty soon.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn I remember the Poly as a very young child. It holds great sentimental value to me, but I understand that things must change. I stayed at the old Disney Institute three times over the years. The DVC came in and leveled the place to build what is now Saratoga Springs. If the DVC does this at the Poly, I hope they do a better job than the SCORCHED EARTH method that they did at Saratoga. SS is horrible. It's huge, sterile, and boring.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn I think of Saratoga Springs resort as something that looked GREAT on paper blue prints, and looked great on financial projections, but once built ... just really lost the feel that they were going for. Old Key West is awesome. Beach Club and Boardwalk are wonderful. Wilderness Lodge, amazing. I'll even give ups to AK Villas. Saratoga should have made the waterfront a central feature, not unlike the lagoon between the Beach Club and the Biardwalk. But keeping the original front desk building and going for massive numbers of units, Saratoga developers dropped the ball. All said IMHO.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn I wonder how many millions of dollars are saved by building a duplicate like Wilderness Lodge and Grand Californian. Has to be huge savings. What kind of expenses other than design would be a savings?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>There won't be a huge tower here unless something radical changes. The plans they are currently thinking of are one (possibly two) seven-story DVC 'wings' that will take the place of some current buildings/rooms.<<< Ehh. Just don't touch the existing resort/GCH. I could live with something added on the edges.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Epcot they have already gone over the edge with the DVC at the Grand. It has the same feel as the DVC on the side as apparent at the Widerness Lodge except it ruins the pool area with the flat addition and eliminated much of the resort view for the Grand. These DVC hotel extensions always feel deserted and a little too remote and isolated. Bay Lake Tower does have a lobby with CastMembers present only to guard the exclusivity of the Top of the World Lounge and the DVC Sales Reps to tour the current floorplan models opportunity to sell more and more. When I enter other DVC lobbies there is No Welcome just the elevator and the presence of security cameras.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn I've been a member for a long time and I've never felt that way Mickeymouseclub, attest no more isolated than any other large hotel once u leave the front desk area. Can you elaborate?
Originally Posted By SeventyOne <<What kind of person doesn't like The Dr.?>> <It's a fine show, but I don't think it's very main stream here.> Last year, the Bill & Ted show at Halloween Horror Nights started with a Dr. Who gag. On a good night, maybe 10% of the pop culture-hip crowd "got" it. The roof blew off every time the Twilight trio came out tho...hmmm... >>
Originally Posted By SeventyOne <The town of Celebration (which really is even creepier since the real estate market crashed 3-4 years ago)> Tangential to the topic at hand, but QFT.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub in response to post 68:Kevin you are a DVC member.What is your home resort? Mine is the Wilderness...as I exit the main lobby and wander to the DVC building it is removed and completely empty as I enter the DVC lobby. That is also the way the new GCH extension has been built in California. Anybody can walk in and wander around. So I am guessing and hoping security cameras are constantly monitored. Unless it is a situation Disney is hoping the bad guys are not aware of. I am probably more sensitive to this because I am a female and I travel alone.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <The town of Celebration (which really is even creepier since the real estate market crashed 3-4 years ago)> <<Tangential to the topic at hand, but QFT.>> You mean you've noticed the roads that haven't been repaved since they were built in the 90s? The patches of overgrown grass and shrubs in public areas? The massive amount of small signs that show the property is available (usually because of foreclosure)? The glaring developments that don't fit the themed guidelines orginally installed because developers were desperate, so that all-American row of homes has an Italian-style villa next to it? Or have you just been in those empty Celebration Place towers, where some floors have never had a single tenant? Town should never have been developed. NEVER.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn Yes I do agree about the outdoor walkway to the entrance of the Lodge DVC rooms. It IS a bit quiet. But, almost any really large hotel is sort of quiet as you get to the more distant rooms. My home unfortunately is Beach Club Villas. I guess walking down long long long empty hallways at Boardwalk are sort of like the odd and very empty lobby of the DVC at Lodge. I guess I have to admit, you're right. It is pretty lonely and lonesome in these more remote areas. Still, I've been in many a very large hotel that wasn't DVC, that was equally "remote" and almost creepy. One that comes to mind is the Opryland Hotel, and the Builtmore. I don't know that there is a fix. I just think the emptiness is due more to the size of the resort than to the lack of attention from the DVC.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom The only DVC resort I can think of that is gated is perhaps Old Key West. Otherwise all the DVCs are public areas. I can remember when the only Disney resort that would not let you drive into and park at was AKL. And that was because it had a limited size parking lot. I know I have driven up and parked at WL, Pop Century, Swam/ Dolphin without staying there. I can't say if that is going on as of 2011. But it certainly was the case in 2009. And there is nothing stopping you from taking a resort bus to a specific resort to walk around ( I've done that too, many times ). Heck, I've taken Downtown Disney buses without even staying on property. I should say this though, that the far majority of Disney guests are honest, upstanding individuals. On my most recent trip, I was staying off property, but my brother and his family were staying at Pop Century. One day my brother and his family got home from the parks and found the door to their room open. They called Pop Century's front desk and reported this. Apparently the doors to any of the on property hotels are pretty hightech and they can display who was the last one to enter a room. In this case it was mousecleaning. So, as it turns out the door to their room had been left open since that morning. Nothing was taken from their room and they had cameras out, all kinds of stuff. But nothing was taken. I think it demonstrates that by far the majority of Disney guests are descent folks.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn We've never had a problem in the 15 years or so we've been going. I know nothing is perfect, and I am not being naive, but still, I agree Tom. Its been extremely safe and easy for us.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I've heard that Bay Lake Tower requires a key of some sort to get access from the main Contemporary building. As far as I know, all other DVC buildings are open to the public. We parked at the AKL DVC on my most recent visit, when we went for dinner at Sanaa. I'm sure that having dining reservations helped, but it seemed like there were empty tables, and people just visiting the resort could have eaten there too. Is there any sort of shuttle or walkway between the DVC and regular parts of AKL?
