Tag Archives: Hotel

August 4, 2009 – The Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Officially Opens

Image Credit: Official Walt Disney World Website

“Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is designed to complement the fabled styling of the classic Disney’s Contemporary Resort building and delivers some of the most dramatic views available anywhere at Walt Disney World Resort.”

On August 4, 2009, the Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, better known as the Bay Lake Tower, officially opened at Walt Disney World. The resort is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, near the Magic Kingdom resort, and although it is an addition to the Disney’s Contemporary Resort, it is designated a standalone Disney Vacation Club hotel. Plans for the hotel were announced in November 2006, and it has become a highly popular destination for Disney Vacation Club members and non-members alike.

The tower’s design is similar to the Contemporary Resort, with airy rooms furnished contemporary custom pieces. Guests in these rooms are able to enjoy views of old-growth cypress trees, or the Magic Kindgom theme park. Dining options in this hotel includes the Top of the World Lounge, which is the former name of the restaurant at the Contemporary Resort, which was renamed the California Grill. From this lounge, members of the Disney Vacation Club are can watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom.

June 28, 1988 – Disney’s Grand Floridian Beach Resort Opens at Walt Disney World

Image credit: Official Walt Disney World Website

 “This magnificent hotel sits along the white-sand shores of Seven Seas Lagoon…Enjoy an opulent experience that begins inside the Grand Lobby, which stands over five stories high, sparkling with the light from two brilliant chandeliers.”

On June 28, 1988, the Grand Floridian Beach Resort (renamed Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in 1997) opened at Walt Disney World. The resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and is a Victorian-themed luxury hotel and spa located in the Magic Kingdom area. The hotel is categorized as a deluxe resort, the highest of the four designations of lodgings at the Walt Disney World Resort, and is considered Disney’s flagship hotel. It was renovated in 2007, with all the guestrooms redecorated and provided with updated technology, including flat-panel televisions.

The hotel contains a highly renowned restaurant called Victoria & Albert’s, a 13-year recipient of the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award, as well as Narcoossee’s, a restaurant that gives guests views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks show, Wishes. Also included at the resort is Citricos, an American restaurant with Mediterranean flair; 1900 Park Fare, which gives guests a chance to dine with Mary Poppins and Cinderella; the Grand Floridian Café, featuring traditional American fare; and the Gasparilla Grill and Games, a 24-hour snack bar with an arcade.

June 4, 1990 – The Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort Opens

Image Credit: Official Walt Disney World Site

“Inspired by Florida itself, the [Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort] features distinctive architectural silhouettes, punctuated by elaborate fountains and towering palm trees, on grass expanses and white sand-shored Crescent Lake.”

On June 4, 1990, the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort opened in the Epcot area of Walt Disney World. Designed by Michael Graves, and operated by Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, the Dolphin Resort resides on the edge of Crescent Lake, across from its sister hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan Resort. Its name derives from the pair of dolphins on the rooftop, both 56-feet tall.

The resort’s rooms are luxurious, each equipped with a 32-inch flat screen television, wireless Internet access, and sophisticated décor. Although Dolphin World is considered “other select deluxe hotels” in resort type, guests are still offered complimentary transportation to and from the park, Extra Magic Hours, and on-site Disney ticket desks. There are also many activities for guests of all ages if one doesn’t want to visit the park one day, including such amenities as five different swimming pools, a Mandara Spa, and jogging trails.