Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort

Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort
Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort
Residential community
	Official logo
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Orange
City	Lake Buena Vista

Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort is an upscale residential community within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and is owned and operated by a newly formed Disney subsidiary, Golden Oak Realty. The first phase of development is located southeast of the Magic Kingdom Park in Bay Lake. The area was named to pay homage to Walt Disney's Golden Oak Ranch in California.^[1] The first few home sites were available for purchase in late 2010 and completed in late 2011.^[2] Later on, a Four Seasons resort opened due north of the property with the company purchasing several properties to serve in its "private residences" initiative on the WDW property.

Overview[]

The community was announced on June 23, 2010 through the official Disney Parks Blog. Most homes are listed as multimillion-dollar properties aimed at the highly affluent. Nightly fireworks from the Magic Kingdom can be seen, and heard, from all of the homes. There are multiple lakes throughout the community as well as a small river, meaning some of the properties are technically lake-front. A clubhouse^[3] was constructed in the style of a quaint Italian villa alongside the community containing a game room, a restaurant, and a pool all available for free to the residents of Golden Oak. It hosts many of the social gatherings central to the community, serving as a hub for the entire community to bond over. Its design and construction was overseen by project manager David Hulme, a Georgetown and UNC alumnus that has extensive experience in the real estate market. The clubhouse also has various scents pumped via the ventilation system, similar to many other Disney establishments.

Neighborhoods[]

Golden Oak has several neighborhoods dedicated to different eras of architecture.

Kimball Trace[]

This neighborhood's theme is based on Tuscan architecture, with houses ranging in size between 3,000 sq ft (280 m²) and 5,000 sq ft (460 m²).^[4] The neighborhood is named for animator and member of Disney's Nine Old Men, Ward Kimball.^[5]

Silverbrook[]

Houses here range from 5,000 sq ft (460 m²) to 7,000 sq ft (650 m²).^[6]

Carolwood[]

Carolwood is located at the northernmost part of the development. The largest houses are located here. It was part of an old golf course.^[7]

The name Carolwood is taken from Walt Disney's private railroad, which was built before Disneyland and its perimeter railroad opened in 1955.

Marceline[]

Marceline includes two parks and houses ranging between 3,800 sq ft (350 m²) and 6,000 sq ft (560 m²).^[8] The neighborhood is named after Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri.^[9]

Kingswell[]

Named after the street in Los Angeles where Walt and Roy Disney started their animation studio in 1923, houses in this neighborhood range from approximately 5,000 sq ft (460 m²) to 7,000 sq ft (650 m²). The initial homesites have half-acre lots.^[10]

Symphony Grove[]

An homage to “Silly Symphonies,” Walt Disney's animated short-film classics, this new neighborhood is intended to be whimsical. Homesites are approximately one-quarter acre in size, with homes anticipated to range in size between 3,600 sq ft (330 m²) and 4,900 sq ft (460 m²).^[11]