Here’s a question for you: When is a beach resort not actually a beach resort? Answer: When it’s the new Evermore Resort in Orlando, with a signature Crystal Lagoon as its centrepiece.
That’s the startling conclusion from our first look at this astounding hotel and villa complex close to Walt Disney World, which opened in early 2024 and is challenging the usual concept of seaside appeal by providing a really intriguing alternative to a trip to the coast.
But before we amaze you with the story of this new paragon of holiday luxury, let’s take a step back and provide some background detail of a resort that cost a reputed $1.5billion (yes, that’s billion with a ‘b’!), and which features incredible proprietary technology from a company in Santiago, Chile.
The Crystal Lagoon story began in 2004 in San Alfonso del Mar in Chile with “the world’s biggest swimming pool,” a 20-acre marvel at the heart of a luxury apartment development. The brainchild of Fernando Fischmann, it centred on new technologies for water filtration and reduced evaporation, enabling the creation of dazzling aquamarine “lagoons” that looked like oversized pools, utilising fresh water to create the effect of crystal clear seawater (think of the James Bond film Thunderball, set in the impossibly blue waters of the Bahamas).
Fischmann’s Chilean creation – which was roughly the size of 6,000 normal swimming pools – was so popular that demand immediately sprang up around the world for resorts based on the lagoon-style design, especially as it used less energy, water and chemicals than a traditional pool and was therefore far more environmentally friendly. It also won all kinds of design and green awards, as well as the Guinness Book of World Records honour for largest crystalline lagoon on the planet.
Fast forward to 2024, and Orlando debuted its very first Crystal Lagoon (and only the third in Florida) with the super-cool Evermore Resort, a massive construction that incorporated the former Villas of Grand Cypress resort just outside Disney’s east boundary, as well as two golf courses. Building around the newly-titled Evermore Bay, the owners brought in a deluxe Conrad Hotel at one end of the lagoon, and a series of 206 ultra-smart five-storey, four-bedroom vacation apartments, which they call Flats, along one flank.
In addition to the 41 traditional two and four-bed villas, they also boosted the family accommodation component by constructing their own all-new holiday homes, which range from five to 11 (yes, eleven!) bedrooms and sleep from 15 to 32 people in fabulous style. Every bedroom has its own en suite bathroom, and additional amenities include private pools, cinema and games rooms, bunk beds and patios with sun loungers, as well as enormous gourmet kitchens and masses of space. The 11-bed version comes in at a whopping 7,818sq feet, which is about the size of four normal houses.
Even better, the Evermore combines the best of the vacation villa concept with true resort amenities, including 12 different dining and drink options, 36 holes of golf and plenty of daily activities. In fact, we think you could spend a full week here without ever setting foot in one of the nearby theme parks!
The dining options are pretty remarkable, too, from a totally family friendly Food Court and fancy Twin View Restaurant, to the uber-elegant elevated rooftop dining of Ceiba, a sophisticated venue atop the Conrad Hotel that features delicious regional Mexican cuisine. The hotel’s first Conrad-branded Spa is also a thing of beauty and high style.
But the crown jewel is undoubtedly the 20-acre Evermore Bay, complete with its eight-acre Crystal Lagoon. This is the amenity that sets the resort aside from all its competitors and makes it truly, eye-catchingly unique.
With its own giant water slide, rope swing, pop-jet fountains, zero-depth-entry pool and high-jump platform, the Bay is practically a water-theme park in its own right, with the addition of kayaking, paddle-boarding and boating on the lagoon, which took three months to fill.
Of course, the winning feature in many ways are the areas of actual pristine sandy beach that line much of the lagoon, giving it the appeal and appearance of being right by the sea – but without any of that nasty salt water or anything that might nibble at your ankles! Yes, there is no sealife of any kind to worry about, while neither does the water have that distinct chlorine taste or smell you get with most large swimming pools. The main part of the lagoon reaches eight feet in depth, while it also goes down to 14ft at the Blue Hole for the rope swing and diving.
It is a gargantuan operation, but one that has managed to be mainly off the radar with many tourist companies so far this year, hence it is largely crowd-free, for the time being at least. We don’t expect that to remain the case in future but, with the sheer size of the resort, it can accommodate a LOT of people with ease and ensure you really do have that relaxed seaside vibe.
As a special occasion destination it also takes some beating, hence it is already proving popular for weddings and private events, while its location practically at Disney’s back door makes it unique, location-wise, as there isn’t another hotel for a couple of miles.
PS: Want to take a virtual walk around the resort and see what it’s all about? Check out this link and enjoy the 360-degree panorama of this amazing place.
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