From: Rich_Koster@agwbbs.new-orleans.LA.US (Rich Koster)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: New WDW Resorts Announced
Date: 9 Oct 92 03:41:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: agwbbs.Rich_Koster.0u9j
Distribution: world
Organization: The Amiga GateWay BBS * New Orleans, La.

A short blurb from the Money Section of today's (10/8/92) New Orleans
Times-Picayune, from wire and staff reports, quoting in entirety:
 
"Disney has big plans"
 
"ORLANDO, Fla. -- Walt Disney World plans to build three resorts with
more than 4,500 rooms and a third water theme park during the 1990s.
The themed resorts will be the All-Star Sports Resort, All-Star Music
Resort and Wilderness Lodge.  The water development is expected to be
much like the current River Country and Typhoon Lagoon."
 
From what we saw while at the Disneyana convention, the construction
on Wilderness Lodge is underway full steam, not far from the
Contemporary Resort on the monorail line, as a Magic Kingdom area
resort.  Lots of digging for the sewer system and underground
utilities right now, and there's a huge crane on site.  It will be
like a U. S. National Parks hotel, our personal speculation wonders
whether it will bear similarities to the Sequoia Lodge at EuroDisney.
Wilderness Lodge will connect to the Fort Wilderness Campground
Resort.  Four-laning of the road between the Contemporary Resort and
the public entrance to the Magic Kingdom parking gate is presently
under construction.  From what we saw, it looks like at least part of
that area will be boulevard-style with a median strip in between the
two directions of traffic.  We were also told on the Innovations in
Action tour that in that area, they were laying down underground pipe
to irrigate the landscaping with WDW's processed waste water.
 
Dick Nunis, Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, told us at the
Disneyana Convention that plans were underway for some very
"inexpensive" hotel resorts to be built, at the $60/night level.  The
two All-Star Resorts are what he was referring to, I think, because
he said they would have a sports and entertainment theme.  Dixie
Landings/Port Orleans/Caribbean Beach are in the $85-104/night range.
The room sizes are smaller than at the Polynesian and Contemporary,
the only other WDW hotels we've stayed at other than the Grosvenor.
There were two pedestal sinks in our Dixie Landings room, nice
wallpaper, an entertainment armoire that doubled as a chest of drawers
and a curtain treatment consisting of a nice but simply-made swag and
plantation blinds, a table and two chairs, and the king size bed,
facing the river, for $104 per night.  Because we requested a king
size bed but reserved the cheaper $85/night rate as part of a Magic
Kingdom Club pre-paid package, they gave us the $104/night room at
the $85/night rate.  A double, facing the parking lot, would be $85
per night but have the same look.  Overall the room was Disney-nice,
but simpler than the Polynesian and Contemporary.  So, sports and
music themed starting at $60, what do you suppose the rooms would be
like?
 
Nunis also said they've found that European visitors have especially
expressed a desire for lodging in this price range, and that they are
used to smaller rooms in European hotels.  He said one thing they'll
find different from many European lodgings is that these Disney
lodgings will have bathrooms in every room!
 
Somewhere we recall reading that there were plans for a resort
themed around haunted houses, but there was no mention of it at the
Disneyana Convention, and no word of it on the two electronic networks
we frequent.  But what an idea, what potential, and what a blast :-D!
But maybe too intense for young children :-( .
 
Dick Nunis also dropped hints about fourth and fifth gated attractions
at WDW coming up, but he couldn't divulge the details.  We all went
"Awwwwwwwwwwww!"  And he said, "I know.  I know."

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