Waldorf Astoria?

[Peter Pirate 2]

What's this about the Waldorf continuing at WDW? I thought the big "out sourced" project was the a Ritz-Carlton. The Waldorf is a Hilton property, right? Did WDW sell out more than one parcel or was I dreaming the Ritz?

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

There is a Waldorf-Astoria and a new Hilton Hotel being built at Bonnet Creek. This is technically not Disney property even though it's on the Disney side of I-4 and the only access road is via Buena Vista Drive. Meanwhile, there is Ritz-Carlton being built on the north end of the property where Eagle Pines golf course used to be.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Where the golf course used to be? No course? Yet the Waldorf is preparing one. Interesting.

Now, I know the Waldorf, I can see it on my way to WDW from Celebration.

The whole thing is a shame, isn't it?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Let's see if I can clear up the confusion...

The Bonnet Creek Resort, where the Waldorf-Astoria is going in, is not the same as Disney's Bonnet Creek Golf Club. Both were named after Bonnet Creek, a waterway that runs through Walt Disney World. But they're several miles apart.

The Bonnet Creek Resort is surrounded on three sides by Disney property. However, the Bonnet Creek Resort, although convenient to Disney, is an off-site complex. Access to the Bonnet Creek Resort is from Buena Vista Drive near Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort.

The two component golf courses of the Bonnet Creek Golf Club have always been called Disney's Eagle Pines Golf Course and Disney's Osprey Ridge Golf Course. To avoid confusion with the Bonnet Creek Resort, Disney kept those golf course names, but dropped the Bonnet Creek Golf Club name from the clubhouse and stopped using it as the umbrella name for the two courses. Now, that's where the Four Seasons development is going in.

At this time, there are four resorts under construction or planned within the master-planned Bonnet Creek Resort:

• Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort, a Wyndham Vacation Ownership Resort (originally called Fairfield Orlando at Bonnet Creek Resort) -- 1,594 timeshare units upon completion.
• Hilton Bonnet Creek -- 1000 rooms
• Waldorf-Astoria Bonnet Creek -- 500 rooms
• Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Hotel and Spa at Bonnet Creek Resort -- 400 rooms

There is no Ritz Carlton going in at or near Walt Disney World. The closest Ritz Carlton is at Grande Lakes, a few miles southeast of Sea World.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The whole thing is a shame, isn't it?

I'm not sure why you consider it to be a shame. The Waldorf-Astoria is an off-site hotel near Walt Disney World, just like the Gaylord Palms or Marriott's Orlando World Center. (It will just be more deluxe than those others, and it will be on the same side of I-4 as most of Disney's property.)

The Bonnet Creek Resort, once completed, promises to be a high-quality resort complex. In addition to the timeshare resort and the three hotels, the Bonnet Creek Resort also includes a golf course and a protected area along Bonnet Creek itself.

It's amazing how many new rooms have gone into the WDW area and other parts of Orlando in the past ten years, and how many more are underway now -- all while Disney has not appreciably increased the capacity of its theme parks.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

It's a shame because Disney, the Company that I always thought could do anything better than anyone else, has publicly said that they aren't capable of running a first class resort.

 

[doconeill]

Meanwhile, there is Ritz-Carlton being built on the north end of the property where Eagle Pines golf course used to be.

BobK/Orlando

There is no Ritz Carlton going in at or near Walt Disney World. The closest Ritz Carlton is at Grande Lakes, a few miles southeast of Sea World.

I think he meant the Four Seasons, which is going in at the Eagle Pines course, that was originally supposed to be a DVC location.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I think he meant the Four Seasons, which is going in at the Eagle Pines course, that was originally supposed to be a DVC location.

EXACTLY!!! 4Seasons. that's the one. Thanks and sorry for the confusion.

I'm about to be banned from the DIS I think so I probably won't be able to finish this conversation. Bye guys.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I think he meant the Four Seasons, which is going in at the Eagle Pines course, that was originally supposed to be a DVC location.

Yes, wrong citation on my part. That's a Four Seasons going up at Eagle Pines/Osprey Ridge. The Ritz is adjacent the J.W. Marriott over on John Young Parkway.

SO MANY luxury hotels. Who is going to stay in all these places!

BobK/Orlando

 

[OrlandoMike]

I'm not sure why you consider it to be a shame.

The shame is the fact that the Osprey Ridge/Eagle Pines area was sold. Not leased, not rented, but SOLD. This is over 100 acers that Walt bought for his kingdom, never to be part of the kingdom again.

FYI, there are also private homes slated for this area, starting at $1 mil each.

 

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

.....starting at $1 mil each.

I would have bought one if they had kept the land in the RCID so I could vote there. But with it removed, I'm not going to do it.

BobK/Orlando

 

[kristinlynn]

Any word if there will be EMH or Disney transportation at these luxury resorts?

 

[doconeill]

I suppose it is not impossible for them to contract with Disney for transportation, but nothing there now gets ANY service other than the road connection. I wouldn't expect something like the Waldorf-Astoria to contract to use Disney busing anyways.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Any word if there will be EMH or Disney transportation at these luxury resorts?

The three new hotels at the Bonnet Creek Resort are off-property, just like other nearby hotels such as Marriott's Orlando World Center, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and the Gaylord Palms. There is no reason to expect any of these resorts to offer EMH or Disney Transportation.

The Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort has been open a few years now. (Its original name was the Fairfield Orlando at Bonnet Creek Resort.) It does not offer any Disney benefits.

I suppose if any hotel wants to pay enough to Disney, then anything is a possibility. I just would not expect it.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Orlando Mike is right--the sale of what Walt already owned is the real shame. And I suppose Disney now has come to regret(?) not buying that Bonnet Creek Resort land when they may have. How did that omission take place anyway? I seem to recall a thread about it before, but can't recall exactly why they don't own that land--.

 

[CanadianGuy]

The memory that I have is that the original owner wouldn't sell and when they did catch wind of who was buying, they would sell, but the price was astronomical. And WD wouldn't pay what they were asking.

 

[DancingBear]

And I suppose Disney now has come to regret(?) not buying that Bonnet Creek Resort land when they may have. How did that omission take place anyway? I seem to recall a thread about it before, but can't recall exactly why they don't own that land--.

My recollection is that they tried to but it was a holdout.

 

[DancingBear]

Any word if there will be EMH or Disney transportation at these luxury resorts?

There won't be any at the Waldorf I'm sure, but as the Four Seasons will be on Bay Lake I'm pretty sure they'll have boat transport at least.