A New Shade of Paint at Disney’s Boardwalk + Other Refurb Updates (August 2026)

Refurbishment and reimagining continue at Disney’s Boardwalk. On a recent stroll through the area, we found a new shade of paint being applied to the former Jellyrolls, walls up around other upcoming storefronts, and the turf of the Village Green being replaced. Below, we’ll preview a few photos of the Boardwalk’s refurbishment as of August 2026. You may remember Disney announced that two new locations would open at the Boardwalk later this year. We are also awaiting an announcement with more details about the resort’s new quick service restaurant. Hopefully, the new additions will be a huge win for guests staying at the resort.

For this visit, we were at the Swan and Dolphin walking toward Epcot. On our way across the bridge, I noticed a pop of vibrant turquoise paint at the BoardWalk.

As we approached the BoardWalk, it looked as though they were testing the color.

On the side of the former Jellyrolls, we could see that a couple of new doors had been installed. Disney has not clarified the exact details yet, but we believe this will be the location of the Hurly Burly. For reference, the Hurly Burly is a new lounge that will offer family-friendly activities during the afternoon and transition to an adults-only venue (21 and over) by nightfall. Per the original announcement, this location will be tucked along the waterfront. Since this space was formerly a dueling pianos bar, a lounge space makes sense, but again, Disney hasn’t shared which venues will fill the empty storefronts…yet.

When we were on the actual Boardwalk, we saw a worker actively painting the front side of the building. This is a much bolder color than the previous blue, but I imagine the sun will soften the look before we know it.

Moving along, there were no visible changes at the former Big River Grille. Since this location was formerly a restaurant, it will be interesting to see what goes in here. I like to think that this will be the new quick service, but another option is the new Basin on the Boardwalk. Of course, that is all speculation. Three new venues are coming to the Boardwalk to fill three empty spaces.

Continuing, we have the former Promenade Art Gallery, which closed last October. This former art gallery was a decent-sized space. To me, the actual location would be perfect for a quick service. My thinking here is that it would bridge the gap resort guests had to walk outside to find food, beverages, or a refillable mug station. That said, it doesn’t make sense given the space and lack of existing kitchen/plumbing. Maybe we’ll know something by the end of the D23: Ultimate Fan Event this weekend?

Lastly, we saw another major update taking place. Below is a photo of where the turf is being removed on the Village Green. You may remember the Village Green refurbishment was only announced last week.

This work is expected to be completed by early September. A Cast Member told us that Movies Under the Stars and several other activities will take place on the Boardwalk Inn lawn during the refurb. The Boardwalk Inn lawn is near the Inn’s quiet pool.

Overall, we’re excited to see these new additions coming to the Boardwalk and eager to learn more about the new quick service. As someone who stays at the Boardwalk pretty regularly, I think the new dining option, and possibly the lounge, will be game-changers for the resort. The current lack of decent quick service offerings in the area has been our only real complaint. Hopefully, this new option will wow us as much as the lovely quick service at Disney’s Riviera. Wouldn’t that be nice?

For more on what’s going on around the resorts, see our list of Disney Hotel Refurbishments. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more updates.

In the Comments

What do you think about these updates for the Boardwalk? Will you be happy to see these projects come to fruition? Let us know in the comments below.