Credit: DisneyA Walt Disney World vacation in 2026 looks very different from what guests experienced just a few years ago.
Major projects are moving forward across the resort, and Disney’s theme parks and hotels remain in the middle of a significant transformation. That means guests arriving right now may encounter construction walls, unavailable attractions, closed restaurants, and entire areas that have disappeared.
In fact, 18 locations across Walt Disney World are currently affected by closures or refurbishment work, ranging from individual stores and restaurants to much larger sections of the theme parks. Some will return relatively soon. Others have permanently closed to clear space for Disney’s next generation of attractions.
For guests planning trips, these aren’t changes buried years into Disney’s future. Many are affecting vacations right now.
Magic Kingdom Is Going Through Major Changes
Some of the biggest closures can be found at Magic Kingdom, where Disney is preparing for a very different future.
Carousel of Progress closed on July 6 for a major refurbishment. Disney plans to modernize the attraction while preserving its basic concept, and the project will include updated scenes representing more recent periods of history.
Perhaps the biggest addition will come before guests even begin their journey through the attraction. Disney plans to introduce an Audio-Animatronic figure of Walt Disney as part of the updated experience.
Guests shouldn’t expect the attraction back anytime soon. Disney has announced that Carousel of Progress will reopen sometime in 2027, although an exact reopening date hasn’t been revealed.
That’s far from the only major change underway at Magic Kingdom.
The Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat permanently closed in July 2025.
Unlike Carousel of Progress, these aren’t temporary refurbishments.
The area is being transformed for Piston Peak, Disney’s upcoming Cars-inspired addition to Frontierland. The project will eventually bring two new attractions to the park, but Disney has not announced when the new area will open.
That leaves a substantial portion of Magic Kingdom in transition as construction continues.
Hollywood Studios Has Several Closures of Its Own
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also changing quickly.
Vacation Fun closed on August 9 and currently does not have an announced reopening date. The location is being used for Annual Passholder magnet distribution through September 24, meaning its regular operation remains unavailable during that period.
Meanwhile, one of Hollywood Studios’ largest transformations is unfolding around the former Animation Courtyard.
Much of Animation Courtyard closed in September 2025, including Star Wars Launch Bay, Disney Jr. Play and Dance!, and several character experiences.
Disney has since begun a phased opening of its replacement area. Guests can already experience Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! and encounter characters including Sofia the First and SuperKitties.
More is coming.
The rest of the area is scheduled to open September 14, including The Magic of Disney Animation and the Drawn to Wonderland playground. The Sorcerer Mickey Hat has also returned as part of the transformation.
Another section of Hollywood Studios, however, faces a much longer construction timeline.
Muppets Courtyard is now behind construction walls as Disney prepares the property for Monstropolis.
Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo permanently closed in June 2025, while Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano shut its doors the previous month.
Disney is already transforming the area for its Monsters, Inc.-inspired replacement, which will include Harryhausen’s as one of its dining locations.
EPCOT Closures Affect Shopping and Guest Areas
EPCOT doesn’t escape the current wave of refurbishment work.
La Signature in the France Pavilion closed for refurbishment on June 29. Disney has not announced a reopening date for the shop.
The location is known for its selection of Guerlain cosmetics and fragrances. During the closure, guests can find some Guerlain products at nearby Plume Et Palette.
Germany is dealing with another project.
The majority of the Volkskunst shop closed in July as work began on backstage Cast Member bathrooms. Public restrooms in the Germany Pavilion also closed as part of the project.
The roof of Das Kaufhaus is undergoing refurbishment as well, although that particular project hasn’t forced the store to close.
Disney hasn’t provided a reopening date for the affected Volkskunst space or restrooms.
An Entire Animal Kingdom Land Is Gone
The biggest closure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom isn’t a restaurant, shop, or individual attraction.
It’s an entire land.
The massive project will transform this section of Animal Kingdom with new experiences, including an Indiana Jones attraction and other additions.
For longtime visitors, the closure represents another major piece of old Walt Disney World disappearing as the resort moves toward its next era.
Construction is already moving forward, meaning guests visiting Animal Kingdom today will find a dramatically different landscape than they would have encountered only a couple of years ago.
Disney World Hotels Are Getting Hit, Too
The theme parks aren’t the only places dealing with closures and construction.
Several Walt Disney World Resort hotels have projects underway.
At Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, refurbishment work began August 10 at the Convention Center. The project is expected to continue through September 2027.
The El Centro Corridor and surrounding areas are also included in the work. Disney plans to complete the project in phases, meaning different portions of the resort could become unavailable as construction progresses.
Over at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, the Sassagoula River Cruise boat dock closed for refurbishment in July, affecting boat transportation. Guests impacted by the closure have to use alternate transportation, including Disney buses or personal vehicles.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is also in the middle of construction. Work around the resort’s porte cochere is expected to continue into at least early 2027.
That’s an especially important consideration for guests paying premium prices to stay at one of Disney World’s most recognizable hotels.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort has another lengthy project underway. Construction throughout the property is expected to continue through late 2027, so guests staying there should be prepared to encounter construction activity during their vacations.
Restaurants and Entertainment Locations Are Also Affected
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort has its own closures.
The Turf Club Patio closed during part of August, followed by a refurbishment of Turf Club Bar & Grill running from mid-August through mid-September.
Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort has also been unavailable.
The restaurant closed for refurbishment on May 11. However, this particular shutdown is almost over. Disney has confirmed that Yachtsman Steakhouse will reopen on August 28, and reservations are already available.
Guests looking for some of its menu offerings during the remaining closure can visit Crew’s Cup Lounge next door.
Disney’s BoardWalk has undergone several changes as well.
The Village Green area at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is closed from August 10 through September 4. The space is normally used for activities including Movies Under the Stars, yoga, and arts and crafts.
Promenade Fine Art Gallery has also closed at its previous BoardWalk location, but the gallery isn’t disappearing permanently. It’s expected to move somewhere else, although its new location hasn’t been announced.
Then there’s Jellyrolls.
The longtime dueling piano bar permanently closed at Disney’s BoardWalk in April 2025. Unlike some other permanently shuttered locations, however, Jellyrolls itself isn’t disappearing completely. Plans call for the venue to reopen at a new location away from Disney’s BoardWalk in late summer or fall 2026.
Walt Disney World Is Deep in a Period of Transformation
Seeing 18 affected locations at once can sound alarming, but the closures don’t all mean the same thing.
Some are relatively routine refurbishments. Others involve restaurants, shops, transportation areas, or hotel facilities that should eventually return.
Then there are the permanent closures.
Those tell a much bigger story about where Walt Disney World is headed.
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are making way for Piston Peak. DinoLand U.S.A. is becoming Tropical Americas. Muppets Courtyard is being transformed into Monstropolis. Animation Courtyard is already emerging from its own transformation.
Disney is investing heavily in what comes next, but guests visiting during the transition have to live with the construction required to get there.
For anyone heading to Walt Disney World in the coming weeks or months, checking refurbishment schedules before arriving has become more important than ever. A restaurant, attraction, store, transportation option, or even an entire section of a park that was available during a previous vacation may not be operating this time around.
Eventually, many of those construction walls will come down and reveal something new.
Right now, though, change is one of the most noticeable things guests will find across Walt Disney World.
