Walt Disney World Resort will welcome a new hotel property in summer 2027: Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge. Situated on the shores of Bay Lake in Florida, this new hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection will open its doors on 1 July 2027, with bookings opening from early October 2026.
A hotel built around nature and Disney’s great storytelling
Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge reflects a narrative approach the group has firmly embraced: telling stories inspired by nature through architecture and decor. The property draws its inspiration from several animated classics, including Bambi, Pocahontas, Encanto and Brother Bear, whose visual worlds run through the hotel’s various spaces.
This thematic approach confirms a direction the group has taken in recent years, anchoring each new hotel property in its own narrative rather than reproducing a generic hospitality standard. Lakeshore Lodge’s positioning as a waterside retreat stands in contrast to the urban or futuristic feel of other hotels in the resort complex.
A segmented accommodation offering
The hotel will offer several categories of rooms and suites, catering to a variety of guest profiles, from families to larger groups. Pocahontas-themed Resort Studios will sit alongside Duo Studios and Deluxe Studios inspired by Bambi and Encanto. One- and two-bedroom Villas will draw on the world of Bambi, while three-bedroom Grand Villas, designed for groups or extended families, will be themed around Fantasia.
The property will also feature Lake Houses, standalone waterfront residences adorned with artwork inspired by Brother Bear, as well as a presidential suite, the Hidden Willow Presidential Suite, featuring Pocahontas theming, fireworks views and lounge access.
Dining and leisure on the shores of Bay Lake
On the dining front, the hotel will showcase Moonglade, a lakeside restaurant built around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, complemented by quick-service dining available from a marketplace.
The leisure offering centres on an area called The Wetlands, featuring pools and a lazy river, alongside numerous outdoor activities that make the most of the site’s natural setting. Guests will also be able to watch the Electrical Water Pageant, the resort’s historic nighttime nautical parade, from the shores of Bay Lake, and enjoy views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the Dandelion Terrace.
Accessibility and park connections
In terms of transport, Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge will benefit from a direct water taxi link to Magic Kingdom, as well as a shuttle system to the other theme parks and to Disney Springs, as part of Walt Disney World Resort’s complimentary transport network.
Timeline and strategic positioning
Bookings, set to open in early October 2026, will come nine months ahead of the property’s actual opening — a timeline consistent with the group’s usual commercial practices for its new hotels. The launch comes as Disney Experiences has recently renewed its leadership team, with Joe Schott appointed President of Walt Disney World Resort as part of that reorganisation. The Florida resort, which already counts around thirty hotels, is thereby continuing to strengthen its hotel portfolio, at a time when the hotel market around Walt Disney World Resort remains active in transaction terms, as illustrated by recent disposals of assets adjacent to the resort.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
New property: Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, part of the Disney Resorts Collection
Location: Bay Lake, Walt Disney World Resort, Florida – between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
Opening date: July 1, 2027; booking opens early October 2026
Accommodation mix: Resort Studios, Duo/Deluxe Studios, 1-2 Bedroom Villas, 3-Bedroom Grand Villas, standalone Lake Houses and a Presidential Suite
Theming: nature-inspired storytelling drawing on Bambi, Pocahontas, Encanto and Brother Bear
Access: water taxi to Magic Kingdom, bus service to other parks and Disney Springs
