Flamingo Crossings Update: Motel City

Does anyone remember Disney's Flamingo Crossings development? Located just west of TOLL SR429 at the Western Way exit, Disney first announced the hotel/shopping development back in 2007. The Blog questioned then why any hotels would build there given the cost of new construction and the nightly rates they would have to charge to recoup their investments. This was particularly true given all the existing hotels just one exit south at US192.

Finally, in 2012 or five years post-announcement, we posted blueprints for a Walgreens that was going to be coming to Flamingo Crossings! This would be the first tenant.

Except when we visited in 2013, this was the new Walgreens!

Finally in 2017 or ten years after Flamingo Crossings was announced, two hotels did finally open: Springhill Suites by Marriott and Townplace Suites by Marriott.

But we're now 13 years post-announcement and the economics of operating hotels here have apparently changed. Things are finally under construction! Right to left we have a Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hampton Inn by Hilton and a Fairfield Inn by Marriott. I think there may be a Home2Suites by Hilton in there somewhere too.

And a Residence Inn by Marriott.

The mailing addresses are Winter Garden, not Lake Buena Vista or Bay Lake, Florida. New residences for Disney College Program interns will be located here as well, assuring the new shopping center will have a steady stream of customers. Announced tenants include Target, Five Guys, Dunkin, PDQ, Speedway.....and a Walgreens!