Disney Keeps Future Options Open For New Disney Vacation Club Property at Bay Lake

Gallery / 1 Photo
Nature-Inspired Resort concept art

Posted: Thursday May 9, 2024 9:30am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

A recent permit filing has raised speculation that Disney is continuing to keep its options open for the construction of a new Disney Vacation Club property on Bay Lake between Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort.

Disney has extended a South Florida Water Management District water management permit for an additional five years. While this alone does not mean work is imminent on a new resort, it suggests that Disney wishes to retain the ability to use the land for a future project.

The previously announced Bay Lake Disney Vacation Club resort, Reflections—A Disney Lakeside Lodge, was canceled in 2020 amid the pandemic downturn, and the land was mostly returned to its pre-construction state.

Reflections - A Disney Lakeside Lodge site in March 2020

Project 89, as it was first known, has been somewhat controversial since it became public knowledge in 2018. The resort offered a design style that was not to everyone's liking on a prime piece of land around the former River Country.

Nature-Inspired Resort concept art

Despite the 2020 cancellation of Reflections, the land is a prized location, and it would be no surprise to see the project revived at a later time, or a new project moving in to take its place.

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Chef idea Mickey`=3 hours ago

First excited rendering? Updated rendering: similar to finished reality!

lazyboy97o9 hours ago

That’s not necessarily true. It depends on the nature and extent of the changes. With the water management permits they don’t really care about the specifics of what is built which is why some submittals are for large areas and not specific building footprints.

peter1143514 hours ago

What’s the question?

HauntedPirate14 hours ago

Fair point. But permits were filed, so changing that at this point would require new permits. And new site plans.

Andrew C15 hours ago

Wait, what?

Chef idea Mickey`=15 hours ago

What's missing, I looked

Rinx15 hours ago

Why should we believe anything that's said about the pool? Look at the Island Tower's concept art vs what we actually got. Don't hold your breath.

Tip Top Club Resident15 hours ago

Lumping it with the Cabins is a bit of a double-edged sword and I could see them going either way with it. I could totally be wrong but I was under the impression that if Lakeshore Lodge does end up being tied into to the same trust as the Cabins that it could ultimately help lower the maintenance fees from where they are right now (for the Cabins). If I were a current Cabins owner I think I'd be hoping this is what ends up happening. But yeah on the flip side, this would likely mean that the dues of Lakeshore Lodge (if combined with the Cabins) would be a little bit higher compared to what it would be if it were its own separate association. Who knows what they'll do, but at least for me, it feels kind of weird having the Cabins continue on as their own separate thing and not part of something bigger.

JD8015 hours ago

Max occupancy was 89/90% in 2019 which was peak. Just for comparison sake.

Stripes15 hours ago

Last quarter, occupancy was 85%. Which, in the hotel business, is more like 95% full.

Joysea16 hours ago

I think this is going to be one of the best resorts if they build something beautiful and don’t cheap out. How has the lazy river changed from what was announced before?

nickys16 hours ago

The pool area will attract guests, probably at the expense of the Contemporary and other resorts. The DVC part will take care of itself, at least the declared rooms. Unless they screw up and lump it in with the cabins - in which case the maintenance fees will mean it won’t sell.