Originally Posted By dshyates One more, even more disgusting thought. I'm not sure those hotels are for people actually going to WDW. Being there at the interstate exit and looking at what's going in there. I believe Disney is actually going into the interstate outlet mall business, and I bet money there will be little indicator that when you are there, you are on Disney property. You'll be very aware WDW is close by the merchendise in the stores and the mouse ears on the tourists, it won't say Disney anywhere. Just Reedy Creek.
Originally Posted By jonvn Actually, all sorts of people like outlet malls, not just low income people. They generally have higher end stores but sell things at a lower price. Sounds like it could be a nice thing. Nothing I would visit, because there are outlet malls here, but if you're in the area, it might be ok, depending on what is in it.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Actually, all sorts of people like outlet malls, not just low income people." That's right. I have a friend who is in a very high income bracket who regularly shops at outlet malls.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "Sounds like it could be a nice thing." I'm a little confused - you don't like GardenWalk, but you think THIS looks nice?? The WDW property looks like it will be even more generic than GW - basically it's going to be the WDW equivalent of a strip mall with hotels, and this is somehow a good thing??? Personally, this is not the direction I would like to see them taking WDW property - especially when they can't even fill up all the hotel rooms they've already built themselves.
Originally Posted By dshyates I have lots of friends who like shopping at outlet mall too. I shop there myself. But I have never heard anyone say, "Oooh, I love the atmoshere here. The smell of discounted seconds. The sounds of cash registers and french fries. If Disney would hire back those guys that built DCA and build an Outlet Mall themed resort, man, that would be the shizzle."
Originally Posted By jonvn "I'm a little confused - you don't like GardenWalk, but you think THIS looks nice??" Well, I often say things that sound contradictory. I'm a moody pig. It's a mall, so I'm not exactly leaping for joy for this, but the pictures didn't look that bad. I didn't get much out of them. Outlet malls are generally fun to go to. Garden Walk looks like, well, a boxy series of buildings that is not going to have really anything all that special there. The main problem with Garden Walk, if it has one, is that it's location called for something very special and unique, and so it falls short there. In this thing, it's going to be a mall on the road. I don't see it needing to meet very high expectations. So it will be ok. And for outlet malls in general, I think people DO actually like to go to them. They can be fun. Not for me, because I'm not much of a shopper, but some people like them. They have the land in FL, why not...
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "Well, I often say things that sound contradictory. I'm a moody pig." I've noticed... ;-) "Outlet malls are generally fun to go to." You keep saying "Outlet mall", but I haven't seen anything yet that leads me to think this will be that type of development. The materials that I've seen seem to point at much less - basically a standard, Florida shopping center with a grocery store, some chain restaurants and a few cheap hotels. I could be wrong, but I don't get the feeling that this place will have any Outlet style stores. So, basically, what I see happening here is that Disney is trying to get people that can't even afford the All-Stars to stay on property as well. Maybe that's a good goal, but I personally don't like this trend of ever decreasing quality for WDW destinations. True, this won't actually be run by Disney, but I would wager that most people who go there will think that it is.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << True, this won't actually be run by Disney, but I would wager that most people who go there will think that it is. >> There is a large segment of tourists who don't think EPCOT is run by Disney, so I think you might be off the mark there.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "There is a large segment of tourists who don't think EPCOT is run by Disney, so I think you might be off the mark there." Hmm, you might be right about that -- I guess it just depends on how much Disney markets this place, and whether they splash "Disney" all over everything. You know, on further thought, I COULD see this development being good for WDW guests - assuming that it's hooked up to the WDW Transportation System. If I was staying on Disney property, it could be nice to be able to hop on a bus and head to a grocery store if I happened to run out of something on my vacation, or wanted some cheap eats. Of course, it would be even better if I could hop on a monorail, or other futuristic transport system, to get there instead. (Speaking of which, fixing WDW's transportation mess would probably go quite a long way towards convincing guests to stay on property. If you could easily get anywhere on Disney property easily without a car, I could see people staying there without bothering to rent one. The current bus system doesn't cut it - Disney should really spend some money and fix up the rapidly aging infrastructure at WDW.)
Originally Posted By TP2000 I think we've gotten off-track a bit by incorrectly assuming this was an "Outlet Mall". It's not. It's a regular suburban shopping center. With a grocery store, assorted shops and restaurants, and surrounded by motor inns like Fairfield, Hilton Garden Inn, Ramada, etc. But it's also filled with "WHIMSY!" and "FUN!" as can be seen in the multiple sketches and renderings available in the link. There is a windmill in the center, and we all know windmills equal fun. And there will be restored 1957 Chevrolets parked in the handicapped spots up front. This WDW development is nearly charmless, and several notches down the shopping center totem pole from GardenWalk. My hunch with GardenWalk is the four restaurnts on Katella are going to have a long, slow winter trying to drum up business. But once the rest of the center opens in May, things should perk up substantially. The rest of GardenWalk is coming along rather nicely. They are clearly spending some money on the place, and it should be pretty hip looking.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt This isn't the first time that Disney has built a strip mall on the outskirts of its property in Florida is it? Isn't Crossroads at Lake Buena Vista within Disney's boundaries?
Originally Posted By jonvn "You keep saying "Outlet mall", " I just picked up on that from this topic. "basically a standard, Florida shopping center with a grocery store, some chain restaurants and a few cheap hotels." The excitement mounts.
Originally Posted By dshyates "...Disney employees and area residents might need, such as groceries, toiletries or basic clothing -- thereby competing with area shopping centers and outlet stores". It may not have actual outlet just stores that compete with outlets for basic clothing. And it looks more like an outlet mall than a GardenWalk or Mall@Millinia.
Originally Posted By dshyates That is what I'm guessing. Sort of like the Mills. That do have hotels surrounding them. We even stay at those hotels. Living in WV, we do go and stay one night at the cheap outlet mall hotel around Concord Mills in Charlotte, NC. But we don't go for the destination vacation resort atmophere. Our stay are completely utilitarian. I'm not saying that Disney can't make money there. They could also make money selling porno. Its just, what in Gods name is Disney building ooutlet malls when others are blowing the lid off of themed entertainment. You think Everest is a big fake mountian, check this Texas resort out. <a href="http://bearfireresorts.com" target="_blank">http://bearfireresorts.com</a>
Originally Posted By jonvn "They could also make money selling porno" Excellent theme park idea. Could be done in Amsterdam. Who wants to invest?
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<So, basically, what I see happening here is that Disney is trying to get people that can't even afford the All-Stars to stay on property as well. Maybe that's a good goal, but I personally don't like this trend of ever decreasing quality for WDW destinations.>> Well, nothing (except perhaps lack of cash) is stopping any of us from staying at our beloved moderate and deluxe resorts. What's wrong if the "unwashed" prefer to stay at a low end chain motel that happens to be "on property"? Will it spoil the view from your $400 a night room at the GF? Will most GF guests even be aware that its there? What difference will it make to the high end guests if the unwashed are staying at an I-Drive motel vs. this new development?
