Disney World Resort Refurbishment Schedule (2023-2024)
At any given time, multiple resorts, hotels, and villas are under some sort of refurbishment at Walt Disney World. Refurbishments can range from major construction to minor items like a brief pool closure.
This article will look at the scheduled resort refurbishments for the Walt Disney World Resorts. If you have an upcoming stay planned, you might want to consider some of these refurbishments.
For instance, do you really want to stay at a hotel where loud construction begins at 9:00 a.m.? If you enjoy sleeping late, the answer is probably no. However, a little noise might not be a big deal if you plan to arrive at the parks early every morning.
Another consideration is if you’ll spend a good deal of time at the pool. When one pool closes for refurbishment, the other pools at the resort get crowded.
Generally, Disney does try to complete most pool refurbishments in the cooler months. But if you have a small child and see that an aquatic play area will be closed during your trip, you might consider another resort.
Of course, not all of these refurbishments are dealbreakers. You’ll need to weigh the importance of each item for yourself.
Overall, I would ask myself if the resort is still worth the expense with the refurbishment that’s taking place. If not, this might be a good time to consider an alternative.
This article was updated on August 23, 2023.
Disney World Resort Hotel Refurbishment
This list contains resort refurbishments announced for 2023 and beyond at Walt Disney World. We update this article often to include new announcements and things that we see and hear during our resort visits.
Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Trail’s End Restaurant has reopened as of late July 2023.
Additionally, it was recently announced that Fort Wilderness will transition to becoming a Disney Vacation Club Resort with new cabins in the future. We’ll have more on that subject eventually, but for now, you can read the initial announcement.
Related: Disney Fort Wilderness DVC News (New Cabins)
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Refurbishment Dates: This refurbishment is complete.
Per Disney:
Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will be refurbished beginning in April 2024. The cabins will be refurbished four at a time, with the remaining cabins available to Members and Guests. Members and Guests will not be placed in cabins that are actively being refurbished. During this time, Guests staying in cabins adjacent to those being refurbished will see and hear refurbishment work during daytime hours.
Related: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Review
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s Contemporary Resort Review
Bay Lake Tower
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Bay Laker Tower Review
Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Refurbishment Dates: August 2022–TBD
A new Disney Vacation Club Resort is being built between Disney’s Polynesian Village and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Therefore, significant construction is going on near both resorts
Per Disney’s website:
As we prepare for the proposed expansion at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, you will see and hear construction at certain times of the day. To minimize disruptions during your stay, activities that may create noise will not start earlier than 9:00 a.m.
Additionally, the former walkway along Seven Seas Lagoon is closed due to this construction. Guests will have to take a construction path between the Grand Floridian and Polynesian during this time.
We’ve also started a timeline of construction updates for the new DVC Tower at the Polynesian. We update it with new photos about once a month to show the progress of the new build.
A few years ago, Disney’s Polynesian Resort underwent an entire resort refurbishment. During that time, the monorail platform and front entrance of the resort were reconstructed entirely.
That resort refurbishment included total room makeovers. We have a few articles previewing those details:
Related: Disney’s Polynesian Resort Review
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
Refurbishment Dates: March 2022 through TBD
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is undergoing an entire resort refurbishment.
- At this time, the construction of the resort’s outer buildings is completed.
- Work has begun on the main building and upper-level floors off the lobby as of July 2023.
Per Disney’s announcement, most resort hotel amenities will remain available. In addition, guests can expect construction noise during the day.
We have an entire timeline dedicated to the progress of the construction if you would like to know more.
Related: Grand Floridian Refurbishment and Renovation
Disney’s Beach Club and Beach Club Villas
New! Refurbishment Dates January 2025 through May 2025
Per Disney:
In an effort to continually enhance the Guest experience, we refresh our offerings from time to time. From January 2025 through May 2025, Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts will be closed for routine maintenance. Guests may see or hear construction work during daytime hours.
During this time, Guests are welcome to swim at the Tidal, Admiral, and Dunes Cove leisure pools. This information can be found on the Refurbishments page of the Disney Travel Agents website. As a reminder, you can always reference this page for an up-to-date list of current and upcoming refurbishments.
Refurbishment dates: January 7, 2023, through Late Fall
- All guest rooms at Disney’s Beach Club Resort have been refurbished or are near completion as of August 2023.
- Select rooms at Disney’s Beach Club Villas have not been completed. From our understanding, those rooms are awaiting a backorder of Murphy beds to replace sofa sleepers.
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas lobby and the second-floor lobby of Disney’s Beach Club have been renovated. The hotel’s main lobby is under refurbishment. We have a separate article that details Disney’s Beach Club Refurbishment.
Per Disney:
“From January 7, 2023 through late Fall, Disney’s Beach Club Villas will undergo refurbishment. During this time, Resort amenities will remain available for your enjoyment. While you may see or hear construction during daytime hours, you should not hear noise from guest rooms between dusk and 9:00 AM. As our resort hotel refurbishments continue, you may see or hear construction during daytime hours.”
Related: Disney’s Beach Club Resort Review
Disney’s Yacht Club
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s Yacht Club Review
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas
Refurbishment Dates: This entire resort is undergoing refurbishment.
Per Disney:
“Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Villas are being refurbished, with new offerings, plus updates coming to our guest rooms, lobby, and more. Please note that while most hotel amenities will remain available, you may be able to see and hear construction during daytime hours. Additionally, please allow for additional travel time.“
Additionally, ESPN Sports Bar and Grill has permanently closed. A new restaurant, The Cake Bake Shop, is supposed to open in 2023. However, construction has been exceptionally slow.
Related: Construction Progress at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
Related: Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Review
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s Riviera Resort Review
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Refurbishment Dates (Not Listed)
While not listed on Disney’s website, we noticed on a recent walk through Caribbean Beach (May 2023) that the entire Jamaica section of the resort was undergoing refurbishment.
Surprisingly, this room renovation isn’t listed anywhere. However, it should have little consequence for guests staying at the resort. We assume that these room renovations will include touches of The Little Mermaid similar to what was installed at the Trinidad section earlier this year.
As of August 2023, the Jamaica section of the resort is complete. Now, a portion of the Aruba section of the resort has closed.
Refurbishment Dates: January 2024–April 2024
- Fuentes del Morro Pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Per Disney:
“From January 2024 through April 2024, the Fuentes del Morro Pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort will be closed for routine maintenance. Guests may see or hear construction work during daytime hours. During this time, Guests are welcome to swim in any of the five leisure pools at this Disney Resort hotel.“
Related: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Review
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Review
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s Pop Century Resort Review
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Review
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village
Refurbishment Dates: February 1, 2023 through September 2023
“From February 1, 2023, through September 2023, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village will be undergoing refurbishment. During this time, you may be able to see and hear construction during the daytime hours.”
Related: Kidani Village Review
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Refurbishment Dates: January 2024–April 2024
- Fantasia Pool at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Per Disney:
From January 2024 through April 2024, Fantasia Pool at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort will be closed for routine maintenance. Guests may see or hear construction work during daytime hours. During this time, Guests are welcome to swim in the Duck Pond Pool at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort.
Related: Disney’s All-Star Movies Review
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Review
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Disney’s All-Star Sports Review
Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Related: Port Orleans Riverside Review
Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter
Refurbishment Dates: January 2024 through April 2024
- Doubloon Lagoon at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Per Disney:
From January 2024 through April 2024, the Doubloon Lagoon pool at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter will be closed for routine maintenance. Guests may see or hear construction work during daytime hours. During this time, Guests are welcome to swim in the Ol’ Man Island pool at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Saratoga Springs underwent a full-room refurbishment a few years back. Rooms received a much-needed makeover and turned out fantastic. You can preview them in our photo tour here.
Related: Disney’s Saratoga Springs Review
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Nothing is scheduled at this time.
Disney Resorts Refurbishments Conclusion
Disney’s refurbishment schedule is often extensive and continually ongoing. With this many resort hotels, constant refurbishment is inevitable.
If you’re planning on visiting any of these resorts, it’s best to check the refurbishment dates to see if your desired resort will be having a facelift of some sort during your stay.
Although many amenities will remain available at most resorts, guests can almost always expect construction noise during the day.
For more information about planning a Walt Disney World vacation, you might enjoy these articles:
- Best Off-Site Disney World Hotels
- Benefits of Staying at a Disney World Resort
- Best Deluxe Resorts at Disney World
- Best Breakfasts at Disney World
For more Disney World updates, you might like the following:
- Best Character Dining at Disney World
- Disney World Character Meets
- Best Restaurants at Disney Springs
Or browse our entire list of resort reviews:
In the Comments
Hopefully, you found this resort refurbishment schedule helpful for planning your next vacation. What are your thoughts on staying at a resort with active construction or remodeling work? Is it an issue, or does it depend on what work is being completed?
