How Would You Design the Next DVC Resort?

[LikeDaisies]

Hey all, long time Disney lover and new DVC Member here. One of my favorite games to play with my Disney-loving friends is to brainstorm ideas for the next resort. I'm personally a fan of the campy, super-themed, immersive resorts (like Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, Animal Kingdom Lodge, etc.). If Disney were to need help in deciding on the next resort to transport you into a "whole new world", what do you think they should design?

Here are my thoughts:

Disney's Emerald Greens Resort - A Celtic inspired resort in which the designs feel like an Irish/Scottish home / cottage. Lush greens (maybe a golf course), home base designed like an old castle (not to be confused with Cinderella's castle. Get drinks at Blarney's Pub and the big draw would be a giant, calming, and misting waterfall pool! A few rainbows here and there, some harps and bagpipes on occasion, and lots of green and stone, and plaid!

Other places that would be cool to "travel to" could be Thailand, Peru, Iceland, etc.

Share your thoughts!

 

[lovin'fl]

I wouldn't. We have enough.

 

[jerseyduke]

With a Hidden Grand Villa just for me of course!

JK

I like the lazy river that the concept art of Reflections is suggesting. I think Disney pools tend to be lacking, so a kick*** pool. SAB is the best pool on property and its mediocre compared to non disney stuff.

NO CABINS or BUNGALOWS!

Disney found a way to kill the slow season by appealing to couples more, so maybe a more adult oriented one that caters to people without children a little more. A swim up bar would not kill anyone.

Most importantly, make it right by the entrance to the 5th gate!

 

[DavidRoss]

I would change all the resorts and allow anyone who purchased before 2020 to allow a 12 month window at any resort with those points.

But seriously - I think a lodge that is Egyptian themed would be kind of neat. I also thought it could be neat to have a Venetian themed resort with canals would be kind of neat. I also like the idea of having a resort that you can't drive to. It would be one on an island where you have to have boat or gondola transportation to it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again....
I would love to see an Early American Colonial themed resort.
MUCH could be done with that concept, right from neighborhood cobblestone streets to small colonial taverns... And how cool would the furniture be??!!!

Think Liberty Tree Tavern

 

[Donna M]

I would like to see the next one have a noticeable theme, any theme. They are too plain now.

 

[LikeDaisies]

With a Hidden Grand Villa just for me of course!

JK

I like the lazy river that the concept art of Reflections is suggesting. I think Disney pools tend to be lacking, so a kick*** pool. SAB is the best pool on property and its mediocre compared to non disney stuff.

NO CABINS or BUNGALOWS!

Disney found a way to kill the slow season by appealing to couples more, so maybe a more adult oriented one that caters to people without children a little more. A swim up bar would not kill anyone.

Most importantly, make it right by the entrance to the 5th gate!

With a Hidden Grand Villa just for me of course!

JK

I like the lazy river that the concept art of Reflections is suggesting. I think Disney pools tend to be lacking, so a kick*** pool. SAB is the best pool on property and its mediocre compared to non disney stuff.

NO CABINS or BUNGALOWS!

Disney found a way to kill the slow season by appealing to couples more, so maybe a more adult oriented one that caters to people without children a little more. A swim up bar would not kill anyone.

Most importantly, make it right by the entrance to the 5th gate!

I do love a good pool! That’s why I’m thinking an awesome, 3-story mystical waterfall at the pool could be a great idea to jazz up the feature and add more things to make it compete with SAB!

 

[LikeDaisies]

I would like to see the next one have a noticeable theme, any theme. They are too plain now.

I would change all the resorts and allow anyone who purchased before 2020 to allow a 12 month window at any resort with those points.

But seriously - I think a lodge that is Egyptian themed would be kind of neat. I also thought it could be neat to have a Venetian themed resort with canals would be kind of neat. I also like the idea of having a resort that you can't drive to. It would be one on an island where you have to have boat or gondola transportation to it.

Those both sound like great ideas. I really like the Venetian island and canals theme and I think that was considered at one point!

 

[crvetter]

Those both sound like great ideas. I really like the Venetian island and canals theme and I think that was considered at one point!

Yeah this was supposed to go between CR and TTC. However, that land is unsuitable for development so it never took off. Though the Venetian idea should be brought; one side of MiraCosta in DisneySea has this and it looks amazing. Unfortunately my guess is a Venetian hotel would be quite expensive to maintain with the waterways and DisneySea works because being attached to the park its literally a feature of DisneySea and a ride.

 

[TexasChick123]

Here's a good article about some of the "lost resorts":

https://insidethemagic.net/2018/02/lost-resorts-4-planned-paradises-never-built-walt-disney-world/
I like the Venetian and Mediterranean ones, but I am partial to anything in that part of Europe.

 

[bwvBound]

I also like the idea of having a resort that you can't drive to. It would be one on an island where you have to have boat or gondola transportation to it.

Be careful of what you ask for. I've heard that the new Star Wars Hotel will be an island, of sorts. No driving up to the resort; uses off-site parking and shuttles. Which means ... security is situated between parking and the hotel. All your bags and carried items will be scanned before boarding the shuttle to the hotel. Ugh. What a hassle.

(Although, not so bad for someone who has just flown in. They are traveling without any tools/defense anyway, I s'pose.)

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Be careful of what you ask for. I've heard that the new Star Wars Hotel will be an island, of sorts. No driving up to the resort; uses off-site parking and shuttles. Which means ... security is situated between parking and the hotel. All your bags and carried items will be scanned before boarding the shuttle to the hotel. Ugh. What a hassle.

(Although, not so bad for someone who has just flown in. They are traveling without any tools/defense anyway, I s'pose.)

Since when do bags get screened to enter a hotel? That's park entry, not hotel.

 

[jarestel]

I would love to see an Early American Colonial themed resort.

What a great idea! I love that.

 

[bwvBound]

Since when do bags get screened to enter a hotel? That's park entry, not hotel.

I read that this will be the situation for the new Star Wars hotel.
Links:

• https://ziggyknowsdisney.com/star-w...azing-new-details-about-the-guest-experience/
  "Of course the premise of the Star Wars Hotel is that you are boarding a starship in outer space for your journey and so when guests arrive, they most likely will be seeing the outside of a spaceport of some sort. What is the first thing you have to do when entering a spaceport before your flight? Go through security of course!
  Your bags will pass through the X-Ray machines, while you will go through metal detectors. Why is this necessary you might ask? Well once in the Star Wars Hotel, your trip to Galaxy’s Edge needs to be seamless without breaking the atmosphere and going through security in the park. That means it has to be taken care of ahead of time, and once you do, you’re set."
• https://thepointsguy.com/news/star-wars-hotel-disney-galaxys-edge/
  "There’s virtually no parking shown on the plans, which means there’s likely to be valet parking. Guests would appear to pull up to the front of the hotel and have a dedicated entryway for check-in and screening. The diagrams reference a luggage screening and metal detector area as soon as guests enter, which could mean you don’t have to be screened again when entering the parks (which would be great)."
• https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando...ermits-reveal-star-wars-hotel-layout-and-more
  "It appears that security screenings will take place when guests first enter the hotel. The documents show an area designated for "security metal detectors." If that's the case, they would help with the full immersion theme of the hotel, since hotel guests wouldn't have to be screened with regular park guests."

EDITED to add: Right now, the Grand Cal is an inverse-island situation. Because security screening was moved to include Downtown Disney, but not include the hotel, every time one leaves the hotel to go either to Downtown Disney or the Park, they must go through security screening.

Let's walk through this for a moment. My husband and I tried cutting through the hotel to reach Brennan's from DCA. As we cut through the hotel, we found a coffee mug we'd like to purchase before returning home. So, we leave the hotel, pass through security to reach Brennan's. We return to the hotel, make a purchase and must now go back through security just to either re-enter the park or simply return to our car, located on the other side of Downtown Disney. So we made two extra security passes just because we wanted to visit the hotel from "a park" or from "Downtown Disney."

It almost begs that the hotel should be inside the secure zone.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I read that this will be the situation for the new Star Wars hotel.
Links:

• https://ziggyknowsdisney.com/star-w...azing-new-details-about-the-guest-experience/
  "Of course the premise of the Star Wars Hotel is that you are boarding a starship in outer space for your journey and so when guests arrive, they most likely will be seeing the outside of a spaceport of some sort. What is the first thing you have to do when entering a spaceport before your flight? Go through security of course!
  Your bags will pass through the X-Ray machines, while you will go through metal detectors. Why is this necessary you might ask? Well once in the Star Wars Hotel, your trip to Galaxy’s Edge needs to be seamless without breaking the atmosphere and going through security in the park. That means it has to be taken care of ahead of time, and once you do, you’re set."
• https://thepointsguy.com/news/star-wars-hotel-disney-galaxys-edge/
  "There’s virtually no parking shown on the plans, which means there’s likely to be valet parking. Guests would appear to pull up to the front of the hotel and have a dedicated entryway for check-in and screening. The diagrams reference a luggage screening and metal detector area as soon as guests enter, which could mean you don’t have to be screened again when entering the parks (which would be great)."
• https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando...ermits-reveal-star-wars-hotel-layout-and-more
  "It appears that security screenings will take place when guests first enter the hotel. The documents show an area designated for "security metal detectors." If that's the case, they would help with the full immersion theme of the hotel, since hotel guests wouldn't have to be screened with regular park guests."

EDITED to add: Right now, the Grand Cal is an inverse-island situation. Because security screening was moved to include Downtown Disney, but not include the hotel, every time one leaves the hotel to go either to Downtown Disney or the Park, they must go through security screening.

Let's walk through this for a moment. My husband and I tried cutting through the hotel to reach Brennan's from DCA. As we cut through the hotel, we found a coffee mug we'd like to purchase before returning home. So, we leave the hotel, pass through security to reach Brennan's. We return to the hotel, make a purchase and must now go back through security just to either re-enter the park or simply return to our car, located on the other side of Downtown Disney. So we made two extra security passes just because we wanted to visit the hotel from "a park" or from "Downtown Disney."

It almost begs that the hotel should be inside the secure zone.

I keep forgetting how close the hotel is supposed to be - essentially in the park. But it still begs the question how that can really work. I know that DH just has to have some sort of a knife along on trips that requires it be in checked luggage and would not be allowed into the parks. Other than the hotel securing items for you that won't work and he would not like that. And no, he just won't leave them at home. Saw too many McGyvers perhaps and I can't argue that there's been a handful of times it's been useful. I'd have to think about some other things you might have in a room but wouldn't be allowed into the parks but that's the first that came to mind. That would also be my thought on why DL hotels remain outside the security bubble.

 

[bwvBound]

I keep forgetting how close the hotel is supposed to be - essentially in the park. But it still begs the question how that can really work. I know that DH just has to have some sort of a knife along on trips that requires it be in checked luggage and would not be allowed into the parks. Other than the hotel securing items for you that won't work and he would not like that. And no, he just won't leave them at home. Saw too many McGyvers perhaps and I can't argue that there's been a handful of times it's been useful. I'd have to think about some other things you might have in a room but wouldn't be allowed into the parks but that's the first that came to mind. That would also be my thought on why DL hotels remain outside the security bubble.

My knife is my main tool/issue. I always have a knife on me unless I intentionally dump my purse into the hotel nightstand and "start over" for select security screenings. I have one in each truck. I have maybe three in my horse trailer. I have one on my nightstand. I seem to love knives. They are so darn handy. So what about scissors? I intend to carry some this trip to trim my bangs.

Edited to add: I s'pose my other possible contraband, now that I think of it, is essential oils. I've read of and witnessed troubles at park security for carrying oils in one's purse. But I use them daily. FWIW, half of my cosmetics and bath products are homemade, in funny repurposed glass bottles, likely to trigger security review. What to do there?

And my lights kit? That raises airport questioning, sometimes. Usually not a problem ... but they wonder, "Why are you traveling with low-level-laser-light" therapy products? Bother. I use LLLT on the plane to relieve pain and often carry it in my purse for "as needed" relief. I could see the lights causing security issues, too.

But not to worry ... I'll leave my CBD oils at home, in California, where they are permitted.

 

[bwvBound]

Oh, more on above: I s'pose, when visiting the SW Hotel, one could leave all their "objectionables" in an Owner's Locker? Grin, guess what: My OL won't pass security screening either. More knives ...

 

[lovin'fl]

If we MUST build a new DVC, then build one at an off park site. Like the HHI, VB and Aulani. So I don't need to buy the ridiculously priced APs or park tickets and don't need to make ADRs/FPs and don't need to battle the crowds of people, strollers, scooters and dogs. Don't care where...ski resort, Caribbean island, DC, lake side...wherever, I am there.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Please, please, please add the extra bathroom to the 1 BR villas like we have at BLT in any new DVCs. I love having that option for the guests who use the foldout couch. I don't know why they didn't continue to do that after BLT. I think the villas at AK are the only other ones that have the extra bathroom.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Please, please, please add the extra bathroom to the 1 BR villas like we have at BLT in any new DVCs. I love having that option for the guests who use the foldout couch. I don't know why they didn't continue to do that after BLT. I think the villas at AK are the only other ones that have the extra bathroom.

I wasn’t aware they stopped adding the second commode.
That said, if they did stop, I’m fairly certain I know why: $