Disney is making rapid progress on a replacement for an entire theme park.
As Walt Disney promised upon opening Disneyland in 1955, Disney’s theme parks are never complete. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that fans always welcome change, with some guests still actively mourning an entire theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.
River Country opened at Walt Disney World Resort in 1976 as Disney’s first water park. Nestled along Bay Lake near Fort Wilderness Resort, it offered a rustic, old-fashioned swimming hole experience, complete with sandy-bottom pools, rock slides, and inner tube rivers. Designed to feel like a natural lagoon, it quickly became a favorite for families seeking a more relaxed alternative to the theme parks.
Over time, however, River Country began to struggle. As newer, larger water parks like Typhoon Lagoon (1989) and Blizzard Beach (1995) opened, River Country’s aging infrastructure and limited capacity became harder to justify. Attendance steadily declined throughout the 1990s, and the park’s more basic facilities no longer matched evolving guest expectations for Disney experiences.
The park closed at the end of its 2001 season for what Disney initially described as a temporary shutdown. In 2005, Disney confirmed River Country would not reopen, citing newer water park options, evolving water safety regulations, and declining popularity. The area sat abandoned for years until the site was eventually cleared to make way for Disney’s new Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge project, which itself was later canceled.
Well, kind of.
Disney Makes Progress on Lakeshore Lodge
While Disney canceled plans for Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge, it later revealed that it was pushing ahead with plans for a hotel on the spot under a totally different name: Lakeshore Lodge.
Construction of this brand-new hotel is making rapid progress (which is wild in itself, considering the speed with which Disney has undertaken projects like TRON Lightcycle / Run and the shaded seating area in Toy Story Land in recent years).
As per a recent update from WDW Magic, vertical work has now extended beyond the fifth floor of the hotel near Bay Lake.
Construction mirrors the technique used for the new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, with cranes lifting large concrete walls into place. This approach speeds up vertical development and offers a clear glimpse of the resort’s future layout and scale.
When it opens, this nature-inspired retreat aims to blend rustic charm with modern luxury, drawing creative inspiration from Disney artists’ depictions of the wilderness. Among the anticipated amenities is a signature waterfront restaurant, previously announced to be themed around The Princess and the Frog, offering guests dining experiences along the bayou of Bay Lake. Additionally, plans include a main feature pool with a lazy river.
Are you excited for Lakeshore Lodge?
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