It’s been 5 years since Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge was shelved during the closure of Walt Disney World. But like a phoenix rising from Arizona, the project is now back as Disney Lakeshore Lodge, with vertical construction of the hotel visible from around the Magic Kingdom area. This shares new photos and addresses whether you should stay at Fort Wilderness Campground & Cabins during the project.
If you feel like you’re having déjà vu all over again, that’s because we addressed this very same question back in November 2019. That was shortly after land clearing had begun, a sea of construction walls had popped up around Fort Wilderness, and there were major concerns about how the serenity and seclusion of Fort Wilderness would be negatively impacted by the new 900 room resort.
A lot has changed since then. First and foremost is the whole COVID closure of Walt Disney World, which happened 5 years ago. Calling that a disruptive event for the parks and resorts (and the world, more broadly) would be a massive understatement. The same sentiment is true for Fort Wilderness, though. We’ve done a few stays between then and now, and there are major differences that are leading us to revisit this topic.
Obviously, there’s the 4+ year pausing of the new proposed resort. We’ve covered that at length elsewhere, so we’re not going to rehash it here. Suffice to say, here’s everything you need to know about Disney Lakeshore Lodge, including the most recent rumors about the resort featuring a lazy river. (Those aren’t really “rumors” since they’re in the permits filed with the South Florida Water Management District. Disney just hasn’t officially announced the feature or any other amenities.)
Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge was previously set to debut in 2022, but Disney Lakeshore Lodge is not set to open until 2027. This makes sense given the delay, and suggests the construction timeframe from start to finish is more or less unchanged–it was just delayed by ~5 years.
Demolition of the abandoned River Country water park already happened 5 years ago, as had site clearing and prepwork for the new lodge. Pre-closure, the project was getting very close to beginning actual construction, so it should come as little surprise that it is now vertical and the first several stories of Disney Lakeshore Lodge have been built.
Those aren’t the only noteworthy changes since we last looked at construction of this lodge.
Previously, the original incarnation of Tri-Circle-D Ranch closed to make way for a new Draft Horse Barn and Pony Farm. That debuted some 5 years ago during the phased reopening, and it’s quite nice! It doesn’t have the same charm and nostalgia as the old Tri-Circle-D Ranch, but we love it.
The modernization is nice from a functional perspective, even if the form isn’t quite what longtime Fort Wilderness fans might’ve had in mind. We’ve paid many visits to Tri-Circle-D Ranch over the decades, including several in the last 5 years. Our daughter is a huge fan of horses (if Tri-Circle-D were considered an attraction, it’d be among her top 5 at Walt Disney World), so this is going a frequent hangout for us in the future.
Speaking of places we’ll frequently be found at Walt Disney World, there are also the new Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
This is one of a trio of stop-gap projects aimed at adding DVC inventory in lieu of Disney Lakeshore Lodge, along with the Island Tower at the Poly and Resort Studios at the Grand Florida. Whereas the monorail loop projects were low-risk, slam dunk additions that would sell themselves, the cabin conversion is another story entirely.
These have opened in phases, and are now mostly completed as of March 2025. They’ve proven controversial among Disney fans, but we love the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
As part of the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness conversion, Disney announced a “collection of improvement projects” at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground designed to enhance the guest experience. Examples include pool and walking trail enhancements, as well as expanded dining experiences at Trail’s End Restaurant and Crockett’s Tavern.
The most controversial component of this project was converting the beloved buffet at Trail’s End Restaurant into a marketplace food court. We loved the old Trail’s End Restaurant in large part because it was quirky and charming. It had a cult following and resonates with so many longtime Walt Disney World fans for a reason, and a major source of the appeal was its quaint and unique style.
This is another function vs. form change. While I’ll always miss the beloved buffet that previously occupied the entire space, there’s something to be said for a greater variety of options. Having a food court/counter service restaurant and a sit-down lounge/casual restaurant under one roof is good for guests staying at Fort Wilderness and increases the “usability” of the campground’s dining. Still, nothing in this space rises to the quality of the old Trail’s End buffet. There’s a reason it had a cult following.
With the proper background established, let’s take a look at work on Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge Disney Lakeside Lodge thus far as of mid-March 2025:
What was initially most shocking to me about this construction ~5 years ago is how it opened up the Settlement, and not in a good way.
The razing of River Country was one thing; this was overdue and it’s nice to no longer seeing it rotting in plain sight. However, a huge parcel of land was also cleared much closer to Pioneer Hall. This meant the removal of a ton of trees; what used to be a thick canopy is now open air.
If you’re unfamiliar with Fort Wilderness, these images may not be that striking. However, if you are familiar with it, you know what’s missing. It’s almost surreal to walk around and see this in person.
Fast-forward five years, and the new most shocking element of the expansion is just how close Disney Lakeshore Lodge is to Pioneer Hall.
This shouldn’t be surprising. I saw how much land was cleared 5 years ago and have even seen the site plans and permits for this project. All of that makes it abundantly clear that the tower will, quite literally, tower over Pioneer Hall. For reference, Disney Lakeshore Lodge is much closer to Pioneer Hall than Gran Destino is to the (old) main lobby of Coronado Springs or even Island Tower is to the existing longhouses at the Polynesian.
You can look at all of these photos, see videos, etc., but you are nevertheless going to be taken aback when seeing this construction in person. It is right there, and the only way to fully convey that is by standing in the Settlement and seeing the tower taking shape.
One thing to note is that Disney Lakeshore Lodge will eventually be a 10-story resort with 900 rooms.
To put this into context, Disney’s Riviera Resort is a 9-story with 300 rooms. This will be one story taller and with a significantly larger footprint. It’s not necessarily triple the size of the Riviera, but it’s the largest new resort at Walt Disney World in a long time–with more room inventory than Riviera and Island Tower combined.
Currently, the highest point of Disney Lakeshore Lodge is 3 stories. That’s already enough to make it taller than Pioneer Hall, and the only reason this isn’t immediately evident when walking around the Settlement is because Pioneer Hall is closer. A bit of perspective distortion at play. That’ll change in the coming months, probably once Lakeshore Lodge hits 5 stories.
Assuming the footprint is unchanged from the previous permits and site plans, Disney Lakeshore Lodge will have a “W” layout of its wings. Meaning there will be two main courtyards–one with the lazy river, feature pool, and waterfront restaurant, and another with the quiet pool and boat dock. What you can see in the photo below is the two wings with the central courtyard in between. The third wing with the smaller courtyard and quiet pool isn’t as far along.
The above photo was taken from the Bay Lake dock, which shows what used to be the Clementine Beach at Fort Wilderness.
Again, if the previous permits and site plans are accurate, this is where the treehouse villas for Disney Lakeshore Lodge will be located. Some of these treehouses will essentially be in-line with Pioneer Hall, and much closer to the Fort Wilderness boat launch than the new dock at Lakeshore Lodge. (Similar to how some of the Poly Bungalows are close to the TTC.)
For what it’s worth, there’s absolutely no reason to believe the layout or site plans have changed. That would almost certainly trigger permitting updates with the South Florida Water Management District prior to construction, and nothing was filed. What is being built is materially the same as what was permitted–the differences, if any, will be thematically or aesthetically, not structurally.
During our Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs construction updates several years ago, we did regular stays at those hotels in order to answer the question of whether we recommend avoiding them during construction and continued making reassessments as things changed. It was also a really common question among readers. This is similar to both of those projects, but also very different.
In some ways, the construction of Disney Lakeshore Lodge has a much worse impact on Fort Wilderness Campground. As noted above, the new tower (or more accurately, towers, plural) is a stone’s throw from Pioneer Hall. Much closer than Gran Destino, Riviera, or Island Tower to those respective resorts.
There’s also the reality that Fort Wilderness is all about seclusion and serenity. An escape from the hustle and bustle of the parks–a rustic place nestled in the woods that time has passed by. When it comes to Pioneer Hall and the surrounding area, that’s all forever gone. There’s no unringing this bell–no amount of trees or landscaping will ever undo the damage. Construction blight and noise eliminate the main appeal of Fort Wilderness, at least along the waterfront in the main Settlement area.
This also extends to the campground loops that are in the immediate vicinity of the Settlement.
I didn’t go loop by loop, but I’d hazard a guess that portions of 100, 400, 700, and maybe 800 can hear or see the construction of Disney Lakeshore Lodge. Not all of the sites in those areas, but some of them.
The rest of the resort, though, should be fine. When we stayed in the new cabins, our loop was quiet as ever. We spotted an armadillo foraging around right below our deck, and saw deer on multiple occasions. Wandering around other loops, we couldn’t see or hear anything.
It was just like the Fort Wilderness the old, except with new-look cabins. But otherwise, the campground still had that bygone era charm, serenity and seclusion. It felt worlds away from Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom, despite being right there. This made it all the more jarring to visit the Settlement, but we were pleased that where guests would stay in the campground itself was not impacted to any meaningful degree. And that could be mitigated even further with a simple site request.
Ultimately, whether you should avoid Fort Wilderness for the next couple of years is another “it depends” scenario. First, Fort Wilderness is a huge campground, and this project is occurring near the Settlement. Second, guests book Fort Wilderness for a variety of different reasons and with varying priorities.
If you’re staying closer to the Outpost and will primarily be at your campsite/cabin and using the Meadow’s facilities more than the Settlement, you’d probably be less inclined to notice. Even then, you might actually enjoy watching construction of Disney Lakeshore Lodge. This is a very active project, and we witnessed some flying dumpsters, and the cranes lowering a variety of pieces into place. It was somewhat fun to see the work happening. It also wasn’t all that loud, although that could change.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to heavily utilize the Settlement and the appeal of Fort Wilderness is its rustic charm and seclusion, you may want to avoid the campground right now. The same also applies to longtime Fort Fiends/Fans, as it definitely has a “look how they massacred my boy” vibe to it right now. Although I’m not sure “right now” is apt–this is probably going to get worse, not better, as Disney Lakeshore Lodge rises from 3 stories to 10 stories. No amount of landscaping or new vegetation is going to conceal this monster new hotel.
A totally different reason you may want to wait is for the amenities that Disney Lakeshore Lodge will bring to the table. While Fort Wilderness guests will almost assuredly not have access to the lazy river or pools, they will be able to use the dining options at Disney Lakeshore Lodge. We’re expecting a restaurant roster on par with Disney’s Riviera Resort or Gran Destino Tower, which should be a win. Another small victory is the return of the walking path that connects Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness.
To each their own, but if I were a Walt Disney World regular, I’d hold off on staying at Fort Wilderness until Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens in 2027. Even though the construction impact is minimal at over 95% of the campsites and cabins, the combination of work being noticeable from the Settlement and the worthwhile amenities that will debut once the new resort opens would be enough for me to hold off for now.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the construction at Fort Wilderness to make way for Disney Lakeshore Lodge? Are you apprehensive of staying at the Fort for the next few years? Thoughts on guest impact if you’ve stayed here recently? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!