New 350 room hotel near Swan and Dolphin "The Swan Reserve”

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At this point, I'm not sure it really matters. All the architects needed to do was to convince the company paying for the building. Chances are strong that things will get changed between now and when the hotel opens. Only a tiny number of potential guests are going to see this rendering. In fact, I bet most people won't even know this new hotel is coming.

I'll play Devil's Advocate. I used to work in a pedestrian and completely unremarkable looking hotel. We were the lower 17 floors of this high rise that could have been in any city across the globe:

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Photo Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/twincit...0/pwc-minneapolis-tower-move-plaza-seven.html

Despite the yawn-inducing exterior, we did just fine because the public areas and guest rooms were thoughtfully designed and nicely appointed. If this new hotel can do something similar (and provide top-notch guest service), the exterior of the building won't matter. I'm sure the folk footing the bill for this building know that, as well.

That said, I agree that this new hotel isn't going to win any awards.

It's one thing to have a building of this design in an urban setting-- completely another to put one in WDW.....
 
Doesn't Universal's new Adventura hotel have a roof top restaurant/bar, and is mostly all glass? Guess that is the new look of hotels. If it is a Marriott, I'd be happy too.
 
Gaining another dining spot for our BWV/BCV stays is awesome news, esp roof top WDW views. :wizard:

What the floors below look like, eh not gonna matter when we are up there.
 


I’m at a loss trying to figure how a “professional” architecture firm chooses the most frumpy angle to present a rendering like that.

Based on the site plan, the building has a more sleek form, but the world’s worst angle for that rendering makes it look like a massive, wide cube.

Same. It's weird they'd pick that angle.

I bet it's actually 'nice' looking, like many of the new Kimpton hotels going up around the country. I don't think it's too particularly boring, but I wish any new hotel going up would have balconies. Those hotels though, generally blend in. A glass structure that looks like a cube might work in NYC or even Philly or Chicago, but next to the Swan and Dolphin it's going to look odd.
 
It's one thing to have a building of this design in an urban setting-- completely another to put one in WDW.....

Yeah, that's certainly a valid point-of-view. Although, I'm guessing that after decades of public browbeating over the "whimsy" of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin buildings, I wouldn't be surprised if the architects were instructed to play it safe.

In the end, I'll go back to my central point which is that the exterior isn't going to matter if the interior and service both high quality.
 
Yeah, that's certainly a valid point-of-view. Although, I'm guessing that after decades of public browbeating over the "whimsy" of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin buildings, I wouldn't be surprised if the architects were instructed to play it safe.

In the end, I'll go back to my central point which is that the exterior isn't going to matter if the interior and service both high quality.
I guess it depends who you are--- if someone is looking for a resort focused on interior, who cares where it is? Why bother going to WDW? I'm looking at it from the perspective of " Does this add to or detract from the area it is being built in?" and in my opinion it is a big minus. Maybe as someone posted above, the biggest problem is the angle that the rendering is taken from. Plus they didn't overlay any landscaping -- except for the earth ramp on the side...
 


After a brief review, I think the concept art is not a very good representative of the building.... the area the is shown seems to be the side(s) facing epcot-- which are not at a right angle. And the scale of the length of sides is terrible..... I'm using the split in the rooftop lounge for an identifier.
 
I guess it depends who you are--- if someone is looking for a resort focused on interior, who cares where it is? Why bother going to WDW? I'm looking at it from the perspective of " Does this add to or detract from the area it is being built in?" and in my opinion it is a big minus. Maybe as someone posted above, the biggest problem is the angle that the rendering is taken from. Plus they didn't overlay any landscaping -- except for the earth ramp on the side...

We're definitively going to disagree on this subject. I spend a scant few minutes seeing the exterior when I arrive and depart. In contrast, I spend hours inside the hotel, which makes what's inside critically important.

Why bother going to WDW (and staying here)? Location and hopefully a well-appointed guest room with good food options and elevated service.
 
Someone needs to force who ever designed this wannabe stack of ice cubes to actually sit in a south facing all glass walled office through a summer & pay the utility bill for it too. That is one fugly building - I suppose they’ll hand out briefcases to go w/ the urban office theme of the building and they’ll have break and conference rooms rather than places to eat. I guess all glass is all the rage right now in design - to wit Apple’s new headquarters.
 
We're definitively going to disagree on this subject. I spend a scant few minutes seeing the exterior when I arrive and depart. In contrast, I spend hours inside the hotel, which makes what's inside critically important.

Why bother going to WDW (and staying here)? Location and hopefully a well-appointed guest room with good food options and elevated service.

Not necessarily disagree-- I'm looking at it from the point of not staying there and having to see the exterior...

Although, I guess the other side of it is I'm used to staying at BWV and BCV, so the location of the new resort isn't that appealing...I wonder if they will install a pedestrian bridge over the resort blvd (actual name?) to allow access to the boardwalk area? Another point for a not so magical walk over the highway into what is a themed area from a non themed area--- to me it will feel really outside the bubble, instead of being an addition to it.
 
Although, I guess the other side of it is I'm used to staying at BWV and BCV, so the location of the new resort isn't that appealing...I wonder if they will install a pedestrian bridge over the resort blvd (actual name?) to allow access to the boardwalk area? Another point for a not so magical walk over the highway into what is a themed area from a non themed area--- to me it will feel really outside the bubble, instead of being an addition to it.

I doubt that will happen. They will add a pedestrian walkway to the Walt Disney World Swan and call it a day.

This hotel is past the Walt Disney World Swan. It's not anywhere near Disney's Boardwalk Resort. In fact, it seems like it won't even be visible from any of the Boardwalk except maybe a dozen or so rooms at the very end of the building. Even that's iffy, as the Swan might totally block the structure.
 
I don't follow. While the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels are Starwood properties (which are now under Marriott), I don't believe that Marriott has any say in what happens to the adjacent property. The current hotels would be subject to the franchise agreements. Although it's technically possible, I've never heard of a franchise agreement that stipulated that nearby undeveloped land could only be within the current hotel group.

In this case, what can get built would depend on what the land lease agreement between Tishman and Disney says. I don't believe Marriott is involved in any fashion other than to offer their chains as possible brands for any new hotel.

I agree. Tishman is the primary lease holder and they have a varied portfolio. They would likely have the final say.

What is also interesting is if you compare the blueprint for the new hotel with the county records ...
- The hotel will be taking over much of the land that is part of the Fantasia golf parcel.
- The Dolphin, the Swan and Fantasia all have their own distinct parcels ... and the tennis court common land is not part of any of them.

It's one thing to have a building of this design in an urban setting-- completely another to put one in WDW.....

I guess it depends who you are--- if someone is looking for a resort focused on interior, who cares where it is? Why bother going to WDW? I'm looking at it from the perspective of " Does this add to or detract from the area it is being built in?" and in my opinion it is a big minus. Maybe as someone posted above, the biggest problem is the angle that the rendering is taken from. Plus they didn't overlay any landscaping -- except for the earth ramp on the side...

Both CSR and CBR towers appear to be the same aesthetic .... modern tower that will resemble an office building or high rise condo. Between that and the generic rooms I think the days of Disney hotels being creative may be gone. Every renovation brings less Disney and more generic.
 
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Both CSR and CBR towers appear to be the same aesthetic .... modern tower that will resemble an office building or high rise condo. Between that and the generic rooms I think the days of Disney hotels being creative may be gone. Every renovation brings less Disney and more generic.
Those at least look more like a hotel. This is especially office building like.
 
I agree. Tishman is the primary lease holder and they have a varied portfolio. They would likely have the final say.

What is also interesting is if you compare the blueprint for the new hotel with the county records ...
- They hotel will be taking over much of the land that is part of the Fantasia golf parcel.
- The Dolphin, the Swan and Fantasia all have their own distinct parcels ... and the tennis court common land is not part of any of them.





Both CSR and CBR towers appear to be the same aesthetic .... modern tower that will resemble an office building or high rise condo. Between that and the generic rooms I think the days of Disney hotels being creative may be gone. Every renovation brings less Disney and more generic.
Boy do I hope you are wrong.
 
Boy do I hope you are wrong.

Not trying to be right ... just stating based on what Disney has been doing and has announced is coming.

There is nothing creative or obviously Disney about these renovated rooms or new buildings.

These rooms could be in any resort, anywhere ...


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Disney going the tower route and leaving creative behind
looks like any other high rise hotel or S FL condo building ...


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350 room hotel seams small to be built there.
One would think, to build in that spot you would do atleast 1000 rooms
 
350 room hotel seams small to be built there.
One would think, to build in that spot you would do atleast 1000 rooms

Aside from the plot of land issue that rteetz mentions, the brand is key to profitability, too. If this is going to be a high-end hotel (with sky-high prices), it's possible to achieve the same profitability when compared to a 1,000 room mid-scale brand. Some people are willing to pay much more for a sense of exclusivity that is difficult to achieve at large hotels.

That said, 350 rooms would be considered a major hotel almost anywhere in the country that's not Las Vegas or Orlando. I used to work in a 357 room hotel. At the time, we were the 3rd largest hotel in out downtown area out of about 10 hotels.
 
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