Disney World’s Most Exclusive Neighborhood Expands
How much would you pay to live at Walt Disney World all the time?
Disney asked this question of tourists/potential homeowners about a decade ago.
Photo: Penta
Even executives and real estate agents couldn’t believe the intensity of the response.
Some of the wealthiest people on the planet fell in love with the idea of living at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Photo: StellarMLS/Realtor.com
Now, Disney is encouraging even more people to do so. Yes, Disney’s most private neighborhood is expanding.
Here’s what you need to know.
Welcome to Golden Oak
MickeyBlog has been writing about the Golden Oak neighborhood almost since our inception.
Our site started right around the time that word spread about the appeal of this dynamic community.
Image Credit: StellarMLS / Realtor.com
Here’s an introduction from 2018, which was NOT the first time I wrote about it.
We don’t even have that article in the archives. It’s been that long!
Photo Credit: DerrickBuilders.com
The gist was that Disney decided it would build a series of exclusive, seven-figure homes in a new subdivision.
Over time, that idea expanded to several subdivisions, some of which hosted absolute cathedrals disguised as Disney dwellings.
Image Credit: Zillow
Those buyers lucky enough to get in on the ground floor at Golden Oak had direct access to Disney storytelling.
People involved with Imagineering and animation helped design elements of the various homes.
Image Credit: Zillow
Initially, Disney sold these dwellings for as little as $1.6 million.
Let’s just say that prices have increased since then, as you’ll read in the next section.
Image Credit: Zillow
The convenience of Golden Oak sold itself, as people could live in the Bay Lake area of the Disney campus.
From there, they could access special neighborhood vans that would transport them to and from the parks.
Image Credit: StellarMLS / Realtor.com
If you’ve ever noticed the Golden Oak drop-off at the bus station, that’s who it’s for!
Anyway, Disney gradually dialed down its original plans for Golden Oak, lowering the number of homes from 450 to 300.
Golden Oak homes
Oddly, that had the unintended consequence of causing demand to soar.
The one-percent crowd has spent more than ten years hearing about how exceptional Golden Oak is.
Photo: Disney
So, they want to live here! Even more amusingly, they’ll pay any cost for the privilege.
There Go the Neighbors
Disney provided nearly 1,000 acres of space for the Golden Oak development, which makes it nine times as big as Magic Kingdom.
Palatial estates cover the Golden Oak grounds. The “smaller” homes are 3,000 square feet.
Photo: Golden Oak
The larger mansions cover 10,000 square feet or more. We’re definitely talking about gigantic estates.
Remarkably, these aren’t the kind of mansions you’re accustomed to seeing, though.
Photo Credit: OrlandoSentinal.com
Instead, each home includes all the Disney touches you’d expect when Imagineers are involved.
Over the past decade, I’ve studied pretty much every floor plan at Golden Oak, and if I ever find that hard drive with my Bitcoin on it, I’m gonna buy here.
Golden Oak
Anyway, here’s a look at one of the Golden Oak homes as detailed by the influencer who purchased it.
That video is admittedly rather detailed because the person spent so much time working with Disney to create the perfect home.
Here’s a quicker video that highlights the stunning nature of the best homes at Golden Oak. The Frozen bedroom at the 1-minute mark rivals anything you’ll see at the Arendelle-themed land. Or in the movie, Frozen, for that matter.
Not all Golden Oak homes are created equal, but those clips should make you appreciate how much of a lottery dream home this is.
I mean, the home I just linked was being sold by the heir to the Bacardi fortune…as in Bacardi Rum.
Then, we have NBA All-Star Brook Lopez, the man nicknamed Splash Mountain, who happily describes his home here:
That’s the kind of neighbors you can expect at Golden Oak.
What’s Available on Golden Oak?
So, rich people want to live here, but the supply is limited. As such, there’s very rarely inventory available.
You can always check this link to know what’s for sale at Golden Oak. Currently, only three homes are available.
Photo Credit: DerrickBuilders.com
Options include Medley Cottage, which is “only” 3,208 square feet. It can be yours for the low, low price of $5.6 million.
If you need a bit more space, you can choose Once Upon a Dream, which is nearly 6,400 square feet.
Image Credit: Zillow
This property will cost you a bit more, coming in at a cool $9.99 million.
Finally, we have the deluxe option, a 10,742 square foot mega-mansion named Grand Villa Amore.
Image Credit: Zillow
You’ll pay $14.5 million for the privilege of living here. Would you like to see what you get for your money? Well…
The only problem with owning this place is that you might never want to leave your home to visit Magic Kingdom.
Still, don’t miss the Stitch dolls in the kitchen at the 80-second mark of this clip. Golden Oak is a place for Disney lovers.
While you must have deep pockets to live here, it’d be pointless unless Disney stories were near and dear to your heart.
Photo: Zillow
Of course, that’s true of many of us. So, the supply at Golden Oak hasn’t kept up with the demand.
That’s why homes have tripled to quintupled in value in just a few years.
The New Golden Oak Expansion
What’s the solution to this problem? You guessed it. Disney builds more.
Actually, that’s technically not true. As mentioned in previous articles like this one, the Four Seasons Orlando resides at Golden Oak.
With this strategy, Disney kills two birds with one stone. It can host business meetings for the elite living in the neighborhood.
Simultaneously, Disney sometimes lures guests at Four Seasons into buying a new home to stay in the area permanently.
Photo: Four Seasons
Disney and the Four Seasons have worked closely since the early days of the Golden Oak project.
Even though the hotel is under new ownership now, that relationship remains strong.
Photo: Four Seasons
In fact, Disney will expand the deal as discussed in a press release on July 9th, 2024.
About the New Homes
“A new Four Seasons Private Residences development is under construction at the Golden Oak community at Walt Disney World Resort.
“The new residences will feature 40 homes, including 31 units in a mid-rise tower and nine attached boutique homes, providing residents with exceptional service and unparalleled resort-style living.”
Photo: Four Seasons
These properties will include “eight one-story floor plans ranging from 3,494 – 4,327 square feet featuring three to four bedrooms.”
“Five two-story, four-bedroom penthouses ranging from 6,576– 6,962 square feet will also be available.”
Photo: Four Seasons
In short, Disney is building out the Golden Oak neighborhood, but it’s adopting a new approach.
Most of these homes will be tower-based homes, which sure sounds like condos.
Photo: Four Seasons
By building up rather than out, the Four Seasons expansion at Golden Oak takes up substantially less space.
The homes will remain decadent, though. The Four Seasons has hired the same design firm that built the hotel, arguably the best at Walt Disney World.
Photo: Four Seasons
So, more Golden Oak greatness is on the way. I wonder who the new neighbors will be…
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
