Guests staying at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are being redirected away from a familiar walkway to the pool. However, the barriers that appeared on July 14 aren't the only changes making the Deluxe Disney Resort hotel feel increasingly restricted.
A Path to the Pool Gets Blocked
Last week, WDWNT reported that a new A-frame plastic sign had appeared on a walkway leading to the main pool area at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, instructing guests to “please utilize alternate walkway.” Rolling planters and plastic green fences block both the sidewalk and the adjacent grassy area, leaving guests no way through, even if they miss the signage. Additional A-frame signs throughout the area direct hotel families toward alternate routes to the “pool entrance.”
The exact cause of the reroute hasn't been confirmed by Walt Disney World Resort. Construction of a new traffic circle in the Magic Kingdom Resort area is currently underway and is affecting access routes to both Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.
The Bigger Picture at the Grand Floridian
The pool walkway closure comes amid a backdrop of Disney Parks fans paying close attention to every change at the resort's most prestigious Magic Kingdom-area hotels. Over the past several weeks, Walt Disney World Resort has restricted bus and boat transportation from Disney Springs to hotel guests only, requiring proof of an overnight stay or a valid dining reservation to board.
Shortly after that change, Walt Disney World Resort announced the retirement of the life-size Gingerbread House at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa — one of the biggest seasonal draws for off-property visitors during the holiday season. In a Disney Parks Blog post, the resort explicitly stated for the first time that its Christmas decorations were intended for guests staying at or dining at Disney Resort hotels, not casual visitors.
For now, guests can still board the Monorail, Disney Skyliner, buses, and watercraft from the four theme parks to Disney Resort hotels without proof of a reservation. However, extended daytime parking at on-property hotels has come under increased scrutiny, and security on the walkway between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom Park through Disney's Polynesian Village Resort has been noticeably tightened.
Has construction ever impacted your stay at a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort hotel? Share your story with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
