Rumor Potential New Magic Kingdom Area Hotel

[Purduevian]

Following up on the conversation from the Moana E-Ticket thread (thank you @The Mom for keeping us on track in that thread). Including some quotes from that thread.

@lentesta Was suggesting today on the podcast that this plot could become a DVC hotel with a private entrance to MK. It seems too small to be a hotel to me. Unless he was talking about another area?

Forgive my terrible graphics skills. Here's what I'm thinking. And I could be wrong, so let me know.

The background image is from the current CFTOB 2032 Comprehensive Plan. Areas in green are suitable for development.

The MK overlay is from Google Maps, scaled to fit the Comprehensive Plan.

To the west of the MK is a piece of land bordered on the west by Floridian Way, and to the east by the storage area for the Electrical Water Pageant.

I've added a red cross to this piece of land. Just the rectangle around that red cross is a piece of land about 1,000' wide by 1,500' high (about 34.5 acres), according to Google Maps. That doesn't count the stubs of land north and south of that box.

For reference on the right is the Yacht Club. Google Maps says the entire complex minus the docks is no more than 1,000' by 1,150' (about 27.5 acres). That includes parking.

IIRC there are around 630 rooms at Yacht Club.

So it seems like this piece of land would be more than enough to host a Yacht Club-sized DVC, with walking access through Adventureland.

Like I said, I could be wrong.

View attachment 786766

One point to keep in mind... new resort hotel development is a direct risk to their struggling, existing onsite hotel business:

- A new hotel development with unique features like direct-to-MK entrances or views are going to pinch the top of their pricing structure, "exposing" how overpriced some of their other offerings are when compared feature-for-feature.

- A new DVC concept or revived Reflections project would further dilute demand by adding to an existing glut of capacity. Anything developed now needs to be seen thru the lens of end-of-contract scenarios of the original DVC resorts, and I don't think they have an answer.

It's being discussed, but every time they get a concept in focus its weaknesses are exposed.

I just can’t see a resort here right now given the impact it would have on the Grand, in particular. Might as well turn it into a moderate at that point. People already wonder if it’s worth the cost but the location helps.

 

[Starship824]

Following up on the conversation from the Moana E-Ticket thread (thank you @The Mom for keeping us on track in that thread). Including some quotes from that thread.

Good idea creating a thread for this.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Thank goodness. If there's one thing WDW specifically, and the greater Orlando area generally, needs, it's more hotel capacity.

 

[Phicinfan]

I personally don't believe any other DVC or resort capacity will be added in MK area unless the build on the Reflections site

 

[Disstevefan1]

The desire TWDC has for new DVC towers knows no bounds.

 

[Purduevian]

I personally don't believe any other DVC or resort capacity will be added in MK area unless the build on the Reflections site

The amount of money they could make if they were to incorporate a hotel with a back entrance to beyond big thunder expansion would be insane (think Epic Universe Helios, Disneyland Paris Hotel, Mira Costa TDS, or Fantasy Springs hotel).

Add in a potential secondary exit from MK (busses to the TTC or other parks shared with the hotel), and it could relieve some of the pressure off main street.

Blue is potential beyond Big thunder, Red is potential hotel space with private entrance. Red area is ~3.5 million sq feet. For reference contemporary with parking lot, convention center, marina and Baylake tower, ect is ~2.1 million sq feet

 

[todd23]

The desire TWDC has for new DVC towers knows no bounds.

I am still waiting for Bay Lake Tower 2 to replace the Contemporary Garden Wing.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Thank goodness. If there's one thing WDW specifically, and the greater Orlando area generally, needs, it's more hotel capacity.

Hey, Bob only said "capacity expansion" for those billions and billions to be spent in the swamps. He didn't specify what capacity would be expanded.

 

[bmr1591]

The amount of money they could make if they were to incorporate a hotel with a back entrance to beyond big thunder expansion would be insane (think Epic Universe Helios, Disneyland Paris Hotel, Mira Costa TDS, or Fantasy Springs hotel).

Add in a potential secondary exit from MK (busses to the TTC or other parks shared with the hotel), and it could relieve some of the pressure off main street.

Blue is potential beyond Big thunder, Red is potential hotel space with private entrance. Red area is ~3.5 million sq feet. For reference contemporary with parking lot, convention center, marina and Baylake tower, ect is ~2.1 million sq feet
View attachment 788156

Perhaps, but for all the money made at that hotel, how many of those are guests that wouldn't be coming already? How many empty rooms are you leaving open in already half-empty hotels? At one point, you have to look at your pricing and begin lowering things across the board to make on-site more desirable. That or add more perks. I don't understand how some people can justify $4000 for a week at a deluxe when they're barely in their rooms.

 

[wedenterprises]

The amount of money they could make if they were to incorporate a hotel with a back entrance to beyond big thunder expansion would be insane (think Epic Universe Helios, Disneyland Paris Hotel, Mira Costa TDS, or Fantasy Springs hotel).

Add in a potential secondary exit from MK (busses to the TTC or other parks shared with the hotel), and it could relieve some of the pressure off main street.

Blue is potential beyond Big thunder, Red is potential hotel space with private entrance. Red area is ~3.5 million sq feet. For reference contemporary with parking lot, convention center, marina and Baylake tower, ect is ~2.1 million sq feet
View attachment 788156

I still wonder why they didn't build a proper Star Wars hotel IN Galaxy's Edge.

 

[Bocabear]

Perhaps, but for all the money made at that hotel, how many of those are guests that wouldn't be coming already? How many empty rooms are you leaving open in already half-empty hotels? At one point, you have to look at your pricing and begin lowering things across the board to make on-site more desirable. That or add more perks. I don't understand how some people can justify $4000 for a week at a deluxe when they're barely in their rooms.

I can... Sometimes it is not necessarily about the "room" perse but more about the resort as a whole. The deluxe resorts are often not as full of young families...tend to be less crowded...The design of the Deluxe resorts has usually much nicer amenities, restaurants etc. We stayed at Pop Century years ago when it was new...In general it was fine, but the pool was always full of screaming kids all the way until after midnight, the Food Court area was mayhem in the morning when we just wanted a quiet coffee or breakfast thing... It was literally unpleasant and we had to drive over to the Boardwalk for breakfast each morning. The rooms at the Deluxe are also larger and better appointed....
If I had kids and a young family, then I am sure I would be fine with the environment at the All Star and Pop Century resorts... But now I prefer to be able to escape the chaos when we return to the hotel in the evening...and I am sure a lot of other people feel the same way.
no shade on those that enjoy the noise and screaming crowds in their hotel... I just prefer a little peace after a day of running around in the heat and crowds...

 

[Bocabear]

I still wonder why they didn't build a proper Star Wars hotel IN Galaxy's Edge.

I agree there....It could have been a deluxe hotel in Black Spire and included the standard hotel amenities like a pool and restaurants...and have nice rooms instead of crew cabins....
it would be a huge hit... as long as they don't try to make it a LARP adventure... Just a very fun, themed hotel and grounds with it's own entrance into DHS. That said I would have preferred the Haunted Hotel concept once thrown around... built around the base of the existing Hollywood Tower Hotel...themed to 1930s Hollywood with it's own entrance to DHS....

 

[Phicinfan]

The amount of money they could make if they were to incorporate a hotel with a back entrance to beyond big thunder expansion would be insane (think Epic Universe Helios, Disneyland Paris Hotel, Mira Costa TDS, or Fantasy Springs hotel).

Add in a potential secondary exit from MK (busses to the TTC or other parks shared with the hotel), and it could relieve some of the pressure off main street.

Blue is potential beyond Big thunder, Red is potential hotel space with private entrance. Red area is ~3.5 million sq feet. For reference contemporary with parking lot, convention center, marina and Baylake tower, ect is ~2.1 million sq feet
View attachment 788156

Please show me how exactly that would be the case? To date they have not successfully integrated resorts into parks in US. Look at how "successful" the Star wars resort was

 

[Bocabear]

Please show me how exactly that would be the case? To date they have not successfully integrated resorts into parks in US. Look at how "successful" the Star wars resort was

Well....that is kind of a bad example as it was not a resort, but a 2 night entertainment experience including sleep hours... It was not at all a hotel connected to the park.... it was another species.
The Grand Californian hotel is beautifully integrated into DCA, Disneyland Paris' Disneyland Hotel is very successful as is Mira Costa at Tokyo Disney Springs. In WDW we have not yet put a hotel directly into the parks yes, but I am sure they would be successful and well loved.

 

[Disstevefan1]

What Universal is building sure looks space themed!

 

[Andrew25]

Helios will show the Orlando crowd how fantastic is it to go down from your room and into a park within minutes. A resort that offers a similar experience at MK will do a good amount of business.

 

[asianway]

I am still waiting for Bay Lake Tower 2 to replace the Contemporary Garden Wing.

It would zap the convention center. No views from south plot

 

[Bocabear]

It looks great! Universal does a great job with their hotels... We stayed at Cabana Bay once, and for a moderate, it was so much nicer than the Disney equivalents... Hotel amenities etc...Beautifully designed and WAY cheaper....

 

[ToTBellHop]

Helios will show the Orlando crowd how fantastic is it to go down from your room and into a park within minutes. A resort that offers a similar experience at MK will do a good amount of business.

Yes, but it would kill Grand Floridian, so it’s not being considered except potentially DVC many years out.

 

[JoeCamel]

Thank goodness. If there's one thing WDW specifically, and the greater Orlando area generally, needs, it's more hotel capacity.

Take heart that they are limited to ~57K keys in the development agreement so there is a ceiling to how many they build