Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World’s Golden Oak Breaks Ground
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts kicked off construction of its luxury resort at Walt Disney World Resort today, in a groundbreaking ceremony with joint venture partners Silverstein Properties and Dune Real Estate Partners. The 444-room resort, being built in the enclave of Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort, will create about 2,000 construction jobs, and hundreds of resort positions when open.
“Travelers around the world know and trust Four Seasons, and Walt Disney World is the world’s premiere family vacation destination,” said Meg Crofton, president Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations US & France. “Together, our two companies offer a brand-new reason to visit and experience Central Florida.”
With an opening anticipated in 2014, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney WorldResort will feature several dining venues including a rooftop restaurant with Magic Kingdom views; a 14,000 square foot spa; fitness center; three pools and a “lazy river;” sports and recreational facilities; meeting and event space plus a business center.
Kathleen Taylor, President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, spoke of the relationship with Disney: “Each of us is dedicated to creating a product of the highest quality and standards, something that will become a landmark here in Orlando, and a destination unto itself for travelers from all over the world. It is truly a one-of-a-kind project and Central Florida will be a valuable addition to our family of resorts, particularly since this is a destination our guests already enjoy.”
The development will encompass the existing Tom Fazio-designed Osprey Ridge 18-hole championship golf course, which will be renovated and subsequently managed by Four Seasons. The first Four Seasons in Central Florida is located within the Golden Oak residential community at Walt Disney World Resort.
Larry Silverstein, president and CEO of Silverstein Properties, recalled making the decision to back the project. “At the end of the day, it became apparent that the concept was right; that the team superb; the location first class and the two names – Four Seasons and Disney – as good as you can get,” he said.
Categories: Resorts, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Four Seasons, Golden Oak
Disney Announces ‘Golden Oak’ Residential Resort Community at Walt Disney World
Today Disney unveiled Golden Oak, a one-of-a-kind luxury residential resort community offering the unprecedented opportunity to purchase a home at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Especially designed for resort living, Golden Oak will provide an entirely new way for families to connect with the world’s best known family destination and entertainment brand.
“We have a range of options for Guests at all price points to enjoy the Walt Disney World Resort. But Golden Oak is something totally new: a residential resort community, right in the heart of the magic,” said Matt Kelly, vice president, Disney Resort Real Estate Development. “Golden Oak will be a place where families can come together and make memories for generations to come–with Disney World right at their doorstep.”
Golden Oak will offer a limited collection of single family custom homes priced between $1.5 and $8 million, with fewer than 30 home sites available for sale this year. Designed by Disney’s famed Imagineers, the gated community will feature intimate neighborhoods and amenities created with everyone in the family in mind. Disney’s well-known attention to detail is visible in every park, pathway and the custom-design of the proposed private clubhouse. Expansive conservation areas comprise almost half of the entire 980-acre footprint.
The proposed private clubhouse, concierge services and collection of Walt Disney World Resort benefits will bring Disney’s guest service culture directly to Golden Oak residents. As previously announced, Golden Oak is planned to include Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, combining Disney’s renowned service and hospitality with Four Seasons’ defining standard of excellence. Golden Oak plans to offer residents access to select Four Seasons’ future amenities including the full service spa, restaurants, golf course and event space.
Initially, Golden Oak will consist of three types of single family homes. Village Homes will capture the romantic look of a Mediterranean village on home sites up to one-quarter acre. Estate Homes, on approximately one-half acre home sites, will offer a variety of architectural styles including Tuscan, Spanish Revival, Venetian, Italianate, Dutch Colonial and Island Colonial. At up to three-quarters acre in size, Grand Estate Homes will include architectural styles consistent with Estate Homes and will accommodate the needs of large families. Homeowners will use one of Golden Oak’s select custom homebuilders to build the home of their dreams.
More information about Golden Oak is available at www.disneygoldenoak.com. Golden Oak will use a Priority Reservation List for potential homebuyers with an interest in purchasing a home. A position is secured on the list in the order in which a signed Lot Release Priority Agreement and a refundable $25,000 deposit is received. Deposits are now being accepted, with the first completed homes projected for 2011. At build-out, Golden Oak is anticipated to include approximately 450 homes.
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Four Seasons, Golden Oak
First Look: Logo for Disney’s Golden Oak Private Community at Walt Disney World
Thanks to a trademark application recently entered by The Walt Disney Company, we get our first look at the artwork for the upcoming Golden Oak community that’s being developed ‘on site’ in conjunction with the Four Seasons which will consist of a five star resort and golf course as well as a community of private multi-million dollar homes which are expected to go on the market this year.
And, of course, no five star logo would be complete without its own Hidden Mickey.
Categories: Resorts, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Four Seasons, Golden Oak, Logo
Name for Disney’s Walt Disney World Private Community Unofficially Confirmed
If your internet was slow yesterday, we think we know why. It seems the Disney elves fairies were hard at work, registering a slew of domain names for the new ‘on property’ five star resort and reported multi-million dollar community being developed by Four Seasons.
Although we can’t confirm the name of the actual resort itself, it appears that the custom family (vacation homes) community will in fact be dubbed Golden Oak as first reported by Screamscape. Disney fanatics already know that the Walt Disney Company is famous for using key geographic location names for other purposes such as Buena Vista and Hyperion. As innocuous as those examples are, however, Golden Oak just makes us think of a retirement home (its location doesn’t hurt) in spite of being well aware it’s an homage to the legendary Disney production ranch for which Disney recently announced an expansion.
As for the technical details, here are the domain names Disney registered for the community, although we’d expect at least half of them to serve no purpose other than to prevent others from hijacking: disneygoldenoak.com, disneygoldenoaksales.com, goldenoakatdisney.com, goldenoakatwaltdisneyworld.com, goldenoakatwaltdisneyworldresort.com, goldenoakbrochure.com, goldenoakcommunity.com, goldenoakdisney.com, goldenoakdisneycommunity.com, goldenoakestate.com, goldenoakflorida.com, goldenoakorlando.com, goldenoakresidents.com, goldenoaksales.com, goldenoaksatdisney.com, goldenoaksatwaltdisneyworld.com, goldenoaksatwaltdisneyworldresort.com, goldenoakscommunity.com, goldenoaksdisney.com, goldenoaksorlando.com
Categories: Business, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Four Seasons, Golden Oak, Lodging

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