Theme Park Scope

I would like to say that I handle booking days with calm confidence. In reality, I set an alarm, then a backup alarm, then a third alarm for the backup, and I still manage to open the wrong tab.

So when Disney announced that its brand-new Lakeshore Lodge would open for reservations in stages, I did what I always do. I made a list. Here is the full rundown of who can book Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, and when.

Disney is rolling out reservations in three steps, and each one belongs to a different group. October 6: Disney Vacation Club Members. DVC Members get the very first opportunity to make reservations by contacting Member Services at (800) 800-9800. October 7: Walt Disney World Annual Passholders. Passholders get their window one day later and can book by calling (407) 934-7639. October 8: All guests. Reservations open to everyone, online or by phone at (407) 934-7639. Since today is October 8, that means the general public can start booking right now.

One important detail: these early October reservations are cash reservations, which means you pay for the hotel stay the way you would at any other Walt Disney World resort. They are not reservations made with Disney Vacation Club points.

This is the part DVC Members will want to read closely. Disney has not announced when members can book Lakeshore Lodge using points, and it has not released the points chart. In other words, October 6 was the first cash window, not the start of points bookings, and we are still waiting for the rest of that schedule. If you are a member, I would keep an eye out for more details closer to when Disney starts selling memberships at the resort.

You might be wondering if you have to be a DVC member to stay at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge when it opens, and no, that is a common question. Even though Lakeshore Lodge is a Disney Vacation Club resort, it is not members-only. Anyone can stay there as a regular hotel guest, which is why the booking opens to everyone on October 8. If you read our earlier posts, you know the resort is opening July 1, 2027, on the old River Country site near Fort Wilderness, with 967 rooms and a lot of new details we have been covering all month, from the Branch and Brush lounge to the Dandelion Terrace rooftop bar.

Disney did not include room rates in its announcement, so the first real look at prices comes when the booking windows open.

I do not want this to turn into a checklist, so here is how I would approach it. Make sure your My Disney Experience account is working, and your payment information is ready, because you will want to move quickly. If you are flexible on dates, look at a few different weeks before you commit, since prices will probably vary across a nine-month window. And since the resort is brand new, expect the most in-demand rooms, like waterfront and fireworks views, to go early. That is a guess on my part, not something Disney has said, but it is how new resorts usually behave.

If you are someone who likes to have a second set of eyes on a booking day, especially for a resort with brand-new room types, a travel agent through Adventure Awaits Travel Company can walk you through your options at no cost to you.

I like the three-day rollout. It gives DVC Members and Passholders a little head start, which feels fair for the people who spend the most time at the resort, and spreading it out also keeps the website from being slammed all at once. I will admit I have a soft spot for the people who do not have a pass or a membership, because we are the ones waiting until the third day, and that can feel like a long line to stand in.

But here is why I am not worried: the resort does not open until July 1, 2027, and there are a lot of rooms. Lakeshore Lodge is not going to vanish in the first hour, even if a few of its most popular rooms do. If you want a specific view or room type, move fast. If you just want to stay at the newest resort on property, take a breath and pick the dates that make sense for you.

Come hang out with us at Theme Park Scope for more Lakeshore Lodge news, and tell us in the comments if you are booking this week, and which room you are hoping to get.