Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Have you guys seen this:

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/...-i-drive-area-plans-include-rail-road.html#i1

?

Yes

 

[peteralt]

Apologies then! I guess that joke can die then for all we care.. :look:

Also, thanks Sean.

Which two parcels? Anyone have a map?

 

[peteralt]

Yes

Sorry. So much so fast. Didn't expect all of this virtually overnight. Still trying to catch up. I just saw the tweet about two more parcels. Trying to figure out where that is...

 

[Teebin]

I still haven't figured out what Kirkman land he is talking about. I only saw the potential Kirkman extention into the property from Sand Lake.

 

[peteralt]

Where did you get that number from? Guess it also depends on if you count what RCID owns as well.

Don't forget, Disney (or RDIC) has purchased new parcels too over the years. Most of the newer parcels are out west. At one point, they owned a huge peice of property in Lake County. They planted trees in the form of Mickey that can still be seen today with satellite imagery. At one point, this was sold off.

 

[peteralt]

Thought it wss common knowledge, nothing to back it up a just what I've read on internet before.

I know the 47 square miles that Walt purchased to be true and yes they have sold of chunks, hotel stretch on buena Vista and flaming crossings spring to mind.

Also celebration but Disney still own that even though it's had residential built in it.

Other than that I can't think of any other parcels of land they have sold, do I would guess that the 40 square miles is about right.

Thinking about it more, I'm sure I've heard in mentioned on a Disney video too, maybe on board DME.

Interesting to hear if this is indeed correct, anyone got anything else to add?

I listed all the parcels they sold off in an earlier post here. My list is pretty much complete, minus some smaller ones they sold off north of the Magic Kingdom, south of I-4, and south of the All Stars resorts. Don't forget too about the Crosswalks shopping plaza was built by Disney and it and its land was sold. I also listed Little Lake Bryon, Four Seasons Resort, and Golden Oaks.

 

[peteralt]

I thought that was all sold off?

They sold Celebration - the company and the land. RCID still owns the waterways and nature preserves around Celebration. Also, the RCID deannexed it, except for the waterways and nature preserves. They are following the same strategy as they sell of Golden Oak and Flamingo Crossing parcels. They also followed this strategy for when they sold of the land for the Four Seasons Resort.

 

[Teebin]

They sold Celebration - the company and the land. RCID still owns the waterways and nature preserves around Celebration.

Right, but did they sell Celebration to a subsidiary of Disney or an entirely different entity?

 

[peteralt]

Right, but did they sell Celebration to a subsidiary of Disney or an entirely different entity?

Entirely different company unrelated to Disney. I don't know the name of that company off-hand. I can look it up...

 

[Teebin]

Oh well, I hate the idea of that town as it is so homogenized and a homeowner cannot be unique at all. Anal persons must love it there.

 

[peteralt]

Right, but did they sell Celebration to a subsidiary of Disney or an entirely different entity?

As I was just researching this, I've learned that Disney didn't sell it all at once to one company, but sold it off in pieces. For example, the golf course was sold off to one company, and the Town Center to another. This is quite disappointing because it's future is no longer in the hands of a single developer, but multiple ones.

 

[s8film40]

Don't forget, Disney (or RDIC) has purchased new parcels too over the years. Most of the newer parcels are out west. At one point, they owned a huge peice of property in Lake County. They planted trees in the form of Mickey that can still be seen today with satellite imagery. At one point, this was sold off.

Well yes, but do we really count land owned by RCID? It's land that Disney doesn't own or control. I'm sure they could arrange to purchase it back but for development purposes it's off the table.

Right, but did they sell Celebration to a subsidiary of Disney or an entirely different entity?

Generally when people refer to Celebration being sold they refer to the town center which was sold to Lexin. The land for the roads was sold to the county and the houses were sold to the individuals who purchased them. The only thing Disney owns are the remaining pieces that were set aside for future development of Celebration. Which they are still selling off, case in point the new development at the south end of World Dr.

 

[peteralt]

I went on the Orange County Property Appraiser's website this morning and looked up the parcels around Disney and I discovered that Disney has actually been increasing their land holdings, with records showing parcels being sold to Disney (or one of its subsidiaries) as recently as 2015. Most of these are located west of Flamingo Crossings. There were some properties that were purchased by companies that didn't sound like a Disney subsidiary, but when I looked those up, it was clearly Disney, same Burbank address and all.

 

[s8film40]

I went on the Orange County Property Appraiser's website this morning and looked up the parcels around Disney and I discovered that Disney has actually been increasing their land holdings, with records showing parcels being sold to Disney (or one of its subsidiaries) as recently as 2015. Most of these are located west of Flamingo Crossings. There were some properties that were purchased by companies that didn't sound like a Disney subsidiary, but when I looked those up, it was clearly Disney, same Burbank address and all.

Yes, they have added land around Flamingo Crossings. But of course they have sold thousands of acres elsewhere, so it's still a net loss of land.

 

[Nick]

Yes, they have added land around Flamingo Crossings. But of course they have sold thousands of acres elsewhere, so it's still a net loss of land.

There's a vote that either already took place or will be next month to de-annex the Flamingo Crossings land and build College Program housing. Disney would do away with the current DCP housing. Not sure if they own the complexes in LLB or what the deal is there, but I know they own Vista and that would be a size able amount of land for them to sell-off. Vista is MASSIVE.

 

[GAcoaster]

If you want to see what's what (planned locations for new theme parks, etc.), check out the 2020 Master Plan. Now, things have been amended and changed since it was drafted in 2010, but it still gives you an idea of the scope of RCID. According to their plans they have space allotted for one "major theme park" (377 acres) and 2 "minor theme parks" (107 acres each). but all that is always subject to change as they change their plans and goals. Figure 2-1 (Page 33) sums it all up: http://rcid.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2020_Comprehensive_Plan.pdf

Now to bring the subject back to UNIVERSAL expansion, I noticed today that there is some sort of work going on along the dirt road at Universal Blvd and Convention Way today. Not sure if that's part of Universal's property or the other tracts of land: Google Maps

 

[WAJAS]

If you want to see what's what (planned locations for new theme parks, etc.), check out the 2020 Master Plan. Now, things have been amended and changed since it was drafted in 2010, but it still gives you an idea of the scope of RCID. According to their plans they have space allotted for one "major theme park" (377 acres) and 2 "minor theme parks" (107 acres each). but all that is always subject to change as they change their plans and goals. Figure 2-1 (Page 33) sums it all up: http://rcid.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2020_Comprehensive_Plan.pdf

Now to bring the subject back to UNIVERSAL expansion, I noticed today that there is some sort of work going on along the dirt road at Universal Blvd and Convention Way today. Not sure if that's part of Universal's property or the other tracts of land: Google Maps

I think that's the new golf complex.

 

[GAcoaster]

My impression was the golf complex was on the OTHER side of Universal Blvd on the vacant plot between the Pointe and Convention Center.

 

[Scott W.]

Just seen this about a proposed monorail for Glasgow. Why they decided to make those letters red, I'll never know.

Glasgow monorail: Channel Tunnel engineers draw up plans for high-tech link to airport, SECC, hospital and Braehead (From Evening Times)

I only thought this was relevant to show that monorails are still being proposed as a viable transport option.

 

[RevFreako]

Oh well, I hate the idea of that town as it is so homogenized and a homeowner cannot be unique at all. Anal persons must love it there.

Only on Friday nights, according to the documentary.