New Four Seasons Timeshare on Disney Property and Value Oriented West Side

[AmyBWV99]

I know this has been rumored, but here's the press release. I can't even imagine why they'd be allowing Four Seasons to sell timeshares on Disney property.



Four Seasons to Anchor New Disney Luxury Resort
Thursday March 1, 11:00 am ET
Expansion plans also include value-oriented retail, dining and lodging district


LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Walt Disney World Resort today announced two new projects as part of an expansion plan for the resort in Central Florida: a new 900-acre luxury resort anchored by the prestigious Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and a 450-acre retail, dining and lodging district on the western edge of the Disney resort.
"These projects are first-of-a-kind for Walt Disney World and we are thrilled to be able to bring Four Seasons to our resort," said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort. "Families around the globe know they can trust Disney to deliver magical experiences and Four Seasons to offer exceptional service and amenities. Combined, this is a huge win for devotees of both brands and for Central Florida," said Crofton.

LUXURY DESTINATION RESORT - NORTHEAST RESORT AREA

Along the northeast border of Walt Disney World Resort, Disney plans to convert its Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge golf courses into a luxury resort and golf community. The development will include a luxury hotel, 18-hole championship golf course, single- and multi-family vacation homes and fractional ownership vacation homes.

Disney entered into a letter of intent with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to bring these two complementary and respected brands together to anchor a new world-class family resort destination.

Four Seasons is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continuous innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. Currently with 74 hotels in 31 countries, and more than 25 properties under development, Four Seasons continues to lead the hospitality industry with innovative enhancements, making business travel easier and leisure travel more rewarding. The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personified in its employees -- people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service. Four Seasons currently operates two properties in Florida, Four Seasons Hotel Miami and the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.

"The Resort will have all the ingredients needed to create memorable vacations: gracious and caring staff; beautiful surroundings that are thoughtfully designed; and services and amenities that make every experience one to cherish," said Kathleen Taylor, president and chief operating officer, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "It's an honor to collaborate with Walt Disney World Resort on this project. Walt Disney's reputation for service excellence and exceptional family entertainment amenities is an ideal complement to the values of Four Seasons. Central Florida will be a valuable addition to our family of resorts, particularly since this is a destination our guests already enjoy."

Once terms of the project are finalized, site work could begin later this year, with a hotel opening forecasted for 2010.

VALUE-ORIENTED DESTINATION - MIXED-USE TOURISM DISTRICT

On the western edge of the resort, Disney is planning a mixed-use tourist commercial district just outside Disney's gateway entrance. The master-planned development is comparable in size to Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The project combines third-party branded lodging, retail and dining in a pedestrian-friendly environment and will be another example of Disney's commitment to unique placemaking. Located outside Disney's gateway around the interchange where Western Way meets the Western Beltway, early development plans include 4,000 - 5,000 low- to mid-rise, value-priced lodging units and 300,000 - 500,000 square feet of commercial space. Designed around a retail village, the development will become a convenient shopping and service center for Cast Members, nearby residents and Central Florida visitors.

The project is currently in the design stage. Site work and branding is anticipated to begin later this year. The project will be built in phases over the next 8 - 10 years.

Walt Disney World Resort is a contiguous 40-square-mile, world-class entertainment and recreation center featuring four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom); two water adventure parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon); 32 resort hotels (22 owned and operated by Walt Disney World, including five Disney Vacation Club resort properties); two full-service spas; Disney's Wedding Pavilion; Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex; and Downtown Disney, an entertainment-shopping-dining complex encompassing the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and West Side. Walt Disney World Resort is also included in vacation packages of Disney Cruise Line. Located at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 20 miles southwest of Orlando, Walt Disney World Resort opened Oct. 1, 1971. Open daily, year-round.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Walt Disney World Resort

 

[crazy4wdw]

Disney to partner with Four Seasons on luxury resort

From Sentinel Staff Reports
Posted March 1, 2007, 10:47 AM ESTMar 1, 2007

Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton this morning announced two new projects at the resort: a luxury resort and golf course community in Bonnet Creek and a mixed-use commercial center for "value-conscious" guests just outside the western edge of its property.

Disney is partnering with the Four Seasons hotels and resorts on a 900-acre site that will include a luxury hotel, 18-hole championship golf course and single-family and fractional ownership homes.

The hotel is expected to open in 2010, and the current Osprey Ridge golf course will be renovated and rebranded as a Four Seasons property.

The mixed-use development, with 4,000 to 5,000 units of low- and mid-priced lodging, will take advantage of the recently opened Western Beltway to bring visitors coming from Interstate 75. The development will be built just outside the Disney gateway at the western edge of its property.

That development will feature a pedestrian-friendly retail center with dining, shopping and small-scale entertainment venues.

 

[raidermatt]

Well, I guess my "99 holes of Golf" shirt will be an antique.

 

[DancingBear]

Sad that they don't value holding onto the real estate and developing on their own any more.

 

[YoHo]

And people wonder why I spew so much Vitriol.

 

[raidermatt]

I guess since they wanted a high end development, they had to bring in somebody with a reputation for quality customer service.

 

[DisOrBust]

Maybe Eisner wasn't so bad after all.

 

[wdw4us2]

If you needed proof that the Walt Disney Company now values profits above everything else, here it is.

"Here in Florida we have something special we never enjoyed in Disneyland - the blessing of size. There's enough land here to hold all of the ideas and plans we could possibly imagine." - Walt Disney

I have a hard time believing this new plan was what he imagined.

 

[Another Voice]

Some quick notes:

It's long been rumored that Disney wants to partner-up with an outside company for the expansion of DVC and Disney Resorts. Everyone had assumed this was going to be Marriott (Disney has tried to sell all the WDW resorts to them in the past). This is the first I've heard of Four Seasons being around.

Why does Disney want to sell land to people who want to build low-end motel rooms while half of Disney's Pop Century sits rotting in the sun? Is Disney now giving up on the low end of the resort business? Is there that much demand for motel rooms? And then why not finish Pop?

The Four Season development - hotel, time shares and vacation homes is exactly what the old Disney Village Resort (e.g. Lake Buena Vista Resort) was designed to be. But they ripped it out for the moronic Disney Institute, then turned it into DVC.

And the western development sounds like another Hotel Plaza & Crossroads Center.

The team of Michael Eisner and Bob Iger have now managed to sell off more than a third of the Walt Disney World's land.

Selling off another giant piece of WDW to another outside company is interesting and desperate. Giving away the high end of the market is interesting and desperate. Allowing competitors to build thousands of motel rooms while thousands of rooms at Pop Century sit unfinished is interesting and desperate. Rushing out all these press releases about expansion off property, the cruise line and WDW is interesteing and desperate.

So when is the other shoe going to fall?

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Soon Mr. Voice, I think you will even start to despise Iger more than Eisner...

 

[paulh]

was the site of the new four seasons the old dvc site that was canned for ssr?
Paulh

 

[DC7800]

So when is the other shoe going to fall?

I'm not sure what's worse - the ominous implications of what's next, or what has already been done to undermine the future of the company.

We know all Disney really cares about is making a quick buck - but do these deals really bring in that much cash? Enough to explain the reasoning behind the madness? Doesn't seem to add up.

Maybe Eisner wasn't so bad after all.

Words I would never have thought possible...

 

[DancingBear]

Let's not start feeling warm and fuzzy about Eisner. He's the one that started thinking about the Florida real estate as just being another underperforming asset.

 

[raidermatt]

Yeah, honestly I think this is just the natural progression of what Eisner wanted to do anyway. Iger's biggest fault might be that his better ability to play nice with others has allowed him to pull it off.

was the site of the new four seasons the old dvc site that was canned for ssr?
Paulh

It appears to be. I haven't seen any maps, but the Eagle Pines DVC was going to be around the Eagle Pines golf course. From the statements about the location, as well as the mention of only one 18 hole golf course (Osprey), it would seem that not only is SSR now officially gone, but so is the Eagle Pines golf course.

 

[rantnnravin]

Four Seasons continues to lead the hospitality industry with innovative enhancements... The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personified in its employees -- people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service.

ummmm....doesn't this sound like what a certain mouse-eared company was once known best for? does it sadden no one else that they must look to another company now to provide this type of service on Disney property?

 

[DC7800]

Let's not start feeling warm and fuzzy about Eisner

No, certainly not. I was thinking more along the lines of the devil you know versus the one you don't (or how bad it will get) and, indeed, as raidermatt noted Eisner was fortunately unable to implement some of his ill-concieved, half-baked ideas.

 

[crazy4wdw]

There's a video regarding the new projects on wesh.com

Link: http://www.wesh.com/travelgetaways/11147122/detail.html

 

[crazy4wdw]

Another video is available at the Orlando ABC TV station (WKMG)

Link: http://www.local6.com/travelgetaways/11145583/detail.html

 

[k5thbeatle]

About time they did something to cater to other than the low budget crowd!

 

[clkelley]

Actually, I'm kind of glad about the value area. I'm hoping that will be the "new" area where they house Pop Warner, cheerleaders, dance teams, Magic Music Days, etc., and all the other Wide World of Sports tournament guests and leave the values and moderates available for families.