Walt Disney World has introduced new and ongoing resort refurbishments and resort building tasks at Walt Disney World for now by way of 2027. Two of those contain exterior renovations at Yacht & Seashore Membership Resorts. This shares dates, particulars, and our commentary about impacts of labor
That is the primary of some tasks to be introduced, with a foyer challenge additionally added to the schedule for Port Orleans French Quarter. It’s getting near that point of yr when Walt Disney World schedules a flurry of tasks for the upcoming fiscal yr (or on this case, years), so these in all probability will not be the one resort renovations on the horizon. Regulate our 2025-2026 Walt Disney World Resort Development Tracker for updates on different, smaller-scale tasks.
The previous few years have thrown a monkey wrench into Walt Disney World resort refresh timelines, with a number of resort refurbishments being delayed because of the closure and the pent-up demand in its aftermath. The excellent news is that this hasn’t been as dangerous on the resort facet as with DVC properties, so Walt Disney World gained’t be spending the following few years taking part in catch-up, however between a couple of postponed tasks and the chance of larger-scale reimaginings and new building, there’s possible rather a lot on the horizon.
In any case, listed below are the bulletins that had been simply up to date/added to the Walt Disney World web sites:
Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort
Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort is present process routine exterior upkeep by way of late 2026. As a part of this work, the porte cochere can be closed by way of October 2025. This work might influence views from varied places all through the resort, and at occasions, alternate paths of journey could also be in place.
Whereas efforts can be made to attenuate disruptions, building could also be noticeable throughout daytime hours. All providers—together with valet, baggage help, and transportation—will stay out there. All swimming pools, resort eating and most different facilities will stay out there.
Disney’s Seashore Membership Resort & Seashore Membership Villas
Disney’s Seashore Membership Resort is present process routine exterior upkeep by way of 2027. As a part of this work, the porte cochere can be closed by way of September 2025. This work might influence views from varied places all through the resort, and at occasions, alternate paths of journey could also be in place.
Whereas efforts can be made to attenuate disruptions, building could also be noticeable throughout daytime hours. All providers—together with valet, baggage help, and transportation—will stay out there. All swimming pools, resort eating and most different facilities will stay out there.
From January 25, 2026, by way of January 31, 2026, Disney Skyliner can be closed for refurbishment. Complimentary bus service can be out there.
Our Commentary
We usually wouldn’t do a standalone submit for an exterior refurbishment, however this caught our consideration not solely as a result of it’s by way of 2027, but in addition that the extensions are over a yr every. Beforehand, these bulletins indicated work would wrap up in September and October 2025, per the retained port-cochere timelines. The timeline alone suggests a big scale challenge, and the truth that it’s a lot longer than beforehand introduced is likewise curious.
Development crews have already began engaged on these exteriors–did they uncover one thing that may necessitate an extended timeline as soon as they began? Are assets being diverted to a distinct challenge, which is able to successfully stretch this out? Or is the timeline not truly uninterrupted, and there can be work on the porte-cocheres by way of Fall 2025, then a protracted hole, then work resuming subsequent low season to wrap up building?
Sadly, we don’t but have the solutions to any of these questions. My guess is that the scope and scale ballooned for no matter motive as soon as crews began on the challenge. Why is past me; there’s a motive I’m a blogger and never a building supervisor. What I do know (or reasonably, have noticed through the years) is that Yacht and Seashore Membership appear to obtain an inordinate quantity of exterior upkeep.
Simply this summer time, Stormalong Bay reopened after being closed since January 2025 for routine upkeep and upgrades. Throughout that roughly 6-month challenge, Stormalong Bay obtained newly resurfaced swimming pools, rebuilt cabanas, redone concrete decking, up to date seating, and different routine upkeep. Fortunately, the three-acre Stormalong Bay aquatic playground is as soon as once more out there to company, together with the sand-bottom pool, lazy river, whirlpool spas, and extra.
There have been simply prolonged exterior refurbishments to each of those resorts in (roughly) 2020 to 2022, and each additionally obtained foyer reimaginings in the previous couple of years. The lighthouse was additionally refurbished a couple of years in the past, and visitor rooms on the Seashore Membership (Villas and resort) obtained rolling refurbishments that lasted a few years.
It’s in all probability exaggerated in my thoughts primarily based on our stays there being disproportionately impacted, nevertheless it looks like there have been almost perpetual tasks at Yacht & Seashore Membership for the final ~5 years. Followers like me bemoan the boxy fashion of Walt Disney World’s newer resorts, however I wonder if the skyrocketing upkeep and labor prices are an enormous think about that call. I can’t fathom what number of tens of tens of millions of {dollars} Disney has spent on the exteriors of simply these two resorts within the final a number of years.
When it comes to the influence to company staying at Yacht & Seashore Membership, it’ll be hit and miss. Everybody will have the ability to see scaffolding when strolling round Crescent Lake, as that’s already up and presumably will shift round over the following couple of years as completely different sections of the facade are repaired and changed.
The extent to which that visible blight is noticeable or disruptive will depend upon the visitor and placement of the work. We’ve been round Yacht & Seashore Membership numerous occasions within the final 5 years when there was exterior work taking place, and I wouldn’t say it actually caught out from the surface on any of these journeys. It was seen, certain, nevertheless it didn’t negatively influence our expertise.
With that stated, we did have one keep at Yacht Membership in March 2022 when the work was very impactful. After we arrived in our room, building crews had been truly on our balcony, which was out of fee. That was comparatively temporary, and maybe was solely occurring throughout what they thought was the housekeeping turnover interval. Development tools was parked outdoors and under our window at some stage in the keep and in use throughout daytime hours.
Under are a few of my images from that keep, none of which present the precise work being performed (I’m a weirdo, however not sufficient of 1 to awkwardly level my digicam at building staff whereas I’m basically face-to-face with them; plus, I didn’t know I’d ever have any use for these images).
If we had been common company or deliberate on utilizing our balcony, we in all probability would’ve gone right down to the entrance desk and requested a distinct room. The impacted space of Yacht Membership was pretty small and the crews had been proper there (I used to be considerably stunned the rooms weren’t simply taken out of stock), so being relocated in all probability wouldn’t have been a difficulty. Even so, the work didn’t find yourself bothering us an excessive amount of.
For those who’re staying in one of many areas being labored on and you are likely to take naps in the course of the day, it’s solely doable your expertise may differ. Regardless, we’d suggest inserting a room request to be in a location away from the outside building at Yacht & Seashore Membership.
That is in all probability a state of affairs the place I’d make the room request previous to arrival, after which cease by the entrance desk earlier than coming into the room to verify that the room task is away from the outside refurbishment. Making change requests earlier than coming into the room is all the time a greater protected than sorry greatest apply, even when not strictly needed in a state of affairs comparable to this.
To every their very own, however I wouldn’t keep away from Yacht or Seashore Membership in the course of the exterior refurbishment. Even with a nap-prone toddler, we now have a keep booked at Yacht Membership and I’ve zero pause about it. (We will certainly be making a room request prematurely this time, although!)
Lastly, we’re additionally questioning in regards to the mysterious Yacht Membership room refurbishment. This was first introduced final April with a bulletin that “some” visitor rooms at Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort can be below refurbishment from this January by way of Might. In some unspecified time in the future, that was revised to take away the top date and reference to the visitor rooms.
With different refurbishment tasks ongoing at Yacht & Seashore Membership, it’s possible that Walt Disney World felt it pointless to have a separate alert for the rooms. And as we identified again when the refurbishment was first introduced, ~5 months wasn’t lengthy sufficient to finish a room refurbishment at Yacht Membership.
Our assumption was that the challenge can be prolonged, simply as different room refurbishments have been or can be (Port Orleans Riverside being a primary ongoing instance–that challenge gained’t be completed as soon as Magnolia Bend is completed).
Whereas there are loads of unknowns, the one factor we do know is that the Yacht Membership room refurbishment was not cancelled. We’ve seen images of the brand new rooms (that’s the previous room above), and have heard from a few readers who’ve stayed in them. They seem like a reasonably mild comfortable items refurbishment that swaps out a number of the furnishings and provides (arguably wanted primarily based on visitor suggestions) pops of shade.
From what I’ve seen, the refreshed rooms look good–however I used to be additionally a fan of the prevailing Yacht Membership rooms, so my mindset is “don’t repair what isn’t damaged.” If this challenge was fully completed, it looks like Walt Disney World would publicize the outcomes, particularly since they appear good, like they’ve performed with French Quarter and Pop Century just lately. We’ll report again after our upcoming household keep primarily based on that have with the brand new rooms (hopefully!) and influence of the outside refurbishment.
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Walt Disney World extending the outside refurbishment at Yacht & Seashore Resorts by over a yr? Any theories as to why the timeline for this has ballooned? Have you ever skilled building impacts at both of those resorts within the final ~5 years? Lucked into one of many new rooms at Yacht Membership? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
