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Land being cleared... What are they doing?
- Thread starter kinda_goofy
- Start date
First of all the 7 star rating for the hotel is Dubai is all media hype. There is no international standard for hotel ratings. Dubai simply threw out the seven star thing because it sounds impressive. The rating system in the United States caps out at 5 stars. Disney could build a resort with 3000 square foot rooms, marble ceilings, a 180 hole golf course, solid gold furniture and 5 24 hour a day servants for every guest there and it would still only top out at 5 stars.
Also when I refer to name I am referring to name recognition. I don't know how you could think that I was intimating that Howard Johnson could change their name to Luxor and all of a sudden have a better reputation in the industry. The Four seasons is associated with 5 star luxury resorts, much like Disney is associated with the best theme Parks, Motel 6 is associated with cheep hotel rooms, and Ferrari is associated with high end luxury sports cars. In the hotel industry Disney is not an more than likely never will be known for luxury.
Just a suggestion but you might want to Google some of the elements in your posts before you hit "submit reply" as so far not a single "fact" that you have presented has been correct.
Have a magical Day!
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
The Four Seasons will be amazing I'm sure as I've stayed at others and had dinner/drinks at some I haven't stayed at.
It will struggle though to get that fifth star/diamond ... because it is at WDW. A lot of fans may look at the GF as that caliber of resort, but many hotel critics would likely rate it at 3 stars tops. I think many of Disney's deluxe resorts are 4-star caliber, but I can see where others would disagree.
I'm sure I'll love this Four Seasons and stay there soon after it opens, but I HATE, HATE, HATE the location.
That area has always been so quiet and pristine ... just like before WDW ever existed. Now all those trees are down and there'll be even more traffic and noise right on Bay Lake, right next to FW.
I actually hate the location more than the Swan/Dolphin just because the FW area was so ... so ... green and tranquil.
~700 a night to start?~
It will struggle though to get that fifth star/diamond ... because it is at WDW. A lot of fans may look at the GF as that caliber of resort, but many hotel critics would likely rate it at 3 stars tops. I think many of Disney's deluxe resorts are 4-star caliber, but I can see where others would disagree.
I'm sure I'll love this Four Seasons and stay there soon after it opens, but I HATE, HATE, HATE the location.
That area has always been so quiet and pristine ... just like before WDW ever existed. Now all those trees are down and there'll be even more traffic and noise right on Bay Lake, right next to FW.
I actually hate the location more than the Swan/Dolphin just because the FW area was so ... so ... green and tranquil.
~700 a night to start?~
I agree. Quite honestly I think the whole rating system as it sits is crap. To much of it is based on opinion and reputation. IMHO there should be a checklist that you could go down to determine a 1-5 star resort.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
I thought Grand Floridian was 5 star?
Here is another thought...No idea how true this is I have been told that when Walt was secretly buying up property he exceeded the original acreage he had planed on buying. The way the story goes is whomever was managing the purchases told Walt that they had the amount of land he wanted. Walt asked "Has anyone caught on yet?" This manager said "No." To which Walt responded "Then keep buying." If there is any truth to this story it is quite conceivable that Walt knew that the value of the land would soar and he could sell off bits of it that he did not need for a tidy profit.
Ausdaddy
Active Member
So how does that work? Plenty familiar with timeshares, but seasonal homes are new to me. To me, it simply meant a vacation home, but there were no particular restrictions. Is this something different?
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
snowbirds?
People with US/Canadian Duel Citizenship?
:shrug:
EDIT: oh yeah, and I agree with that comment posted right before mine! Even though the noise levels drop dramatically as you move from a Value to a Moderate Resort and a Moderate to a Deluxe...I doubt those hotel critics could ever see a hotel at Disney World as being peaceful and serene...
Jekyll_Baker
Active Member
There is a checklist sort of. A few years ago the general manager for the hotel I work for had posted copies of the requirements lists for 3/4/5 star hotels at a time they were wanting to try to add a star (it's currently a 3-star hotel). All I can remember right now is that a 5-star hotel's restaurant has to use real china and crystal, and 24-hour room service has to be available.
goodtimes5286
New Member
Before you start demeaning me with your google search (which is in fact many times wrong its the internet bud you can put whatever you want on it), you might want to STUDY the area before hand. In next month im going to have a degree in hospitality management and you are COMPLETELY wrong. There is not 'international standard' as you put it, like gonverment wise, but there are two companys that rate hotels and DO infact DO have standards on what they require at each level, one uses stars one uses diamonds ( Mobil & AAA respectively).
Just because you believe it is all brand reconginition, doesn't make it so. INDEPENDANT companys send in consultants to see what type of service, aminities, and many MANY other things. One poster said before that they heard if the GF put in golf course they could become a 5 star hotel and there is probably a lot of validity to this statement.
Simply saying dropping a four season on disney property will automatically give disney a 5 star resort is ignorant on your part and what makes you look even less intellegent is the way you make your statements, not only trying to put me down in an area I know MUCH more about then you do, and ontop of that listing google as a source :ROFLOL:
umm there def is, for star and diamond
Thankyou for shedding your firsthand knowledge on the topic instead of simple speculation
The MAIN reason why Disney has never put a 5 star hotel in (from what I get from talking to Joe Rohde and other people inside of disney) is that disney is a FAMILY destination, everything about Disney is on the focus of FAMILY. How many families focus on 5 star hotel aminities? very few
Lunamis
Active Member
I am also majoring in Hospitality Management and the poster above is correct in saying there are no universally accepted star or other rating systems in place (although it would be great if the World Tourism Organization did such a thing).
Ratings are through travel companies such as AAA and Mobil who rate on different scales or through the individual country's government. For example, Greece used to have a countrywide rating system on an A-F scale but they have recently changed that to stars.
Ratings are through travel companies such as AAA and Mobil who rate on different scales or through the individual country's government. For example, Greece used to have a countrywide rating system on an A-F scale but they have recently changed that to stars.
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
This thread has seemed to turn a bit nasty ... and no can even blame me (although someone will).
It's true there's no one system for rating hotels. I tend to go by Mobil (stars) as most accurate and AAA (diamonds) as close.
But just pull up any hotel in any city on TripAdvisor.com and there will be some awful posts even if the vast majority think the place is amazing and there will be some good/great reviews, even if the vast majority say sleeping in the street would be better, cleaner and more comfortable.
Disney has hurt itself by not maintaining its properties (especially those at the deluxe end that might get that fourth or fifth notch), being slow to match industry standards and for thinking magic and pixie dust can gloss over major service deficiencies.
I have stayed at EVERY WDW Resort (except ASMov, BCV and OKW) and most of them many, many, many times. I have had everything from great experiences that were magical to lousy experiences.
I can say that Disney has been improving its resorts of late. Having Ivory soap (the WalMart of soap) and shampoo that would cause your hair to fall out wasn't good, so they got H20 to develop a line. Their clunky old big TVs didn't look good when even Motel 6 was putting in flat screens, so Disney has upgraded those. Same with bedding.
But they still fall flat in areas ... many that are basic ... like keeping carpet clean, replacing glasses and sheets between guests, sanitizing remotes, phones etc ... you can't blame the Mousekeepers as many of them simply aren't getting the training.
I do have to correct one statement above about 5-star resorts not being for families, though. Plenty of families like nice places ... be they in Hawaii, California, Europe etc ... so I am sure there's a market for people or Four Seasons wouldn't be going in after Ritz and JW did a few years back.
At least those places are trying to get that five star level ... whether they'll succeed, I dunno.
I can say Disney is quite content with three or four ... or even two at its value motels.
The best advice I give to anyone staying at a WDW Resort (and it applies in the real world too) is to stay at hotels that have just been renovated or are even in the process. Disney doesn't like to give the info out, but it's easy enough to find out on forums like this.
So right now some of the best Disney resorts would be any of the MK resorts, BW, CBR, Music, Sports and I believe Coronado is being done right now. Those will get you the freshest, newest rooms.
~New rooms are pure magic!~
It's true there's no one system for rating hotels. I tend to go by Mobil (stars) as most accurate and AAA (diamonds) as close.
But just pull up any hotel in any city on TripAdvisor.com and there will be some awful posts even if the vast majority think the place is amazing and there will be some good/great reviews, even if the vast majority say sleeping in the street would be better, cleaner and more comfortable.
Disney has hurt itself by not maintaining its properties (especially those at the deluxe end that might get that fourth or fifth notch), being slow to match industry standards and for thinking magic and pixie dust can gloss over major service deficiencies.
I have stayed at EVERY WDW Resort (except ASMov, BCV and OKW) and most of them many, many, many times. I have had everything from great experiences that were magical to lousy experiences.
I can say that Disney has been improving its resorts of late. Having Ivory soap (the WalMart of soap) and shampoo that would cause your hair to fall out wasn't good, so they got H20 to develop a line. Their clunky old big TVs didn't look good when even Motel 6 was putting in flat screens, so Disney has upgraded those. Same with bedding.
But they still fall flat in areas ... many that are basic ... like keeping carpet clean, replacing glasses and sheets between guests, sanitizing remotes, phones etc ... you can't blame the Mousekeepers as many of them simply aren't getting the training.
I do have to correct one statement above about 5-star resorts not being for families, though. Plenty of families like nice places ... be they in Hawaii, California, Europe etc ... so I am sure there's a market for people or Four Seasons wouldn't be going in after Ritz and JW did a few years back.
At least those places are trying to get that five star level ... whether they'll succeed, I dunno.
I can say Disney is quite content with three or four ... or even two at its value motels.
The best advice I give to anyone staying at a WDW Resort (and it applies in the real world too) is to stay at hotels that have just been renovated or are even in the process. Disney doesn't like to give the info out, but it's easy enough to find out on forums like this.
So right now some of the best Disney resorts would be any of the MK resorts, BW, CBR, Music, Sports and I believe Coronado is being done right now. Those will get you the freshest, newest rooms.
~New rooms are pure magic!~
jmuboy
Well-Known Member
Not a fan in general of the Four Seasons on property. And really not a fan of single family homes on property. But there will be so few of them I will really not think too much about it.
As for the destruction of trees and green space, I too really am disappointed to hear this. However, FW Camp Resort is huge, and remains untouched. So I would imagine the wilderness feel of this area will remain. Only the Bonnet Creek Golf area, soon to be the Four Season Resort area, will feel more open and less wooded.
When does the 4 Seasons open?
RiversideBunny
New Member
Will the people who stay at the Four Seasons do so as part of a normal, planned week at WDW or will the hotel mainly get people who just need to be in Orlando, or central FL, for some reason and then use WDW as a side attraction?
In other words, will the people who stay at the Fours Seasons do so because they are, in fact, visiting WDW and want a really upscale hotel that is better than the Grand Floridian or other Deluxe WDW hotel.
Tks.
In other words, will the people who stay at the Fours Seasons do so because they are, in fact, visiting WDW and want a really upscale hotel that is better than the Grand Floridian or other Deluxe WDW hotel.
Tks.
goodtimes5286
New Member
I gotta agree wholeheartedly, disney is really losing a great product they have (not just in the hotels) because the magic is fading. Other places are picking up on the tricks that made them different and the other little things got lost when the economy went sour. The worst part of it all is when the economy upswings, they wont return it back to normal, instead they'll reap monster revenues and then complain when the gettin isnt as good as it was when they were running a skeleton crew, no frills, and the economy was good.
About families not wanting to say in 5 star hotels i was meaning the mass population, not that there arent families out there that will. Disney sells to the masses, its a family get away that caters to the weekend penny pinchers all the way to the married in front of the castle crew. So by disney dropping a ton of coin on a 5 star property, (when they already have nice properties like GF, WL, BW) when they might not even see return on the investment (since monster disney hotels are down in revenue from last year), isnt worth it to them. Now if 50% of families on exit surveys said if there was a 5 star hotel they'd totally be there, then Disney would have been building that baby up. But the fact that in reality problably less then 1% of the population, with a family (esp during these times with people on budgets) would choose to take a 5 stars price tag and amenities, not stay at a "disney" (owned and opperated) hotel (i refuse to stay at a non disney owned and opperated hotel if im going to disney, no swan and dolphin for me), versus paying less and feeling like you get more (b/c even when i stay at pop century, i feel its a better value then when I stayed at the peabody, marriot world center, gaylord palms...., etc)
quick note before i get bashed for saying that pop century is a better hotel then those 3 places im not saying it is or isnt, im saying in my opinion, i have a more enjoyable experience at those places. I'll never forget for my 18th birthday, the big turning into an adult, my dad wanted to take me to disney (obviously) and go to a REALLY nice hotel to make it extra special. We ended up staying at the gaylord palms.....to this day it was my least liked trip to disney, the whole time i was ed off about the room, it was like an ear worm thats in your head for WEEKS, and STILL to this day it irritates me and i would have rather stayed in all star music (yes i said it, MUSIC), then going to that place (i will never go back as a result, even though i played ice hockey for 5+ years, love ice skating, live in florida, go up every winter AND disney closed down its DTD rink). It was so far off property, didn't have disney transportation, everyone there was corporate or old people or bla, and it lacked the disney ambiance and decor you can only get from a disney property hotel.
....just my two pennies....
SoccerMickey
Active Member
Unfortunately, even if the 4 Seasons is a 5-star hotel, it won't be on Disney property because Disney sold the land to them. As they did Eagle Pines, as it will be a golf course only for Four Seasons guests. The one thing thats a bit humourous about this is that Disney still promotes 99 holes of Golf. There are rumours that Disney is looking to build another golf course somewhere on property but I doubt that will happen.