Disney announces plans to build a nature-inspired resort at Walt Disney World

Oct 18, 2018 in "Reflections - A Lakeside Disney Lodge"

Nature-Inspired Resort concept art
Posted: Thursday October 18, 2018 2:42pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has today officially announced its new Disney Vacation Club property to be built on Bay Lake between Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort.

The deluxe resort, which will be themed to complement its natural surroundings, will include more than 900 hotel rooms and proposed Disney Vacation Club villas spread across a variety of unique accommodation types.

“Walt Disney World is in the midst of our most significant expansion in the last two decades and the combined 1,700 new hotel rooms and proposed Disney Vacation Club villas we are building at four different resorts will create thousands of new construction and permanent jobs and will drive economic opportunity and incremental revenue for Central Florida,” said George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort. “We continue to add new attractions, new lands — and these beautiful accommodations will be right in the heart of all that magic.”

The soon-to-be named resort is slated to be Disney’s 16th Disney Vacation Club property.

“This resort experience will be a celebration of Walt Disney’s lifelong love and respect for nature, with some fun and even surprising accommodation types that families will find irresistible,” said Terri Schultz, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club. “It will give our members and guests yet another opportunity to stay in close proximity to all the newest attractions and experiences in our theme parks, and with the flexibility, value and world-class service families expect from Disney.”

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lentesta19 days ago

Good catch.

Batman'sParents20 days ago

While we're on the train, I thought I'd post something I found interesting. This shows areas for potential development. I found a very interesting to see the areas by the wide world of sports, the little area by flamingo crossing that is east of 429, and the area west of Magic Kingdom.

Doberge20 days ago

Two other quick hits. I think this was already part of discourse, but hotel rooms were thought to maybe increase by 14,000 by 2030. Of course that's likely more than just Disney owned and operated. And something I don't remember seeing about developments in parking lots. It's straight phrased as an "economic necessity." it's written that parking lot sizes are expected to be downsized with potential to reuse for other development. Why? It says there is an expectation for decreased parking in the future, plus potential to convert surface lots into parking garages. I guess whatever offsets they make when building on undeveloped land would not be necessary if developing something on an existing parking lot, e.g. runoff should be able the same? The interesting thing, to me, about expected decreased parking demand is that there's an expectation that each park expands, so I'd think that increased attendance at would offset decreased parking demand per guest.

Doberge20 days ago

There's another section that teased. Here, we can see where there were 1,224 rooms. With Reflections 974 rooms that left 250 approved rooms and my mind quickly spinning, at least until... It was Flamingo Crossing. 250 rooms once on hold at Flamingo Crossing.

Disstevefan120 days ago

lentesta20 days ago

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I was reading the latest RCID land use plan and it mentioned on page 2B-3 that Reflections would've had 974 rooms. I didn't see that number mentioned in this thread, so I thought I'd add it.

DobergeJan 03, 2024

If we're talking about the corner near the settlement bus depot and Pioneer Hall, it looks like it could be a new bus station or building support for Pioneer Hall. It's not the best picture here but they're paving at least one horseshoe shaped road. Presumably this work was budgeted at time Reflections still coming and that the project continued regardless, like we've seen with Trail's End conversion, etc. Again, the photo is terrible so need to trust my eyes here. ETA: I guess it could be building support but it looks rounded off like one way in and one way out.

nickysDec 30, 2023

That has been suggested previously, but until we see some cabins arrive we can only guess.

castlecake2.0Dec 30, 2023

I don’t think this area is suitable for that, but they could be using the large area they cleared to originally stage reflections for the cabins, thats a little further away though.

Love Ft WildernessDec 30, 2023

I'm hypothesizing that they may be using this area to stage the new cabins for the replacement project?

PK2Dec 30, 2023

I did see a big truck heading in there this morning. Don't think it means much but can confirm some level of activity on the site, at least.

castlecake2.0Dec 29, 2023

I think he’s still tied up with communicore

GCTalesDec 29, 2023

Ladder sighting or nothing happened,

castlecake2.0Dec 29, 2023

Was in this area today, there was some small construction equipment and some dirt being moved around… not sure what exactly is being done