The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Determination which clears the way for Disney to erect a 240-foot crane on the site previously earmarked for Reflections - A Disney Lakeside Lodge.
It seems all but inevitable that some resort project will soon resume on the former site of River Country waterpark.
Back in 2018, Disney announced plans to build a nature-themed, mixed use resort along the shores of Bay Lake. The project was later dubbed Reflections - A Disney Lakeside Lodge and was set to contain 900 units, a mixture of hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas. During the 2019 D23 Expo, Disney leaders showcased several aspects of the resort including what appeared to be stand-alone treehouse type structures on stilts and a 'Princess and the Frog' themed restaurant. Construction began in 2020 with an eye on a 2022 opening date.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic derailed the project. Disney quietly removed all mentions of Reflections from its public web presence. Construction equipment was removed and all progress halted, although the site remained surrounded by construction fencing and a variety of work permits were renewed.
Disney Vacation Club moved on to other projects including the conversion of the Big Pine Key building to villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
In recent months, Disney has given several indicators of plans to revive the project. Walt Disney World's governing body, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, has discussed plans for what is called "Project S" The documents cite electrical upgrades "for a new resort." Other plans have also been filed for work in the area of Disney's Wilderness Lodge which mirror Reflections documents from 5 years ago.
Reflections work site, August 2023
The latest move involves the FAA giving its blessing to installation of a 240-foot construction crane in the same area. The project is described as:
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.
The request was filed on September 9, 2024 and approved on September 23. The project duration is listed as 10 months from October 14, 2024 to August 14, 2025.
Disney has not formally announced resumption of the Reflections project. Changes in design, and even the name of the resort may differ from what was original announced back in 2018. However the timeline does seem to fit future Disney Vacation Club needs. Physical construction of a new Disney resort typically takes around 3 years to complete. A start-up in late 2024 would put the opening in the latter half of 2027. By that time, Disney should have exhausted its supply of timeshare points in the modestly-sized Island Tower and may also be wrapping-up sales on Disney's Riviera Resort which debuted in late 2019.
h/t WDWMagic.com
