Original WDW hotels question

[soar2014]

I know that when WDW opened in 71 the Poly and CR were there, but my question is which ones came later?
I was under the impression that the mid-level resorts came along, like POR and CSR, possibly CBR ? I am curious because I seem to recall these mid-level resorts being high-end resorts when they first opened, right?

 

[DebbieB]

I know that when WDW opened in 71 the Poly and CR were there, but my question is which ones came later?
I was under the impression that the mid-level resorts came along, like POR and CSR, possibly CBR ? I am curious because I seem to recall these mid-level resorts being high-end resorts when they first opened, right?

http://www.wdwmagic.com/walt-disney-world-history.htm

Surprising that Ft Wilderness was almost at the beginning.

CBR didn't come along until 1988.

 

[Mr. Pig]

CBR was the first "lower" priced resort. It was never considered a high end resort. It was to appeal to a smaller budget guest. They didn't have the Value resorts then so you couldn't call it a Moderate yet. I was a little worried I wouldn't like it, having to take a bus everywhere but I was surprised how much I liked this new concept. I guess that's why I can be a little nostalgic for CBR even though it seems to be the least popular Moderate.

CBR was popular enough to make Disney build more. Then they came along with the concept of the even fewer frills Value resorts. Once again before staying there I thought that the All Stars were going to be too over the top art deco for me but I was wrong again.

That finally got us to our current three tiers of resorts. I have stayed in almost all of them except for the DVC ones and they all have something good about them.

 

[Robbi]

The Golf Resort, now Shades of Green, was one of the first resorts. We stayed there in 1982. I believe it was the 4th resort built. When WDW was new, it took 1.5 years to get a reservation at the Contemporary.
From wikipedia but they're not in sequential order:

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[soar2014]

Thanks for the info guys, aaaahh, it brings back memories! I always forget about Shades of Green.

 

[BDL]

Great information on that table. Thanks Robbi.

I do have 2 follow up questions though:

1) Does that born on date for the Port Orleans Riverside include when it was called Dixie Landings?

2) I know it's not officially Disney, but when were the Swan and Dolphin opened?

 

[chalee94]

I am curious because I seem to recall these mid-level resorts being high-end resorts when they first opened, right?

probably just priced that way. seems like the current rates are similar to the nearby waldorf-astoria...

 

[fla4fun]

Great information on that table. Thanks Robbi.

I do have 2 follow up questions though:

1) Does that born on date for the Port Orleans Riverside include when it was called Dixie Landings?

2) I know it's not officially Disney, but when were the Swan and Dolphin opened?

Dixie Landings was open for several years under that name, so that date would include that time.

If I remember correctly, S&D opened late 80's, maybe 1989 or so. It was not too long before we moved from the coast to the Orlando area. I think the Swan opened first and the Dolphin about six months or so later.

 

[BDL]

Dixie Landings was open for several years under that name, so that date would include that time.

If I remember correctly, S&D opened late 80's, maybe 1989 or so. It was not too long before we moved from the coast to the Orlando area. I think the Swan opened first and the Dolphin about six months or so later.

Thank you.

 

[Surfinpiratee]

Thanks for the info guys, aaaahh, it brings back memories! I always forget about Shades of Green.

What is shades of green??

 

[soar2014]

Shades of Green is the on-site hotel for Military members. It's near the race track and the POLY

 

[Babsy]

What was Shades of Green called at first? It's just at the tip of my brain.....?

 

[chalee94]

you might have read it in post 4...

The Golf Resort, now Shades of Green, was one of the first resorts.

 

[wdwrich]

The Golf Resort, now Shades of Green, was one of the first resorts. We stayed there in 1982. I believe it was the 4th resort built. When WDW was new, it took 1.5 years to get a reservation at the Contemporary.
From wikipedia but they're not in sequential order:

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Another tidbit: The "Golf Resort" was later renamed the "Disney Inn" before it was leased to the government for military folks and became "Shades of Green".

 

[manning]

The original resorts were Golf Resort (now Shades of Green), Polynesian, and Contemporary Resort. And the campground.

Here are four that never were built.

http://voices.yahoo.com/four-disney-world-theme-hotels-stayed-631111.html?cat=16


Mediterranean Theme Hotel

The Mediterranean Resort was going to be a deluxe theme hotel that would rival Disney World's Grand Floridian. It would have opened and operated in the late 1990s, and the theme of it was proposed to be a small Greek island on the Seven Seas Lagoon. However, because of swampy and poor ground samples and the need to have an extremely deep foundation for the building, this Disney World theme hotel never got built. If it had been built, it would have been located between the the Contemporary Resort nearby the bridge and the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Asian Theme Hotel

Disney's Asian Resort deluxe theme hotel was designed in the 1960s and scheduled to open in 1974. The theme for it was inspired by the culture of Thailand, with plans for Thai cuisine and furniture inside. Land was actually set aside for this resort hotel during the construction of the Seven Seas Lagoon; that land eventually housed Disney's Grand Floridian Resort in 1988. The Disney World's Asian resort project, which was to have 500 rooms with garden and lake views and fifty deluxe suites themed after the Thai royal family, got canceled due to the 1973 oil crisis.

Persian Theme Hotel

The Persian Resort deluxe theme hotel was going to be located on the Bay Lake shores, on the west side, with a monorail leading to it and through Tomorrowland. The plans for this project involved a white and blue-colored resort laid out in a circle with a central building. This main building would have had a 24 foot dome over the entrance area and meeting places. This resort was also canceled due to the oil crisis in 1973.

Venetian Theme Hotel

Disney World's Venetian Resort was a deluxe theme hotel that would have opened in October of 1971. The theme of it was Venice, Italy and it would have been located between the Contemporary Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center where the Mediterranean hotel (wilderness Lodge?) is currently, on Seven Seas Lagoon. (In fact, when Michael Eisner saw how well the Grand Floridian hotel was doing and opted to build an even better hotel, plans for the Venetian Resort were scrapped and replaced with the Mediterranean). Like the Asian and Persian Disney World theme hotels, this deluxe hotel was scrapped due to the oil crisis.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Disney also had off site hotels on Lake Buena Vista Drive as early as 1972. We stayed at the Royal Inn on Dec 31, 1973. There were four hotels at that time, Howard Johnson, the Dutch Inn, and a fourth one that I can't remember. Disney had bus service for these resorts and advertised them as being part of Disney. We stayed at the Dutch Inn in 1981 or 1982. I believe that the Dutch Inn is now the Wyndham.

We stayed at the Contemporary and the Polynesian back in the days when those were the only two choices on the monorail. It was really hard to get a reservation, but once or twice we were able to pull up to the Polynesian and get a room that very day. The ladies in the laundry room were shocked when I told them that, since they had made their reservations over a year in advance.

I remember Fort Wilderness being advertised a lot on Disney's television show. It was Disney's intent to provide a wonderful family experience that everyone could afford.