Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

Tropically themed family resort surrounding a 42 acre lake

200 acres

Architects: Fugleberg Koch Architects of Winter Park, FL under the direction of the Disney Development Co.

Ground Breaking: June 1987

Opening Date: October 1, 1988

2,112 guest rooms

Each building contains 64 guest rooms. An average 300-square-foot room has two double beds and accommodates up to four

Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort features brightly colored “villages”, themed in 5 distinct Caribbean styles, inspired by and named after the Caribbean islands of Trinidad, Martinique, Barbados, Aruba, and Jamaica. Each of the 5 villages is made up of clusters of two-story buildings that blend cool pastel walls, white-wood railings, and vividly colored metal roofs.

Until September 1997 guests could purchase handcrafted jewelry, called “Plata del Atocha,” cast from 370 year old silver bars or ingots salvaged from the “Atocha” Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Florida in 1622. Each piece of coin jewelry was struck directly from “Pieces of Eight” recovered from the shipwreck site and came with a certificate of authenticity.

The Custom House serves as the resort’s reception building where guests check-in and check-out. The architecture of the Custom House features many building elements, such as verandahs, handrails, canopies, tile floors, etc., that are typical of those found in governmental buildings of the Caribbean Islands.

Known as the architectural focal point in the center of the resort, the Old Port Royale Center Town has the feel of a Caribbean village. Stone walls, pirates’ cannons, and tropical birds and flowers add to the island theming. Located here are shops, a game room (Goombay Games), restaurant, food court, and entertainment in a festive, islands streetscape setting.

Six counter-service shops share a 500-seat common inside and outside dining area known as the Old Port Royale Food Court.

The Old Port Royale Pool is themed after a Spanish fortress.

Located in the middle of the resort’s lake, Parrot Cay serves as a one-acre island play area specifically designed for children. Footbridges over the lake connect the island to the “mainland.” Walkways on the island afford scenic lake views.

A 1.4-mile tropical promenade around the lake serves, strollers, joggers, and bicyclists.

Shutters at Old Port Royale is a 130-seat full service restaurant that serves dinner daily and offers American cuisine inspired by the flavors of the Caribbean.

TO STAY AT THIS RESORT, PLEASE CALL:

4 0 7 - W - D - I - S - N - E - Y

(407-934-7639)

Blizzard Beach

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DISNEY’S BLIZZARD BEACH WATER PARK

Whether it’s bobsledding down the “snowy” slopes of Mt. Gushmore or plunging straight down Summit Plummet at up to 55 miles per hour, Walt Disney World Resort guests get all the spine-chilling thrills of a northern ski resort.  But the 66 acre water park is strictly tropical and the ice is limited to the soft drinks. It’s all part of a “zany” combination - a water park with the atmosphere and excitement of a major ski resort in the midst of a tropical lagoon.  The most eye catching attractions at Blizzard Beach can be found on the slopes of Mt. Gushmore.  As guests enter the park, they are greeted by the busy view of “skiers” sliding down the face of the 90-foot snow-capped mountain.  It is home to Downhill Double Dipper, the only side-by-side racing water slides that stand 50 feet high and 200 feet long.  Guests will travel up to 25 miles per hour, twisting and turning before shooting out through a curtain of water.  Mt. Gushmore also features slalom courses, toboggan and water sled runs and the awesome, 120 foot-high Summit Plummet - the nation’s tallest, fastest free-fall speed slide, visible from almost anywhere in the park.  From Summit Plummet’s “ski jump” tower, it’s a breathtaking high-speed 55 mile per hour plunge straight down to a splash landing at the base of the mountain.  Next to Summit Plummet is the tall but less steep Slush Gusher, a speed slide that drops guests through a snow-banked mountain gully.

Mt. Gushmore other attractions are:

Teamboat Springs - the world’s longest family white-water raft ride that takes 6 passenger rafts down a twisting 1200 foot series of rushing water falls

Toboggan River - is an 8 lane water slide that sends guests racing over exhilarating dips as they descend the “snowy” slope

Snow Stormers - are 3 flumes descending from the top of the mountain that follow a switchback course through ski-type slalom gates

Runoff Rapids - is an inner tube run, where guests can careen down 3 different twisting, turning flumes

Chair Lift - are wooden-bench chair lifts sporting colorful overhead umbrellas and snow skis on their underside, converted from ski-resort to beach-resort use - these functional chairs carry guests over the craggy face of Mt. Gushmore, from it’s base at the beach, to its summit

As legend has it, Blizzard Beach was created by a freak winter storm, which dropped snow over the western side of the Walt Disney World Resort property, and Florida’s first snow-ski resort was planned immediately. However, the plan was short-lived.  Temperatures soared and the ice and snow rapidly began to melt.  Dismayed ski-resort operators, ready to close, spotted a playful alligator sliding down the “liquid ice” slopes and realized the melting snow created the tallest, fastest and most exhilarating water-filled ski and toboggan runs in the world.  As a result, the ski resort/water park was born.  It was a natural.  Former ski slalom courses and bobsled and sledding runs became downhill water slides.  The chair lift could still carry swimmers to the top of the slides.  The ski jump became the nation’s tallest and fastest water slide.  The melting snow revealed welcoming beaches.  The sandy beach below Mt. Gushmore offers a large wave pool, a lazy river, two snack bars, a polar pub lodge and a pre-teen and children’s play area.  It also offers the following:

Tike’s Peak - a scaled-down element of Mt. Gushmore and it also features a snow-castle fountain play area

Melt-Away Bay - is a 1 acre pool, nestled against the base of Mt. Gushmore, which is constantly fed by “melting snow” waterfalls

Cross Country Creek - is a lazy creek the circles the entire park, carrying floating guests through a bone-chilling ice cave - once inside the mysterious cave, guests will be splashed with the “melting” ice from overhead

Blizzard Beach Ski Patrol Training Camp - is designed for pre-teens with a T-bar drop, culvert slides and a challenging ice-flow walk along slippery, floating icebergs - Cool Runners is the camp’s twin inner tube slide

Avalunch and The Warming Hut - are snack bars

At the entrance to Blizzard Beach is The Village, which houses guests services such as a tube pick-up area, towel rentals, lockers, first aid, merchandise and a restaurant.  Within The Village is the Beach Haus, a specialty shop offering souvenirs, towels, bathing suits, sunglasses and other essentials for a day on the slopes or in the water.  Ski equipment and cold weather furnishings such as potbelly stoves are used to display merchandise.  Nearby, Lottawatta Lodge, a North American ski lodge with Caribbean accents, stands ready to serve guests with an appetite.  The counter-service restaurant even affords diners with a scenic view of Mt. Gushmore.

Disney’s Winter Summerland, a delightful miniature golf course (where Santa and his elves come to play) is right next to Blizzard Beach.  For an additional fee, Guests can take to the links.  The Winter Course is a fun and exciting challenge for the whole family.  From an ice castle to a snowman and a trip to the North Hole, the 18 holes of snow will send a chill through any golfer!  The Summer Course is pure Florida!  From sandcastles to surfboards and a visit with Santa on the WinterNet, The Summer Course is 18 holes of challenging fun in the sun!  “The Winterbago”, Santa’s converted travel trailer, is where guests can pick up/drop off their clubs.  Themed merchandise and snacks are also available.

Animal Kingdom Lodge

TO STAY AT THIS RESORT, PLEASE CALL:

4 0 7 - W - D - I - S - N - E - Y

(407-934-7639)

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Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge will be the newest and most unique resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. Inspired by the cultural splendor and picturesque beauty of a South African wildlife reserve, the 6-story deluxe resort will feature hand-crafted furnishings, African decor, and sweeping views of a 33 acre tropical savanna where exotic animals can roam freely

Western edge of The Walt Disney World Resort, North of Highway 192 and West of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

74 acres, 33 of which will be animal savannas surrounding the resort building

“The lodge will be designed to evoke the profound adventure of the epic of life … Dawn, dusk, the edge of light, an elegant journey to the pristine wilderness, ancient civilizations and vast landscapes.”

– Peter Dominick, design architect of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Designed by Peter Dominick, of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge fame, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge follows the kraal African village design, a semi-circle concept with a distinctive “theme” carried throughout its architecture, landscape, and interior designs.

“We’re trying to capture an image that is not only symbolic of Africa but is culturally relevant,” said project manager Jim Kwasnowski of Walt Disney Imagineering. The visual treat begins on arrival as guests discover a rolling 33-acre plain unfolding before them through one of the resort’s large picture windows. Here guests can walk along the elevated kopje, or rock outcropping, and enjoy a nearly panoramic view of roaming animals and flowing streams.

Throughout the resort, guests discover examples of authentic African architecture and design, from thatched ceilings to rich wood and golden tones. Features include a large mud fireplace in the lobby and natural lighting fixtures designed to accentuate spectacular sunrises and sunsets. At night, incandescent lighting resemble twinkling fire-flies and soft-glowing campfires

Design Architect: Peter Dominick of Urban Design Group, Inc. - Denver, CO

Architect of Record: Glover-Smith-Bode, Inc. - Oklahoma City, OK

Landscape Architect: Herbert-Halback, Inc. / WDI - Orlando, FL

Opening Date: April 16, 2001

1293 rooms, including 980 first class, 294 deluxe, 1 Presidential Suite, 1 Vice Presidential Suite, and 17 one-and two-bedroom Parlor Suites

The individual resort phases with opening dates and number of rooms:

Phase I: April 16, 2001 - 754 rooms (open to guests)
Phase II: May 15, 2001 - 139 rooms (open to guests)
Phase III: July 15, 2001 - 400 rooms (open to guests)

The majority of rooms will offer guests a view of the animals (mammals and birds) on the private reserve of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge will offer many guests a view of more than 200 mammals and birds on the property’s private reserve. Accommodations, offered in a range of sizes, are finished in rich tapestries and vibrant colors.  Guest rooms feature jewel tones and hand-carved furnishings.  The Presidential Suite reaches new heights with a domed, hut-like living room.

Animal savannas will be home to more than 200 mammals and birds representative of the African animal palette. Some examples are giraffe, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, ostrich, flamingo, African spoonbill, and sacred ibis.

There are 3 Animal Savannas

(each covering approximately 10 acres)

Themed to capture the true essence and culture of Africa, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is designed to represent a wildlife reserve located in the middle of a majestic African landscape.

The building that reflects a horseshoe layout is based on the traditional kraal, or corral, design used in villages throughout Africa. The inhabitants of the African village constructed their kraal to keep their homes and livestock safe from harm.  Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is built atop an extinct volcanic plume which serves as the source of a natural wellspring around which the local inhabitants constructed their kraal.

The exterior of the main building has been constructed primarily of man made “bullet proof” materials to resist the harsh Florida climate. Some of the materials used include the following: fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), more than 80,000 pieces used, fabricated primarily in Mexico; concrete columns themed to look like tree/wood columns; fiber cement board which has been stamped to look like cedar board and battens.

The following are Animal Kingdom Lodge fun facts in reference to the Landscaping

130 Sand Live Oak trees have been located to the Animal Savannas

36 specimen Sand Live Oaks have been salvaged for use at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, as well as for future projects

More than 35,000 shrubs have been planted in the Animal Savannas

More than 170,000 shrubs have been planted on Osceola Parkway

There are 165 varieties of shrub material

Plant material has been supplied from California and Arizona, with many species coming from Africa

Seeds have been supplied from Africa

Plant material from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and the future Disney’s POP Resort site has been salvaged for use at the Animal Kingdom Lodge

Approximately 23.86 miles of irrigation pipe have been installed

Approximately 60,000 square feet of artificial rockwork has been constructed

The following restaurants provide guests with unique dining experiences

Jiko - The Cooking Place: This specialty restaurant features flavors of Africa with wood-burning ovens and an interactive kitchen. The design represents an abstract view of Africa where lighting will be of prime significance, changing frequently to reflect the various times of day - from dawn to dusk. “Jiko” is Swahili for “a cooking place.”  It is a 235-seat casual restaurant

Boma - Flavors of Africa: This family restaurant captures the atmosphere of an African marketplace. The food will be prepared with a multi-cultural flair, sporting Malaysian, English, Indian, Chinese, and French influences. A “Boma” is an open and natural space, which provides a safe and sheltered area in the bush. At night, its golden light pours out as the fire and a constellation of candles in the Boma halo a table. Anticipate the best in African hospitality. It is a 270-seat family restaurant

The Mara: This is a 186-seat quick-service restaurant. The Mara River in the southwest highlands flows southward for about 100 miles (160 kilometers), enters Tanzania, and turns westward to flow for almost another 100 miles (160 kilometers) into Lake Victoria.

Victoria Falls: This is a 75-seat mezzanine lounge that overlooks the Boma restaurant.

Zawadi Marketplace: Zawadi Marketplace is the 5,600 square foot retail shop that celebrates the colorful world of African art and culture. Here guests can find mementos of their journey, and observe native artisans demonstrating their crafts in a rich, dynamic market atmosphere. Authentic artifacts and handcrafted treasures are displayed amid the natural finishes, patterns, textiles, and materials making this shop a significant attraction in itself.