Credit: Erica Lauren, Inside the MagicWalt Disney World’s newest resort won’t welcome its first guests until next summer, but some Disney fans will get a head start on everyone else when reservations open this fall.
Disney has announced an early booking schedule for Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, the massive new waterfront resort coming to Bay Lake. Disney Vacation Club Members will receive the first opportunity to make cash reservations, followed by Walt Disney World Annual Passholders one day later.
The general public won’t have to wait much longer, but those first two groups will still have an advantage when reservations begin rolling out in October.
That early access could be especially important for anyone hoping to stay at Lakeshore Lodge shortly after it officially opens on July 1, 2027. Disney has now revealed much more about the resort, including themed rooms inspired by several Disney films, waterfront accommodations, new restaurants, and areas designed around views of Magic Kingdom fireworks.
With nearly 1,000 accommodations planned, Lakeshore Lodge will be a major addition to Walt Disney World. And for DVC Members and Passholders ready to book it, October is when the process officially begins.
DVC Members Will Be First to Book Lakeshore Lodge
Disney Vacation Club Members will get the earliest opportunity to secure a cash reservation at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge.
Their early cash booking window begins October 6, 2026. Members can make reservations by calling (800) 800-9800.
That puts DVC Members at the front of Disney’s three-day booking rollout.
Walt Disney World Annual Passholders get their turn beginning October 7. Passholders can call (407) 934-7639 to make a reservation.
Then, on October 8, reservations will become available to everyone. At that point, guests can book online or call Disney at (407) 934-7639.
It isn’t an enormous gap between the three booking dates, but guests targeting specific accommodations or early dates may appreciate having the extra time.
Opening periods can generate plenty of curiosity around new Disney experiences. Lakeshore Lodge has also been in development for years, making its eventual debut particularly notable.
Guests who have watched the project evolve from its original plans will finally be able to move beyond construction updates and start making actual reservations.
Passholders Get Their Chance One Day Later
Annual Passholders won’t be far behind DVC Members.
Their booking window starts October 7, giving them a full day of access before reservations open to the general public.
For Passholders who regularly visit Walt Disney World, that could make Lakeshore Lodge an interesting option for a resort-focused stay or a trip built around experiencing Disney’s newest hotel.
It also comes as Disney has revealed significantly more information about what guests will actually find inside the resort.
Lakeshore Lodge will include 967 accommodations, ranging from smaller studios to larger villas and suites. The resort will also introduce one- and two-bedroom Lake Houses positioned along the waterfront.
Those different room categories mean guests won’t necessarily be competing for the exact same type of stay when bookings begin.
Someone looking for a smaller studio will have different priorities from a family targeting a Lake House or one of the resort’s largest villas.
And Disney is making the differences go beyond room size.
Lakeshore Lodge Rooms Will Feature Several Disney Films
Disney has revealed that Lakeshore Lodge won’t rely on one movie or character to provide the inspiration for every room.
Instead, different accommodation categories will draw from different Disney stories, with nature serving as the connection between them.
One of the most interesting options is the Waterfront Lake House inspired by Brother Bear (2003). Disney’s newly revealed design includes large windows, spacious living areas, and a bedroom featuring mountain imagery.
One-bedroom villas will draw inspiration from Bambi (1942), while the resort’s deluxe studios will also incorporate elements from the classic animated film.
Disney is turning to Pocahontas (1995) for multiple accommodations. Resort studios will feature inspiration from the film, while the Hidden Willow Presidential Suite will also use Pocahontas (1995) as part of its design.
Guests interested in something newer will have another option.
Duo studios will feature inspiration from Encanto (2021), bringing the film into one of the resort’s smaller room categories.
At the other end of the spectrum, Disney’s three-bedroom grand villas will take inspiration from Fantasia (1940).
That variety adds another layer to the October booking dates.
DVC Members and Passholders won’t simply be deciding whether they want to stay at Lakeshore Lodge. They may also have a particular accommodation or Disney theme they want to experience.
Disney Has Finally Put an Opening Date on the Resort
Guests making those early reservations will now know exactly when Lakeshore Lodge begins welcoming visitors.
Disney has confirmed the resort will officially open July 1, 2027.
The announcement puts a firm date on a resort project that has taken an unusually long road to completion.
Disney first announced plans for a resort on the property in 2018. Back then, it was known as Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.
The project later stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic and appeared uncertain for several years. Eventually, new permits showed activity returning to the property, and Disney formally revived the project in 2024 under its current Lakeshore Lodge name.
Now, instead of wondering whether the resort will ever open, guests can start deciding when they want to stay there.
For DVC Members, that decision can become a reservation starting October 6.
Lakeshore Lodge Is Taking Over a Historic Disney World Location
Part of what makes the new resort interesting is its location.
Lakeshore Lodge is being built along Bay Lake on the former site of Disney’s River Country water park. It sits between Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
Disney is leaning into that natural setting with the resort’s overall design.
Nature and its influence on Disney artists will serve as a major source of inspiration throughout the property. That helps explain why movies such as Bambi (1942), Brother Bear (2003), Pocahontas (1995), Encanto (2021), and Fantasia(1940) can all appear in different accommodations without the resort being devoted to a single franchise.
Bay Lake itself will also become part of the experience.
Many rooms are expected to overlook the water, while some guests will have views of Magic Kingdom fireworks at night.
For guests considering an early reservation, location and views could become just as important as room themes.
Three New Dining Locations Are Coming
Lakeshore Lodge will also give guests several new places to eat without leaving the resort.
Disney has confirmed three dining experiences for the property.
Moonglade will serve as the resort’s table-service restaurant. Bay Lake Provisions will operate as an all-day quick-service marketplace, while Paint Out Point Bar & Grill will provide a poolside dining option.
Disney has also revealed more about the resort’s common areas.
The lobby will draw inspiration from Pocahontas (1995), continuing the connection between Disney storytelling and the natural environment.
Dandelion Terrace will give guests another place to enjoy the Bay Lake setting. The lounge will overlook the water and offer views toward Magic Kingdom fireworks.
Those amenities could make Lakeshore Lodge appealing beyond guests who simply need somewhere to sleep between park days.
Disney appears to be designing the property as a destination of its own, with dining, lounges, waterfront spaces, themed accommodations, and nighttime views all contributing to the experience.
October Is the Big Month for Lakeshore Lodge Reservations
Lakeshore Lodge may not open until July 2027, but anyone hoping to be among its earliest guests needs to pay attention much sooner.
The first important date is October 6, 2026.
That is when Disney Vacation Club Members gain access to the early cash booking window.
October 7 belongs to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, who receive their opportunity to make reservations before the broader booking period begins.
Finally, everyone else can begin making Lakeshore Lodge reservations on October 8.
After years of uncertainty surrounding the project, those three dates mark an important change for Lakeshore Lodge.
Disney fans are no longer waiting to find out whether the old Reflections project will return, what Disney will call it, or even when construction might finish.
Lakeshore Lodge now has an opening date, 967 planned accommodations, Disney-inspired rooms, waterfront Lake Houses, three dining locations, and a clearer identity.
Most importantly for anyone who wants to stay there, it finally has booking dates.
DVC Members get the first shot on October 6, Passholders follow October 7, and everyone else can start booking October 8.
Lakeshore Lodge officially opens July 1, 2027, but for some of Disney’s most frequent guests, the first major date on the calendar arrives this fall.
