Credit: DisneyThere is a lot changing at Walt Disney World right now, and it is not just inside the parks anymore. Across Disney resorts, construction walls are going up, restaurants are closing temporarily, pools are disappearing for refurbishment, and entire hotel sections are getting refreshed ahead of what Disney clearly expects to be another massive stretch of vacation demand in 2026 and beyond.
For guests planning Disney vacations, this kind of thing matters more than people sometimes realize. A closed ride inside Magic Kingdom can change your park strategy for a day. But resort changes can affect your entire trip from the moment you wake up in the morning to the time you head back after fireworks.
And right now, Disney has confirmed changes at nearly a dozen resort hotels.
Disney Is Quietly Refreshing Huge Portions of Its Resort Lineup
Disney has been investing heavily into hotel refurbishments over the last few years. Some resorts have received room upgrades, others have seen dining changes, and several Deluxe Resorts are slowly being modernized as Disney continues reshaping the overall vacation experience.
Now, that process is expanding even further.
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort is entering a long refurbishment period beginning in late May 2026 and continuing through January 2027. Disney has not fully explained what will change yet, but guests staying there during that period should probably expect visible construction activity throughout portions of the resort.
That is especially notable because All-Star Movies remains one of Disney’s most popular budget-friendly resorts for families trying to save money while still staying inside the Disney bubble.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is also preparing for another major refresh. The Grand Floridian Cafe will temporarily close from mid-July through October 2026 while work takes place. Disney says brunch service will temporarily move to Citricos during the closure.
That may sound minor at first, but Grand Floridian Cafe has become one of the easier restaurant reservations to grab at a Deluxe Resort. A lot of returning guests specifically build resort days around it.
Construction is also continuing around parts of the Grand Floridian itself, including work near the covered entrance through early 2027.
Saratoga Springs Guests Could Face Rolling Closures
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort may have one of the most complicated situations unfolding right now.
The resort already has ongoing refurbishment work happening across multiple areas, including the Treehouse Villas. That work is expected to continue through mid-September 2026.
But the bigger issue for some guests could be the dining closures.
The Turf Club Lounge is temporarily closing through early August. Then, the Turf Club Patio closes shortly after. Then, the Bar and Grill itself closes through early September before the Lounge reopens again. Disney is essentially rotating closures around the property to keep at least portions of the dining experience available.
That creates a strange situation where the experience at Saratoga Springs could vary dramatically depending on the exact week you visit.
One guest might barely notice the construction at all. Another could suddenly find some of the resort’s biggest amenities unavailable during their stay.
Deluxe Resorts Are Seeing Some of the Biggest Changes
Several of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts are also dealing with long-term construction projects.
At Animal Kingdom Lodge, refurbishment work is shifting from Kidani Village over to Jambo House starting in May 2026 and lasting through January 2027.
Over at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, exterior maintenance is expected to continue all the way through late 2027. The Tidal leisure pool is also temporarily closing for maintenance.
BoardWalk Inn is also undergoing a multi-area refurbishment through late 2026. Disney has not fully outlined every project happening there, but guests should absolutely expect visible construction during parts of their stay.
Then there is Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
This may be one of the biggest ongoing hotel projects currently happening at Walt Disney World. Refurbishment work is continuing across Bay Lake Tower and portions of the main atrium through late 2027.
The Bay Cove Pool and nearby amenities are temporarily unavailable, while additional repair work is also affecting the Skyway Bridge connection between Bay Lake Tower and the main Contemporary tower during daytime hours on weekdays.
That may not sound huge on paper, but convenience is one of the biggest selling points for Disney Deluxe Resorts. When walking paths, pools, lounges, and shortcuts become unavailable, guests absolutely notice it.
Polynesian Guests Are About To See Major Construction
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort might be dealing with the most visible disruptions right now.
The resort’s boat dock closed beginning May 11 for maintenance and is expected to remain unavailable through late June. Boat transportation is suspended until June 5, forcing guests to rely more heavily on the monorail and walking paths.
Construction is also continuing throughout parts of the Polynesian Village Resort and Polynesian Villas & Bungalows through 2026.
Disney is even warning guests that some Seven Seas Lagoon views may become partially blocked due to exterior work. That includes potential view disruptions from locations like ‘Ohana.
That matters because those fireworks views are a huge reason many guests book the Polynesian in the first place.
For years, the resort has been viewed as one of Disney World’s ultimate vacation experiences. But right now, guests could run into construction noise starting at 9 a.m. daily alongside transportation changes and obstructed views.
Disney World Is Preparing for the Future
The important thing to remember is that Disney is not doing all of this randomly.
Walt Disney World is heading into one of the busiest transformation periods in years. Frontierland is actively being rebuilt around Piston Peak National Park. New entertainment offerings continue rolling out across the parks. Hotel demand remains high. Epic Universe is also creating major pressure on Disney to keep upgrading its own vacation experience.
A lot of these refurbishments are likely Disney trying to future-proof its resorts for the next decade of competition.
Still, for guests visiting in 2026, these projects are going to affect vacations in very real ways.
You may lose your favorite restaurant temporarily. Your preferred pool could be unavailable. You might walk past construction walls every morning at your resort. Transportation options could shift. Fireworks views may not look quite the same.
None of that necessarily ruins a Disney vacation. But it absolutely changes expectations.
And right now, Disney fans booking trips for 2026 probably need to pay closer attention to resort construction calendars than they have in years.
