They are moving Reflections over to the Poly.

[StormyCA]

I fear you're right @bama_ed Disney just doesn't see the possibilities of the RV/camping community. I'm sure the 'DVC decision maker meetings' don't have a whole lot of RVers sitting at the table, more's the pity.

I wish they'd take a hard look at the Encore brand. They'd see how successful and popular a multi-park RV membership 'model' can be. Not quite a timeshare, I know, but similar. Not all the Encore/1000 Trails resorts are 'higher end' but quite a few of them are. And the ones in 'tourist destinations' charge FtW prices. We paid only $10.00 per night less (off season rate) at the Encore resort we stayed at in the Keys than we paid at Ft W, with nowhere near the atmosphere and amenities. (note-we are not Encore members)

Ft Davy Crockett could be a cross between a timeshare and a membership. Maybe shorter term 'membership' levels of 5, 10, 15 years and less of a 'forever' purchase like traditional DVCs. One of the things about RVers is that we do tend to 'age out' or 'ability out' of RVing more so than traditional 'hotel-stayers'.

 

[tiggerdad]

Well, well...


How is it I managed to miss this shocker of an announcement? It would seem that us trailer park folks were right all along. Reflections didn't fit.



Leveled that nice shade tree area behind Pioneer Hall all for nothing. Of course, it'd be awful damn easy to make it into an expanded campground now.

Do we get to have both beaches now?

I'll bet @bama_ed train set we do!

Gotta admit, this is best news out of Disney I've heard in 3 years.

 

[StormyCA]

Leveled that nice shade tree area behind Pioneer Hall all for nothing.

You know what...it's not reasonable of me but I feel a real sense of personal resentment at all the earth moving and vegetation & habitat destruction they did in their now-aborted project. And now it looks as if they aren't even going to try to right that 'wrong' by putting back what they tore up or using the area to improve FtW. Didn't they tear out a walking/golf cart/bike path that has never been rebuilt? And if they were going to destroy so much nature at least put something in its place, like more campsites or maybe a 'picnic grove' with tables, trees, and plantings.


I'll give a pass to the new TriCircleD, it looks like a great facility. And tearing out the remnants of the old water park, that was an improvement.

 

[Teamubr]

I think the jury is still out on whether the Poly announcement means Reflections is dead. The artists renderings look similar, but I fully expect Reflections to get picked back up when the economy settles and Covid becomes an endemic annoyance. The lake front is too attractive and they are too far along to completely abandon that space.

j

 

[Bishoparc]

I think the jury is still out on whether the Poly announcement means Reflections is dead. The artists renderings look similar, but I fully expect Reflections to get picked back up when the economy settles and Covid becomes an endemic annoyance. The lake front is too attractive and they are too far along to completely abandon that space.

j

Have to agree with my friend Teamubr on this. I don't think we are "out of the woods" yet

 

[Teamubr]

I don't think we are "out of the woods" yet

Sadly, the "woods" are long gone, but I agree, we aren't out of the "fences and scrims" yet.

j

 

[Corgidad]

I wouldn't think Disney will scrap Reflections, its just being put off for now. When we left the Fort when it closed down for Covid they had done a lot of the foundation work including pouring the concrete stabilizers for the Resort, many, many truckloads of concrete were brought in and pumped into the ground for the foundation. It will come sooner or later so everyone brace yourselves for the inevitable. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Teamubr]

There has been a tremendous about of utility work and below ground infrastructure work done. Much of that is the most time consuming and costly. Below is a satellite view on Bing that is over 2 years old (Tri-Circle-D isn't finished yet) that shows sewer piping staged to go in at the middle top and lower left. I know permits were completed to upgrade gas and water lines to the area. The foundation pours that are present in later aerial shots I have on my computer at home would indicate much of the subsurface work was complete to be able to start pouring foundations.

While it doesn't look like much, other than a big dirt hole, this is a huge investment to just cancel.



j

 

[nomorethan8]

I'm actually surprised that they are building a new building instead of converting part of the Poly hotel to DVC like they are doing right now at Grand Floridian and did at Wilderness Lodge for Copper Creek. Building a new resort hotel has got to tie up a lot of cash for the near future. And Riviera still isn't sold. Disney will probably defer on the former Lakeside Resort area, for at least an hour.

 

[Princesca]

I vote for Camp DVCrockett!
and DvContemporary Wing too!

Can DVC cram a new monorail into the transportation Budget ?
Otherwise feel sorry for the guests paying for the deluxe monorail resort experience .
Well maybe they have a budget for a boat at least with all that money they have saved by delaying the return of the boats to & from Contemporary to FtW.

We were going to do a spring 2023 stay at Poly but I nixed it because I was too afraid of monorail disruption related to construction. At the prices they charge, you should have a flawless resort experience, and I just have zero confidence in that while that new building is on the agenda.

 

[bama_ed]

I'm actually surprised that they are building a new building instead of converting part of the Poly hotel to DVC like they are doing right now at Grand Floridian and did at Wilderness Lodge for Copper Creek.

Well they already converted the part of the Poly hotel to DVC. The Rapa Nui (hotel) building became the Morea (DVC) building and the Tahiti (hotel) building became the Pago Pago (DVC) building several years ago. Plus the Tokelau building became DVC. And they built the bungalows at the water's edge. Now they will add a separate building (which does look a lot like the Reflections building).

Guess that matches Wilderness Lodge (bungalows, converted rooms, separate building). I agree with @Corgidad, though, that the dirt behind Pioneer Hall will eventually be developed. It's just a question of "when".

But they are welcome to take all the time they need before they do so.

Bama Ed

 

[Teamubr]

Disney will probably defer on the former Lakeside Resort area, for at least an hour.

j

 

[mightyexplorers]

Hopefully Disney will realize that the Fort offers them MORE money by keeping large families onsite.

Sadly, Recent news suggests that Disney is no longer all that interested in families. The $ is in single adults. Profitable today but non sustainable into the future.

Disney will not build a Camp Davy Crockett on Bay Lake behind Pioneer Hall (not enough profit potential for shoreline property).

We can dream that Disney will again start to focus on the Disney experience instead of just the bottom line. I think Walt proved that build the experience and the profits will follow. What Chapek doesn't get is he is just riding the experience coattails so can temporarily look more profitable but eliminating it and nickel and dimeing customers. Hopefully his successor will realize this and implement @bama_ed s ideas.