Fairfield said that they are building a timeshare resort right in Epcot?

[drusba]

As to bus service, it will likely have its own. However, my understanding is that Disney will be providing other services like utilities as the property is within the jurisdiction of the local governmental entity that Disney controls. In fact, the need for services and zoning approvals from Disney has apparently allowed Disney to maintain some control over the zoning and design of the resort. Buena Vistra Drive is a public road also controlled to a large extent by the Disney control local government entity. Disney, as the local governmental agency, could not deny road access to the road or other things that would prevent development (that would lead to a lawsuit that Disney would have to lose in its role of a local governemntal entity). Instead, Disney appears to be using its governmental role to assure the project is not junk.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The government that Disney controls is called the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID).

I really don't think that the Bonnet Creek Resort site falls within the jurisdiction of the RCID -- nor would Disney want it to. Disney maintains 100% control over the voting within the RCID by hand selecting the residents who live within its jurisdiction. If the Bonnet Creek Resort site were included in the RCID, then the owner or developer of that resort could obtain voting rights within the RCID by establishing residences (with their own hand selected residents) there -- possibly even gaining complete control by outvoting Disney.

The road going to the Bonnet Creek Resort is clearly on Disney property. I assume the RCID (Disney) has influence over the appearance of that road.

But, as to the Bonnet Creek Development itself, it's likely to be a high quality development with attractive themed resorts -- because that would be good business, not because of the RCID.

 

[Experiment626]

If the Bonnet Creek Resort site were included in the RCID, then the owner or developer of that resort could obtain voting rights within the RCID by establishing residences (with their own hand selected residents) there -- possibly even gaining complete control by outvoting Disney.

ahh... but then if RCID controlled the land that Bonnet Creek was on then they would be smart enough not to zone any of it as residential, thus never allowing anyone to take up permanent residence on the land.

Most likely, the only real control RCID has would be to assess impact fees to help cover the costs associated with the extra traffic the resort would generate on their roadways.

 

[manning]

It's the law. Land can't be land locked, access has to be given.

 

[d-r]

Believe it or not, I once read something that suggested that this piece of property was once owned by Chiang Kai Shek (SIC!), and that it was once an investment from the exiled Chinese government in Taiwan. I'm not at all sure that I believe that.

 

[jag90]

Doc -

I thought the Bonnet Creek construction signs were for the DVC construction. If not where is this going to be located?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by jag90
I thought the Bonnet Creek construction signs were for the DVC construction. If not where is this going to be located?

There are two places called "Bonnet Creek." They're several miles apart, but both are along a waterway that's called... you guessed it... Bonnet Creek.

In 2001, Disney announced plans for a new DVC resort at the Eagle Pines Golf Course at Disney's Bonnet Creek Golf Club. This golfing area is on Disney property north of the Port Orleans Resort. Currently, development of the DVC resort there is on hold in favor of DVC's Saratoga Springs Resort.

In 2002, Fairfield announced plans for a Fairfield timeshare resort at the Bonnet Creek Resort. The site is south of OKW and is not on Disney property, but access is from Buena Vista Drive near CBR.

 

[KNWVIKING]

If Disney were to sell a piece of landlocked property to someone, they would be required to allow access. But that isn't the case here. If access were manditory,then it would fall on the state or county to supply access-maybe onto I-4 or Oceola Pkwy.

I don't think Disney is viewing this project as competition but more as a potential profit center. When this project is complete, how many tens of thousands of visitors will be located within a stones throw of WDW. You know DTD is going to profit from it. And it's better then these people staying right outside US/IOA.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by drusba
However, my understanding is that Disney will be providing other services like utilities as the property is within the jurisdiction of the local governmental entity that Disney controls.

It's possible that the Bonnet Creek Resort could contract with the Disney-controlled Reedy Creek Improvement District to provide some services -- fire protection from the Reedy Creek Improvement District fire department station on Buena Vista Drive would make sense. Also, it's possible that Disney was able to have some influence over the Bonnet Creek Resort development as a negotiating point when they worked out road access.

But the Bonnet Creek Resort property is not under the jurisdiction of the RCID.

Take a look at the shape of the development on the plan that Horace Horsecollar posted. Now look at the map of the RCID at the RCID web site. Although the scale is different, you'll see that the Bonnet Creek Resort property fits neatly into the white area (non-RCID) to the left of I-4.

Also, you'll see that the Town of Celebration, although it sits on Disney property, has been removed from the RCID.

There is no way that the RCID can stay under absolute Disney control if they allow any residents, except for those assigned by Disney, to live on land that's under RCID jurisdiction. This also means that they cannot allow non-Disney land to be under RCID jurisdiction, because this would open up RCID to a takeover from that landowner.

 

[luckytso]

Do you think this timeshare will compete directly with Saratoga in 2004? It seems that their locations are fairly close to each other (is this right? I have never been to OKW or PO, just from the map, it seems that they are not far apart)

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by luckytso
Do you think this timeshare will compete directly with Saratoga in 2004?

Every timeshare in the Orlando area competes with DVC to some degree, and even though it will technically be off-site, the Fairfield Resort at Bonnet Creek Resort will have a location that rivals those of the DVC resorts.

But, having said that, I think that Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa won't be hurt by the Fairfield project any more than OKW and BWV were hurt by Marriott's Cypress Harbour or that VWL and BCV were hurt by Marriott's Grande Vista -- even though these Marriott resorts are near Sea World.

 

[erikthewise]

You know, I always wondered what plans Disney had for that piece of land -- now I know!! And thanks for the great map!

 

[spiceycat]

Fairfields builds high rises (or the one I saw in Destin is)- so will this be one?

and this why the property taxes went up?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Fairfield has all sorts of different building types, but most seem to be typical 2-6 story buildings.

At the Bonnet Creek Resort, Fairfield's first phase involves 744 timeshare units on 46 acres. There will be a dozen or so buildings, according to the plan for the Bonnet Creek Resort ( http://www.guybutlerarchitect.com/page10.htm ), with most having a view of the lake. If each building has an average of 62 units, it's likely that the buildings will be 4 to 6 stories each.

I'm not sure I understand the question about property taxes going up. But I think the answer is no -- this new resort should not cause the property tax portion of our DVC dues to go up.

 

[Beth]

I'm bumping this thread... it totally started and ended duing the SS Member Cruise - so many of us may have missed it.

I had been following the progress of this resort - and found all of this information to be really interesting...

 

[Lisa P.]

Just found an online link to a website with photos of an artist's rendering for the new Fairfield at Bonnet Creek Resort. Here are the links:

Vacation Ownership Magazine, Spring 2003 issue cover photo

V. O. Magazine's ad or short article on Fairfield's Orlando area resorts in pdf format, which requires Adobe Acrobat to view

From what I can tell, it'll have a Mediterranean theme look, a kiddie water play area and a floating "river" near the main pool. This section of the resort will overlook a small lake, with a sidewalk path near the lake. Looks nice to me.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

This could be a great DVC alternative, if they provide good transportation. Great info, thanks for sharing.

 

[nezy]

I just got the chance to look at the link referenced by Horace Horsecaller(how do you find these things?). Anyway, what concerns me are the several hotels.
I hope they(Bonnet Creek Development) keep as many trees as the picture indicates and do not plan to build on every piece of postage stamp property, like in the Downtown Disney area. Even the Swan and Dolphin are kind of built up for me. They are what I call the "Disney Projects".
The nice thing about staying on property is that the buildings are low and spaced out and you really are not aware of other resorts, except of course at BC, YC and BW, and the Swan and Dolphin.

I really do not like the idea of this and I am surprised to see this chunk of land does NOT belong to Disney.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by nezy
I hope they(Bonnet Creek Development) keep as many trees as the picture indicates and do not plan to build on every piece of postage stamp property, like in the Downtown Disney area.

My guess is that's not a coincidence that the master plan shows undeveloped forest land on either side of Bonnet Creek. My guess it that it's an issue of flood plain restrictions or a protected area or wetlands conservation. This is only a guess. But keep in mind that there are many places on Disney property where there's a buffer between waterways and developed areas.

Originally posted by nezy
I really do not like the idea of this and I am surprised to see this chunk of land does NOT belong to Disney.

I guess Walt couldn't buy every parcel. I recall seeing a map that showed that there's even a parcel on WDW property that's completely surrounded on all sides by Disney property.

I'm happy to see that the Bonnet Creek Resort project is a master-planned development. The architect of the plan has extensive experience with themed, entertainment-oriented developement. This won't be a repeat of Highway 192 through Kissimmee.

I'm surprised that the Fairfield timeshare project at Bonnet Creek Resort will have such a weak theme -- sort of a generic, watered-down Italian or Spanish style. They had an opportunity to design a resort that would really appeal to Disney guests, and that would come across as an extension of Disney. Alas, the artist's rendering that Lisa P referenced shows that Fairfield didn't bother to do so.

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

All other discussion aside, has anyone stayed in a Fairfield hotel?
We've stayed in one twice. The only reason we gave it a second try was because we simply could NOT believe a room in a brand new building could be so poorly soundproofed and built so shabbily.

We were wrong. We won't be giving them a third chance.

If this is typical of the Fairfields then I don't think DVC has a thing to worry about! LOL