The most magical place on Earth is about to join forces with Mother Earth. Walt Disney World announced plans Thursday to build a new nature-inspired resort in Florida that will open in 2022. The yet-to-be-named mixed-use property, set to be located on Bay Lake between the Wilderness Lodge and the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground at Disney’s Orlando resort, will include over 900 new hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas. Its accommodations will boast an outdoorsy theme and it’s set to be the 16th Disney Vacation Club.
This announcement comes at a time of big expansion for Walt Disney World. Besides this nature-themed resort, there are three other projects underway on the park’s grounds, which together will bring more than 1,700 new hotel rooms and Vacation Club villas over the next four years.“We continue to add new attractions, new lands and these beautiful accommodations will be right in the heart of all that magic,” George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in the release.
In 2019, Disney will debut a revamped Coronado Springs Resort with a new 15-story tower that houses 545 rooms and suites. 2019 will also see the debut of the new Riviera Resort near Epcot. Also included in the forthcoming openings: an immersive “Star Wars” inspired destination for fans of the popular movie series. It caps off an eventful week for Walt Disney World, which on Tuesday rolled out a new date based pricing model and online ticketing calendar to show visitors the cheapest times to visit, based on the type of ticket and the length of stay.