Credit: DisneyDisney’s Lakeshore Lodge just received one of its biggest updates yet.
The new Walt Disney World resort has been in development in one form or another for years, but its future is finally becoming much clearer. Disney has now confirmed an opening date and revealed more about the theming, accommodations, and experiences guests can expect.
And with several different Disney films inspiring the rooms, this won’t be another resort where every accommodation looks essentially the same.
Here’s everything Disney has confirmed for the new Florida resort.
Lakeshore Lodge Has Been Years in the Making
The story behind Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge stretches back nearly a decade.
Disney first announced plans for a resort on the property in 2018. At the time, the project carried a very different name: Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.
Those original plans eventually stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic. For a while, the project appeared to have disappeared completely. That changed when Disney began filing new permits connected to the property, signaling that the long-dormant development still had a future.
Disney officially brought the project back into the spotlight in 2024, this time introducing it as Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge.
The Disney Vacation Club resort will sit along Bay Lake on the former River Country water park property. Its location places it between Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
Disney says nature and its influence on Disney artists will play a major role in the resort’s design and storytelling.
Lakeshore Lodge will include 967 accommodations, ranging from studios to larger villas and suites. Many rooms will overlook Bay Lake, while some guests should also be able to watch Magic Kingdom fireworks from the resort at night.
Disney is also introducing one- and two-bedroom Lake Houses positioned along the waterfront, giving guests another accommodation option beyond the main resort rooms.
Now, those plans have an official opening date attached.
Disney Confirms July 2027 Opening
Disney has confirmed that Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge will officially open on July 1, 2027.
That gives Walt Disney World another major addition for next summer and puts a firm date on a project that spent years surrounded by uncertainty.
Disney describes Lakeshore Lodge as a waterfront retreat where guests can experience nature through Disney storytelling and artistry.
The company’s newest reveals give us a much better idea of how that concept will carry into the rooms themselves. Instead of focusing on a single movie or character across the entire property, Disney is drawing inspiration from several animated films.
Disney Reveals New Themed Guest Rooms
The newly revealed accommodations include everything from compact studios to a massive three-bedroom villa. Each room type draws from a different Disney story.
- Waterfront Lake House — Brother Bear: The Lake House features large windows and spacious living areas. In the bedroom, the wall behind the bed uses mountain imagery paired with blue, purple, and green lighting.
- One-bedroom villa — Bambi: Disney will bring the woodland setting and nature-focused feel of Bambi into these larger villas.
- Hidden Willow Presidential Suite — Pocahontas: One of the resort’s premium accommodations will take inspiration from Pocahontas.
- Resort studio — Pocahontas: The same film will also influence some of the resort’s smaller studio accommodations.
- Deluxe studio — Bambi: Guests booking a deluxe studio may find design elements inspired by the classic Disney animated film.
- Duo studio — Encanto: Disney is turning to the more recent Encanto for inspiration inside its Duo studios.
- Three-bedroom grand villa — Fantasia: One of the resort’s largest accommodation categories will feature a Fantasia theme.
Together, the rooms show how broadly Disney plans to interpret the resort’s nature theme. Rather than relying on one franchise, Lakeshore Lodge will connect several Disney stories through their relationships with landscapes, animals, and the natural world.
And the rooms aren’t the only pieces of the resort taking shape.
Restaurants and New Guest Areas Are Also Coming
Disney has previously confirmed three dining experiences for Lakeshore Lodge: Moonglade, a table-service restaurant; Bay Lake Provisions, an all-day quick-service marketplace; and Paint Out Point Bar & Grill, a poolside dining location.
Disney has also revealed additional spaces around the resort, including a lobby inspired by Pocahontas (1995) and Dandelion Terrace, a lounge overlooking Bay Lake.
The waterfront location will play an important role in the resort experience. Disney says Dandelion Terrace will offer views of Magic Kingdom fireworks across Bay Lake, while many guest rooms will also provide views of the nighttime fireworks.
Together, the dining locations, lounge, accommodations, and waterfront setting give a clearer picture of what guests can expect when Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge opens on July 1, 2027.
A Long-Delayed Disney Resort Finally Has a Date
Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge has taken an unusual road to opening.
What began as Reflections in 2018 stalled, appeared uncertain for years, and eventually returned with a new name and revised identity. Now, Disney has put the project firmly back on the Walt Disney World calendar.
With 967 accommodations, waterfront Lake Houses, several Disney-inspired room designs, three restaurants, and views across Bay Lake, Lakeshore Lodge is shaping up to become a significant new Disney Vacation Club destination.
Most importantly, guests finally know when they’ll be able to experience it.
Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge officially opens July 1, 2027.
