A Word of Warning About 13 Disney World Hotels This Summer

Thanks to a litany of discounted deals and a slew of new perks, including the return of free water park tickets, character appearances, and others associated with the Cool Kids’ Summer promotion, Disney World’s on-property hotels are looking to be crowded this summer.

Closed for now

However, those crowds are set to encounter various levels of construction and refurbishment across many of Disney’s most popular resorts.

The Polynesian Village 

Let’s begin with arguably the most beloved resort on Walt Disney World property, the opening day original Polynesian Village Resort. Throughout the summer of 2026, several areas of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and the connected Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows are being refurbished. This work includes the reconfiguration of the front entrance roadway and bus area, which may affect some views of the theme parks and other surrounding areas, according to Disney.

Polynesian construction

In addition, the hotel’s boat dock will undergo routine maintenance from May 11th through late June. The dock will be closed, and boat transportation to Magic Kingdom park will be suspended from May 11 through June 5th.

The boat dock

Furthermore, two of the resort’s most popular eateries will also see some ripple effects from refurbishment work:

• Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace will be closed from mid-April through late June due to refurbishment work at the Grand Ceremonial House.
• From April 23rd through late June, updates will be made to the exterior roofing at Wailulu Bar & Grill in the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The restaurant will remain open during the work, offering walk-up service only until 5:00 PM, with seating from 5:00 PM until closing.

Wailulu construction

Dining Closures

The pair of Polynesian restaurants isn’t the only hotel eatery that guests won’t be able to enjoy as usual this summer, as several will undergo refurbishments and closures.

The Yacht Club Resort’s New England-themed Yachtsman Steakhouse will be closing in May for a refurbishment running through August. The closure comes on the heels of the associated Crew’s Cup Lounge, which closed on February 23rd for a refurbishment scheduled to end in May.

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Saratoga Springs has three Turf Club eateries, which will rotate refurbishments over the summer months:

• The Turf Club will be closed from April to August, while the Turf Club Bar & Grill remains open with a modified menu.
• The Turf Club Patio will have a brief closure from early through mid-August.
• Then, the Turf Club Bar & Grill will be closed from August into September, with the Turf Club Lounge remaining open.

Turf Club Bar & Grill

Finally, the Grand Floridian Cafe — naturally located at the Grand Floridian — is scheduled to be closed from July through October. During this period, the cafe’s brunch will be offered at Citricos.

Grand Floridian Cafe

In addition, the following resorts will be undergoing general maintenance and refurbishment projects that won’t see the closure of any restaurants or amenities, but may be visible and audible to guests:

• Fort Wilderness Meadow Swimmin’ pool construction: Through Mid-2026.
• Saratoga Springs Treehouse Villas refurbishment: Through September 2026.
• Boardwalk exterior refurbishment: Through Late 2026.
• Wilderness Lodge exterior refurbishment: late 2026.
• Yacht Club exterior maintenance: Late 2026.
• All-Star Movies refurb: May 2026 to January 2027.
• Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House refurb: May 2026 to January 2027.
• Grand Floridian Resort-Wide refurbishment, including the porte-cochère: Through Early 2027.
• Port Orleans room refurbishment: Through August 2027.
• Beach Club exterior refurbishment: Through Late 2027.
• Contemporary resort-wide refurbishment: Through Late 2027.

Guests staying at these Walt Disney World hotels this summer should prepare to encounter — and perhaps have to plan around — some closures. Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney’s refurbishment schedule.

5 Weeks When Disney World Hotels Will Be Empty in 2026

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