Why did DVC abandon the Eagle Pines plans?

[keys2kingdom]

I was checking out a WDW info page today and came across the Eagle Pines concept page. Just curious why DVC shelved this resort? It wouldn't have interested me but I wonder why it didn't happen?

 

[rinkwide]

...It wouldn't have interested me but I wonder why it didn't happen?

I think you just answered your own question.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Just a guess, but at the time BCV was selling out fast, and DVC needed something to sell.
The option of transforming an infrastructure that was already somewhat in place, was the best way to get a resort built the quickest.
Now, I'll leave it to someone smarter than me to speculate why they didn't build Eagle Pines on the Institute location...

MG

 

[Dean]

Simply because SSR came open as an option and I suspect DVD though it was a better and/or cheaper choice.

 

[tomandrobin]

Cheaper to develope (or redevelope in SSR's case), Better location (located adjacent to a major Disney attraction).

I'm sure permitting and impact fees were also signifcantly less.

I'm sure after they chrunched the numbers, the margins were much better. All of the admin, spa, resturant, etc building s were existing. They just did a facelift for SSR.

 

[crisi]

Just a guess, but at the time BCV was selling out fast, and DVC needed something to sell.
The option of transforming an infrastructure that was already somewhat in place, was the best way to get a resort built the quickest.
Now, I'll leave it to someone smarter than me to speculate why they didn't build Eagle Pines on the Institute location...

MG

Because the Eagle Pines concept was sort of "Spanish-y" And the buildings that they planned to reuse for SSR were definately not. So in order to make use of what they had, it was cheaper to retheme the concept rather than retheme the existing buildings.

 

[gppnj]

I heard that DVC learned that the site for Eagle Pines was an ancient Indian burial ground.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The WDW master plan shows a DVC resort overlooking the fairways of the Eagle Pines golf course, just as OKW overlooks the fairways of the Buena Vista golf course.

Less than two months before September 11, 2001, Disney Vacation Development (DVD) announced plans for a huge DVC resort at the Eagle Pines golf course, to be opened spring/summer 2004. After the tragic events of September 11 and the downturn in attendance at WDW, Disney shut down the already floundering Villas at the Disney Institute. The public Disney Institute offerings had already ended. So the former Disney Institute site became available, and, as others have noted, the Eagle Pines plan was sidetracked.

DVD was still on target to open a huge, new DVC resort spring/summer 2004, but it would now be SSR, which would reuse the relatively new, Thomas Beeby-designed Disney Institute campus as the core of the DVC resort and to set the style for the new residential buildings.

Here's the press release announcing the DVC resort at Disney's Eagle Pines golf course.

Eagle Pines golf course is one of two golf courses north of the POR and POFQ resorts. The other is Osprey Ridge. These golf courses used to be part of the Bonnet Creek Golf Club — but Disney eliminated the Bonnet Creek name when another developer called their development the Bonnet Creek Resort (located near CBR).

DVD never announced a name for the DVC resort at the Eagle Pines golf course. Here on the boards, it's been called Eagle Pines or EP, but that's really only the site, not the resort name. If DVD dusts off the plans as SSR approaches sell-out, they'll come up with a more appropriate name for the resort inspired by the Florida resort architecture of Addison Mizner.

 

[Doctor P]

I still believe Eagle Pines will ultimately be built unless there are physical, environmental, or archaelogical barriers.

 

[Disney Doll]

I still believe Eagle Pines will ultimately be built unless there are physical, environmental, or archaelogical barriers.

I think it may someday be built, but I think it will be after they build something on the monorail line, probaby at the CR.

 

[Blue&Gold]

Golf sells, so it probably will be built---though I agree not next.

 

[cobbler]

From the looks of the press release of EP I would be very interested in it. However, if it is going to be big just like SSR I won't own there because I know my SSR points can get me in there.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

Shortly after announcing Eagle Pines Disney closed the Disney Institute.

DVC was able to save a bundle building SSR instead because the infrastructure (roads, sewers, water lines, etc.) was mostly in place, something that would have to be added for Eagle Pines at a substantial cost.

Although Eagle Pines was never named, my 2002 BCV contract specificallly refers to it as "Eagle Pines" and the contract states Eagle Pines might never be built.

Eagle Pines, if memory serves me, was supposed to be a 650-unit complex. With the size of SSR I doubt Eagle Pines would be built anytime soon if ever.

DVC has a past history of announcing a project that was never built. In 1994 DVC announced the Newport project in California and even purchased the land for this proposed DVC resort. DVC canceled the project around 1997 and sold the property to Marriott, which built its own timeshare resort on that property.

 

[JimC]

Just a thought. DVD/DVC report into the theme park division. If senior management decided to shutter DI, it is quite possible that DVD was told they were developing their next project there instead of at Eagle Pines. It is a better use of existing resources that lowers their development costs thus a greater return to the company. Remember this was a period where earnings pressure was instense.

 

[John VN]

The infrastructure is already in place for a CR-DVC so maybe that will be next.

 

[Sammie]

Just a thought. DVD/DVC report into the theme park division. If senior management decided to shutter DI, it is quite possible that DVD was told they were developing their next project there instead of at Eagle Pines. It is a better use of existing resources that lowers their development costs thus a greater return to the company. Remember this was a period where earnings pressure was instense.

That's pretty much the gist of it. It was much easier and less expensive for Disney to add on to the Beach Club and WL and use their exisiting facilities than start from scratch. Same with the Institute. The infrastructure, plumbing etc were in place and saved them lots of money over building from the ground up for a project like Eagle Pines.

I think because this is easy money for them, DVC Contemporary will be next then AKL DVC.

 

[keys2kingdom]

DVC has a past history of announcing a project that was never built. In 1994 DVC announced the Newport project in California and even purchased the land for this proposed DVC resort. DVC canceled the project around 1997 and sold the property to Marriott, which built its own timeshare resort on that property.

Very interesting, I wasn't aware of this one. Wow, wonder if they are regretting that decision, I'm thinking yes!!

 

[popsmensahbonsu]

I still believe Eagle Pines will ultimately be built unless there are physical, environmental, or archaelogical barriers.

Why would they do that??????? EP has little or no appeal. They would have to have a water park of its own to make it appealing. I hope they wouldn't go that route. SSR sales should have shown them something. My best guess and that is all it is a guess is that all of the deluxe resorts will have a DVC section added on. After that I'll be old and gray but I will remember you if I hear the Disney's EP Resort.

Thanks,

pops

 

[Doctor P]

Why would they do that??????? EP has little or no appeal. They would have to have a water park of its own to make it appealing. I hope they wouldn't go that route. SSR sales should have shown them something. My best guess and that is all it is a guess is that all of the deluxe resorts will have a DVC section added on. After that I'll be old and gray but I will remember you if I hear the Disney's EP Resort.

Thanks,

pops

Apparently you are clueless to changing demographics and interests. IMHO, Disney could easily sell a DVC golf resort, though due to infrastructure issues I don't think it is on the front burner right now.

 

[Dean]

Very interesting, I wasn't aware of this one. Wow, wonder if they are regretting that decision, I'm thinking yes!!

I doubt it. I would guess they knew exactly what they were doing since they sold it directly to Marriott. Hard to deny knowing what would happen. Remember this was part of a move where DVC specifically closed down their off site direction. I'm sure if they were concerned at all, they wouldn't have sold it to the team they likely consider their top rival.

Why would they do that??????? EP has little or no appeal. They would have to have a water park of its own to make it appealing. I hope they wouldn't go that route. SSR sales should have shown them something. My best guess and that is all it is a guess is that all of the deluxe resorts will have a DVC section added on. After that I'll be old and gray but I will remember you if I hear the Disney's EP Resort.

I'm doubting EP will ever be built or if it is, it'll be a long time. However, from what I know about both projects, this was a cost issue as the driving force. And to be honest, I suspect they would have had more demand for EP than SSR. OF course it does depend on the specifics but it had more appeal to me than does SSR.