It’s that point of yr when the EPCOT resort “rumor” returns! The previously-abandoned venture is supposedly on the desk once more to develop into Walt Disney World’s first in-park resort. This shares ideas on the revived rumors, its chance of coming to fruition, and comparisons to comparable lodges at Tokyo DisneySea, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland Resort. (Updated February 28, 2023.)
Before we dig into the present rumors, let’s shortly carry anybody up to the mark who hasn’t been following long-running Walt Disney World rumors–or simply doesn’t keep in mind the small print of this venture from round 2016 and 2017 when it was a sizzling subject that nearly occurred. This predated the unique announcement of the EPCOT overhaul, and clearly, quite a bit has modified since then.
At the time, there have been “competing” rumors for an in-park EPCOT resort, or quite, for its location. There had been three potential websites for the EPCOT resort: outdoors the entrance entrance adjoining to the monorail station, backstage between the Living Seas and Land pavilions, or on the previous Innoventions plot. For a little bit of additional historic context, this rumor rose shortly after Riviera Resort and Gran Destino, however earlier than Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge was introduced…
That’s vital as a result of Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge changing into official was just about the final anybody heard credible rumors of the EPCOT in-park resort. That’s to not say that the 2 had been straight competing proposals–they weren’t–but it surely’s fully attainable the corporate evaluated all the resort initiatives within the pipeline for Walt Disney World and opted to shelve the EPCOT resort, not desirous to overbuild resort stock.
In the 6+ years since, quite a bit has occurred and altered. Reflections Lakeside Lodge was introduced, website prep work began, then was paused solely months later, and the venture was quietly cancelled. That building website has been mothballed, however is probably going nonetheless a long-term possibility as one of many final highly-desirable resort websites at Walt Disney World.
In the time since Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge was placed on ice, Walt Disney World has moved on to 2 totally different Disney Vacation Club initiatives. The first was conversion of a constructing on the Grand Floridian into “Resort Studios” (mainly simply resort rooms, however they’re fairly good) plus a not-so-nice tower that’s at the moment underneath building at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
These initiatives are notable as a result of it appears to me that the corporate goes for low-hanging fruit earlier than returning to the situation between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. Whatever finally ends up being constructed there most likely received’t be referred to as Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge, but it surely’s laborious to think about Disney completely abandoning the fully-prepped parcel.
Against that backdrop, we share that the EPCOT in-park resort “rumor” has returned. (Note the air quotes earlier than getting too excited.)
In a brand new TikTook video, Orlando actual property professional Ken Pozek claims that he noticed new permits indicating that Walt Disney World had “awarded” Buena Vista Construction Company the “rights” to construct the resort inside or close to EPCOT. The permits purportedly embrace a swimming pool and different leisure services along with the resort.
As his video implies, this isn’t the primary time that Pozek has made daring claims in regards to the EPCOT resort. Two years in the past, he shared a shock discover on YouTube (video above begins at related dialog). That’s based mostly on building bid data Mr. Pozek found on Dodge Data & Analytics, a website that tracks the development trade and permits bidding on initiatives by contractors.
The itemizing then was for “EPCOT Future World Hotel” and exhibits it within the planning schematics stage of design with a $50 to $75 million venture valuation. The overview exhibits that it was first revealed in 2018, however republished in 2021. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts is listed as proprietor, with Imagineering and Gensler as architects.
In case it’s not already clear, I’m extremely skeptical of all this. For one factor, I couldn’t monitor down the allow in query. For one other factor, the best way Pozek has described it doesn’t actually make sense. Buena Vista is Walt Disney World’s in-house building firm, and so they sometimes deal with smaller-scale initiatives. I’m struggling to consider something “big” that Buena Vista has constructed inside the final decade.
Moreover, since Buena Vista Construction Company is in-house, they might not be “awarded” the “rights” to construct a resort. They’re the identical firm! That’d be like Good Morning America awarding Walt Disney World “best-value travel destination in the world.” (Okay, dangerous instance–I may completely see that occuring.)
Once once more, there’s additionally the truth with ongoing and current initiatives. Expansion on the Polynesian and reimaginings on the Grand Floridian (and elsewhere) are full steam forward. Once completed, it’s seemingly {that a} alternative for Reflections is subsequent up on deck. Disney’s Riviera Resort has nonetheless bought solely round 50% of its whole stock and can take a number of extra years to promote out, even assuming wholesome month-to-month numbers.
Frankly, that’s a daring assumption. Disney Vacation Club direct gross sales have been slowing over the course of the final a number of months, and that lower will solely worsen if there’s an financial downturn. It’s secure to imagine that the towers at Disneyland Hotel and Polynesian will nonetheless effectively whatever the broader setting, however that’s nonetheless loads of properties to promote concurrently.
Of course, it’s fully attainable that the EPCOT in-park resort may have completely nothing to do with Disney Vacation Club. Given that it is a prime piece of actual property, a theoretical resort on this location may seemingly command nightly charges which can be on par with or greater than the Grand Floridian.
Even although Magic Kingdom is the flagship park at Walt Disney World, this may be the prized location. The EPCOT resort can be the primary at Walt Disney World really inside or on the entrance gate of a theme park. That alone would assist it do great numbers, and it could presumably be smaller than lots of the sprawling resorts round Walt Disney World.
In different phrases, simply because Disney already started work on Reflections doesn’t imply the EPCOT resort couldn’t occur first. For one factor, management in any respect ranges of the corporate has modified dramatically in the previous few years. Ditto venture priorities. There’s additionally the truth that demographics have modified no less than a bit, and Walt Disney World continues to cater to convention-goers. (Just have a look at Gran Destino Tower!)
An EPCOT resort would possibly thus be seen as a safer guess than Reflections. It additionally may be a “best of both worlds” resolution. Disney opted to “take a different approach” with the multi-level Festival Center. New idea artwork of CommuniCore Hall & Plaza has since been launched, and exhibits that the corporate is mainly rebuilding what was beforehand there.
It’s fully attainable that a part of the explanation for the scaled-back CommuniCore plans is as a result of a few of that’s shifting to the EPCOT Hotel. That may host rooftop eating, dessert events, particular occasions area, and extra–all with out requiring conference friends to really enter the park.
At some level, these rumors of an EPCOT in-park resort will seemingly be right. Over a protracted sufficient timeline, this parcel will seemingly flip right into a resort. Whether it occurs in 4 years or 40 is anybody’s guess at this level, which is what makes this particular rumor doubtful. I may throw a bunch of random “rumors” on the wall that I do know are more likely to occur at Walt Disney World within the long-term; it doesn’t imply I used to be proper when my prediction comes true 14 years from now.
Calling it a rumor just isn’t fairly–or in any respect–correct, although. (Sorry, we don’t have a extra succinct time period.) To the opposite, I can’t discover a single credible insider who has information of this venture being unshelved. The greatest I can do is draw inferences from generalized sentiment I’ve heard on the DVC facet of issues, however that may lead me to conclude that Reflections shall be reevaluated and revived sooner or later sooner or later…however not this.
I additionally couldn’t assist however take a look at Gensler’s portfolio. It’s form of far and wide–no singular type or imaginative and prescient. There are loads of bland fashionable interiors harking back to what Imagineering has been doing the previous few years, but in addition some attention-grabbing exteriors. Several of the transportation and gateway initiatives have sweeping curves and fluid fashionable designs that truly do instill confidence; that sort of path would make sense for a venture outdoors EPCOT and adjoining to the monorail station.
I don’t need to get forward of myself–I nonetheless suppose the EPCOT resort is 50/50 at greatest within the subsequent decade. However, that’s most likely higher than most different unannounced Walt Disney World initiatives right now.
When the EPCOT resort was first rumored ~6 years in the past, my take was that the resort may very well be an asset to EPCOT. It would possibly transfer EPCOT nearer to the mixed-use neighborhood Walt Disney initially envisioned for E.P.C.O.T., albeit with vacationers changing residents.
That can be cool, particularly if different forward-thinking visions for that had been resurrected, and it weren’t only a speaking level for advertising and marketing an in any other case bland venture. Given that we heard a lot of the latter with Disney’s Riviera Resort, I can’t say I’ve a ton of religion that this venture can be carried out proper at this second in time.
The EPCOT resort is also used to boost the doorway space from a thematic perspective to boost Future World or assist improve the wow-factor of standing in entrance of Spaceship Earth for the primary time. Aesthetically, the resort may very well be used to increase no matter type and visible motif is used throughout the re-imagining of Future World.
Think of it as a possible use of the ‘borrowed scenery’ type–like how the facade of Hotel MiraCosta’s facade doubles as a part of Mediterranean Harbor at Tokyo DisneySea. That port has the looks of extremely fairly buildings lining its walkways, however in actuality, it’s all of the resort. It’s an excellent dual-use, and having a part of this be a revenue-generating resort little question helped justify the lavish design.
Likewise, at each Disneyland Paris and Tokyo DisneySea, the ‘wow-factor’ idea is executed brilliantly. In each instances, the resort conceals the park’s foremost icon (Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant in France and Mount Prometheus in Japan) and there’s a giant reveal when you go underneath the resort and enter the park. The impact is akin to strolling underneath the practice station at Magic Kingdom and seeing Cinderella Castle. Same concept.
Hotel MiraCosta is the higher comparability, as right here you’ll be capable to see Spaceship Earth when driving across the monorail (simply as you possibly can see Mount Prometheus at DisneySea), however there’s nonetheless a way of awe if you stroll via the breezeway at Hotel MiraCosta and Mount Prometheus is revealed. Given the grandiosity of Spaceship Earth, that feeling may very well be much more pronounced at EPCOT. Another doubtlessly good comparability may be the also-abandoned Downtown Disney resort at Disneyland Resort since that additionally incorporates a monorail station:
For me, the largest concern right here is that the outside design finally ends up being bland. For one factor, Disney has by no means constructed a stateside resort just like the MiraCosta.
More just lately, there’s loads of precedent for this worry–no matter whether or not you want their rooms, the skin of Riviera and Gran Destino don’t precisely scream “pinnacle of themed design.” Reflections had the identical drawback.
Another concern for me can be the sight-lines trying again in direction of Spaceship Earth from World Showcase. Presently, Spaceship Earth towers over the remainder of Future World, as one thing of a beacon of progress, world unity, or what-have-you. Having an enormous resort tower as its backdrop would diminish this view. Conversely, one thing trying just like the TRON cover rising simply over the tree line behind Spaceship Earth may look fairly cool.
As with just about something, there are good and dangerous methods this venture may very well be achieved. It may very well be an asset to EPCOT, it may very well be one other eyesore. It all comes all the way down to price range, execution, and the steadiness of type and performance. When Walt Disney World/Disney Vacation Club administration attempt to cram as many rooms into their lodges as attainable whereas preserving per unit prices low, the general design-aesthetics endure.
Ultimately, I’m pretty blended on the revived EPCOT Hotel “rumor.” There’s cause to imagine this might occur, however I’m nonetheless extremely skeptical regardless of that. I need to be optimistic about it, as there’s a ton of potential that might make a resort an asset to EPCOT. I need to daydream in regards to the distinctive methods the resort may harness bleeding-edge applied sciences to be a pure extension of the park, and one which aesthetically enhances Future World. I take into consideration how cool it could be to remain in Seabase Alpha Hotelater or Brava Centauri Inn.
However, I really feel like all of that’s actually getting forward of the rumor. At this level my baseline is simply hoping that if it does occur, it’s extra formidable and considerate than one more generic high-rise tower and has a superficial design with some ambition and surface-level congruity with EPCOT. My worry is that it’s going to be one more Disney-branded generic that might simply as simply be a random Marriott. Once we (hopefully) get previous that, perhaps I’ll begin considering deeper in regards to the “what ifs” of this venture.
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Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our perspective on these potential EPCOT in-park resort? Do you suppose it’s more likely to occur or has that ship sailed? Think it’ll be outdoors the entrance entrance, behind the Living Seas and Land, or on the previous Innoventions website? Any explicit themes or types you’d wish to see if an Epcot resort is constructed? Any questions we may help you reply? Hearing your suggestions is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!