Disney Guests Lose Access to a Now Permanently-Closed Resort Perk

As of May 1, 2023, Disney’s home away from home for military families underwent a significant change. Throughout Shades of Green’s decades-long history on Disney property, Guests have relied heavily on the convenient walkway connecting it to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. True Park navigators strategically book their stays at Resorts that are within walking distance of the Parks to take full advantage of Park hours and dining reservations.

Related: Did You Know Disney World Houses Some Non-Disney Resorts As Well?

Shades of Green Guests who have planned their Disney trips around this legendary walkway will have to tweak their future trip plans after the Resort’s announcement on its Facebook page that it’s now permanently closed.

A golf Resort between the Palm and Magnolia golf courses across from the Polynesian Village Resort, Shades of Green Guests have stayed within a (Mickey) earshot of Walt Disney World’s deluxe resorts since 1973. The Resort took on a new hue when the Department of Defense leased the Disney World Resort and the land it sat on with a 100-year lease in 1994. Military members have adopted Shades of Green as their Disney-adjacent post ever since. The proximity to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort allowed them access to earlier Magic Kingdom entry, dining reservations, and Resort-hopping.

With the removal of the walkway, military members and their families now have limited access to Disney Resorts and, in turn, the Parks. Why the sudden change? The expansion of World Drive calls for a four-lane highway with no crosswalk, ousting Shades of Green Guests from their Park-hopping portal.

Related: Disney World Introduces Restrictions In Military Discounted Tickets

How to Navigate Disney’s Changes to Shades of Green

Instead of a quick walk to the Polynesian Village Resort, where a monorail is readily available, Shades of Green Guests must wait for bus transportation to get to the TTC. An exception to parking access at the Polynesian comes with dining reservations, but the only options Shades of Green Guests have for the bulk of their transportation are as follows.

Here are the options for Shades of Green Guests dining at the Polynesian or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort:

• Drive and Park for free at the Polynesian
• Take SOG bus to TTC and either walk or take the Resort monorail to the Polynesian
• Opt for a rideshare service (Lyft, Uber, or MinnieVan)

Without a dining reservation at the Polynesian or Grand Floridian Resort, you can either:

• Take SOG bus to TTC and either walk or take the Resort monorail to the Polynesian
• Opt for a rideshare service (Lyft, Uber, or MinnieVan)

Every Disney fanatic knows how crucial easy access to the Disney Parks is to a successful Disney trip, and this news will likely deter some Shades of Green lifers from booking their stay there any time soon.