Attack of the Lakeshore Lodge

[Mouseforward]

Either the accountant screwed up with the cabins, or DVC overestimated the power of Pixie dust to get people to see past a bad deal. But they’re going to need to fix the cabins. Unless their plan is to rely on cash sales.

It may not have been the original plan, but it may be the only sensible plan at this point to combine the two.

 

[Brittleebee]

I’m interested to see when sales will begin. This resort piques my interest despite my better judgement.

 

[MagicCat]

I bought a dedicated week around Halloween at the cabins as a first time DVC buyer. My cabin points from now on will be used exclusively for the cabins but I’ve also enjoyed staying at other resorts so I bought another contract when DVC had the sale at Old Key West to use as sleep around points.
What I’m realizing is that alot of DVC people haven’t experienced holidays at the fort and have no idea how unique and fabulous the campground actually is. To me, Trick or treating at the fort is the most beautiful and magical experience in all of Disney World, better than anything offered at the parks or any of the other resorts. I bought a piece of that and it’s priceless. I think it’s going to be hard getting into the fort on Halloween if you don’t own there.
I went to the owners meeting for the cabins and DVC management said they know that it’s hard to sell the cabins right now because the resort is being put together is phases and with the uncertainty people don’t know everything they are going to get but they think it’s going to be wonderful. They mentioned they are aware of how special the resort is and they want to honor that. They also inferred in so many words without actually coming out and saying it that everything from now on will be a trust product because it’s the best fit. That was my understanding from the conversation I had with them.

 

[maui22]

I suspect transportation will be separate myself. As will entry (coming via West Wilderness Way). At least the way they've laid out the entry road into the resort suggests such.

This is a relatively large resort and Fort Wilderness is already a large, spread out resort. RIV in no way integrated with Caribbean Beach and that resort (RIV) is fairly tiny.

I'm still on team they are entirely separate resorts with the caveat that the Cabins are selling so poorly, making it problematic to ignore that they may take the opportunity to do something about it.

In May, we stayed at BRV. We rode a bus that picked us up at WL and then stopped at FW area (parking area in LSL construction area). I can’t recall where which park we were headed to.

Maybe that was a fluke?

 

[Mikey15]

In May, we stayed at BRV. We rode a bus that picked us up at WL and then stopped at FW area (parking area in LSL construction area). I can’t recall where which park we were headed to.

Maybe that was a fluke?

Maybe boat to MK was down? FW offers bus and boat to MK just like WL does, though not normally from that area. Could’ve been supplemental due to something unexpected with a boat?

 

[CarolynFH]

In May, we stayed at BRV. We rode a bus that picked us up at WL and then stopped at FW area (parking area in LSL construction area). I can’t recall where which park we were headed to.

Maybe that was a fluke?

WL and FW do share a bus but I can’t remember to which location (park or DS). I’ve read that many times on the Camping forum as well as on the WL forum, not to mention sometimes in response to questions about getting to Hoop Dee Doo, because the bus drops off and picks up at the Settlement where the HDD is.

 

[juliebee]

WL and FW do share a bus but I can’t remember to which location (park or DS). I’ve read that many times on the Camping forum as well as on the WL forum, not to mention sometimes in response to questions about getting to Hoop Dee Doo, because the bus drops off and picks up at the Settlement where the HDD is.

Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness used to share a bus during non-peak times in the past. But at my May 2025 trip the Wilderness Lodge shared a bus with the Contemporary. All the bus signs have Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary together at the parks and at Disney Springs, so I expect that is the plan from now on. I didn't notice if Fort Wilderness is bus sharing with anyone.

 

[PolyRob]

WL and FW do share a bus but I can’t remember to which location (park or DS). I’ve read that many times on the Camping forum as well as on the WL forum, not to mention sometimes in response to questions about getting to Hoop Dee Doo, because the bus drops off and picks up at the Settlement where the HDD is.

WL usually shares DHS, AK, and DS busses with CR and it's the first stop.

I believe FW only shares the MK bus or Epcot bus during select off peak times since CR doesn't get bus service to those parks unless the monorail is down.

 

[Mouseforward]

I bought a dedicated week around Halloween at the cabins as a first time DVC buyer. My cabin points from now on will be used exclusively for the cabins but I’ve also enjoyed staying at other resorts so I bought another contract when DVC had the sale at Old Key West to use as sleep around points.
What I’m realizing is that alot of DVC people haven’t experienced holidays at the fort and have no idea how unique and fabulous the campground actually is. To me, Trick or treating at the fort is the most beautiful and magical experience in all of Disney World, better than anything offered at the parks or any of the other resorts. I bought a piece of that and it’s priceless. I think it’s going to be hard getting into the fort on Halloween if you don’t own there.
I went to the owners meeting for the cabins and DVC management said they know that it’s hard to sell the cabins right now because the resort is being put together is phases and with the uncertainty people don’t know everything they are going to get but they think it’s going to be wonderful. They mentioned they are aware of how special the resort is and they want to honor that. They also inferred in so many words without actually coming out and saying it that everything from now on will be a trust product because it’s the best fit. That was my understanding from the conversation I had with them.

But do they understand it’s really the maintenance fee? I love the cabins as well and went there as a kid, but I’m all grown up now and I have to make the dollars work. If they don’t fix the maintenance fees, it’s gonna be a seven month resort.

 

[Cfabar1]

Yes, because 1BRs and dedicated 2BRs are physically much bigger than a hotel room.

I don't mean only "mixed use" in the ownership model, I also mean mixed-use in how the building is laid out--much like the lower floors of Jambo are more dense than the higher ones, and the WL wing of the Lodge is denser than the CCV wing. If Lakeshore is designed to be part-DVC and part "regular hotel", the hotel side will have hotel rooms, not villas.

We know it was designed for this. It is possible, even if the whole building is DVC in terms of deeding that they stick with the original design, and create a "value category" "hotel room" category, or something else...

 

[Patmcpsu]

I bought a dedicated week around Halloween at the cabins as a first time DVC buyer. My cabin points from now on will be used exclusively for the cabins but I’ve also enjoyed staying at other resorts so I bought another contract when DVC had the sale at Old Key West to use as sleep around points.
What I’m realizing is that alot of DVC people haven’t experienced holidays at the fort and have no idea how unique and fabulous the campground actually is. To me, Trick or treating at the fort is the most beautiful and magical experience in all of Disney World, better than anything offered at the parks or any of the other resorts. I bought a piece of that and it’s priceless. I think it’s going to be hard getting into the fort on Halloween if you don’t own there.
I went to the owners meeting for the cabins and DVC management said they know that it’s hard to sell the cabins right now because the resort is being put together is phases and with the uncertainty people don’t know everything they are going to get but they think it’s going to be wonderful. They mentioned they are aware of how special the resort is and they want to honor that. They also inferred in so many words without actually coming out and saying it that everything from now on will be a trust product because it’s the best fit. That was my understanding from the conversation I had with them.

I appreciate the input about FW being good around Halloween. I didn't know that, and it makes me want to check it out at that time.

But DVC guides are not a reliable source; they are salespeople who are incentivized to be less-than-true. They will never say "the location is inconvenient" or "the maintenance fees are too high". They *might* say "it's more of a niche product that lacks widespread appeal".

 

[Brian Noble]

I went to the owners meeting for the cabins and DVC management said they know that it’s hard to sell the cabins right now because the resort is being put together is phases and with the uncertainty people don’t know everything they are going to get but they think it’s going to be wonderful.

Well, that's interesting.

But DVC guides are not a reliable source

If I am reading @MagicCat's post correctly, those were not Guides; it was at the CFW condo owners meeting. Still not ink-on-paper, of course, but a lot more reliable.

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

...the fort is the most beautiful and magical experience in all of Disney World, better than anything offered at the parks or any of the other resorts. I bought a piece of that and it’s priceless. I think it’s going to be hard getting into the fort on Halloween if you don’t own there.

As a cash paying fan of the cabins at the Fort the last 20 years, my personal preference is the holiday season when everyone decorates their camp site (myself included) and tooling around the whole place in a golf cart with my kids to look at the lights. This is why I almost bought a favorite week, and why I agree with you completely.

I went to the owners meeting for the cabins and DVC management said they know that it’s hard to sell the cabins right now because the resort is being put together in phases and with the uncertainty people don’t know everything they are going to get but they think it’s going to be wonderful. They mentioned they are aware of how special the resort is and they want to honor that. They also inferred in so many words without actually coming out and saying it that everything from now on will be a trust product because it’s the best fit. That was my understanding from the conversation I had with them.

Great insight! Thanks so much for sharing!!! Your post on what they said, especially the part I emphasized in green.... I wonder if that's almost confirmation that at least the cabins at CFW will be merged with LSL .... hmmm.

 

[davidhr]

TBF, that could be read as the cabins are being built in phases, which they are. It’s different to other resorts where they start sales when every room is done.

 

[Brian Noble]

I am reminded of one of my advisor's aphorisms: There are only three interesting numbers: 0, 1, and infinity---and there are already multiple cabins. I don't see why anyone would think that having more of them makes the resort more appealing to a buyer, but I also don't sell timeshares for a living.

And again: I don't think such a statement actually means anything. It could be referring to planned pool renovations in the Fort, or a new restaurant, or even just "when Lakeshore is here, there will be more going on."

 

[Mle8308]

2000-2016, Villas at Wilderness Lodge.
2016-present now referred to as Boulder Ridge Villas.
Somewhere in there Copper Creek Villas was announced and was added to Wilderness Lodge area.

1971-present Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
2024 - CFW DVC sales started and opened.
Lakeshore Lodge announced as taking over the beach at Fort Wilderness area.
2027 - LSL will open.

Future seems very cloudy when I think about LSL and CFW may use the same park buses, share some roads, etc. If sharing, wouldn't LSL take on some of the shared expenses? Possibly lowering CFW dues

In May, we stayed at BRV. We rode a bus that picked us up at WL and then stopped at FW area (parking area in LSL construction area). I can’t recall where which park we were headed to.

Maybe that was a fluke?

I've had that happen in the evenings coming back from Epcot. They would drop off at FW then continue on to the WL. I don't think it's a fluke.

 

[disneylandtour]

Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness used to share a bus during non-peak times in the past. But at my May 2025 trip the Wilderness Lodge shared a bus with the Contemporary. All the bus signs have Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary together at the parks and at Disney Springs, so I expect that is the plan from now on. I didn't notice if Fort Wilderness is bus sharing with anyone.

This, too, has been my experience recently, at least post-pandemic, that WL and Contemporary share bus services, just like Poly and GF also share services. My guess: the initial poster had a unique situation when boats were down (maybe due to weather or some other issue) and the busses were taking unusual routes.

 

[bama_ed]

It will be interesting to see how they handle it. IMHO, Disney has created its own "can of worms" by putting LL where they did. And I think this will go both ways. They won't be able to keep the campers out of LL for dining/gift shops, etc

And why would they want to? If it's still on the old lame R*********s plan, it will be a partial DVC and partial general public resort hotel. And where else is dining or shopping for the time shares restricted to time share guests only? Can't be many (if any).

Not sure who does it now (if anyone does). Disney likes green.

Bama Ed

 

[muppets3d]

But do they understand it’s really the maintenance fee? I love the cabins as well and went there as a kid, but I’m all grown up now and I have to make the dollars work. If they don’t fix the maintenance fees, it’s gonna be a seven month resort.

The issue this year has been that they're selling these cabins at prices (after AP/Disney+/bounceback) discounts at cash prices pretty darn close to maintenance fee prices. Let alone the initial buy-in. You will basically never come out ahead buying points at CFW if this trend continues in the future.

 

[Mouseforward]

The issue this year has been that they're selling these cabins at prices (after AP/Disney+/bounceback) discounts at cash prices pretty darn close to maintenance fee prices. Let alone the initial buy-in. You will basically never come out ahead buying points at CFW if this trend continues in the future.

Yup I calculated that out in a prior post - it can be 20 years