Notifications
Clear all

"Reflections" Resort Resurrected?

10 Posts
5 Users
0 Reactions
282 Views
Ed
 Ed
(@ed)
Posts: 303
Staff Member Moderator
Topic starter
 

The FAA has recently approved a permit for the area of the former River Country water park, where construction of a new DVC resort identified as "Reflections - A Disney Lakeside Lodge" was abruptly stopped when the Covid pandemic arose. The permit reads, in part - Construction of mobile cranes to construct a 10-story hotel. The mobile cranes can reach a max height of 240 ft. AGL when raised to its highest point. When idle, during non-working hours, the crane will be at a max height of 150 ft. AGL.

In addition to the 10 story hotel, the site plan also shows several waterside cottages. 
 
Stay tuned!

Ed
Senior Imagineer Emeritus

Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !

 
Posted : September 27, 2024 8:07 am
(@john)
Posts: 1857
Founder & Chief Imagination Officer Admin
 

Saw that - was it 10 stories before?

INTERCOT Founder & MCP
The OG Disney Fan Site - Founded 1997

 
Posted : September 30, 2024 10:32 am
Ed
 Ed
(@ed)
Posts: 303
Staff Member Moderator
Topic starter
 

Posted by: @john

Saw that - was it 10 stories before?

I'm not sure, John, but looking at old artist concepts it looks like it was going to be five or six stories. Still digging for the original announcement.

 

Ed
Senior Imagineer Emeritus

Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !

 
Posted : September 30, 2024 10:41 am
Ed
 Ed
(@ed)
Posts: 303
Staff Member Moderator
Topic starter
 
image

Plans may have changed considerably between when this concept art was published in October 2018 and now. 

Ed
Senior Imagineer Emeritus

Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !

 
Posted : September 30, 2024 12:16 pm
DizneyFreak2002
(@dizneyfreak2002)
Posts: 1392
Team INTERCOT Cast Member
 

I don't recall it being 10 stories before. Not sure how I am feeling about this. With the ugly new "cabins", and now this, they are ruining the theme of WILDERNESS. 

You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.

- Walt Disney

 
Posted : October 17, 2024 11:47 am
Ed
 Ed
(@ed)
Posts: 303
Staff Member Moderator
Topic starter
 

Posted by: @dizneyfreak2002

I don't recall it being 10 stories before. Not sure how I am feeling about this. With the ugly new "cabins", and now this, they are ruining the theme of WILDERNESS. 

Looking at the concept art, it looks more like 5 or 6 stories. 

I agree wholeheartedly about the cabins. We stayed at the campground recently and saw a bunch of them. Not "wildernessy" at all. And it looked to me like they cut down quite a few trees in the loops where they were building the new ones. I hope I'm wrong, but between the DVC "invasion", the high costs for campsites, and recent rules changes it feels like the days are numbered for the campground.

 

Ed
Senior Imagineer Emeritus

Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !

 
Posted : October 17, 2024 2:29 pm
DizneyFreak2002
(@dizneyfreak2002)
Posts: 1392
Team INTERCOT Cast Member
 

Posted by: @ed

Posted by: @dizneyfreak2002

I don't recall it being 10 stories before. Not sure how I am feeling about this. With the ugly new "cabins", and now this, they are ruining the theme of WILDERNESS. 

Looking at the concept art, it looks more like 5 or 6 stories. 

I agree wholeheartedly about the cabins. We stayed at the campground recently and saw a bunch of them. Not "wildernessy" at all. And it looked to me like they cut down quite a few trees in the loops where they were building the new ones. I hope I'm wrong, but between the DVC "invasion", the high costs for campsites, and recent rules changes it feels like the days are numbered for the campground.

 

Hoping the campground isn't removed, but with the Disney of today, you never know. I always wanted to rent an RV, drive on down, and stay at a campground. But, with being a DVC member, I never give it a try. One of these years I think I will rent out my points, and with that money, rent an RV and go. Not even to the parks, just camp out. 

 

You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.

- Walt Disney

 
Posted : October 17, 2024 3:56 pm
 Crow
(@crow)
Posts: 453
Senior Cast Member
 

I hope it's not 10. don't want another Poly Tower. and I hear it might be more cars themed..before I saw a Pocahontas statue etc. I'd rather have that as Cars is at AOA

BC 2
WL CL 1
AKL 4
SOG 3
POFQ 3
POR 2
CSR 4
CBR 2
Asp 3
AS m 2
POP 7
12-13 WL CSR ASM
3-14 POR, AS s Dolphin
6-14 Us CSR
1-14 Unv
6-15 WL, SSR.
11- 15. AOA, OKw
7 16..CSR, FW, AKL, POR
7 17..ASM, CSR, WL AKL club POP
8 18 As sports, Pop
DL 9-19
DVC WL, CSR and idk 10-20

 
Posted : October 17, 2024 4:20 pm
Ed
 Ed
(@ed)
Posts: 303
Staff Member Moderator
Topic starter
 

We've had RVs for many years, and have stayed at Fort Wilderness many times since the 1980s, sometimes with our kids and other times just me and DW. The last four or five times have been campground-only -- no parks. We have sometimes used our DVC points for our stays.  Living only ~25 miles away, it's been a convenient way for us to "get away from it all". But the whole feel has changed in the last few years. We can no longer use our electric trikes - electric bikes are a no-no. The only options for golf carts are rent one from them (~$70 per day) or bring our own as long as we have proof of insurance for it. Renting an RV from a local company is now restricted to only certain vendors. Trail's End used to be a buffet; now it's table service or takeout only. It's just not the fun place it used to be. 

 

Ed
Senior Imagineer Emeritus

Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !

 
Posted : October 17, 2024 4:27 pm
(@1disneynut)
Posts: 676
Senior Cast Member
 

I had forgotten about this project. I remember reading about it before all the Covid mess and all the talk about the River Country area finally getting redeveloped after all these years. It definitely looks like the plan has changed some. Hopefully it is a regular resort and not more DVC. 

I agree about the new so called "cabins.' They do not look like wilderness cabins at all. They look more like cheap modular units stuck in a place they do not belong. I hate them and have no desire to stay in them. We used to stay in the cabins from time to time and enjoyed them as well as Fort Wilderness.

 
Posted : October 23, 2024 11:44 am