lagoon

DISNEY WORLD has revealed the first look at its new holiday resort opening next year.

Opening on July 1, 2027, Lakeshore Lodge will have 967 rooms sitting on Bay Lake.

The resort has a range of different accommodations including Duo and Deluxe Studios, that sleep between two and four guests – each inspired by Encanto and Bambi.

There’s also Resort Studios, which sleep up to four people and are Pocahontas inspired.

The Villas then feature one, two or three bedrooms, sleeping between five and 12 people.

Each has a full kitchen and is designed around Bambi – with original concept art taken from the archives – and Fantasia.

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Or you could book into the Waterfront Lake Houses which are all detached with floor-to-ceiling windows and feature one or two bedrooms.

Each house sleeps between five and eight people and is inspired by Brother Bear as well as lighting inspired by the Northern Lights in the main bedroom.

The final accommodation available is the Presidential Suite & Club Level, which includes the two-bedroom Hidden Willow Suite.

Some Club Level rooms also include access to The Artist’s Nest concierge lounge for Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing.

Of course, the resort has plenty of dining and lounging spots as well, such as Moonglade, which sits on the waterfront and serves locally sourced dishes.

For a quick bite, guests will be able to head to Bay Lake Provisions – an all-day marketplace.

At Paint Out Point Bar & Grill, you’ll find a poolside bar serving sharing plates and drinks.

And finally is the Dandelion Terrace nighttime lounge with a two-story Fantasia art gallery which makes the ideal spot to watch the fireworks over the lake.

As for things to do at the resort, families and guests can head to The Wetlands which has a Lakeshore Lagoon with a spiral slide, Daydream River which is a lazy river and Cypress Point which is a quieter pool with a whirlpool spa.

Kids can also head to Heron Shores climbing area and Otter Springs, an interactive, Pocahontas-themed splash pad.

There’s plenty to see as well, for example in the lobby, there are floor-to-ceiling views of the wetland, as well as an illuminated fiberoptic river through the floor.

Guests will also be able to hop on a direct boat to Magic Kingdom.

Passholders will be allowed to book from October 7 and general booking will open on October 8.

PLANS for a new multi-million pound private island in the Maldives have been revealed.

The premium exotic complex could span 155 acres on the ocean, with an underwater railway and a “deep-water lagoon”.

A zero-land private island in the Maldives has been put up for sale by a Canadian brokerage, and it can be bought in its entirety for £335million.

The development has not yet been built and will only be constructed if a buyer can be found.

In computer-generated images by Private Islands Inc, The Adaptive Atoll is a 155-acre Maldivian resort that would be nestled away in a secluded setting of the Indian Ocean.

Inside, it would be made of a number of fortresses and holiday homes, all connected by an underwater rail network.

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Private Islands Inc. even offers additional mini-islands that connect on demand, allowing owners to add modular spaces such as a 30-bunk guest pavilion or a dedicated kids’ club.

To accommodate the most high-profile of clients, the layout of the island would allow for fly-in capabilities, meaning the most elite can arrive via seaplanes and private helicopters.

Private Islands Inc. boasts around 800 islands in its portfolio, usually set at around a $1million (£745,000) price point.

Some, especially in Canada, Belize, and the Americas, can cost under $500,000 (around £370,000), such as Grape Cay in Nicaragua that spans the size of two American football fields.

Mr Krolow, the chief executive and founder of Private Islands Inc., told The Telegraph:  “At the end of the day, if you want island ownership in the sense that it’s yours, you’re there and there’s no one else, it’s possible.

“And you don’t have to be super rich, but you do need to be a little crazy.

“You need to have a set of balls, and you need to have been bitten by that island bug.”

I HAVE normally necked far too much Ouzo the night before to rise with the sun during a holiday in gorgeous Greece.

But my eyes are being opened, literally, to a much more wholesome and healthy way to start the day here on the island of Crete.

While my downward dog should arguably be put down, as my balance has gone walkies, the sound of the Cretan Sea gently lapping at the shore does make a sunrise yoga session surprisingly satisfying.

Never mind sinking sambuca shots, this is how holidays should be — relaxing, restful and geared towards recuperation.

I’m staying at Giannoulis Santa Marina Plaza, a 4* adults-only hotel tailored to a quieter and more authentic Cretan vacation.

Superbly serene, with a calming, child-free environment, it’s right on the golden, sandy, Blue Flag-rated Agia Marina beach.

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My double room is small but comfortably formed, with an ensuite bathroom, TV and compact balcony to enjoy the sunrise over Kri-Kri island (more on that later).

With just 51 rooms and suites at this boutique hotel, even at full occupancy you’ll always get a sun bed.

The food is as good as you’d expect in Greece — super souvlaki, terrific tzatziki, outstanding olive oil — but the jewel in the crown is the hospitality.

From reception staff to the waiters and cleaners, this family-run resort is full of welcoming faces, attentive and always ready with a friendly “kalimera” (good morning) or “kalispera” (good evening).

The majority of guests are couples, over 50, enjoying the easy-going vibe.

By day, the only activity is people rising from a sun lounger for a refreshing dip in the pool or sea.

By night, it’s all about a game of cards on your balcony or a casual al fresco dinner by candlelight.

Crucially, this tranquil base is only 20 minutes — by bus, right outside the hotel, or taxi — from Chania, Crete’s charming old town, where ancient architecture meets a more modern city.

It’s an easy-on-the-eye cultural hub, with shops carved into honey-coloured stone walls, restaurants, cute cafes and churches.

After a few relaxed hours searching for souvenirs down its narrow, cobbled streets and snapping away at the beautiful Venetian harbour and 16th-century lighthouse, it’s time for a change of location, as I head west along the coast to Giannoulis’s sister hotel, Cavo Spada.

A much larger complex, with 150 deluxe rooms and suites, this sporty 5* leisure and spa resort is more suited to active holidaymakers. With tennis and padel courts, an assault course, a running track and indoor and outdoor gyms kitted out with top-quality equipment, its facilities are so good that the Swedish Olympic team use it for their training camps.

You can take part in a calendar of events ranging from spinning to body combat.

But that’s not my idea of a holiday.

Instead, I take advantage of the ­all-inclusive board to sample the decent cocktail menu at the bar overlooking the huge lagoon pool at the heart of the resort.

After over-exerting my right arm with the repeated lifting of a pina colada from table to mouth, I head to the on-site spa for a full-body massage, followed by a sauna and steam room.

Clearly a gem of a resort for keep-fit couples, it’s also a good option for families, with a kids’ outdoor playground and indoor play room.

And it’s just a short taxi ride from Kolymbari port, where I clamber aboard a catamaran for a half-day at sea. Destination — Kri-Kri island.

Our deckhand tells us of the ancient Greek mythology that Kri-Kri — AKA Thodorou island — was created when a massive sea monster and its child were turned to stone by Crete’s protector Poseidon, God of the Sea.

Now it’s a breeding ground for the protected Kri-Kri wild goat.

And while anchoring up for some paddleboard play and a snorkel in clear azure water, it’s fun to see if you can spot any of the cliff-climbing goats.

Having worked up an appetite thanks to all that, well, relaxing, back at the hotel’s Azzuro restaurant I really get stuck into a sensational a-la-carte option with Michelin star-worthy food.

After another cocktail workout (my right arm really is doing the heavy lifting on this break), I educate myself with two mainstays of Greek culture.

A complimentary olive-oil tasting session (FYI: trust the Cretan chef and store your olive oil in the fridge) is followed by wine-tasting with the hotel’s maitre d’.

I could quite easily finish a bottle of the white — an indigenous Vidiano.

But like I have done since arriving in Crete, I’m taking it easy — I’ve got another yoga session at sunrise.