The hotel project near Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground has gone vertical. Cranes are in place on the site of the Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge hotel, and pillars are already being erected. Disney hasn’t commented or given an update on this project, but it’s clear a large building is moving forward.
Let’s take a look at the construction progress courtesy of DC Baker.
Disney previously filed permits at this location to build a 10-story hotel. It’s unclear if the plans are the same as the old Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge design, or if Disney is doing something different. Those old Reflections plans called for a 900-room Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort that had a nature theme. Characters from The Princess and the Frog, Pocahontas, Bambi, and others were supposed to be included.
It’s noteworthy that Disney isn’t publicly commenting or promoting whatever this project ends up being called. This is similar to when they built Bay Lake Tower, the DVC expansion at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, that they didn’t discuss despite construction being clearly visible.
Our assumption is that Disney doesn’t want to take any buzz away from the other DVC project, the new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, that’s set to open December 17, 2024. Disney will want to fill as many DVC contracts at the Polynesian before discussing this new project. With that in mind, we expect “quiet” construction to continue into 2025 before Disney announces anything formally.
