Four Seasons Resort concept art

[GeneralKnowledge]

For construction of that size they're gonna need plenty of fill dirt, and stormwater control. It is very possible that they could be building a decently sized lake as part of the resort's layout to not only satisfy their stormwater control requirements as well as provide watercraft access to the MK by connecting it by canal to Bay Lake. Hopefully this is what it is, and it is not directly on Bay Lake. I'm really not liking all of this non-disney development in the works for the Disney property. Are they forgetting the whole reason behind having 47 square miles of land....to keep out the typical world and isolate the fantasy world.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Like most people here, I really hope that this hotel isn't on Bay Lake. The Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake Area has such an amazing atmosphere. The new Contemporary DVC tower already messes up the view from the monorail between GF and MK, but putting a Four Seasons on Bay Lake would just be ridiculous.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Not only that, but look at the content of the statement. Am I missing something, or is she pretty much admitting that Disney needs help providing exceptional service and amenities?

Not exactly, but it's true, they do need help to reach the next level of the market. Disney's Deluxe hotels are sub-standard compared to other supposedly 4-star class hotels which they try to compete with. Disney's are actually closer to 3.5 stars. They're trying to reach the 4 and 5 star class ratings and the guests that frequent these classes of hotels.

 

[TowerOfTerror]

This will be the first "Deluxe" hotel at WDW. :zipit:

I love the Disney Deluxe hotels but Four Seasons blows away any Disney hotel I have ever stayed at. There is a chance for it to go on South Lake, but I'm guess it will go on Bay Lake.

 

[ms7479a]

So is the only reason people don't want to see the hotel on Bay Lake because it is not a Disney hotel? How come nobody complains about the Swan and Dolphin resorts? I don't think they're run by Disney, are they?

 

[CaptainMichael]

So is the only reason people don't want to see the hotel on Bay Lake because it is not a Disney hotel? How come nobody complains about the Swan and Dolphin resorts? I don't think they're run by Disney, are they?

I don't particularly care for the Swan and Dolphin for personal and asthetic reasons. If this hotel was themed on the level of a Disney resort, I'd be all for it. Any hotel on Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon needs to be a perfect fit.

I rarely complain about things, but I do not care for Disney selling off land to outside companies. That defeats the whole purpose of all the land they have. I also do not like that every new hotel has to either be DVC or non-Disney.

Perhaps I'm biased because I work on Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake, but I don't like this idea...at all. I know Disney has better resort ideas because they were announced over 35 years ago. This is a truly special area of WDW, and I don't want to see it ruined by some generic hotel.

 

[elizs77]

It can't be Bay Lake

I agree. If you pull up the old courses on Google maps or the like, you can see lots of pretty good sized lakes over in that area.

It will be a huge shame if it is Bay Lake. I also hope that you can't see this resort like you can the Dolphin and Swan, even though this is a prettier hotel.

 

[RandySavage]

First off, I can't stand this Meg Crofton. She is a former head of human resources, which means she's an AA exec who has no place running the operations, strategic development and finances of a complex like WDW. Thus far, all she has been good for is letting the parks and resorts rot while she sells off Walt's dream (of having plenty of space) piecemeal. I detest her glowing press conferences about "first of a kind" low budget suburban sprawl on the Western Beltway and luxury vacation homes on Bay Lake. She is raping my childhood. This Four Seasons will probably be on Bay Lake (just look at the downward trend) and before Crofton goes away she will probably erect 5-10 more bland suburban towers around the Lake.

Rant aside, that initial rendering is reminiscent of the old "Mediterranean Resort" planned near the Contemporary. If it is themed as such and run by Four Seasons, it could end up being quite cool.

 

[tirian]

OT: Meg gives the impression that she doesn't know what she's doing, and much of the WDW cast that keeps up with the executive-level changes suspected as much when she first got the job.

I want to believe she's not just a rubber-stamp for Disney parks, but she has two huge strikes against her:

1) She was an HR director, a position the business world generally regards as little more than a corporate policy parrot with no personality.

2) All her statements sound like they were carefully chosen from business catchphrase books.

-----------

I appreciate adding the Four Seasons hotel to WDW: now Disney will finally have a Deluxe resort that's worth its price. I love the Grand and the Poly; but if you've ever stayed at a real 4- or 5-star hotel, you recognize Disney's best fall far short of their prices.

 

[Master Yoda]

Is that lake-view, as in BAY LAKE?!

:fork:

If it is. I am going to cry.

It can't be Bay Lake

It isn't Bay Lake.

Well, it's hard to tell, because from some of the maps the site looks like it goes all the back from Vista Boulevard to Bay Lake. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any other body of water it could be.

I hate to be the bearer of bad new but it will be built on Bay lake. From what I have been told this land clearing permit is for the Four Seasons.

http://officialrecords.occompt.com/wb_or1/details.asp?doc_id=29710791&file_num=20080170610&doc_status=S

 

[unkadug]

If it's on the eastern side of Bay Lake, I think it will be just fine. The lines of site are pretty much obscured by Discovery Island.

 

[ajsayas]

How much is it going to cost to stay there????

My question is this if the four seasons is truly a "4 or 5 star resort" how much, compared to staying at the grand, poly or the contemporary. Is it going to cost to stay there? Will the price be comprable to higher end hotels or even more expensive????:shrug:

 

[urbanvegan]

I think it looks just spectacular! A nice addition to the roster of WDW hotels, even if Disney is not operating it.

I guess I don't know what the problem is with it... Disney looked at building a Mediterranean-style resort as well, but it never came to fruition, so shouldn't the addition of one in the style be just as much a valid part of the WDW architectural story? :shrug:

Thus far it looks worthy of the esteem given the most beautiful of Disney's hotels, and I look forward to seeing it take shape.

 

[cpeterstx]

Reading that press release with the quotes from Meg Crofton makes me want to laugh, cry, and then throw up. :ROFLOL: :hurl:

"Families around the globe know they can trust Disney to deliver magical experiences and Four Seasons to offer exceptional service and amenities. Combined, this is a huge win for devotees of both brands and for Central Florida," said Crofton.

Why do they fabricate statements like that for Disney Executives to supposedly make? They sound so forced, so prefabricated, and so phony that it is just a real turnoff. I wouldn't be half surprised to learn that there is some computer program that just creates that stuff in a couple of seconds using whatever latest corporate buzzword or marketing slogan that is currently en vogue.

Can't these people just speak normally? Obviously they are having these statements fabricated for them, but couldn't at least the writers in a cubicle somewhere be given the direction to at least make the statements sound human and natural?

At least they didn't say that there was "real synergy between our two brands". That would make me barf! :hurl:

 

[normdisney]

Looks like to me it will be on the far eastside way past Fort Wilderness. Unless they are talking about South Lake but that would not have water access to the MK.

:shrug:

 

[Mick G.]

While I'm not thrilled with the siting, it does make sense. People paying big bucks for a room demand better transportation than busses. All of the deluxe resorts have some sort of transportation "plus-up," whether monorails, boat service, or being within walking distance of parks.

Mick

 

[WDWEric]

I hate to be the bearer of bad new but it will be built on Bay lake. From what I have been told this land clearing permit is for the Four Seasons.

http://officialrecords.occompt.com/wb_or1/details.asp?doc_id=29710791&file_num=20080170610&doc_status=S

If you look on page 3 you'll see a map of the ground clearing, it is just north of POR, it is pretty much the intersection of Vista Blvd. and Bonnet Creek Pkwy., could get the live local areial to work

 

[Master Yoda]

If you look on page 3 you'll see a map of the ground clearing, it is just north of POR, it is pretty much the intersection of Vista Blvd. and Bonnet Creek Pkwy., could get the live local areial to work

The site is the current golf course next to Ft Wilderness which is North West of PORS. The only other lakes it could realistically border are lake Mabel or South lake. Bay lake is however the best choice simply for transportation to MK. Once the site is cleared and surveyed a final location of the building will be determined and should appear on the permit. We will know for sure then.

 

[WDWEric]

The site is the current golf course next to Ft Wilderness which is North West of PORS. The only other lakes it could realistically border are lake Mabel or South lake. Bay lake is however the best choice simply for transportation to MK. Once the site is cleared and surveyed a final location of the building will be determined and should appear on the permit. We will know for sure then.

I think that is also will be on bay lake, I just didn't want people to get confused with the location on the maps you gave. those maps are at the far southeast of the golf course. That is going to be quite the drive/bus ride to the other parks if it is going to be on the east shore of bay lake.

 

[Brian Noble]

Am I missing something, or is she pretty much admitting that Disney needs help providing exceptional service and amenities?

Yes, and the Mouse is the last one to realize the truth of it.

Disney Deluxe resorts are priced about the same as some of these resorts, but otherwise don't do a particularly good job of competing in the market segment that the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, etc. occupy. I've had the good fortune to stay in a few of these places on business, and there simply is no comparison.

The recent upgrades in Poly and especially Contemporary are helping---the rooms are now more similar in quality. But the overall level of service just doesn't quite measure up.