By Jim Carchidi
January 7, 2026
Guests visiting the Magic Kingdom and its nearby resorts are watching as a new hotel nears completion at a property with decades of Disney history.
Disney's first water park
River Country opened five years after Walt Disney World as the resort's first water attraction. Image courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort
River Country debuted at the site in 1976 with a rustic “swimming hole” theme that complimented the neighboring Fort Wilderness. Vacationers and local visitors lined up to enjoy its beaches, pool, and a sand-bottom lagoon fed by the adjacent Bay Lake. Slides, a barrel bridge, nature trail, and a 300-foot-long inner tube ride dubbed White Water Rapids were among its attractions.
By the 1990s, the vintage water park couldn’t compete with the space and amenities of its newer counterparts, Typhoon Lagoon (opened in 1989) and Blizzard Beach (opened in 1995). River Country closed for refurbishment in November of 2001 but a lack of demand made the closure permanent in 2005.
Lakeside attraction
Guests at Disney's Contemporary Resort watch construction at the Lakeshore Lodge site in June of 2025. Photo by Jim Carchidi
The property remained vacant for nearly 13 years until its lakefront setting was designated for a new deluxe hotel in 2018. Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge featured 900 rooms with theming and architecture to mirror its natural surroundings. Site work began in 2020 with a plan to open in 2022 but construction delays and the COVID-19 pandemic forced an indefinite halt.
Construction is currently speeding toward an anticipated opening in 2027. Photo by Jim Carchidi
The project was revived in 2024 and renamed Disney Lakeshore Lodge with a plan to open in 2027. The project tops out at 10 stories and includes a range of architectural designs from treehouse suites to A-frame cabins. Amenities include a lazy river and a waterfront restaurant. The property will also include Disney Vacation Club accommodations, making it the 19th property to participate in Disney’s points-based timeshare program.
More to come
Lakeshore Lodge is a year away from completion but Walt Disney World Resort will be unveiling new additions and upgrades to existing rides and attractions starting in the first quarter.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
Leave A Comment