Theme Park Scope

Even a convention center gets a glow-up at Disney, and I’m here for it.

Disney just released the first concept art for the Convention Center refurbishment at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, and I have a lot of feelings about those windows.

The refurbishment got underway on August 10, 2026, and covers the Convention Center and the El Centro Corridor spaces. The project runs through late September 2027, so this is a long game. It brings updated finishes, furnishings, and shared spaces throughout the Convention Center, and Walt Disney Imagineering is behind the design work. The inspiration comes from the cultures and natural environments of Spain, Mexico, and the American Southwest, which are the same themes that have defined Coronado Springs Resort all along.

Now for the concept art. It shows the refurbished Convention Center lobby, and it’s warm in every sense of the word. A long hall stretches away from the viewer, lined on one side with a run of tall arched windows framed in soft green, letting in loads of daylight. Overhead, the ceiling is a grid of dark wood beams with light panels set between them, and round pendant chandeliers hang from it, each decorated with a geometric, Southwest-style pattern. On the left wall, there’s a big mural of tan and cream flowers and leaves. The carpet underfoot is a busy, colorful pattern with floral motifs in red, yellow, and teal. And there are plants everywhere, which I am always a fan of.

The people in the picture tell their own story. Two women sit in gray armchairs with a quilted diamond pattern, working on laptops at a small round table. Guests with rolling suitcases are walking down the hall, and a group is chatting near the front desk on the right, which has a carved geometric band running along the top. One of them is wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt, and another is carrying a Minnie ear bag, and yes, I absolutely noticed the tiny Disney touches on the luggage and laptops, too. It’s a great reminder that even in a convention setting, you’re still at Walt Disney World.

Here’s what I like about the details. The updated look feels like it belongs to Coronado Springs rather than a generic hotel conference space. The arched windows echo Spanish architecture, the patterned light fixtures lean into the Southwest, and the florals in the carpet and mural bring in that Mexican-inspired color. It’s a new coat of paint that still tells the resort’s story.

The scale is worth a moment. Coronado Springs has over 228,000 square feet of total function space, which makes it one of Walt Disney World’s largest convention and meeting destinations. That footprint stays available to event planners and guests the whole time the project is underway. The Convention Center remains open and fully operational, with Disney coordinating work in phases around existing event schedules. Construction happens overnight to limit disruption during the day.

If you’re staying at Coronado Springs for a vacation, you’ll likely cross paths with the El Centro Corridor, which links El Centro, the resort’s central hub, to the Convention Center, running between El Mercado and Rix Sports Bar and Grille. The refurbishment includes that corridor and the surrounding areas, so you may see or hear some work, but the overnight schedule is designed to keep your days smooth.

I love that Disney is giving this space the same care as the parts of the resort most guests see. A lobby with arched windows, wood beams, and those patterned chandeliers is the kind of detail that makes a place feel special, even if you’re only walking through on the way to a meeting. And honestly, anyone who’s ever spent a day in a hotel conference center knows how much a pretty room helps. I’m excited to see how this comes together by next fall.

Are you a Coronado Springs fan? Tell me in the comments what your favorite part of the resort is, and come back to Theme Park Scope for more Walt Disney World resort updates!