Disney Announces New Hawaii Resort!

[KeithS]

Around an hour ago at a press conference in the US, Jay Rasulo of Disney Parks announced plans to build a hotel resort in Hawaii - their first foray into niche resorts.

I'm still awaiting the official press release to come out on the Disney corporate website, however some news services are already carrying the story.

The hotel resort is to be built on 21 acres of ocean front land on Oahu and is expected to be completed by 2011. Disney have yet to unveil any artwork or features, but state their imagineers are working hard on multiple concepts for the resort.

There are no plans to add a theme park to the resort at this stage.

So what do you all think? It sounds like a great stopping off point on the way home from a US trip don't you think??

[mushu mama]

I LOVE this....

I hope they incorporate both Lilo & Stitch and the early Mickey shorts. How could they not when both are set in Hawaii?

Definitely somewhere I would want to have a stopover!

I'm really pleased they are branching out like that... maybe they'll put one or two here eventually... now that would be cool.

~ Lisa ~

[KeithS]

Okay - more than a year has passed and we haven't heard anything more - until this week.

Disney have unveiled the model of the new proposed park. It includes two towers, a volcano, gardens, pools, water slides, wedding facilities, banquet and meeting spaces.

There will be 350 hotel rooms and 480 Disney Vacation Club villas.


(Photo Copyright LA Bizjournal)

[mushu mama]

Oh my Lord... let me at that pool.... I'm humming Hawaiian Roller Coaster ride just thinking about it. -/ -/

Lisa.

[sandie]

Is that a pool? I thought it was the ocean.

Sandie

[KeithS]

Is that a pool? I thought it was the ocean.

Right you are Sandie, it is the sea. Here is the location in Google Earth:



There is a series of these man-made bays that are being sold off to hotel corporations. The Marriott chain already own two of the bays - one to the north, and one south of Disney. There is room for four or five more resorts to be built in this area.

[Mel]

Hmmm I think I could withstand a stopover here on the way to mainland USA. That beach looks amazing

[mushu mama]

oops... thats what I get for looking at that photo on a tiny screen. Looks much more like the sea on the terminal I'm at right now.

Still loving the look of it though.

Lisa.

[KeithS]

I'm a bit slow this week, but in case you didn't see the news, Disney have named the new Hawaiian resort "Aulani, a Disney Spa and Resort"

They have also launched the resort's website which you can visit by clicking here: http://www.DisneyAulani.com

It opens in the second half of next year.