Progress continues on the new pool and waterplay area. This exciting new water-filled paradise will open in September.

          

Bob’s Sparkleberry Nature Trail and the Fishing Gazebo have been reopened, complete with a fresh coat of paint and many hungry fish in the pond.

The next phase of the pool expansion continued with the concrete pouring on the base and sides of our new zero-depth entry pool. Exciting progress on this much anticipated venue scheduled to open this September

All 38 villas in the Fairytale Forest are now complete and open to welcome Wish Families to their “home away from home”. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors who helped make this dream a reality.

Pool construction has begun! The new area will allow children of all abilities to enjoy a beach-style, zero-depth entry pool, interact with several of the original Wacky Water Works water play elements, and frolic in a “water-garden” filled with sprays, splashes, and lots of fun!

Fun Pool Facts

• Together, the pool and splash pad will accommodate 181 friendly faces.
• The area of development will total 53,589 square feet.
• The pool will hold 83,787 gallons of water.
• The splash pad will hold 7,480 gallons of water.

On October 1, the Village officially opened the first fourteen new Villas in the Fairy Tale Forest. Excited children and their families enjoyed the new “Castle and Cottage”- themed Villas that surround a new pond and Matthew’s Boundless Playground. Each building is a whimsical duplex, complete with two bedroom, two bathroom, fully accessible accommodations for our families. Through the generous support of Rooms To Go, the new Villas were completely furnished and decorated with brand new furniture. The next section of the Fairy Tale Forest is well underway and plans for completion are scheduled for the beginning of 2009.

The Fairy Tale Forest will soon be a place filled with laughter, smiles and great memories. The first two Villas in the whimsical area were opened in August, celebrating the culmination of months of dedicated support and tireless efforts from so many generous partners.

The Fairy Tale Forest's "Castles and Cottages" theme is warm and inviting. Things Remembered and Burger King and the "Have It Your Way Foundation" celebrated the grand openings of their new Villas along with Village Staff, Volunteers and special guests. These first two Villas, and the next five that will soon be completed, have all been decorated and furnished through the generous support of Rooms To Go.

On July 14, 2008, Give Kids The World (GKTW) welcomed Wish families, special friends and volunteers to the Fairy Tale Forest for the grand opening of the Village's newest playland, Matthew's Boundless Playground.

Matthew's Boundless Playground is the world's first and only life-sized CANDY LAND game. Children are invited to travel along the Gumdrop Trail through the Lollipop Forest to King Kandy's Kastle, amidst a world of color, seven-foot tall lollipops and a playground that is fully accessible for children of all abilities.

A generous gift from Hasbro, the beautiful Playground is named for Matthew McGowan, a former GKTW Wish child.

Click here to read Playground magazine’s story about Matthew’s Boundless Playground.

The forty-two new castle and cottage-themed Villas that are in construction on the expansion site will help Give Kids The World provide accommodations for 7,500 families each year. Only through the unwavering support and commitment of generous local construction companies can these villas be completed. Two such companies are Johnson Brothers Corporation, and Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc.

A long-standing dedicated partner of GKTW, Johnson Brothers Corporation brings the experience and expertise needed to complete some of the infrastructure of an expanded Village.

Give Kids The World has been privileged to partner with Johnson Brothers for many years dating back to the World of Wonders expansion (WOW) in the late 1990’s. Last fall, Johnson Brothers worked tirelessly to complete the underground storm, sanitary and water work needed before construction of the Villas could begin.

Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. has also extended its long term partnership with GKTW and is helping the Village turn the expansion dream a reality. One of Central Florida’s premier plumbing contractors, Modern Plumbing has already completed installation of the underground plumbing for the first seven villas, and will supply all plumbing labor for the rest of the Fairy Tale Forest.

Earlier this year, we began work on our much anticipated Gingerbread House Restaurant extension. The current Gingerbread House Restaurant is the only building of its kind and will soon extend from its current 6,458 square feet to a whopping 24,000 square feet! The structure will capture the imagination of our GKTW children by adding a centerpiece elevation shaped like a birthday cake, with the main guest entry area a welcoming "slice!"

To keep families, volunteers and staff safe during construction, a wooden fence was placed around the work site. Curious children and eager parents can "sneak a peek" at the construction through specially designed windows cut at varying heights in the fence so that everyone can check in on the progress.

Each day, work progresses on the Fairy Tale Forest, the location of the new family villas. Johnson Brothers has worked tirelessly to complete all underground storm, sanitary and water work. Now that this huge undertaking is complete, the Forest is ready for roadwork and curbing.

The first seven villa foundations have all been formed. Modern Plumbing assisted the Village last fall and installed the underground plumbing. The facades for these beautiful new villas were designed by PBS&J and completion is scheduled for the summer.

Claytonburg Park of Dreams will have a new 5,000 square foot pool with deck. The "zero entry" pool will accommodate over one hundred guests. There will also be two shaded areas, and the Wacky Water Works area will be revamped. The Sand Castle Clubhouse, designed by Aquatic Design & Engineering will replace the current pool house with family dressing areas.

The Gingerbread House Restaurant expansion has begun. Baker Barrios Architects has designed and created a renovation to the Gingerbread House that is sure to be every child’s delight! While the physical building will be expanded to accommodate seating for an additional 250 guests, it is the theme and design that will tempt the tastebuds. Everyone’s favorite foods come to life in this unique "sweet tooth mine." In addition, the Gingerbread House restaurant will receive a new kitchen, a larger service area and the much-anticipated pizza kitchen

Matthew’s Boundless Playground will have a Candy Land theme. Throughout the entire playground, this beloved children’s game will come to life. This colorful, fun-filled area will be barrier-free, allowing all children, with and without disabilities, to learn together through play. The new playground is scheduled to open summer 2008.