Orlando Attractions Area News & Developments

[spenser1058]

An important point to make is just how much of Osceola’s tourism issues were completely out of their control.

We’ve mentioned that the addition of Epcot Center Boulevard made it the quicker access to both Epcot and MK from I4 for most driving tourists;

Also, the change from 80% of guests arriving by car to 70% arriving by air affected things;

The addition of value and moderate resorts to WDW plus Disney’s Magical Express shifted the business even as DHS and DAK were closer to Osceola (the All-Star TDTs, btw, are paid to Osceola, not Orange);

Finally, Sea World, OCCC and Universal all locating adjacent to I-Drive likely cemented which area became the locus of the industry.

[jrs2]

44 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

An important point to make is just how much of Osceola’s tourism issues were completely out of their control.

We’ve mentioned that the addition of Epcot Center Boulevard made it the quicker access to both Epcot and MK from I4 for most driving tourists;

Also, the change from 80% of guests arriving by car to 70% arriving by air affected things;

The addition of value and moderate resorts to WDW plus Disney’s Magical Express shifted the business even as DHS and DAK were closer to Osceola (the All-Star TDTs, btw, are paid to Osceola, not Orange);

Finally, Sea World, OCCC and Universal all locating adjacent to I-Drive likely cemented which area became the locus of the industry.

...and that litigation about 20 years ago from Orange that kept the World Expo Center from being built in Osceola thus solidifying Orange's plans for the N/S Bldg also put a nail in the coffin for Osceola and their past attempts at increasing tourism.  Something similar might have happened with Gaylord tried to expand their expo center in a partnership with Osceola a few years later.

[HankStrong]

192 has also turned to focusing on food options.  That seems to be helping them.

[spenser1058]

OCCC site in 1978 when it was selected by the County Commission following a voter referendum:

https://twitter.com/occc/status/1195023833213870082?s=21

From the History Center 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Ride by of some hotel near convention center west concourse on Westwood on Southside of 528.. 

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

Ride by of some hotel near convention center west concourse on Westwood on Southside of 528.. 

that's that Hilton label hotel...

[shardoon]

Still waiting for the so called huge 1000+ room hotel on the parcel next to this to break ground. People used to say that it had the financial backing of the JW Marriott Disney people. 

[shardoon]

White castle coming to Otown west!

[Uncommon]

Never understood the fascination with White Castle. It reminds me of school lunch.

[spenser1058]

As the Krystal ad said, “Maybe it’s them little cooked onions!”

[IAmFloridaBorn]

2 hours ago, shardoon said:

White castle coming to Otown west!

Less than a mile away from me. Not sure why I've always heard about it though. 

[spenser1058]

Not just A White Castle - the WORLD’S LARGEST White Castle!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-white-castle-florida-disney-20191125-umdctkmh75chdhv35nuqiumyfu-story.html

Personally, I’d rather have them bring back Royal Castle and a half gallon jug of birch beer! We even had one of those on Church St.

[jrs2]

On 11/21/2019 at 9:14 PM, shardoon said:

Still waiting for the so called huge 1000+ room hotel on the parcel next to this to break ground. People used to say that it had the financial backing of the JW Marriott Disney people. 

That's the same group building the JW Marriott in Bonnet Creek.  I predict when that project finally finishes, there will be movement on this project.  A somewhat similar parallel is the PRISA Group project- The Element Hotel at I-Drive 360 (is that the current name?); they didn't start it until they were done with the dual brand hotel at Millennia.   

[HankStrong]

On ‎11‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 2:07 PM, shardoon said:

White castle coming to Otown west!

Someone call the 2 remaining Beastie Boys!

[jgardnerucf]

35 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

Someone call the 2 remaining Beastie Boys!

That's still a sad one to this day, RIP MCA.         You should'a went with Harold & Kumar instead.

[HankStrong]

3 hours ago, jgardnerucf said:

That's still a sad one to this day, RIP MCA.         You should'a went with Harold & Kumar instead.

I never got into H&K.

I do love me some Boys, though.  My ticket to a show on the Licensed to Ill tour was unceremoniously torn up by my parents.  That was with Run DMC in Louisville, KY!  The news story about the inflatable ween & cage girls had found its way to my folks, who were not pleased.

[spenser1058]

5 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

I never got into H&K.

I do love me some Boys, though.  My ticket to a show on the Licensed to Ill tour was unceremoniously torn up by my parents.  That was with Run DMC in Louisville, KY!  The news story about the inflatable ween & cage girls had found its way to my folks, who were not pleased.

Oh my!

[JFW657]

They'll be right next to a new exit off of I-4, too.

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2019/11/25/white-castle-moving-into-orlando-tourist-district/

.

Edited November 26, 2019 by JFW657

[spenser1058]

Will there be a Krystal next door for the Southerners?

[jgardnerucf]

14 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

They'll be right next to a new exit off of I-4, too.

The overpass was already built for the Ultimate 2, but no plans for exits/onramps at this junction. The easements are maxed to the boundaries for all the new stuff already uc. 

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, jgardnerucf said:

The overpass was already built for the Ultimate 2, but no plans for exits/onramps at this junction. The easements are maxed to the boundaries for all the new stuff already uc. 

I dunno.

All I know is that at the link I posted to the WKMG News website, where there is both a video and a text article, each saying they're basically getting an exit right on their property.

In the video at the 2:00 mark, Unicorp President Chuck Whittall says

"...and now we've got an interchange right on our property. Physically on our property."

From the article:

Quote

 

Whittall said he held off buying the land because it was somewhat hard to get to, with the only available exits off I-4 being Sand Lake Road and 535.

“I kept saying, it’s not right, it’s not ready yet, it’s still a little premature,” Whitall said.

That was until officials with the I-4 Ultimate Project announced they were adding an exit on Daryl Carter Parkway.

“Then all of a sudden it popped. It was time to do it,” Whitthall said. “The interchange got announced, they are going to close Crossroads at Disney, they are going to put a new interchange right on our property.”

That new interchange has also already attracted a new apartment complex and shopping center called Vineland Pointe.

 

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2019/11/25/white-castle-moving-into-orlando-tourist-district/

[WAJAS]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

I dunno.

All I know is that at the link I posted to the WKMG News website, where there is both a video and a text article, each saying they're basically getting an exit right on their property.

In the video at the 2:00 mark, Unicorp President Chuck Whittall says

"...and now we've got an interchange right on our property. Physically on our property."

From the article:

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2019/11/25/white-castle-moving-into-orlando-tourist-district/

That interchange already exists.  It's just being reconfigured, which is why Crossroads is closing,  It is also not the one pictures, which is only an overpass.

[JFW657]

3 minutes ago, WAJAS98 said:

That interchange already exists.  It's just being reconfigured, which is why Crossroads is closing,  It is also not the one pictures, which is only an overpass.

OK. I have no reason to doubt that UP members would know more about it than the President of the company developing the property. 

[AndyPok1]

There are definite plans to add an interchange at Fenton as part of the BTU.  The overpass was built to support a future exit.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I just love Pandora