Three Walt Disney World restaurants are closed this August, and the guests who booked around them without checking are finding out the hard way.
The closures span three resorts and include dining experiences ranging from a casual brunch institution to a Signature Dining venue that has been dark since May. None of them are set to be coming back before August ends, and only one has a clear reopening date to point toward.
Here are every closure, every alternative, and every action item to prevent an August Disney World trip from going sideways at the host stand.
The Grand Floridian Cafe Is Gone Until October at Disney
The Grand Floridian Cafe at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa closed July 20 and will not reopen until October. The Grand Floridian Cafe is the resort's casual table-service option, known for its garden setting and fan-favorite plates like the Buttermilk-Fried Chicken and Waffles. The closure is part of a broader multi-year Grand Floridian refresh that has already produced a new lobby and the Perch lounge, with exterior work running into early 2027.
The brunch service has not evaporated; it has simply moved. For the duration of the Grand Floridian Cafe's closure, morning dining is temporarily relocating to Cítricos, the resort's signature restaurant. That relocation sounds orderly until the reality sets in: Cítricos is now managing its full dinner operation plus the entire displaced brunch crowd simultaneously. Tables are already competitive. Anyone who wants a Grand Floridian brunch in August needs to check Cítricos' availability immediately, not after arriving at the resort.
The Turf Club Bar and Grill Hits Full Closure
The Turf Club Bar and Grill at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort has been undergoing a phased refurbishment since mid-March, operating on a partial basis throughout. That balancing act ends in late August when the full restaurant closes completely through late September, the only window in the entire project where no table-service dining exists at The Turf Club at all.
The Turf Club Lounge provides partial relief. It completed its own refresh earlier in the summer and reopens during the same period the dining room goes dark, giving guests somewhere to sit with a drink. For actual meals, the closest reasonable answer is Disney Springs, which is a short walk or a quick boat ride from Saratoga Springs and has more than enough dining variety to cover a week.
The full restaurant is expected back in mid-to-late September.
Yachtsman Steakhouse Has Been Dark Since May
Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney's Yacht Club Resort closed May 11 and has not reopened. The Signature Dining steakhouse, known for its in-house dry-aged beef program and nautical dining room, is unavailable for all of August.
There is a signal worth watching. Disney's reservation system has started accepting Yachtsman bookings beginning August 28, which reads as a quiet confirmation of the planned reopening date. Disney has not announced what changes guests will find when the restaurant reopens, so the experience may differ from the one it had before closing in May.
For context: the neighboring Crew's Cup Lounge at Yacht Club wrapped its own refurbishment back in May and has been open all summer. Yachtsman's return at the end of August brings the Yacht Club's dining lineup nearly back to full capacity heading into fall.
The Moves to Make Right Now at Disney
Guests with an August Disney World trip need to run three checks before arrival.
First: if a Grand Floridian brunch was on the itinerary, find Cítricos availability now and book it before it fills. Waiting even a few days risks losing a table entirely.
Second: if a Turf Club dinner was the plan for late August, redirect to Disney Springs and bookmark the mid-to-late September return date.
Third: if a Yachtsman reservation exists for any date before August 28, find an alternative now and set a reminder for the August 28 booking window, when the steakhouse is presumably back online.
Three closures. Three resorts. Three different situations. The guests who know about them before arriving will eat well. The ones who do not will be standing at a closed door in August.
