Old, Abandoned Hotel off of 192 and I-4

Tardisblue

Don't Blink
Joined
May 30, 2013
Hey guys - not sure if this is the right place to post this or not. We just returned from a week-long stay at the Polynesian, great time, great resort, but not the subject of this post.

We had a car this trip and took a drive off property for dinner one evening and as we're driving back we passed by an abandoned hotel property that is immediately east of I-4 and north of 192. I'm positive this is a place I stayed back in 1983 right after Epcot opened and want to say it was a Hyatt property?

Can anyone confirm what this hotel was originally and (long shot) happen to have any photos or post cards of the place? This is pure nostalgia for me. I stayed there with my parents and grandmother, all of whom have since passed away, and I'm simply taking a trip down memory lane.

Thanks!

TB
 
Was it on 192, or on another road? You mentioned it was north of 192, so not sure what road it was on.
 
We stayed at a hotel there in 1993 and it was a Ramada Inn. Several two story building clustered around a lagoon like pool with a waterfall. Is that it?
 


We stayed at a hotel there in 1993 and it was a Ramada Inn. Several two story building clustered around a lagoon like pool with a waterfall. Is that it?

That's it. It may have been a Ramada in 1983 as well, but 30 years of time have fogged my brain.
 


Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort & Convention Center

The Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center, a AAA 3 Diamond Resort... Where memories are created on our 77 tropically landscaped acres, only 1.5 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. The Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center guests will enjoy 919 rooms and 28 suites, all with balconies or patios arranged in four tropical courtyards, each surrounding a heated pool and childrens wading pool. Each room or suite is comfortably appointed with 300-thread count sheets, feather pillows and all the amenities to make it your home-away-from-home to rejuvenate after a day of fun at all the Orlando Celebration, Kissimmee, Florida attractions. The Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center offers tennis courts, pools, shopping, gaming in the arcade, attractions/activity desk, and live entertainment on the weekends. You could just relax by the pool, but why would you when you have all this to choose from right outside of your room. When you do decide to get out and go to the theme parks you can hop on our complimentary scheduled shuttle to the Walt Disney World Resorts, making the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort the perfect headquarters for your Disney vacation. Whether you are on business, taking advantage of our 60,000 square feet of flexible meeting space or enjoying an annual family vacation or escape with your loved one or friends, the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center, at the doorstep of Walt Disney World Resort, will exceed all your expectations.

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It's a massive resort and had a very large convention center. Very sad the disrepair, the green pools and that nothing has been done. I really have to wonder what kind of financial web it's caught in or if it's an environmental issue .... why would it sit this long, why does the county allow this?

Note: It did change names, maybe ownership, before it closed down but the name most know it by is Ramada. If you google image the name pictures should pop up.


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I'm positive this is a place I stayed back in 1983 right after Epcot opened and want to say it was a Hyatt property?

You have a good memory, Tardisblue. The official address of that property is 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL. As is the case for some franchised hotels, this one started out as a solid brand but slowly devolved through different brands because the owners didn't want to commit funds to keep it current to brand standards.

I believe it was constructed as the Hyatt Kissimmee Resort. After that, I think it might have been a Radisson. But, it definitively became the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort. It ended public life as the independent Orlando Sun Resort and Convention Center.

It's a massive property that is bordered by Interstate 4 and US 192 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway):

formerhyattkissimmee.jpg

Source: https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...-Memorial-Hwy_Kissimmee_FL_34747_M51162-69255

Edited to Add: While I was writing my post, HopperFan posted her response!
 
You have a good memory, Tardisblue. The official address of that property is 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL. As is the case for some franchised hotels, this one started out as a solid brand but slowly devolved through different brands because the owners didn't want to commit funds to keep it current to brand standards.

I believe it was constructed as the Hyatt Kissimmee Resort. After that, I think it might have been a Radisson. But, it definitively became the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort. It ended public life as the independent Orlando Sun Resort and Convention Center.

It's a massive property that is bordered by Interstate 4 and US 192 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway):

formerhyattkissimmee.jpg

Source: https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...-Memorial-Hwy_Kissimmee_FL_34747_M51162-69255

Edited to Add: While I was writing my post, HopperFan posted her response!


:rotfl2::rotfl2: too funny! especially the obscure photo.

I remember the years it was open always being confused between it, the Ramada, and the Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration that is next to this one.
 
It used to be the Hyatt Orlando. I stayed there twice, I think in the mid 80s and maybe early 1990s. It was pretty nice in the 80s, had a fancy restaurant, and the lobby was big. It was starting to decline in the 90s. The buildings all looked the same and we went to open the door to what we thought was our room, but it was someone else's room, and it was occupied. We were one building off, but the key worked. Scary. That was our last visit there.
 
Thanks @writerguyfl and @HopperFan for the info - this is the exact kind of feedback I was hoping for. I do have some vague memories of the place - the lobby seemed huge to me and for some reason fresh squeezed, expensive orange juice comes to mind and my dad didn't want to spend the money on it. I appreciate the help everyone!

Also - if @Gr8t Fan has any photos/brochures I'd still love to see them.

TB
 
The lobby seemed huge to me and for some reason fresh squeezed, expensive orange juice comes to mind

That's funny. I remember that too. I remember the orange juice was really good. They had a fancy restaurant there too, and I remember eating there one night and they gave you a lemon sorbet between courses. This may have even been earlier 80s the more I think about it. I remember the lobby being quite large and open and had lots of palm trees and other plantings and things in it.
 
Thanks @writerguyfl and @HopperFan for the info - this is the exact kind of feedback I was hoping for. I do have some vague memories of the place - the lobby seemed huge to me and for some reason fresh squeezed, expensive orange juice comes to mind and my dad didn't want to spend the money on it. I appreciate the help everyone!

Also - if @Gr8t Fan has any photos/brochures I'd still love to see them.

TB

Not a brochure, but a postcard. DH and I spent part of our honeymoon here in 1993 on our very first trip to WDW.

upload_2018-4-6_9-6-51.png

upload_2018-4-6_9-8-1.png
 
Wow....its hard to believe the place wasn't doing well. Based on comments from the above links, the place was still in decent condition when they closed. I cant believe it hasnt been purchased and/or restored. Wow....looks like it was a nice place.
 
Well that got me researching a bit. So it looks like it was bought by some NY investor brothers with big ideas, but not enough funds.

Found this 2015 news item that sets the price at a cool $75MM with county incentives. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/county-offers-incentives-hopes-someone-will-buy-ey/69405362 Since it appears to be the county selling (based on wording) I can only guess that the county has assumed the property (non-payment of taxes?) Surprisingly little comes up when you try to google this, I had the best luck just googling the address.

If you have deep pockets and big ideas, you too could become a hotel tycoon!
 
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Sorry but that Post card is not of the Hyatt Orlando. 2900 Parkway Blvd is a different hotel, I believe it may be something called Delta by Marriott Resort. The official address for the Hyatt Orlando was 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747. After Hyatt closed the hotel it was reopened,and unbranded and was called Orlando Sun Resort & Conference Center. However that place didn't last long. There is still reviews and a few pictures of the place on Trip Advisor.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...sort_Convention_Center-Kissimmee_Florida.html

It had some bad reviews.

Here is a video of the hotel when it was the Orlando Sun Resort. They changed very little from it's days as a Hyatt. Check out the 80s/90s stuff in the lobby.


I am not having much luck finding pics of the place as a Hyatt, but if you search for Orlando Sun Resort, there is a lot on the web and even on You Tube, including a cool flyover by a drone after it was closed the 2nd time.
 

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