Holiday Inn Reopening Reconnects to Disney World

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL-After nearly four decades operating outside the perimeter of Walt Disney World, Holiday Inn has unlocked its first hotel on resort property. The 14-story, 323-room hotel formally opened last week and reported a nearly sold-out crowd in its first weekend.

InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns the iconic Holiday Inn brand, invested $35 million in renovations to the hotel that originated in 1973 as a Howard Johnson hotel and later carried the Courtyard by Marriott brand. The hotel was acquired by IHG in 2003 and has been closed for the past six years after sustaining hurricane wind damage.

Although Holiday Inn has several locations throughout the area surrounding Disney World west of Orlando, this is the first location to actually open on Disney property. The longtime hotel flag has had a strong presence near Disney’s four local theme parks dating back to the 1971 Magic Kingdom opening.