Chimp & Zees's Hotel



Chimp & Zee's resort celebrates not just the Chimpanzee as an animal in its own right, but also its relationship with mankind - they are perhaps mankind's closest animal relation and have been "working with people" in the entertainment industry for a very long time. The Hotel has features inspired by the life and times of you average chimp, the ecosystem you'll find wild chimps in, as well as a few home comforts to reflect just how close man and chimp are.

(Note, in Disney style we're glossing over the controversial parts of the chimp-human relationship, especially medical research, just focusing on the positives).

The slogan, whilst a pun reference to the biological similarities to man and chimp can also be adapted to instead focus on the quality service of the resort for markets where potential customers may not be entirely comfortable with the biological/evolutionary connotation.

As a "Moderate Supplement" to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Chimp & Zee's does have a few intentional similarities in style to Animal Kingdom lodge. It tries to offer some common experiences, but not at the higher price point that Animal Kingdom Lodge demands - as guests are only likely to stay at one or the other a little overlap shouldn't present a problem. This said, Chimp & Zee's also puts its own spin on things by the inclusion of "Stars" Chimp and Zee, and a nod towards the not-too distant all-star themed resorts, and puts more focus on "jungle" than generic Africa.

Disney Myth
Like many facilities in the Walt Disney Theme Park, Chimp & Zee's has been built around an invented "myth" to tie the themed elements together. “Chimp” and “Zee” have been one of Hollywood’s darling couples for decades - despite their abundance of body hair (but thats okay, they're Chimpanzees after all). After appearing in countless animal based comedies they’ve decided to retire from show business. After a few months of swinging from tree to tree in the Congo, Chimp and Zee realised that the happiest they were on the road, staying in hotels and getting the full star treatment. With this in mind they could thing of no place better to spend their retirement than their own hotel?. When their friend Mickey Mouse offered them a prime piece of Disney World Resort to build their dream, they just couldn’t refuse. Chimp & Zee have scoured the world’s best human hotels and attractions to learn how to provide the best experience to their human cousins, and hope to provide a great experience to other members of the “family” too; but they know all of their guests can't be movie stars, and have built an experience that you'll still remember long after your bank balance has forgotten it.

Hotel Structure
The Hotel is made up of 3 9 story (inc ground level) hotel buildings, arranged in an capital I shape. The first 6 levels taken on their own form a trapezoidal shape each level moving "in" 1/3 of a storey's height on the long side; However 2/3 up the floors begin to move out again the same amount with them seeming to just hang out slightly. The hotel shape is 3 of these in a row (so theres 3 room sections, 2 internal supporting curve walls, and 2 exterior curve walls. This is then mirrored on the other side to create an hourglass shape (but with a much smaller top section). Its coloured in timber shaded browns on most sides, except for the South building on the West side, which has a simulated rock face and waterfall. The Rooftop areas cover approximately the same footprint as the 3rd level, however the"inward" side of the "Top" and "Bottom" of the I shaped group are slightly larger in the middle, making all 3 rooftop areas meet and combine for a single rooftop plaza (this plaza is known as the canopy… More on this later). The Middle stroke of the I aligns more or less along a North-South axis; with the southern building hosting the reception area.  In line with similar resorts in Walt Disney World, there are around 2000 rooms.

Reception
Reception is themed to be like the living/lounge room of someone quite well off, but with large pictures of Chimps working on movie sets. This area is meant to help establish the feeling of being in the home of family you might be staying with on vacation, its a link to the Chimpanzee's biological and cultural links with humanity. Cast Members operating in the resort are briefed to try and make the experience as much like staying with family as they can. Where there is scope to they're asked to try and remember names, and when guests are leaving they're asked "to come back and visit us again real soon".