Credit: Inside the MagicBooking a Walt Disney World vacation usually comes down to a handful of decisions. Which parks to prioritize, how many days to spend at each one, whether Genie Plus or individual Lightning Lanes make sense for your group. What a lot of guests overlook, though, is that the resort itself can shape a trip just as much as anything happening inside the parks. If your hotel’s main pool is fenced off, your favorite quick service spot is closed, or there’s active construction right outside your room, that’s going to affect your vacation whether you planned for it or not. This fall, Disney has confirmed more than a dozen refurbishment projects spread across nearly every resort category, from Values all the way up to Deluxe Villas. Some of these are minor and easy to work around. Others are significant enough that they’re worth knowing about before you finalize a reservation. Here’s the full rundown, including the biggest project of the bunch.
Kidani Village Is Getting a Major Lobby Overhaul
The most substantial single project this fall is happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Kidani Village. Starting August 17, 2026, the resort’s main lobby is undergoing a significant refurbishment that unfolds in phases and wraps up in early November. This is a bigger undertaking than the previously announced closure of Johari Treasures, the resort’s gift shop, and it touches several key areas of the property at different points throughout the fall.
The main lobby and primary entrance close entirely from August 17 through October 9. During that stretch, check-in shifts over to the Palace Library instead. Johari Treasures closes separately for a shorter window, from August 17 through August 28, with normal retail hours resuming August 29.
Later in the timeline, the north side lobby corridor closes from September 28 through October 9. That includes the north side lobby elevators on the second floor and the outdoor terrace observation deck. Once that wraps up, attention shifts to the south side lobby corridor, which closes from October 26 through November 6. That closure is the most far reaching of the bunch, affecting Community Hall, the Safari So Good Arcade, the laundry room, the Palace Library, the lobby restrooms, and the outdoor terrace observation deck all at once.
Disney has been upfront that guests staying at Kidani Village during this window may see or hear construction activity in the lobby area throughout the day, including stretches of noticeable noise, right up until the project finishes in early November.
Value Resorts Mostly Stay Untouched, With One Exception
Disney’s Value Resorts are largely constructions free this fall, but Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort is the one property with an active project. Guest room refurbishments there are continuing in phases through late January 2027. Because Disney is rotating the work across different lodging buildings, some sections may have visible construction while others operate as usual. The good news is that the resort’s main amenities, including pools, dining, transportation, and recreation, are expected to remain open the entire time, though daytime work may still be noticeable near active construction zones.
Two Moderate Resorts Have Projects Worth Noting
Among the Moderate Resorts, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort begins Convention Center work on August 10, 2026. Since the project is centered on meeting and event spaces, it will likely be most noticeable to convention guests rather than typical vacationers, depending on where their rooms are located.
At Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, Riverside, the Magnolia Bend guest rooms remain under renovation through August 2027. Disney continues working through the buildings in phases, which means part of that section stays behind construction walls while other rooms receive fresh interiors. Guests who want to steer clear of construction noise may want to specifically request buildings farther from the active work when booking.
Deluxe Resorts Have the Busiest Construction Calendar
The Deluxe category has the most going on this fall. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, continues its own room refurbishment through January 2027, with construction rotating through different sections of the resort over time.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn has select area work happening throughout 2026 as well, though most of the resort remains fully accessible to guests. At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the biggest project is centered on Bay Lake Tower, where the Bay Cove Pool, whirlpool, splash area, and surrounding recreation space are closed for refurbishment through late 2027. Guests staying there will need to rely on alternate pool options for the foreseeable future.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is also seeing select area refurbishment work during 2026, though its larger expansion project has already been completed. Most guests should have a fairly typical stay, even with some construction zones visible around the property.
Grand Floridian Guests Should Expect the Most Change
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has multiple things happening at once this fall. Work continues around the resort’s covered entrance, with completion expected sometime in early 2027. That means temporary walkways and modified arrival areas are likely for guests coming and going throughout their stay.
On the dining side, the Grand Floridian Café has been closed since mid-July and will remain closed through October 2026 for its own refurbishment. In the meantime, brunch service has moved over to Citricos. Anyone booking a Grand Floridian stay specifically for its dining lineup should double check current operating hours before arriving.
Disney Vacation Club Properties Aren’t Fully Spared Either
At Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, the Turf Club Bar and Grill remains under refurbishment through mid-September 2026, operating with some temporary modifications in the meantime. Nearby, the Treehouse Villas are receiving exterior improvements through September 2026, which means some villas are unavailable while that work continues. These DVC projects tend to be less disruptive overall compared to something like the Kidani Village lobby closure, but they’re still worth factoring in.
Resorts Where You Likely Won’t Notice a Thing
If avoiding construction entirely is a priority, several resorts currently have no major guest facing projects on the books for fall. That list includes Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge does have some exterior refurbishment underway, but it’s been described as low impact, with the resort’s core amenities staying fully open.
Routine maintenance can pop up anywhere at any time, but none of these properties currently have large scale work expected to noticeably affect most guests this fall.
How Picking the Right Hotel Changes Your Trip
Refurbishments are simply part of keeping a resort the size of Walt Disney World in good shape, and most of these projects exist to improve things long term. That doesn’t make them any less noticeable if you happen to book during an active phase, though. If you’re the type of traveler who wants every pool, restaurant, and walkway fully available without exception, it’s worth steering toward one of the resorts without major work planned right now. If a little construction noise or a temporarily closed amenity isn’t a dealbreaker, you likely won’t notice much difference at all, especially outside the Kidani Village and Grand Floridian properties where the changes are more visible.
Before you finalize a Disney World reservation this fall, it’s worth taking a few minutes to check your specific resort’s refurbishment schedule directly through Disney. A little research now can save you from an unwelcome surprise on day one of your trip.
Are you staying at one of these resorts this fall? Let us know in the comments if you’ve already booked and whether any of these projects are changing your plans.
