Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Refurbishment Extended Through Early 2027

Unfortunately, the current refurbishment project at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is taking longer than originally expected. The project was previously scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2026, but the timeline has now been extended into early 2027. Here is the official updated wording from the Walt Disney World website:

Through early 2027, some areas of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows are being refurbished. This work includes the reconfiguration of the front entrance roadway. Additionally, some views of the theme parks and other surrounding areas may be impacted. Most Resort dining, pools, and amenities will remain available.

Through late October, Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will be temporarily closed due to refurbishment work at the Grand Ceremonial House.

While construction activity will be noticeable during daytime hours, efforts will be made to minimize disruptions. Please allow for extra travel time when arriving at or leaving the Resort.

You may remember that the Great Ceremonial House and surrounding entrance area have undergone significant work over the last year. Last April, Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace temporarily closed while exterior work at the Great Ceremonial House was completed. At that time, the location was expected to open by the end of June. Unfortunately, the project has since been extended through late October 2026. As of this update, Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace remains closed.

As for the resort’s entrance, a new dead end beyond the Polynesian’s entrance has changed how guests get to and from the resort. Those staying at the Island Tower will continue to take Grand Floridian Way for direct parking at the tower. Guests staying at the original Polynesian, or anyone visiting for dining, will take Seven Seas Lagoon Drive to the resort’s new formal entrance. For example, we recently had reservations at Wailulu Bar and Grill, and we parked at the original resort even though the restaurant is at the Island Tower.

With these changes, the resort opened a new bus stop at the Polynesian earlier this summer. Disney buses now enter and exit at the resort’s old entrance, which is now solely used for buses. The resort’s new car entrance opened last December. It’s right before you reach the dead end at Seven Seas Lagoon Drive, mentioned above. (In the past, Seven Seas Lagoon Drive met Grand Floridian Way, and guests could continue traveling to the Grand Floridian using this route.)

If you haven’t stayed at the Polynesian since the new bus stop opened, you may not realize that the resort no longer shares a bus service with the Grand Floridian. However, the Polynesian now shares a bus service with the Contemporary. So you’ll still have a shared route for bus destinations like Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs.

Final Thoughts

As for the updated notice extending the refurbishment through 2027, the details are vague. It likely ties back to the ongoing reconfiguration of nearby roadways and parking lots. If we learn of any other affected areas, we’ll keep you posted. You might also like our timeline of refurbishment notices for the Polynesian.

For other resorts, you might like to browse our schedule of Disney Hotel Refurbishments. Sign up for our newsletter and check back with ResortsGal.com for more updates.