Possilbe New Resorts in the Epcot/DHS area

[JoeCamel]

This was maybe 2 to 3 years ago. Before the new WL section was added to DVC. I think it was maybe in one of the spirited threads. The original rumor was a DVC behind world showcase with a possible direct entrance to the park. That was scrapped due to cost and logistics of moving a ton of backstage stuff. The rumor was then that they were looking at a tower type project with direct views into the park. The 2 rumored areas were either directly behind Seas or on the other side behind or in place of Wonders of Life. I think the Seas side was the more likely. The red square below:
View attachment 190585

I understood it to be more to the left (west) in the tree area next to the monorail and just kissing the bus parking. The canal would be moved

 

[GoofGoof]

I understood it to be more to the left (west) in the tree area next to the monorail and just kissing the bus parking. The canal would be moved

That's possible too. I just plopped a square down in the general area.

 

[GoofGoof]

I found these posts from a spirited thread. The first one is when Spirit broke the news of the WL addition. The 2nd has more details on the EPCOT plans that were shelved. Sounds like maybe they are dusting off the EPCOT plans for the front of the park again now.

The next DVC resort, well after Disney finishes construction of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Villas isn't the FW/RC site (although it still is in long term plans according to someone with knowledge of DVC's future), it also isn't the EPCOT resort (although that too is still in the future plans) and it isn't the Hollywood-themed resort near WWoS (this one is likely as dead as the one they announced for the site that now is Golden Oak and the Four Seasons).

Nope, the next WDW DVC Resort is ... the WL.

It differs by resort and even by day. ... But while some resorts were packed. Dixie Landings was over July 4th, for instance, but others were not.

There have been days this summer when the GF has been under 50% (not talking about DVC there, again, hotel).

I put the 65-75% range out because I feel 'safe' in doing so for a generality.

WDW can't fill its deluxe resorts. That is why DVC isn't going to the places I mentioned earlier. They have masterplanned a resort for the RC site. I saw this years ago. The plans were leaked online in the last 12-18 months. They want to build it. But do you know how much cheaper it is for Disney to simply take 350 (I don't know that is the number, but likely in the range) rooms out of the WL and simply convert them ... oh, and still raise rates at the WL annually?

The EPCOT idea? They went from the World Showcase Westcot-like idea to simply the parking lot. And when the plans started to get pricey (think new/reworked entrance and a parking structure at Epcot), it sorta went back-burner.

 

[marni1971]

I understood it to be more to the left (west) in the tree area next to the monorail and just kissing the bus parking. The canal would be moved

Further west than this area could be for a different development.

The sprawl could continue.

 

[GoofGoof]

Further west than this area could be for a different development.

The sprawl could continue.

Another DVC wing for BC or a whole different project?

 

[gwhb75]

Ooooh! I hope they have one themed around Alderaan...

They already tried that but then built AOA over top of it

 

[P_Radden]

Not happening as things stand.

Any new resort that may or may not happen will be north of the park.

Further west than this area could be for a different development.

The sprawl could continue.

Another DVC wing for BC or a whole different project?

That is a lot of real estate on the north side of Epcot Resorts Blvd. If not a new Disney resort or BC expansion, I see this area as a great opportunity for companies like Marriott etc.

 

[P_Radden]

This was maybe 2 to 3 years ago. Before the new WL section was added to DVC. I think it was maybe in one of the spirited threads. The original rumor was a DVC behind world showcase with a possible direct entrance to the park. That was scrapped due to cost and logistics of moving a ton of backstage stuff. The rumor was then that they were looking at a tower type project with direct views into the park. The 2 rumored areas were either directly behind Seas or on the other side behind or in place of Wonders of Life. I think the Seas side was the more likely. The red square below:
View attachment 190585

Building a resort here and having the bus station shifted closer to the monorail station would be a win-win. Some sort of "EPCOT Center" inspired resort theme would be awesome. Use the Art of Epcot Festival as theme direction.

 

[GoofGoof]

That is a lot of real estate on the north side of Epcot Resorts Blvd. If not a new Disney resort or BC expansion, I see this area as a great opportunity for companies like Marriott etc.

They could also build a monorail station with a resort in that area connecting to the EPCOT line. It's a lot of land but I don't know how much is usable vs restricted.

 

[GoofGoof]

Building a resort here and having the bus station shifted closer to the monorail station would be a win-win. Some sort of "EPCOT Center" inspired resort theme would be awesome. Use the Art of Epcot Festival as theme direction.

Walt gave us a pretty good concept if it's a high rise building:

 

[MisterPenguin]

That was my very first thought. And I think it sort of blows apart the argument that Disney is raising prices to purposely achieve lower crowds for a better guest experience.

The raising of prices was mostly to discourage attendees during super peak times. They:

1. Had tiered FL APs with different levels of black-out dates getting people out of peak times.
2. Had tiered one-day tickets for MK with surge pricings
3. Raised the overall rates which would depress the number of guests both for peak and off-peak, however, they kept the full gamut of discounts for off-peak. For Disney as a business...

1. all the discounts have the psychological appeal that they're being generous
2. push people to the off-peak times
3. can be easily turned off if they do get increased attendance during what was traditionally off-peak time (economy's booming an everyone wants to go to WDW this Fall? Oops, ran out of discounted rooms. So sorry.).

 

[P_Radden]

They could also build a monorail station with a resort in that area connecting to the EPCOT line. It's a lot of land but I don't know how much is usable vs restricted.

Walt gave us a pretty good concept if it's a high rise building:

View attachment 190609

Yep, that sure would look nice built on pad#1 seen here:

 

[matt9112]

So my thoughts on this for what it's worth the recent for sure announcements coupled with this stuff seems to fly in the face of recent marketing strategy. As I see it lately disney has been willing to accept slightly lower attendance and slightly lower occupancy rates in turn for more profit per guest (through increased costs and more raw guest spending) With that said why add all these rooms ? Sure some will likely be DVC but there's still alot of new rooms here even with the smallest logical resorts as baselines. Wouldn't this compound occupancy drop? Sure if HS is saved and EPCOT revamped as well as Pandora attendance will spike but I don't think they are short on rooms for those spikes. Especially if pricing is moderate and higher.

Any thoughts?

 

[matt9112]

If they built a SW themed resort I wonder if they would let me move in permanently

Since you sign away that right at check in the answer is no.

 

[matt9112]

As long as they don't then turn them into Moderate, Deluxe or DVC. There needs to be Value resorts of some sort, or young families and not so rich folks will never be able to enjoy WDW.

The fact is really nice resorts exsist outside the bubble for 100 bucks or less all day and 150+ gets you digs that will give deluxe a run for its money.... sad really

 

[George]

It would be nice if they could just gut All Star and Pop Century and properly theme those resorts.

I dunno. I stayed at All-Stars Music once for Star Wars Weekends about 7 years ago. I felt as though I was enveloped in a world of music all-stars and I felt giddy just entering the resort. As I was registering in the lobby, an impromptu appearance by Sting who decided to recreate some of his Dream of the Blue Turtles world tour, was the first sign that renting some of my DVC points so I could purchase this vacation package was a wise decision. In fact, we spent so much time being enveloped in a world of music, new and old, that we spent the entirety of the week in our rooms, constantly forgetting to even enter the themed recreational areas that we had purchased tickets for. The highlight for me was probably as I was swimming across the bottom of the pool and could see a projection of a miniature Johnny Cash performing "Ring of Fire". The stage where the kids could watch a constantly rotating crew of their favorite Radio Disney stars, the Bruce Dickinson autograph sesssion, Mr. Bon Jovi walking around with his guitar serenading everyone with dopey, made up songs (later this became the inspiration for the Direct TV commercials). Don't even get me started on the grandeur of the theater constantly playing Fantasmic while an animatronic symphony orchestra played in a pit in front of the movie screen. Heaven on earth I say. I will note that my family seemed to have a different view of the resort.

Weird unrelated anecdote - when we got home, my friend Hansel, claims that I inadvertently consumed several tabs of acid he had set out next to an hors d'oeuvre plate. Apparently, they were left over from college and he set them out as a bit of a conversation piece at a bon voyage social event for us. He maintains that a long string of mozzarella dangled down from my fried mozzarella stick and as I sucked it back into my gaping maw I didn't notice the tabs of paper stuck to it. I don't see how that is possible though. I felt fine all week.

 

[matt9112]

Only by idiots that don't know any better. Disney isn't trying to trick anyone with their room occupancy level as some have indicated. You don't spend millions of dollars on new hotels that won't have guests in them. We may not like everything that TWDC does, but stupid they are not.

I don't know what they do or don't do on the books but THEY DO close buildings from time to time when resort demand is low to save costs. (Don't put guests in them ect) and obviously they have turned regular rooms into DVC. That's some level of manipulation.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Star Wars Resort... it could work....

Is this a hint that more details will be leaked in the future? With everything that's happened this week, anything goes!

 

[marni1971]

Is this a hint that more details will be leaked in the future? With everything that's happened this week, anything goes!

Well, it's a no brainer and a license to print money.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Well, it's a no brainer and a license to print money.

I agree that's it a cash cow. Also, DHS is going to be a mad house once SWL opens. I have my doubts that the land they are building is too small to hold the number of guest in that area. In my opinion, they will be a need for expansion the day it opens.