From the Orlando Sentinel:


The Walt Disney Co.'s rapidly growing time-share division takes an aggressive step forward today when it unveils plans for two new resorts in Orlando -- even as Disney Vacation Club battles some of the strongest financial headwinds it has ever faced.

Disney this morning will formally reveal plans for its Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, confirming earlier reports that the 15-story tower rising just beyond the Magic Kingdom will be used for time shares. The company also will unveil plans to sell time shares at the Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, a secluded community of 60 units that is being rebuilt in a forested pocket of Walt Disney World.

The twin announcements ensure that Celebration-based Disney Vacation Club, which has grown to nine resorts and more than 350,000 members, will have more time shares for sale in 2009 than it has ever had before.


Full story is available HERE (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-disney1608sep16,0,3037600.story)

And with this said from the article:
The 60 elevated homes comprising the Treehouse Villas will be built as a new phase of the Saratoga Springs resort near Downtown Disney.
It kinda makes me think/wonder/speculate that the THV's will be just another part of SSR, allowing those who are owners of SSR to have the 11 month booking advantage. I guess it would be worth looking into for later.

I know that is probably pure speculation at this time, and that only time will clear that up, but it would be neat if that was the case.

And with this said from the article:

It kinda makes me think/wonder/speculate that the THV's will be just another part of SSR, allowing those who are owners of SSR to have the 11 month booking advantage. I guess it would be worth looking into for later.

I know that is probably pure speculation at this time, and that only time will clear that up, but it would be neat if that was the case.

I'm excited to see what the finished product will be for this DVR. I always thought the treehouses were neat.

This is pretty exciting news!!! Now waiting to hear when GCV go on sale:D

In the article it sounds like the treehouses will all be new - is that how you all interpreted it? Did they, or are they going to, tear out the old treehouses? I always liked them too, although the only time I've ever actually seen any is on the boat from POR to DTD.

The treehouses are going to be new, but sitting on the same basic foundations as the former structures. But from what I have seen, they will be a nice improvement over the former designs.

Thanks Gusman - I'm excited about both of these!

Thanks Gusman - I'm excited about both of these!

Ditto! :)

This is pretty exciting news!!! Now waiting to hear when GCV go on sale:D

Ditto! :) Being left coast based, I'd be more interested in making DLR and GCV my home base.

Mark Goldhaber reported on his blog way too early this morning that Disney announced that the Treehouse villas would be debuting as part of the Saratoga Springs Resort in 2009! Is anyone else as excited about this as I am?

Mark's blog post (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=264)

Is anyone else as excited about this as I am?

Mark's blog post (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=264)
I'd say so - scroll up! (I merged your thread with the existing one on the topic!)

Thanks, Cathy. Not being a DVC member, I didn't look here! I assume the treehouses would be available to book as cash by non-members as well, if there are any left over. I remember sliding past these on a boat with my boyfriend on my first trip without my parents. We got so excited about the prospect of inviting a few of our friends to book one of those with us for a week. By the time our friends had enough money to do it, they weren't available anymore, sigh.

You can pay cash for most of the DVC resorts, even if you're not a DVC member. (Though be prepared to PAY!)

As an SSR owner already, I hope that maybe when the Treehouses come on line as a separate booking category they also implement other booking categories for SSR--like DTD view, etc.

BLT will open on Sept 1, 2009. BLT owners can make reservations starting Mar 1, 2009.

BLT Points cost $112. Members who purchase a min of 100 points get a $5 incentive ($107 per point). Dues are about $3.67 per point.

BLT views include Magic Kingdom (20%), Lake View (70%) and Std View (10%).

Mark Goldhaber reported on his blog way too early this morning that Disney announced that the Treehouse villas would be debuting as part of the Saratoga Springs Resort in 2009! Is anyone else as excited about this as I am?

Mark's blog post (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=264)

Thanks, littlej. It seems everyone goes to the Orlando Sentinel first, even though I reported the story first. You'd think that I'd be used to it by now.

DVC's official video release sent to DVC owners today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DV6r1Nk54

Ditto! :) Being left coast based, I'd be more interested in making DLR and GCV my home base.

I just started looking into the DVC and I too wish my "home" to be in DLR. Does anyone have any guesses as to when they may be going up for sale? After the remodel maybe? I asked a rep at DVC yesteday and they said they had no info on anything except what is already for sale.

Ok, here is possibly a dumb question.

How fast will Bay Lake "go" do you guys think?

The reason I ask is that my wife and I have been planning on becoming DVC members for a while and have been saving up. Our finances should be where we want them to be to make this purchase probably next February or March. We are very excited about Bay Lake Tower and want to make it our home resort.

Is this something that will be so popular that we should buy a portion of our points sooner than early 2009 (like we planned) and then buy the remainder of our goal points next year? Or do you think there is no possible way it could sell out in 6-7 months?

Thanks!

My 2 cents... if you have your heart set on having BLT as your home resort, you should wait and not just buy in for the chance to buy into BLT later. Besides, while this was an official announcement, they make no contractual guarantees that it will actually open or be made available to DVC members. (That's paraphrasing the current contract verbiage.) In other words, if you are going to buy in, buy in for what is available now and not what is planned.

As for availability, it is all speculation right now, I dont think it is going to sell out overnight, but I would be one of the first in line if you had your heart set on it.

One thing that is also in a speculation-only state is how many points will be needed for the average stay in the different accommodations. In other words, using 100 or 160 points as your base, how many nights would that cover. Of course it depends on when and what kind of accommodations you want, but in other words, how would point values compare to the other resorts.

My 2 cents... if you have your heart set on having BLT as your home resort, you should wait and not just buy in for the chance to buy into BLT later. Besides, while this was an official announcement, they make no contractual guarantees that it will actually open or be made available to DVC members. (That's paraphrasing the current contract verbiage.) In other words, if you are going to buy in, buy in for what is available now and not what is planned.

As for availability, it is all speculation right now, I dont think it is going to sell out overnight, but I would be one of the first in line if you had your heart set on it.

One thing that is also in a speculation-only state is how many points will be needed for the average stay in the different accommodations. In other words, using 100 or 160 points as your base, how many nights would that cover. Of course it depends on when and what kind of accommodations you want, but in other words, how would point values compare to the other resorts.

Thanks for the very good advice.

I did not mean to buy into DVC right away at a different resort for less points. I meant to buy into BLT as soon as it is availble to the public (for fewer than how many points we expect to buy in total). Then in February / March purchasing the rest of our points.

I thought I had read that DVC members would be able to buy into BLT as early as this Saturday?

And no word on when the public will be able to buy in yet I assume?

Thanks again.

I thought I had read that DVC members would be able to buy into BLT as early as this Saturday?

And no word on when the public will be able to buy in yet I assume?
What I would do is to call DVC directly and talk to a guide. (Sales Rep.) They can at least take your name down as someone interested in buying. In the past, they have been very good at following through with such leads.

What I would do is to call DVC directly and talk to a guide. (Sales Rep.) They can at least take your name down as someone interested in buying. In the past, they have been very good at following through with such leads.

I already sent them an email, but that is a better idea, I will call them.

Thanks

Ok, I just talked to an agent. No info available to non-Members as of yet. The veil is lifted for the public on October 5th.

They will also be available to purchase by the public on October 5th.

Just for everybody's information. =)

Points Chart for BLT is on the DVC site. :)