Next up, William writes in to ask:
Do you know why the Tree House Villas at Walt Disney World have never reopened? They were "temporarily" closed after 9/11 and they have never reopened. When taking the boat launch from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney, the Tree House Villas are still visible. The only problem is they still have trees and tree branches on top of them from the hurricanes of last year. It looks like nothing has been done to repair them or even clean up the downed trees. I would really like to know why this resort remains abandoned and neglected.
You know, I'm not actually sure about this one, William. So why don't we turn to JHM resident WDW hotel expert -- Scott Liljenquist of Mouseketrips.com -- and see what he has to say about what's going with the Treehouse Villas at Disney World? Scott?
That's an interesting question, William, and one that we get asked quite often. Apparently there is still plenty of interest in the Treehouse Villas if the number of inquiries we get is any indication.
First a little history for those who might not be familiar with the Treehouse Villas. Disney announced plans in 1973 for a permanent residential area to be constructed on Walt Disney World property. To be called Lake Buena Vista, it was to have included townhomes, single family homes, apartments, condos, a shopping area, and recreation facilities. The 60 Treehouse Villas were built in 1975 as a part of this project, which was renamed the Village Resort in 1985 when the original residential concept was abandoned.
The Treehouse Villas are two-story, octagonal-shaped structures that feature 3 bedrooms, a living room area, full kitchen, dining area, and two bathrooms. Located right on the bank of the Sassagoula River, each Treehouse Villa is a free-standing structure and is surrounded by trees and wooded areas. The second floor is cantilevered and makes for a very interesting architectural design.
The entire Village Resort and along with the Treehouse Villas were absorbed in 1996 into the Villas at the Disney Institute, Michael Eisner's "Education on Vacation" concept. You can see the villas at the north eastern end of the property in an original property map below.
All of the Treehouse Villas were closed in 2001 after 9/11, with an undetermined future as a reopening date was never set. Although given a valiant effort, Disney in late 2002 finally determined that the "educational vacation" was just not appealing to visitors and closed the Disney Institute permanently. The Disney Institute land was to be turned over to the Disney Vacation Club for construction of Saratoga Springs, a new vacation ownership property which opened its first phase in 2004.
The Treehouses, however, remain closed. Why For? The Treehouse Villas, as they currently exist, don't fit architecturally in the theme of Saratoga Springs and would require extensive renovation in order to make them inhabitable again. In addition, the freestanding construction of each unit dramatically increases maintenance and housekeeping costs.
Disney would ultimately like to tear down the Treehouses and replace them with another phase of Saratoga Springs, but they can't. The Warren S. Henderson Wetlands Protection Act of 1984 prohibits most new construction in any area designated as wetlands. The Treehouse Villas property, located as it is on the shore of the river, falls under this Wetlands Protection Act, which means that new construction on the scale desired by Disney would not be allowed.
However, because the Treehouses existed before the passage of the act, they are "grandfathered" in and may remain as they are currently constructed. They can be maintained under strict guidelines, and can be improved or renovated under even more strict guidelines, and therein lies the problem for Disney. Do they renovate and reopen the Treehouses as an ill-fitting and maintenance intensive part of Saratoga Springs, do they tear down the Treehouses and not re-use the land, or do they just leave the Treehouses as-is until a better plan can be devised?
As anyone who has taken the Sassagoula River Cruise or the water taxi from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney knows, option number 3 seems to be the choice for now. The Treehouse Villas are still visible from the boat, and most captains will gladly discuss the history and future of the Treehouses if asked.
Most of the Treehouses are empty, although some are used for storage. Disney, in an attempt to maintain a good image for the property, has connected lighting in the Treehouses to timers so that lights are on at night to prevent the appearance of abandonment.
This strategy was working well until last fall. As most of you know, the area was pounded by three powerful hurricanes. The Treehouse Villas suffered severe damage from water and fallen trees, most of which was clearly visible from the water taxis.
Disney wanted to clean up the damage with the same speed and efficiency with which the rest of the hurricane damage on property was handled. However, a long, intensive governmental permitting process had to be commenced in order to fix the damage within the confines of the Wetlands Protection Act. Permission was finally given earlier this summer for Disney to repair the storm damage. The fallen trees have been removed, the damaged roofs have been repaired, and a couple of the decks that were destroyed have been rebuilt.
So what's the future of the Treehouse Villas? Disney has begun the long permitting process required to renovate the property. Current speculation has Disney renovating the Treehouses from the inside out and reopening them at a future date as a part of Saratoga Springs.
Our guess is that, assuming the necessary permits can be secured, that the Treehouses will reopen when they can be accessed from Saratoga Springs without having to travel through any of the current construction areas.
We hope they do. The Treehouse Villas are a unique experience at Walt Disney World, and were a fun place to stay. As they existed previously they were a fairly reasonably priced lodging that would accommodate up to 6 people. They were secluded and private, and the wooded, rustic setting was a welcome change.
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That would be one heck of a walk to High Rock Springs!
