Is anyone aware of a possible new "EPCOT" DVC?

[DVC BLT]

We own BLT for about 4 years now and we love it. However, we always felt we wanted an "EPCOT" area resort. I've been on the hunt for Sept use-year Beach Club points and the hunt has been for naught. With that said, I have no problem going direct, but cant justify the price for the limited number of years left on the existing area resorts. I have a young family and would probably be using the points beyond the 2042 expiration, and to pay the direct price now plus a potential extension in the future sounds like a bad deal.

DVC seems to be going full strength into the MK area (BLT, GFV, and rumored Poly), but was curious if anyone thinks something could be brewing in the EPCOT area?

 

[cbnsoul]

There have been thoughts that they may try to do something with YC but there isn't much room. I think the consensus was that they couldn't easily add rooms to BCV, even though there may be space, without making it a whole new "resort" since the expiration year would differ from the the current BCV rooms.

I would love an additional DVC property in that area with a later expiration and I'm sure others would too. My guess is that once they finish the "easy" DVC resorts (ie ones tied to present hotels), they will look into areas requiring more work such as the YC or other rumored locations such as River Country or near HS.

 

[ParrotBill]

No rumors of additional EPCOT area development yet... We know Poly is next even though not announced. There are rumors, I stress rumors, of another between FW and WL. And Speculation of converting the CR south wing to another tower.

Land is getting scare around EPCOT. Perhaps there is room across the street from BYC, or between HS and CBR. If it were up to me, I would tear down the unsightly Swan and Dolphin and build a new resort that fits in with the Boardwalk and BYC theming!

 

[surfer_ed]

I had heard a RUMOR about doing something where River Country is/was.

 

[dianeschlicht]

=ParrotBill;49231986 If it were up to me, I would tear down the unsightly Swan and Dolphin and build a new resort that fits in with the Boardwalk and BYC theming!

I'd go for that!

 

[erionm]

If it were up to me, I would tear down the unsightly Swan and Dolphin and build a new resort that fits in with the Boardwalk and BYC theming!

That would be difficult to do. Tischman Hotel Corporation owes the buildings and has a 99 year lease on the property.

 

[Theaberdeenkid]

Our home resort is BWV. Have you tried there

 

[staceymay00]

If it were up to me, I would tear down the unsightly Swan and Dolphin and build a new resort that fits in with the Boardwalk and BYC theming!

I agree!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[DebbieB]

No rumors of additional EPCOT area development yet... We know Poly is next even though not announced. There are rumors, I stress rumors, of another between FW and WL. And Speculation of converting the CR south wing to another tower.

Land is getting scare around EPCOT. Perhaps there is room across the street from BYC, or between HS and CBR. If it were up to me, I would tear down the unsightly Swan and Dolphin and build a new resort that fits in with the Boardwalk and BYC theming!

Keep in mind that the Swan and Dolphin are not Disney owned, they are Starwood. Not sure if there is a land lease.

 

[bookwormde]

There is an old rumor of DVC/CRO combination resort near DHS but nothing near EPCOT,

They could fit a moderate size building continuing into the BCV parking area.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think they ought to build a resort near the front of the park. It would be walking distance to both Epcot and the monorail to the MK and have views of Spaceship Earth.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I think they ought to build a resort near the front of the park. It would be walking distance to both Epcot and the monorail to the MK and have views of Space Ship Earth.

I love this idea!

 

[ttepsich]

I love this idea!

Oooooo Love this idea too! We are BCV owners and really enjoy taking the monorail to MK BUT by the time we walk through EPCOT and up the ramp to the monorail we are tuckered out! Actually, I think the return trip is worse with walking up and down and up the monorail ramp to get back to EPCOT. Anyway.... a DVC would really be convenient near the entrance to EPCOT.

 

[DenLo]

Keep in mind that the Swan and Dolphin are not Disney owned, they are Starwood. Not sure if there is a land lease.

That would be difficult to do. Tischman Hotel Corporation owes the buildings and has a 99 year lease on the property.

From the World According to Jack on AllEars.net.

In the early 1980’s, the Disney Company was subjected to several hostile takeover attempts. In order to fend off these attacks, the company needed an infusion of money -- quickly. One of the parties Disney turned to was Tishman, the construction company that built much of Epcot. In return for the loan, Tishman would be allowed to build two convention hotels somewhere on property. In the end, Disney prevailed and the takeover attempts were thwarted, but many of the company’s executives were ousted. It was at this time that Michael Eisner and Frank Wells entered the picture with a directive to further develop the Florida property.

In 1984, the only on-property hotels were the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Golf Resort (later the Disney Inn, currently Shades of Green). Eisner wanted to build more, architecturally pleasing resorts to lure off-property guests to spend their entire vacation on Disney property. But there was this pesky contract with Tishman that needed to be honored first. After reviewing Tishman’s plans, it was discovered that they intended to build uninspired “boxy” buildings. This did not please Eisner, so in typical fashion, he demanded that the contract with Tishman be broken. Of course Tishman did not take kindly to this and filed a countersuit against Disney. In the end, Disney had to back down but a new contract was crafted. It gave Tishman a prime location next to Epcot but it gave Disney the right to determine the design. So Eisner hired famed architect Michael Graves, who had never designed a hotel before, to create the whimsical Swan and Dolphin Resort. The Swan opened January 13, 1990 and the Dolphin opened June 1, of the same year.

That lease won't end beyond my life time. I think a resort in front of Epcot could have the parking lot view so many hate at BLT. They won't be able to see Spaceship Earth because of the parking lot below them.

 

[ParrotBill]

OK, OK, so we have to wait 85 or so more years to tear down the Swan and Dolphin. I looked at the map and an EPCOT resort on the other side of EPCOT Drive has a perfect place. The entrance would be off Vista Blvd and if you graded it up a little the views would, yes, go across the parking lots but toward the monorail (tease!) and Spaceship Earth. It could have a Futureworld-esque theme and an architectural centerpiece that would mirror Spaceship Earth. And you could build a bridge over EPCOT Drive and run the parking Tram over it to a loop for those guests to link to EPCOT and the Monorail.

Who else in in?

 

[DVC BLT]

Our home resort is BWV. Have you tried there

I have no problem with Boardwalk, however my daughters are scared to death of the Clown face at the pool.

Based on what I've seen on this thread - I'm going to have to suck it up and go with BCV direct.

Sept use year must be small there...and I'm probably being too specific with the point size (175ish).

 

[Brandis]

Lots of land available between Epcot and World Dr, where the Overflow / CM parking for the Yacht and Beach Club currently is located. They even could add a Monorail station

Or how about the area between CBR and the Studio parking lot? To save room, they could even build over Buena Vista Dr. and have a 2. side entrance to Epcot, for example from behind the America pavillion.

Just dreaming!

 

[tjkraz]

1) There is room at the Yacht Club for a smallish DVC addition. Size-wise, probably something between Grand Californian (50 villas) and Grand Floridian (100 villas.) Converting hotel rooms to is an approach DVC has used in the past.

2) Another DVC wing at the Beach Club is a possibility. There's ample space. Building on just one of its two large parking lots could double the number of villas there.

Expiration date would be an issue, but hardly an insurmountable one. They would most likely have to create a separate condo association to get beyond the 2042 ending date. It would simply be BCV I and BCV II.

3) Creating a stand-alone resort on the Epcot monorail line has been rumored in years past. Not sure how seriously to take those rumors, though. There is a site adjacent to the monorail which Disney frequently uses for construction staging--the old STOLport landing strip. Disney often files permits to equip that site for staging, and those permits may have been erroneously linked to actual construction work at the site.

4) I was once told there was consideration given to building a new DVC which would link right into Epcot on the eastern side (opposite side of the park from BW, BC, YC, etc.) Don't get your hopes up too much about this one...I'd probably rank it just a little above a bus driver rumor in terms of reliability.

And then you've got Polynesian (possibly multiple construction phases), Fort Wilderness and Contemporary (second DVC tower.) I've even heard that DVC has looked into converting Coronado Springs to DVC...probably demolishing the guest rooms and rebuilding as they did with SSR.

There are many, many possibilities. All signs point toward Poly being next but no firm decisions have been made beyond that. It's going to take decades to see how it all plays out.

 

[crisi]

Another issue is that very little of the land remaining is buildable - Disney is sitting on prime Florida swamp land. The footings required for large buildings aren't likely to happen in too many places.

 

[tjkraz]

Another issue is that very little of the land remaining is buildable - Disney is sitting on prime Florida swamp land. The footings required for large buildings aren't likely to happen in too many places.

Sinkhole anxiety notwithstanding, I don't think WDW property is quite maximized yet. The Reedy Creek Improvement District development plan through 2020 allows for 1 "major" theme park, 2 "minor" parks and over 11,000 additional hotel rooms.

Certainly there are many areas Disney may otherwise wish to develop which are not suitable, but many expansion opportunities still exist.