Staying at a Disney World hotel this week? Two new closures could change part of your trip.
Walt Disney World is in the middle of a busy refurbishment season, and two more resort projects officially began on August 17th. This time, guests staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas — Kidani Village and Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts are impacted.
Thankfully, neither resort is completely closing, but there are some important changes you’ll want to know about before arriving.
A substantial refurbishment is now underway at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas — Kidani Village, beginning with changes to the resort’s main lobby and entrance.
From August 17th through October 9th, 2026, the main lobby and primary entrance are scheduled to be closed. During that time, guest check-in will temporarily move to the Palace Library.
There’s also a more immediate closure to keep in mind: Johari Treasures, Kidani Village’s merchandise location, is scheduled to remain closed from August 17th through August 28th.
Additional work is expected later this fall, including a closure of the north side lobby corridor from September 28th through October 9th. That phase will also affect the second-floor north lobby elevators and outdoor terrace observation deck.
Over at Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts, another temporary closure began August 17th.
The FriendShip Boat dock serving Yacht & Beach Club is closed for maintenance from August 17th through August 21st.
During the closure, Disney is providing direct bus transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests traveling to EPCOT can still use the walking paths from Yacht & Beach Club to the park’s International Gateway entrance.
So, while this one is relatively short-lived, it’s definitely worth knowing if you were planning on hopping aboard a FriendShip boat during your stay.
Neither of these closures means you need to panic about an upcoming Disney World hotel stay, but both could impact your usual routine, particularly at Kidani Village, where the refurbishment will continue in phases throughout the fall.
As always, it’s worth checking Disney’s latest refurbishment information before arriving, especially with several resort projects currently underway around Walt Disney World.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for the latest Disney World hotel closures, resort refurbishments, transportation changes, and vacation-planning updates.
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