Disney sets 1 July 2027 for its Lakeshore Lodge opening
Disney's Lakeshore Lodge opens at Walt Disney World on 1 July 2027. The resort sits on the shore of Bay Lake as a waterfront retreat. Disney Vacation Club set out the date and the room count in a release of 27 August 2026. Disney Signature Experiences ran a New York preview of the resort on 2 October 2026.
Disney's own resort page carries the booking line for the property, with stays starting on the same date.
Studios, villas and waterfront Lake Houses in the 967-room count
The release puts the resort at 967 rooms. The inventory runs from studios to villas, with new one- and two-bedroom waterfront Lake Houses among the accommodation types.
The release describes the studio tier as intimate. Disney's resort page carries a Duo Studio category within that tier.
Nature storytelling and the films behind the design
The design draws on decades of Disney Animation stories rooted in nature. The release names Bambi, Pocahontas, Encanto and Brother Bear among the influences. It cites Walt Disney's admiration for the great outdoors as the starting point.
Rooms carry natural materials, earthy colour palettes and original artwork from classic Disney films set in the great outdoors. The resort holds dining venues, recreational offerings and amenities across the property, and it sits one boat ride from Magic Kingdom Park.
The lazy river the mural depicts
The mural takes Daydream River as its subject. Disney's resort page places the lazy river inside The Wetlands, the outdoor recreation area beyond the lobby, and names Otter Springs for water play and Heron Shores for dry play within the same area. The August release places a zero-entry pool with a spiral water slide in the same area.
Flatiron Plaza as the announcement peg
Disney Experiences brought the resort to Manhattan on 2 October 2026. A 3D street mural ran in Flatiron Plaza at the corner of 23rd Street and 5th Avenue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors stepped into the painted river for photographs and video of themselves on a signature experience of the resort.
The artist behind the Daydream River mural
Tracy Lee Stum created the installation. The release describes her as an American street muralist known for interactive 3D chalk art. She holds a 2006 Guinness World Record for the largest chalk painting by an individual.
Three booking dates in October
Disney Vacation Club members took first access to rental reservations from 6 October 2026 through Member Services. Walt Disney World Annual Passholders followed on 7 October. Reservations opened to all guests on 8 October, online, by telephone or through a travel agent.
The first two booking windows run by telephone. The third carries the online route alongside the telephone line and the travel-agent channel.
What the Lakeshore announcement does not carry
The release carries no nightly rate, no resort fee and no cancellation term for the 967 rooms. It names no general manager and no construction cost. It gives no floor count and no site acreage.