Who else remembers the Fairway Villas?

[trubgerg]

I was there the week after Christmas in 1994 (yes I'm old). And I may have played the hole that was right outside our door after the last legit group finished playing.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I was there the week after Christmas in 1994 (yes I'm old). And I may have played the hole that was right outside our door after the last legit group finished playing.

Were these where Saratoga Springs is now? We stayed at the Disney Institute in 1996 and I think there were three parts of the resort: treehouses, villas, and ?? Bungalows, maybe. We stayed in an area that I think is now the Congress Park area of SSR, because we were near what is now Disney Springs. I think at the time it was the Buena Vista Marketplace, or possibly Downtown Disney.

ETA: I found an old resort map. I'm pretty sure we stayed in the "townhouses" section. https://www.dizavenue.com/2016/06/remembering-disney-institute-resort.html

 

[_19disnA]

They place now known as Shades of Green used to be called something else with a 'Golf' related name when we stayed there many years ago. There are Disney golf courses right outside that resort also.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

They place now known as Shades of Green used to be called something else with a 'Golf' related name when we stayed there many years ago. There are Disney golf courses right outside that resort also.

I believe it was originally "The Golf Resort" and then "The Disney Inn", which are both rather dull names.

 

[trubgerg]

Were these where Saratoga Springs is now? We stayed at the Disney Institute in 1996 and I think there were three parts of the resort: treehouses, villas, and ?? Bungalows, maybe. We stayed in an area that I think is now the Congress Park area of SSR, because we were near what is now Disney Springs. I think at the time it was the Buena Vista Marketplace, or possibly Downtown Disney.

ETA: I found an old resort map. I'm pretty sure we stayed in the "townhouses" section. https://www.dizavenue.com/2016/06/remembering-disney-institute-resort.html

Yes! That's the place.

 

[Hamm&Eggz]

I definitely remember the different villas if the old Lake Buena Vista area! My family stayed there a few times in the 80s. I distinctly remember the Treehouse Villas as being very secluded with a lot of bugs in the room, but I'm mixing up the Fairway Villas and the Vacation Villas. One had two floors where the master bedroom featured an open overlook of the main living room area. They were great, my absolute favourite WDW accommodations.

 

[Tink-osophy]

Me! Although never stayed in one, we stayed at the nearby Treehouse Villas. (Don't remember bugs in the rooms, just noisy peacocks on the roof!)

Wasn't the Village awesome back then!

 

[Hamm&Eggz]

Me! Although never stayed in one, we stayed at the nearby Treehouse Villas. (Don't remember bugs in the rooms, just noisy peacocks on the roof!)

Wasn't the Village awesome back then!

Yeah, the village symbolizes a much simpler times! Pre-fastpass, pre-11 month planning. Even pre-Pleasure Island, when the Disney Village was a tiny shopping complex that felt huge as a kid.. with the distinct smell of the old pizza restaurant located right beside the parking lot.

Found a post about it here: https://allears.net/2011/08/09/the-walt-disney-world-village-1987/

Is there a forum on DISboards where we can chat retro/vintage Disney stuff?

 

[Tink-osophy]

I don't know if there's a place for chatting about retro Disney.

It's good to think about, though. The Village had some fantastic stores right up into the 90s. Not chain stores or designer stores, just really nice individual stores. The Gourmet Pantry and the bookstore, I particularly remember. Oh, and I loved the play structure with the fireman's pole.

And people drove around in golf carts. I always wanted to, but was too young!

 

[Hamm&Eggz]

Went down the rabbit hole, and these are the only videos I could find that talks about the history of Disney Village / Disney Springs:

Sadly underviewed videos with a lot of great info. This guy deserves more views!

 

[bakerworld]

We Honeymooned at the Vacation Villas '79 - former name of Fairway Villas - and our view was the Empress Lilly - now known as Paddlefish.

 

[Tink-osophy]

Went down the rabbit hole, and these are the only videos I could find that talks about the history of Disney Village / Disney Springs:

Sadly underviewed videos with a lot of great info. This guy deserves more views!

Brilliant! Thanks! Off to check these out...

 

[Tink-osophy]

The videos were really worth watching. Thanks! The channel has some others (like River Country) I'm going to watch sometime, too.

I discovered it was originally called the Buena Vista Village , I knew it as the Disney Village/Marketplace, although located at Lake Buena Vista.

I remembered the Empress Lily, but had forgotten the Verandah and Village Inn Restaurants. I'd also forgotten the Captain's Tower - although I never knew it was called that, I remember it used to be decorated for Hallowe'en, complete with really loud howling! Funny the things that stick in your mind.

 

[Hamm&Eggz]

The videos were really worth watching. Thanks! The channel has some others (like River Country) I'm going to watch sometime, too.

I discovered it was originally called the Buena Vista Village , I knew it as the Disney Village/Marketplace, although located at Lake Buena Vista.

I remembered the Empress Lily, but had forgotten the Verandah and Village Inn Restaurants. I'd also forgotten the Captain's Tower - although I never knew it was called that, I remember it used to be decorated for Hallowe'en, complete with really loud howling! Funny the things that stick in your mind.

Lots of small things stick in my memory from those days-- Chef Mickey's (the original location with the aforementioned pizza smells wafting over the parking lot), learning the word "haberdashery" from Sir Edward's Haberdashery, the funny looking playground in the middle of the village (w/ quite a few child-unsafe hard right-angles), and of course the Empress Lilly. I think i'll be going further down the internet rabbit hole today...

 

[HiStitch626]

I remember staying in a Fairway Villa as a kid. We rented one in 95 for a friend's birthday weekend and I am sure had way too many people in it!

 

[Tink-osophy]

Lots of small things stick in my memory from those days-- Chef Mickey's (the original location with the aforementioned pizza smells wafting over the parking lot), learning the word "haberdashery" from Sir Edward's Haberdashery, the funny looking playground in the middle of the village (w/ quite a few child-unsafe hard right-angles), and of course the Empress Lilly. I think i'll be going further down the internet rabbit hole today...

Was that the play structure with the fireman's pole? I loved that! First time I'd come across one in a playground.

I think one of the things I liked about the village was that it was smaller and low-key and I don't remember it ever being jam-packed. I don't imagine it would have served current numbers and needs, though.

Please let me know what you find.

 

[Tink-osophy]

We Honeymooned at the Vacation Villas '79 - former name of Fairway Villas - and our view was the Empress Lilly - now known as Paddlefish.

I remember walking past the Vacation Villas on the walk from the Treehouse to the Village.

I was under the impression the Vacation Villas had private pools (maybe shared between pairs of houses) -- or did I imagine that?

 

[Brett Wyman]

I grew up in Ocala and had family in the Orlando area. Visiting Lake Buena Vista Villages as kid in the 80s was a cheap way for my parents to "take me to Disney" for the day so we went a lot.

 

[Hamm&Eggz]

Was that the play structure with the fireman's pole? I loved that! First time I'd come across one in a playground.

I think one of the things I liked about the village was that it was smaller and low-key and I don't remember it ever being jam-packed. I don't imagine it would have served current numbers and needs, though.

Please let me know what you find.

Yes! The playground was this beautiful monstrosity called the "Whatchamacallit" with the fireman's pole on the left:
https://www.retrowdw.com/wp-content...r-1980/145831-alb-193_20150601_1067520390.jpg

And check out this detailed blog w/ bonus shots a Darth Vader visiting the Captain's Tower (now the pin store) in 1977!
https://waltdatedworld.com/id22.htm

Anyone remember the robotic arm that air brushed t-shirts?!? Perhaps this thread should be moved elsewhere, I think we've hijacked it enough.

 

[bakerworld]

I remember walking past the Vacation Villas on the walk from the Treehouse to the Village.

I was under the impression the Vacation Villas had private pools (maybe shared between pairs of houses) -- or did I imagine that?

Yes, they did have a private pool shared with other units.