Anyone who has driven to Walt Disney World knows the stretch where Interstate 4 meets U.S. Highway 192. It’s a major gateway into Central Florida’s tourism corridor, lined with hotels, restaurants, and billboards all competing for the attention of vacationers headed to the parks.
For years, though, one corner of that intersection has been impossible to miss for all the wrong reasons. The former Orlando Sun Resort, once the Hyatt Orlando with 900 rooms, closed in 2012 and sat abandoned for more than a decade. Overgrown and crumbling, it became a magnet for urban explorers and a well-known eyesore just minutes from Disney property.
That’s finally changing. Demolition began earlier this year, and the developers behind the site’s redevelopment have big ambitions for what comes next.
This week, they gave everyone a much clearer look, per Orlando Weekly.Â
Meet Ovation Orlando
On Tuesday, November 10, RSP Architects released new renderings of Ovation Orlando, the entertainment and retail district planned for the former Orlando Sun Resort site in Kissimmee, less than a mile from Walt Disney World.
The numbers are big. The project covers about 77 acres, and RSP describes it as a 650,000-square-foot “high-end, music-inspired concept.” GrowthSpotter, as cited by Pirates & Princesses, reported that it’s now being described as a $2 billion development.
Plans call for a lineup of restaurants, a 350-room hotel, a convention center, shopping, and entertainment venues. Accesso has said the hotel will be part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. Developers have also floated flashy ideas like towering digital billboards, and even the possibility of a Las Vegas-style sphere venue somewhere down the road.
Three Districts, One Long Walk
Ovation Orlando will be split into three districts, all tied together by an L-shaped walkway.
The Garden is the most laid-back of the three. It’s planned as a waterfront area with tropical landscaping and outdoor dining, the kind of spot made for slowing down after a long park day.
The Gallery focuses on art, technology, and immersive experiences. It’s also where the hotel and convention center will be located.
The Vibe is the high-energy heart of the project. Expect restaurants, live performances, nightlife, and Times Square-style digital screens. This district will also have its own multi-story parking garage right along I-4, designed so drivers can see it from the highway. The structure will double as a massive billboard, which means it could become one of the most eye-catching sights on the drive to Disney.
The Team Behind the Transformation
Ovation Orlando is being developed by Accesso, a South Florida real estate firm, along with its joint venture partner, Meyers Group. The pair bought the property last December. Orlando Weekly reported the price at $73.3 million, while other outlets have described it as more than $70 million.
Before closing on the purchase, Accesso negotiated a development agreement with Osceola County, which has long wanted the abandoned site cleaned up. The company has also been expanding its footprint nearby, recently acquiring the neighboring Delta Hotels by Marriott Orlando Celebration, which adds about 20 more acres to its holdings.
So who will actually move in? That’s still a mystery. No tenants have been officially named yet, but developers say the mix will be roughly one-third restaurants, one-third entertainment, and one-third retail. As of October, letters of intent covered about 450,000 square feet of space, according to The Orlando Real, as cited by Pirates & Princesses.
From Demolition to Opening Day
The project already has momentum. Demolition of the old resort began in February, and developers are now targeting a groundbreaking in the first quarter of 2027. If everything stays on track, Ovation Orlando is expected to open in 2028.
It’s worth remembering that the plans have shifted along the way. Back in 2024, an earlier concept presented to Osceola County described more than 800,000 square feet of retail and a 500-room hotel. Today’s version comes in at 650,000 square feet with a 350-room hotel, and GrowthSpotter reported that a select-service hotel once planned for the south end of the site has been dropped.
There are still plenty of open questions. We don’t know which restaurants, shops, or entertainment brands will sign on, and the Las Vegas-style sphere venue is still just a possibility, not a promise. Large developments like this can also see their timelines change, so 2028 is a target rather than a guarantee.
A New Stop on the Way to the Parks
For years, the old Orlando Sun Resort was the kind of place drivers glanced at and wondered how it was still standing. If Ovation Orlando comes together as planned, that same corner could become a destination of its own, with music, food, and plenty of glowing screens just a short drive from Disney.
We’ll keep tracking the project as tenants are announced and construction gets underway.
Now we want to hear from you. What would you love to see at Ovation Orlando? A favorite restaurant chain that’s missing from the area, a concert venue, or maybe that rumored sphere? Tell us in the comments. And if you ever stayed at the property back in its Hyatt Orlando or Orlando Sun Resort days, we’d love to hear your memories too.
