Tweet
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts announced the DVC resort at Ko Olina is tentatively scheduled to open on Oahu in 2011. The mixed-used resort includes 350 hotel rooms and 480 vacation villas for Disney Vacation Club members. The family-focused resort will be located on 21 acres at Ko Olina Resort & Marina in West Oahu.
-
my travel website: Vacation-Times.org.
"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking."
~Earl Wilson -
Still on schedule even with the economy? Hawaii is hurting from what I understand. Let's hope they get the tourists back with jet fuel finally dropping."If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.... If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
-- Thomas Jefferson to Col. Yancey, 1816 -
yeah, Hawaii's economy sucks right now. Unemployment just hit 4.5%.Originally posted by 4ARedOctober View PostComment
-
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Disney plans to build resort on Oahu
A hotel complex with 830 rooms is expected to be completed in 2011.
The Associated Press
Seventy years after his first ride on Hawaii surf, Mickey Mouse is finally coming back to the islands.
Disney's plan for a Hawaii hotel complex 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 the rapidly expanding Ko Olina resort on West Oahu. The complex is expected to be completed in 2011.
A detailed scale model of the complex was displayed at a news conference with Disney officials and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. 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 be surrounded, 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 Anaheim 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.
Travel: Disney plans to build resort on Oahu | disney, hotel, hawaii, oahu, islands - OCRegister.com"If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.... If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
-- Thomas Jefferson to Col. Yancey, 1816Comment
-
Disney Vacation Club Press Release
DISNEY TO BUILD HAWAIIAN RESORT
Luxury family resort planned for Ko Olina Resort & Marina on the island of Oahu.
BURBANK, Calif., October 3, 2007 - Walt Disney Parks & Resorts has announced that the company has finalized plans to purchase 21 acres of oceanfront property on Hawaii's island of Oahu.
The property, located on the island's western side in the picturesque Ko Olina Resort & Marina, Honolulu's premier resort destination, will be home to Disney's first mixed-use family resort outside of its theme park developments. The expansive resort, scheduled to open in 2011, is planned to have more than 800 units, including hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas.*
"This resort hotel will give our Guests another way to visit an exciting part of the world with a brand they trust," said Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. "In fact, Hawaii has been among our most requested Disney Vacation Club getaway locations beyond our Theme Parks. We are looking forward to building a special family resort that honors the cultural diversity of Hawaii and reflects the spirit of aloha that makes this location so unique."
Consistently ranked as one of the top family destinations in the world, Hawaii's natural beauty and extensive offering of family activities make it an ideal location for a Disney resort.
"Disney and Hawaii have something special in common, and that is the recognition of the importance of 'ohana," said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle. "Not only does Disney provide wonderful family vacations, but as a media company, it also touches people worldwide with its entertainment offerings. The new Disney hotel will be a great addition to Oahu, and I am pleased to welcome a company that can also bring the world of new media and digital technology to Hawaii, opening new opportunities for innovative partnerships in non-tourism related sectors."
Ko Olina
The new resort hotel will be the latest addition to the Ko Olina development, known for its sweeping ocean views, picture-postcard white sand beaches and tranquil crystal blue lagoons.
Jeff Stone, President of The Resort Group and master developer of Ko Olina, has been working closely with Disney on the land acquisition and project.
"Ko Olina means 'place of joy,' and I can't imagine a more perfect fit here than a Disney resort that will bring joy to people from around the world," Stone said. "For many years, it has been our vision to continue to expand Ko Olina as a premier vacation destination for families and business travelers, and this new Disney resort hotel is making that vision a wonderful reality."
*This resort is not yet registered or offered for sale.
Disney to Build Hawaiian Resort | Press Releases | Disney Vacation Club"If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.... If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
-- Thomas Jefferson to Col. Yancey, 1816Comment
-
Rumors are that Disney is stopping construction for now...
I've seen it reported on a few other DVC forums that construction is being placed on hold until the economy improves.. Has anyone seen anything official on this?Comment
-
Disney sets Ko Olina ground-breaking for Nov. 19
According to info released by Disney- it looks like everything is still on schedule.. From a story in the 11/11 edition of the Honolulu Advertiser...
Disney plans a traditional Hawaiian blessing and ground-breaking next week to mark the start of construction for its new family resort at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 19.
The company said the ceremony will include: Jay Rasulo, chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, Sen. Colleen Hanabusa; Honolulu Managing Director Wayne Hashiro; Djuan Rivers, Vice President of Disney Vacation Club Hawai'i, and Jeff Stone, master developer of Ko Olina Resort & Marina.
The Disney resort at Ko Olina, scheduled to open in 2011, will have more than 800 units including hotel rooms and villas for Disney Vacation Club, Disney's timeshare division. Disney Vacation Club has grown to serve more than 350,000 individual members from approximately 100 countries and all 50 states. Upon completion, the resort is expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs in Hawai'i and cost an estimated $800 million.my travel website: Vacation-Times.org.
"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking."
~Earl WilsonComment
-
Groundbreaking ceremony at Ko Olina occured yesterday..
Quick Facts about the planned resort..
Date Announced:
October 3, 2007
Groundbreaking Ceremony:
November 19, 2008
Location/Geography:
Disney Resort & Spa at Ko Olina will be located on the island of O'ahu's western side in the picturesque Ko Olina Resort & Marina.
Size:
21 acres
Planned Number of units:
350 hotel rooms
480 Two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas for Disney Vacation Club
Planned Restaurants:
One full-service restaurant and one buffet restaurant
Planned Convention Space:
8,000 Sq. Ft.
Planned Spa:
Full-service spa, 18,000 Sq. Ft.
Workforce:
Approximately 1,000 Cast Members anticipatedComment
-
Has anyone vacationed at this resort yet? What does it take to get this as an exchange in RCI?Comment
-
As far as I know, it has yet to be deposited.Comment
Comment