In a wide-ranging update on hotel pools, Walt Disney World has announced the reopening of Stormalong Bay at Yacht & Beach Club Resorts after a six-month closure to start 2025. Along with this, Disney has revealed that another pool is being built. Here are official details, plus our commentary.
Let’s start over at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, where the refurbishment of Stormalong Bay was originally announced way back in Summer 2023, almost two full years ago. And for good reason, as it’s the #1 pool at Walt Disney World, combining the charm of a beachside boardwalk with the thrill of a water park. It’s that good, and arguably the defining feature of these two resorts. It thus makes complete sense that Walt Disney World would provide plenty of notice so people could plan around the closure. (Just like they’ve done with the 2026 Skyliner Refurbishment!)
It had appeared that Stormalong Bay was on the precipice of reopening for about a week. The complex had been refilled with water early last week, with chairs reappearing on the deck and other prep-work and cleanup suggesting the pool would beat its late June 2025 target. Over the weekend, lifeguards were spotted conducting training, suggesting Stormalong Bay reopening was imminent. Construction walls are now down, and Walt Disney World has confirmed that the pool is back to operating as normal.
Stormalong Bay had been closed since January 2025 for routine maintenance and upgrades. With the reopening complete, guests can now enjoy access to Yacht & Beach Club’s famous feature pool, just in time for the heart of the summer season. The three-acre Stormalong Bay aquatic playground is once again available to guests, including the sand-bottom pool, lazy river, whirlpool spas, and more.
However, Walt Disney World notes that they’re still putting the finishing touches on the Shipwreck Pool and waterslide, which will remain closed while crews complete routine maintenance. Walt Disney World looks forward to reopening Shipwreck Pool and waterslide to enjoy later in Summer 2025.
As for the work that’s been done, it’s mostly “invisible.” Stormalong Bay features newly resurfaced pools, rebuilt cabanas, redone concrete decking, updated seating, and other routine maintenance.
There is nothing new of substance, and Stormalong Bay is not materially different than it was pre-closure. It did have comprehensive work done, though, as anyone who visited in the last ~6 months could see. During our last stay, we saw crews working at pretty much all hours of the day and night on the totally-drained pool complex.
Along with Stormalong Bay, Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar & Grill has also reopened. This is an under the radar dining option among Walt Disney World fans, despite being arguably the best counter service restaurant among the options at Disney’s Crescent Lake Resorts. This isn’t to say Hurricane Hanna’s is good (it certainly isn’t worth leaving EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios to dine here); it probably says more about the lack of competition that this is potentially #1.
Today’s other big pool news is that Walt Disney World has announced a pool expansion project! Over at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool Area is being expanded to make room for even more fun and relaxation.
A brand-new zero-entry pool and deck area is being built alongside the existing pool, effectively doubling the space for guests to enjoy. The expansion will also include a tennis court and two pickleball courts, giving families even more ways to play together in the great outdoors.
This has been a long time coming, with permits first filed roughly one year ago. At the time, we figured it was something different, perhaps similar to the Reunion Station recreation area for Disney Vacation Club guests at Boulder Ridge/Wilderness Lodge. Instead, it’s a doubling of the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool Area. That also makes sense.
The new pool is already under construction at the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool Area, but there’s no timeline for completion. Our guess is that this is being done in advance of Disney Lakeshore Lodge, which is the mixed use resort being built on the site of the former River Country water park.
Plans for that project revealed a massive pool complex with a lazy river, which looks like it’ll be the marquee feature and selling point of Disney Lakeshore Lodge. Basically, that new resort’s “answer” to the Skyliner or monorail, but not a mode of transportation. While Disney has yet to announce this fantastic feature pool, there’s zero reason to believe the plans have changed. Everything else is being built to the original plans thus far (and Lakeshore Lodge will need its own unique sales hook).
In any case, like Stormalong Bay at Yacht & Beach Club, the ‘aquatic playground’ at Disney Lakeshore Lodge will almost assuredly not allow pool hopping. Probably not even for the guests of the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness, unless those become part of the Lakeshore Lodge condo association/trust.
Even if the policy does allow those DVC Cabins guests to use the feature pool at Lakeshore Lodge, it’s likely that Disney will want to discourage them from using it. After all, Disney Lakeshore Lodge is absolutely massive, and that feature pool will be in high-demand and have issues with overcrowding before adding potential DVC Cabins guests to the mix.
Accordingly, the goal with expanding the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool Area is likely to absorb some of that demand and offer a compelling pool area in a location that’s much more convenient to the cabins. An “everybody wins” scenario. Of course, we would expect the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool Area expansion to be finished well before Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens in 2027. Although with the pace at which that work is flying, perhaps the new resort will open ahead of schedule!
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Your Thoughts
What do you think about the 6-month refurbishment of Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts? Excited to have Stormalong Bay back, or disappointed that Shipwreck water slide is still closed? Thoughts on the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool expansion? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment that this is likely about pulling demand from the feature pool and lazy river at Disney Lakeshore Lodge? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
