SkiAdcock

Opening December 2015. Not yet up on the website for booking/no category yet.

Press release on Marriott website today:

http://news.marriott.com/2015/11/mar...ed-states.html

"The 241 room resort is minutes from local Orlando attractions and offers a fresh approach to the guest experience, including intuitive designs and technology for both modern business and leisure travelers. It features a resort-style swimming pool complete with a kids’ splash zone and pirate ship, kid’s activity room, fitness center, complimentary Wi-Fi, onsite parking and D Flats restaurant and bar. As a future member of the Disney Good Neighbor Hotel program, the resort will offer transportation to and from local attractions, including all of the Disney theme parks."

Cheers.

sig05

Interesting. Wonder if it will offer Extra Magic Hours.

UpgradeMe

More than 40 years old. A former Crowne Plaza and Vista hotel recently up for auction:
https://www.auction.com/florida/comm...fl-32836-b_160

writerguyfl

That hotel has been on the re-flagging merry-go-round of brands for years. If I remember the order correctly (reverse chronological back to 2001), it was the Crowne Plaza, Orlando Vista - an Ascend Hotel (Choice), Orlando Vista (independent), DoubleTree Club.

I used to go there to eat when I worked at Disney World in 2004ish because they had a Au Bon Pain as the lobby restaurant. It was the DoubleTree Club then.

It's in a decent location, although there is a lot of traffic on that road (12490 Apopka Vineland Rd - aka State Road 535). There are plenty of chain restaurants within walking distance.

Zero chance that this hotel will have Extra Magic Hours.

The WDW Good Neighbor Hotel program is really just a marketing program that lets hotels sell Disney tickets at the hotel Front Desk or Concierge. There are currently 20+ Good Neighbor Hotels.

SkiAdcock

Look forward to the first trip report after it's open now that it's a Delta. Also, if someone can report on what the brekkie situation is for Gold/Plats & if there's an exec lounge, I'd appreciate it/will update the exec lounge sticky.

Cheers.

Horace

So this will be the first Delta-branded hotel in the United States.

I understand why Marriott acquired Delta Hotels & Resorts. It gives Marriott a better presence in Canada. That's good for the company (and good for Marriott Rewards members).

But does Marriott really need another full-service, "4-star" brand in the United States? There's already Marriott (the "signature" brand), Renaissance (the sort-of-different-from-Marriott brand), and Autograph Collection (the brand for full-service hotels that have their own identities and personalities). Now, apparently, Marriott will roll out Delta Hotels in the United States in that tier. Actually, Gaylord is essentially in that tier too.

I realize Marriott International is in the business of franchising hotel brands. I suppose more brands mean more opportunities for Marriott to have hotels in the same geographic location.

But, at some point, all they're doing is causing confusion among potential customers. Those of us who frequent this forum understand the fine distinctions between Marriott's many brands. But how is the general public supposed to keep track of all of the brands of Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Choice, Wyndham, and all the others?

LoganFlyer

My thoughts exactly. I get why Marriott kept the Delta branding for the hotels they took over in Canada, but I don't see what they gain by trying to extend that branding the US, a country where most people who frequent Marriotts probably haven't heard of the Delta brand.

sig05

So what's the point of over paying for a non-Disney hotel that has limited benefits? You're better off staying at a Disney hotel than staying at this property. If that's not enough, stay at the Waldorf because it has its own bus, much like this property.

Horace

So far, nobody can say if this Delta property will require "overpaying." It's hard to compare the value of this hotel to Disney resorts if we don't know the pricing yet.

Disney's full-service properties tend to be quite expensive. Even Disney's moderate resorts often command hefty rates.

If it turns out that this Delta Hotels treats Gold and Platinum members well, it could become a popular choice for folks on this forum. However, the press release calls it a "resort," so even if the Delta brand is added the Marriott's full-service lounge/breakfast benefit for Gold/Platinum, it's likely this hotel will be excluded

The good news is that there are so many choices at so many price points in the Walt Disney Word area.

writerguyfl

There's no way this hotel will be priced higher than a comparable on-site Disney resort. There are three basic reasons why people who are going to Disney stay off site: 1) price, 2) Disney resorts are sold out, or 3) existing relationships with a hotel loyalty program like Marriott Rewards.

Personally, I think attaching the term "resort" to this hotel is crazy. Here's an aerial photo:


Source: http://binged.it/1lbqpKg

The hotel is the long structure at the top of the photo. The pool is in the light colored area under it. None of the other buildings belong to the hotel. The building next to the pool is one of those tacky tourist gift shops that advertise "3 t-shirts for $15". The green space at the top of the photo is not part of the hotel, either.

The little pond with the fountain near the bottom right of the photo is the entrance to the Hyatt Grand Cypress. That's a real resort.

sanfran8080

Concierge lounge?

stvr

but look at that luxurious and ample parking lot

Horace

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about Marriott's plans for the Delta brand:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hotel-op...des-1445360360

According to the article, Marriott needed a "conversion brand," similar to Doubletree by Hilton. Here's a key paragraph:
Who knew that Marriott needed yet another brand? A brand with "freedom in standards."

SkiAdcock

Don't know yet. It's not available for booking on Marriott's website yet.

Cheers. Sharon

Horace

It did not have a Club Lounge when it was the 241-room Orlando Vista Hotel.

It did not have a Club Lounge when it was being renovated to become the 241-room Crowne Plaza Orlando Lake Buena Vista (which never opened, as far as I know).

A Concierge Lounge / Club Lounge is very unlikely when it opens as the 241-room Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotel.

Currently, Marriott's published free breakfast/lounge benefit for Gold/Platinum only applies to four of Marriott's many brands: JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance, and Marriott. And, even then, there are exclusions (such as resorts): https://www.marriott.com/hotel-promo...d-breakfast.mi

I hope that Delta Hotels will be added to the list, but that hasn't happened yet.