Yes, Disney is going back to the WL.
No, they won't be building any (OK, not entirely true) new villas. What they will be doing is converting a large number of rooms in the main building from hotel to DVC. In addition, much infrastructure work is planned from a total redo of Artist Point, to expanding the pool deck to adding a new concierge lounge (actually multiples, one exclusive for DVC).
As both myself and
@ParentsOf4 have articulated, WDW's current business model is fundamentally flawed and broken. And those geniuses who run Disney have come to the same conclusion. They just don't get why. They think DVC is the Golden Goose and they only care about short-term gains. It's not that the WL couldn't fill 98% of its rooms most of the year IF they lowered prices. It's that WDW's model doesn't allow for $150 a night rooms beyond CM discounts.
Take a look at this summer. Do you have any clue how pathetic WDW load levels are? The entire main building at the Grand Flo is empty as rooms are being redone to look like Vegas rooms from 2010. The Poly has multiple buildings that are empty. The BW has many rooms out of service for hard good rehabs. And guess what?
They still are lucky to have resorts that are 65-75% full (not total occupancy, available occupancy which is a huge difference).
This is definitely big news, and not of the 'good' variety.
They see the resort is broken, and they see the fix is to double down on what broke it.
They see the way to increase value to their overpriced deluxe rooms to the guests isn't to make the resorts better, it's to reduce 'cash room' capacity. Don't spend $500 on a room because it's worth $500. Spend $500 because someone else will get that room and you'll be stuck in the nonMAGICAL Swan, Dolphin, or Bonnet Creek resorts...
While UNI offers a carrot, TDO threatens with a stick. While UNI spends cap-ex to add to the resort, TDO spends to take stuff away. How 'Walt' like of them...
They want a Potter Swatter? Bring back The Vacation Kingdom. While the foundation of that is better cleanliness & maintenance resortwide and a workforce that recieves First World Wages - the Main Floor of that is the resorts:
The resorts need to do their own heavy lifting. A $500 room should attract a guest by the offerings of that specific resort. How many resorts on property are worth a long weekend at rack rates - and you do nothing but eat at that hotels restaurants, shop at its stores, and recieve all of your recreation within the grounds of that specific resort? Does the thought of spending a day at the resort feel like your wasting a day? Or is it an essential part of your vacation? Shouldn't a $500 (yes, I know rack for most are much, much more) room be enjoyable to spend non-sleeping time in? Shouldn't it be in a resort with pleasant common areas that tie in the theme? Have a nice sit down restaurant where you can walk-in to a good meal for lunch that starts with fresh bread? Sufficient pool areas for all guests? Fitness facilities on property? (CBR & POR not having a fitness center is comical. The Poly not having it's own is criminal).
Next floor up is the other auxiliary options available over the entire WDW resort. Advertise better what these are, and make more of them.
But instead it's all parksparksparksparksparksparksparks in the ads. And if people are conditioned to be all parks, all the time - then when they finish TDO's parks they want to do other parks - and then they wonder why am I spending $500 plus on these rooms when I can spend much less on rooms that are closer to the other parks?
Why not instead have the parks be just a part of a larger vacation? Slow the guests pace down. Entertain them in other ways. Maybe the Potter Swatter is a round of golf? Or an afternoon in the GF's lobby listening to the jazz ensemble? Or ride a horse? Or maybe just lay in a hammock?
And to put it over the top? Length of stay passes to all parks
complimentary (imagine a Vegas hotel charging a $100 cover charge to use the slots?). A handful of paper fastpasses (based on type of hotel & length of stay) good anytime for any attraction w/o any pre-planning for each hotel guest. A policy of
never automatically turning away a resort guest from a sit-down walk-in (sit em right away if tables are empty - let them take a no show's table if every table is genuinely booked - and yes staff the eateries accordingly).
If you make it more of a vacation (more restful & relaxing), perhaps the guest will get into a pace, and won't want to disturb that pace by leaving the property...
Disney Springs will move DVC memberships at SSR. Pandora and other adds coming to DAK will move DVC memberships at the AKL. Proving that adding content to the resorts has wide-ranging economic benefits. The ultimate win-win. I just have more faith in people than many here. I just don't think there is some grand conspiritorial money grab going on. If there was there would not be construction going on every where you look. OBJ even had an article documenting all the progress. 
