HAWAII | FAMILY & KIDS
Disney Resorts stakes claim in Oahu
With no theme park in sight, the tourism arm of the entertainment giant buys 21 oceanfront acres on Oahu for an 800-unit retreat.
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts said Wednesday that it had purchased 21 oceanfront acres on the Hawaiian island of Oahu to build its first hotel not associated with a theme park.
The Ko Olina Resort & Marina, which will also offer Disney Vacation Club time-share units, is Disney's latest attempt to capture more of the tourism market.
"Building a resort hotel in Hawaii is the next chapter in our effort to create immersive Disney experiences that allow families to reconnect and recharge in the areas of the world they most long to visit," Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo said in a statement.
The company did not offer many details about the hotel's features, although one Disney spokeswoman said Imagineers, as it refers to designers, were working with local architects, engineers and cultural advisors to create an "authentic Hawaiian experience."
Until now, Disney's hotels have all been built near one of its 11 theme parks. But at an investor conference in February, Rasulo alluded to what he called "blue-sky concepts," including expanding resorts beyond Disney's existing destinations "to claim a greater share of the hotel industry."
At the time, Rasulo said the move would be aimed in part at families with children who might be too young to appreciate a theme-park experience. Urban hotels or resorts in popular vacation destinations would give families more options, he said.
Disney's hotels are immensely popular. The hotels in Anaheim; Orlando, Fla.; Tokyo; and Paris maintain occupancy levels over 90% year-round, with an average daily rate of about $350.
In addition, its time-share business is growing: Sales, profit and memberships have doubled since 2003. Last month, Disney announced plans to expand Disney Vacation Club to the West Coast with the addition of 50 two-bedroom units at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in Anaheim. In Florida, the company has seven resorts. It has an eighth vacation club in Hilton Head, S.C., offered only to time-share members.
In 2005, it introduced Adventures by Disney, guided group vacations in places such as Hawaii and Wyoming. It began with two itineraries and now offers a dozen options. Next year, it will include 18 destinations.
The Disney Cruise Line fleet is also being doubled to four ships from two, with new ocean liners scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012. In addition, the Disney Magic ship, typically based in Florida, returns to the West Coast next summer for 12 consecutive seven-night cruises and two 15-night cruises through the Panama Canal.
The 800-unit Ko Olina resort will create more than 1,000 new jobs. Ko Olina, which translates as "place of joy" in Hawaiian, is scheduled to open in 2011 on the island's west coast. Disney officials said Hawaii had been among time-share members' most requested locations.
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