If you have a Walt Disney World resort stay coming up this fall — or you're deciding where to book one — there's a new piece of information worth checking before you go any further. On July 28, 2026, Disney added four new construction projects to its resort refurbishment calendar, and depending on your dates, the impact ranges from mild daytime noise to a resort's entire lobby moving somewhere else.
What Actually Happened
Disney confirmed new construction at four resorts: Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village. None of the four resorts is closing outright, but each one has a distinct set of guest-facing changes worth understanding individually.
Saratoga Springs — Entrance Construction Through Fall
The porte cochere — Saratoga Springs' covered arrival entrance — is under refurbishment through fall 2026, with possible daytime construction noise. This is in addition to already-ongoing work at the Treehouse Villas, alternating closures at the Turf Club Lounge and Turf Club Bar & Grill, and the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course closure through October.
Yacht and Beach Club — Boat Dock Closed August 17–21
The FriendShip Boat dock, which normally provides water transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, closes for maintenance from August 17 through August 21, 2026. During the closure, Disney will run direct buses to Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT remains reachable on foot via the International Gateway walkway, or via the Skyliner with a transfer at Caribbean Beach Resort.
Fort Wilderness — Detours Through Mid-October
Soil-erosion prevention work is underway along the Big Pine Trail sidewalk through mid-October. Disney hasn't announced any amenity closures tied to the project, but detours are possible — and at a resort covering hundreds of acres, a detour that sounds minor can meaningfully add time to getting between campsites, cabins, transportation stops, and recreation areas.
Kidani Village — The Most Disruptive of the Four
The biggest changes are at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village, unfolding in phases from August 17 through November 6. First, the main lobby and entrance close, with check-in relocating to the Palace Library, and Johari Treasures closing August 17–28. Then a north-corridor phase (September 28–October 9) closes the second-floor north lobby elevators and the outdoor terrace observation deck. Finally, a south-corridor phase (October 26–November 6) closes Community Hall, the Safari So Good Arcade, the laundry room, the Palace Library, lobby restrooms, and the outdoor terrace observation deck.
How to Check Your Own Dates
Guests do not need to cancel a trip because of these changes, but it's worth taking a few minutes to compare the specific date ranges above against your own travel dates — especially if you have mobility considerations, rely on the in-resort laundry room, or were planning meaningful downtime at the resort itself. If you haven't booked yet, this is exactly the kind of detail worth checking before you commit to a resort for late summer or fall 2026.
If you want a repeatable system for checking a resort's current condition before you ever put down a deposit — and a plan for staying flexible when something changes after you've already booked — the Walt Disney World First-Timer's Complete Planning Guide is built exactly for that. Grab it at payhip.com/b/xSRbZ.
FAQ
Q: Are any of these four resorts fully closing?
A: No. All four remain open; the disruptions vary from daytime noise to specific lobby and amenity closures.
Q: Which resort has the most disruptive construction?
A: Kidani Village, with phased lobby, corridor, and amenity closures running August 17 through November 6.
Q: What's the shortest disruption window?
A: The Yacht and Beach Club FriendShip Boat closure, at five days (August 17–21).
Q: Do I need to cancel my trip if I'm staying at one of these resorts?
A: Not necessarily — check whether your specific dates overlap with the construction windows above, and plan accordingly.
Q: Is this change temporary?
A: Yes, each project has a defined end date or phase schedule, unlike some permanent policy changes covered in past episodes.
Walt Disney World's refurbishment calendar changes constantly, and this week's four-resort announcement is a reminder that booking a resort is only half the planning work — checking its current condition against your actual dates is the other half. If you want a repeatable system for doing exactly that, the First-Timer's Guide is available now at payhip.com/b/xSRbZ.