Disney's Lakeshore Lodge Targets July 1, 2027 Opening

Published September 23, 2026

Walt Disney World’s under-construction lodge on Bay Lake is now going by Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, and reports published Wednesday, September 23, 2026 say the resort is tracking toward a July 1, 2027 opening. The property, in the Magic Kingdom resort area, is reported to have 967 rooms.

As of Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the name change is the notable update: the project had been referred to as Disney Lakeshore Lodge, without the possessive. That brings it in line with how Disney names most of its other hotels here — Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

This is the second identity the project has carried. When Disney first announced a resort on the former Disney’s River Country site, it was called Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.

According to reports, a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office application for “DISNEY’S LAKESHORE LODGE” was filed August 11, 2026 under serial number 50043700, as a standard character service mark on the Principal Register. The listing indicated the application had met filing requirements but had not yet been assigned to an examining attorney — active, but awaiting review.

Aerial photos dated September 19, 2026 and shared publicly show vertical construction underway across the site, including work on the pool areas, reported as The Wetlands and Cypress Point.

What we know

• Name — reported as Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, previously Disney Lakeshore Lodge, and originally announced as Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.
• Location — Bay Lake, in the Magic Kingdom resort area, on the former Disney’s River Country site.
• Opening — reported for July 1, 2027.
• Size — 967 rooms, with room types reported to start at studios.
• Theme — nature-focused, with references to Bambi, Pocahontas, and Brother Bear, a fiberoptic “river” in the lobby floor, and a blown-glass sculpture inspired by “Colors of the Wind.”

What’s not confirmed

Disney has not issued an official statement on the name change itself. Nightly rates, the booking-window opening date, the full room-category breakdown, dining venues, transportation details, and whether Disney Vacation Club inventory is part of the property have not been announced. A trademark filing is routine paperwork ahead of an opening — it is not, on its own, a confirmation of branding, rates, or timing.

What it means for your trip

If you are planning summer 2027 and hoping to stay here, do not build a trip around it yet. Opening dates for new Disney resorts move, and a July 1 target that is still nine months out is exactly the kind of date that can shift.

The practical move: book a known Magic Kingdom-area resort you would be happy with anyway — Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness — and treat Lakeshore Lodge as an upgrade you chase if rooms go on sale and the date holds.

Also keep the wider construction picture in mind for a 2027 Magic Kingdom trip. With Piston Peak National Park taking the former Rivers of America footprint and Villains Land groundwork nearby, Frontierland-area walkways and sightlines will keep changing. Plan mornings around the rides you actually care about rather than a fixed loop of the park.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge opening?

Reports point to July 1, 2027. Disney has not issued an official statement confirming that date alongside the new name.

Where is Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge being built?

On Bay Lake in the Magic Kingdom resort area, on the site that was previously Disney’s River Country.

Can you book a room there yet?

No booking date has been announced, and rates have not been released.

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