Aerial Photos Reveal Disney Lakeshore Lodge Construction Size & Speed Near Magic Kingdom
Construction on Disney Lakeshore Lodge, the newest mixed-use Magic Kingdom resort that’ll be both DVC and a regular hotel, is flying along at a rapid pace that strongly suggests the massive resort will easily make its 2027 opening date target. This shares new aerial photos and progress on what was formerly Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.
In case you’re unfamiliar with Disney Lakeshore Lodge or Reflections, it was originally paused during the COVID closure of Walt Disney World, which happened 5 years ago. We’ve covered that at length elsewhere, so we’re not going to rehash it here. Suffice to say, here’s everything you need to know about Disney Lakeshore Lodge.
Demolition of the abandoned River Country water park already happened in 2019, as had site clearing and prepwork for the new lodge in early 2020. Pre-closure, the project was getting very close to beginning actual construction, so it should come as little surprise that it is now vertical and several stories of Disney Lakeshore Lodge have been built.
Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge was previously set to debut in 2022, but Disney Lakeshore Lodge is not set to open until 2027. This makes sense given the delay, and suggests the construction timeframe from start to finish is more or less unchanged–it was just delayed by ~5 years.
In the interim, Walt Disney World opted to convert the Cabins at Fort Wilderness into Disney Vacation Club inventory. “Convert” isn’t really the right word–they replaced the old cabins with brand-new ones that are more modernized and mirror (to some extent) what we’re expecting of Disney Lakeshore Lodge.
These cabins are one of a trio of stop-gap projects aimed at adding DVC inventory in lieu of Reflections, along with the Island Tower at the Poly and Resort Studios at the Grand Florida. Whereas the monorail loop projects were low-risk, slam dunk additions that would sell themselves, the cabin conversion is another story entirely.
The DVC Cabins opened in phases starting about one year ago. They’ve proven controversial among Disney fans, but we love the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
As part of the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness conversion, Disney announced a “collection of improvement projects” at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground designed to enhance the guest experience. Examples include pool and walking trail enhancements, as well as expanded dining experiences at Trail’s End Restaurant and Crockett’s Tavern.
Earlier this month, Walt Disney World announced a pool expansion project at the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool Area that continues this initiative. A new zero-entry pool and deck area is being built alongside the existing pool, effectively doubling the space for guests to enjoy. The expansion will also include a tennis court and two pickleball courts, giving families even more ways to play together in the great outdoors.
Above is a look at progress, which was underway prior to the announcement (permits were first filed almost a year ago). This should help improve the pool lineup at Fort Wilderness, and also relieve the burden on Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens, assuming that DVC Cabins guests are eligible to use that feature pool (which isn’t a sure thing).
(All aerial photos courtesy of theme park eye in the sky bioreconstruct, a highly recommended follow who graciously provided the construction photos here.)
Flying a bit higher, we have a high-level look at the entirety of Fort Wilderness and the Disney Lakeshore Lodge construction site. You can also see Discovery Island to the far right, along with Wilderness Lodge and the TTC at the top of the photo.
This should really put into perspective the footprint of Disney Lakeshore Lodge. It’s obviously not as sprawling as Fort Wilderness, which is a bunch of spread out campsites, cabins, and–as the name suggests–wilderness. But it’s nevertheless quite large!
The key difference is that these three interconnected resort wings will top out at 10 stories tall. Nothing at Fort Wilderness is more than a couple of stories. It’s hard to tell from such a high-level photo, but Lakeshore Lodge is also really, really close to the Settlement. The construction has opened up the area quite a bit.
Here’s another aerial shot showing just how close Disney Lakeshore Lodge is to Pioneer Hall. At the bottom of this frame is the Fort Wilderness dock. Just above that is Clementine Beach, and Pioneer Hall and the rest of the Settlement.
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.
For a ground-level perspective on this, see our Disney Lakeshore Lodge Construction Progress Photos from a few months ago. The towers in that are about half as tall as they are now, but it still illustrates proximity pretty well. It’s almost impossible to overstate just how much Lakeshore Lodge encroaches upon Pioneer Hall.
Here’s another angle that shows the Fort Wilderness Settlement, Disney Lakeshore Lodge, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (green roof) along with the Boulder Ridge Villas (brown roof).
As noted above, Disney Lakeshore Lodge will eventually be a 10-story resort with 900 rooms. 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; if you count both its DVC expansion and the main resort, it’s just over 1,000 rooms. Lakeshore Lodge will be fairly close in size to the main resort–with more inventory than the Poly or Contemporary.
To put this into context, Disney’s Riviera Resort is a 9-story with 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.
Thus far, the footprint of Disney Lakeshore Lodge is unchanged from the previous permits and site plans for Reflections. Disney Lakeshore Lodge has a “W” layout of its wings, with two main courtyards.
If these site plans continue to be correct, there will be a lazy river, feature pool, and waterfront restaurant in the courtyard closer to Fort Wilderness (top of the photo above). The lower courtyard will hold the quiet pool and boat dock.
There’s no reason to believe the layout or site plans have changed. That would trigger permitting updates with the South Florida Water Management District prior to construction, and nothing was filed. What is being built is materially the same as what was permitted–the differences, if any, will be thematically or aesthetically, not structurally.
From this, we also know that there will be treehouse villas and A-frame cabins along the waterfront. In the above image, you should be able to spot 4 of these A-frame structures on the Wilderness Lodge side. The plans call for 4 on this side in total.
What used to be the Clementine Beach at Fort Wilderness will be home to another 9 structures. There are already A-frame structures closer to the water; there should be a second ‘row’ of treehouses behind those, which will presumably have water views thanks to their elevation. This will completely replace Clementine Beach–we’d expect everything on the other side of the boat dock at Fort Wilderness to be gated off.
Some of these treehouses will essentially be in-line with Pioneer Hall, and much closer to the Fort Wilderness boat launch than the new dock at Lakeshore Lodge. (Similar to how some of the Poly Bungalows are close to the TTC.)
Ultimately, it’s impressive how quickly Disney Lakeshore Lodge is speeding along. It’s been less than a year since this project resumed, and already, the resort wings are coming close to their full and final height. Obviously it’s a simpler project and a lot of site prep was done in 2019-2020, but it’s nevertheless amusing to see how quickly DVC development is done.
If you’re considering a stay at Fort Wilderness, you may want to wait. The obvious reason for this is the active construction; based on the current pace, we’d expect this to move inside the hotel by early 2026. Even so, that leaves another year or more before Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens.
You might want to wait until then for the sake of the added amenities it’ll bring to the table–along with restoration of the walking path between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. While Fort Wilderness guests will almost assuredly not have access to the lazy river or pools, they will be able to use the dining options at Disney Lakeshore Lodge. We’re expecting a restaurant roster on par with Disney’s Riviera Resort or Gran Destino Tower, which should be a win.
To each their own, but if I were a Walt Disney World regular, I’d hold off on staying at Fort Wilderness until Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens in 2027. Even though the construction impact is minimal at over 95% of the campsites and cabins, the combination of work being noticeable from the Settlement and the worthwhile amenities that will debut once the new resort opens would be enough for me to hold off for now.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the construction on Disney Lakeshore Lodge? Surprised at just how massive this new Magic Kingdom resort looks from above? Have you seen it from on the ground at the Fort Wilderness Settlement? Are you apprehensive of staying at the Fort for the next few years? Thoughts on guest impact if you’ve stayed here recently? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Fabulous. Just what Disney World needs. spending all their money on another DVC Tower when all the parks are in terrible need of upgrades. Regardless, I will continue to keep going back
Any thoughts on whether Lakeshore’s completion would provide an opportunity to expand the walking paths around the Seven Seas Lagoon? I’d love to see a walking path connecting Wilderness Lodge to the rest of the Magic Kingdom area resorts, and from the map, it looks like it might be a bit of a hike from Lakeshore to Magic Kingdom, but it would be great to have the option.
I hope so, the original plans for WDW dating back to the early 1970s called for several miles of walking trails connecting Fort Wilderness to the MK and the other hotels.
What is your opinion about how this will affect transportation at Fort Wilderness? Do you think that all transportation to the theme parks will shift to a centralized bus stop at Lakeshore Lodge and that Fort Wilderness guests will take a loop bus to Lakeshore and transfer to theme park busses from there?
Probably not. That’s way too big of a transportation burden for resorts of this size. For reference, Riviera and CBR have their own distinct bus stops and routes–and Lakeshore Lodge is much larger than Riviera.
Holy cow, I can’t believe the speed of the progress on this. This is a great writeup, with thanks to the wonderful photos by Bioreconstruct. Thanks for the update!
Holy Dog, I cannot wait to stay at this place.
One positive of being so close to Pioneer Hall is it will make getting to Hoop De Doo easier for the average guest. I love the revue but never loved the bus to another bus method of getting there using resort transportation, especially once the show was over. Now it seems likely any Lakeshore Lodge bus will be essentially a direct line to the show.
On the one hand, this is a fair point. It could be good for guest interest in Fort Wilderness, as a whole.
On the other hand, reducing the barrier to entry might also cause Walt Disney World to “reevaluate” Hoop-Dee-Doo and make it more mainstream.
Wow, way to rain on my parade. I will be heartbroken if they change the tone of the revue :'(
I was expecting to be aghast, and boy did Disney deliver! Absolutely shocked at the placement of this monolithic resort looming over The Settlement area. Oh well. Between this and River of America, I’ve got no more (internal) fight in me. Like a previous commenter, I was very anti Poly Tower until I sat at Wailulu with a cold drink in my hand and a view of the Seven Seas Lagoon.
I really like what Imagineering did with McKim’s Mile House, I would love to see that general style and placemaking brought to this hotel, but the name Lakeshore Lodge isn’t giving much hope.
My first reaction was that it was an interesting footprint. Next that there was a reasonable space between it and Wilderness Lodge. Then I opened up the 4th pic in a separate tab, blew it up to 300% and the reaction is:
OMG!!!! LOOK HOW CLOSE IT IS TO PIONEER HALL!!!!!
That is not close, it is ABSURDLY close!
I guess the Pioneer Hall Players will be arriving by a limo bus now?
But, yea, I was thinking they’d have put at least a couple of hundred yards between the Settlement and the new resort, but nope. And there is not a thing that can be done about it now. It’s funny, but the way they keep eliminating and changing things, by the time they get rid of all the old, out-of-style stuff it’ll be time for all that to come back in style…
Anywho, I don’t see anything being really done that will block this view from the Settlement, as the new towers will need their view as well. As a longtime and frequent guest at the CBR, it reminds me a bit of the shock of seeing the Riviera Resort mushroom up at the end of Barefoot Bay. Except that beach resorts often share beach areas with high rise condos, so the dissonance wasn’t as severe.
I’m just stunned at the closeness and level of encroachment, as the footprint of this area could have shifted this project to at least give Ft. Wilderness some actual wilderness between it and LL, not something 1 tree deep. It also looks like people in the last couple of A-Frames going up on the beach will be able to fall out of their beds onto the shuttle boat at the Settlement’s dock.
This all just seems very disrespectful to Ft. Wilderness. Yes, most of the camping areas won’t be able to see it, I hope, but everyone goes to the Settlement and will see it.
At least the Meadow amenities will be a nice, well deserved and long overdue upgrade.
Welp it’s big and I am curious about the final look (#thatswhatshesaid) but also realize odds are we won’t stay there in anticipation of our DVC non- blue card status.
We started our trip at the beginning of June at WL and would not ever have known that a resort that size was being build. I do realize it is not super close but you were right in sharing that staying at WL you would not see or hear construction. Here’s to hoping that as large of a footprint it is, I hope it grows on me like the new tower at Poly did. I totally surprised myself with how I was not appalled like I expected to be. I am also pretty sure that my response was coaxed into submission by my food and cocktails at Wailulu Restaurant and Lounge.
We will be at Wilderness Lodge later in July. This has me worried that the construction will be visible from that resort. Are you saying it was not visible? Tom, Will the height of this new resort make it visible from Wilderness Lodge when finished? I’m looking at these photos and wondering specifically about the view from Geyser Point? Or Boulder Ridge side quiet pool? I just love the secluded peaceful feel of Wilderness Lodge and would hate for that to diminish.
The layout looks a lot like Animal Kingdom Lodge and Kidani!
That is waaaaaayyyy bigger then I was anticipating! I will be excited to buy in. I first off wanted to buy into the cabins but really hated the colors (not to mention the associated dues). Not sure why they couldn’t stay a faux log siding while updating the interiors… I also really hope that the A-frame cabins have some exposed beam ceilings-a little like the CC cabins…
I hope it will be affordable for families.
Anyway, I had to buy resale to enjoy the DVC experience. However, I feel like I am looked down upon since they have stripped resale to be able to use DVC points on new resorts.
you failed to mention the horse stables that basically adjoin this between the campground and the hotel. any chance there might be some tie in there, as far as activities available or cross theming? also, will this help with the very tight reservation problem for DVC currently, or will they try to maintain a full ship?
Any activity/amenity at the Settlement of Fort Wilderness will be easily accessible from Lakeshore Lodge, Tri-Circle-D Ranch included.
The goal is to keep DVC as close to full occupancy as possible, so they’re not going to undersell this, if that’s what you’re asking. Assuming they don’t massively overprice the A-frames, it should help with availability slightly by increasing the number of desirable units and effectively diluting the impact of Aulani and other less desirable resorts. Not a huge impact, though.
I’m so biased in terms of the TCD that I think I’m more annoyed that it looks like one can see the ground level of the resort from the ranch than I am that the tower will hover over the Settlement.
On the other hand, I think this minor expansion at the Meadow is a smart play, and doesn’t seem like it clears too many trees. I only wish they would’ve taken the opportunity to work in a small counter restaurant here, but these courts are very Vacation Kingdom-esque.
While visions of a Carl Barks “Calisota” inspired Junior Woodchucks Wonderland o’ Nature dance in my head, the preview art is very difficult to pin down in terms of any over-arching theme or style. “Hotel.” That’s about all it says to me. Hopefully it will flesh out as the project continues.
The massive footprint of it is really brought to light with the Wilderness Lodge shown in the same picture. Lakeshore Lodge is a huge addition.
Beautiful aerial shots. Hats of to bioreconstruct.
Junior Woodchucks-inspired themed design is the dream.
Leaks of original concept art showed a generic modern style with a lot of Pocahontas. It’s been so long that I wouldn’t expect that to still be accurate. A lot has changed since in design-sensibilities.
Somehow I missed LSL was to be mixed use, and also how many rooms this will add onsite. Thanks for the update! Between the treehouses, waterfront cabins and higher rooms, I’m guessing many rooms will views of MK fireworks. Looks like there might areas similar to garden lounge areas in Poly Tower?
This makes me so sad that I was never able to visit or stay at Fort Wilderness before these changes. It seems like that huge tower is really going to change the whole look and feel of Fort Wilderness, and take away some of the isolation and natural serenity it was known for. I missed out!
Unfortunately you have NO IDEA and never will how wonderful the Fort was…..I’ve camped there since a child in 1971 and have continued to do so…..my blood has been BOILING that they would destroy the peacefulness of the Fort for this atrocity and are only making upgrades to the Fort to appease the DVC people. They will use the Fort and its amenities (horseback riding, pony rides, canoeing, bike rentals, golf cart rentals, movies, etc.) like their backyard playground but the lowly campers will only be able to spend their money in their expensive restaurants. AND they are taking our beach. Hotel people have NO CLUE how terrible this is for the Fort.
They are totally ruining my campground!! I hate it- ugly mass of too many people!! Hope they have their own ferry boat ramp and we don’t have to share!! The campground was my escape!! This will help me not miss my adventures once I retire – won’t be able to afford it then anyway!!
“I was still taken aback when seeing this construction in person. It is right there,”
This is exactly what I wrote in one of your other blogs.
It looked so terrible I took photos.
I’m just one person but I’m not thrilled yet.
Early assessment, it takes away completely form the wilderness aspect for me.
The areas changing.
I do like the new setup inside the quick service but was not happy about them taking down Davy’s picture or the old flag that was up and adding insult to injury they took the picnic tables off the porch. WTF? (see how modern I’m getting. I never used to type things like that.)
Once inside Crockett’s Tavern it’s ok but as you approach it and see that awful structure you know you’re not in Kansas anymore.
Also, don’t kid yourself, those 900 rooms are to start. Which brings me round to the first thought I had when I saw the resort structure, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
“we’re going to need a bigger boat.”
Ofcourse they rush the hotels. Lets hope the “new”areas of MK , AK , etc move half as fast as this project- big thunder is taking longer likely just for some new track snd lighting 🙁
Who wants to stay at a Disney resort with no disney attractions? Everything will be closed and under construction in favor of dead IP that is 25+ years old. Iger is a failure and so is Josh. The faux imagineers need to be fired and they need to find better talent. Disney is a fast sinking ship and as a blue card DVC holder, I’m inclined to join any lawsuit brought against them for damaging the Disney brand and diminishing my value as a landowner.
If you really believe this, why not sell your DVC interest? You could presumably recoup most of your original investment (perhaps more!) without enduring lengthy litigation that is absolutely destined to fail. If Disney is a fast sinking ship that’s beyond the point of no return…why return?