News Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge (Project 89 - Development near Fort Wilderness)

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
Let's Break this Down.
Pocahontas (as seen in the concept art) works in a forested environment
Agree
as found in the Port Orleans area.
What? I assume you are only taking about the Alligator Bayou Section of Riverside. That is a marshy area that is well themed to the American South, not a foresty area that matches up with 1600's Virginia. Let alone French Quarter and the Mansions.
There is a push to add IPs to the resorts because guests love stuff like AoA.
Yes and no. Yes to an IP push. No to AoA. There is a reason that IP integration will follow the Art of Marvel Method (Plug for my Art of Marvel Implications Thread) and not the AoA/Values one, simply because it is viewed as unpopular and comes across as dated. AoA, which is usually the highest performing value, has been falling short lately. Still have yet to confirm, but I have reason to believe that Pop Century is starting to overtake it.
The concept art also depicts Disney characters that inhabit the forest. Such as the Fox from the Fox and the Hound. Bambi and Chip and Dale also fit this environment.

Not only does the fulfil the initiative for IP inclusion but also the initiative to the new Disney Animals line. With Pocahontas acting as a sort of caretaker and educator for forest conservation.
Right, so she belongs (if anywhere) at Reflections, NOT PO.
Port Orleans was never fully themed compared to other WDW resorts so this wouldn't be difficult and is probably due considering the age of some of the buildings.
Cannot dislike enough. See attached photos.
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Reflections was announced to be themed towards a bayou setting with Tiana's restaurant and an overarching setting embracing the waterfront. Expecting Cajun/Creole dining and entertainment. Much more a wetlands environment than a forested area.
No, it was announced to have waterfront dining with Tiana. Most likely it will act in a similar manner to Storybook Dining at Artist Point with a light thematic overlay in a restaurant made for the resort itself.


I also have a giant rant about the marketing for this resort being fudged, and how a few simple marketing tweaks would make it much better received (ex. dropping the "Lodge" moniker from its name and reframing how it was pitched), but that is for another time.
 

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UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I would strongly disagree about the theming at Port Orleans. It's a great resort almost all around. The only real negative is the food, which isn't bad, but certainly isn't anything special. That doesn't really matter to me, though, because I don't really do any eating at the resort (other than trips to a specific resort just to eat there, like breakfast at Boma at AKL). I stayed there last time I was at Disney and am staying there again in January because we liked it so much.
 

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
I also have a giant rant about the marketing for this resort being fudged, and how a few simple marketing tweaks would make it much better received (ex. dropping the "Lodge" moniker from its name and reframing how it was pitched), but that is for another time.

I agree, as well as a better name in general that was more fitting for the area would have helped, instead of sounding like some retirement community :banghead:. I would have preferred Wilderness Junction or Buffalo Junction etc, something like that, as it was originally intended to be, back in the 90s anyway.
 

scottieRoss

Well-Known Member
Don't you think brining Tiana's to Reflections will confuse a big percentage of guests? I know everyone will say she should be at PO but the reality is Reflections.

Not being critical but your PO photos are cherry picked. Definitely the best "value resort" but the theming and age of the facility seem ripe for reimagining imo.

The glass atriums seen in some of the new art made me think it might actually be PO.

In any case, it will be interesting to see how TDO and Imagineering piece this puzzle together.

Thanks for your response.
You do realize that Port Orleans is not a Value Resort. The theming of the resort is anti belum New Orleans. As for the age, it is one of the younger resorts on property. It is newer than the monorail resorts, the Caribbean Beach, Yacht and Beach Clubs, the Dolphin and the Swan among others.
Stylistically, Reflections and its atriums are nothing like the wrought iron and glass walls of Port Orleans. If you confuse the two, then your credentials on architecture judgment have just been destroyed.
 

NiarrNDisney

Well-Known Member
Let's Break this Down.

Agree

What? I assume you are only taking about the Alligator Bayou Section of Riverside. That is a marshy area that is well themed to the American South, not a foresty area that matches up with 1600's Virginia. Let alone French Quarter and the Mansions.

Yes and no. Yes to an IP push. No to AoA. There is a reason that IP integration will follow the Art of Marvel Method (Plug for my Art of Marvel Implications Thread) and not the AoA/Values one, simply because it is viewed as unpopular and comes across as dated. AoA, which is usually the highest performing value, has been falling short lately. Still have yet to confirm, but I have reason to believe that Pop Century is starting to overtake it.

Right, so she belongs (if anywhere) at Reflections, NOT PO.

Cannot dislike enough. See attached photos. View attachment 402700View attachment 402701View attachment 402703View attachment 402704View attachment 402705

No, it was announced to have waterfront dining with Tiana. Most likely it will act in a similar manner to Storybook Dining at Artist Point with a light thematic overlay in a restaurant made for the resort itself.


I also have a giant rant about the marketing for this resort being fudged, and how a few simple marketing tweaks would make it much better received (ex. dropping the "Lodge" moniker from its name and reframing how it was pitched), but that is for another time.

What they said!
 

ABQ

Well-Known Member
My recollection of using the oneline ADR was that if one chose 'signature' as a filter, it was mainly character dining. But, I guess I'm misremembering.
I think it's just a case of most character meals are signature, but not all signatures are character meals. No egregious error on anyone's part.
 

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