There's a lot that goes into planning a Walt Disney World trip, and most of it revolves around the parks themselves.
Which days to hit Magic Kingdom, whether to spring for individual Lightning Lanes, how early to show up for rope drop. But your hotel matters just as much, and it's the part of the trip a lot of people forget to research ahead of time. If the pool at your resort is drained for refurbishment or there's active construction outside your room every morning, that's going to shape your vacation whether you saw it coming or not. Right now, Disney has more than a dozen refurbishment projects running across Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Disney Vacation Club resorts between August and early November 2026.
Some are barely noticeable. Others are significant enough that they could change how you want to book. Here's everything currently on the schedule, starting with the biggest one.
The Big One: Kidani Village's Lobby Is Getting Rebuilt in Phases
The most extensive project underway this fall belongs to Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas at Kidani Village. Beginning August 17, 2026, the resort's main lobby is going through a full refurbishment that rolls out in stages and finishes up in early November. This is a much larger undertaking than the earlier announced closure of the resort's gift shop, Johari Treasures, and it will touch multiple parts of the lobby at different points over the coming months.
From August 17 through October 9, the main lobby and primary entrance shut down entirely, with check-in relocated to the Palace Library for the duration. Johari Treasures has its own shorter closure window, running August 17 through August 28, before reopening on its usual schedule August 29.
Later on, the north side lobby corridor closes September 28 through October 9, which includes the north side lobby elevators on the second floor and the outdoor terrace observation deck. After that wraps, the south side lobby corridor closes October 26 through November 6, and this is the widest reaching closure of them all. It affects Community Hall, the Safari So Good Arcade, the laundry room, the Palace Library, the lobby restrooms, and the outdoor terrace observation deck simultaneously.
Disney has warned that guests staying at Kidani Village during this stretch may notice construction sounds and activity throughout the lobby area during the day, sometimes fairly loud, until everything is finished in early November.
Value Resorts Are Mostly Quiet This Fall
Guests booking Value Resorts are in decent shape this season, with only one property having active work. Disney's All-Star Movies Resort is continuing a phased guest room refurbishment that runs through late January 2027. Construction rotates through different lodging buildings over time, so some sections may look untouched while others are clearly under renovation. Pools, dining, transportation, and recreational amenities are expected to stay open through the entire project, though guests near active work zones may hear daytime construction noise.
A Couple of Moderate Resorts Have Something Going On
Two Moderate Resorts have confirmed projects this fall. Disney's Coronado Springs Resort starts Convention Center renovations on August 10, 2026, which primarily affects meeting and event spaces rather than general vacation areas. Most leisure travelers likely won't feel much impact depending on their room location.
Meanwhile, Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Riverside, continues renovating the Magnolia Bend guest rooms through August 2027. Since the buildings are being handled in phases, portions of that section remain closed off while others receive updated interiors. Guests who want to avoid the noise entirely might consider requesting a building further from the current work area.
The Deluxe Category Has the Fullest Construction Calendar
Several Deluxe Resorts have ongoing projects this fall. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, continues rotating room refurbishments through January 2027, meaning some accommodations stay unavailable at any given time while nearby areas remain in operation.
Disney's BoardWalk Inn has select area refurbishments happening throughout 2026, though the bulk of the resort remains open and accessible. Over at Disney's Contemporary Resort, the standout project is at Bay Lake Tower, where the Bay Cove Pool, whirlpool, splash area, and surrounding recreation space are closed for refurbishment through late 2027. Guests booked there will need to plan on using alternate pool areas for the time being.
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is also handling select area work during 2026, though its larger scale expansion has already been completed. Most guests should still have a fairly normal stay, even with some visible construction zones scattered around the resort.
The Grand Floridian Has the Most Moving Pieces
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has multiple projects happening at the same time. The resort's covered entrance is under construction, with completion expected sometime in early 2027, meaning guests should anticipate temporary walkways and altered arrival areas during their stay.
On top of that, the Grand Floridian Café has been closed since mid-July and stays that way through October 2026 for its own refurbishment. Brunch service has been moved over to Citricos in the meantime. Guests planning a stay specifically around the Grand Floridian's dining scene should verify current hours before booking anything around it.
Disney Vacation Club Resorts Have Their Own Ongoing Work
DVC properties aren't skipping construction season either. Disney's Old Key West Resort is undergoing extensive guest room refurbishment throughout 2026, with rotating closures as Disney moves through the resort building by building.
Over at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, the Turf Club Bar and Grill remains under refurbishment through mid-September 2026, staying open with some temporary changes in the meantime. Nearby, the Treehouse Villas are getting exterior upgrades through September 2026, which means a portion of those units are unavailable while crews finish the job. Compared to something like the Kidani Village closure, these DVC projects are generally lower impact, but they're still worth keeping in mind while booking.
Where You Can Book Without Worrying About Construction
For guests who'd rather skip construction altogether, plenty of resorts currently have no major projects planned for the fall season. That includes Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Beach Club Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Riviera Resort, and Disney's Yacht Club Resort. Disney's Wilderness Lodge does have some exterior work happening, but it's been categorized as low impact, with the resort's main amenities staying fully accessible.
Small scale maintenance can happen anywhere without much notice, but none of these resorts currently have anything large scale on the calendar that's expected to affect most guests this fall.
Picking Your Resort Wisely Can Save You a Headache
Refurbishment projects are just part of running a resort complex the size of Walt Disney World, and most of them exist to make future stays better. Still, none of that matters much if you end up booked into an active construction phase without realizing it beforehand. Travelers who want every pool, restaurant, and pathway fully open without exception should lean toward one of the resorts without major work scheduled right now. If a bit of noise or a temporarily closed amenity doesn't bother you much, you'll likely be fine almost anywhere else, aside from the more heavily impacted spots like Kidani Village and the Grand Floridian.
It's worth spending a few minutes checking your specific resort's refurbishment status directly through Disney before locking in your fall reservation. That small bit of homework now could spare you an unpleasant surprise the moment you check in.
Do you already have a fall trip booked at one of these resorts? Tell us in the comments if any of this construction is going to affect your plans, we'd love to hear how you're working around it.
