Disney's corporate information office in Lake Buena Vista, FL confirms to GlobeSt.com the $194 million, 800,000-sf hotel will be open to the general public at its 33-acre site off the Osceola Parkway, just west of the Animal Kingdom park that houses 200 mammals and birds representing 62 species. Disney has four theme parks.
On opening date, about 800 of the 1,293 rooms are scheduled for occupancy with the balance ready by July. Average daily room prices are $200 to $500.
The new hotel is Disney's 18th resort at the Lake Buena Vista location, bringing its total room count to 28,000. Metro Orlando currently has 110,000 hotel and motel rooms, according to the Greater Orlando Hotel and Motel Association. Disney officials expect to have the lodge fully staffed despite the hiring freeze and the planned personnel reduction.
This is Disney's first round of layoffs since 1994 when 300 employees were eliminated during that period's recession. The largest job cut came during the recession of 1974 when 1,700 workers or 20% of its work force were let go.
The planned 1,400 person layoffs represent 2.5% of the total 56,000 person staff at Lake Buena Vista. Company-wide, Walt Disney Co. is eliminating 4,000 jobs or 3% from a total global staff of 120,000.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
