Walt Disney World will open a new hotel in 2027, joining the existing selection of over 20 accommodation options sprawled across the resort’s 43 square miles. There are a few additions slated for the resort in 2027, including new land with Encanto and Indiana Jones rides.
Disney revealed the amenities that guests staying at its new hotel can enjoy when the property opens next year. This includes what might be a previously abandoned concept based on a classic Disney Princess story. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including 8 Disney World announcements for Halloween 2026 and menu changes at Disney World restaurants.
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New Look at Disney Lakeshore Lodge
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is a new hotel opening in summer 2027, adjacent to Bay Lake near Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
Inspired by nature, Lakeshore Lodge will feature nods to the Disney films Bambi, Pocahontas, and Brother Bear. Lakeshore Lodge will be eligible for Disney Vacation Club stays.
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Disney just revealed new concept artwork depicting the side of Lakeshore Lodge facing Bay Lake. This provides our first official look at some of the hotel’s amenities we could only speculate about before now.
Lakeshore Lodge will have a pool, slide, kiddie play area, and a lazy river. The lazy river makes Lakeshore Lodge quite special among Disney World hotels, and may be a selling point for some visitors. The only other lazy river at a Disney World hotel is located within Stormalong Bay, the pool area shared by Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort.
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One- and two-bedroom Lake Houses will dot the beachline of Bay Lake at Lakeshore Lodge. The concept art shows the scale of these larger alternatives to the traditional hotel rooms and suites of Lakeshore Lodge’s main tower, as well as what seems to be private beach areas for the Lake House guests.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge will have a dock with boat access, presumably providing free transportation to Magic Kingdom. It remains to be seen whether the new hotel will share a boat route with nearby resorts or if demand for boat transportation at Lakeshore will require a direct ride. Lakeshore Lodge is located between Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, both of which provide boat service to Magic Kingdom.
Princess and the Frog Restaurant?
Before announcing Disney Lakeshore Lodge, Disney World revealed and later canceled a similar hotel property called Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge. As progress continues for Disney Lakeshore Lodge, we’re starting to see the similarities and differences between the two projects.
One of the most exciting announcements about the scrapped Reflections concept was a table-service restaurant based on The Princess and the Frog. When Disney shared its revised plans for Lakeshore Lodge, the company didn’t mention any restaurants.
A small building is under construction on the edge of the Lakeshore Lodge property facing Bay Lake. The newly released concept art shows this building in greater detail. The building is designed differently from the Lake Houses, so it doesn’t seem to contain overnight guest rooms.
Based on the building’s size, I’m guessing this is a restaurant. Is it the previously announced restaurant based on The Princess and the Frog, though, or a different idea? The abundance of lily pads in the concept art certainly alludes to the film’s froggy protagonists, but these could be cosmetic flourishes by the artist.
This is an optimal time to note that concept art for this and any theme park project doesn’t necessarily show exactly what everything will look like, and the visuals are always subject to change.
Disney World in 2027
Walt Disney World has several other exciting projects on its 2027 calendar in addition to the opening of Disney Lakeshore Lodge.
A new land called Tropical Americas will open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2027. Replacing DinoLand, U.S.A., the land will feature rides based on Encanto and Indiana Jones.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Contemporary Resort will both complete multi-year refurbishments in 2027. Each hotel has spent the past several years gradually updating its guest rooms, restaurants, and pools.
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