Disney in Hawaii

[Janet89]

Saw this article on MSN. Interesting. . . . . .

Seventy years after his first ride on Hawaii surf, Mickey Mouse is finally coming back to the islands.

Disney's plan for a hotel complex in Hawaii is far from another Disneyland, both in distance and concept.

But Walt Disney Parks & Resorts' first venture in the islands will add 830 hotel and vacation time-share rooms, a fantasy-laden water play area and an 18,000-square-foot spa to Kapolei in the rapidly expanding Ko Olina resort on West Oahu. The complex is expected to be completed in 2011.

It'll be the first such complex for Disney away from a theme park, combining a 350-room hotel with 480 vacation villas on one of Ko Olina's four man-made lagoons, which already feature a Marriott hotel and time shares, a luxury condominium project and wedding chapels.

"We plan to offer the opportunity for our guests to vacation in a completely new way, very different than they do at our theme-park resorts — when they come here to Hawaii … to discover Oahu, to discover the Hawaiian Islands," said Disney Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo.

The resort is expected to hire 1,000 "cast members," Rasulo said. Many will come from Oahu's relatively low-income Leeward Coast.

He noted that one of Walt Disney's earliest films, "Hawaiian Holiday" of 1937, featured Mickey on a surfboard in the islands.

Disney has several themed resort hotels near Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, but has never built a hotel and time-share complex that will stand on its own. Hawaii has no full-scale amusement park.

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

The time-share units will be part of the 350,000-member family-oriented Disney Vacation Club, which has eight other resorts.

Slide Show: Heavenly Hawaii

[ElenitaB]

There's more discussion about the new resort (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=144395) over on the DVC board.

Sounds lovely! :cloud9:

[wizardmickey]

Kinda funny...
We're going to Hawaii the first week of December and staying at the Marriott/Ko Olina Resort (can't remember the full name) and decided for fun to use GoogleEarth to get a view of the area... right next to the resort we're staying at was a little marker on the sattelite map, so I clicked it to see what was in this wide open area... It listed it as the "Future Home of the Walt Disney Vacation Club Resort"!!!!
If only we'd waited a few years to go...

["SULLEY "RULES!!]

Kinda funny...
We're going to Hawaii the first week of December and staying at the Marriott/Ko Olina Resort (can't remember the full name) and decided for fun to use GoogleEarth to get a view of the area... right next to the resort we're staying at was a little marker on the sattelite map, so I clicked it to see what was in this wide open area... It listed it as the "Future Home of the Walt Disney Vacation Club Resort"!!!!
If only we'd waited a few years to go...
ALOHA!!!! Have a blast on your trip to HAWAII ( DH and I plan on going there in a few years )on one of our anniv. 15th, 20th, ??Enjoy!!!!:lei:

[wizardmickey]

"SULLEY" RULES!!:
ALOHA!!!! Have a blast on your trip to HAWAII ( DH and I plan on going there in a few years )on one of our anniv. 15th, 20th, ??Enjoy!!!!
Thanks! We had always planned to do this as an anniversary trip as well... But, as it worked out, the wife works for a company that has her travelling all over the world and staying in hotels and driving rental cars when not flying. As a result she has racked up tons of mileage and points - some of which we needed to use before the year ended - so we chose a place we had never been to and figured it would take us many years to save up for - and in essence after cashing in points and stuff it cost us $45 (not including meals!) Should be fun!!!!

[mouseketeer mom]

"SULLEY" RULES!!:
Thanks! We had always planned to do this as an anniversary trip as well... But, as it worked out, the wife works for a company that has her travelling all over the world and staying in hotels and driving rental cars when not flying. As a result she has racked up tons of mileage and points - some of which we needed to use before the year ended - so we chose a place we had never been to and figured it would take us many years to save up for - and in essence after cashing in points and stuff it cost us $45 (not including meals!) Should be fun!!!!

$45.00?? Now that is SWEET!! Lucky you! Have fun!

[johnO]

It'll be the first such complex for Disney away from a theme park,..........
Disney has several themed resort hotels near Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, but has never built a hotel and time-share complex that will stand on its own. Hawaii has no full-scale amusement park.

Disney's Hilton Head Resort is "Stand alone"...............

[lockedoutlogic]

Disney's Hilton Head Resort is "Stand alone"...............

as is Vero Beach.....


geez....I could be a pretty decent newsclip writer if I'm not required to conduct basic background writer....

come on, now.....

[ThanxForNoticin]

I was also wondering what they consider Hilton Head and Vero Beach, if not 'stand-alone and not at a theme park'. I don't remember the Magic Kingdom bus stopping at Vero....!!

[dmosher]

Yeah, sadly the Hawaii build has been put on hold.
:pipes:
D

[johnO]

Yeah, sadly the Hawaii build has been put on hold.
:pipes:
D
That's not what the report claims. It's going forward......

[johnO]

OAHU, Hawaii, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts says it has broken ground for its first family destination resort in Hawaii with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony.

The 21-acre oceanfront property is located at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on the western side of Oahu.

Scheduled to open in 2011, the new family-friendly destination will overlook lagoons and beaches, and is expected to include 350 hotel rooms and 480 Disney Vacation Club timeshare villas, the company said in a release.

"This Disney destination resort will provide a unique way for families to experience Hawaii," Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a statement. "By blending Disney's high standard of guest service and creative storytelling, we'll create a place where all family members can discover the wonder of these special islands."

Rasulo noted that Disney chose to build a resort on Oahu due to the international popularity of Hawaii as a family vacation destination. Hawaii is among the top vacation choices of Disney Vacation Club members after the Disney theme park destinations, the company noted.

Plans call for an expansive pool and water play area, an 18,000 square-foot spa, a wedding lawn, an 8,000-square-foot convention center, a children's club, two restaurants -- one of which will provide a view of the ocean -- and a snorkel lagoon.

Hawaii was the setting for the 2002 animated Disney film "Lilo & Stitch."

from upi.com

[Melanie]

Disneyland Resort Press Release

Disney’s Hawai‘i Project Begins With Ground Blessing

O‘AHU, Hawai‘i, November 19, 2008 – Walt Disney Parks and Resorts broke ground for its first family destination resort in Hawai‘i today with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony on its 21-acre oceanfront property, located at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on the western side of O‘ahu. Scheduled to open in 2011, the new family friendly destination will overlook breathtaking crystal blue lagoons and white sand beaches and is planned to include 350 hotel rooms and 480 Disney Vacation Club timeshare villas.

“This Disney destination resort will provide a unique way for families to experience Hawai‘i,” said Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “By blending Disney’s high standard of guest service and creative storytelling, we’ll create a place where all family members can discover the wonder of these special islands.”

Rasulo noted that Disney chose to build a resort on O‘ahu due to the international popularity of Hawai‘i as a family vacation destination. Hawai‘i is among the top vacation choices of Disney Vacation Club members following Disney’s theme park destinations.

Several of Hawai‘i’s elected officials and community leaders welcomed Disney to O‘ahu at the ground blessing ceremony, including Lieutenant Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr.

“We’re excited for this project to begin, knowing the family appeal of both Hawai‘i and Disney,” Aiona said. “We’re confident this resort will attract guests from the mainland and Asia because of the natural beauty of Hawai‘i and Disney’s reputation for delivering unparalleled family experiences.”

State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa also attended the ground blessing and said, “From the moment Disney announced that it was purchasing property on O‘ahu, they have shown an interest in our community and have demonstrated they understand the spirit of aloha that we hold dear in our state. I couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Disney to Hawai‘i as a new neighbor and employer.”

Planned Resort Features
Rasulo noted that plans call for the resort to be built to engage every member of the family, from parents to children, teens and grandparents. “This resort will be a place where families can escape to reconnect and create lifelong memories,” Rasulo said. “We have kept this vision in mind throughout the design.”

Plans call for an expansive pool and water play area, an 18,000 square-foot spa, a wedding lawn, an 8,000 square-foot convention center, a children’s club and spectacular dining at two restaurants -- one of which will provide a stunning view of the ocean.

The design also calls for activities and amenities that aim to engage every member of the family. At the resort’s signature water way, for example, family friendly tubes and body slides will weave through volcanic rockwork and engage an iconic caldera volcano, while a nearby wading pool gives parents with toddlers a welcoming alternative to the sprawling zero-entry fun pool. In addition, more adventurous family members will find vibrant fish species in a saltwater snorkel lagoon.

Beyond activities for the whole family, the resort is being designed to respect and connect with the local culture of the Hawaiian islands. During the past year, the Walt Disney Imagineering team has been researching Hawai‘i and working with local architects and cultural experts as part of the resort’s creative design process. The resulting design is a village celebrating the Hawaiian customs and traditions that lead to a life filled with joy and in harmony with the natural world. To further incorporate Hawaiian traditions, cultural programming in the areas of environmental education, music, dance, history, and arts and crafts; a story-driven, technology-enabled adventure game; and other surprises come together to create a Hawaiian destination that’s uniquely Disney.

Additionally, Hawai‘i’s aloha spirit will influence the many intricate details for which Disney resorts are famous, with stories woven into the architecture, interiors, art, graphics and three planned signature gardens all brought to life through carefully selected colors, patterns, materials and forms. Wood, thatch, lava stone and coral will be among the materials represented in the resort’s two 15-story guestroom towers, each oriented perpendicular to the ocean to maximize ocean views from the strategically angled guest rooms. Façade murals will add to the distinctive look of each tower and will begin to portray some of the stories and legends of the islands.

At the heart of the resort, an open-air lobby building -- dubbed Hale Aloha -- will draw its design inspiration from a traditional Hawaiian canoe house, visually connecting families to the sea and beyond. Window designs, wall graphics and other details will welcome families with tales of adventure, myth, legend and more, while twin streams flow through the building before uniting as a single cascade into the center garden below.

In October, Disney shared design plans for the new resort with Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who is looking forward to the opening of the project in 2011.

“From my first meeting with Disney executives in California, to subsequent sessions in Honolulu, I continue to be impressed with the effort and the time Disney has put into researching Hawai‘i,” Mayor Hannemann said. “Disney leaders have met with Hawaiian cultural experts to gain an understanding and appreciation of our host culture. The end result will be a resort that local residents will be proud to have on our island, and it will be a family attraction that our residents and visitors will find enjoyable and meaningful.”

Disney Vacation Club
Part of the Disney resort hotel in Ko Olina will be dedicated to Disney Vacation Club, a timeshare program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on vacations for decades to come. By becoming a member of Disney Vacation Club, families can enjoy vacations at Disney destinations worldwide as well as more than 500 other popular Member Getaways vacation locations around the globe.

Disney Vacation Club accommodations blend Disney’s famed attention to storytelling detail with all the comforts of home. From well-appointed studios equipped with convenient kitchenettes to sprawling, one-, two- and three-bedroom villas complete with full-size kitchens, washers and dryers, luxury tubs and other homelike amenities, Disney Vacation Club Resorts create flexible options to meet the needs of thousands of families from around the world.

Since its inception in 1991, Disney Vacation Club has grown to serve more than 350,000 individual members from approximately 100 countries and all 50 states.

[mouseketeer mom]

Now this project sounds like a dream to me. Being a huge Polynesian fan, I can only imagine how Disney really does Hawaii, for real.

[EPCOT84]

:papple:Mahalo for this thread. It is wonderful to read the project is on track. Its just too bad the location is remote from the heart of the tourist trade. I hope the Japanese tour groups expand their bus service to bring the casual vacationer dollars over to the Ko Olima area.

[buzznwoodysmom]

My family has always wanted to vacation in Hawaii. With DH supposed to be finishing up a deployment in Iraq at the end of 2010/beginning of 2011, this may be our perfect first family vacation when he returns. It would be worth waiting a few months after he gets back to take this trip. The description sounds amazing.