WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello » Trivia – Resorts

Buena Vista Golf Club (Closed)

Lou Mongello — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:26:11 +0000

The Buena Vista Golf Club opened on November 22, 1974 and was known by a number of names through the years, inclulding the Disney Village Clubhouse (September, 1988). It was themed to resemble a country club atmosphere. It closed on March 21, 1994 and was demolished to make room for the Disney Institute.

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Tree House Villas (Closed)

Lou Mongello — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:58:16 +0000

These unique treehouses were originally part of the Disney Village Resort and then what later became the Disney Institute. They are no longer available for rent by Guests, but are sometimes used by and for Cast Members.

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Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa

Lou Mongello — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:02:29 +0000

Disney’s Vacation Club Resort opened in December, 1991, but was renamed the Old Key West Resort in January, 1996. The 497-room resort features a waterfront boardwalk and buildings decorated with pastel colors and hues, and was built as the flagship resort of the Disney Vacation Club.
Located on the site of the former Disney Institute, Disney’s newest Disney Vacation Club Resort, "Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa" opened in the spring of 2004. Named for Saratoga Springs, New York, a popular summer retreat, the resort, when completed, will become the seventh and largest Disney Vacation Club resort to date with 552 total accommodations including studio, one- and two-bedroom villas and Grand Villa units housed in 12 distinct buildings. The property is located on a 16-acre site overlooking Lake Buena Vista near Downtown Disney.

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Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Lou Mongello — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:01:14 +0000

Want to bring your own place to stay when you visit the Walt Disney World Resort? That’s fine! Just head on over to the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, where there are 784 private RV and tent campsites surrounded by the beautiful wilderness. Located on a 750-acre site, the campground has two swimming pools, a beach, horseback riding and more, and is located near the Magic Kingdom.
The Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is tucked away on a 750 acre cypress and pine forest between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and includes 784 RV and tent campsites, as well as 408 Wilderness Homes and Cabins.

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Lou Mongello — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:15:39 +0000

The showpiece of most unique resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, is the 33 acres of land where more than 100 animals roam on three "savannas." Many of the Resort’s guest rooms overlook this savanna, where exotic animals such as giraffe and zebra graze and rest at watering holes – perfect for photo opportunities. This six-story tall deluxe resort was designed by architect Peter Dominick, known for designing Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge. Both Lodges include lobbies that vault six stories right up to the ceiling.
The Igbo Ijele (pronounced e-bo e-gelay), a rare and colorful ceremonial African mask that stands 16 feet tall, graces the lobby of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
- The mask, featured as one of the authentic African art pieces at the newest Disney resort, is the only Ijele known to exist outside of Africa. It was acquired by Elizabeth Etchepare, who lived in Nigeria with a family of Igbo people while a graduate student with the University of Santa Barbara. During her studies, Etchepare built a relationship with elders of the group and successfully commissioned them to create, build and initiate the mask through tribal rituals.
- The Ijele, the largest and one of the most respected masks in sub-Saharan Africa, usually appears every 10 to 25 years among the Igbo people of Nigeria for celebrations and important events. This rarity is regarded as an attribute of greatness.
- The mystical aura of the Ijele is derived from its complex construction and its meaning. The Ijele represents all aspects of Igbo life, dealing with the material and spiritual worlds through the various colors, designs, fabrics and figures found on the mask. Construction by a team of commissioned artists can involve four men working eight to 10 hours a day, seven days a week, for at least six weeks. The men work in seclusion before moving to an outside area for the final touches.
- The Framework — A brightly colored cloth completely covers a cone-shaped frame supported on a circular foundation. The cloth creates a kaleidoscopic, rainbow effect. Hundreds of tassels are attached to the arches and the rim of the base.
- The Headdress — Up to 100 stuffed figures fill out the spaces on the headdress, representing three categories:
  - - man and daily activities such as riding a bicycle or climbing a tree to cut fruit;
  - - the spirit world, which is represented by various masks;
  - - plant and animal life shown through various species on the mask such as the giant python encircling the foundation.
  - About 12 bright panels, nearly six feet in length, hang down from the disc to conceal the mask carrier.

The Performance — The person wearing the mask, who goes through physical and spiritual preparation for the event, goes under the framework, aided by followers to steady the mask. The Ijele orchestra, which consists of a line of drummers, flutists, dancers and singers, prepares the crowd. The mask is preceded by a male dancer and followed by the orchestra.
It begins its movement slowly, but during the 15-minute ceremonial dance, the Ijele is always majestic, enforcing his image as the king of masks and a figure of supreme mystical authority. The Ijele moves with agility as its large body goes forward, backward, side to side and in semicircular turns from left to right, going back into an enclosure.

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Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Lou Mongello — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:15:06 +0000

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is modeled after the old National Park lodges found in Yellowstone Park, and even has its own geyser, as well as a spring which originates in the lobby. One of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts, the lodge is located on the shores of Bay Lake, and is surrounded by pine, cypress and oak forests. The 728-room majestic resort is located close to the Magic Kingdom, which is accessible by boat across Seven Seas Lagoon, as well as by Disney’s bus service.
If you enter the hotel lobby of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you will notice a small, bubbling geyser. If you follow the path of the water, you will see that it travels under a smallÂ bridge and turns into a pebble-bottomed stream outside, eventually crashing over a landscaped waterfall that empties into the pool. This water trail is known as “Roaring Rapids.” However, like many incredible details in the Walt Disney World Resort, things aren’t always as they seem. Even though the spring the lobby appears to travel all the way down to the pool, it doesn’t. There are actually three separate water systems – the first feeds the geyser and empties into Bay Lake. The second system begins at the spring and ends at the walkway near the pool’s edge, and the third system handles the actual pool water.

The background music that plays in the lobby is some of the most beautiful in the resort. Here is a track list as provided by the Wilderness Lodge Mercantile Shop:

1. Ride to Fort Hays (from the 1990 “Dances With Wolves” music by John Barry)

2. Big Country (from the 1958 film “The Big Country” music by Jerome Moross

3. Open Prairie 1 (by Aaron Copeland)

4. Land with Wonder

5. Siyo Tanka (from the album “Guardian Spirits” by Time and Paul [1933])

6. The Wild Ride (from the 1960 film “The Wild Ride”)

7. Frontier Town (by Aaron Copeland)

8. The Magnificent Seven (from the 1960 film “The Magnificent Seven” music by Elmer Bernstein

9. Creation (from the original television soundtrack of “The Way West” [1995])

10. Buffalo Hunt (from the 1990 film “Dances With Wolves” music by John Barry)

11. How the West Was Won (from the 1962 film “How the West Was Won” music by Alfred Newman)

12. Open Prairie (by Aaron Copeland)

13. The Last of the Mohicans (from the 1992 film “The Last of the Mohicans”)

14. Duel in the Sun (from the 1942 film “Duel in the Sun” music by Dimitri Tiomkin)

15. Prairie Nights (from the album “Have a Little Faith” by Bill Frisell)

16. Top of the World (music by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis [1973])

17. Silverado (from the 1985 film “Silverado” music by Bruce Broughton)

18. Grand Panorama (from “Grand Canyon Suite” by Ferde Grofe [1933])

19. Buckaroo Holiday (from the ballet “Rodeo” by Aaron Copeland [1942])

20. Wyatt Earp (from the 1994 film “Wyatt Earp” music by Marc Shaiman)

21. On the Trail (from the “Grand Canyon Suite” by Ferde Grofe[1933])

22. The Map is on Fire (from the 1994 film “City Slickers II” music by Marc Shairman)

23. Wagon Chase (from the 1994 film “Wyatt Earp” music by James Newton Howard)

24. Walk to the Bunkhouse (from the 1992 film “Of Mice and Men” music by Mark Isham)

25. Field of Dreams (from the 1989 film “Field of Dreams” music by James Horner)

26. Appalachian Spring (ballet by Aaron Copeland [1944])

27. Theme for Earth Day (from the album “The Shape I’m In” by Joe Roccisano [1933])

28. Sand Creek Memories (from the original television soundtrack of “How the West Was Won” [1993])

29. Dodge City (from the 1939 film “Dodge City”)

30. The Wave (from the 1994 film “Angles in the Outfield” music by Randy Edelman)

31. The Heiress (Suite from the 1940 film “The Heiress” music by Aaron Copeland)

32. Appalachian Morning (from the album “Earth: Voices of a Planet” by Paul Winter Consort [1990])

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Disney’s All Star Sports Resort

Lou Mongello — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 21:22:20 +0000

One of Disney’s value resorts, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort opened in May 1994, and is made up of five guest room buildings themed to different sports: football, tennis, baseball, basketball and surfing. Along the top of each building are cutouts of spectator heads, as if a crowd were watching the games below. The dual, three-story "Touchdown!" buildings have giant football helmets (large enough to fit a 200-foot tall player!), with large Xs and Os lined up on a football field in the courtyard. "The Home Run Hotel" pays tribute to baseball, with giant baseball bats and a Coke cup that could hold more than 20 million 12-ounce cans of Coke. The "Hoops Hotel" theme features basketball nets, whistles, a 45-foot tall megaphones, and pennants along the roof. "Center Court" has a tennis theme, with referee chairs, 5-foot in diameter tennis balls, tennis ball cans, and a 51-foot tall racquet that is actually large enough to cover an entire tennis court! Finally, "Surf’s Up!" features gigantic surfboards and 38-foot shark fins. If there was a shark attached to the two fins, it would have to be 300-feet long! Guests check into "Stadium Hall," themed to resemble a basketball gymnasium with caged lighting and red lockers.
At the "Home Run Hotel" in Disney’s All Star Sports Resort, it would take over 20 million cans of Coca-Cola to fill one of the gigantic Coke cups – that’s equal to all of the water in Typhoon Lagoon’s wave pool! It would take ten of those large Coke cups to fill Spaceship Earth at Epcot.
It would take more than 20 million 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola to fill one of the humongous Coke cups at the Home-Run Hotel in Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort.
It would take nearly 9.5 million tennis balls to fill one of the tennis ball cans at Center Court Hotel in Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort. That’s enough to stretch from Walt Disney World to Key West.

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Disney’s Polynesian Resort

Lou Mongello — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:07:49 +0000

A large, soothing waterfall graces the lobby of the Polynesian’s Great Ceremonial House, which includes the hotel’s registration desk, shops, restaurants and more. The monorail station is right outside the House on the second floor.
Disney’s Polynesian Resort is home to the "Nanea" (which means tranquil) Volcano-themed pool, which includes a water slide, kids water play area, and underwater music. It replaced the original grotto pool on March 10, 2001.
Disney’s Polynesian Resort was one of the original two Walt Disney World resorts that opened in 1971. The Great Ceremonial House is the resort’s main reception area, and includes the monorail station, bus stop and numerous restaurants and shops. The main lobby contains more than 75 varieties of tropical and subtropical plants in the three-story high garden.

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Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Lou Mongello — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:07:35 +0000

The California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort serves 70 pounds of tomatoes every night during tomato season, which is July through November.
One of only two original resorts in Walt Disney World, Disney’s Contemporary Resort was created as a modern backdrop to Tomorrowland. The 1046-room resort is unique for many reasons, the most obvious of which is the fact that the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, runs right through the center of the 15-story, A-framed hotel’s 4th floor Grand Canyon Concourse.
The 15-story Contemporary Resort opened on October 1, 1971 and is the closest to the Magic Kingdom theme park, which can be reached by monorail or footpath.
In July 1990, the Village Restaurant, located in the Disney Village Marketplace (now known as Downtown Disney), was renamed "Chef Mickey’s Village Restaurant." The restaurant closed on September 30, 1995 and was replaced by the Rainforest Cafe. In 1996, Chef Mickey’s buffet, featuring character meals with Mickey and his pals, opened on the Grand Canyon Concourse in Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
One of the original two resort hotels that opened with the Magic Kingdom in 1971, Disney’s Contemporary Resort was built on a 55-acre site adjacent to the Magic Kingdom. On November 11, 1991, a new 90,000 square foot convention center opened adjacent to the hotel, and includes a 42,300 square foot ballroom. The state-of-the-art center is connected by an enclosed second floor walkway to the original convention space in the main hotel.
Mary Blair’s largest mural is located in The Grand Canyon Concourse of the Contemporary Resort hotel. Featuring birds, animals, flowers, and American Indian children, the mural consists of 18,000 hand-painted tiles and is 90 feet tall.

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Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Lou Mongello — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:07:25 +0000

The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opened on June 28, 1988, as the "Grand Floridian Beach Resort," and the third Magic Kingdom monorail resort. It is located on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon between the Polynesian Resort and the Magic Kingdom, and remains the Walt Disney World resort’s flagship property. Themed as a late 19th century Florida resort, the exterior was inspired by the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. The Resort includes a marina and a lovely white sand beach (the site of 1995′s professional beach volleyball "King of the Beach" tournament). Each of the more than 800 rooms includes distinctive Victorian décor, complete with ceiling fan. The hotel also features several dining options, with none better (probably in the entire Walt Disney World Resort) than Victoria and Albert’s.
Incredibly detailed Victorian architecture is reflected throughout Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa with its towers, dormers, cupolas, exposed gable trusses and band-sawed gingerbread. This delicate style extends to the monorail platform, which is designed to resemble a Victorian train station. In keeping with the theming throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, the only place in the Magic Kingdom that you can see the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is from the Walt Disney Railroad Station – both of which share the Victorian architecture.
Yet another fabulous dining experience at Disney’s flagship resort, the Grand Floridian, Citrico’s replaced Flagler’s in November 1997. The restaurant features the cooking of both Florida and the Mediterranean, prepared in a show kitchen.
The restaurant is famous for its international wine list, on-stage preparation of French specialties and family-friendly service.
Here’s a hint: try to book Priority Seating way in advance, and try to get a seat by the window to watch the fireworks in the Magic Kingdom!

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