US-192 Memories, Sucess, and Failure

[POLY LOVER]

Agreed! It's glaring when something like Magic Development is planned only a few blocks away from the stretch around the museum of military history--several properties that form a tight cluster of disuse. It's a fair guess that it's hard to track down multiple property owners and get them all to sell at a reasonable price. Once word of a buyer got out, they might all seek premium prices for buildings in poor condition. Easier to just clear some habitat and build fresh...repeat ad infinitum until there's nowhere left to build. Yikes!

For all we know some savy developers could have pulled a Disney and been buying up property?

 

[ULPO46]

I've thought of investing with a group of friends but they already charge premiums on crap motels. It's always been a dream of mine to own my own resort company. But the problem is they already know that people want to invest thats why this project has been in gridlock for years. I think theres a future market, but the properties just aren't worth the money needed to invest most of those properties are priced in the millions even if they are falling just because they are down the street from wdw.

 

[ULPO46]

In case you didn't know PUBLIX built a brand new store on 192 in the Celebration Water Tower center. Very nice place to shop.

Publix doesnt rent space. Just like walmart they own each and every last of their stores. Most times they might even own the whole shopping center.

 

[POLY LOVER]

Publix doesnt rent space. Just like walmart they own each and every last of their stores. Most times they might even own the whole shopping center.

They did not sell them the space, they do not own the water tower center either.

 

[WDWVolFan]

The I-Drive is so much different!
I remember staying at a Days Inn near Wet n' Wild in December '94 and the I-Drive looked small or maybe it was just the 12 years old me that didn't think it was that big of a deal.
Then in 97 with my Brazilian Tour Group we went shopping somewhere on there, Victor's maybe, and it looked bigger.
This past late May/early June, we drove on it back and forth to Universal and had to stop at a Walgreens and it was bumper to bumper, it looked like traffic on a Saturday night between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg (those who have been, know what I'm talking about).

So maybe I'm not crazy, it has grown a crap ton.

 

[ULPO46]

The I-Drive is so much different!
I remember staying at a Days Inn near Wet n' Wild in December '94 and the I-Drive looked small or maybe it was just the 12 years old me that didn't think it was that big of a deal.
Then in 97 with my Brazilian Tour Group we went shopping somewhere on there, Victor's maybe, and it looked bigger.
This past late May/early June, we drove on it back and forth to Universal and had to stop at a Walgreens and it was bumper to bumper, it looked like traffic on a Saturday night between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg (those who have been, know what I'm talking about).

So maybe I'm not crazy, it has grown a crap ton.

Obrigado! Indeed times have changed on the I-Drive as well as much of what is known as southwest Orlando. What I remember as cow pastures are now Time Shares and huge resorts. The traffic is pretty much there year round and kind of skims out during the day while all the resort and hotel guest are at the theme parks. What is funny is that I-drive, unique to the area, has a trolley on top of the general Lynx Buses that run through the strip. But I guess you can compare I-Drive to a mini Las Vegas Strip. Too many hotels on one road causes that much traffic specifically when hotel's have 80% average occupancy rate through out the year.

 

[WDWVolFan]

Obrigado! Indeed times have changed on the I-Drive as well as much of what is known as southwest Orlando. What I remember as cow pastures are now Time Shares and huge resorts. The traffic is pretty much there year round and kind of skims out during the day while all the resort and hotel guest are at the theme parks. What is funny is that I-drive, unique to the area, has a trolley on top of the general Lynx Buses that run through the strip. But I guess you can compare I-Drive to a mini Las Vegas Strip. Too many hotels on one road causes that much traffic specifically when hotel's have 80% average occupancy rate through out the year.

And it's amazing how those hotels do not really need to offer great service and quality because people will stay there for sure.

We stayed two nights off property on our last trip at a Spring Hill Suites near the I-Drive and worst Marriott hotel I've stayed in my life, parking was a fiasco but they don't care. They are making bank and they are just investing as little as possible to keep guests coming.

 

[ULPO46]

And it's amazing how those hotels do not really need to offer great service and quality because people will stay there for sure.

We stayed two nights off property on our last trip at a Spring Hill Suites near the I-Drive and worst Marriott hotel I've stayed in my life, parking was a fiasco but they don't care. They are making bank and they are just investing as little as possible to keep guests coming.

THATS WHAT IVE BEEN SAYING!!!! Haha you are right on. Even the hotels near DC are cleaner. You read the reviews of these places on the unbiased yahoo, google, or other search engine websites and you see the amount of complaints. The 1-3 star rated hotels that are easily upwards of $130 a night. Even first timers complain that it's a bit dirty or disgusting to stay. It's got me upset as I spent 4 years studying Hospitality management. It doesn't make sense why all these owners are letting these places decay. These are franchises and they must meet certain standards in order to continue moving forward in their business model or they may have to remove the name of the franchise and pay a fine. That companies like Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn, and even Rosen Inn are allowing these places to rot is something peculiar. It honestly wont break the bank to remodel. It's disgusting what Orlando has become. From Disney to offsite properties, no one seems to care anymore about quality. It's being naïve, but I've seen the degrade of places where clean no more than 5 years ago. We can't blame the recession on the downgrade or can we?

 

[POLY LOVER]

THATS WHAT IVE BEEN SAYING!!!! Haha you are right on. Even the hotels near DC are cleaner. You read the reviews of these places on the unbiased yahoo, google, or other search engine websites and you see the amount of complaints. The 1-3 star rated hotels that are easily upwards of $130 a night. Even first timers complain that it's a bit dirty or disgusting to stay. It's got me upset as I spent 4 years studying Hospitality management. It doesn't make sense why all these owners are letting these places decay. These are franchises and they must meet certain standards in order to continue moving forward in their business model or they may have to remove the name of the franchise and pay a fine. That companies like Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn, and even Rosen Inn are allowing these places to rot is something peculiar. It honestly wont break the bank to remodel. It's disgusting what Orlando has become. From Disney to offsite properties, no one seems to care anymore about quality. It's being naïve, but I've seen the degrade of places where clean no more than 5 years ago. We can't blame the recession on the downgrade or can we?

in all fairness there are some nice hotels along the strecth

 

[ULPO46]

Indeed there are but they cost a little more. The grand majority of tourist want to spend less so they go to the hotels that cost less. One of the most infamous nasty hotels is the Enclave. Expensive but old, outdated, and really disgusting.

 

[Macadamite85]

Following up: Osceola County's W192 Redevelopment Plan, dated April 3, 2014...

http://www.osceola.org/agencies-dep...ntauthority/redevelopment-plan-documents.stml

Segment 1: Leisure (Osceola-Polk County Line to I-4)
Segment 2: Destination (I-4 to SR535)

Excerpt from Segment 1 portion of plan:

"The area will capitalize on ESPNʹs Wide World of Sports and related activities. Visiting teams will have their choice of hotels oriented towards larger groups. Teams competing in the numerous events hosted within ESPNʹs Wide World of Sports will choose to stay within this area of W192, due to its large number of sporting retailers, sports‐themed restaurants, and proximity to practice facilities. Hotels and resorts will redevelop to cater to these larger groups, incorporating private grouped villas with amenities and services oriented towards amateur athletes. Other hotels on Disney property will continue to provide guests with a variety of choices, while additional integration and development of higher‐end hotels will allow an increased number of visitors to stay along the Corridor."

Excerpt from Segment 2 portion of plan:

"Strategy 2. Attract new development including flag hotels..."

Excerpts from Orlando Sentinel article "Flamingo Crossings at Disney will focus heavily on sports market," dated October 2, 2014...

"...construction is starting on a hotel-and-retail development aimed at budget-conscious Disney World visitors and athletes attending competitions at the resort's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Oct. 16 for two Marriott hotels at Flamingo Crossings, a project at the western edge of Disney World [in Orange County]."

"Guests are expected to include not only vacationing families, but teams attending events at Disney's sports complex. To help attract athletes, the two hotels will feature a shared recreational area with two batting cages, a basketball court and a multipurpose practice field."

"Disney expects Flamingo Crossings to have up to 5,000 hotel rooms and time-share units. It would also include 500,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by a villagelike town center. That would include fast-food and casual-dining chains, and stores selling groceries, toiletries and clothing."

"The hotels will share a fitness center and a casual-dining restaurant, which will likely have a sports theme."

"The new competition worries nearby hoteliers such as Wade Michael, general manager of the Quality Suites Royale Parc Suites on U.S. Highway 192. With hotel growth expected to start outpacing demand in Metro Orlando, 'certainly we're concerned that the area will become saturated with supply, and it won't be a healthy environment for us or the new products,' Michael said. 'We have to kind of wait and see how we would combat it.'"

 

[POLY LOVER]

Following up: Osceola County's W192 Redevelopment Plan, dated April 3, 2014...

http://www.osceola.org/agencies-dep...ntauthority/redevelopment-plan-documents.stml

Segment 1: Leisure (Osceola-Polk County Line to I-4)
Segment 2: Destination (I-4 to SR535)

Excerpt from Segment 1 portion of plan:

"The area will capitalize on ESPNʹs Wide World of Sports and related activities. Visiting teams will have their choice of hotels oriented towards larger groups. Teams competing in the numerous events hosted within ESPNʹs Wide World of Sports will choose to stay within this area of W192, due to its large number of sporting retailers, sports‐themed restaurants, and proximity to practice facilities. Hotels and resorts will redevelop to cater to these larger groups, incorporating private grouped villas with amenities and services oriented towards amateur athletes. Other hotels on Disney property will continue to provide guests with a variety of choices, while additional integration and development of higher‐end hotels will allow an increased number of visitors to stay along the Corridor."

Excerpt from Segment 2 portion of plan:

"Strategy 2. Attract new development including flag hotels..."

Excerpts from Orlando Sentinel article "Flamingo Crossings at Disney will focus heavily on sports market," dated October 2, 2014...

"...construction is starting on a hotel-and-retail development aimed at budget-conscious Disney World visitors and athletes attending competitions at the resort's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Oct. 16 for two Marriott hotels at Flamingo Crossings, a project at the western edge of Disney World [in Orange County]."

"Guests are expected to include not only vacationing families, but teams attending events at Disney's sports complex. To help attract athletes, the two hotels will feature a shared recreational area with two batting cages, a basketball court and a multipurpose practice field."

"Disney expects Flamingo Crossings to have up to 5,000 hotel rooms and time-share units. It would also include 500,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by a villagelike town center. That would include fast-food and casual-dining chains, and stores selling groceries, toiletries and clothing."

"The hotels will share a fitness center and a casual-dining restaurant, which will likely have a sports theme."

"The new competition worries nearby hoteliers such as Wade Michael, general manager of the Quality Suites Royale Parc Suites on U.S. Highway 192. With hotel growth expected to start outpacing demand in Metro Orlando, 'certainly we're concerned that the area will become saturated with supply, and it won't be a healthy environment for us or the new products,' Michael said. 'We have to kind of wait and see how we would combat it.'"

Do you have a landmark on 192 you can give to indicate where this would be built.

 

[Macadamite85]

Do you have a landmark on 192 you can give to indicate where this would be built.

According to the W192 Redevelopment Plan, it would be along 192 anywhere from the Polk County line to SR535 (Vineland Rd). However, it appears that the Flamingo Crossings plan has stolen some thunder from the W192 aims. Or maybe not--there's a Marriott Fairfield Inn under construction at the old Water Mania/Lost Island Adventure Golf site. One way to think of that would be as direct competition for Marriott's Flamingo Crossings guests. Another way would be to look for "synergy" between the properties. Time will tell. But the Fairfield Inn would be an example of a "flag" property close to ESPN and in W192's Segment 2.

 

[POLY LOVER]

According to the W192 Redevelopment Plan, it would be along 192 anywhere from the Polk County line to SR535 (Vineland Rd). However, it appears that the Flamingo Crossings plan has stolen some thunder from the W192 aims. Or maybe not--there's a Marriott Fairfield Inn under construction at the old Water Mania/Lost Island Adventure Golf site. One way to think of that would be as direct competition for Marriott's Flamingo Crossings guests. Another way would be to look for "synergy" between the properties. Time will tell. But the Fairfield Inn would be an example of a "flag" property close to ESPN and in W192's Segment 2.

Thanks

 

[ULPO46]

Here's a new posting from The Os.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/brinkmann-on-business/os-osceola-west-192-20160120-post.html

 

[John C. Shepherd]

I have a collegue at work that swears by staying on resort. Me i am oposite, i stay off site at a Marriott and enjoy myself so much more, we can get away from everything to detox for the next day. I feel bad that 192 is going down hill i remember staying there at a hotel behind the Black Eyed Pea resturant and loved it there and loved the food also. Would be nice if a place like that could become what it was before but who knows.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have a collegue at work that swears by staying on resort. Me i am oposite, i stay off site at a Marriott and enjoy myself so much more, we can get away from everything to detox for the next day. I feel bad that 192 is going down hill i remember staying there at a hotel behind the Black Eyed Pea resturant and loved it there and loved the food also. Would be nice if a place like that could become what it was before but who knows.

It depends on what end of 192 you are on. The closest area to Kissimmee (City) is dying and there are a couple of reasons for that. One is the seedy element in that area and the other is the distance from the Parks, be it Disney, Uni or SeaWorld. However, in recent years the west end of 192 has grown quite quickly. The old hotels that either didn't upgrade or couldn't upgrade got lost in the shuffle. I also, all but one time, have stayed offsite and I enjoy the break as well. I also enjoy not having to make ADR's for meals and, if we are talking value resorts, the outside rooms are much bigger and better.

 

[POLY LOVER]

On this visit to Disney I ventured down 192 to the mecum auto auction that is just a great event for collectable car buyers. I noticed a lot of new things including hotels being redone and built new along the corridor near Celebration.
Seems like great option for food if it bugs you getting frozen out of reservation at Disney. Good deal if you are watching your budget, we had great Mexican food and drinks with a. 39.00 bill. We also had a great day in Celebration and had Italian food at DAntonio's, just great and again saved some money. So there are options if you look.