History
In the early 1980s, The Walt Disney Company was facing a cash crunch. Company leadership decided that when it decided to add more resorts to Walt Disney World, it would partner with property developers and hotel companies, who would take on the costs and risks of building and managing a hotel. The first of these deals came together in 1985 with developer Tishman, who had been the general contractor of Epcot.[1] Under the deal, Tishman would build a Sheraton and a Crowne Plaza on the outskirts of the Walt Disney World complex, near Walt Disney World Village. In order to protect Tishman’s investment, Disney agreed that no new hotels would be built at Walt Disney World during an exclusivity period.[2]
However, by the mid-1980s, Disney's financial fortunes had improved, and CEO Michael Eisner was growing frustrated that the Walt Disney World Resort was losing business to other hotels in the Orlando area that catered to conventions and large meetings. Tishman, worried that Disney may sign a deal with another developer to build a convention hotel at Walt Disney World during its exclusivity period, filed a lawsuit in 1986 seeking US$1.3 billion in damages and canceled the Sheraton and Holiday Inn.[1][3] The two-year legal battle ended in 1988 with a settlement, Disney and Tishman would form a joint venture with hotel operator Starwood and investors Aoki and MetLife to build two large hotels with convention facilities.[4]
As part of the deal, no damages would be paid, Disney would receive more say over the design of the complex and a share of revenues, while Tishman would be given a 99-year lease on a much more desirable location within walking distance of Epcot and the yet-to-be-built Disney-MGM Studios and also connected by a waterway with ferry boats.[1][5][6] The $375 million project was to include the 1,514-room Dolphin Resort, (Florida’s biggest at the time), the 756-room Swan Resort and 200000 sqft of meeting space.[4]
Disney and Tishman hired architect Michael Graves to design the hotels. Eisner had used Graves for other Disney projects and wanted to continue to build striking, unique buildings.[7] The Swan was the smaller of the two hotels and was scheduled to open first in late 1989 and operated by Westin Hotels & Resorts, which at the time was owned by Aoki.[4]
In 2008, The Walt Disney Swan Resort was awarded a One Palm designation through the Florida Green Lodging Program established by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.[8] The voluntary program encourages operators to adopt “green” practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources.
On November 3, 2021, the hotel opened a new wing, the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, a 349-room luxury boutique hotel adjacent to the original building.[9]
