Reflections still on the drawing board..

[Teamubr]

Thanks Duane.

There hasn't been a lot of publicity since this was restarted. The details here sound similar to what was originally put out pre-Covid. The plans I have show the pools and a lazy river, so we suspected this would be a pretty nice outdoor area. I'll post the plans tonight when I get home and try to highlight where everything will go.

j

 

[proudmomof4]

I just love how the article states that the new resort will be nestled between the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. But in reality, it is right on top of Fort Wilderness and across a body of water from Wilderness Lodge.

The CMs at Geyser Point were telling me that NO ONE is happy about the location.

 

[Teamubr]

I just love how the article states that the new resort will be nestled between the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness.

The CMs at Geyser Point were telling me that NO ONE is happy about the location.

"Nestled" is funny, but I guess "wedged behind" doesn't sell as well.

I think the biggest impact to WL are the Copper Creek bungalows along that side, but there is still a lot more separation.

j

 

[Duane]

Even though I am a DVC member, but 100% a camper/Rv'r first... I wonder where the razor wire and guard checkpoint will be placed in order to keep "campers" out...? We all know that will be the upcoming sentiment...

 

[proudmomof4]

"Nestled" is funny, but I guess "wedged behind" doesn't sell as well.

I think the biggest impact to WL are the Copper Creek bungalows along that side, but there is still a lot more separation.

j

Our server at Geyser Point was saying that the 10 story building is going to block the sightline of the rocket launches and the moonrise from Geyser Point.

 

[Teamubr]

If anyone is curious, this is from various things I have collected over the 14 years this has been planned.

The first image is from the original plans. The far upper left shows the lazy river, water slide and zero entry referenced as the "feature" pool in the WDWMag site. The smaller pool to the right on my plans is labeled "Leisure pool and spa". Again, these are the old plans, long before any construction began.



Zooming in, the labels show the splash pad, zero entry, pool slide and "falls" cascade. This language is on the WDWM article, so I suspect they are recycling the press release from 14 years and and my not be accurate with the revised plans currently under construction.



This site plan more closely reflects the actual work being done (or has been done (parking lot, ponds, pilings for the building behind Pioneer Hall/TE).

It's not as clear on this plan. The building orientation is different from the original plans above and it appears the "feature" pool and "leisure" pools are reversed. From what I have seen on more recent artist concept drawings, the lazy river is in C-105 with the leisure pool in C-104. between the red building and the lake/boat dock. I haven't found anything definitive with labels, so this is a bit of speculation.



This is the Google Earth image from March 2020, right as construction was shut down for Covid. Newer images show the over growth until the most recent image (May 2024) that shows the new parking lot and cleared space. This image is relevant as it shows the footing for the build(s) going up behind Pioneer Hall. There had also been a lot of subsurface work done for utilities and other infrastructure. The speculation at the time was the circle to the left of the building footers contained the plumbing and beginning subsurface work for the feature pool.



Interestingly, if you go to the Fort on Google Maps or Google Earth, the default view is from November 2018, prior to any clearing. More recent images were the default until shortly before construction resumed last year. Apparently Disney had Google make the old, pre-construction view the default. Similar on Bing Maps.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Yeah the R* plan had the pools, lazy river, zero entry, and splash pads.

What an eyesore.

Just please give me my paved trail back to Wilderness Lodge.

Bama Ed

 

[Corgidad]

Sorry Ed that will never happen, and Im sure you know that

 

[SL6827]

Even though I am a DVC member, but 100% a camper/Rv'r first... I wonder where the razor wire and guard checkpoint will be placed in order to keep "campers" out...? We all know that will be the upcoming sentiment...

I'm not at all for pool hopping, but you know that's right!! My husband would be like, they will shoot us hillbillies on site!!

 

[sm8680]

Disney Lakeshore Lodge Under Construction (Updated February 21, 2025.)

 

[nomorethan8]

The risk for Disney is that a 50 year old campground outshines a brand new resort that is built next to it.

 

[proudmomof4]

I just noticed on some of the site plans, there is a "limit of construction" circle around the Settlement playground. I have to wonder if they are taking that away from us too.

 

[bama_ed]

I just noticed on some of the site plans, there is a "limit of construction" circle around the Settlement playground. I have to wonder if they are taking that away from us too.

Well, @proudmomof4, the ugly eyesore cabins they plan to drop between the playground and the beach will build out in that direction.

The row of the handful of cabins nearest the beach will be oriented towards MK (fireworks view).

The second row of cabins will be aligned BETWEEN (point-of-view) the front row of cabins also towards MK.

My hope is that the playground, while still being within a chicken wing's toss of those ugly cabins, will be safe. Although we ALL know the Fort Settlement playground will be overrun with R* families trying to escape the confines of their tiny rooms and enjoy the expansive space that is Fort Wilderness. And just wait till those resort folks head over to the campers for Halloween. Which campers want to hand out candy to the freeloaders from the 900 rooms of the R* resort? (and I am asking a serious question). Raise your hand if you will bring 1,000+ EXTRA handouts of candy on Halloween. by the way, keep your sweet tarts and taffy in your stupid bags. if it ain't chocolate, I hand it back (and I live by those same rules too).

Disney/DVC is desperate to 'tier' the accomodations to get more revenue. Good rooms, better rooms, best rooms, best 'exclusive room' (lake facing cabins), and 2nd best 'exclusive rooms (worse lake facing cabins). That kind of minutia. Granted, the DVC Cabins aren't selling well now and the IP-of-the-day resort prolly won't either. But the (DVC) beast must be fed. Discounts, promos, anything to push more points down the gullets of the DVC buyer geese. After all, this is what Disney created/wanted.

It's all about if a handful of DVC owners/are desperate enough to book whatever is available once they hit the 7 month window.

Bama Ed

PS - meanwhile those of us who have our RVs or trailers (or tents) kinda feel sorry for those DVC folks looking for a relaxing natural escape at an original WDW resort like Fort Wilderness. Whether its at the recently replaced DVC cabins or the coming R* replacement resort yet-to-be-described.

 

[bama_ed]

Even though I am a DVC member, but 100% a camper/Rv'r first... I wonder where the razor wire and guard checkpoint will be placed in order to keep "campers" out...? We all know that will be the upcoming sentiment...

I want the razor wire to keep the R* DVC guests on their own little piece of land, @Duane .

The vast Fort Wilderness acreage (with its deer, racoons, possums, vultures, vast landscapes, and turkeys) and its 800+campsites (and the 360+ legacy cabins spots in 2200-2800 loops we will be stuck with) is the refuge of the free, the unrestrained, the camper/rv/tent/legacy cabin guests. They YEARN for a feeling of BELONGING to an original 1971 WDW resort. It gives them 'legitimacy'. (But if that doesn't matter to them, then stay at a-far-a-way DVC). So simple.

If the DVC/hotel resort folks at R* stay on their side of the razor wire, I agree to stay on my side of same wire. I KNOW i get the best part of that deal.

ED

PS - I mean, what will the R* resort have that we campers want? A restaurant? Plenty of those around. A lazy river? (it's puny compared to what was River Country-best to stop those OKW/SSR guests from crashing the R* wading pool). Nice grounds? The Checkpoint Charlie numbers will show FW campers don't care much for the dark side.

PPS - Walt Disney, before he died, "specifically" spoke of wanting accommodations at WDW from campers to hotel resort guests. He didn't know ahead of time to specify that for DL; but the Fort was celebrated as one of the ORIGINAL WDW resorts on the 50th Anniversary a few years ago. He was therefore truly a visionary.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Photo from a cruiser today.

 

[bama_ed]

This morning I also thought of the possibility that the construction zone might approach the playground in the Settlement because the area where the cabins will go (facing Clementine's Beach) will include pavement replacements/changes as well.

For example, when I was there in Nov 2022 in loop 100 (close by) I noticed the food trucks that would roll in between TE and the Trading Post a couple nights a week. They even put down a concrete pad or two for the trucks - but with the new resort there (and its food options) they won't need food trucks anymore (one would think) but the ugly concrete pad might get removed and other pedestrian ways redesigned to accommodate more people and golf carts and bikes and such.

Finally, the carriage rides with the horses also stage down there in the evenings (wagon ride was up near the HDDR entrance and DVC sales hut although that's now a construction zone too, right?) which makes that TP-TE-Playground area pretty congested at times.

At first I didn't like the playground right there but now I think it's good for kids to have a bigger place to cut loose and mom/dad can park on shady bench or table nearby. Hope they leave it as-is.

Bama Ed

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

I wish I would have gone to Mickey's Backyard BBQ when it was still open. Or experienced the joy of Ft. Wilderness in the old days more (our first trip there was 2017, after buying an RV the previous year). It just feels like they are paving over paradise. We were there Christmas Eve, and that construction site just looms over Pioneer Hall. Hopefully the Meadow will stay peaceful and they abandon construction plans there.

 

[StormyCA]

I wish I would have gone to Mickey's Backyard BBQ when it was still open. Or experienced the joy of Ft. Wilderness in the old days more (our first trip there was 2017, after buying an RV the previous year). It just feels like they are paving over paradise. We were there Christmas Eve, and that construction site just looms over Pioneer Hall. Hopefully the Meadow will stay peaceful and they abandon construction plans there.

They paved paradise, and put up a DVC!

 

[jolynne28]

And just wait till those resort folks head over to the campers for Halloween. Which campers want to hand out candy to the freeloaders from the 900 rooms of the R* resort? (and I am asking a serious question). Raise your hand if you will bring 1,000+ EXTRA handouts of candy on Halloween.

I have been wanting to ask you about Halloween! I said this exact thing to my husband last night, who wants to have a bunch of resort guests walking around Halloween taking candy, when they aren't set up at a campsite to reciprocate?! I can't understand how Disney will keep resort guests separate from the fort during Halloween, which means it could possibly be completely overrun with non campers, making it impossible to get around. Do you think they have even considered a plan to prevent this?

 

[proudmomof4]

I have been wanting to ask you about Halloween! I said this exact thing to my husband last night, who wants to have a bunch of resort guests walking around Halloween taking candy, when they aren't set up at a campsite to reciprocate?! I can't understand how Disney will keep resort guests separate from the fort during Halloween, which means it could possibly be completely overrun with non campers, making it impossible to get around. Do you think they have even considered a plan to prevent this?

I'm no BamaEd, but I'll give my .02 worth. I don't believe they have thought about Halloween at all, after all it's only one day out of the year to them. But to the Fort campers, Halloween is planned out for months and months in advance.

I joined in on a discussion over on the WDWMagic forums and I brought up Halloween. It was pointed out that if the DVC cabins are part of FW but are also declared as part of the same trust as Lakeshore Lodge, then there could be an issue keeping things separate from the Campsites at Fort Wilderness.

I am very fearful for the future of the campsites, but I really hope that I'm wrong, after all, they continue to make upgrades to the internet network, plumping and electrical.