After years of silence, the construction site for a new Disney World hotel (possibly Reflections — A Lakeside Lodge) is abuzz with activity, and cranes are now in place.

New Disney World Hotel Under Construction

Construction began earlier this month on the newest Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. Officially announced in 2018, the project saw delay after delay. It began to seem the Lodge would never be built, with years of silence around the project and the site.

This isn’t the first time construction has begun on the project. It briefly started in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020 and the subsequent supply chain issues, the land stayed abandoned long after the rest of the resort reopened and other projects began to move forward once again. Eventually, all traces of the resort were removed from official websites, and it seemed to be dead in the water.

Earlier this year, permits were filed, including a permit for a mobile crane. Cranes have now been moved onto the site, indicating that activity is about to pick up in speed. With construction wrapping on the DVC tower for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, it’s possible that Walt Disney World turns its focus on Reflections.

Located at the former River Country lot (Disney’s infamous abandoned water park), the hotel will be ten stories tall, with over 900 rooms. It will be part of the Disney Vacation Club lineup as well.

The cranes are staged behind walls, with heaps of dirt behind them.

Though it may not be the original Reflections concept that comes to fruition, art for the interior public spaces and guest rooms had been shared previously. The resort was set to be themed after Walt Disney’s love of nature and would feature Disney characters such as Bambi and Brother Bear.

Stay tuned to WDWNT for future updates on the new Disney World hotel.

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