Treehouse Villa Rebuild Confirmed

Rumor from DVCNews.com
Written by tjkraz ;
Saturday, February 09, 2008 12:09AM

Several days ago we reported that the South Florida Water Management District had approved an application filed by the Reedy Creek Improvement District to perform some sort of refurbishment to the old Treehouse Villas. ; Since that first report a great deal of additional information has come to light--information which confirms that Disney has come up with a plan to completely rebuild these structures.

The Treehouse Villas originally opened in 1975. ; The project was just one of a number of developments in the area now occupied by Saratoga Springs Resort. ; The sixty Treehouse Villas were all two-story structures with a single bedroom and laundry facilities on the first floor, and two additional bedrooms, kitchen and living area on the second floor. ; The treehouses still exist today in their original configuration.

Following the post-9/11 downturn in the tourism industry, Disney closed the Treehouse Villas to the general public. ; For much of the last six years they have been used as private residences for participants in Disney's International and College Programs.

On the surface it would seem only natural for Disney to use this land for further expansion of Saratoga Springs, however Disney's hands were seemingly tied by two pieces of legislation: ; The Warren S. Henderson Wetlands Protection Act of 1984 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. ; The treehouses reside on a piece of land which has been designated protected wetlands. ; This designation seemingly allowed Disney the ability to renovate the Treehouses, but any additional construction on the protected land is prohibited. ; The situation is then complicated by the ADA, given that the two-story Treehouses do not meet current ADA accessibility guidelines. ; As structures built well before the Americans with Disabilities Act, the treehouses are not obligated to comply with the guidelines. ; But new construction could mandate ADA compliance.

Well, it appears Disney may have found a way to overcome these hurdles.

On the morning of February 5th we received a tip that Disney had received approval to peform some sort of renovation or replacement of the Treehouse Villas. ; Following up on our lead, a poster on the MouseOwners.com message boards located the application filed with SFWMD on December 24, 2007. ;

 

I remember seeing the old treehouses from the POR-DTD boat and thinking how sad it was that they had been left to rot.

Now, there'll be all new treehouses... and the designs look cool. ; I just wonder how much they'll cost to stay in????

 

I think they will be part of DVC...... Maybe Saratoga Springs.