# Old, Abandoned Hotel off of 192 and I-4



## Tardisblue

Hey guys - not sure if this is the right place to post this or not.  We just returned from a week-long stay at the Polynesian, great time, great resort, but not the subject of this post.

We had a car this trip and took a drive off property for dinner one evening and as we're driving back we passed by an abandoned hotel property that is immediately east of I-4 and north of 192.  I'm positive this is a place I stayed back in 1983 right after Epcot opened and want to say it was a Hyatt property?

Can anyone confirm what this hotel was originally and (long shot) happen to have any photos or post cards of the place?  This is pure nostalgia for me.  I stayed there with my parents and grandmother, all of whom have since passed away, and I'm simply taking a trip down memory lane.

Thanks!

TB


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## Klayfish

Was it on 192, or on another road?  You mentioned it was north of 192, so not sure what road it was on.


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## Tardisblue

Klayfish said:


> Was it on 192, or on another road?  You mentioned it was north of 192, so not sure what road it was on.



According to Google Maps it was on Safari Trail:  https://www.google.com/maps/@28.3334466,-81.5354198,17z


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## Gr8t Fan

We stayed at a hotel there in 1993 and it was a Ramada Inn.  Several two story building clustered around a lagoon like pool with a waterfall.  Is that it?


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## Tardisblue

Gr8t Fan said:


> We stayed at a hotel there in 1993 and it was a Ramada Inn.  Several two story building clustered around a lagoon like pool with a waterfall.  Is that it?



That's it.  It may have been a Ramada in 1983 as well, but 30 years of time have fogged my brain.


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## Gr8t Fan

I _may_ have some pictures or brochures in an old scrapbook at home.  If so, I'll post them.


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## KristinU

I always wonder about that place too!  I feel sad for it and think of all of the fun times that were probably had there.


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## Tardisblue

Gr8t Fan said:


> I _may_ have some pictures or brochures in an old scrapbook at home.  If so, I'll post them.



Thank you.


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## HopperFan

*Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort & Convention Center*

The Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center, a AAA 3 Diamond Resort... Where memories are created on our 77 tropically landscaped acres, only 1.5 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. The Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center guests will enjoy 919 rooms and 28 suites, all with balconies or patios arranged in four tropical courtyards, each surrounding a heated pool and childrens wading pool. Each room or suite is comfortably appointed with 300-thread count sheets, feather pillows and all the amenities to make it your home-away-from-home to rejuvenate after a day of fun at all the Orlando Celebration, Kissimmee, Florida attractions. The Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center offers tennis courts, pools, shopping, gaming in the arcade, attractions/activity desk, and live entertainment on the weekends. You could just relax by the pool, but why would you when you have all this to choose from right outside of your room. When you do decide to get out and go to the theme parks you can hop on our complimentary scheduled shuttle to the Walt Disney World Resorts, making the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort the perfect headquarters for your Disney vacation. Whether you are on business, taking advantage of our 60,000 square feet of flexible meeting space or enjoying an annual family vacation or escape with your loved one or friends, the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center, at the doorstep of Walt Disney World Resort, will exceed all your expectations.

.
.

It's a massive resort and had a very large convention center.  Very sad the disrepair, the green pools and that nothing has been done. I really have to wonder what kind of financial web it's caught in or if it's an environmental issue .... why would it sit this long, why does the county allow this?

Note: It did change names, maybe ownership, before it closed down but the name most know it by is Ramada.  If you google image the name pictures should pop up.


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## writerguyfl

Tardisblue said:


> I'm positive this is a place I stayed back in 1983 right after Epcot opened and want to say it was a Hyatt property?



You have a good memory, *Tardisblue*.  The official address of that property is 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL.  As is the case for some franchised hotels, this one started out as a solid brand but slowly devolved through different brands because the owners didn't want to commit funds to keep it current to brand standards.

I believe it was constructed as the Hyatt Kissimmee Resort.  After that, I think it might have been a Radisson.  But, it definitively became the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort.  It ended public life as the independent Orlando Sun Resort and Convention Center.

It's a massive property that is bordered by Interstate 4 and US 192 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway):





Source: https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...-Memorial-Hwy_Kissimmee_FL_34747_M51162-69255

Edited to Add: While I was writing my post, *HopperFan* posted her response!


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## BonnieA

I stayed there maybe 15-20 years ago.  It was a Hyatt then.


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## HopperFan

writerguyfl said:


> You have a good memory, *Tardisblue*.  The official address of that property is 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL.  As is the case for some franchised hotels, this one started out as a solid brand but slowly devolved through different brands because the owners didn't want to commit funds to keep it current to brand standards.
> 
> I believe it was constructed as the Hyatt Kissimmee Resort.  After that, I think it might have been a Radisson.  But, it definitively became the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort.  It ended public life as the independent Orlando Sun Resort and Convention Center.
> 
> It's a massive property that is bordered by Interstate 4 and US 192 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Source: https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...-Memorial-Hwy_Kissimmee_FL_34747_M51162-69255
> 
> Edited to Add: While I was writing my post, *HopperFan* posted her response!




 too funny! especially the obscure photo.

I remember the years it was open always being confused between it, the Ramada, and the Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration that is next to this one.


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## sgtdisney

It used to be the Hyatt Orlando.   I stayed there twice, I think in the mid 80s and maybe early 1990s.  It was pretty nice in the 80s, had a fancy restaurant, and the lobby was big.  It was starting to decline in the 90s.  The buildings all looked the same and we went to open the door to what we thought was our room, but it was someone else's room, and it was occupied.   We were one building off, but the key worked.  Scary.  That was our last visit there.


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## Tardisblue

Thanks @writerguyfl and @HopperFan for the info - this is the exact kind of feedback I was hoping for.  I do have some vague memories of the place - the lobby seemed huge to me and for some reason fresh squeezed, expensive orange juice comes to mind and my dad didn't want to spend the money on it.  I appreciate the help everyone!

Also - if @Gr8t Fan has any photos/brochures I'd still love to see them.  

TB


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## Tardisblue

Found this thread after searching Hyatt Kissimmee:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...ay-192-near-interstate-4-in-kissimmee.198701/

Edited to add a thread that shows when it closed:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/hyatt-orlando.436820/


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## sgtdisney

Tardisblue said:


> The lobby seemed huge to me and for some reason fresh squeezed, expensive orange juice comes to mind



That's funny.  I remember that too.  I remember the orange juice was really good.   They had a fancy restaurant there too, and I remember eating there one night and they gave you a lemon sorbet between courses.  This may have even been earlier 80s the more I think about it.  I remember the lobby being quite large and open and had lots of palm trees and other plantings and things in it.


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## Gr8t Fan

Tardisblue said:


> Thanks @writerguyfl and @HopperFan for the info - this is the exact kind of feedback I was hoping for.  I do have some vague memories of the place - the lobby seemed huge to me and for some reason fresh squeezed, expensive orange juice comes to mind and my dad didn't want to spend the money on it.  I appreciate the help everyone!
> 
> Also - if @Gr8t Fan has any photos/brochures I'd still love to see them.
> 
> TB



Not a brochure, but a postcard.  DH and I spent part of our honeymoon here in 1993 on our very first trip to WDW.


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## TamaraQT

Wow....its hard to believe the place wasn't doing well.  Based on comments from the above links, the place was still in decent condition when they closed.  I cant believe it hasnt been purchased and/or restored.  Wow....looks like it was a nice place.


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## bankr63

Well that got me researching a bit.  So it looks like it was bought by some NY investor brothers with big ideas, but not enough funds.

Found this 2015 news item that sets the price at a cool $75MM with county incentives.  https://www.wftv.com/news/local/county-offers-incentives-hopes-someone-will-buy-ey/69405362 Since it appears to be the county selling (based on wording) I can only guess that the county has assumed the property (non-payment of taxes?)  Surprisingly little comes up when you try to google this, I had the best luck just googling the address.

If you have deep pockets and big ideas, you too could become a hotel tycoon!


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## sgtdisney

Sorry but that Post card is not of the Hyatt Orlando.   2900 Parkway Blvd is a different hotel, I believe it may be something called Delta by Marriott Resort.   The official address for the Hyatt Orlando was 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747.   After Hyatt closed the hotel it was reopened,and unbranded and was called Orlando Sun Resort & Conference Center. However that place didn't last long.  There is still reviews and a few pictures of the place on Trip Advisor.  

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...sort_Convention_Center-Kissimmee_Florida.html

It had some bad reviews. 

Here is a video of the hotel when it was the Orlando Sun Resort.  They changed very little from it's days as a Hyatt.  Check out the 80s/90s stuff in the lobby.  






I am not having much luck finding pics of the place as a Hyatt, but if you search for Orlando Sun Resort, there is a lot on the web and even on You Tube, including a cool flyover by a drone after it was closed the 2nd time.


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## KristinU

Great sleuthing @bankr63 and @sgtdisney -  I didn't realize that is was open so recently...though from the reviews it sounds like it was in sad disrepair towards the end.


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## greenclan67

Do you know how many times I go past this place and feel sad. Thanks for sharing


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## Gr8t Fan

sgtdisney said:


> Sorry but that Post card is not of the Hyatt Orlando.   2900 Parkway Blvd is a different hotel, I believe it may be something called Delta by Marriott Resort.   The official address for the Hyatt Orlando was 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747.   After Hyatt closed the hotel it was reopened,and unbranded and was called Orlando Sun Resort & Conference Center. However that place didn't last long.  There is still reviews and a few pictures of the place on Trip Advisor.
> 
> https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...sort_Convention_Center-Kissimmee_Florida.html
> 
> It had some bad reviews.
> 
> Here is a video of the hotel when it was the Orlando Sun Resort.  They changed very little from it's days as a Hyatt.  Check out the 80s/90s stuff in the lobby.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not having much luck finding pics of the place as a Hyatt, but if you search for Orlando Sun Resort, there is a lot on the web and even on You Tube, including a cool flyover by a drone after it was closed the 2nd time.



I *know* the postcard isn't from the Hyatt Orlando.  It very clearly states on the back of the postcard that it is the Ramada Resort. I asked the OP if it was the Ramada that he was remembering and he said it might be, so I said I'd post any brochures, postcards or pictures if I could find them.


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## sgtdisney

Gr8t Fan said:


> I *know* the postcard isn't from the Hyatt Orlando.  It very clearly states on the back of the postcard that it is the Ramada Resort. I asked the OP if it was the Ramada that he was remembering and he said it might be, so I said I'd post any brochures, postcards or pictures if I could find them.



Ok, sorry I thought you had thought that was the hotel that we were talking about.  It is pretty close to the Hyatt Orlando.  It was called a Ramada at one point.  It's name was Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort.
Here is an old webpage with some pics when it was a Ramada.

https://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels...375-West-Irlo-Bronson-Highway-34747#HotelName

Also, seems that the Hyatt Orlando went bankrupt before it was a Hyatt.  Pretty interesting.  I saw some information on this website below and some more pictures.  It started out as a place called the Carolando Hotel and Motor Inn.   It was one of the first hotels built after Disney to go bankrupt this website says and has an interesting drawing of the resort and a 500 foot tall space needle that was, at one point, supposed to be close to it.  I am guessing it may not have ever been built?

Go about 1/2 way down.
http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/mousefestive04c.html


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## Tardisblue

sgtdisney said:


> Sorry but that Post card is not of the Hyatt Orlando.   2900 Parkway Blvd is a different hotel, I believe it may be something called Delta by Marriott Resort.   The official address for the Hyatt Orlando was 6375 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747.   After Hyatt closed the hotel it was reopened,and unbranded and was called Orlando Sun Resort & Conference Center. However that place didn't last long.  There is still reviews and a few pictures of the place on Trip Advisor.
> 
> https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...sort_Convention_Center-Kissimmee_Florida.html
> 
> It had some bad reviews.
> 
> Here is a video of the hotel when it was the Orlando Sun Resort.  They changed very little from it's days as a Hyatt.  Check out the 80s/90s stuff in the lobby.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not having much luck finding pics of the place as a Hyatt, but if you search for Orlando Sun Resort, there is a lot on the web and even on You Tube, including a cool flyover by a drone after it was closed the 2nd time.



Thanks for digging this up.  This was definitely the place.  The music in the video gave me a "Charlie Brown 'Christmas-time is Here'" vibe, kind of sad and melancholy.  It seems to me this property is past rehab and needs to be demolished for something else - perhaps more parking for WDW or that elusive 5th gate we keep hearing rumors about...


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## Tardisblue

Gr8t Fan said:


> I *know* the postcard isn't from the Hyatt Orlando.  It very clearly states on the back of the postcard that it is the Ramada Resort. I asked the OP if it was the Ramada that he was remembering and he said it might be, so I said I'd post any brochures, postcards or pictures if I could find them.



After looking through what everyone has posted I'm confident now that it was the Hyatt.

I appreciate all the input and responses.


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## DsnyCzy57

Tardisblue said:


> Hey guys - not sure if this is the right place to post this or not.  We just returned from a week-long stay at the Polynesian, great time, great resort, but not the subject of this post.
> 
> We had a car this trip and took a drive off property for dinner one evening and as we're driving back we passed by an abandoned hotel property that is immediately east of I-4 and north of 192.  I'm positive this is a place I stayed back in 1983 right after Epcot opened and want to say it was a Hyatt property?
> 
> Can anyone confirm what this hotel was originally and (long shot) happen to have any photos or post cards of the place?  This is pure nostalgia for me.  I stayed there with my parents and grandmother, all of whom have since passed away, and I'm simply taking a trip down memory lane.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> TB[/ It was the Orlando Hyatt. We stayed there in 1998, our 1st visit to WDW. It was a nice hotel. Stackable washer and dryers in the hallways. Nice pool and walking distance to Charley Steak House. Great times.


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## Mikey15

Crazy to see a big, prime location property abandoned like that, though at this point you'd be talking about razing it and starting from scratch.  Considering all the construction going on all the time right now in Orlando though I'm surprised it hasn't been snapped up.

I enjoy staying out in Four Corners, but it's bizarre to me that new places keep getting built there but not at this much "closer" spot.


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## writerguyfl

Complete and Total Speculation:

I can think of two reasons for this prime real estate to be still vacant after all these years.  The first reason would be that there's an issue with the ground.  Since there's already buildings there, it's probably not contaminated by former industrial use.  So, that leaves quality.  Due to the high water table in Florida, building anything heavy (like a mid or high rise building) typically requires lots of deep pilings.  Some sites are better than others.  It's possible that this site can only support lower rise buildings.  Anything bigger might require more expensive foundations.

(Although unconfirmed, I've heard rumors that the Main Street Theatre at Magic Kingdom got canceled because that site wasn't appropriate for just a large, heavy building.)

The second reason is more reasonable and it's one that *bankr63* raised on page one of this thread.  I'd bet that the property taxes on this site haven't been properly paid for many, many years.  Anyone purchasing the site probably would have to pay back-taxes before any construction could happen.

On that front, I'd guess that the value of the site probably is inflated.  It's not unusual for the local property tax authority to overvalue hotels and other tourism-related buildings.  (Universal Orlando routinely challenges the value of their property in that respect.)  With no one paying attention over the years, I wouldn't be surprised if the value of this site is a bit inflated.  And, I doubt there's a way to dispute the taxable value from previous tax years.


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## HopperFan

writerguyfl said:


> The second reason is more reasonable and it's one that bankr63 raised on page one of this thread.  I'd bet that the property taxes on this site haven't been properly paid for many, many years.  Anyone purchasing the site probably would have to pay back-taxes before any construction could happen.
> 
> On that front, I'd guess that the value of the site probably is inflated.  *It's not unusual for the local property tax authority to overvalue hotels and other tourism-related buildings. * (Universal Orlando routinely challenges the value of their property in that respect.)  With no one paying attention over the years, I wouldn't be surprised if the value of this site is a bit inflated.  And, I doubt there's a way to dispute the taxable value from previous tax years.



To back this up Disney is currently in court battling the Tax Assessor over several WDW properties they consider severely overvalued.


BUT I did check on this property and the taxes are paid up to date.  Last bill paid was in amount of $553,735.04 in November 2017.

The available records go back to 1992, and it has been held by the same Real Estate Investment group (family) the entire time.

It certainly is a mystery but either something is stopping them from doing anything right now or maybe they see more value in holding it long term until a time when a big investment or sale will pay off.  It has awesome visibility and across from Celebration, but it's still on 192 - a less popular stretch of it.  Curious minds want to know!


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## writerguyfl

Interesting.  Thanks for sharing your detective work, *HopperFan*!


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## LAS2AMS

As mentioned, the property was built in 1972 as the Hyatt Orlando and closed in 2003.  It was bought by a developer who intended in turning it into over 4,000 timeshare units, but — due to a softening economy — partially reopened it as the Orlando Sun Resort in 2007.  It was renamed the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort the following year and closed circa 2011.

It’s been available for sale at $75M since 2014.  That’s overpriced for the area, especially given the cost to demolish and clean up the site would add several more million to the price tag.  The owner’s obviously not in a hurry to sell the property; they acquired the property for $30M in 2004.


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## KristinU

Very interesting sleuthing and tidbits, @HopperFan and @LAS2AMS , thanks for sharing!


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## impos

Tardisblue said:


> After looking through what everyone has posted I'm confident now that it was the Hyatt.
> 
> I appreciate all the input and responses.








Hope you like it


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## impos

I stayed there when it was Hyatt Orlando and I do still keep the card keys and map of property. I remember we were in orange blossom building, and do enjoy a lot the little supermarket at property, with a so nice and warming Cuban lady. 
It’s so sad to see the property like this.


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## Nsaudra

This was back when they use to have all the commercials for Kissimmee St Cloud  it was the place to be..... not so much anymore  one of many abandon or run down proprieties


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## Alicefan

Oh my gosh! I always wonder when I pass this place at how such prime property hasn't been snatched up?  I don't think you could find a better location if you wanted to build a resort.  Very interesting to read everyone's information.


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## ClapYourHands

KristinU said:


> Great sleuthing @bankr63 and @sgtdisney -  I didn't realize that is was open so recently...though from the reviews it sounds like it was in sad disrepair towards the end.



While those reviews sadly paint a picture of a hotel on it's last legs, some of the reviews are kind of funny in their outraged hyperbole.  I especially love the one who blames her UTI on a dirty toilet seat, and the one who checked out after finding an ant - because a single sugar ant in a Florida hotel room is obviously the sign of a derelict hotel.


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## Dr.Mickey

Very interesting thread, thank you!  My wife and I stayed at this Hyatt Orlando around 1999-2000. It was such an odd setup, but we had a great stay. The small pod buildings feel much more like a timeshare setup, but each pod had an interior hallway and entry much more like a hotel. Our room was actually very nice. I remember an exercise trail around the property we used, and at that time, several of the pods were already out of use. I guess it was already on its way down. 

One of the reasons this stands out to us is we had only been married a year or two and we had just gotten the Disney fever enough to get an AP, and we were trying to take as many economical trips as possible. We also had just tried Priceline’s new invention (Lol) of naming your price and star level and then getting assigned a hotel. I was pretty disappointed when we got this hotel because the Priceline forums were not kind to it, but we were pleasantly surprised.


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## A Mickeyfan

Back in the 80s it was a very nice Hyatt. Stayed there with friends the weekend prior to their wedding


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## Dallas_Lady

Nsaudra said:


> This was back when they use to have all the commercials for Kissimmee St Cloud  it was the place to be..... not so much anymore  one of many abandon or run down proprieties



I remember these commercials from when I was a kid. I wanted to go soooo bad!


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## valicky

Just registered to reply to this thread while researching what happened to a hotel I stayed in as a child in the 70s!  It was the Carolando when it first opened before being bought by Hyatt. Back then I was most impressed by the room keys being key cards.  I think they had holes punched in certain patterns. Very high tech!! Is the Radisson/Ramada closed too?  That one had the pool with the waterfall and slide.  It's the property next to what was the Carolando.  I first stayed in one of the Contemporary outbuilding wings the first summer Disney was open and my mom was telling me it was $35 a night.


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## Minniefan18

valicky said:


> Just registered to reply to this thread while researching what happened to a hotel I stayed in as a child in the 70s!  It was the Carolando when it first opened before being bought by Hyatt. Back then I was most impressed by the room keys being key cards.  I think they had holes punched in certain patterns. Very high tech!! Is the Radisson/Ramada closed too?  That one had the pool with the waterfall and slide.  It's the property next to what was the Carolando.  I first stayed in one of the Contemporary outbuilding wings the first summer Disney was open and my mom was telling me it was $35 a night.


I know you posted several months ago but thought I'd respond. The hotel that used to be the Ramada is now the Grand Orlando Resort. https://grandorlandoresortcelebration.com/


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## FordAnglia

Greetings,

A big thank you to the earlier posters on this topic, I hope that you're still following this thread.
I found this post by google searching after finding the footprint of the now abandoned property on google maps.

I stayed at this hotel twice. In February 1979, and again sometime in early 1985. Both times it was called "Hyatt House - Kissimmee".

The 1979 trip was also my first Disney Theme Park visit! The second time was to see the brand new (and not yet finished) EPCOT park. We got discount tickets. At the time there were old London double decker buses running around the EPCOT lake, as only a few of the international sites were built.

Two non-Disney memories of the Hyatt House. There was a helicopter pad close by, offering fly over tours of the Disney property (it was beyond my budget at the time) and "Gatorland" which was heavily promoted at the resort. The restaurant on property was themed with bicycles, possible as a franchise called the "Bombay Bicycle Club".

A fond memory of that fresh-squeezed Florida Orange Juice (served with breakfast)!

Peter,


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## HopperFan

FordAnglia said:


> The 1979 trip was also my first Disney Theme Park visit! The second time was to see the brand new (and not yet finished) EPCOT park. We got discount tickets. At the time there were* old London double decker buses running around the EPCOT lake*, as only a few of the international sites were built.



Not sure at the moment but one of those double decker buses ended up at 3 Sisters Speakeasy in Kissimmee.  Still a photo of it on their website.


https://www.parkeology.com/2017/10/world-showcase-characters-on-holiday-epcot-double-decker-bus.html


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## FordAnglia

Thanks for sharing the location of the double decker bus in Kissimmee! We might go and check it out next trip to Florida. BTW, I doubt this was the type used during EPCOT's opening year. I grew up in London, UK, and my recollection was of ex-London Transport buses in this Disney role.
Any EPCOT fans or historians know for sure?

EPCOT probably used old* AEC Regent III RT* buses (Wikipedia AEC_Regent_III_RT) of 1954 introduction. The last one was pulled from London service in 1979. Many of this type were "shipped overseas" or scrapped, but a few lucky ones were on the roads in the USA. The *AEC Routemaster* (Wikipedia AEC_Routemaster) which replaced the RT, and was in London service until 2005. The RM was voted one the UK's top icons in 2006 - the _classic red double decker bus_.

But I digress...

Peter,


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## DL1WDW2

When I drive by this location I am amazed it has not been purchased because it seems to be a great location. ..big enough for the Brightline train station maybe ?


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## Rpsemont

We stayed there when it was the Hyatt.  We got it on priceline.  I think it was 2000 or 2001 (is it in my signature?  I can't see that while typing here )


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## Rikko

KristinU said:


> Great sleuthing @bankr63 and @sgtdisney -  I didn't realize that is was open so recently...though from the reviews it sounds like it was in sad disrepair towards the end.


Hey guys.
I'm from Orlando and used to be a bell boy at the Hyatt in 1978.
I found this thread through a Google search. I'm staying next door at the Old Ramada which is now the Grand Orlando resort 
I walked over and through the old Hyatt this afternoon. I took pics of several things, it's very creepy . If there was a way to post pics here, I would share them. I might come back and do some urban exploration some time, as info that from time to time.pretty sure there's some transients living there, it has graffiti on the walls and lots of the room have the sliding glass doors broken in. The furniture is still inside of the rooms. I could have walked into what used to be the lobby,but chickened out lol. I'll do it next time.
Anyways if you want to know anything about it, let me know


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## Rikko

valicky said:


> Just registered to reply to this thread while researching what happened to a hotel I stayed in as a child in the 70s!  It was the Carolando when it first opened before being bought by Hyatt. Back then I was most impressed by the room keys being key cards.  I think they had holes punched in certain patterns. Very high tech!! Is the Radisson/Ramada closed too?  That one had the pool with the waterfall and slide.  It's the property next to what was the Carolando.  I first stayed in one of the Contemporary outbuilding wings the first summer Disney was open and my mom was telling me it was $35 a night.


The Ramada is now the Grand Orlando resort.- you're right about the key cards.


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## sgtdisney

Rikko said:


> The Ramada is now the Grand Orlando resort.- you're right about the key cards.



I still have some of the card keys (somewhere) from Disney back in that time period where there were holes punched out in the card.  Fancy.   I can only imagine the place is really in a bad state now, it was bad a while ago.


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## Rikko

sgtdisney said:


> I still have some of the card keys (somewhere) from Disney back in that time period where there were holes punched out in the card.  Fancy.   I can only imagine the place is really in a bad state now, it was bad a while ago.


I took some pics but don't know if I can post them here


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## Alicefan

Rikko said:


> I took some pics but don't know if I can post them here


you can.


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## GoofyDad_4427

Rikko said:


> I took some pics but don't know if I can post them here


You can post pics here, but you need a certain amount of posts before you are able to do so.  I am not sure what that number is.


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## FigmentKrazee

Bright Sun Films just posted a YouTube video about the history of this location and what it looks like today. 

Just search for "Astonishing ABANDONED Florida Resort Near Disney" on YouTube.  They walk inside the building as it stands today.  Pretty fascinating stuff, but so sad too.


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## Boeing 737

Thank you for posting this information. Very interesting. Watching the YouTube video now.


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## Jrb1979




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## KristinU

Wow, BSF does some amazing levels of research, I always love his videos but this one especially!  Thanks for sharing!


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## Jrb1979

KristinU said:


> Wow, BSF does some amazing levels of research, I always love his videos but this one especially!  Thanks for sharing!


You're welcome.


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## Momto8

We stayed at the Hyatt Orlando in 1979 when my husband worked for Prudential Insurance. We attended a business conference there, and it was a very nice hotel with a huge conference center. We were able to spend a couple of days at the Magic Kingdom during the conference, which was the only park back then (I don't think they even called it the MK back then since it was the only park). We brought 2 of our kids with so we got to do Disney on a free trip!

We have driven past this hotel a few times in recent years, and since I remember it was on the corner of I-4 and 192, I knew it was the Hyatt we stayed at since I could see the pod buildings. I remember there was hardly anything around back then. We had to drive to Kissimmee for dinner one night, and it seemed like we drove 10 miles just to find a restaurant!

I have wondered why it has sat abandoned for so long since it is a prime piece of property too. Kind of sad.


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## DL1WDW2

Thanks for providing that link .
those guys are brave or crazy . 
They should enter that in one of those documentary film festivals exactly as it is .  It was very interesting and so much more that words can not describe.


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## FromtheNorth

FigmentKrazee said:


> Bright Sun Films just posted a YouTube video about the history of this location and what it looks like today.
> 
> Just search for "Astonishing ABANDONED Florida Resort Near Disney" on YouTube.  They walk inside the building as it stands today.  Pretty fascinating stuff, but so sad too.


Thank you for sharing! Sad to see this, we stayed there in 2010, the lobby was so huge! The room was ok, but for the price we got it for, I wasn’t going to complain!


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## MommaKetch

Enjoyed reading all of the comments this eve! I also stayed at this hotel in 1985/86 during my family’s first trip to WDW. Will have to ask mom for the specific details as I do remember EPCOT was open. We moved to nearby Lakeland in 1990, and visited WDW frequently. I always thought of our first visit every time we drove by. Always sad to see a piece of ones childhood deteriorate.


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