18 April 2008: Flamingo Crossings construction progress

More heavy equipment is onsite now that Hartzog Road is closed to traffic.

9 April 2008: Flamingo Crossings ground clearing increasing in pace

Work is well and truly underway on the Flamingo Crossings area. Almost daily new areas of land are being cleared. In the photos below you can see oranges on the ground which the day before were on trees in that area. Hartzog Road at Western way is set to be closed on April 14 so more work can continue.

31 March 2008: Flamingo Crossing work moving forward

A sign has appeared indicating that Hartzog Road (connecting to Western Way), will be closing during April. This road runs right by the new Flamingo Crossing, so it seems that some fairly major work is set to begin soon.

18 November 2007: Western Beltway property officially named

The Western Beltway property has been officially named as Flamingo Crossings.

23 April 2007: Western Beltway Property land preparation underway?

These photos are taken from the interchange of Western Way, the Western Beltway, and Hartzog Road. While we have no information about the purpose of this land clearing work, it is certainly in the right area to be the first steps of the new Western Beltway expansion detailed below in the March update. If anyone knows more, please let us know.

 
Above left: The approach to the area from the Western Beltway toll road
Above right: The approach to the area from Disney's Western Way

 
Above: Hartzog Road and the cleared land to the right

 
Above: The cleared land

 
Above: The cleared land

1 March 2007: Disney officially announces the Western Beltway expansion

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Walt Disney World Resort today announced two new projects as part of an expansion plan for the resort in Central Florida: a new 900-acre luxury resort anchored by the prestigious Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and a 450-acre retail, dining and lodging district on the western edge of the Disney resort. "These projects are first-of-a-kind for Walt Disney World and we are thrilled to be able to bring Four Seasons to our resort," said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort. "Families around the globe know they can trust Disney to deliver magical experiences and Four Seasons to offer exceptional service and amenities. Combined, this is a huge win for devotees of both brands and for Central Florida," said Crofton.

VALUE-ORIENTED DESTINATION - MIXED-USE TOURISM DISTRICT
On the western edge of the resort, Disney is planning a mixed-use tourist commercial district just outside Disney's gateway entrance. The master-planned development is comparable in size to Disney's Animal Kingdom. The project combines third-party branded lodging, retail and dining in a pedestrian-friendly environment and will be another example of Disney's commitment to unique placemaking. Located outside Disney's gateway around the interchange where Western Way meets the Western Beltway, early development plans include 4,000 - 5,000 low- to mid-rise, value-priced lodging units and 300,000 - 500,000 square feet of commercial space. Designed around a retail village, the development will become a convenient shopping and service center for Cast Members, nearby residents and Central
Florida visitors. The project is currently in the design stage. Site work and branding is anticipated to begin later this year. The project will be built in phases over the next 8 - 10 years.

Discuss this announcement on our discussion forums

7 November 2006: Disney planning a new Western Beltway Property

Disney are rumored to be planning a new tourist and retail development near to the newly constructed Western Way junction with the Western Beltway. The focus of the development is set to be "value" based, and includes shopping, dining, and accommodation. Whilst not yet named, the project is currently labelled as the "Western Beltway Property".

Above: The red boxed area shows the approximate location of the development area. Click for a larger version.

Features:

• 270,000 sq ft retail town centre, expanding up to 400,000 sq ft at build-out
• Retail outlets
• Grocery store
• Casual sit-down dining
• Fast food locations
• Gas stores
• Convenience stores
• Gift stores
• 3100 value hotel rooms
• 1300 time share units
• Bus transportation stops

The project is currently divided into 5 phases, with the initial phase to include the hotel and retail town centre. Something that sets this apart from other developments, is the inclusion of elements such as a town centre, featuring a park, fountains and foot paths. The development is planned to be landscaped, and walker-friendly.

There is currently no timeline available, or confirmation that the project will go ahead. It is however in a detailed planning phase.

Discuss at http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=111584

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