This Could Be a Game-Changer for Disney World’s NEW Hotel

Next year, a BRAND-NEW resort hotel is set to open at Walt Disney World, and certain elements sound like they’re going to change the game when it comes to staying in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area.

Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge is currently under construction on the former site of the River Country water park, which has been closed since 2001. The hotel, which will be “inspired by the majesty of nature and its enduring influence on Disney artists”, was actually first announced as Reflections: A Lakeside Lodge in 2018. However, the project was put on hold early on during the pandemic, and when work finally resumed in late 2024, its name had been shifted to Lakeshore Lodge.

Recently, we attended a special press event regarding the hotel, which currently has an opening timeline of summer 2027, during which we learned some further details about Lakeshore Lodge.

The resort will feature 967 rooms, ranging from studios to suites, with many offering views of Bay Lake and the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks.

In addition, the property will feature one- and two-bedroom Lake Houses along the waterfront, offering an even “closer connection to nature with ample space to relax and unwind.”

Speaking of fireworks, according to Disney, the lodge will offer a “unique” way for guests to experience a few nighttime spectaculars like Happily Ever After.

The hotel’s architecture, in particular in its lobby and port-cochere area, will make heavy use of glass to meld nature into the buildings, producing an almost symbiotic environment.

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The hotel will feature integration of several Disney intellectual properties appropriate to the theme. While most have yet to be confirmed, Disney did say that Brother Bear will have a presence at the resort. This is especially relevant to Walt Disney World, since portions of the 2003 animated film were produced at the Walt Disney Animation Studios outpost that was once located at Hollywood Studios.

The feature that sounded like it would perhaps most differentiate Lakeshore Lodge from the rest of Disney’s properties is the concept that different areas of the resort will give guests a different experience from other guests staying in a different area of the resort at the same time, creating a variety of experiences that depend on which part of the resort a guest is staying in.

Further amenities will include a large pool complex as well as “dining locations, recreational offerings, amenities, and distinctive design details” that Disney will release further details on over the coming months.

We’ve been following progress on this new resort since it was announced and will continue to monitor it as well as all the other Disney World hotels, so stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Lakeshore Lodge updates.

Full List of Disney World Hotel Perks for 2027

Are you looking forward to the opening of Lakeshore Lodge? Let us know in the comments below.

Disclosure: We were invited by Disney to attend the Lakeshore Lodge event. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

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