Disney Lakeshore Lodge (formerly Reflections) is a nature-inspired resort being built on the former River Country water park on Bay Lake. Located between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World, it’ll feature both hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas.
Originally announced in October 2018, this Lakeside/Lakeshore Lodge will “be a celebration of Walt Disney’s lifelong love and respect for nature” with more than 900 hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas. Reflections resort was slated to be the 16th Disney Vacation Club property, part of a significant expansion on the hotel side of Walt Disney World. It’ll now be the 19th DVC resort, and part of a new wave of significant expansion.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is billed by the company as one of the “most unique resorts ever built” at Walt Disney World. Previously released concept art showcases a range of novel accommodations, including both treehouse suites and waterfront A-frame cabins. There is also expected to be a waterfront restaurant located “along the bayou of Bay Lake.”
Work quietly resumed on this project 18 months ago, and has moved at a really fast pace. The base structures have now been topped off at their maximum heights, and work is underway inside the buildings and around the grounds. In the photos below, you can see the pool, waterfront restaurant, boat dock, and outlying A-frame cabins all taking shape.
Active construction is visible from Bay Lake, Wilderness Lodge, and even the Settlement area of Fort Wilderness. It’s interesting to watch, even if you’re not necessarily excited about the finished product. There’s zero construction impact on guest rooms/campsites at Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness, but it’s very visible from the Settlement of the latter.
Below is a look at new aerial photos from mid-February 2026 showcasing the latest progress on Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, which continues to move at an incredibly fast pace ahead of its planned 2027 opening. As always, all aerial photos are courtesy of friend of the site bioreconstruct, who graciously provided the construction photos here…
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is going to be a 10-story resort with 900 rooms arranged in a “W” layout of its wings, with two main courtyards. What you see above is more or less the final footprint of the resort, which is very large. You’d have to go back to Art of Animation or Animal Kingdom Lodge for the last resort of this size.
By contrast, Wilderness Lodge has has a 7-story main building and 728 rooms in total. The largest resort in the Magic Kingdom area is currently Grand Floridian; it’s just over 1,000 rooms between the hotel and DVC wings. Lakeshore Lodge will be fairly close in size to the main resort–with more inventory than the Poly or Contemporary.
Relative to recent resorts, Disney’s Riviera Resort is 9-stories tall but with only 300 rooms. This will be one story taller and with a significantly larger footprint. It’s not necessarily triple the size of the Riviera, but it’s the largest new resort at Walt Disney World in a long time–with more room inventory than Riviera and Island Tower combined.
Walt Disney World hasn’t said much officially about Disney Lakeshore Lodge in the year-plus since announcing it was back in development. However, we know that the footprint is unchanged from the previous permits and site plans for Reflections.
Back at the 2019 D23 Expo, Parks Chairman Bob Chapek announced this restaurant would be “along the bayou of Bay Lake” have a Princess and the Frog theme. However, that was before Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and more additions of Princess and the Frog at Port Orleans, so another IP might be chosen.
During that D23, Disney also announced that there would be both A-frame cabins and elevated treehouses. As of February 2026, standalone unit construction consists entirely of the A-frames. However, there should be a second row of structures on the side closer to Clementine Beach (see below), and that should consist of 5 treehouses if Disney is recycling the Reflections plans completely.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is projected to open in 2027. Given the current pace of the project, our expectation is that it opens in the first half of 2027. Quite honestly, it wouldn’t surprise us in the least if Disney moved this up to late 2026.
It probably depends on when it’s most strategically-advantageous to launch a new DVC resort from a sales perspective, so perhaps Island Tower sales are more outcome-determinative than construction progress.
Disney is utilizing the same efficient construction method for Lakeshore Lodge that likewise enabled Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort to be built expeditiously. Note that there are multiple connected buildings that form the main resort, and not all have been equally far along throughout the project.
Although Disney hasn’t said much about Lakeshore Lodge, the site plans and aerial photo confirm a lot. Both indicate that there will be a lazy river and feature pool, along with a waterfront restaurant in the courtyard closer to Fort Wilderness. The lower courtyard will hold the quiet pool and boat dock.
The Disney Lakeshore Lodge towers will, quite literally, tower over Pioneer Hall. For reference, Disney Lakeshore Lodge is much closer to Pioneer Hall than Gran Destino is to the (old) main lobby of Coronado Springs or even Island Tower is to the existing longhouses at the Polynesian.
No photos do this justice. Even after seeing construction plans illustrating just how close the two are, I was still taken aback when seeing this construction in person. It is right there, and the only way to fully convey that is by standing in the Settlement and seeing the tower taking shape.
Even though we can see it taking shape in plain view and know a lot thanks to permits and other public filings, the only thing Walt Disney World has revealed in the last year-plus is this: “The proposed Disney Lakeshore Lodge will be located within the same footprint of the previously announced Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge resort. Additional information will be released at a later time.”
That’s it. Walt Disney World has not shared new concept art, how Disney Lakeshore Lodge will differ from Reflections, or anything else. Again, Disney Lakeshore Lodge will be a 10-story mixed use property with a hotel wing and DVC wing, plus waterfront treehouses and A-frame cabins.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge will also offer a main feature pool and a leisure pool, with the former being the flagship amenity at the resort. The highlight of Disney Lakeshore Lodge’s pool complex will be a lazy river, making it only the third Walt Disney World hotel to offer one, joining the iconic Stormalong Bay at the Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge’s feature pool will also include a zero-entry design for easy access, water slides, and a splash pad for the children’s play area. Positioned near the lake and nestled behind the main hotel building, the pool area is expected to offer scenic waterfront views of Bay Lake.
Every new resort needs a marquee offering–a selling point. Island Tower has the Polynesian and monorail, Riviera Resort has the Skyliner. Disney Lakeshore Lodge will have an impressive pool. It’s not only a logical feature, but a great nod to the River Country water park (see below) that it replaces. I’m sure there will be many River Country nods and easter eggs for longtime Walt Disney World fans in the pool complex.
While the structures and layout are unlikely to differ from the previous plans, don’t be surprised if there are material changes to the appearance of Disney Lakeshore Lodge versus Reflections.
This is purely speculative, but with so much passage of time, different leadership both at Imagineering and Parks & Resorts, and shifting trends in hotel design, it seems inevitable that what we first saw in 2018 will change to some degree by the time it opens almost a decade later. Basically, anything aesthetic is likely to change, whereas the original site plans seem to be set in stone.
Our hope is that the interior is made to look more interesting, timeless, and ‘lodgy.’ What was previously shown is dated already, and looked fairly unambitious. But there’s no reason to believe the bigger picture plans for the exterior, layout, etc. have changed.
There’s another misconception among fans that the original Reflections plans were simply recycled for the Island Tower at the Polynesian. That is categorically false. I know they’re both bland and boring towers that appear relatively interchangeable, but they are distinct.
I’ll admit that warming to Disney Lakeshore Lodge, and suspect many skeptics will do the same once this pool complex and lazy river are officially announced. Part of this is that Disney already did site-prep, cleared tons of trees, and dumped millions of dollars into developing this parcel. It’s inevitable that they’d build on this land at some point down the road, and that it would be a tower. Might as well happen sooner rather than later so we can enjoy the offering.
We love both Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness, and now have a daughter who will be the perfect age for Walt Disney World–and enjoying these resorts–by the time Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens in 2027. I’m also really looking forward to getting the walking path connecting the resorts back.
Being able to stay at Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness and having access to all three will be nice, as will those early morning and sunset strolls. Maybe Lakeshore Lodge will have a stacked restaurants and amenities slate (like Riviera!), and we’ll be able to stay at the comparatively inexpensive Cabins at Fort Wilderness while enjoying a robust restaurant lineup. Even if the building is ugly and out-of-place amidst the frontier, and it certainly is, it also presents undeniable practical upsides and should boast formidable features.
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In the intervening years since Disney Lakeshore Lodge was mothballed, a trio of new Disney Vacation Club projects in the Magic Kingdom resort area has come to life. This includes the new resort studios at Grand Floridian, which was a room conversion project. There’s also the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort; as the name suggests, that’s a brand-new tower, built between the Poly and Grand Floridian.
Finally, there’s the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (pictured below). They’ve proven controversial among Disney fans, but we love the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness. The biggest question mark–does Disney Lakeshore Lodge help or hinder sales of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness? The answer probably depends upon how Disney treats them. If they’re part of the same trust/condo association, sales of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness will improve.
The other reason it’s worth drawing attention to these projects is because there are a lot of them. There’s also the Villas at Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Riviera Resort, and Aulani in Hawaii. This is all significant because it means a ton of points being sold simultaneously, and numerous resorts competing with one another for the attention of buyers.
All of these new Disney Vacation Club resorts still in active sales explains why Walt Disney World hasn’t said much about Disney Lakeshore Lodge. They don’t want to take attention away from those, causing people to wait and see what happens with Lakeshore Lodge before buying DVC.
The only thing Disney has done is buried an announcement in a newsletter–no press release, concept art, or any fanfare. And the only reason they did that because speculation was rampant based on a multitude of construction permits, appearance of cranes on-site, and the resort starting to go vertical. It was an open secret, and would’ve been silly for Disney to pretend otherwise.
Radio silence isn’t Disney’s normal MO when it comes to new construction. If anything, they typically overshare and try too hard to generate hype. So this is very much a divergence from the norm. However, it’s very consistent with past precedent when it comes to Disney Vacation Club. I still remember when Bay Lake Tower was going vertical and plainly visible from the monorail…and DVC sales reps pretended it didn’t exist.
Nevertheless, our expectation is that Walt Disney World starts sharing more about Disney Lakeshore Lodge in 2026. With an opening likely in the first half of 2027, it’s likely that sales will start around mid-2026. This means that DVC should really start pulling back the curtain on Lakeshore Lodge in Spring 2026, generating excitement and buzz.
In the last few years, Disney Vacation Club hasn’t been afraid to have several properties for sale simultaneously. That didn’t used to be the case. Now, DVC is fine with a larger number of properties being available for sale, with the thought process that more variety equals greater consumer choice and a higher likelihood of selling memberships. (After all, they’re all going to sell out eventually…well, maybe minus Aulani and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness!)
Having more unsold DVC inventory at Walt Disney World isn’t particularly concerning because it serves as hotel inventory in the meantime that can be booked out at higher cash rates. There’s still a lot of Riviera and Island Tower at the Poly that haven’t been declared, and those rooms fetch $600+ per night on the hotel side.
Turning to my original commentary, I love Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. I’m a Disney Vacation Club member. In theory, Disney Lakeshore Lodge seems perfectly tailored to some of my favorite things about Walt Disney World. I want to love the idea of the River Country parcel finally being redeveloped, instead of rotting in plain sight. I’m truly hopeful for the best here.
Unfortunately, like pretty much every Fort Wilderness fan, I’m very apprehensive about this Disney Vacation Club project (well, mixed-use, but presumably mostly DVC). Part of what makes Fort Wilderness special is that it’s been relatively undisturbed by time, and is one of the last bastions of “Vacation Kingdom of the World” era of WDW.
It’s almost remarkable how different Fort Wilderness feels from the rest of Walt Disney World—even its neighbor, Wilderness Lodge. It’s almost as if Walt Disney World leadership has forgotten about Fort Wilderness, and it hasn’t seen the same fiscal mandates, changes in emphasis, or character as every other resort over the last couple decades. In large part, it’s been doing its thing, more or less unchanged since the 1990s.
There’s a very legitimate concern, especially after seeing how the Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge projects at Wilderness Lodge unfolded, that any expansion at or around Fort Wilderness will destroy the primitive and secluded characteristics of the campground that give it so much appeal. After all, this is a campground with wilderness right in the name–the environment is the heart and soul of Fort Wilderness.
The development of Disney Lakeshore Lodge doesn’t necessarily have to destroy the tranquil and secluded atmosphere of Fort Wilderness, but that seems like a very distinct possibility. Disney’s recent approach to developing hotels adjacent to existing resorts doesn’t inspire much confidence, and if there’s a ham-fisted approach when clearing land or an overzealous mentality when it comes to the size or proximity of the resort to the campground, it will be incredibly detrimental to Fort Wilderness.
As for the design, only a couple pieces of concept art have been released, and they’re nothing special. I don’t want to rush to judgment here, as I think there is potential for this to end up being interesting once more is released, but right now it looks like a fairly generic hotel with some modern rustic flourishes.
On the plus side, Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) is the lead designer for Disney Lakeshore Lodge, and they have a very good track record with Disney. They designed the original Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, along with Disney hotels in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong.
If this were a decade or two ago, I might be more deferential to Disney with regard to this concept art. However, the last several years have shown that Walt Disney World is very hit or miss with resort development and redesigns, skewing towards boring designs. It seems the approach is to choose the most middle-of-the-road offerings as possible so as to not alienate those with bland tastes.
When you compare Walt Disney World resorts built before the mid-1990s to ones built or redesigned in the last few years, there’s generally a clear division. Contemporary projects are often interchangeable with real world Holiday Inns or other mid-tier chained brand hotels.
Look at the difference between BoardWalk Inn or Beach Club and the new Gran Destino Tower at Coronado or Disney’s Riviera Resort. Don’t get me wrong–I like both for the amenities they offer, luxuriousness, and room designs. However, the exteriors of both leave a lot to be desired, and neither are exactly exemplars of themed design. (Admittedly, they have both grown on me a lot, but I still wish they were more ornate or unique.)
One explanation is that Disney wants to make things as crowd-pleasing as possible so as to not alienate any potential customers. The thing about this approach is that when you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one.
Another explanation is that Imagineering’s talents are spread too thin. I know some readers might only follow the projects at Walt Disney World, but every single property around the world has huge projects in various stages of development or construction.
In the past when less was occurring simultaneously, maybe some top-tier Imagineering talent who “got” Disney’s distinct approach to hotels worked on a resort project. Now? Maybe they’re mostly designers who view working for WDI as “just another job” no different than Best Western or IHG.
Along those same lines, with so many projects in development, it’s entirely possible–if not probable–that leadership in the Parks & Resorts division is trying to trim the budget from each one, cutting aspects or details viewed as superfluous.
The problem is that those leaders are not creatives, and their experience is often in consumer products or other division of the company. They have absolutely no insight into what details are actually superfluous, and what are necessary for reinforcing theme or creating a sense of immersion.
Ultimately, more concept art could be released that’s really good. The project could employ a deft hand when developing around Fort Wilderness in a way that doesn’t damage that landscape. (Disney, just think of how much you could pat yourselves on the back by utilizing eco-friendly and sustainable construction practices–it’d be worth it in the PR alone!) It could end up being really good–a true tribute to both Walt Disney’s love of nature, but the spirit of River Country, which was never coming back anyway.
I’m cautiously optimistic that’s what could end up happening, but I think it’s equally likely that we’ll get a generically modern and vaguely rustic design. It’s also more likely that instead of eco-friendly construction that preserves the natural beauty and wilderness of the area, we get excessive tree clearing for the construction, and an end product akin to Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge in terms of wide walkways and bare grounds.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you optimistic or pessimistic about Disney Lakeshore Lodge? What do you think of the potential of this and other new hotels at Walt Disney World? Any other questions or comments? Hearing your feedback is part of the fun, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!