Florida LoTsters - Golden Oak??

[Scrooge McSam]

Disney recently announced Golden Oak (http://disneygoldenoak.disney.go.com/), a new 980 acre development in WDW to include a 445 room Four Seasons resort, conservation areas and sites for single family homes valued between $1.5M and $8M.

A visit to the gallery link suggests this new development is to be located north of Vista Blvd and just south of Bay Lake, the location of Fort Wilderness Campground.

What does this development mean for the campground? Is it to be demolished? Or is Disney just being less than precise about the location?

[flippyshark]

Have no fear. The campground will remain intact. On the other hand, the Osprey Ridge golf course will be highly encroached upon.

If you were here, and especially if you were staying at the Port Orleans Resort in the former Dixie Landings side, you would easily see the construction site, which is going up pretty quickly.

I'm a little nervous that the woods around Fort Wilderness may seem a little less remote once this is done. The Four Seasons resort is going to be huge. Progress... bah.

[flippyshark]

Oh, and I HATE that tagline on their website. "Welcome to a world of Privilege and Access." Geez. Sounds like the kind of "exclusive" development that would keep its residents safe from certain ethnicities and unseemly riff-raff. (Upson Downs, anyone?)

[Scrooge McSam]

Have no fear. The campground will remain intact. On the other hand, the Osprey Ridge golf course will be highly encroached upon.

Now THAT makes much more sense.

If you were here, and especially if you were staying at the Port Orleans Resort in the former Dixie Landings side, you would easily see the construction site, which is going up pretty quickly.

I was last there in March of '09... AND staying at PO-DL. Are you referring to the land where Bonnett Creek Parkway meets Vista Blvd? If memory serves, that area was fenced and clean back then.

[flippyshark]

Yep, that's the place. It has a number of actual structures now, including a visitor's center.

[Scrooge McSam]

Interesting

I'll be anxious to see it this December.

[Scrooge McSam]

Sweet! Google maps updated their satellite pics today and I see the Golden Oak (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.393269,-81.53969&spn=0.010778,0.034246&t=h&z=16) area quite clearly.

Bay Lake Tower (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.416409,-81.57324&spn=0.002694,0.008562&t=h&z=18) finally makes an appearance, as does Kidani Village (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.354188,-81.605501&spn=0.005391,0.017123&t=h&z=17) at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

The new Fantasyland area (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.421014,-81.580224&spn=0.002694,0.008562&t=h&z=18) is fenced off in preparation for construction and it looks like ground preparation has begun.

I'm wondering what that earthwork (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.421368,-81.577365&spn=0.001347,0.004281&t=h&z=19) north of Space Mountain and east of Toontown is all about.

Yowee! The replacement for San Angel Cantina (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=28.371256,-81.547647&spn=0.000674,0.00214&t=h&z=20) in Epcot is HUGE!

I live for Google map updates :)

[flippyshark]

I live for Google map updates :)

Are the older images archived anywhere? Someday, I'll get nostalgic for the roof of the old Cantina de san Angel.

[Snowflake]

Oh, and I HATE that tagline on their website. "Welcome to a world of Privilege and Access." Geez. Sounds like the kind of "exclusive" development that would keep its residents safe from certain ethnicities and unseemly riff-raff. (Upson Downs, anyone?)

Does this mean they will serve Daquiris made with honey?

[flippyshark]

Does this mean they will serve Daquiris made with honey?

I knew someone would catch the reference.