Four Seasons, Disney unite on hotel project (Florida Today)BY DONNA BALANCIA FLORIDA TODAY
Walt Disney World Resort will team with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to build a 900-acre luxury resort and championship golf course.
Disney also announced Thursday it will develop a large time share, retail and entertainment project. The mixed-use, 450-acre retail, dining and lodging district will be the western side of the Orlando-area resort.
The projects enable Disney -- Florida's biggest tourism draw -- to expand its vacation offerings, and cater to broad range of repeat and first-time guests.
The luxury resort project will be located along the northeast border of Walt Disney World Resort, where Disney plans to convert its Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge golf courses into a resort and golf community.
The development will include the hotel; an 18-hole championship golf course; single- and multifamily vacation homes; and fractional-ownership vacation homes.
"This is a first-of-its-kind development for our company," Walt Disney World Resort President Meg Crofton said. "Four Seasons is a world-renowned brand, known for its luxury and appeal. We are thrilled to be able to bring Four Seasons to our resort. 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."
"Central Florida will be avaluable addition to our family of resorts, particularly since this is a destination our guests already enjoy." Kathleen Taylor, president and chief operating officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, said in a statement. "It's an honor to collaborate with Walt Disney World Resort on this project."
Toronto-based Four Seasons, with 74 hotels in 31 countries, will anchor the 900-acre development located where Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge golf courses now are.
The Osprey Ridge golf course will be upgraded into a championship golf course, and be renamed after the Four Seasons brand.
"This is a first-of-its-kind development for our company," Walt Disney World Resort President Meg Crofton said. "Four Seasons is a world-renowned brand, known for its luxury and appeal. We are thrilled to be able to bring Four Seasons to our resort. 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."
"Central Florida will be avaluable addition to our family of resorts, particularly since this is a destination our guests already enjoy." Kathleen Taylor, president and chief operating officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, said in a statement. "It's an honor to collaborate with Walt Disney World Resort on this project."
Toronto-based Four Seasons, with 74 hotels in 31 countries, will anchor the 900-acre development located where Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge golf courses now are.
The Osprey Ridge golf course will be upgraded into a championship golf course, and be renamed after the Four Seasons brand.
The luxury hotel could open as early as 2010, with groundbreaking later this year.
Four Seasons currently operates two properties in Florida -- the Four Seasons Hotel Miami and the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.
For the value-oriented visitor, Disney is planning the mixed-use tourist commercial district just outside Disney's gateway entrance.
The master-planned development is comparable in size to Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The project combines third-party branded lodging, retail and dining in a pedestrian-friendly environment.
The development will include about 4,500 time shares and hotel units that will surround a pedestrian-friendly retail village that includes restaurants, shops and small-scale entertainment venues. Construction would start later this year.
"We chose this area because it's a great opportunity to further enhance the western entrance of our resort," Crofton said. "We're currently putting the finishing touches on the design, and then we will give this development a strong brand name."
Disney said this development, designed around a retail village, "will become a convenient shopping and service center" for Disney employees, nearby residents and Central Florida visitors.
The mixed-use project will be built in phases during the next eight to 10 years.
The number of jobs the two developments will bring to the area is unknown, Crofton said. Disney currently has about 60,000 employees in Central Florida.
In trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange, Disney's stock rose 14 cents to $34.39, and Four Seasons rose 15 cents to $81.25.
"We chose this area because it's a great opportunity to further enhance the western entrance of our resort," Crofton said. "We're currently putting the finishing touches on the design, and then we will give this development a strong brand name."
Disney said this development, designed around a retail village, "will become a convenient shopping and service center" for Disney employees, nearby residents and Central Florida visitors.
The mixed-use project will be built in phases during the next eight to 10 years.
The number of jobs the two developments will bring to the area is unknown, Crofton said. Disney currently has about 60,000 employees in Central Florida.
In trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange, Disney's stock rose 14 cents to $34.39, and Four Seasons rose 15 cents to $81.25.
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