Disney Lakeshore Lodge Under Construction
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 Spring 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…
Only a trio of new photos this month, but they reveal progress on several things:
- Bus stop shelters
- Roofing
- Boat dock
- A-frame cabins
- Waterfront restaurant
- Lazy river & feature pool
There’s still no movement on the treehouse villas originally intended for the Fort Wilderness side. It’s possible where those will be built is being used as a staging site, or that they’ve been cancelled.
If you want to see how much progress has been made in the last month, here are February photos:
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 Spring 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.
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!
Whenever I hear about Disney adding something, I am reminded that we so-called guests are paying for it. Every year tickets prices rise, food prices rise, and resort room rates rise. My family and I have gone to Disney for the past 20 years, and we finally have had enough of the price increases and the nickel and diming of guests. What we used to pay for the AKL now covers a stay at the moderate if we go during the slower months.We no longer find Disney a value for out family vacation. We will make memories elsewhere!
In all fairness, this isn’t exclusive to Disney. Prices for everything in life are always increasing and rarely see a downward trajectory. Why would vacation at a hugely popular destination really be different? If it’s important for people to go they find a way to afford it. If it’s not, they don’t, and choose a place where they feel they get a better value. I expect Disney to charge a lot. I also expect to get amazing service and have not been disappointed yet. If they finally do drive the prices high enough that crowds begin to decrease a little that wouldn’t really hurt my feelings either though, TBH.
I do agree with you that prices are constantly rising and will rise, but I have always held Disney to a higher standard and never felt, until now, that they are trying to get as much money out of the guests as they can. I think they see dollar signs more than anything. I do not disagree that they must raise prices, but year after year? And the amount they do? I wonder about what is driving Disney execs to make the decisions they do. I don’t get the feeling when I’m there that is it the same park I have have been visiting for 30 years. More and more people are talking about how a Disney vacation is no longer affordable for the middle class family. What would Walt say? I am glad your visits are still magical for you!
I’m glad I cleared out 2 days of my stay next month, to really enjoy what Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge have to offer in their current state. That my reservation there will also coincide with dining on the last night of Artist Point’s current iteration, will only make the experience more bittersweet. As another commenter noted, the trail between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness feels amazingly secluded (with wild deer running all over the place), and is a great place (along with everything to do at Fort Wilderness itself) to spend some time away from the often frantic nature of WDW. Also, for anyone who hasn’t done the Wilderness Back Trail Adventure yet, the clock just started on its (Trails) end as well. Get on that Segway while you still can!
Let’s be Forthcoming, the Concept Art of this new Nature Inspired Resort….Is A Joke ! Looks like any Plain Jane Hotel next to a suburban Industrial Park !
“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.”
Even more to the probable point:
1. They assume up & coming millennials~the next wave of financial power, which has edged out baby boomers~ actually prefer “modern.” This is merely a justification for cheapness.
While it’s true cluttered is 80s, feels dirtier, etc., a well-designed project, complete with loads of appropriate, well-scaled details is what Disney’s image & the vacation experience is built upon.
2. They assume the general populace these days knows no difference between thoughtful, thorough, great design and the generic hotel down the street. So why bother spending that money?
The answer is that we humans all recognize and are lifted by great design, including small details, on some level. Those less exposed to good taste might only sense it subconsciously, but they, too are affected. Those who consciously note and appreciate all the “lesser” details available to explore and discover appreciate the efforts of careful designers & craftspeople. I assume they think their audience is far too low-scale to care.
Disney’s stock and trade has always been an excellent level of high-concept product, thus their repeat and loyal audiences, whether in movies, song, parks or resorts.
To witness them selling out with lesser quality attractions, built on low-level, strictly sensory value, as well as removing the many nice, charming touches that has always made Disney a warm otherworldly destination is just sad.
Disney, you are underestimating your audience. We love design! Please bring back the artists.
I think it’s Disney on the cheap — once again. Cheap in them spending $ or ideas but not cheap for guests. And it’s going to destroy the area. More and more I wonder how much I’ll be going back to Disney based on all the money grubbing and less customer service. I can actually vacation in Europe for less than Disney so do the math. Shame on the greed.
TOM: Please date your articles with date at top so we know how old these are. Some it’s difficult to determine. Thanks!
Amen. Go to Paris and sit on the banks of the Seine instead of watching the 20 year old movie in the France pavilion at Epcot.
I’m glad to see it sounds like there is going to be a mix of DVC and regular resort rooms. I don’t plan far enough ahead for a DVC membership to ever make sense for me. And I like the sound of this line from Disney’s announcement: “fun and even surprising accommodation types”–sounds like they have some interesting imagineering in mind for themed hotel rooms.
Once again you’ve expressed my sentiments exactly Tom. I’m guessing Imagineering has little to do with this in terms of what we ordinarily associate as being uniquely creative. I’m also guessing lmagineering has many great hotel related ideas we’ve never been privy to. Rather, the concept drawing we see here more appears to be standardly architectural with a gimmick theme thrown in accompanying an elaborate obtuse “backstory” that only future Disney minutia experts will remember. Looks to be, so far at least, only one step above the anorexic Dolphin/Swan addition that’s coming…
Ditto. You nailed it, Tom.
I think it would be a great idea to make the new hotel based off of another National Park lodge. As wilderness lodge is based off of Old Faithful lodge. There are plenty of wonderful parks across the US that have wonderful designed lodges that would give different design than Wilderness lodge but pay tribute to the national parks and the wilderness. Or even better build one that looks like Banff Fairmont hotel in Canada! In my opinion this is a better direction than vanilla hotel that will do nothing to enhance the area.
We have been DVC members since the Beach Club was created and so far we “LOVE IT” with not many issues along the way. We started out camping at Fort Wilderness and graduated to the BC for our resort of choice. FW has always been a favorite of ours and have stayed in their Villas years ago but not recently since the new transition. Though this new project looks incredible I’m not real sure the design keeps up with the “Wilderness ” style and design which we feel will distract from the original concept of the the wilderness. The modern design may be way out of place with the total rustic appearance of what we so fondly remember. So why can’t Disney maintain their original theme ? from what we see wouldn’t this fit better elsewhere with a more”modern” theme ?
Maybe the pool area could still be called River Country and have slides and water play areas that pay tribute to the water park that closed…Wish I could see River Country even in its current state before they tear it all down. I used to read about River Country as a kid and always wanted to visit…Stayed at Wilderness Lodge for the first time over the weekend and really enjoyed how isolated it felt.
Surprisingly negative outlook to what I think is a very positive development for Walt Disney World.
I really wonder how much longer DVC can continue. I seriously investigated buying in at Copper Ridge for $18,000 for 100 points-absolutely impossible to amortize it over 10 years and even 20 is very so so – and, the way things are going at the parks and the headache and uncertainty associated with booking at DVC resorts, do I really want to be committed to that even with the option to possibly resell the contract at a later date.? I wonder how long it will go before there is a massive class-action against Disney by the holders of DVC contracts. At that point the whole DVC mess collapses and probably that day, and wake-up can’t come soon enough to Disney’s senior management.
Lets just hope this never happens. I’ve been a DVC member for 16 years now, so far no problems, Wilderness lodge, beacch club, and Saratoga is our 3 deeds. The only big problem is trying to get into Grand Californian, can never get more than a day or two. Disney land please wake up. Paradise pier is to much for our points
From the folks who are bringing you guardians of the galaxy at Epcot! If they didn’t see how incongruous and out of place that monstrosity is at Epcot I have very little hope for the Fort Wilderness campground area. They really have a low opinion of their guests.
I am once again gutted to here that it will be a ‘Vacation Club’ Property. I am a Brit and love visiting Disney but have had an absolutely nightmare trying to book a three week stay for next year (2019) at the Saratoga. We starting our booking in April 2018 only to find that the DVC properties aren’t available to book – we unfortunately still haven’t been able to book there, due to the length of time we would like to stay and purely because we want to be a a DVC property – where inventory didn’t open up for the dates we want to stay ( whilst booking from the UK travel side of Disney) – but these properties are advertised on the web as being better suited for bigger parties (we are 3 adults 3 kids under 10 staying three weeks in need of washing facilities and fridge etc) and so we really feel the need to stay in these kind of properties when visiting Disney. However, due to them being part of the DVC collective – you can’t book them like the other hotels at Disney – I would love to feel excited about new Villas that are being built – these not being the only ones – but if they have the same problem as now for non DVC members booking these hotels – I am actually gutted about the fact that they keep adding to the DVC properties – and not facilitating people who would like to stay for three weeks at a time. Thanks for your update Tom.
PS to hear sorry!!
You nailed it. Everything you said was, unfortunately, spot on.
No benefit of the doubt needed. Fort Wilderness will be ruined for the vaguely reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright Ramada.
It’s funny. I look at that concept art and I’m like, “Ooo, pretty!” It totally reminds me of real world luxury hotel renderings for publicity, the beauty shot I guess.
But when I chose my upcoming hotel at WDW, I actually went with a place with character and theme over generically “pretty” – even though it was more expensive. (In case you’re wondering, it’s AKL.) I honestly didn’t even consider anything less themed. (Other option was Wilderness Lodge).
The idea of going to a resort that could keep me occupied for hours outside the parks makes me happy! Since I’ve been to WDW a few times, I’m no longer an “all rides all the time” guest – in fact the most important thing I want to do on my next trip is wander around and see all the details that my more “Eticket only” style touring self missed.
So I guess unless this new “Nature” themed resort has the kind of details as some of my favorites at WDW I’ll probably pass 🙂 interested to find out though!
Could we hope for something along the lines of Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright?
Let’s hope!!
Let’s hope!!
I’m sure some high dollar bean counter at Disney said one day that they needed to increase the revenue per guest per square foot of property. So, what better way than to “stack” people on top of one another in the form of high rise towers for the new resorts? This way they can have multiple hundreds of guests paying multiple hundreds of dollars per day on a fairly small piece of real estate (as compared to the number of guests per square foot of property used for Ft Wilderness and the campground areas. Oh bother.., but what to do about the issue of all those multiple hundreds of cars that these guests will show up in? That will use up more square footage of property that does not have paying guests on them. Eureka ! We will just start charging them for the privilege of parking on our property while they spend there money in our parks and resorts!