Did Disney Just Quietly Confirm A Major Change In Their Latest Announcement?

We’re getting SO excited for Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, the newest hotel coming to Disney World.

©Disney

This resort is set to open in summer 2027 and is going to be a Disney Vacation Club property on the edge of Bay Lake, near Magic Kingdom. It’s themed to combine Disney magic with nature, and so far, the concept art we’ve seen is STUNNING. But with the latest batch of updates, it looks like something has changed with the hotel lobby.

Back in 2019, this hotel was originally announced as Reflections — A Lakeside Lodge. It was going to open in 2022, but construction was halted due to the global pandemic. When construction resumed, the project got some changes, including a name update to Lakeshore Lodge! This means that we’ve also seem some pretty major differences in the old concept art and the new concept art.

©Disney

The earlier renderings of the lobby of this resort featured a Disney-inspired nature theme. The main focal point of the space was a statue of Pocahontas, surrounded by wind-like decorations on the ceiling. We don’t often see such overt Disney character features in the Deluxe Resort lobbies at Disney World, so this was an interesting look.

©Disney

In the latest update about the resort, we got new concept art for the lobby space. Disney says, “When guests arrive at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, they’ll step into the lobby and become immersed in the sights and sounds of nature. Spectacular floor‑to‑ceiling windows will welcome natural sunlight and showcase sweeping views of The Wetlands outdoor recreation area, allowing the local flora and fauna to flow seamlessly into the architecture, artwork, and ambiance.”

©Disney

But the big thing we noticed with this new lobby concept art (pictured below) is that the Pocahontas statue has been removed! The lobby will still draw inspiration from Pocahontas, but now, it will feature a fiberoptic river that illuminates the floor and a blown-glass Colors of the Wind sculpture. There will be hundreds of suspended glass leaves that “fill the space with movement, color, and wonder.” Honestly, it sounds and looks incredibly stunning! We’ll be excited to see it in person.

Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge ©Disney

In addition to the beautiful lobby, we know that Lakeshore Lodge will feature three new dining locations, an entire outdoor recreation area called The Wetlands, and a spot called Dandelion Terrace, where visitors can gather to watch Magic Kingdom fireworks each evening.

We’ll continue to share more information about Lakeshore Lodge as it is released, so subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media for the latest.

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