Reflections Lakeside Lodge at Disney World
Walt Disney World announced Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge, a new nature-inspired resort for the former River Country water park location along the shore of Bay Lake between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. This development would be mixed use, with both hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas. (Updated September 15, 2023.)
Originally announced back in October 2018, Reflections – A Disney Lakeside 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. That plan would have brought a total of more than 1,700 new hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas online over four years.
Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge was further elaborated upon at the 2019 D23 Expo, and it was billed as one of the “most unique resorts ever built” at Walt Disney World. Concept art was shared of the novel accommodations, including both treehouse suites and waterfront A-frame cabins that would be available at the resort. Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge would also feature a restaurant inspired by Princess and the Frog, located “along the bayou of Bay Lake.”
September 15, 2023 Update: Let’s start by bringing you up to speed, as this is the first time we’ve had an update on Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge in over 3 years. Back when the parks closed and all construction stopped, Walt Disney World mothballed the construction site for Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.
The project was effectively cancelled and crews on site removed concrete and rebar. At that point, pretty much all that had occurred was site clearing and staging for construction to begin. The project had yet to begin foundation work, let alone vertical construction. Fast-forward three years, and it’s essentially an empty parcel. The future home of Reflections is still very much visible from California Grill or even the boat en route to Wilderness Lodge–it’s the big empty area amidst the trees.
Today’s development is that Florida has granted Walt Disney Imagineering a 5-year extension on a permit related to the construction of Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge. That permit will now expire on May 31, 2028. Note that this permit is not for the Reflections site itself, it’s for the STOLport Site–near the former Walt Disney World Airport, with STOLport standing for Short Take-Off and Landing. Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge wouldn’t be built on the STOLport site, but it would act as a convenient staging ground located between the TTC and Fort Wilderness.
It’s entirely possible that the STOLport is intended to be used as a staging site for something else, but Imagineering addressed Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge in its extension request, asserting that it was needed because the project was shut down during COVID-19, which therefore delayed the completion of the project. To be honest, I don’t have enough experience with this sort of thing to know whether it’d be appropriate to request an extension in this manner for a materially different project.
In the intervening years since Reflections was mothballed/cancelled/delayed indefinitely, a trio of new Disney Vacation Club projects in the Magic Kingdom resort area has been announced, indirectly replacing Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge. The first and smallest of these was at Walt Disney World’s flagship resort, converting one outlying building to new Resort Studios at the Grand Floridian. That project wrapped up last year and is now available for sale.
The next of these is the New DVC Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (pictured above), which is currently under construction and is slated to open in late 2024 at Walt Disney World. Based on the incredibly quick pace with which that expansion is being built, there’s no reason to believe it’ll be delayed. This will be a license to print money for DVC, as everyone loves the Poly.
Finally, there’s the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (concept art below). This was announced earlier this year and work has not yet started, but these are slated to open in 2024–potentially before the Poly tower. The new cabins being pre-fabricated off-site and installed unit-by-unit, not built on location. Accordingly, the turnaround time could be a matter of months from start to finish. This is the project that could theoretically be using the STOLport Site for staging, but I wonder whether that’s even necessary. I assume these things are build hundreds of miles away and trucked in–is a staging site necessary?
The other reason it’s worth drawing attention to these projects is because there are a lot of them. In addition to this trio, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel just went on sale earlier this year and will open in September 2023. Then there’s Disney’s Riviera Resort and Aulani in Hawaii, the latter of which has been on sale for years now; there’s a decent chance Aulani will never sell out of DVC points.
While Disney Vacation Club has demonstrated a willingness to go full steam ahead on new projects, there are already a lot of them underway. This is significant because it means a ton of points being sold simultaneously, and numerous resorts competing with one another for the attention of buyers.
This is all happening as there’s been something of a Disney Vacation Club Sales Slump. That’s occurring against the backdrop of rising interest rates, slowing consumer spending, and the possibility of a recession in the next year or two.
It thus seems ostensibly unlikely that Disney Vacation Club will resume Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge anytime soon. They’ve started too many projects and have too much for sale right now already. However, it’s not just the permit. That alone could be ignored or explained away as pertaining to another project, housekeeping, or Imagineering wanting to keep its options open.
In addition to the STOLport permit, there are rumblings that Reflections will soon be revived. Nothing concrete or specific, but there’s enough smoke that this seems plausible. Personally, I’m skeptical as this doesn’t make a ton of sense on its face. I’m also increasingly open to the possibility based on current rumors.
Reflections resuming defies past precedent and would’ve been deemed crazy even ~5 years ago, back when Disney Vacation Club didn’t announce the next project (and literally denied the existence of construction occurring in plain view), but a lot has changed since. Back then, DVC tried to space its additions so they wouldn’t directly competing with one another and cannibalize sales. Announcements for the next DVC property didn’t start until sales were healthy and had progressed for the previous one.
Things have changed more recently, and Disney Vacation Club has had several properties for sale simultaneously for the last several years. There hasn’t been hesitation in announcing the next big expansion or starting construction–it seems like there’s been a philosophy change. Perhaps now Disney Vacation Club 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!)
Another possibility is that Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge is on the precipice of resuming, but not as a Disney Vacation Club project. At least, not right away. Walt Disney World needs more hotel inventory, too. There’s nothing to say this previously mixed-use development couldn’t start as a hotel project, but be built with the long-term intentions of “conversion” to Disney Vacation Club when point supply and demand dictated as much. That does seem very plausible to me, and might be what Walt Disney World opts to do. (In that case, I wonder how they message the ‘nature’ of Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.)
A final possibility is that the Fort Wilderness Cabins project has been scrapped, or at least abandoned as a Disney Vacation Club development. It’s my understanding that the existing cabins are slated for replacement one way or another, but there’s nothing to say they couldn’t remain as a hotel inventory. Or maybe they’ll be rolled into the Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge condo association–who knows!
Regardless of what happens in the near-term, it’s pretty safe to say that the Reflections site will be developed at some point down the road. Walt Disney World only has so much prime parcels for resorts, and this is one of them. Not only that, but a lot of the site prepwork was already done and it’s still in pretty good condition. It just makes sense for construction to happen here in the future, and my guess would be that it starts before 2030.
Whether that’s Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge or a totally new concept is anyone’s guess. I’d speculate that the further removed we get from the prior mothballing/delay/cancellation, the more likely it is that Disney will revisit both the name and the concept. Even if this project were re-announced tomorrow, I think the odds are pretty good that the concept art would look materially different and the name wouldn’t be the same.
Turning to my original commentary, I love Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. I’m a Disney Vacation Club member. In theory, Reflections – A Disney Lakeside 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 Reflections – A Disney Lakeside 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 Reflections – A Disney Lakeside 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.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you optimistic or pessimistic about Reflections – A Disney Lakeside 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!
What’s possible-to-likely is that the STOLport was used for storage during construction; incidental damage would naturally occur over time, and there would likely be some repair work that needs to be done to the roads/runway. A 5-year extension may simply be a way to stretch the effort over several years, since it doesn’t technically have to be finished until they need it again.
(OR … I can randomly speculate that they’re using this an excuse to remake it into an expanded parking area for the MK, allowing WDW to build on existing parking areas close to the TTC and put a new resort there. WDW has wanted to build just north of the TTC for *decades,* but every time it’s been tested materials sink into the swamp. I’ve been wondering for a while if the lack of parking lot sinkholes means that it would work on top of the old bus parking and elsewhere on the most northern parking lot.)
I think you’re overthinking it. 🙂
As crazy as it sounds to me on the surface, there’s more and more reason to believe that this pertains to Reflections. I was skeptical/dismissive when Imagineering filed for the extension earlier this summer, but circumstances have changed since.
I can’t believe they stripped this pristine area bare just to leave it as a dusty wasteland. Did they even watch Avatar?
I’ve probably written this before but as a nature lover I was pleasantly shocked to discover the Wilderness Nature Trail between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness ~10 years ago on a non-park day. What a serene and shady escape!
Also, an amazing place to get our little kids to nap! Tom, as you’ll soon find out, naps are very necessary – but on vacation or at the parks, “stroller naps” are so much more efficient than going back to a hotel room and coaxing a kid to sleep. Stroller naps also become challenging in loud, stimulating, or bright environments (e.g., theme parks or busy resorts). Finding this trail where both my kids (2 and 4) could both conk out in their double stroller under the Spanish moss dangling from the oaks was a godsend and a chance for my wife and I to have a moment to ourselves – a perfect segue between lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe and pony rides and other fun activities at Fort Wilderness.
I understood then and now that this trail wouldn’t last forever but it’s just a shame it’s gone for no real reason.
Obviously, it’ll never be the same as it was before, but a trail between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge returning is one of the biggest reasons that I kinda, sorta hope Reflections happens.
Tom,
You mention and provide a photo of the Polynesian tower….Do you know if it will include restaurants and a pool? Or will it force all of those guests to flood into the Great Ceremonial House and the Lava Pool?
That’s my main question, but if you’re really feeling adventurous, I don’t think I’ve seen your theory on why WDW closed River Country. I truly loved it and have such fond memories of going there. I loved its “Ol’ Swimmin’ Hole,” Huck Finn-style, extension-of-Frontierland-type theming, and it seems to have been almost universally beloved. After all these years, I still don’t understand the decision to shut it down.
It’ll include a pool, recreation, and dining options–but no word on what any of those will be. More in our full post on the Poly tower: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/dvc-tower-expansion-polynesian-village-resort/
I think the explanation for River Country’s closure is probably boring, and not what the urban legends suggest. Walt Disney World had opened 2 more modern water parks with higher capacity and in more easily-accessible locations. With that, River Country wasn’t as popular or as necessary. I’m sure there was more to it, but any other problems would’ve been solvable if there was an appetite within Disney to do so. But there wasn’t because they had Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach by that point.
Thanks! Sorry to bug you again, but do you happen to know whether River Country’s attendance was down in the years leading up to 2001 (in the wake of the two other water parks having opened), or was it more a matter of its being smaller (and harder to access via car) and hence less profitable, even if its attendance wasn’t down?
Sorry, I don’t know that.
Keep in mind that Walt Disney World has operated very differently in the late 90s and early aughts, so “less profitable” wouldn’t have been as compelling of a basis for closing then. My guess is that it would’ve limped along longer had 9/11 not happened, but still would’ve closed by 2005. If not then, definitely by the Great Recession.
I honestly believe Walt Disney World should build a Memorial site for all those who have lost there lives at WDW Parks, Resorts, and all properties included inside there extensive compounds! Not only for the victims? But also for the families of those who lost there loved ones over many of years since the park’s inception… “Remembrance Of Those We Loved Memorial “ It’s certainly not morbid, but truly a way of remembering our love ones and keeping there memories within our Hearts as we do with all memories we and others make at WDW
Sincerely,
Mark
You grand slammed this one, Tom!!! Could not agree with you more! At almost 47 years old, I’m a life long Walt Disney World fan boy and while it’s always great to see new and exiting attractions and resorts………..there are certain areas that should be 100% HANDS OFF, one of those is Fort Wilderness. This original WDW resort is timeless and as you eloquently put, is unlike any other resort on property. Both guests and cast members have remarked on this over the decades that I visited. Even when not staying at Fort Wilderness, I always make a point of stopping by, making a few purchases and stop in for a beverage at Crockett’s Tavern. The cookie cutter art of Reflections didn’t spark childhood imagination catering to a wilderness surrounding that is the essence of the Walt Disney World experience. Hopefully in the future, they will redesign it with truth Disney Magic.
I would like to see another small water park concept for the campground and not be over priced. make it free to campers and charge the outsiders. We need to go back to old school the way it was when it was special/exciting to go to Fort Wilderness. I grew up going to WDW since day one when it opened. Camping was fun and the memories of river country can’t be replaced.
Worst UGLIEST renovations I’ve ever seen. None of this is going to stop unless the people feeding them stop supporting it /stop doing business untill they do restorations rather than renovation. Bottom line, the people the supported these properties existance would all concur the original architects renditions are the only viable option and that they destroyed them with their hypercommercialized business plans. Stop supporting it. Who remembers the way the Grand Floridian and Polynesian used to smell when you walked in, the architects detailing and the quality of the staff that are not there at all anymore. No one in their right mind would condone what they’ve done if they remember how it was before it was destroyed. The only way theyll care is if it effects their bottom line, as that’s the reason they destroyed it in the first place (stock price growth at any and all cost)
Disney needs another THEME PARK not another hotel. This is another corporate money making decision that is destroying the original mission statement of Disney. They need to build Disney Extreme, a theme park to compete with the Tampa and Orlando intense rollercoaster parks, if they don’t Disney will start to loose monster market share, problem with most corporate thinking nowadays is it is just short sighted.
Cancel it completely and bring back Mickeys Backyard BBQ
Yes yes yes. Mickey s Back Yard Barbecue was one of Disney’s best. The interaction with the characters and the food was excellent. Walt would be so hurt by what his magical world is like today. As I have said before —- bring back the magic and imagineers. Our families favorite saying was—- Is it real or is it Disney??? Love Disney , Hate what it is becoming. So sad that upcoming generations will not know Disney magic. Greed has taken over.
My adult children still talk about River Country and their faces light up! What great memories. Putting a resort that size on the old RC site will absolutely ruin the atmosphere of Fort Wilderness that has been there since the 70’s. Can you imagine transporting all the additional people back and forth to the Magic Kingdom? The additional crowds at the Hoo Dee Do Review area? It may become an area to avoid. We own two DVC properties. The first was in 1996. The changes have been dramatic. DVC owners don’t get the perks they use to get and all the discounts available like free dinning when you book a full package. Oh well.
I got one was looking forward to the new resort. My aunt is DVC at Saratoga and Copper Creek. I like Riviera but wasn’t sold on it to be my home. I could buy into Copper Creek but I wanted something newer. I do love the new look of the resorts. It brings the resorts into a modern era. They could perhaps do a bit more theming. But as someone from Chicago who has stayed at the Peninsula and Four Seasons, I think the theming is right on trend and updated. I hope they start up the construction again and get a move on.
I hope the cancellation is true! We camped at FW last week and the construction site is so intrusive to the wilderness experience. Also agree that the hotels under Eisner were themed in a fuller/more-complete way than under Iger. That said, I’d love to be a DVC owner at FW!!
Leave Fort Wilderness as a wilderness! Restore the trees and walking trails! Do not place a hotel in top of the campground! I have been coming here since it opened with my parents and then with my children and now my grandchild. The wonderful world of Disney is feeling like each area is separated from the world and immersive in each area’s own character. Keep Fort Wilderness as it is and somehow restore the wonderful lost feel of tall cypress trees and wildlife to enjoy as we rock on the porches of the settlement away from the world.
Amen!
Tom I could not agree with you more. Good riddance! As a long time DVC member with WL as our home and huge FW fans this was just a travesty. Horrible design and concept . I love the idea of another resort on this property but not this design!
Alright Disney, now it is time to restore the area to it’s former self. You need to bring back the nature trail with it’s canopy of trees and open it back up so that we can walk to the lodge. Due to the beauty of the area this project should never have been considered in the first place. It’s bad enough to have the homes and the Four Seasons in the area.
I am glad that the project has been stopped. We had camped at Fort Wilderness many times and enjoyed the time there. Even thou we are not able to afford staying there anymore, I think that they could take the money allocated for the Reflections and increase and improve the camping sites to accommodate the bigger units. We still like to walk in the campground but was so sadden to see that River Country area was just going to be another hotel.
I am a DVC member and love Fort Wilderness asa member it is to many points to stay at Fort Wilderness so I was really looking forward to the new DVC hotel so we could stay there again!
I was excited for the hotel, disappointed at more DVC spaces. I think there is more than enough of DVC. They should have gone with the rumored Villains Park from years ago. So many people staying on property at once an not enough room for them in the parks. Build another park instead of more hotels!
Yes! Would love another park. 🙂
My wife & I are filled with renewed optimism regarding the rumor that Reflections will be cancelled. We spend 3 to 4 months each winter in Ft. Wilderness Campground. We’ve been hooked since 1975 but have been seriously shocked by the new Disney mindset (if you build it they will come) The Reflections development was devastating to the area & the image. Please restore the area to nature & restore the exercise walkway to Wilderness Lodge. Think preservation–not devastation.
I am weirdly happy that the construction has stopped, as I hated the idea of such an “unwilderness” looking building on the site. WL/camp is one of my fav places to visit. I’ve only stayed there for one night but it was fantastic. Every time I visit Disney, my fav thing to do is walk around the hotels on site, poly to grand fl then monorail to contemporary and finally a boat to wilderness camp, it’s pure Disney magic without feeling like your at Disney. But my absolutely favourite thing was the walking path from the camp to the lodge. It was lovely being in the wild like that and in the peace and quiet. Finding out they took the path away almost killed me! It was devastating, so I really hope that with the grass seed being put down that they put the trees back and open up the path again connecting the two sites. Fingers crossed!
I am very disappointed with the look and design of the new resorts being built. They are bland and and sterile like Tom suggests. But I must point out something that is not discussed as one of the reasons we are getting these tall plain buildings. But first the obvious. It’s obviously less expensive to cut down on theme. It’s also cheaper to have one large pool, and centralized housekeeping all in one large tall building. One bus stop, no paths to maintain, fewer gardens and less land to maintain and mow. Easier to secure, no golf carts running to far away buildings. Now the not so obvious that I want to mention: the people demanded these types of buildings and resorts. The Unofficial Guide spends pages and pages alerting (and worrying) guests about bad rooms and good rooms. This blog even ranks OKW at the bottom of a DVC ranking even though it’s top choice has no 1 and 2 bedroom units. His wife, Sarah, listing one of reasons she dislikes it as it being too spread out and large. She loves Bay Lake Tower, incidentally a tall bland tower with no theme, just a great location. The dozen FB sites dedicated to DVC, the Poly, Port Orleans, and Old Key West are constantly getting posts by people worked up over what is the best building, best room, closest to the pool, etc. I bet Tom, Tikiman, and the other famous bloggers are asked a thousand times a year, “what’s the best room”? “ What is the best building”? The front desk is of Port Orleans, Old Key West, Caribbean Beach, etc. are probably badgered by guest complaining and wanting to be moved because there room is too far and takes 2 minutes more to get to a pool. We/they are culpable and are one of the reasons for the bland towers. Now everyone can be in one tall tower, an elevator ride away from that coveted front desk, food court, or gift shop. Because heaven forbid, it takes an extra 5 minutes to walk there or 10 minutes longer to ride the free bus that has a few stops before leaving the resort to get to the park.
@KenR -That is true. I wish they would keep the theming and keep resorts size down. Keeping resorts small would alleviate the my room is too far away complaint of POR and CBR , etc. But alas, “the pack em’ in like sardines and charge them lots” is not good for small size with extravagant theming nor social distancing. That’s why my favorite resorts are Wilderness Lodge and the Grand Floridian – smaller and themed nicely imho. (If I knew the Covid19 pandemic was going to hit, would’ve taken that dream vacay to GF last year instead of waiting until who knows when now.
Great point! I remember when we were going on our first family trip, we wanted to stay at all stars because it was a quick trip and had no intentions of being in the room except to sleep. Mind you this was years before the recent Reno’s….and sooooo many people made SUCH a big deal about rooms being so far from the parking lot/food court/pool/busses. I could care less about that stuff lol. And at ft.wilderness nothing is really “close” but that’s part of what makes it fun….golf cart rides everywhere!!! If I wanted to stay in one of these huge tower hotels I guess I could but I think so many people are just used to that now. But I think the type of people that prefer ft.wilderness campground are the type of people that appreciate that space….we are a rare breed it seems lol.