Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Resort

[StormyCA]

I'd never heard of Buffalo Jct. Sounds as if it was some sort of a 'Wild West' theme? Even that would 'meld' a bit better as long as it was further away and not visible from the Fort. Going from a wilderness log cabin theme to a western town theme sorta works for me, kinda like the Cartwrights going from the Ponderosa to Virginia City lol.

 

[New Mouse]

Cheyenne Lodge Disney Paris would be a perfect fit

 

[umichigan10]

I'd never heard of Buffalo Jct. Sounds as if it was some sort of a 'Wild West' theme? Even that would 'meld' a bit better as long as it was further away and not visible from the Fort. Going from a wilderness log cabin theme to a western town theme sorta works for me, kinda like the Cartwrights going from the Ponderosa to Virginia City lol.

http://progresscityusa.com/2009/06/04/the-coolest-thing-youll-see-today/
The second half of this article gives a decent summary of it. It pretty much became the hotel Cheyenne in Disneyland Paris, which is pretty much a super immersive Wild West town you can stay in

 

[Moliphino]

http://progresscityusa.com/2009/06/04/the-coolest-thing-youll-see-today/
The second half of this article gives a decent summary of it. It pretty much became the hotel Cheyenne in Disneyland Paris, which is pretty much a super immersive Wild West town you can stay in

Hotel Cheyenne is so cute (we stayed there in '17), I would love to have a similar hotel at WDW.

 

[umichigan10]

Hotel Cheyenne is so cute (we stayed there in '17), I would love to have a similar hotel at WDW.

I’ve only ever seen pictures but I really enjoy it as a concept. I think it’d be a really nice set up for between the fort and lodge, and wouldn’t totally demolish a lot of the aesthetic the fort has going for it

 

[StormyCA]

I looked at Google Earth and then had a poke around the webz for pictures. Hotel Cheyenne would be perfect! It looks as if it's 2 stories so would not be obtrusive at all.

 

[bama_ed]

I'd never heard of Buffalo Jct. Sounds as if it was some sort of a 'Wild West' theme? Even that would 'meld' a bit better as long as it was further away and not visible from the Fort. Going from a wilderness log cabin theme to a western town theme sorta works for me, kinda like the Cartwrights going from the Ponderosa to Virginia City lol.

BJ was a smaller sort of Disney Springs shopping/entertainment area (with a western theme) way back in, what, the early 90s?, that even planned to reuse the FW RailRoad in a loop from the Settlement Area. Sadly, it never got any further than the drawing board.

Nah, Stormy. There will always be a "few" who will support a current DVC design (whatever it happens to be). And "more" who are familiar with the current area to know how well it will fit in(or not).

Again, I'm not here to criticize anyone's opinion or deconstruct anyone's arguement (although that's easy enough in this particular case). What I am saying is that the current Reflections plans, which sit a stone's throw from Fort Wilderness (which has built its brand for nearly 50 YEARS now at WDW) is a weak, limp companion to an original, STRONG, champion camping/rv resort. It is a negative which drags down the whole area for the sake of paying for some construction costs and maintenance fees to feed the DVC beast. It stands a very high probability as it is as being the least desired, last chosen DVC available for booking and owning (which is a title currently held by Saratoga Springs [not counting Riviera - too new yet]).

But Disney can always slow roll DVC sales and offer enough incentives to get points sold (I'm just being an honest broker of information here). Clearly stated, though, it is a terrible fit as a neighbor to Fort Wilderness and a different/improved themed resort could sell the same amount of DVC points in record time. Which is one man's (gentle) opinion. But as I have said for the (WDW) boyz in the bunker - I'm just stating the obvious.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

I looked at Google Earth and then had a poke around the webz for pictures. Hotel Cheyenne would be perfect! It looks as if it's 2 stories so would not be obtrusive at all.

I stayed at Hotel Sante Fe in what, 1992, when visiting DLP?

Seeing Cling Eastwood in his western garb 3-4 stories high at the resort reminded me although I was near Paris, the Euros love the American western cowboy theme.

Ed

PS - Hotel Cheyenne at DLP (next door to Hotel Sante Fe) is more of a desert western american theme. It wouldn't work at Fort Wilderness unless you leveled every tree and green object within the dual resort area (except for the dedicated landscape areas). Think Old Tuscon Arizona or similar. But at least Hotel Cheyenne is a step in the right direction AWAY from the Reflections Assisted Living Home and towards something that themes better to Fort Wilderness.

 

[StormyCA]

BJ was a smaller sort of Disney Springs shopping/entertainment area (with a western theme) way back in, what, the early 90s?, that even planned to reuse the FW RailRoad in a loop from the Settlement Area. Sadly, it never got any further than the drawing board.

Nah, Stormy. There will always be a "few" who will support a current DVC design (whatever it happens to be). And "more" who are familiar with the current area to know how well it will fit in(or not).

Again, I'm not here to criticize anyone's opinion or deconstruct anyone's arguement (although that's easy enough in this particular case). What I am saying is that the current Reflections plans, which sit a stone's throw from Fort Wilderness (which has built its brand for nearly 50 YEARS now at WDW) is a weak, limp companion to an original, STRONG, champion camping/rv resort. It is a negative which drags down the whole area for the sake of paying for some construction costs and maintenance fees to feed the DVC beast. It stands a very high probability as it is as being the least desired, last chosen DVC available for booking and owning (which is a title currently held by Saratoga Springs [not counting Riviera - too new yet]).

But Disney can always slow roll DVC sales and offer enough incentives to get points sold (I'm just being an honest broker of information here). Clearly stated, though, it is a terrible fit as a neighbor to Fort Wilderness and a different/improved themed resort could sell the same amount of DVC points in record time. Which is one man's (gentle) opinion. But as I have said for the (WDW) boyz in the bunker - I'm just stating the obvious.

Bama Ed

I stayed at Hotel Sante Fe in what, 1992, when visiting DLP?

Seeing Cling Eastwood in his western garb 3-4 stories high at the resort reminded me although I was near Paris, the Euros love the American western cowboy theme.

Ed

PS - Hotel Cheyenne at DLP (next door to Hotel Sante Fe) is more of a desert western american theme. It wouldn't work at Fort Wilderness unless you leveled every tree and green object within the dual resort area (except for the dedicated landscape areas). Think Old Tuscon Arizona or similar. But at least Hotel Cheyenne is a step in the right direction AWAY from the Reflections Assisted Living Home and towards something that themes better to Fort Wilderness.

I agree with you, Ed. Reflections architecture just doesn't 'fit'. And neither would a 'deserty' old west theme. But maybe we could still go with the frontier theme and a famous real mountain frontier town and instead call it "Hotel Deadwood, A Disney Frontier Resort". Maybe they could even have a 'Meet & Greet' with an Al Swearengen lookalike, a la Capt Jack Sparrow.

You're right, the sharp pencil/beancounter brigade is in charge of the project, not Imagineers or people with an eye to design and surrounding environs, worse luck. I don't have a problem with DVC as a concept, but it's kinda like anything that starts to proliferate like weeds. What is lovely in a small quantity can ruin a garden if it over spreads.

 

[hertamaniac]

I really love the buffalo junction concept they had in the 90s to put in between the lodge and fort. It fits the theming much better but I really doubt the suits would want to go ahead with a theme like that

Fort Wilderness Junction was a solid concept that would have worked somewhere on WDW property. I am not sure the current site of Reflections would have been an ideal spot.

Being local to WDW for almost 20 years, I get a chance to visit this area frequently. To me it's as clear as day that building upon River Country's site is a long overdue necessity. Reflections offers a wide audience (including DVC, although my vote is for moderate plus) to enjoy that area of WDW property without encroaching on opposite themes (Grand Floridian and it's Hotel Del Coronado roots adjacent to the South Seas inspired Polynesian is mind numbing in terms of consistent theming).

I hope Reflections gets built in a couple of years with some aesthetic tweaks. Once it does, it will be a top staycation site for us.

 

[YesterDark]

Well, depending on how fast/slow the inventory at Riviera sells out, that'll show you when they want to begin to build another DVC resort. Might be awhile.

 

[Breezy2]

After seeing the site yesterday what a spectacular dirt pile they've created. They should just rename it "Mount Reflections" and turn it into an activity park complete with audacious mountain biking trails, skateboard park and ziplines-LOL! Sure would be a welcomed "active" addition for the younger crowd and those young at heart who need a bit more stimulation than what they currently get in the theme parks. Would be a great place for "kids" at The Fort to hang out who have become jaded with Disney World and prefer their video games to Mickey Mouse.

 

[ParrotBill]

After seeing the site yesterday what a spectacular dirt pile they've created. They should just rename it "Mount Reflections" and turn it into an activity park complete with audacious mountain biking trails, skateboard park and ziplines-LOL! Sure would be a welcomed "active" addition for the younger crowd and those young at heart who need a bit more stimulation than what they currently get in the theme parks. Would be a great place for "kids" at The Fort to hang out who have become jaded with Disney World and prefer their video games to Mickey Mouse.

I think you're on to something here. A small action park would be cheap to build, by reservation only, and a perfect complement to the theme park experience.

 

[jknezek]

I think you're on to something here. A small action park would be cheap to build, by reservation only, and a perfect complement to the theme park experience.

After seeing the site yesterday what a spectacular dirt pile they've created. They should just rename it "Mount Reflections" and turn it into an activity park complete with audacious mountain biking trails, skateboard park and ziplines-LOL! Sure would be a welcomed "active" addition for the younger crowd and those young at heart who need a bit more stimulation than what they currently get in the theme parks. Would be a great place for "kids" at The Fort to hang out who have become jaded with Disney World and prefer their video games to Mickey Mouse.

It's not a bad idea, but there is no way they would use that valuable real estate for something like that. MK area buildable real estate, when all this COVID stuff is done and people are travelling again, is incredibly valuable for resorts. If they were going to build something like that it would be over at WWOS.

 

[ParrotBill]

Oh, no I would not suggest using that land of course. Somewhere else.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Oh, no I would not suggest using that land of course. Somewhere else.

Surely there are empty spots over at Golden Oak!

 

[bama_ed]

After seeing the site yesterday what a spectacular dirt pile they've created. They should just rename it "Mount Reflections" and turn it into an activity park complete with audacious mountain biking trails, skateboard park and ziplines-LOL! Sure would be a welcomed "active" addition for the younger crowd and those young at heart who need a bit more stimulation than what they currently get in the theme parks. Would be a great place for "kids" at The Fort to hang out who have become jaded with Disney World and prefer their video games to Mickey Mouse.

Breezy2, you might be on to something.

Kids love to play in the dirt. And the dirtier, the better. Big kids can revert back to their childhood too.

Bama Ed

 

[The Jackal]

Disney just filed a permit for Reflections, general construction was in the description.

 

[CastAStone]

Disney just filed a permit for Reflections, general construction was in the description.

Maybe...

 

[StormyCA]

I hope it's just for TCD Ranch. Or maybe to do some 'restoration work' to get that area of FW back to 'normal'.

Although I suppose that would mostly be earthmoving/landscaping work. Don't know if a permit is required for that.

Since I know nothing about construction, could it be a situation that continuing to file permits would keep the project 'live' to county TPTB as opposed to letting all the permits lapse and having to start all over again? I'm think of things like environmental reviews, soil/water testing etc etc.