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After 38 Years, Disney Closes Grand Floridian Resort Area

A dining location that has been part of the Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa experience since the Victorian-style hotel opened in 1988 is now behind construction walls, and it won't reopen until the fall.

The Grand Floridian Cafe Closes Its Doors

Grand Floridian Cafe
Credit: Disney

Sunday, July 19, marked the final day of service at the Grand Floridian Cafe in its current form. The Table-Service restaurant officially closed for refurbishment on Monday, July 20, and construction barriers were already in position by Tuesday morning. WDWNT shared a photo of the walled-off dining location, alongside the notice posted on the barriers for arriving Walt Disney World Resort guests:

“PARDON OUR PIXIE DUST
Grand Floridian Cafe and restrooms are closed for refurbishment
For brunch service, please join us at Cítricos–located upstairs on the second floor
Additional restrooms are located near the lobby or upstairs on the second floor”

The neighboring 1900 Park Fare remains open and operating normally throughout the closure. Guests who would typically turn to the Grand Floridian Cafe for a morning meal are being directed upstairs to Cítricos, which is temporarily adding brunch service from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. — a significant expansion for a restaurant that normally opens only for dinner.

Guests eating at the Grand Floridian Cafe
Credit: Disney

Walt Disney World Resort's official website confirms the closure will run through mid-October 2026. An exact reopening date hasn't been announced.

A Resort in the Middle of a Major Transformation

The Grand Floridian Cafe closure is the latest chapter in what has become one of the most active construction periods in the history of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Crews are currently rerouting a major roadway into the resort and other Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotels. Exterior maintenance work has also changed how guests navigate to the pool.

A pool in front of the exterior of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Credit: Jeff Christiansen, Flickr

Late last year, the resort debuted The Perch — a first-of-its-kind lobby bar shaped like the golden birdcage, a signature decorative element of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa since it opened in 1988.

Has a refurbishment closure ever impacted your stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel? Share your story with Disney Fanatic in the comments! 

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

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