Credit: DisneyDisney’s Contemporary Resort is undergoing one of the most extensive refurbishments in the property’s history, and the transformation is impossible to miss.
Construction has progressed considerably around the resort’s iconic A-frame building, and a large crane that first arrived in late August offered guests a clear visual reminder that exterior work is far from finished. Now, new updates have surfaced regarding the replacement of the current version of one of Disney World’s most recognizable and beloved hotel resorts.
The broader refurbishment effort at the Contemporary Resort began in September 2024, with initial work focused on Bay Lake Tower before expanding to the main Contemporary building. Rather than tackling the entire property at once, Disney has moved through different sections of the resort in phases.
Disney originally expected the project to wrap up by September 2025. That timeline was later pushed to July 2026. Now, the company indicates that construction is expected to continue through late 2027, which helps explain why the resort still looks like an active job site more than two years after work began.
“Through late 2027, refurbishment work will occur in phases throughout select areas of Disney’s Contemporary Resort—including Bay Lake Tower and the Main Tower atrium,” the official Disney World webpage for the Contemporary reads. “Additionally, Main Tower exterior maintenance may impact views from various locations throughout the Resort hotel and, at times, require alternate paths of travel. Guests may see or hear construction during daytime hours.”
One of the most noticeable developments came at the end of August, when a large crane arrived onsite. Positioned on the north side of the resort near Bay Lake, in a service area cordoned off with construction barriers and orange traffic cones, the crane extends up toward the vicinity of the resort’s fourth-floor observation deck.
Guests approaching the Contemporary these days will also notice extensive scaffolding and beige scrim wrapped around portions of the building’s exterior, gradually obscuring sections of the distinctive A-frame silhouette that has defined the resort’s skyline since it opened, as photographed by WDWNT. Some sections of scrim have shifted position as crews have progressed through different phases of the work, giving the building an evolving, patchwork appearance compared to its usual look.
The work isn’t confined to a single section. Scaffolding and construction walls — including dark green barriers along the Bay Lake side — have gone up in areas that typically offer guests open, unobstructed views of the lake and surrounding property. The spread of construction activity across multiple portions of the resort underscores that this is a comprehensive overhaul, not a targeted touch-up.
This isn’t a simple repaint. The project spans both the exterior of the Contemporary and its guest accommodations, with rooms undergoing renovation as part of the greater effort. While the interior work continues behind the scenes, it’s the exterior construction — the scaffolding, the scrim, the crane — that remains most visible to guests and passersby.
The fourth-floor observation deck, a popular vantage point for guests, has felt the effects of the ongoing work as well. Portions of the area have been restricted, and rolling planters have appeared around parts of the deck, likely intended to create separation between guests and active construction zones. It’s a small but tangible example of how a long-running project like this touches the day-to-day guest experience without shutting anything down entirely.
Despite the scope of construction, the Contemporary Resort continues to operate normally. Restaurants and pools remain open, and transportation — including monorail and bus service — continues uninterrupted. Guests booking a stay should simply expect visible construction, some restricted walkways, and potentially more daytime noise than usual.
With Disney now targeting late 2027 for completion, the current phase of construction is just one chapter in a much longer story. More sections of the resort could be enclosed in scaffolding and scrim as work progresses.
The Contemporary Resort remains one of Walt Disney World’s most beloved and recognizable hotels, but its current backdrop — cranes, scaffolding, scrim, and construction walls — tells the story of a property in the middle of a substantial long-term investment. Guests visiting over the next year should expect the resort’s appearance to keep evolving well into 2027.
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