Today In Disney History ~ August 4th
The Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, commonly known as Bay Lake Tower, is a Disney Vacation Club resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort, opened in 2009. It is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, adjacent to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Bay Lake, and Magic Kingdom.
While the tower is designated as a standalone Disney Vacation Club resort hotel, it is considered an addition to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, as they both share the same theme. It occupies the land formerly occupied by a garden wing of the original A-frame Contemporary Tower.
In 2006, Disney filed plans for a project on the site of the Contemporary Resort’s North Garden Wing and a construction fence was erected, encompassing the wing and part of its parking lot. Disney’s Racquet Club was demolished by January 30, 2007, while the North Wing itself was demolished between January 31 and April 6, 2007. Construction on the new building continued through 2007, without Disney officially announcing what was actually being built.
In February 2007, Disney gained approval from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to begin selling Disney Vacation Club units at a property called “Kingdom Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort”. Approval was granted for an initial sale of 75 units, with the Kingdom Tower ultimately containing 281 timeshare units. The approval did not, however, state when Disney Vacation Club would actually begin selling units, only that they could do so. In preparation for the future sale, Disney incorporated a condominium association for the property on January 9, 1997 that would manage the units. The project was officially unveiled on September 16, 2008. Timeshares began on September 28, 2008 to existing Disney Vacation Club members and on October 5, 2008 for new members.
Bay Lake Tower is the ninth Disney Vacation Club resort, and the seventh located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It is the second Disney Vacation Club resort to be built in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, following The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, which opened in 2000.
TMSM Today in Graphic by Sherry Rinaldi DeHart; Wiki
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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