Theme Park Scope

There are two kinds of Disney travelers in this world: the people who read the refurbishment notices before they book, and the people who find out about them at check-in while holding a suitcase and a smile. I have been both, and I am here to help you be the first kind.

Walt Disney World has updated the refurbishment notices for two resort hotels, and both timelines got longer. Here is what changed, and what you can do about it.

Disney’s previous notice said refurbishment work in select areas of Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas would continue through late 2026. The updated notice now extends that work into 2027. A couple of things are worth knowing. Disney says the Villas Pool and the Inn Pool will remain open during the closure, so you will not be without a place to swim. And the new notice does not say which additional areas will be affected, or give a firm completion date in 2027.

If you read our earlier posts, this fits with what we already knew about the BoardWalk’s year ahead. The resort is also just debuted the brand-new Hurly-Burly lounge, and in 2027, the Luna Park Pool, the Luna Park Crazy Play Area, and Leaping Horse Libations are scheduled to close for routine maintenance from January 11 through April 2027. During that closure, the Villas and Inn Leisure Pools remain open. Put all of that together, and the BoardWalk is a place where there is a lot happening at once, so it is worth planning your stay with that in mind.

At Disney’s Old Key West Resort, the work is focused on Hospitality House, the resort’s central hub, which includes the lobby, the concierge desk, Olivia’s Cafe, and other amenities. Disney had said the exterior maintenance would last through mid-September 2026. The notice now says it will continue through fall 2026. That is a vague new window, which means anyone staying at Old Key West this autumn should expect some activity around the lobby area.

A few other items are on the same calendar. The Disney Skyliner is scheduled to close for refurbishment from January 24 to January 30, 2027, and Disney says buses will carry guests from the EPCOT-area hotels to Hollywood Studios during that time. This means roughly ten of Disney’s resort hotels are currently under some kind of refurbishment, from room updates to exterior work, so these two extensions are part of a bigger picture.

The good news, and I mean this sincerely, is that this is the kind of work that makes resorts better for the next decade. I would much rather deal with a few weeks of scaffolding than a lobby that never gets a refresh.

• Check Disney’s refurbishment notice for your resort before you book. Disney posts notices on each resort’s page, and they list the affected areas and dates. It takes about two minutes, and it can save you an unpleasant surprise.
• Check again before you arrive. As these extensions show, notices can change. If your trip is a few months away, look again before you leave.
• Ask for a room away from the work. You can add a request to your reservation for a quiet location or a room far from construction. There is no guarantee, but it costs nothing to ask.
• Plan your mornings. Construction usually happens during the day, so if you are a late sleeper and your room faces the work, an earlier park start can be an easy fix.
• Use the open amenities. At the BoardWalk, both the Inn Pool and the Villas Pool are open, so you still have pool time.
• Remember the Skyliner closure. If you are staying at a Skyliner resort in late January 2027, plan for buses and extra travel time.

If you want a second set of eyes on your resort choice, a travel agent through Adventure Awaits Travel Company can help you check current notices and compare resorts for your travel dates, at no cost to you.

My bottom line is simple: do not cancel anything. Just stay informed, plan ahead, and keep a good sense of humor about a little hammering. Every Disney trip has a plot twist, and a great one is when you were prepared for it.

We will keep an eye on both resorts and share any new details as Disney updates its notices, so check back with Theme Park Scope before your next stay.