View Full Version : Belz
DisneyDreamer
13-05-2005, 17:00
Hi, just reading another forum (just there for a brief time honest guv!) and notice that they are closing down Belz as it has been bought by Premium Outlets and they are now going to call Festival Bay - Belz Festival Bay? Does anybody know anything about this?
I must admit Belz was looking a bit tired but I did get some great bargains there and the Disney and Universal stores were great.
Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere.
Andy and Wendy
13-05-2005, 17:50
That is (sad) news!
Maybe not surprising though as Belz was clearly feeling the competition with a few vacant units (not as many as Festival Bay though which is must only be about 25% occupied).
I think Belz also suffered through having grown in "bits" over the years - an annex here and an annex there didn't help you move around very easily.
Still felt it was better for bargains than Premium Outlets though, which is a bit more "flash". Our second fave for bargians is Lake Buena Vista outlets
The other big advantage of Belz/LBV was ease of access - every time we've been to Premium the road system didn't seem as geared up to take the levels of traffic that outlets can generate.
All IMHO of course!
Andy
Cruella DeVilla
13-05-2005, 18:06
Not surprised as Beltz has run itself down over the last 10 years or so. We never visit now.
eagleydo
13-05-2005, 21:47
Belz although always worth a visit was getting less and less over the last couple of years and premium outlets certainly had more of our shopping visits.
Just been googling for the full story, and i can't find anything about this. We've been fans of Belz for a long while, and it's sad to see the shape it's in now. When we last out over Easter i thought that there were less units empty than last year, so maybe they had turned the corner.
anyone post the news story?
DisneyDreamer
14-05-2005, 12:19
The Story originates from Simon Veness, the author of The Brits Guide to Disney and Orlando, on another site. I too Googled it and found nothing, the story really doesnt surprise me though.
Ray&Sarah
14-05-2005, 13:27
It is a shame if it is in deed true, but this happens everywhere new things open and the older ones loose their trade, shame though we liked Beltz when we first visited Orlando.[msnsmile]
I did find some mention about belz/premium outlet's for Las Vegas for 2003, but other than that nothing. Maybe the official word hasn't been released yet. If Orlando Sentinel can publish that osceola Mall is sold, i'm sure they'd do the same with Belz.
DisneyDreamer
14-05-2005, 15:14
"The Belz Discount Outlet World and Belz Designer Outlets at the top of I-Drive will be CLOSING this month. They were starting to look very tired and they have been sold by their owner to the Prime Outlets company of Boston, who apparently plan a major refurbishment and re-launch for them, with plans to take on Orlando Premium Outlets for style and quality. Festival Bay (which is owned by the Belz company) will then be renamed Belz Festival Bay to try to cash in one the Belz reputation in this part of the world."
This is the quote from the source I mentioned above, if I am not allowed copy this quote over here please feel free to delete[msnscared]
CarolAnn
14-05-2005, 19:47
I thought Festival Bay was a completely different enterprise? We saw it in 2004, with the indoor skate park, Ron Jon's and numerous different shops,including the chocolate shop with choc dipped strawberries, along with a cinema etc[msnsmile]
Beltz has always been one of our favourite shopping malls, will be lost without it when we go in August.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by CarolAnn
I thought Festival Bay was a completely different enterprise? We saw it in 2004, with the indoor skate park, Ron Jon's and numerous different shops,including the chocolate shop with choc dipped strawberries, along with a cinema etc[msnsmile]
[/quote]
Me too its just across the road[msnscared]
IanandSarah
15-05-2005, 14:42
Do you think Bass Pro is included?
Ian and Sarah
LiesaAnna
15-05-2005, 15:19
we didnt spend as much time at Belz last visit compared to our first visit, so many shopping malls to choose from! desisions desisions!!
Sarah will have to find another Character Warehouse for the out of date Disney stuff. This shop is one of Sarah's favourites as it's normally the place she finds all those 'what can i buy ..' type prezzies.
traceya89
19-05-2005, 02:26
i loved the hard rock cafe outlet in belz which used to be the planet hollywood outlet. the character warehouse for disney and universal stuff were good places for bargains and i love the welcome home outlet. i am saddened that these will not be there when i next visit florida.
djdigitald
19-05-2005, 18:57
Festival Bay is a total different outlet to Belz, the only thing i can think of is that the same company own Festival Bay that are buying Belz hence calling it Belz Festival Bay. I have to admit though apart from the odd shops like Oudoor World, Ron Jons and a couple of others as well as Bill Murrays Caddyshack Festival Bay is pretty poor for a new development as it is only about 45% full. It kind of sums up the whole situation with I Drive and how poor it is becoming. :(
Belz was looking really tired this time (we were there for 3 weeks, just got home) we went just the once for some shopping there and ended up stopping at Premium afterwards as Belz shopping had been unproductive! So closing down explains a lot - looking on the positive side, it might relaunch to be really good again as there are a lot of tired looking outlets at that end of I drive.
We have just been to Belz yesterday, and it looked as if it was flourishing OK to me. There were plenty of people looking around and the shops seemed to be well stocked and staffed ?
Festival Bay is on the opposite side of the road and still has about 50% empty units. There was certainly no sign of decline in the popularity of Belz and although the units are older and a little "worn" at least they have businesses in them. Perhaps the rumours are a ploy to try to get businesses to migrate across the road??
DisneyDreamer
20-05-2005, 00:41
Just had a look at the thread where I found this info originally and this is the latest update from the author.......
"The info that I was given was that Belz will be closing down 'this month' and that new owners Prime Outlets (www.primeoutlets.com) plan a major makeover for them to make them go head-to-head with Orlando Premium Outlets. No-one seems to know any timescale involved, but I'd have to think the Belz malls (and the Designer Outlet centre) as they exist now would need to close for several months for the re-design."
There are other places more cheaper now so loosing out.
We always visited Beltz in the middle of the day, a good way to cool down Premium Mall is outside and that for me is a real no no.
Steve and Dawn
20-05-2005, 12:05
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by djdigitald
Festival Bay is a total different outlet to Belz, the only thing i can think of is that the same company own Festival Bay that are buying Belz hence calling it Belz Festival Bay. I have to admit though apart from the odd shops like Oudoor World, Ron Jons and a couple of others as well as Bill Murrays Caddyshack Festival Bay is pretty poor for a new development as it is only about 45% full. <span style="color:green">It kind of sums up the whole situation with I Drive and how poor it is becoming</span id="green">. :(
[/quote]
I think it's more a case of over saturation of these type of places. Look at Pointe Orlando. There are loads of empty units. It started off well and went downhill fast with the closing of FAO Shwartz.
Steve & Dawn
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by DisneyDreamer
Just had a look at the thread where I found this info originally and this is the latest update from the author.......
"The info that I was given was that Belz will be closing down 'this month' and that new owners Prime Outlets (www.primeoutlets.com) plan a major makeover for them to make them go head-to-head with Orlando Premium Outlets. No-one seems to know any timescale involved, but I'd have to think the Belz malls (and the Designer Outlet centre) as they exist now would need to close for several months for the re-design."
[/quote]
if this is true it would be great.i for one dont like belz and love the premium outlets so if belz is being taken over and redeveloped into something bigger and better than this is great news for i-drive.i also love festival bay and if this were to get more filled with shops it would be brilliant and it would really help out the declineing i-drive as it is at the moment.
As we always stay in hotels we use i-drive almost on a daily basis so are definatly up for more redevelopment and change.Here's hoping pointe orlando can follow suite and not become completly deserted[msnsad]
dave.parks
21-05-2005, 23:37
Hi
Does anyone know if the shops that are established in Belze are going to be transferred to the new site? I have been buying my clothes from a small ladies shop in Belze for some years and am really upset that I will not be able to have my normal shopping spree in August - whats worse, is that if they shut next month and have relocated I will not know where they have gone to!
Jackie
i would imagine some of the more established places in belz would either move over to festival bay or just rent a new lot in the new outlet that will be built in its place.i cant imagine them all just closing down so hopefully the most that might change is the layout of the place and all our fave shops will still trade from the new outlet
LiesaAnna
22-05-2005, 01:02
just had a nosey on their website and they seem to have promotional dates for 2005, and how unfair is this!!!!! theyre having a tent sale :-
OCTOBER
14-16 Fall Tent Sale (Belz Factory Outlet World parking lot)
there words not mine!! and guess who goes home on the 13th of october?????????????
YES ME!!!!!!!
[V]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
just had a nosey on their website and they seem to have promotional dates for 2005, and how unfair is this!!!!! theyre having a tent sale :-
OCTOBER
14-16 Fall Tent Sale (Belz Factory Outlet World parking lot)
there words not mine!! and guess who goes home on the 13th of october?????????????
YES ME!!!!!!!
[V]
[/quote]
I arrive on the 13th, but what is a tent sale
LiesaAnna
22-05-2005, 02:06
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_17221.asp
have aread here i think this is the right one![msncry][msncry][msncry]
Florida3883
22-05-2005, 11:57
Don't worry Liesa, Di will do lots of shopping the the "Tent Sale", whatever that is??
LiesaAnna
22-05-2005, 13:41
tents on the sidewalks having sales!!! everyone likes a sale!!!!have seen postings on here before about it and apparently you can get some good bargains!!
DisneyDreamer
22-05-2005, 15:17
Ohhh Liesa you are a girl after my own heart, nothing beats the high of getting a great bargain!!!
Anybody visiting in the next couple of weeks might get some really good bargains if the shops are closing/relocating.