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Disney Animal Kindom
Resort
 Here, most balconies overlook
a picturesque savanna where giraffe, zebra and other exotic animals
roam about a spacious wildlife reserve. Only resort animals - not
those at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park - will be visible.
Hand-crafted furnishings and African decor welcome you to a world of
comfort complete with all the beauty of nature...and all the magic
of Disney. This 1,293-room, five-story resort will create the
atmosphere of a 140-acre wildlife preserve in southern Africa. It is
located nearly a mile southwest of the entrance to Disney's Animal
Kingdom theme park.
Designed by Peter Dominick, of Disney's
Wilderness Lodge fame, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will follow the
kraal African village design, a semi-circle concept with a
distinctive "theme" carried throughout its architecture, landscape
and interior designs.
 "We're trying to capture an
image that is not only symbolic of Africa but is culturally
relevant," said project manager Jim Kwasnowski of Walt Disney
Imagineering. The visual treat will begin on arrival as guests
discover a rolling 33-acre plain unfolding before them through one
of the resort?s larger-than-life picture windows. Here guests can
walk along the elevated kopje, or rock outcropping, and enjoy a
nearly panoramic view of roaming animals and flowing streams.
Guests will enter the lobby of this five-storey,
800,000-square-foot resort on the third floor. This large space will
frame the central pasture at the rear of the resort with a huge
picture window. From this window, guests will see the kopje
(pronounced 'copy'), or large rock formation, which will extend into
the pasture. Guests will be able to walk along this elevated kopje
into a viewing area and see animals on three sides. Although the
guests will see the animals up close, they won't be able to touch
them.
 Throughout the resort, guests
will discover examples of authentic African architecture and design,
from thatched ceilings to rich wood and golden tones. Features
include a large mud fireplace in the lobby and natural lighting
fixtures designed to accentuate spectacular sunrises and sunsets. At
night, incandescent lighting will resemble twinkling fire-flies and
soft-glowing campfires.
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Burj Al Arab
The
Emirate of Dubai is one of the seven United Arab Emirates, sitting
between the waters of the Gulf and the desert and the Al Hajar
mountain range. Dubai is a truly fascinating blend of the ancient
traditions of Arabia and the Bedouin, the influence of Islam and a
thriving, modern commercialism. Even at the beginning of this
century, the way of life had hardly changed over hundreds of years
and was centred around merchants from Iran and India, Bedouins
traversing the desert from wadi to oasis, spices and gold being
traded.
 Today, remnants of this old
way of life are still visible and great efforts are being made to
restore traditional houses and to show village life although new
buildings are air-conditioned towers of steel and glass, shopping
centres vie with ancient souqs and the traditional art of falconry
exists alongside golf and horse-racing. Dubai has a huge number of
attractions, from its hot climate, warm waters and sandy beaches to
the appeal of the sand dunes of the desert, its array of goods in
both traditional and modern shops, to its approachability and
available insight for the western visitor to Arab culture coupled
with outstanding quality of accommodation and service.
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