Dart Interests has launched a $1.5bn Evermore Orlando Resort near Walt Disney World theme parks.
Dart Interests is banking on a tourism rebound with its planned 10,000 bedroom Evermore Orlando Resort in Orange County Florida.
The new resort will feature a variety of vacation rental houses, villas and flats. It will also include the first Conrad hotel in Orlando, offering 433 luxury rooms, including 51 suites and ten family suites. Evermore is located adjacent to Walt Disney World and under ten miles from Universal Orlando Resort. It constitutes a major redevelopment of the Grand Cypress Resort complex and legacy golf course, spreading over 1,100 acres.
“In an industry first, Evermore Orlando Resort will be the largest property of its kind that features centrally owned, purpose-built, professionally managed vacation rental homes,” says Dart Interests on its website, claiming the resort will “change the way you experience private vacation rental”.
Beach complex includes eco-friendly technology
The resort is set to include a 20-acre tropical beach complex while Evermore Bay will be an eight acre “crystalline water” aquatic amenity created by Crystal Lagoons. The design features environmentally sustainable tech using 100 times less chemicals and only two per cent of the energy of standard pool filtration systems. Surrounding beach areas will include zero entry swim areas, cabanas, and individual fire-pits. An adventure play area will offer watersports alongside waterslides and rope swings.
F&B offerings include a food hall, gourmet market, a relaxed dining resort restaurant and the Boathouse that will cater for weddings and other private events.
The Conrad Hotel will have a spa and various dining options, including a rooftop experience. 40,000 square feet of indoor space will be given over for meetings and conferences.
A new 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Design golf course is planned, while the existing links-style legacy New Course will remain open during the build.
Maintaining quality
Dart Interests believe the major issue for holiday rentals comes from uncertainty in the quality of the property offered. Christopher Kelsey, president of Dart Interests, points out that most rentals are owned by individuals with varying degrees of taste. Maintenance may also be a significant variable. “Our centralised ownership model makes it possible for our guests to be certain they are getting a first-class home with superior safety stands,” he said. “Our scale also means that we can deliver a wider array of services to our guests.”
The first phase of the development, with around 1,500 bedrooms, is slated to open in summer 2023. It’s set to include the Conrad Hotel alongside 69 houses, varying in size from five to 11 bedrooms. 42 two and four-bedroom villas and 76 four-bedroom apartments are also included in the plans.
Confidence in Florida market
The Orlando area of central Florida has always been a tourist magnet, usually attracting 75 million visitors per year. However, like most tourist areas, it has been hit by the pandemic. The new resort signals confidence that the market will rebound and rebuild.
“We believe Orlando will recover and regain its position as a superior global destination,” said David Pace, president of Dart Interests Florida in a report from .
“Our willingness to go forward with Evermore in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic is testimony to the resilience of the Orlando market, its talented workforce and our unique Disney-adjacent location. Our commitment to Orange County and strong belief in the power of tourism give us renewed energy to build a resort that will elevate the current hospitality landscape and position Evermore to become one of Orlando’s most desired vacation destinations.”
The Disney Magical Express airport transportation is being stopped from 1 January 2022 as the company seeks to “evolve the guest experience”.
