News Disney Lakeshore Lodge (Project 89 - Development near Fort Wilderness)

[Disney Analyst]

I feel like they are going for modern/clean line version of the themes more than not being themed

Like the Poly Tower, I really like - the lobby is really nice, love the feel by Wailulu - but it is definitely a more modern take on the Polynesian/island vibe vs transporting you to the past like the original Poly does

I love the interior, I’d say it’s the exteriors where things get a bit muddy for people.

 

[James Alucobond]

I love the interior, I’d say it’s the exteriors where things get a bit muddy for people.

The exterior is just a bit baffling. I don’t understand why the painted patterns aren’t genuine mosaic, why the roof adornment isn’t tall enough to hide the mechanical from a distance, why the exterior wall of the gym is just a flat swathe of yellow that is so visible on approach, why the massing is so weird around the elevators, etc. Like others, I also genuinely like the lobby, Wailulu, the rooms, the viewing gardens, and more, but relatively minor changes could make it significantly better even if it is a tower. That’s what’s frustrating about it, Riviera, and I suspect Lakeshore if some earlier renderings hold.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I love the interior, I’d say it’s the exteriors where things get a bit muddy for people.

I like parts of the exterior - really like the "cut outs". It's not my favorite but also don't think it awful or anything

 

[John park hopper]

The exterior is just a bit baffling. I don’t understand why the painted patterns aren’t genuine mosaic, why the roof adornment isn’t tall enough to hide the mechanical from a distance, why the exterior wall of the gym is just a flat swathe of yellow that is so visible on approach, why the massing is so weird around the elevators, etc. Like others, I also genuinely like the lobby, Wailulu, the rooms, the viewing gardens, and more, but relatively minor changes could make it significantly better even if it is a tower. That’s what’s frustrating about it, Riviera, and I suspect Lakeshore if some earlier renderings hold.

It's about money the points you make would all cost more

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

I don’t understand why the roof adornment isn’t tall enough to hide the mechanical from a distance

THISSSS!

 

[BrianLo]

And it’s 9 stories. That’s not changing.

Uniformly, or tapering like Poly Island Tower?

Uniformly, as far as I’m aware.

I wasn’t nuts! The roof is going in and it does in fact taper. From 9 to 6-7 floors at the end of the wings.

Which helps dramatically for some of the wilderness lodge site line concerns.

 

[BrianLo]

Impact on Wilderness

Bay lake tower from the same spot over by Geyser point. The former disappears first and the later essentially once you aren’t at Geyser Point or the boat dock.

The DVC side

 

[BrianLo]

The restaurant around the corner

The cash end

These cabins seem way less enticing to me in their current under-landscaped placement

I think the less desirable part of Lakeshore lodge cash side is that it is staring right at the contemporary (where this last picture is from the docks)… but I guess that’s for the fireworks.

I remain very curious to see what the DVC side is going to try and get away with… there are two blocks that are fireworks facing.

 

[nickys]

Which is the cash side and which is DVC?

 

[BrianLo]

Which is the cash side and which is DVC?

The side closer to Fort Wilderness is cash per Haunted Pirate. You can kind of tell just based on the building. The DVC rooms have more going on with recessed spots for balconies. The cash is all just flat frontage.

I think what I posted above from contemporary is actually all DVC now that I’m looking at it. Apart from that block that looks like it still will have amenity locations in it.

 

[BrianLo]

@nickys this photo from bay lake probably shows the whole DVC side with the hotel block and amenities of the hotel coming out of the middle section.

Circled DVC

Dead Centre is the end of the hotel block with the two DVC arms splaying on either side. Right in the picture is the trifold and left is the other two blocks of DVC. It’s quite a large hotel so I even got confused what section I was looking at from the contemporary.

 

[flyerjab]

@nickys this photo from bay lake probably shows the whole DVC side with the hotel block and amenities of the hotel coming out of the middle section.

View attachment 880351

Circled DVC

View attachment 880352

Dead Centre is the end of the hotel block with the two DVC arms splaying on either side. Right in the picture is the trifold and left is the other two blocks of DVC. It’s quite a large hotel so I even got confused what section I was looking at from the contemporary.

I’m going to preface this by admitting I know nothing about construction. But at the pace they are going 2027 just seems so far away. It’s almost like they could make late 2026.

 

[BrianLo]

I’m going to preface this by admitting I know nothing about construction. But at the pace they are going 2027 just seems so far away. It’s almost like they could make late 2026.

Here’s some photos from @DCBaker 14 months before PIT opened. You can appreciate between it being a significantly larger complex that they need a few more months leeway and will open more like spring 2027. PIT was also prefab, but its entire shell was up.

 

[easyrowrdw]

The side closer to Fort Wilderness is cash per Haunted Pirate. You can kind of tell just based on the building. The DVC rooms have more going on with recessed spots for balconies. The cash is all just flat frontage.

I think what I posted above from contemporary is actually all DVC now that I’m looking at it. Apart from that block that looks like it still will have amenity locations in it.

Are the cash rooms not going to have balconies? Aside from some 2nd floor Polynesian rooms, are there deluxe rooms without balconies (or patios)?

 

[nickys]

@nickys this photo from bay lake probably shows the whole DVC side with the hotel block and amenities of the hotel coming out of the middle section.

View attachment 880351

Circled DVC

View attachment 880352

Dead Centre is the end of the hotel block with the two DVC arms splaying on either side. Right in the picture is the trifold and left is the other two blocks of DVC. It’s quite a large hotel so I even got confused what section I was looking at from the contemporary.

So none of the cash rooms will have a lake view? That seems strange.

Somehow I assumed this was like the Boardwalk, with one wing being DVC and one wing being cash.

Also the DVC info mentions the different cabins types, so at least some of those must be DVC.

 

[BrianLo]

So none of the cash rooms will have a lake view? That seems strange.

Somehow I assumed this was like the Boardwalk, with one wing being DVC and one wing being cash.

Also the DVC info mentions the different cabins types, so at least some of those must be DVC.

The cash wing (circled) also has lake views. You just can’t see this section from the contemporary.

All of the A-frames and cabins are DVC from my understanding.

Are the cash rooms not going to have balconies? Aside from some 2nd floor Polynesian rooms, are there deluxe rooms without balconies (or patios)?

Sorry there are balconies above. But just not the recession for the different unit types.

 

[nickys]

The cash wing (circled) also has lake views. You just can’t see this section from the contemporary.

Those aren’t lake views IMO. Water views, of the pool and gardens at best. Otherwise the DVC block will be in the way.

 

[BrianLo]

Those aren’t lake views IMO. Water views, of the pool and gardens at best. Otherwise the DVC block will be in the way.

I’m taking the picture from the lake… I’m on a boat.

 

[nickys]

I’m totally confused, that’s a lake side end of wing, which you circled on the map as DVC.

The block you showed as cash are behind the pool complex.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I’m taking the picture from the lake… I’m on a boat.

View attachment 880387

Wow, that is massive. This represents A LOT of new DVC contracts and is also considered an expansion of WDW albeit not the kind of expansion I was hoping for.