Walt Disney World’s Lakeshore Lodge is getting closer to opening! With booking beginning on October 8th and the hotel opening next year on July 1st, more and more details are being revealed about the hotel. Today, Disney revealed details about a bar and lounge, Branch & Brush, coming to the new hotel’s lobby. In this post, we’ll share the details about the upcoming bar.

As a little bit of background, Disney World has slowly revealed details for the new hotel leading up to the October 8th booking date. The hotel is being built near the old River Country, close to Fort Wilderness and across the water from Wilderness Lodge. This is the largest resort WDW has added in a while, offering 967 rooms.

Past updates have included details on the lobby and dining, rooms, and the pool and recreation areas. We had slight disappointment with the latter, as well as the outside aesthetic of the hotel. That said, we’ve become more and more optimistic after reading about the lobby, dining, and rooms.

We’re also excited to just see another hotel coming to Walt Disney World. There have been other expansions in the last few years but Disney’s Riviera Resort was the last hotel to open, back in 2019. Having a new space to explore will be exciting, especially after watching Lakeshore Lodge being built from the ground up since 2024.

The latest update is a smaller bit of news but should add some depth to the new hotel. Here are the details from Disney!

In just one week, all guests can begin booking stays at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge. Before reservations open on October 8, there are a few more details from inside the resort, including a fresh perspective on the grand lobby and a first look at Branch & Brush, a new gathering space just around the riverbend.

One of the lobby’s most defining features will be its expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the beauty of nature to greet guests from the moment they arrive. Drawing inspiration from the music and storytelling of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Pocahontas, a shimmering fiberoptic river will illuminate the floor and flow around a custom bronze centerpiece designed by Walt Disney Imagineering.

Look closely, and you’ll spot many familiar friends from decades of Disney animated storytelling etched into its design, while overhead, the blown glass Colors of the Wind sculpture with hundreds of suspended glass leaves will fill the space with movement, color, and wonder.

Just beyond the lobby, guests will find Branch & Brush, a new lounge offering handcrafted cocktails and breathtaking views of Bay Lake.

Inspired by the beauty of the changing seasons, the space will feature rich colors, natural textures and an enchanting collection of artwork. At the heart of the lounge, a captivating color-changing chandelier will bring the beauty of all four seasons to life, creating an inviting atmosphere where guests can unwind after a day of adventure.

From watching the sunrise over Bay Lake to enjoying a nightcap at Branch & Brush, every moment at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge will invite guests to discover the wonder of nature and the magic of Disney storytelling.

Commentary

I’m happy to see more additions to the lobby, or just outside of it, at Lakeshore Lodge. Disney World has had lots of success adding spaces like this to lobbies lately, notably adding The Perch to the Grand Floridian. These spaces never seem to infringe on the rest of the area but they do add a little texture and decor.

To be clear, we don’t know how far off the lobby Branch & Brush will be. Judging by the concept art of the lobby and then the lounge artwork, they don’t seem to be in the same exact space. The description does say “just beyond the lobby” so maybe it’s down a hallway or a few stairs! Either way, I’m glad that the space has put an emphasis on the view of Bay Lake.

We love a literal name here on Wandering in Disney, and Lakeshore Lodge seems to be taking the idea seriously. Not only is it right on the lake but the views around the resort appear to be heavily invested in showing off the water. It seems like a simple idea and that I might be oozing some sarcasm right now, but hotels don’t always feature the prominent nature and views nearby. Judging by the details and concept art, that doesn’t seem to be a problem at this new hotel.

As for the bar space, I like the colorful chandelier. It might be going a bit too hard in the concept art, with the colors almost having a neon sign brightness to them. I don’t think it’s going to play out that way in real life, although a pop of color might not be the worst thing for this hotel.

The rest of the bar and lounge space looks nice. I hope Lakeshore Lodge keeps it to walk up seating and makes this spot accessible for most everyone. I’m not saying that it needs to have kids running around the spot (although they might be preferable to the AI people in the concept art) but Walt Disney World benefits from having spaces like this be more casual. We see that throughout Coronado Springs recent additions and it works wonders.

This update about Branch & Brush, which is a fine name but one I will confuse with Beak & Barrel, doesn’t move the needle for me in one way or the other in regards to Lakeshore Lodge. I’m glad there’s more public spaces that feature views of the water but I need to see the space in person before having more of an opinion. Never fully trust concept art! But, I’ll end by saying that the wide view concept art of the lobby is quite lovely and might be the thing I’m most looking forward to about Lakeshore Lodge!

Are you excited for Lakeshore Lodge? Let us know your thoughts or any questions you might have in the comments below. Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide to help you out. Looking for Disney World discount tickets? You can find them here! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!