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

esskay

Well-Known Member
I'd imagine it'll still happen one day (or at least something on that plot of land) once they get low on DVC locations again. They must be running out of resorts they can expand with more DVC wings after the Poly and Grand Floridian. I guess you could expand the area around Boulder Ridge to fit another ugly tower in over at Wilderness.

There's also space on Seven Seas Lagoon to put another resort, just to the west of Wilderness (arguably would've been a better place to put reflections IMO).
 

GladToBeHear

Well-Known Member
My guess is the project is on hold for now -- but will be part of a bigger redevelopment project in the future. They're not going to keep Fort Wilderness in its current location long-term. That land is too valuable. That'll get redeveloped into more residential (with the added value of watercraft access to MK). The lakeside lodge will either be part of that (or the land will become part of the larger residential project). And the campground will either be relocated to somewhere else on property -- or done away with completely.

This is all just a hunch.

EDIT: Or it all becomes DVC.
 

GCTales

Well-Known Member
My guess is the project is on hold for now -- but will be part of a bigger redevelopment project in the future. They're not going to keep Fort Wilderness in its current location long-term. That land is too valuable. That'll get redeveloped into more residential (with the added value of watercraft access to MK). The lakeside lodge will either be part of that (or the land will become part of the larger residential project). And the campground will either be relocated to somewhere else on property -- or done away with completely.

This is all just a hunch.

EDIT: Or it all becomes DVC.
Sa#ly, and scarily, with current Disney management this is far too believable a scenario.
 

GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
It became a social media embarrassment having the skeletal remains of River Country Water Park at that location. It was reasonable to repurpose the area into some sort of resort. A clean up an eye sore and evolve the area into something profitable. World impacting events preempted the whole thing. It's OK for the area to be reclaimed by nature and the iconic Fort Wilderness left alone to be enjoyed as is.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
It became a social media embarrassment having the skeletal remains of River Country Water Park at that location. It was reasonable to repurpose the area into some sort of resort. A clean up an eye sore and evolve the area into something profitable. World impacting events preempted the whole thing. It's OK for the area to be reclaimed by nature and the iconic Fort Wilderness left alone to be enjoyed as is.
It must not have been much of a SM thing noticing how long they let it sit. Convenient it cleaned up the site but I doubt that was much of a motivating factor.
 

castlecake2.0

Well-Known Member
I’m really curious how Disney feels about the campground. It’s booked solid half the year and doesn’t require traditional maintenance and upkeep that a traditional resort would. Wonder if there’s any long term plans other than business as usual.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
I’m really curious how Disney feels about the campground. It’s booked solid half the year and doesn’t require traditional maintenance and upkeep that a traditional resort would. Wonder if there’s any long term plans other than business as usual.

I doubt they have any plans to do anything different there other than regularly raising prices. I'd imagine it turns a very nice profit.
 

Phicinfan

Well-Known Member
You all are missing the big thing coming. I am no insider, but will take full credit when this happens.....

First this WILL be the DVC for Camp Wilderness.
It will include a 3 level parking garage, one level will be for golf carts
It will include a main building that will resemble Great western Ranch - to tie into the ranch near by.... - with golf carts disguised as donkey's and ponies to take you to the ranch and other Camp Wilderness sites.
There will be a huge water park play ground added that includes a rope swing into a pool, a slide looking much like a Water silo, that you shoot out the main spout on. Key difference is they will return the Camp Wilderness Railroad, which will have a station(and of course all the shops) that will route you around the entire camp ground, and will eventually also tie you into Wilderness Lodge. Toot Toot.
I will add, this will now be one of the most popular places to stay, you can Camp, you can cabin, you can ranch house, and soon they will add a separate barn building that will house suites where you can actually pet animals as you go to your overly priced DVC rooms.

You are welcome.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
You all are missing the big thing coming. I am no insider, but will take full credit when this happens.....

First this WILL be the DVC for Camp Wilderness.
It will include a 3 level parking garage, one level will be for golf carts
It will include a main building that will resemble Great western Ranch - to tie into the ranch near by.... - with golf carts disguised as donkey's and ponies to take you to the ranch and other Camp Wilderness sites.
There will be a huge water park play ground added that includes a rope swing into a pool, a slide looking much like a Water silo, that you shoot out the main spout on. Key difference is they will return the Camp Wilderness Railroad, which will have a station(and of course all the shops) that will route you around the entire camp ground, and will eventually also tie you into Wilderness Lodge. Toot Toot.
I will add, this will now be one of the most popular places to stay, you can Camp, you can cabin, you can ranch house, and soon they will add a separate barn building that will house suites where you can actually pet animals as you go to your overly priced DVC rooms.

You are welcome.
So how many years/decades will the area be closed to perform this transformation?
That’s what I think too, a lot of people seem to think it will be bulldozed for something else but until they run out of room for new resorts I don’t see this going anywhere.
If you see them expand to the cleared area you have the answer
 

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
The old Wilderness train was an unexpected and wonderful detail...Such a shame they could not bring it back to link the two resorts and add a little more... That was old Disney... Classic, unexpected and lovely details to make every spot, even the campground a little more special...
The original plan at one time was to link the campground to wilderness junction to wilderness lodge with a train.
would have been so nice.
 

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