So what is going on with Bonnett Creek?

[DrTomorrow]

Originally posted by Tigfanjeff
[...]
1. All of the Downtown Disney resorts are on Disney Property as are the Swan/Dolphin. [...]

Do you mean the "DTD Hotel Plaza" resorts, such as the Grosvenor, Hotel Royal Plaza, etc.? I'm not disputing, I just wasn't aware that these were all on Disney-owned property....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by DrTomorrow
Do you mean the "DTD Hotel Plaza" resorts, such as the Grosvenor, Hotel Royal Plaza, etc.? I'm not disputing, I just wasn't aware that these were all on Disney-owned property....

Yes, the Downtown Disney hotels, located along Hotel Plaza Boulevard, are on Disney property. They not owned or operated by Disney. Most were built back to the early days of WDW. The Hotel Plaza area was Disney's attempt to avoid the hotel mess on Harbor Boulevard in Anaheim. (Of course, Orlando and Kissimmee have the own hotel mess, but these are more distant from the Disney property.

The hotels are:

-- Best Western Lake Buena Vista
-- DoubleTree Guest Suites
-- Grosvenor Resort
-- Hilton at Walt Disney World
-- Holiday Inn in the Walt Disney World Resort
-- Hotel Royal Plaza
-- Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa

 

[Tigfanjeff]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
Yes, the Downtown Disney hotels, located along Hotel Plaza Boulevard, are on Disney property. They not owned or operated by Disney. Most were built back to the early days of WDW. The Hotel Plaza area was Disney's attempt to avoid the hotel mess on Harbor Boulevard in Anaheim. (Of course, Orlando and Kissimmee have the own hotel mess, but these are more distant from the Disney property.

The hotels are:

-- Best Western Lake Buena Vista
-- DoubleTree Guest Suites
-- Grosvenor Resort
-- Hilton at Walt Disney World
-- Holiday Inn in the Walt Disney World Resort
-- Hotel Royal Plaza
-- Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa

It was also Disney's attempt to get more rooms on property early on and make some money from it. Disney knew they couldn't afford to build enough hotels on their own property to meet demand, so they leased land at (what was then) the very far corner of the property to other companies to build hotels for Disney. Disney made money off leasing what was then land they'd never ever use (obviously when development shifted from the north south corridor between MK and Epcot as originally expected that changed) and created enough rooms nearby for people to stay and spend, without costing themselves any capital.

 

[colleen costello]

We went to have lunch at Carribean Beach last Spring and you couldn't miss all the construction going on just off the resort's one side. You could see them building just beyond a hedgerow that borders the road back toward the food court and main pool. While I think the new resort will be very nice for non-DVC folks, I don't think it will compare to DVC. There are tons of "close" timeshares and while this is the closest yet, it has none of the goodies that make "on property" so special.

 

[CarolA]

Years ago I was told that Disney was in negoiation with the owners for this land when the story broke that it was Walt Disney buying up the land using various shell companies. The owners immediately raised the price to what the Disney company felt was an unacceptable amount and Disney walked.

 

[spiceycat]

CarolA - that is what I heard too.

WDW has a 99 year lease (starting in 1971) with the DD hotels.

the S/D the year they were built (not opened).

and SOG the year that the army leased it.

all leases for 99 years except for the DVC.

when Old Key West (DVC) first opened in 1991 (then 2042 was also 50 years).

so 50 years or less for DVC leases.

 

[nickglover]

Is fairfield owned by Hilton?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by nickglover
Is fairfield owned by Hilton?

Fairfield Resorts, Inc. ( http://www.efairfield.com/ ) is owned by Cendant ( http://www.cendant.com/ ).

By the way, Fairfield Resorts, Inc. should not be confused with Fairfield Inns by Marriott ( http://marriott.com/fairfieldinn/ ), an economy lodging chain. There is no connection between the two.

Hilton has their own timeshare brand -- Hilton Grand Vacations Company ( http://www.hgvc.com/ )

 

[Halle]

Thanks for posting the link to the picutres. Although it is beautiful I think that it looks too much like a hotel rather than a home away from home.

 

[nickglover]

Thanks Horace - I was thinking of Fairfield Inn and was mistakenly thinking it was part of Hilton; not Mariott.

Cendant owns a lot - they also own Century 21, Coldwell banker, Avis, Budget, Howard Johnsons, Ramada, Travellodge, and Super 8.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by nickglover
Cendant owns a lot - they also own Century 21, Coldwell banker, Avis, Budget, Howard Johnsons, Ramada, Travellodge, and Super 8.

Yep. Cendant owns Amerihost Inn, Avis, Budget, Cendant Mobility, Cendant Mortgage, Cendant Vacations, Century 21, Cheap Tickets, CIMS, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Cuendet, Days Inn, ERA, Fairfield Resorts, First Fleet, French Life, Galileo, Holiday Cottages, Holiday Network, Hotel Dynamics, Howard Johnson, HotelClub.com, Knights Inn, Landal GreenParks, Last Second Trips, Lodging.com, Neat Group, Novasol, NRT, PHH Arval, Progeny Marketing Innovations, Ramada, RatesToGo.com, RCI, Shepherd Systems, Sotheby's International Realty, Super 8, THOR, Travel 2 and Travel 4, Travelodge, Travelport, Travelwire, Trendwest, Trilegiant, TRUST International, Welcome Holiday, Wingate Inn, WizCom, and Wright Express.

 

[TheSorcerer]

Originally posted by kweaver
The first building was open in June...we toured the models. We both thought the villas were fabulous...a little more roomy than DVC (dining table for 6 plus the three barstools...not to mention the kitchen is very nice!). The main pool was still under construction...but looked almost at nice as SAB (ok...well...maybe not...I couldn't tell if there was a slide planned?) It isn't Disney, though!

I'm new to these boards, and my wife and I are considering purchasing down at Disneyworld. I took a look at the photos of Bonnet Creek (we haven't been down to Orlando to see it in person just yet), but we have toured Disney's Saratoga Springs.

Because Bonnet Creek does seem to be more roomy than Saratoga, is close to Epcot, and there's even that golf course to consider (no additional fees to play?), we're not committed to DVC yet. (We also have two preteens, one boy, one girl.)

When you say BC "isn't Disney, though," what do you mean? How does DVC top other timeshares--or what puts DVC over the top if it can't compete with size of rooms (or proximity--i.e. Saratoga is set kind of far away from things)?

Trying to find the tangible in the intangible here.

 

[Chuck S]

If you'll read through this thread, you'll see part of what we mean. Fairfield receives none of the benefits that "on-site" guests receive. Free park parking, resort package delivery, Disney transport...then there are the DVC specific benefits like some meal discounts, golf discounts, etc.

While I'm sure that Fairfield is a very nice timeshare, and it may be "right" for you. if you don't plan to spend a lot of time doing Disney specific things...most DVC members are "Disney" people, they spend time and money in the parks, and appreciate the benefits that we do receive. And rumor has it, Disney may increase those benefits to further distance DVC from Fairfield, though nothing specific has been announced.

 

[rinkwide]

Originally posted by TheSorcerer
...the intangible...

Have you stayed on property in one of Disney's deluxe resorts? Until you do I'm afraid the benefits of DVC over some other timeshare will remain "intangible".

I will say that SSR is probably the least attractive resort when compared with BC but the key thing to remember is that Saratoga is really only a small part of the the total Walt Disney World package you'll get when you buy into DVC.

For example, when you say -

...close to Epcot...

Unless you've stayed at BWV or BCV the true proximity of Bonnet Creek to Epcot will be difficult to grasp.

 

[OneMoreTry]

The benefit of DVC is the "magic." For whatever that's worth. If you don't get it, you don't get it.


I also agree that the Swan and Dolphin are horribly ugly. I've thought that from the beginning and always wondered why Disney would build such things until I learned they didn't.


The BC pictures look nice (prettier than S&D) but the theme seems to be "twentieth century typical home." Or "twentieth century furniture store." Definitely not Disney theming.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by OneMoreTry
I also agree that the Swan and Dolphin are horribly ugly. I've thought that from the beginning and always wondered why Disney would build such things until I learned they didn't.

There was an interesting thread about this subject a few years ago:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68926

So, Disney didn't build 'em, but Mr. Eisner personally picked the architect and championed the design.

 

[Tigfanjeff]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
There was an interesting thread about this subject a few years ago:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68926

So, Disney didn't build 'em, but Mr. Eisner personally picked the architect and championed the design.

Agreed on both points, but he did so because the alternatives weren't pretty either. I think all and all this is one thing I think Eisner did the best he could for the company in limiting the impact over property. I don't like the S&D but it sure beats just a plain tower being there I guess.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by Tigfanjeff
Agreed on both points, but he did so because the alternatives weren't pretty either. I think all and all this is one thing I think Eisner did the best he could for the company in limiting the impact over property. I don't like the S&D but it sure beats just a plain tower being there I guess.

Mr. Eisner could just as easily have picked and different architect and championed a design that harmonized with the other Crescent Lake resorts and didn't visually intrude on World Showcase. (That said, I actually like the Swan and Dolphin.) I'm sorry that I'm off topic here.

To bring this thread back on topic, I'm disappointed that Fairfield Resorts, Inc. chose to build such a generic timeshare design. The architecture can best be described as Generic Sunbelt Apartment Complex. Fairfield had an opportunity to cater to WDW guests who are accustomed to immersive, themed environments. Fairfield messed up.

 

[spiceycat]

because it is located in LBV - I am pretty sure that WDW had a part in the design.

I mean hey other Fairfields (especially the new ones) - are big building.....

I can only think that WDW played a role in kept this Fairfield from being bigger than the Tower of Terror.....

Cendant also owns RCI - which is while alot of the timeshares are now going to both II and RCI (exchanges companies for timeshares).

the building looks like it will fit it well with the surrounding.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by spiceycat
because it is located in LBV - I am pretty sure that WDW had a part in the design.

The Bonnet Creek Resort property (of which the Fairfield Resort only takes up about 10%) is not in the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the Disney-controlled goverment entity. The RCID's jurisdiction is a subset of the WDW property. In fact, RCID has authority to change its boundaries as Disney sells off land or allows permanent residents on some part of RCID property. That way, Disney can keep absolute control of RCID.

There is no reason to think that WDW had any role in the design of the Fairfield Resort, just as WDW did not have an role in the design of other resorts that adjoin WDW property or are near WDW (such as Marriott's Orlando World Center or the Gaylord Palms Resort).

The only exception is where the access road passes onto WDW property. Also, I would not be surprised if the Fairfield Resort contracts with RCID Emergancy Services for fire and emergency services, because RCID has the closest fire stations -- but that's not the same as being within RCID boundaries.