Archive for July, 2010

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Will Open Doors to the Wonders of Hawaii for a Family Vacation Experience Only Disney Could Deliver

Jul 24, 2010 in Walt Disney World

KO OLINA, Hawaii (July 22, 2010) – Beginning in fall 2011, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawaii will draw on the celebrated Disney magic, storytelling and service to create wonderful family vacation memories drawing on the beauty, fun, enchantment and traditions of the islands.

“Aulani celebrates the best of Hawaii and represents a new way to enjoy a family vacation with Disney,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.  “We believe the tremendous beauty of Ko Olina provides the perfect opportunity to create a uniquely Disney experience for our guests in a way that is true to Hawaii.”
Aulani draws its inspiration from the traditions and heritage of the people of Hawaii.  Walt Disney Imagineers, with the help of local architects, artisans and historians, are weaving Hawaiian stories into the buildings, interiors, art and gardens of the resort.
“There are so many wonderful stories to tell in Hawaii,” Staggs said, “and with the help of local experts we’re excited to bring them to life for guests in our new resort.”
Each day of their stay, Aulani guests will be able to customize their experience – relaxing on the beach, playing in the pools, discovering the island on a specially planned excursion, gathering at the fire pit for storytelling, or spotting the statues of Menehune, the legendary island little people, hidden throughout the resort.
“We want this resort destination to reflect the vibrant culture that surrounds it.  The name ‘Aulani’ expresses a connection to tradition and deep storytelling – and its roots are in this land right here,” said Joe Rohde, senior vice president, Creative for Walt Disney Imagineering.
Aulani traditionally means “a messenger of a chief – one who delivers a message from a higher authority.”  The name Aulani was chosen to position the resort as a messenger of the “higher authority” that is Hawaii, its spirit and its culture.  “As the history and heritage of Hawaii are the inspiration for Aulani, we are committed to using our skills in design to put guests into these stories,” says Rohde.
Aulani is being built on 21 acres of oceanfront property in Ko Olina, adjacent to a crystal-blue lagoon and a white-sand beach.  Ko Olina is 17 miles from Honolulu International Airport and approximately 30 minutes from Waikiki.
Upon its completion, Aulani will include 359 traditional hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club villas in two towers, each featuring angled rooms offering thrilling views of the ocean, mountains and the magnificent grounds that Disney is creating.  Family-friendly resort amenities will include an 18,000-square-foot spa, two restaurants, a kids’ club (Aunty’s Beach House), a wedding lawn, a conference center, and a spectacularly themed pool area complete with swimming pool, wading pool, tube slides, sunset-facing hot tubs and a snorkel lagoon.
When Aulani opens its doors next year, it also will offer adventures that invite families to discover the island.  Guests can enjoy one-of-a-kind excursions that blend the wonders and excitement of Hawaii with the Disney tradition of storytelling.
Disney’s first resort in Hawaii, Aulani has been under construction since its blessing and groundbreaking ceremony in November 2008.  In April, the resort celebrated a major milestone: the end of its vertical construction.

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It’s a Dog’s World, After All, at Luxury Pet Resort to Open Aug. 27 at Walt Disney World Resort

Jul 12, 2010 in Walt Disney World
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Gourmet dog and kitty treats, plush pet bedding and all the creature comforts of home are on tap for Pluto wannabes and other pet pals at Best Friends Pet Resort, opening Aug. 27 at Walt Disney World Resort.
Best Friends Pet Care Inc. will operate the one-of-a-kind, 27,000-square-foot luxury facility complete with cat “condos,” doggy suites, and special accommodations for smaller “pocket pets.” Park and resort guests, as well as visitors staying off property, can reserve the pet hospitality services to include overnight boarding for pampered pups, cats and pot-bellied pigs.
The new resort, built to accommodate 270 dogs, 30 cats and a small menagerie of pocket pets including hamsters and guinea pigs, will replace the five existing pet care facilities now operated by Best Friends Pet Care Inc. throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
Services and amenities offered at the resort are designed to create a fun and comfortable environment for all pets. Dogs staying overnight and accustomed to curling up with a child for bedtime stories will be all ears when they settle down for staff-read “tuck-in” tales. Discriminating cats with a taste for tuna can get their own custom treats. TVs will be tuned to favorite pet films like “Milo and Otis” or “Homeward Bound.”
Guests also can board pets by day and take advantage of services like the resort’s doggy day camp and grooming services.
Best Friends Pet Care’s luxury pet resort includes:
  • 17,000 square feet of air-conditioned indoor space
  • 10,000 square feet of covered outdoor runs and play areas
  • A full-service grooming salon with lobby view
  • Two 1,100-square-foot doggy-day-camp rooms opening onto a play-yard
  • Nearly a quarter-acre private, nature-scaped play park with water-play area and protected trail
  • Accommodations for 270 dogs in standard and luxury indoor-outdoor suites. Oversized luxury suites include raised bedding (hop up Fido!) and TVs
  • A separate “Kitty City” pavilion accommodating up to 30 cats in “purr-fect” two- and four-story cat condos
  • A special room for boarding of pocket pets that include birds and hamsters

As guests and their pets approach the resort, located at 2510 Bonnet Creek Parkway, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 32830, across from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, they’ll drive beneath a stylized porte cochere canopy. From the airy lobby, they can watch grooming experts at work on pets of all shapes and sizes.

The resort’s exclusive dog park features a fenced walking trail that borders the natural wetlands around the park. Inside the trail, a 3,300-square-foot play area is covered in artificial turf, and another 4,500-square-foot area is dotted with shade trees for owners who want to sit and watch their pets play. Dogs even can enjoy a 1,300-square-foot water park in their own splash-and-shake zone. Several park spaces are equipped with benches where guests can sit and watch their pets play. The park is secured for guests and their pets only and is illuminated for use after dark.

Directly off the resort’s lobby, a grooming salon offers “go-home-fresh” baths and haircuts for pets. A la carte activities for dogs range from one-on-one playtimes and social playgroups to “cuddle time” and bedtime stories with resort staff. Dog owners also can choose from pet amenities that include ice cream treats, bottled water and premium orthopedic bedding. Cat owners can treat their feline favorites to private playtimes or gourmet snacks like “Tuna on a Ritz” or Cookies and Milk.”

Guests who wish to book accommodations for their pets can visit www.wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com or call 877/4-WDW-PETS.

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