Credit: DisneyFor millions of families planning a Walt Disney World getaway, choosing the perfect resort hotel is the cornerstone of the vacation experience. Guests budget thousands of dollars to immerse themselves in Disney’s signature storytelling, prime proximity to the theme parks, and world-class amenities. But over the past few years, booking a Disney hotel has come with an unexpected travel consideration: navigating construction walls, detours, and daytime maintenance noise in areas undergoing refurbishment.
Now, the list of resort construction projects continues to grow.
According to recently reported public filings, Walt Disney World has filed three new Notices of Commencement covering general construction at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. A separate permit listing also identifies work at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.
The new Caribbean Beach filings authorize general construction in the resort’s Old Port Royale area, although the exact scope of the work has not been disclosed. The Old Key West listing identifies Building 11, with Poli Construction Inc. named as the contractor. If you have an upcoming reservation or are planning a future Disney vacation, here is what the available permit information reveals, how it fits into the broader resort refurbishment schedule, and how to prepare for potential construction disruptions.
The New Permits: What Is Happening at Caribbean Beach and Old Key West?
Because Disney rarely issues advance press releases for routine building updates, public Notices of Commencement can provide an early indication of construction activity around Walt Disney World. These filings identify the project’s location and contractor, although their descriptions of the planned work are often general.
The latest permit reporting covers activity at two sprawling Disney Vacation destinations.
1. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (3 Permits)
Disney filed three separate Notices of Commencement on October 23, 2026, for general construction in the Old Port Royale area of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
All three filings name Harisson Contracting Co. Inc. as the designated contractor. The permits authorize general construction, but the available filings do not provide enough detail to determine precisely what work Disney intends to carry out.
Old Port Royale serves as the central hub of Caribbean Beach Resort, housing key guest services, dining locations, and other facilities. The area underwent a major renovation in 2018, but Disney has not publicly identified which specific features or structures will be affected by the newly filed permits.
Harisson Contracting Co. Inc. has previously been associated with work at Walt Disney World, including a project involving the repainting of the large guitar outside Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster during the attraction’s transformation into Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. However, that previous project does not establish the scope of the newly authorized work at Caribbean Beach.
It would therefore be premature to conclude that the Old Port Royale permits specifically exterior painting, facade weatherproofing, or structural repairs. Until Disney or more detailed permit documentation provides further information, the precise nature of the work remains unclear.
Caribbean Beach has also seen other maintenance activities. Separate reporting has identified exterior painting and column repairs at Barbados Buildings 31, 32, and 33 through early February 2027. That is a distinct project and should not be confused with the three new Old Port Royale filings.
2. Disney’s Old Key West Resort (1 Permit Listing)
Over at Disney’s Old Key West Resort—the original Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property—a separate 2026 permit listing identifies 1531 North Cove Road as the location of work associated with Building 11.
The building identification corresponds to villa accommodations, including rooms 1110 through 1124.
The available permit listing names Poli Construction Inc. as the contractor for general construction. It does not identify Friedrich Watkins Company as the contractor, nor does the available information establish that the work involves a particular guest-room renovation or structural project.
The precise scope and timing of the Old Key West work should therefore be confirmed against the underlying permit record before guests draw conclusions about which accommodations may be affected.
While the Caribbean Beach permits were reported as filed on October 23, the available information does not establish that the Old Key West permit was filed in the same batch. The two properties should be treated as separate permit developments unless the original records confirm otherwise.
Joining a Broad Wave of Disney Hotel Renovations
The new Caribbean Beach permits do not exist in a vacuum. They add to a substantial schedule of maintenance and refurbishment projects across Walt Disney World’s resort properties, with work continuing through 2026 and into 2027.
Disney regularly cycles through renovations across its Deluxe, Disney Vacation Club, Moderate, and Value accommodations. Projects can involve guest-room updates, exterior maintenance, bathroom improvements, common-area refreshes, and infrastructure repairs. However, not every permit means guests will encounter construction outside their rooms, and the effects of individual projects vary by location, scope, and timing.
Here are some of the other resort projects travelers should know about.
Deluxe & Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Properties
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort: Select areas of the Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower continue to undergo phased refurbishment and maintenance, with work scheduled to extend into late 2027. Guests may encounter construction noise, affected views, or alternate walking routes in areas where work is underway.
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas: Resort updates continue across the waterfront property. Notably, the resort’s Luna Park Pool, the Luna Park Crazy Play Area, and the Leaping Horse Libations pool bar are scheduled to close for routine maintenance from January 11 through April 2027. The resort’s leisure pools are scheduled to remain open during the closure.
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort: Exterior maintenance and refurbishment work are scheduled to continue in phases through late 2027.
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa: Phased refurbishment and maintenance work across select areas of the Victorian-themed resort is expected to continue into early 2027, including work around the covered porte-cochère entrance.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House): Guest-room interior refurbishments are scheduled to continue in phases through January 2027.
Moderate & Value Resorts
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside: A phased guest-room refurbishment program is underway, with work scheduled to continue through August 2027.
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter: The popular Scat Cat’s Club – Lounge is scheduled to remain closed for refurbishment into early 2027. A temporary bar is available nearby during the closure.
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort: A phased refurbishment involving the Convention Center, the central El Centro Corridor, and surrounding areas is scheduled to continue through late September 2027. Individual spaces may be temporarily unavailable as work progresses.
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort: A substantial guest-room refurbishment program is scheduled to begin in mid-June 2027. The work is expected to proceed in phases rather than requiring the entire resort to close at once.
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort: Phased guest-room updates are scheduled to continue through January 2027.
These timelines provide a useful starting point for vacation planning, but individual projects and operating conditions can change. Guests should confirm the current refurbishment status with Disney before arrival, especially if a particular amenity or room location is central to their plans.
Transportation & Infrastructure Impacts: The Skyliner Factor
For guests watching the new Caribbean Beach permits, there is another logistical consideration: transportation.
Caribbean Beach serves as the central transfer hub for the Disney Skyliner, the aerial gondola system connecting participating resorts with EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Maintenance at the resort can be relevant to guests as they navigate the property. However, the newly filed Old Port Royale permits do not establish that Skyliner operations or access routes will be affected.
Disney has scheduled its annual routine maintenance closure for the Disney Skyliner from January 24 through January 30, 2027. During this period, the gondola system will be unavailable, and complimentary bus service will be provided.
Guests staying at Skyliner-connected resorts should plan to use the replacement transportation during the closure and allow additional time for travel to the parks. The temporary suspension may affect morning plans, particularly for visitors hoping to arrive before the park’s regular opening.
The Skyliner closure is a separate, scheduled maintenance project and should not be interpreted as a consequence of the newly filed Old Port Royale construction permits.
How to Protect Your Disney Vacation From Construction Headaches
While continued investment helps Disney maintain and update its resorts, staying in an area undergoing construction can affect a vacation if guests are unprepared. If your upcoming trip coincides with a resort refurbishment, consider these strategies:
- Check Official Refurbishment Advisories Frequently: Never assume a resort will be completely free of construction. Check Disney’s official resort pages and the My Disney Experience app for notices about active work before making a non-refundable booking and again before your arrival. Permit filings can provide early indications of construction, but they do not necessarily identify guest-facing impacts.
- Utilize Strategic Room Requests: Phased construction can be limited to specific buildings or areas. If you are staying at Caribbean Beach, consider using online check-in to request a preferred village or room location away from any confirmed work area. For example, guests concerned about the separate exterior painting and column-repair project at Barbados Buildings 31, 32, and 33 may wish to request a different area of the resort. However, the new Old Port Royale permits do not establish that Trinidad or Barbados guest buildings are included in that work. Room requests are not guaranteed, although Cast Members may be able to accommodate them depending on availability.
- Audit Amenity Schedules, Especially Pools: If your family values afternoon pool breaks, confirm that the amenities you intend to use will be open. When marquee facilities such as BoardWalk’s Luna Park Pool close, guests may need to use other available pools. Leisure pools can provide an alternative, but they may not offer the same features as a resort’s main pool, such as waterslides or a poolside bar.
- Consider Rebooking or Modifying Your Reservation: If daytime construction noise, scaffolding, or restricted access would significantly affect your vacation, contact Disney or your travel planner to discuss your options. Reservation changes depend on availability, booking terms, price differences, and the circumstances of your request. Do not assume that Disney will automatically transfer you to another resort in the same pricing tier.
As Disney continues investing in its resort properties, construction and maintenance will remain part of the vacation-planning picture. Staying proactive, checking official refurbishment updates, and making informed room requests can help you prepare for potential disruptions and keep your Disney stay as relaxing as possible.
