Ground Blessing for Disney’s Oahu Resort

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts broke ground for its first family destination resort in Hawaii last week with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony on its 21-acre oceanfront property, located at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on the western side of Oahu.

Scheduled to open in 2011, the new family-friendly destination will include 350 hotel rooms and 480 villas. Plans call for an expansive pool and water play area, an 18,000 square-foot spa, a wedding lawn, an 8,000 square-foot convention center, a children’s club and two restaurants. The resort is being designed to respect and connect with the local culture of the Hawaiian Islands by incorporating cultural programming in the areas of environmental education, music, dance, history, and arts and crafts.