Disney builds Hawaii resort

[Tony]

Below reported today in the Sydney Daily Telegraph.


THE Walt Disney Company plans to build a family resort in Hawaii, but it will not include a Disneyland theme park.

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts announced today it has bought 21 8.5 hectares of oceanfront property on the western side of Oahu that it will use to build an 800-room hotel complex.

The resort, Disney's first without a nearby theme park, would emphasise family-centred vacations while respecting Hawaii's culture, said Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo.

"It will give our guests another way to visit a place that they've loved for many years," Rasulo said.

"As the crossroads of Asia, it is your diverse culture that makes this place so special."

Disney spent $US144 million ($A163.39 million) to buy the land at the Ko Olina development, near the existing JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa.

Disney has several themed resort hotels near Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, but it has never built a hotel resort that will stand on its own.

Hawaii has no full-scale amusement park.

Construction on the resort is expected to begin next year, with opening set for 2011. The planned Disney complex has not yet been named.

Rasulo said there were no plans to expand the resort into a theme park.

[Jack Skellington]

That's cool, I guess they'll have a Lilo & Stitch theme to their hotels.

[Kram Nebuer]

A couple days ago, Escapay and Jane McCoy and I were watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall and I commented that Disney never really took the opportunity to build a resort in Hawaii. I know the Disney Vacation Club has resorts outside of Disney like Hilton Head Island in one of the Carolinas, Castaway Cay in the Bahamas, and Vero Beach in Florida. Much to my surprise, I came across this bit of news that there's plans for Disney to build a Hawaii resort and some pictures of a scale model! The pool area looks like a lot of fun! I wonder if they'll have character meals and meet and greets too, especially for Lilo and Stitch characters.

(10/21/08) Late last week Disney unveiled the scale model of the new Hawaiian Disney Resort project. To be built on the western side of Oahu, the resort will include 350 regular hotel rooms, 480 Disney Vacation Club villas, an large volcano themed water play area, a conference center, kids club, wedding lawn and spa. The resort is on track to open in 2011.

Concept Art:


Scale Model with unknown executives:


Zoom in of Scale:


From: http://www.screamscape.com/html/disney_-_hawaii_0.htm

[Daisy Duck]

Now a second resort hotel is being planned. This one will be in Washington, D.C. I'm not sure how I feel about this as I worry about oversaturation of the Disney franchise...

Reported on WDW News Today's website: www.wdwnewstoday.com

It appears that the second Disney resort hotel outside of the parks will be built in Washington D.C., according to this press release:

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Peterson Companies announced today the sale of land at its National Harbor development near Washington, DC to Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Disney is considering using the 15-acre site overlooking the Potomac River in National Harbor, MD as the location for a resort hotel for families and others visiting the National Capital Region.

“We’re thrilled Disney has decided to invest in National Harbor,” said Milton V. Peterson, chairman of the Peterson Companies. “Disney is the top family entertainment company in the world, and its purchase is a great vote of confidence in the future of National Harbor and the Washington area as a top family tourism destination.”

The new resort hotel would be one of Disney’s stand-alone resort hotels separate from the Disney theme parks. This new resort hotel, like the project under construction in Hawaii, will be in a prime geographic location and will provide guests with the same comfort, fun and amenities for which Disney is famous.

“As we began identifying possible locations to grow our business, the Washington, DC area immediately jumped to the top of the list,” said Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “National Harbor offers an array of entertaining activities for regional visitors, but it is also a family-friendly base camp, from which visitors from around the world can explore the stirring sights and inspirational stories of our nation’s capital. We believe National Harbor has the unique opportunity to offer a new level of family-friendly hospitality.”

[AwallaceUNC]

Disney has several themed resort hotels near Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, but it has never built a hotel resort that will stand on its own.

The newspaper got this wrong:

http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/guest/reso ... andingPage

http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/guest/reso ... andingPage

-Aaron

[blackcauldron85]

Aloha Aulani! Disney’s New Destination Resort in Hawai`i
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2 ... in-hawaii/
(via laughingplace.com)

[blackcauldron85]

New concept art from Aulani, the lobby revealed
http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/02/08/new ... -revealed/

[blackcauldron85]

The News from Disney’s Aulani
http://www.yesterland.com/disneykoolina8.html
(via disneyreport.com)

[blackcauldron85]

An Update on Aulani! Disney’s New Destination Resort in Hawai`i
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=74170

[blackcauldron85]

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/201 ... -kingdom/2
(via laughingplace.com)

CFB: You're responsible for Disney's Hawaiian resort when it opens. What sort of animal work will go on there?

We are going to have great opportunities for our guests at the resort in Hawaii to get up close and personal with a variety of tropical fish. And so we're going to have opportunities for them to do some of the swim-through snorkeling, and we also are going to have educational opportunities for groups of kids.

[blackcauldron85]

An extensive FAQ list and lots of photos:

Disney Goes Hawaiian, Part 9:
Disney’s Aulani Is Topped Out
http://www.yesterland.com/disneykoolina9.html
(via disneyreport.com)

[blackcauldron85]

Worker Critically Injured at Disney's Aulani Resort Construction Site
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest-ID-74623.asp

[blackcauldron85]

Disney Vacation Club Launches Sales for Aulani, First Resort in Hawai`i
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest-ID-74662.asp


Hawaii resort Aulani may be key to Disney growth
http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010/06/ ... ey-growth/
(via disneyreport.com)

[blackcauldron85]

Hawaii's Aulani Resort pricing, dues, taxes
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest-ID-74695.asp

[blackcauldron85]

Full Aulani DVC Resort Run-Down!
http://www.mouseinfo.com/forums/disney- ... -down.html
(via disneyreport.com)

[blackcauldron85]

A few days ago, Yesterland reader Mike took photos from various vantage points around the West Oahu construction site. The timing is good because there’s plenty to report about Aulani too.

http://www.yesterland.com/disneykoolina10.html

[blackcauldron85]

An Early Peek at Aulani
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest-ID-74911.asp

[blackcauldron85]

Disney Parks Chairman Tom Staggs Visits Aulani
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest-ID-74940.asp

[blackcauldron85]

Disney not nervous about launching new Hawaiian resort
http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest-ID-75026.asp

[blackcauldron85]

Disney Goes Hawaiian, Part 11:Aulani One Year From Opening
http://www.yesterland.com/disneykoolina11.html
(via disneyreport.com)