News Caribbean Beach Expansion

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
I deplore the general state mid-rise hotel architecture (it's been almost entirely awful since the takeover of modernism, post-WWII), so I'm not too happy at the idea of these things popping up all over WDW property.

The innate problem to a themed mid-rise is that hotel/residential buildings from early/pre-20th Century time periods typically being portrayed (such as Old Mexico (Coronado), Caribbean (CBR), Italianate (in the case of Four Seasons), etc.) rarely, if ever got into double digit stories. Historically-tall(mid-rise or high-rise) hotels came in the late 19th/early 20th in major cities of America (European urban hotels were still lower rise for the most part). Ironically, the one themed hotel where Disney could have created something that echoed the lost class & beauty of Jazz Age mid-rise hotels, they hired Graves who created a post-modernist eyesore (DLP's Hotel New York).


So when you build a 15-story block tower with a period roof and some ornamental dressing, you end up with big tacky slabs, like the Guest Wings of Las Vegas' Paris or Caesar's Palace hotels. For most of its history WDW designers & operators understood this, which is why all Disney hotels were relatively low (saving the Contemporary). Depressing to see the new hotels follow all the outside operators that litter Orlando & WDW (and every place in the world) with more standard, everyday mid-rise slabs.

The moderates have never been architectural masterpieces of themed design. But their low stature allowed the miracle of nature to help frame and beautify them, and thus provide a modicum of escapism. Adding big central hotel mid-rises will make them feel a lot less transporting and authentic to the period. I also worry about the sight-lines from within EPCOT or on the Safari.

I'm glad someone else said it.

This mid-rise will pretty much destroy the relaxed and escapist feel of Coronado Springs. And I would protest that even if it's not exactly a masterpiece of themed design, that resort sure can come close... have you been back by the Ranchos section of the resort? You would almost believe you're in Old Mexico. They have real desert landscaping and everything.

This is akin to building a 20-story tower in Frontierland. The fact that Disney built real themed environments for most of their resorts (including all the moderates), is what in my opinion held them above the "themed" high-rise hotels in Las Vegas. Pasting some classical-ish columns on the side of a giant high-rise tower doesn't make it Caesar's Palace, and some palm-ish decorations on a tower in Coronado Springs doesn't make it feel Mexican.
 
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lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
This.

I remember asking Media Relations when the Grand Floridian DVC construction would be done. The entire response was, and I quote "What construction?"
When Bay Lake Tower was under construction, I was riding in the nose of an express monorail with another family and someone asked about the 10+ stories of steel. The pilot responded with something to the effect of "I have been instructed to say 'I do not know what you are talking about.'"
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I believe there are regulations regarding the timeshare announcements. Such regulations being why Disney denied the very visible construction of Bay Lake Tower.

Just did a quick review of Chapters 718, 719, and 721, F.S. The only part of the statute that governs timeshare announcements is this:

"721.07 Public offering statement.—Prior to offering any timeshare plan, the developer must submit a filed public offering statement to the division for approval as prescribed by s. 721.03, s. 721.55, or this section. Until the division approves such filing, any contract regarding the sale of that timeshare plan is subject to cancellation by the purchaser pursuant to s. 721.10." [my emphasis]

Saw nothing that precludes DVC from announcing plans for a new DVC resort. If anyone has a different cite from the Florida Statutes, please post the link. Thanks.
 

Rteetz

Well-Known Member
Have we seen this photo yet?

CSR-1-700x578.png
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
I'm still not entirely clear, but I thought the consensus among insiders is that the DVC will not be a part of CBR. People are mentioning that these new amenities at CBR could be used to sell DVC units but it seems to me that they are part of upgrading that resort itself while the as yet unannounced DVC will have its own amenities.
 

peter11435

Well-Known Member
I'm still not entirely clear, but I thought the consensus among insiders is that the DVC will not be a part of CBR. People are mentioning that these new amenities at CBR could be used to sell DVC units but it seems to me that they are part of upgrading that resort itself while the as yet unannounced DVC will have its own amenities.

Centertown needs to be redesigned to include relocated services that will no longer be available in their current locations due to future construction.
 

MagicHappens1971

Well-Known Member
When Bay Lake Tower was under construction, I was riding in the nose of an express monorail with another family and someone asked about the 10+ stories of steel. The pilot responded with something to the effect of "I have been instructed to say 'I do not know what you are talking about.'"
This actually happened? And if so, why?
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I'm still not entirely clear, but I thought the consensus among insiders is that the DVC will not be a part of CBR. People are mentioning that these new amenities at CBR could be used to sell DVC units but it seems to me that they are part of upgrading that resort itself while the as yet unannounced DVC will have its own amenities.

Those resorts that are a combo of cash rooms/DVC - WL, Poly, GF, BLT/CR, AK, BW - all share amenities - pools, restaurants, bus service, lobby check-in (BLT is the only that has its own). So if DVC will be added to CSR & CBR, sharing amenities will not be unusual.
 
The plans to make today's announcement was made a while ago. Before the gondola thing.

Plus DVC has to sell 80% of its newest venture before they can start on another. The cabins are not sold to that quota. So they are not going to talk about any fiture DVC expansions until closer to that number.
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
The plans to make today's announcement was made a while ago. Before the gondola thing.

Plus DVC has to sell 80% of its newest venture before they can start on another. The cabins are not sold to that quota. So they are not going to talk about any fiture DVC expansions until closer to that number.

When did Cooper Creek go on sale? I've not seen or received anything.
 

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